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FOOD, A9-10
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON
St. Marys to reopen cement plant Operation could resume this spring BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
DIXON – St. Marys Cement plans to reopen its Dixon plant this spring. Citing a downturn in the economy, the company closed the plant in December 2008. The company said the reopening would bring back about two-thirds of the some 90 jobs lost in the shutdown. At the time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had fined St. Marys and co-owner St. Barbara
Cement $800,000 for violations of the federal Clean Air Act. In addition, the settlement called for the companies to spend nearly $2 million to upgrade pollution control on three of its four kilns. The fourth kiln had to be replaced or shut down. The settlement was the first completed as a result of an EPA crackdown on Portland cement manufacturing facilities. The EPA said the companies had illegally modified the kilns at the Dixon plant in a manner that increased harmful emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. In addition to failing to install proper pollution-control equipment, the companies were cited for failing to get the proper
permit before making modifications. Mayor Jim Burke said representatives from St. Marys approached him nearly a year ago about the possibility of restarting operations. The company said the decision was made based on increased demand from an improving economy. St. Marys also plans to invest $130 million in its Charlevoix, Michigan, plant to increase capacity there. In an e-mail, St. Marys spokesman Steve Gallagher gave a spring timeline for the reopening process. He also said all regulatory issues with the EPA had been addressed. CEMENT CONTINUED ON A4
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
St. Marys Cement plans to reopen its Dixon plant this spring. The company said the reopening would bring back about two-thirds of the some 90 jobs lost in December 2008.
STERLING | THE GARNICA CASE
KIDS OUT FOR A CRUISE IN STERLING
Jailed teacher no longer gets pay Superintendent: Decision on employment coming by March 25 meeting BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Two-year-old Easton (left) and Reese Escamilla, 5, ride their bicycles while enjoying the sunny weather Tuesday afternoon in Sterling. The two should have plenty of time to keep enjoying the nice weather. The forecast calls for temperatures to climb from the mid-50s Wednesday to the mid-60s by Tuesday. The day wasn’t all sunny, though. Other local residents must have felt like they were in London as they took advantage of the warmer weather. See more on Page A3.
DIXON
Students question Kinzinger Congressman speaks on background, role BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – Dixon High School sophomore Caroline Costello took advantage of an opportunity Tuesday to ask U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger a question about the internet. Sitting near the front of the
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Dixon High School Auditorium, Costello, 16, asked to hear Kinzinger’s thoughts on net neutrality, which treats all content on the internet equally. “I’m on the committee that deals with it,” Kinzinger said. “I support the idea. The best thing about the Internet is it’s free and open, and it has led to a lot of job creation.” Kinzinger, a Republican from Channahon, spoke for about 35 minutes Tuesday morning to about 200 gov-
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ernment and history students at the school. During the presentation, Kinzinger talked about his background and his role as a congressman. He also fielded questions for about 20 minutes. “It was nice of him to come out to our school,” Costello said. “It’s really interesting to see the political views, since he is representing the people of our state.” CONGRESSMAN CONTINUED ON A2
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS .........B11 COMICS ...............B5
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Congressman Adam Kinzinger speaks to a group of Dixon High School students Tuesday morning about his career in the military and work in Congress.
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
STERLING – A teacher jailed on four counts of attempted first-degree murder is no longer a paid employee of Sterling schools. Mario Garnica Jr., 26, a bilingual first-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, has been placed on general leave, which means he is unpaid and without benefits, Superintendent Tad Everett said. G a r n i c a remained in Mario Garnica Jr. Lee County Jail Tuesday on a $300,000 bond. He was notified of his employment change on Thursday, Everett said. Garnica also is charged with two counts of armed violence, four counts of aggravated domestic battery, and two counts of battery. He is accused of stabbing his 29-year-old boyfriend in the neck and beating him on the head, shoulders and arms with a metal pipe Jan. 19 in the boyfriend’s home. The teacher was placed on paid administrative leave after his Feb. 3 arrest at the school. That status changed Friday, Everett said. “Currently, Mr. Garnica is unable to fulfill the essential duties of his job,” Everett said. “Based upon that, we changed the status of his employment to a general leave.” TEACHER CONTINUED ON A4
Today’s weather High 51. Low 28. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B6.
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