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TELEGRAPH Tuesday, May 3, 2016
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | CITY GOVERNMENT
BENEFIT
A starring role for theater Partnership could help local landmark take center stage BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
David and Karen Peters hold a picture of their daughter, Cora, and a commemorative St. Jude license plate at their Walnut home. As a tribute to Cora, who lost her life to cancer during her senior year of high school in 2013, and the group that’s helped them remain strong, the couple will participate in a St. Jude Rides fundraising trip from Rock Falls to Memphis in mid-September.
Life cycle
DIXON – The city is discussing joining forces with the county and Dixon Theater Renovation Inc. to better utilize the Historic Dixon Theatre and alleviate ownership issues. During its regular meeting Monday, the council introduced a partnership concept in which the city and the county would appoint three members each to the DTRI board, which now operates with a handful of volunteer members. THEATER CONTINUED ON A5
A Walnut couple honors their daughter’s memory, and helps a hospital that gives children a new lease on life Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
BY KACIE KLINGE kklinge@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5521 @kacieek4
Want to go for a ride?
WALNUT – Even while fighting a rare form of cancer, Cora Peters cheered on her fellow patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Cora lost her battle in 2013, in the middle of her senior year at Bureau Valley High School, but her parents have taken up her mission and plan to take a second St. Jude Rides fundraising motorcycle trip to Memphis, Tennessee, in midSeptember. Cora was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma when she was 14. Although her parents, Karen and David, had good insurance, it wasn’t going to be enough to cover the medical bills. That’s where St. Jude stepped in. Cora “I work for an insurance company, Peters and even with having good insurance coverage, you’ll find out soon when you have a serious illness that it doesn’t cover a lot of expenses,” David said. “We would be bankrupt if it hadn’t been for St. Jude.” CYCLE CONTINUED ON A5
The Sterling/Rock Falls St. Jude Ride to Memphis will leave Long Shot Bar & Grill at 7 a.m. Sept. 15, and will arrive in the Tennessee city on Sept. 17. Riders – Singles must raise $1,000, and a rider and passenger must raise $1,500. Meeting dates for those interested are June 27, July 19, Aug. 22, and Sept. 12 (a mandatory meeting), all at 6:30 p.m. at Long Shot, 3312 W. Rock Falls Road, Rock Falls. Fundraisers will include a bucket brigade from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 14 in Sterling, a hog roast July 16 at Long Shot, with times to be determined, and a golf outing at 8 a.m. Sept. 10 at Rock River Golf and Pool. Contact Gary Fulrath at 815-4996332 or gary.fulrath@msn.com for more information, or search for St. Jude Sterling/Rock Falls to Memphis Ride on Facebook.
Dixon Police Sgt. Jason Lamendola talks to Dixon eighth-graders who shadowed city government officials and staff during the annual Government Day.
City officials turn teacher for a day Students look under the city’s hood to see how gears of government turn BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – After learning about the U.S. Constitution, 14-year-old John Simpson was eager to get an up-close look at how government operates outside of a history book, a goal he fulfilled Monday. Simpson and about 30 other eighth-graders from Dixon schools shadowed city government officials and staff during the annual Government Day to see how the city’s cogs and gears turn on a daily basis. TEACHER CONTINUED ON A12
STERLING
There’s one direction for Lawrence Lofts: Forward Vote keeps project going before TIF district is established BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The city’s new TIF district hasn’t been established yet, but work on its star project will continue as scheduled. The new TIF district in the East Third
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 166 ISSUE 2
Street area is part of several financing layers for the Lawrence Lofts project that were put together by the Rock Island Growth Corp. The long-vacant levels above the Whiteside County Courthouse will be converted into 20 affordable housing rental units. Construction on the $5.5 million project is set to begin
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ............. A10
soon, but the new TIF district won’t be brought before the Sterling City Council before June. The council set the TIF process in motion Monday, and passed a resolution to keep the project on schedule. A public hearing to amend the existing west downtown TIF district, which is set to expire in 2019, and create the new east TIF district will be held at 6:35 p.m. June 20 at City Hall.
CROSSWORD....B12 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
A meeting of the Joint Review Board has been set for 4:30 p.m. May 23 in council chambers. That board includes representatives from all of the taxing bodies involved in the TIF process. The resolution passed by the council allows the Lawrence Lofts momentum to continue before the new TIF is in place. The city won’t have to take out bonds to front any of the costs. COUNCIL CONTINUED ON A5
Today’s weather High 67. Low 45. More on A3.
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