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BIG HEELS KEEP Keeping track of local track A MUSICAL MARCH ON LEARNIN’ SPORTS, B1
ENTERTAINMENT, A9-13
SAUK, A5
TELEGRAPH Thursday, April 16, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON SCHOOLS | LONG-RANGE PLAN
Doing nothing is off the table School board president: Something must be done with high school School Board meeting. “That building needs our attention no matter what.” School officials and the Dixon School Board continued discussions Wednesday about the future of the high school. The school board has narrowed the district’s long-range facility plan to two options, both of which include basic renovation and upgrades at
BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – Dixon School Board President Pam Tourtillott said doing nothing and letting Dixon High School deteriorate is not an option. “We have to do something to that school,” Tourtillott said during Wednesday’s Dixon
Washington and Jefferson elementary schools, but differ when it comes to the high school. Option A includes renovating DHS, and option B includes building a new high school. Option A carries a cost of $42 million to $48 million. Option B has an estimated price tag of $44 million to $47 million. Different work groups made
up of students, staff, teachers and community members have been meeting to discuss the two options. Amy Yurko of BrainSpaces, a Chicago-based consultant on school facilities planning, attended Wednesday’s meeting to discuss the opinions of the 15 different work groups whose input has served as a road map for the plan’s development.
“So far, we are seeing a split with the working groups,” Yurko said. “Saving an existing building would be more sustainable because we would be saving a building. Building new could be more efficient and sustainable overtime. It depends on how you look at the issue.” HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUED ON A2
ELECTION 2015
ROCK FALLS COMES UNDER FIRE
Board has its winners
Candidate count finished in Dixon BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Rock Falls Streets Department worker Jay King is seen through the heat and haze of a controlled burn Wednesday along the bike path in the industrial park. The city burned about 3 acres of prairie grass. The burn, at the railroad right-of-way from Avenue D to McNeil Road, was done as part of the city’s plan to improve and beautify nature areas, particularly prairie land and the bike path. City Building Inspector Mark Searing said more cleanup will be done after the burn. “There are quite a few small bushes and trees to get rid of in those areas,” he said, “and then we can plant more seed.” RIGHT: City Building Inspector Mark Searing sets fire to prairie grass near the bike path.
DIXON – A week and a day after Election Day, Dixon finally has a new park board. As was all but assured with election night returns April 7, incumbent Ron Pritchard and his son, Steve Pritchard, secured two of the three 4-year seats on the ballot. Ron Pritchard received 30 percent of Online the votes, extra and Steve View this story Pritchard at saukvalley. 26 percent. com to see It also was the agenda for known on e l e c t i o n the next park night that board meeting, scheduled for one of five April 22. declared write-in candidates won the third seat, but now it’s been determined that Benjamin Nagy, with 11 percent of the votes, will serve on the board. He received more votes than fellow writein candidates Robert Ennenga, Tim Deem, Sarah Imfeld, and Maranda “Mandy” Dallas. BOARD CONTINUED ON A2
TWIN CITIES
Spring is in the air, and workers are on the roads STAFF REPORT news@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5501
Welcome spring, with its greening grass, budding trees, warm breezes – and annual infrastructure repairs. On Monday, weather permitting, construction work will begin on Palmyra Road east of Sterling. TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 245
INDEX
A nearly 3.5-mile section, from state Route 2 east to Lenox Road, will be resurfaced. The cost of the project, which should be done by the end of May, is about $572,500, the Illinois Department of Transportation reports. Work to replace expansion joints and repair the substructure on the Avenue G bridge between the Twin Cities is set to begin April 29.
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ........... A7 COMICS ...............B7
CROSSWORD....B12 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
To allow continuous access to the Rock River and Lawrence Park, only one section of the bridge will be closed at a time. Work will begin on the Rock Falls side first. The cost of that project, which should take about 2 months to complete, will be about $427,205, IDOT has said. During the work, drivers are asked to use the First Avenue Bridge when possible. OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 REVIEWS ... A12-A13
Work is continuing on the state Route 40 bridge at the south edge of Rock Falls. The project, to remove and replace the bridge over the Hennepin Feeder canal, north of the Interstate 88 interchange, began in mid-March and will end in mid-December. Traffic is restricted to one lane in each direction. ROAD WORK CONTINUED ON A2
Today’s weather High 70. Low 49. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B8.
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