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SKYHAWKS’ FLIGHT COMES TO END
Celebrate good times
WOMEN’S HOOPS, B1
SPECIAL SECTION, INSIDE
TELEGRAPH Tuesday, March 3, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | BAY VALLEY FOODS NEGOTIATIONS
New water rate placed on file Food company ‘very appreciative’ of city’s compromise BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @MattMencarini
DIXON – After about 7 months of negotiations, the new water rate for Bay Valley Foods boiled down to 32 cents. That’s the difference between what the company was asking for and what the city agreed to Monday night when it placed on file its amended water rate structure.
DIXON | MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Grower heads to Hillcrest
The changes can be made official during the City Council meeting March 16. The water rate change applies to any water customer that uses more than 100,000 cubic feet of water a month. Bay Valley Foods is the city’s largest water customer and the only one that exceeds the threshold. Mayor Jim Burke said the city should be “all right” with the reduced revenue and got the
approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, which was needed because of loans from the agency to the city. “[Bay Valley Foods] sent appreciation today to the City Council,” he said. “They were very appreciative, and it will help them continue to be a good, progressive [company] employing about 100 or more people here.” RATE CONTINUED ON A5
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[Bay Valley Foods] sent appreciation today to the City Council ... It will help them continue to be a good, progressive company employing about 100 or more people here.
’’
Dixon Mayor Jim Burke
St. Marys update inside Mayor: Cement company says it will open for 2 years
STERLING
ASHTON FIRE
Man, 22, calls 911, dies in fire
Skate time running thin? Forecast: winter could be waning
His father, friend escape inferno BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
License awarded in Lee County goes to Ogle
ASHTON – A 22-year-old man who called 911 to report a house fire later was found dead inside the home, the Lee County sheriff said in a news release. David A. Reisinger called 911 about 3:45 p.m. Sunday to report the fire at 1765 Brooklyn Road, about 4 miles southeast of Ashton, a home he shared with his father, Frederick, 73. When fire crews arrived, the house was engulfed and Reisinger’s father and Kemoc Scheu, 24, of Ashton, who was visiting, were outside. A cat also died in the blaze, Sheriff John Simonton said. After an autopsy performed Monday morning, Lee County Coroner Jesse Partington said David Reisinger’s preliminary cause of death was asphyxia due to smoke inhalation. A state fire marshal’s office representative was on scene investigating Monday, Simonton said. The result of that investigation, and the origin and cause of the fire are unknown. Simonton said it didn’t appear to be anything criminal.
BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @MattMencarini
DIXON – A medical marijuana cultivation center that was supposed to open in Dixon will instead open in Ogle County – and with a different company. The permit will go to Oak Park-based PharmaCann, the state announced Monday. According to The Associated Press, CEO Teddy Scott said the company would open the cultivation center in Hillcrest, which is just north of Rochelle. The license was originally awarded to GTI Clinic Holding LLC, parent company of Green Thumb Industries, in February, but last week the company gave it up by failing to pay the state fees required. The Dixon license, for a lot in the Lee County Industrial Park, was one of three the company had been awarded. Mayor Jim Burke said the loss of the center will mean the loss of a lot of potential property tax revenue. “I’m really disappointed,” he said Monday night. “I thought it was going to be a slam dunk. I figured that Lee County must have had a good geographic location. I’m astounded.”
ASHTON
GROWER CONTINUED ON A8
Consolidation contributor? State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, added to task force charged with figuring out how to best consolidate government bodies. More on A8
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 213
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Olivia Leal, 8, of Sterling tries out a new pair of ice skates for the first time with help from her mom, Mary Rohlik, on Monday afternoon at Thomas Park. The two hit up the pond for the first time since Olivia got the skates for Christmas. The window to try out such gifts might be closing. The extended forecast shows highs reaching the 30s Friday, and even pushing into the 50s by early next week. For the 5-day forecast in the Sauk Valley, see A3.
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ............... A9
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
NATION/WORLD A11 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
Make your voice heard A community forum will be held tonight to address possible cuts to AFC School District staff. More on A5
Today’s weather High 37. Low 5. More on A3.
Crash fallout
Dixon man charged with DUIs, more, A2.
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