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COMETS PREP FOR Get to know minds CONFERENCE CLASH behind skate park PREP FOOTBALL, B1
DATELINE DIXON, A5
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Friday, September 25, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON
Public works director hired Ridder brings 17 years experience to newly created position Before Thursday’s city-sponsored town hall meeting, interim City Manager David Nord announced that he has hired Tim Ridder as Dixon’s new Public Works Department director. He will start Oct. 13 at a $100,000 salary. Ridder will coordinate multiple
BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – A new director joined the ranks of city leadership, capping off one of the City Council’s top priorities so far.
city departments – airport, streets, sewer and water. Having Ridder means the city can streamline infrastructure needs, and it takes work away from Nord, who does not have an engineering background. Ridder is general manager for Apple Canyon Properties in Jo
Daviess County. Before that, he was assistant public works director in Des Plaines, Iowa, and also once worked for the city of Rock Island. In all, he brings 17 years public works experience to the table. DIRECTOR CONTINUED ON A4
Tim Ridder
DIXON | RITA CRUNDWELL ASSETS
DIXON | TOWN HALL MEETING
What’s next?
Foals net $68K ... for city
With most of 100-day agenda completed, council shares its updated to-do list with public
Inspector: Dixon can expect show income to keep galloping in BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Dixon interim City Manager David Nord (third from right) and councilmen Mitch Tucker (far right) and Mike Venier listen as Mayor Li Arellano Jr. speaks before a town hall meeting Thursday night at Loveland Community House. BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – Garbage bills, street signs, and proper flag protocol: These are the chief concerns of Dixon residents, if the measuring stick is Thursday’s town hall meeting. City Council members said the 90-minute special session gave them some direction on meeting residents’
TOP5 Your Weekend
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Happy homecomings?
It’s homecoming week at Dixon, Rock Falls and Sterling high schools. The weather Friday night should be cool and pleasant. What a great time to catch a homecoming football game! Dixon will host Mendota at 7 p.m. at A.C. Bowers Field, while Winnebago will visit Rock Falls at 7 p.m. at Hinders Field. At 7:15 p.m., LaSalle-Peru will kick off at Sterling in Roscoe Eades Stadium.
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needs. An indicator of progress was the absence of the usual hot button topics: Crundwell, Seventh Street, and transparency. “To me, it shows the community must feel most things are running pretty well,” Councilman Christopher Bishop said. “I know we’re dealing with details, but to me, that’s a great thing to be talking about.” City leaders weren’t sure what to expect heading in to the meeting at
A fun fall festival in Dixon
DIXON – The annual Scarecrow Festival will run from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday downtown and include pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, a caramel apple bar, soda tastings, apple dumplings, face painting, and a scarecrow contest. An Oktoberfest celebration will follow from 5 to 10 p.m., featuring a polka band, Oktoberfest beers, German wines, food, and desserts. Admission to both events is free.
INDEX
Loveland Community House. That, they said, was the beauty of the format: hearing what voters have to say. The meeting also served as a way for elected officials to communicate their priorities moving forward. Mayor Li Arellano Jr. gave an overview of the council’s 100-day agenda, which, 4 months in, has mostly been accomplished. NEXT CONTINUED ON A2
Time to celebrate good times in Lanark 3
LANARK – “Celebrate Lanark!” will return from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday in the gym and cafeteria of Eastland Junior-Senior High School, 500 School Drive. The festival will feature food, a photo booth, authors, crafts, a farmers market, and booths from local service organizations, businesses and entrepreneurs.
ABBY ................... A9 BUSINESS ......... A13 COMICS ...............B4
CROSSWORD....B13 LIFESTYLE .....A7, A9 LOTTERY ............. A2
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Fun at the patch in Amboy
AMBOY – Anderson’s Pumpkin Patch at 670 U.S. Route 52 will celebrate its fifth year in business with a free craft and vendor fair, live music, and kids activities from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be music, train rides, hay rack rides, a kids’ corn crib, corn maze, bounce house, a petting zoo, and face painting. Admission is free both days.
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
DIXON – “The Embezzler’s” hard-earned money is coming to Dixon. On Wednesday, the U.S. government filed a motion to obtain royalties earned by this coincidentally named paint horse, along with those accrued by “She’s A Fancy Felon,” “What Waz She Thinking,” “U Can Call Me Rita” and 1,500 other equine. They’re all proof that the legacy of Rita Crundwell endures, and collectively, they should net the City of Dixon more than $68,289.12 in new recovery dollars to help settle her $107 million debt to the government. FOALS CONTINUED ON A11
Another auction soon? Details are being carefully planned. Read more on A11.
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Twin Cities garage sales
ROCK FALLS – The annual Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce’s fall garage sales are going on today through Sunday in the Sterling and Rock Falls, and businesses in both towns plan sidewalk sales and other promotions. Maps are available at Schreiner’s Mobil, 1308 First Ave., and Shell, 220 First Ave., both in Rock Falls; and at Shell at 1801 Locust St. and 2412 E. Lincolnway, both in Sterling; and from the chamber’s website.
Today’s weather High 82. Low 55. More on A3.
Pot bust
Steward man faces felony charges, A2.
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