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Thursday, November 5, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Survey: $18M to fix high school Building code violations must be corrected over next 5 years BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – The Dixon Public School District could have to spend more than $21 million over the next 5 years in order to meet building code. And almost $18 million of that would be spent at Dixon High School.
On Wednesday, the school district’s architectural firm, Green Associates, went over the findings of the 10-year health life safety survey with the School Board. “If you are talking about a new high school and not doing anything with this building, all of this will be gone,” said George Reigle,
principal with the firm. “If we go to the option where we talk about renovating, all of these costs will be reflected. They will be included in the costs that you will see for that option.” Most of the issues raised in the survey violate the building code and must be corrected within 5 years.
Some red flags in the districtwide survey include concrete sidewalks and asphalt parking lots that need repairing or replacing, concrete stairs that need updating, and ramps and stoops and water pipes that must be replaced.
Next meeting The Dixon School Board will next meet at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at the school district’s central office, 1335 Franklin Grove Road. Go to DixonSchools.org or call 815-284-7722 for an agenda or more information.
HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUED ON A4
DIXON
ROCK FALLS STUDENTS TO PERFORM DARK COMEDY THIS WEEKEND
Winter markets start up Saturday First of 11 events slated for Saturday BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Static (left), the defense lawyer played by Gavin Long, and undertaker Arnold Meddle, played by Andrew Regaldo, react during Wednesday’s rehearsal of a scene from Rock Falls High School’s production of “Sandbag, Stage Left.” Performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Forrest L. Tabor Gymnasium. It’s a bit of a dark comedy, in which Meddle is accused of murdering his wife and fellow Mill City Player Amelia Meddle during a performance. Tickets for the performances, directed by English teacher Kelly Schaefer, are $5 or $3 for kids under 12 and Rock Falls students with an ID.
DIXON – A wind of change seems to have blown down state Route 2: A winter farmers market is coming to Dixon. The first of its kind in Petunia City will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the lower level of Loveland Community House, 513 Second St. More will be held two Saturdays per month until April. The venue is handicapped-accessible. MARKET CONTINUED ON A5
Where to after the market? There are a lot of options, and we’ve got them sorted in our local entertainment listings on A8-10.
RIGHT: Byron Shelley, played by Rowland Gillette, is sworn in by the bailiff, played by D’Angelo Abell, as Judge Royale Been, played by Amber Rasmussen, looks on during rehearsal. The accused Arnold Meddle is known for his jealousy, and his wife was known for her penchant for flirting with Shelley, Mill City’s lead actor. That is, until she was killed by a flying sandbag offstage during a performance.
Festival of Trees kicks off The annual celebration, which benefits Hospice of the Rock River Valley, kicks off with a holiday tutorial Wednesday in Sterling. Read all about it on A11-12.
WHITESIDE COUNTY
Weather rekindles leaf-burning issue
Joe Campos burns a pile of leaves Wednesday afternoon at his Rock Falls home. The city is one of few communities in the state that still allow leaf-burning.
Rock Falls taking another look at ordinance that would ban practice BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ROCK FALLS – As one of the few cities in Illinois that allows leaf-burning within its borders, Rock Falls residents have shown a passion for the practice. Once again, however, some
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residents and public officials are voicing concerns about leaf-burners who are not adhering to the city’s yard waste rules. November has brought some mild weather to the area, stoking the leaf-burning fires and complaints about them. At Tuesday’s Rock Falls City Council meeting, Mayor Bill
INDEX
Wescott issued a warning to violators. “In 2013, we discussed the possibility of becoming a nonburning community, and I think we need to look at this again,” Wescott said. “Residents need to get compliant, or we need to eliminate it.”
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ........... A5 COMICS ...............B6
LEAF-BURNING CONTINUED ON A3
CROSSWORD....B12 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 69. Low 46. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B8.
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