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Forreston-Polo looks to KIDS HAD A FUN DAY build on relay success ON THE ‘FARM’ LOCAL, A3 TRACK PREVIEWS, B1
WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | HEROIN IN THE SAUK VALLEY
Elusive antidote Access to Naloxone is limited locally BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5695 @_angelsierra
Naloxone vials like this one are available at both the Lee and Whiteside county health departments. But Beth Fiorini, public health administrator in Whiteside County, said, “We’re having a horrible time finding individual doses.” Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Police agencies in Lee and Whiteside counties are at the forefront of taking on the national heroin epidemic locally. A key weapon in that fight is the drug Naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan. It works in minutes to reverse the effects of heroin and other opioids. And as both
counties move forward with Safe Passage and other drug intervention programs, access to the potentially life-saving antidote is critical. That was evident when police and emergency crews in Dixon were called Monday to a house in the 1100 block of Sinnissippi Road where, Police Chief Danny Langloss said, Narcan was used to resuscitate a man believed to have overdosed on heroin. ANTIDOTE CONTINUED ON A9
EDUCATION | OREGON HIGH SCHOOL’S OPEN PROGRAM
Forging a future out in the Open Junior goes from ‘degenerate’ to blacksmith, ambassador BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Oregon High junior Mike Jones gives a demonstration on blacksmithing to fellow students in his parents’ garage. Jones, who discovered a love for the craft last year in school’s Open Program, is hoping to join the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America. The apprentice program could lead to traveling and doing work in exchange for room and board.
Business promotion: Hometown pride caught on film BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
MOUNT MORRIS – Dylan Geesey takes immense pride in his families – whether it be Open Program, his community, or his mom and dad, Cindy and Joe. At age 16, having watched so many locals lose their livelihoods during the recession, Dylan came to the defense of his crumbling hometown. Growing up, he never could have imagined local power-
houses Kable Printing or Watt Publishing shuttering their doors. But that’s exactly what happened. Dylan Geesey His mother lost her job at Kable, and his dad got laid off from Quebecor World Inc. “As I grew up, all those businesses just started leaving, and it affected me personally,” said Dylan, now a 17-year-old Oregon High School junior. “That’s where
Sunny
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 32 36 Pages
Today: 43/34 For the forecast, see Page A11
all the income in Mount Morris was coming in. They just left, and Mount Morris had absolutely nothing left by the time last year came around. “All we really had was bars. That’s pretty much it.” He was exposed to adult conversations, he paid close attention, and he took their ramifications hard. “Mortgages and taxes and bills were going up, because the town had to pay its debts somehow,” he said. FILM CONTINUED ON A12
Business
There’s a new owner in town for Bollman Auto Center in Rock Falls. See Page C1
OREGON – Mike Jones’ hands are blackened by coal and tar. His face is smudged with the stuff, too. “I’ve tried everything, except for industrial-strength cleaner,” he said. “It doesn’t clean easily.” If the 16-year-old Oregon High School junior could simply go a few days without forging metal, it would clear up, but it doesn’t bother him one bit. The change in his complexion is emblematic of a transformation from slacker to blacksmith/ ambassador. “I used to just be awful,” Mike admitted while giving a tour of his workspace in his parents’ garage – the same one that a coal recently set ablaze. “I’d sit inside all day playing video games. I was a degenerate child who didn’t care about anything. Now, I have something that I’m passionate about. I have a business. I’ve been selling knives and leaves and making money. It came from nothing – ex nihilio, nothing.” FORGING CONTINUED ON A10
About these stories This is the second series of stories about the Open Program at Oregon High School. The previous series of stories was published in the March 12 edition of SV Weekend.
Inside SVM’s Christopher Heimerman writes about a good deed, indeed, being done by an Oregon High School junior. Page A10
Community Nearly 400 firefighters turned out for the Amboy Fire and Extrication School, where they trained to handle just about any emergency. See Page C12
In addition to offering the workshops to fellow students, Jones has written a how-to book on how he honed his skills.
Index Births................ C5
Lottery .............. A2
Business........... C1
Markets .......... A11
Classified .......... B7
Obituaries ......... A4
Comics ............. A8
Opinion............. A6
Community ..... C12
Scoreboard ...... B5
Crossword Saturday ........... B8
Scrapbook ....... C3
Crossword Sunday ............. C8
Support groups .. C5
Dave Ramsey ... C1
Weather.......... A11
Dear Abby ........ C6
Wheels ........... B12
Sports .............. B1 Travel .............. C10