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TELEGRAPH Thursday, June 4, 2015
SARAH TRUJILL O • SR
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | CITY MANAGER
WHITESIDE COUNTY
State salutes Dr. Sala
Firm to be used Mayor hopes to have official in place in 100 days BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – The search for a Dixon city manager will start with a search for a search firm. All five members of the City Council agreed Monday that hiring a consulting firm to help with the search was the “professional way” to permanently fill the position. Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said using a search firm is the recommended process. FIRM CONTINUED ON A5
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Dan Wells greets Dr. Muhammad Salahuddin on Wednesday morning, just before the doctor was honored as an Illinois Department of Public Health Asian-American public health champion. Salahuddin, 78, has practiced at the Whiteside County Health Department since 2006.
Pakistan native named Asian-American public health champion BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
ROCK FALLS – This is one of those stories of hope, of hard work paying off, of dreams coming true. As Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said at the Whiteside County Health Department on Wednesday morning, this is one of those stories that shows the good that immigrants can bring to our nation. Just after 10:30 a.m., Dr. Muhammad Salahuddin became one of a very small number of doctors in the state
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to be honored for his service to public health, having worked in the sphere since 2006. Salahuddin was named an AsianAmerican public health champion and thanked for the contributions he’s made. Salahuddin knew from a young age that he wanted to be a doctor. He grew up in Lahore, Pakistan, the capital of the Punjab province and a beautiful, bustling metropolis, filled with culture and history. When he was in fourth grade, his parents died. It was then that he realized what he wanted to do with his life. He would walk through the country-
side and see these people – sick people, people without health care. “It occurred to me, Why not become a doctor?” said Salahuddin, 78. Dr. Sala, as he’s affectionately known, came to America – to the Chicago area – in 1986 with his wife. “I wanted to learn the most modern medicine,” he said. “That was my ambition. That’s it. And, I did learn, and today I am here.” After he went through medical residency and training, he began to look for places to live. He settled on Sterling. SALA CONTINUED ON A7
In a time when the status of immigrants in our country is not always sure, we should look to individuals like Dr. Sala to show how much the richness and diversity and commitment of public service [immigrants] can bring. Not only to our communities here, but back home. Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health
EDUCATION
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Consolidation to cramp officials’ style Whiteside superintendent on having fewer people, less space: ‘It’s not a lot of fun’ BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
STERLING – County-level education officials are preparing for a state-mandated regional consolidation, which kicks in July 1. The new mandate will combine the Whiteside Regional Office of Education with the Lee/Ogle ROE. “It’s not a lot of fun having to consolidate and being forced to consol-
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idate,” said Bob Sondgeroth, superintendent of the Whiteside County ROE. Three years ago, former Gov. Pat Quinn signed off on the legislation, which reduces the number of regional offices from 44 to 35 statewide. The move will save about $1.5 million in salaries statewide. “The nine smallest offices in the state had to combine with an office near them,” Sondgeroth said. “I was
INDEX
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ........... A8 COMICS ...............B6
the biggest of the nine smaller ones. We were forced to consolidate.” ROEs handle teacher certification, district school code compliance visits, truancy intervention, school building inspections, background checks and professional development, among other things. Sondgeroth said there are some positives about combining the ROEs. CONSOLIDATION CONTINUED ON A7
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
City takes 100-day pledge Council sets 17 priorities for first 3 months on job BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – From infrastructure to economic development, recreation to streamlined government, the city of Dixon is broadcasting its priorities. During the City Council meeting Monday, members ratified their 100List online day pledge, Click on this a 17-item story at saukvall i s t t h a t ley.com to see i n d i c a t e s the pledge. w h i c h objectives they hope to tackle within the first 3 months of their terms. PLEDGE CONTINUED ON A5
4 WEEKS TO PETUNIA FEST! More music acts announced for the party on the Dixon riverfront. Check out our Plan!t listings on A9-11 to find out who’s playing when. St. Vincent de Paul takes helm selling Petunia Fest buttons for good causes. More on A3. Who pays for all those pretty pink petunias? Find out in Saturday’s SV Weekend.
Today’s weather High 83. Low 62. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B7.
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