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Get to know the top coach, player BOYS BASKETBALL, B1
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PREP POSTSEASON COMMUNITY, C12
UPDATE | BODY FOUND ON INTERSTATE 88
Last days a mystery Police still don’t know what happened to Iowa man BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
DIXON – Lee Catlin, 65, a retired teacher from the Quad Cities, was headed east on Interstate 88 on the night of Nov. 12. His blood-alcohol content was higher than the legal limit, according to the Illinois State Police. A few days before, he had been arrested on a charge of drunken driving in Iowa – unusual for a man with an apparently clean record. No one knew where Catlin was going Nov. 12, including his family,
state police Maj. Jim Winters said in an interview last week. “We have exhausted all of the investigative leads,” he said. “There’s nothing for us to investigate.” From 8:24 p.m. to 8:46 p.m, at least three motorists on I-88 called authorities to report that a man was waving his arms while lying on the side of the highway. No one apparently stopped to help Catlin. A state police trooper and a state highway maintenance worker were sent to looked for him – with no success.
On that cold night, Catlin died of hypothermia, police say. His body was discovered the next morning.
So, what happened? Should the motorists who saw the man have stopped? Did the officer and maintenance worker try hard enough to find him? Did Catlin hide when he saw the police spotlight, because he was believed to have been drunk? MYSTERY CONTINUED ON A2
Lee Catlin The retired teacher from Bettendorf, Iowa, was found dead along Interstate 88 on Nov. 13. Police say he died of hypothermia.
AMBOY | BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH
ROCK FALLS
Going for the Guinness Flying disc duo to make record attempt BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
ROCK FALLS – Nims Park could soon make its way into the Guinness World Records book. Inside Joe Duncan and Garry MurMeet Joe phy, and mem- Duncan and bers of Basket Garry Murphy, Cases disc golf A9 club in Crete, have chosen the park at East Third Street and Avenue E for their attempt to set a record for most disc golf holes played in 24 hours. The event will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 3, and end at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 4. GUINNESS CONTINUED ON A9
DIXON
Philip Marruffo/ pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
World War II veteran Elwood Koch, who turns 90 today, has been working two or three 6-hour shifts a week for 4 years at Culver’s in Dixon. Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Dustin Stevens (center) is fortunate to have a family member with medical experience, said his mother, Becky Pollard (right), who was a nurse before Dustin was confined to a wheelchair by an auto accident in 2005. Here, they pose for a photo in their Amboy home with Dustin’s brother, Dylan, and his girlfriend, Dani Kessel.
‘This can happen to anyone’
BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
Nine years later, family still caring for man injured in car accident BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529
AMBOY – Dustin Stevens celebrated his 27th birthday this week by taking a trip to see his doctor. Stevens, confined to a wheelchair because of a 2005 car accident in Rock Falls, had to be helped to his family’s van. From the door of his family’s Amboy home, down the long,
turning, black metal ramp and into the handicap accessible van, Stevens was helped along the way by his mother, Becky Pollard, who has served as his personal nurse and caretaker for the past 9 years. The trip to the doctor’s office, Pollard said, was Stevens’ first trip outside since November, because he is prone to pneumonia. CARING CONTINUED ON A3
A True Blue party at Culver’s
Dustin’s mom, Becky Pollard, wears a green ribbon in recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Month in March. She and her son, Dylan Stevens, have been wearing green ribbons made by Dylan’s girlfriend, Dani Kessel.
DIXON – His hands are the strong, sure hands of a working man, smooth and cool from so much time in water, with long, thin fingers knob-knuckled with age. His grip, though, like the man himself, is gentle. But his hands aren’t the first thing you notice when you meet Elwood Koch. First, there’s the sweet, friendly smile, and those blue, blue, Culver’s blue eyes that he fixes on you from behind his goldrimmed glasses, all his attention focused on you. CULVER’S CONTINUED ON A11
Partly sunny
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 31 44 Pages
Today: 50/28 For the forecast, see Page A10
Local merger
New owners prepare to take over Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. See Page C1
Champion strategy Legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard shares fitness tips Also inside USA Weekend: Healthy living at any age Carrot cake cupcakes Double dates
Index Births................ C5
Markets .......... A12
Business........... C1
Nation ............ A10
Classified .......... D1
Obituaries ......... A4
Comics ............. B5
Opinion............. A6
Community ..... C12
Scoreboard ...... B9
Crossword Saturday ........... D6
Scrapbook ....... C3
Crossword Sunday ............. C8
Support groups .. C5
Dear Abby ........ C6
Weather.......... A10
Lottery .............. A2
Wheels ............. D8
Sports .............. B1 Travel .............. C10