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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

MUSTANGS ARE BUCKING A BAD STREAK

SPORTS, B3

BASEBALL, B1

TELEGRAPH Tuesday, May 17, 2016

SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851

LEE COUNTY | DIXON CORRECTIONAL CENTER

Deal: Punish less, treat more Judge signs off on $80 million settlement to overhaul state’s treatment of mentally ill prisoners BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers

DIXON – A settlement approved by a federal judge to upend the state’s treatment of mentally ill prisoners will bring about $80 million in changes to Illinois prisons, including an expansion already underway at Dixon Correctional Center. U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm signed off on a settlement agreement Friday in the class action lawsuit of Ashoor Rasho v. John Baldwin, first filed in 2007, determining the settlement provisions to be “fair and reasonable.” The 32-page settlement calls for an overhaul of

the Illinois Department of Corrections policies toward mentally ill offenders and includes providing short- and long-term care in residential treatment centers for prisoners requiring hospitalization, hiring more than 300 new clinical staff and 400 new security staff, and increasing out-of-cell time for prisoners kept in solitary confinement. Dixon’s prison will house one of four planned residential treatment units with the goal of reducing the number of mentally ill inmates subjected to long-term solitary confinement and providing them housing geared toward medical treatment.

A settlement approved by a federal judge will bring about $80 million in changes to Illinois prisons, including measures already underway at the Dixon Correctional Center.

SETTLEMENT CONTINUED ON A4

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

DIXON CITY COUNCIL

STERLING

Armed with an ordinance Police will now have discretion to decide how loud is too loud BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

Vincent Wren, 11, salutes Sterling American Legion commander James Seidel on Monday after presenting him with an American flag that was retired during a ceremony at Washington Elementary School in Sterling.

RESPECT

ORDINANCE CONTINUED ON A4

STERLING

... in all its glory

Students help members of the American Legion retire their nation’s star-spangled banner, and learn a little something about pride and patriotism in the process

BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM

STERLING – Over the past few months, fourth-graders at Washington Elementary School have learned a lot about taking pride in their nation. Monday afternoon, they reflected that pride during a flag retirement in the school’s lot.

DIXON – The City Council modified its noise ordinance Monday to give police officers more flexibility in determining excessive levels. “We recently had some complaints in regards to loud music in the downtown,” City Manager Cole O’Donnell said. “When staff looked at possible solutions, we discovered that our redress under our current ordinances was limited.” Before the amendment, a signed complaint was needed to enforce the ordinance. The revision authorizes police officers to use their judgment in addressing excessive noise. The purpose of the ordinance is to give police officers more latitude with enforcing the policy, Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said. “We’re not looking to hunt down people with this. Like most civil interactions, this is just something the city responds to.”

Before the Sterling American Legion Post 296 properly retired eight unserviceable flags by setting them ablaze, the students said the pledge of allegiance, just the way they were taught by Army veterans David Geil and Jim Seidel in January. They didn’t pause between “one nation” and “under God.”

City will plug a big leak City Council awards bid to fix significant sewer problem BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier

RESPECT CONTINUED ON A9

Before Monday’s flag retirement ceremony, students recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sung the national anthem.

STERLING – The city awarded several bids Monday, including a contract for work to fix a significant source of sanitary sewer infiltration. Leaks at the Miller Street lift station Inside and force main are City bids a heartfelt allowing a significant farewell to city attorney amount of water into the city’s sewer sys- after 4 decades of sertem during and after vice. Page A5 heavy rains. The lift station once served a much larger area south of Wallace Street, but now serves only the shower house at the steel mill property. BIG LEAK CONTINUED ON A5

$1.00

TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 166 ISSUE 12

INDEX

ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ........... A9 COMICS ............... A8

CROSSWORD......B8 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2

OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2

Today’s weather High 62. Low 39. More on A3.

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