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Today’s assignment: KREIDER SERVICES, ARC OF Discuss the discus LEE COUNTY COLLABORATE DIXON, A5
SPORTS SERIES: TRACK 101, B1
SAUK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | NEXT PRESIDENT
MAYORAL RUN ENDING
Rave reviews for Hellmich Colleagues describe him as ‘a personable, dedicated leader’ BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – Officials at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Kentucky all seem to say the same thing about David David Hellmich Hellmich, the new president at Will be the next Sauk Valley Community College. “Our loss is Sauk’s gain,” said SVCC president when George Rebecca Simms, assistant dean of academic support and secMihel retires
ondary partnerships at BCTC. “Dave is an exemplary leader, and he will be sorely missed.” The Sauk Valley Board of Trustees this week unanimously approved the hire of Hellmich, who has spent the past 9 years as vice president of academics at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington, Kentucky. In his role at BCTC, Hellmich led 300 full-time and 500 adjunct faculty members. While there, he
was instrumental in developing relationships with the University of Kentucky and Toyota Manufacturing. He is one of six vice presidents on the campus, which reports to Augusta Julian, president and CEO of the college. BCTC is one of 16 community colleges in Kentucky. BCTC has seven total campuses, three of which are in Lexington. HELLMICH CONTINUED ON A5
On Monday, Dixon Mayor Jim Burke will step down after 16 years in office as a new mayor and new council are sworn in. In today’s edition, Sauk Valley Media looks back at the Burke era in today’s editorial, and Burke writes a thank-you letter to the community. Page A6
HONOR FLIGHT
Excellent reception Veterans overwhelmed by appreciation throughout Honor Flight christopher HEIMERMAN Heimerman is the Night News Editor at Sauk Valley Media. He can be reached at cheimerman@ saukvalley. com or 800-798-4085, ext. 5523.
Freedom: We won’t let you down
I Christopher Heimerman/cheimerman@saukvalley.com
Army veteran Raymond Hellfrich, 81, of Dixon, receives a warm welcome Thursday morning at Washington Dulles International in Washington, D.C. Taryn Astill, 8 months, graciously high-fived veterans as they stepped out of the shuttle and into the terminal. Her mom, Eileen, pulled her four children out of class – they’re home-schooled – for the field trip. “We were so excited to meet some of these heroes in our life,” Eileen said.
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN • cheimerman@saukvalley.com • 800-798-4085, ext. 5523 • @CHeimerman_SVM WASHINGTON, D.C. – Greetings. They were sorely missing for so many Korean War veterans. But, at least for some, they received retribution in spades Thursday during the Quad Cities Honor Flight. Minutes after touching down at Washington Dulles International, their airliner was doused by fire engines – a water salute, they call it, typically reserved for the retirement of a senior pilot. Minutes later, they were shaking hands with military personnel just steps from their plane. A few more minutes and a
More from D.C. • Meet the 57 Sauk Valley veterans who made the trip to Washington, D.C. Pages A9-10 shuttle ride later, they stepped into the terminal and into a sea of love incarnate, draped in robes of red, white and blue. Children – many too young to walk – waved flags. The faces in the crowd lit up, but couldn’t compare to the glow that spread across the faces of the nearly 100 vets,
Mostly sunny
VOLUME 7 ISSUE 35 44 Pages
Today: 76/54 For the forecast, see Page A16
• A Bureau County family says it was an honor to serve as guardians for Thursday’s Honor Flight. Page A14
• Carroll County brothers took a pragmatic approach to their military service. Page A15
who then truly began their proverbial victory lap. “I know when I came home, my mom was happy to see me,” Air Force veteran Robert Peugh, 80, of Rock Falls reflected, laughing a little. “But when I got off the train in Sterling, there wasn’t anybody there, except my folks. During
the Korean War, when people returned home, we didn’t have this response. World War II had just gotten over, so people were sick of wars. When you got off, you never got that. “This was marvelous, for all these guys.”
Business
Friends bid farewell to Reg and Janet Gage after they sold Mr. G’s grocery. See Page C1
OVERWHELMED CONTINUED ON A11
Community It’s prom time, and Bi-County Cooperative students recently dressed up and partied at the Rock Falls Community Building. See Page C12
feel like a fish out of water. I’m a civilian through-and-through, who struggles with the concept of war. At 3:45 a.m. Thursday, I sit alone in a window seat of our charter bus, wondering whether my attaché will scare away any seat-seekers. Who wants to sit next to the media hours before the sunrise? Up walks Harold Monroe. “You behaving yourself?” he asks in a booming voice that suggests it’s closer to noon than midnight. “So far. But it’s early,” I reply. He laughs. That famous “Casablanca” line runs through my head: “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Monroe is a man’s man and cuts an intimidating figure at 82 – a guy who built an enormous steel building near his Rock Falls home where he could go “play,” building things, tearing them down, and rebuilding them bigger and better. FREEDOM CONTINUED ON A15
Index Births................ C5
Lottery .............. A2
Business........... C1
Markets .......... A16
Classified .......... D1
Obituaries ......... A4
Comics ............. B6
Opinion............. A6
Community ..... C12
Scoreboard ...... B8
Crossword Saturday ........... D6
Scrapbook ....... C3
Crossword Sunday ............. C8
Support groups .. C5
Dave Ramsey ... C1
Weather.......... A16
Dear Abby ........ C6
Wheels ............. D8
Sports .............. B1 Travel .............. C10