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PITCHES HELP POWER ROCKETS TO A WIN
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BASEBALL, B1
DAY TRIP, A7
TELEGRAPH Friday, April 8, 2016
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
LEE COUNTY | ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE
Getting his day in court Former teacher’s case will go before a jury beginning in September set to be tried Sept. 12 in Lee County Court. Mario Garnica Jr., 27, was a bilingual first-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School when the incident happened Jan. 19, 2015, in the boyfriend’s Dixon home, police have said.
BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5695 @_angelsierra
DIXON – A former Sterling teacher charged with attempted firstdegree murder in the beating and stabbing of his then-boyfriend is
Garnica was arrested Feb. 3, and has been free on a $300,000 recognizance bond since Aug. 18. The date was set at a hearing Thursday at which attorneys agreed to several procedural deadlines: The state has until April 30 to finish its discovery portion of the
ENTERTAINMENT
case, and June 30 to disclose rebuttal evidence. The defense has until May 31 to finish its discovery portion of the case; June 15 to disclose expert witnesses; and July 15 to disclose rebuttal evidence.
Mario Garnica
COURT CONTINUED ON A5
EDUCATION
Equal to the task
Sterling High is finding students who are up to the challenge of AP classes, but who might not know it yet BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
STERLING – A team of administrators and faculty at Sterling High School has found dozens of missing kids this school year. Not in the literal sense, but rather kids who are missing out on fulfilling their potential. Early in the school year, freshmen, sophomores and juniors were surveyed through the school’s firstyear partnership with Equal Opportunity Schools, a Seattle-based company whose mission is to get more kids into Advanced Placement courses. Inside About 130 Sterling High students Meet some were identified as those who had SHS students the potential to challenge themwho have what selves more. it takes to suc“These are kids who are already ceed: True grit: successful, but we’re going to Page A11 challenge them to do more,” Principal Jason Austin said. EOS challenges its partner schools to bring the demographic breakdown of students taking at least one AP course into alignment with the breakdown of the school’s total enrollment. At Sterling High, 54 freshmen, sophomores and juniors are “missing” in AP classes, according to EOS analytics: 16 of 44 white/Asian low-income students, eight of 22 Hispanic students in medium- to highincome families, 27 of 53 Hispanic students from lowincome families, and three of the 11 black students from low-income families. EOS set a goal for Sterling High to get 70 students to take an AP class for the first time in the 2015-16 school year. Sterling’s EOS team, made up of three administrators, four counselors and 11 teachers, set the bar at 80.
Bigger fish to fry When it comes to entertaining, Milledgeville’s Levi Skoog doesn’t like to think small BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
Levi Skoog sings during dress rehearsal Thursday for Milledgeville High School’s production of “Big Fish.”
MILLEDGEVILLE – It’s fitting that Milledgeville High School senior Levi Skoog is sending himself and his theater adviser off on new paths with this weekend’s production of the musical “Big Fish.” Skoog, 18, was bitten by the theater bug at age 5, and has performed with Timber Lake Playhouse for a dozen years, including its production of “Big Fish” last season. FISH CONTINUED ON A5
CHALLENGE CONTINUED ON A5 Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
TOP5 Your Weekend
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Free concert in Mount Morris
MOUNT MORRIS – The Rockford Christian Fellowship Band will perform religious and patriotic music at 4 p.m. Sunday at Pinecrest Grove, 500 Evergreen Lane. Admission is free. Go to rcfband.org or call 815-226-0558 for more information.
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 164 ISSUE 241
Free program on Lincoln assassination 2
STERLING – The SterlingRock Falls Historical Society will present a free program on how the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln had many tragic consequences for America. Ron Koehn, a retired Fulton High School social studies teacher, will speak at 2 p.m. Sunday in the CGH Medical Center Ryberg Auditorium, 100 E. LeFevre Road.
INDEX
SHS Ag Club hosts Farmapalooza
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STERLING – Sterling High School’s Ag Club will host Farmapalooza from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. today in the school cafeteria. The petting zoo will be on the lawn by the District Office. In addition to informational booths, there will be a petting zoo, tractors, a Ziploc garden, an apple orchard, a make-your-own ear tag activity, and a chance to milk Bessie the cow. Admission is free.
ABBY ................... A8 COMICS ...............B6 CROSSWORD......B9
LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2 DAY TRIP ............. A7
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Second Saturdays returns to Dixon
DIXON – Second Saturdays Art Happenings, featuring art, music and other cultural events, will return. Most events run from 6 to 8 p.m. at various venues between First and Second streets and Peoria and Galena avenues. Second Saturdays. Open mic nights run from 7 p.m. to midnight at Rosbrook Studio, 107 S. Peoria Ave. Registration begins at 6 p.m.; after 6, acts can message the studio on Facebook or call or text 815-973-7824. Admission is a suggested $3 donation. OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
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A little night music
Killbourn will play from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. today and Snap Shot from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday at The Cooler, 311 W. Second St. in Rock Falls. At the Whiskey Barrel, Drum Rave will play from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. today and Stateline Countryband from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday at the bar, 305 W. Second St. in Rock Falls. Lyle Grobe and the Rhythm Ramblers will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Sterling Moose Family Center, 2601 E. Lincolnway.
Today’s weather High 42. Low 22. More on A3.
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