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NEWMAN ENTERS 2016 WITH YOUNG LINEUP
Meet the new Dixon reporter
TENNIS PREVIEW, B1
DATELINE DIXON, A3
TELEGRAPH Tuesday, March 22, 2016
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | AIRPORT
Giving the economy a lift
INSIDE | SPECIAL SECTION A Day in the Life A Marketing Supplement of Sauk
www.saukvalley.com
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Valley Media
Sauk Valley Media • C1
Study could help open runways to commercial aircraft, and opportunities for growth BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – A feasibility study on the City Council’s radar is part of a plan for the Dixon Municipal Airport that, in the long run, could help the city’s economy. The council is considering conducting a study to determine what improvements would be needed to upgrade the airport into more of a commercial facility.
City Manager Cole O’Donnell said the city wants to take a look at the long-term feasibility of the airport, which accommodates mostly pleasure aircraft. “We would like to see what it would take and how much it would cost to modernize and expand the airport to attract more nonpleasure aircraft at the airport,” he said. If approved, the feasibility study would cost $10,000 to $30,000. The tentative timeline of the study would have a start date in
June and completion date in October. “I think if the airport was made more commercial, it could create more opportunity for certain aircraft to land and could expand economic development recruiting for the area,” O’Donnell said. To determine the airport’s long-term feasibility, the study would evaluate the current facilities and operations to identify improvements needed for an upgrade.
The staff at Sauk Valley Media has been spending some time the past few weeks with the men and women who are the backbone of our communities – the people who cut your hair, take care of your kids, satisfy your munchies, and help you through the most difficult times in your life, to name just a few. In today’s paper, you’ll see what we’ve been working on – and more importantly, what they’ve been working on. Our 48-page special section, “A Day in the Life,” celebrates the people who get things done in the Sauk Valley, and how they do it. Section C takes a look at a day in the life of small business owners, firefighters, an accountant, a day care worker, real estate agent, demolition crew, veterinarian, funeral director, and priest. In Section D, we spend some time with a vending machine operator, apartment manager, bar manager, barber, school IT professional, antique restorer, festival organizers, tattoo artist, and personal trainer. To accommodate printing and inserting the section, SVM had early deadlines Monday night, which means the late lottery numbers and some news from that night won’t appear in today’s paper, but you can always check saukvalley.com for breaking news and other updates.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire – and growth Phil Nagorny of Cary, a member of the Nachusa Grasslands summer work crew, keeps an eye on a fire break Monday afternoon at Nachusa, near Franklin Grove. Norgorny will be working at the grasslands through the summer and fall while he studies at Northern Illinois University. Crew members and volunteers at the grasslands spent the weekend burning off plots of the prairie. The controlled burns help clear invasive species, stimulate new growth, and lessen the risk of a wildfire being triggered by underbrush. Turn to page A2 for more photos of Monday’s burn.
THE PEOPLE’S VOICE | CHERYL ROBINSON
She wants to show that living works Morrison mom turns the pain of loss into a personal mission to help others christopher HEIMERMAN
ROBINSON CONTINUED ON A5
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 164 ISSUE 228
INDEX
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
When not at her day job as curriculum director for the Rock Falls Elementary School District, Cheryl Robinson is a tireless advocate for many other programs for the benefit of the community.
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A10 COMICS ............... A8
r? A day care worker? Ever wondered what it’s like to be a firefighte day-in-the-life look. your Someone who demolishes buildings? Here’s
AIRPORT CONTINUED ON A4
LEE COUNTY
The milestone was sort of happenstance. Last summer, Cheryl Robinson was conducting training during her 27th Applied SuiHeimerman is cide Intervention Skills Training the Enterprise Projects Editor session through LivingWorks. at Sauk Valley She saw sessions 28 and 29 Media. He can on her schedule and thought it be reached at cheimerman@ might be feasible to conduct her saukvalley. 30th 2-day session by March 30 com or – when her son, Patrick, would 815-625-3600, ext. 5523. have turned 30 years old. It became her latest, greatest goal. The sessions are capped at 30 attendees, and they’re usually full. So think about it: Since she was trained in December 2006, she’s equipped upward of 900 people to be prepared, should they see red flags pointing toward suicide.
How things get done in the Sauk Valley
CROSSWORD....B10 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
STERLING
Downtown building will be demolished BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The city’s nonprofit economic development arm is finalizing plans to demolish a building on First Avenue to create parking space for the Lawrence Lofts project. Sterling Today is partnering with the Rock Island Economic Growth Corp. to build the estimated $5.5 million apartment complex above the Whiteside County Courthouse at 101 E. Third St. Plans call for 20 affordable housing units in the longvacant tower area of the building. The courthouse will remain on the main floor. Sterling Today is working on plans to knock down the building at 216 First Ave., which most recently was home to Fung Ming restaurant. The organization is hoping to speed along the process so the vacant space can be used as a staging site for the construction crews. BUILDING CONTINUED ON A4
Today’s weather High 63. Low 45. More on A3.
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