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Plea deal for Hastert?
FEDERAL COURT, A9
Fatal crash victim ID’d
SVM ATHLETES OFSPORTS, THE WEEK B3
OGLE COUNTY, A2
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Tuesday, September 29, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
SAUK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | STRATEGIC PLANNING
Survey: Put more classes online Developmental education also brought up often, president says BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – As coincidence would have it, online programming keeps coming up in the online survey geared to help Sauk Valley Community College officials simplify the school’s strategic plan. Sauk President David Hellmich said at Monday night’s Board of Trustees
meeting that more than 65 people have participated in the survey, and more than 300 ideas have been generated. The strategic plan includes the college’s mission, vision, values and goals. In addition to the online survey, students, staff and community members have also weighed in during open sessions. “What we have is really good,” Hellmich said. “However, I believe
that in order for us to keep evolving and meeting the needs of folks, we need to have a conversation about where we should focus our energy. There are some things that maybe we are not doing enough or we are not doing at all.” The college has an online presence, but Hellmich believes it can be better. SURVEY CONTINUED ON A5
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People who want to take a class online, they will find it online. If our classes are not online, people will go to other places to get it. If we have classes online, they will come to us.
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David Hellmich, Sauk president
STERLING
LOOKING FOR MORE SUMMERTIME TEMPERATURES? GO FISH
Alderman recovering after crash Council could pass ordinance so he can attend electronically BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
The sun peeks out from behind the clouds Monday afternoon and lights the way for a fisherman along the Oregon dam on the Rock River. Some showers are expected this morning and, if the forecast holds up, the temperature won’t exceed 68 degrees this week. For more information, see the 5-day forecast for the Sauk Valley on A3.
DIXON PARKS
STERLING – Third Ward Alderman Bob Conklin is recovering from serious injuries after a traffic accident last week, and he probably won’t be at City Hall anytime soon. Conklin was airlifted to Rockford on Wednesday after the motorcycle he was riding was hit by an SUV in Sterling. Mayor Skip Lee spoke with Conklin on the phone Monday afternoon and said he plans to remain on the council, which is likely to discuss electronic meeting attendance. ALDERMAN CONTINUED ON A4
MARIJUANA FOUND IN PROPHETSTOWN
District closes in on referendum Estimate for Lowell Park road repairs expected Oct. 14 BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – The Park District will know by its next meeting Oct. 14 how much it will cost to fix the road in Lowell Park – and, in turn, how much voters will be asked to pony up. An engineer is completing a cost estimate, a requirement for an April 5 referendum. It likely will exceed $200,000, Executive Director Deb Carey said. In fact, “it’s going to be much more than that,” Carey said Monday. She referenced a minor parking lot resurfacing that cost the district $26,000. “That was for one driveway, and we’ve got 5 miles of Lowell Park to fix.” It’s the first tax hike the Park
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 164 ISSUE 106
Next meeting The Dixon Park District Board next meets at 6 p.m. Oct. 14 at the office at 804 Palmyra St. District has pursued since 2007, when it sought to repair Veterans Memorial Pool. That referendum failed by 287 votes. Without some increase in revenue, Carey said there’s virtually no hope the park’s road will be repaired. Board members hope voters will agree to allow it to issue bonds, which means a higher tax levy. How much won’t be known until the estimates are in. It won’t cost anything to put the question on the ballot, but there’s likely to be some costs
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in spreading the word – such as printing informational pamphlets – and some legal costs as well. Informing voters, Carey Deb Carey, said, is one Dixon Park Disof the keys to trict executive passing a refdirector thinks repairs to road erendum like in Lowell Parks this. “You want will be “much more” than the to make sure $200,000 first the public projected. has all the information it needs to vote on the referendum. We’re trying to provide all the information, so people can make their mind up on what they think we should do.”
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ........... A9 COMICS ............... A8
CROSSWORD....B10 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Submitted
An Illinois Department of Natural Resources truck pulls away with some of the 260 or so plants uprooted Wednesday at the Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area in Prophetstown. Read more about the find and how you can help local law enforcement on A3.
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 68. Low 43. More on A3.
Job fair
Slated for Oct. 9 in Oregon, A3.
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