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HOW ABOUT Dixon’s Bonnell makes a comeback THESE APPLES? FOOD, A9-10
GOLF REGIONAL, B1
soup donuts
pasta
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Wednesday, October 7, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON
Student safety, one step at a time City, school officials will turn to state to help install sidewalks, but must pick which one first BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – “Where the Sidewalk Ends” isn’t just a book students read, it’s a reality for some Dixon grade-schoolers. It’s also a problem that city and school officials want to fix, and they’re turning
to the state of Illinois for help. The city will seek a Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School grant to help upgrade one of two routes to Jefferson Elementary School. Although putting students’ safety first is a priority for local leaders, deciding which street to upgrade first isn’t as clear cut.
Dixon is considering upgrading one of two routes: either Graham Street from Galena Avenue to Fourth Avenue, or Swiss Street from Squires Avenue to Moss Place. Both connect walkers to Jefferson, at 800 Fourth Ave., but neither has sidewalks. The grant would pay for 80 percent, with a $200,000 proj-
ect cap. That’s $160,000 from the state and at least $40,000 from the city. Adding sidewalks to either route, however, would cost more than $260,000, so the city would have to put up more than $100,000 after the grant.
Next meeting The Dixon City Council next meets at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at City Hall, 121 W. Second St. Go to discoverdixon.org or call City Hall at 815-2881485 for an agenda or more information.
DIXON CONTINUED ON A4
ILLINOIS | BUDGET BATTLE
NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL
State just says no to Rock Falls No money, no updates, no progress – and it’s taking a toll on the city BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Hair raising awareness ABOVE: Newman cheerleader Bailey Boesen, a sophomore, adds some pink to the blue and gray Tuesday, courtesy of a hair extension from Khyrsten Hitt, at Educators of Beauty in Sterling. The pink hair extensions were in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. RIGHT: Newman cheerleader Hillary Grennan, a senior, gets a pink hair extension Tuesday from Sierra Rivera at Educators of Beauty in Sterling.
ROCK FALLS – The council received a sobering update Tuesday on the local financial implications of the state budget impasse. A frustrated Mayor Bill Wescott said three of seven key state distributions to municipalities are being withheld. “The state is 5 months into its new fiscal year, and we have no budget, no progress, and a lack of communication,” Wescott said. Inside The mayor Engineers get said that first the go-ahead the Motor Fuel to take bids on Tax distribu- water well projtion was held ect. A5 up, then the gambling tax, and now the state use tax money isn’t coming in. Wescott said the city was has yet to be contacted about the decisions. “There has been no letter, no email, no notification of any kind,” Wescott said. “We realized the checks weren’t coming in, and the state just said we were supposed to have been notified.” The mayor said the lack of communication across the board is staggering. ROCK FALLS CONTINUED ON A5
A LITTLE GIVE AND RAKE
DEKALB
Students get a barracks of their own NIU adds its first veterans house RHONDA GILLESPIE Shaw Media rgillespie@shawmedia.com
DeKALB – Former military policeman and Northern Illinois University sophomore Matthew Galloway said he and his fellow former brothers and sisters in arms needed to have a living space where
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using military time wasn’t strange, a soldiers’ disciplined lifestyle was understood, and where they could lounge around and swap stories of deployment. Galloway leads the NIU Veterans Association, a student organization that recently announced it has established what it calls the university’s first veterans house. “There’s ... a lot of veterans in transition – which means guys that just
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A Sterling man is volunteering his time to help clean up Lawrence Park. Find out why on A3.
recently got out of the military and are brand new to college life,” Galloway said. “So it’s very important to be with other veterans in that transition.” The NIUVA housing is an offcampus haven for the soldiers, who Galloway said will likely thrive better in an environment that’s a bit different from the average college dorm or campus apartment.
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ...............B6
VETERANS CONTINUED ON A4
CROSSWORD....B11 FOOD ..............A9-10 LIFESTYLE ........... A8
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
Today’s weather High 75. Low 54. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B7.
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