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STERLING TO FACE TOUGH PITCHERS
United Way reflects on campaign
SOFTBALL, B1
WHITESIDE COUNTY, A5
TELEGRAPH
Thursday, March 12, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
FRANKLIN GROVE | LIVING & REHABILITATION CENTER
Home to get major expansion New therapy gym, Medicare suites highlight $1.2M project BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
FRANKLIN GROVE – Franklin Grove Living & Rehabilitation Center is expanding. The for-profit continuing care retirement community is adding a 3,300-square-foot therapy gym; six
private Medicare suites adjacent to the gym, for another 3,300 square feet; and a 2,200-square-foot dining room, Kathy Clark, the resident services coordinator, said Wednesday. Thanks to the addition of the gym, the facility now will be able to offer outpatient therapy for new and continuing patients, Clark said. The state-of-the-
art gym will have a homelike feel, with a kitchen and a laundry room, she said. One of the neat features will be an indoor car, to be used to help patients practice getting in and out. New bathing suites are part of the package.
‘‘
There’s a need. We’ve always been looking to the future, and more and more people need therapy, and we want to be here to help them.
’’
Kathy Clark, resident services director of Franklin Grove Living and Rehabilitation Center, on what has driven the need for expansion
HOME CONTINUED ON A4
CONTEST-WINNERS CATCH HOT RIDE TO SCHOOL IN DIXON
COLOMA TOWNSHIP
Forensic audit not happening Trustee’s motion shot down after board’s discussion BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Addison Herwig (left), 6, and Amelia Summers, 7, wave to family and friends Wednesday morning as they depart for school at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Dixon. Firefighter Adam Arnould drove the two girls and boys and fellow contestwinners Max Miller and Griffin Magnafici from the Dixon City Department station to their school. Arnould heralded their arrival by kicking on the lights and sirens, to the joy of his passengers. RIGHT: Arnould safely unloads his passengers, Max (right), 5, and Griffin, 6, as they arrive at St. Mary’s Catholic School on Wednesday morning in Dixon. Other firetrucks delivered students to St. Anne Catholic School and Washington Elementary School.
ROCK FALLS – The Coloma Township Board of Trustees took another look at doing a forensic audit, but it was a quick one. Trustee Gene Jacoby told the board Wednesday that he thought this was the time to go the forensic route. “As confusing as the books have been, I believe we owe it to the citizens of the township to make sense of it,” Jacoby said. “Maybe we could pick up Gene things the other Jacoby auditors haven’t seen.” Several trustees responded with concerns about the cost of a forensic audit. Mary Richardson said her research came up with estimates of $40,000 to start, and the possibility of much more as the process moves along. FORENSIC CONTINUED ON A3
THOMSON | SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
‘The best small town it can be’ Village celebrates 150 years amid renaissance BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN Special to Sauk Valley Media
THOMSON – It’s known as a town along the mighty Mississippi River; a farming community noted for its watermelons; and, most recently, the site of a soon-to-be-operational federal prison. But Thomson, a quiet town of 500 people in southwestern CarTom Kocal/tkocal@shawmedia.com roll County, to many is considThe village of Thomson turns 150 this year, and ered home. is celebrating with events every month, includ- Village President Vicky Trager ing Saturday’s Tribute to Agriculture Day. has roots in Thomson, but she
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ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ........... A7 COMICS ...............B7
was not raised in the town; she spent her childhood as a military brat, living somewhere different every few years. “To come back to Thomson was really special for me … because we never lived here,” she said. “Whenever we got to come here, I got to experience this life. I could run barefoot through town, get an ice cream cone downtown, and then catch lightning bugs in the park.”
CROSSWORD....B12 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
TOWN CONTINUED ON A4
NATION/WORLD .. A7 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
• Want to get out of town this weekend? Milledgeville High School is putting on “Beauty and the Beast.” Check A2 for showtimes. • See all your entertainment options in our listings on A9, A11 and A12.
ENTERTAINMENT, A9, A11-13 Today’s weather High 57. Low 35. More on A3.
Benefit
Oregon woman battling cancer, A5.
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