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DUCHESSES TIP OFF 2014-15 SEASON
United Way nears target, deadline
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Tuesday, November 18, 2014
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Proper notification lacking Report: Forms submitted by ex-warden lacked signature BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
Read the full report online
DIXON – The Illinois Department of Corrections on Monday released the full investigative report on former Dixon Correctional Center Warden Nedra Chandler’s conduct – an investigation that led to her retiring from her post. Chandler, 53, retired Sept. 30 after convicted sex offender Robert L. Swon, 27, her former foster child, was arrested Sept. 19 on child pornography charges at her Sterling home. At the time, IDOC officials
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Click on this story at saukvalley.com were looking into whether Chandler notified the department that she was housing Swon, a requirement for IDOC employees in close contact with offenders. According to the report: In 2009, Swon pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 6 months in jail and probation. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. He was sentenced to prison and
released in October 2013, when he moved back in with Chandler. He had lived with her since he was 16, and paid rent from the time he turned 18, except for 6 months when he was married and lived with his wife’s parents. IDOC employees are supposed to notify IDOC officials whenever they’re in contact with an offender. According to documents filed with the report, Chandler almost always did – sending memos in 2012 and 2013 to request permission to write, call, and send money to Swon throughout his imprisonment. NOTIFICATION CONTINUED ON A5
Nedra Robert L. Chandler Swon Two documents Lived with written by former former warden warden were not since he was 16, signed by another save for 6 months IDOC official, while he was as required married
STERLING ELECTION 2015
DIXON
Boat docks plan not yet sunk
Bark if you want to Political take a bite outta crime filing period begins
Riverfront couple presents petition at regular meeting
Mayor, two council members already turn in paperwork
BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
DIXON – Mike Healy and his wife, Jackie, want to do whatever it takes to install boat docks along the downtown riverfront. The Healys brought a list of signatures to the Dixon City Council during its regular Monday meeting. Jackie Healy told the council there are 25 pages worth of signatures. Neither Mike nor Jackie have counted them. “We choose to circulate a petition to some of the business owners, and mainly to the people who live along the river below the dam between here and Sterling,” said Mike Healy, who has lived along the river since 1971. Discussion about installing the docks dates back to at least 2012. Recently, the idea for the project has grown to include possible canoe launch and portage locations, so canoers can get around dams. Larry Reed, of the Riverfront Commission, recently said the cost for the project could be about $250,000.
S T E R L I N G – Filing s e a son for city offices in the April election opened Monday with three incumbents turning in paperwork to run again. Mayor Skip Lee made his re-election bid official, as did 4th Ward Alderman Joe Martin, and 1st Ward Alderwoman Retha Elston. In Sterling, the filing deadline for candidates is Monday. In Rock Falls, the filing periSkip od doesn’t Lee o p e n u n t i l Mayor makes reDec. 15, and election bid offiruns through cial on Monday, Dec. 22. The the first day of filform of gov- ing season, as do e r n m e n t i n 4th Ward Aldereach c i t y man Joe Martin d e t e r m i n e s and 1st Ward Alderwoman when paperRetha Elston work must be filed. “Because we have a city manager/council form of government, we have a different filing period than Rock Falls, which has a city administrator,” Sterling City Clerk Marie Rombouts said. “Rules for the city manager form are set in state statute.”
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BOAT DOCKS CONTINUED ON A5
We just have to figure out a way to make this happen.
Dixon Mayor Jim Burke on proposed riverfront boat docks
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TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 141
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Dixon Police officer Ryan McWethy and his new partner, K9 cop Hery, a nearly 2-year-old German shepherd.
New K9 cop, Hery, will replace the retiring Bruno BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
DIXON – Things are getting a little hairier over at the Dixon Police Department this month, and no, it’s not just because they’re doing the whole No-Shave November thing. Friday, officer Ryan McWethy finally got to
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bring home the department’s new dog, Hery. The two spent 6 weeks training and bonding at Shallow Creek Kennels in Pennsylvania. Hery, a German shepherd, is 22 months old and a healthy 73 pounds, McWethy said. When he’s not on the job, he acts just like any other young dog –
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CROSSWORD....B10 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
running around McWethy’s backyard, playing. When the department asked officers who would like to be handler for their new four-legged officer – called a K9 in police jargon – McWethy, a 6-year veteran of the department, knew he wanted to do it. BARK CONTINUED ON A3
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
FILING CONTINUED ON A2
Today’s weather High 20. Low 15. More on A3.
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