Your source for community news and sports 7 days a week.
Come on, and take an almost-free ride
SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
HOLIDAY CAB SERVICE, A3
SPORTS, B5
TELEGRAPH
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
ELECTION 2015 | DIXON FILING
LETTERS TO SANTA INSIDE
Four seats on council; 11 running
Kids request the darndest things
Arellano, Kuhn have eyes on mayor’s office BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
DIXON – The stage is set for the April 7 election in Dixon. Four people filed Monday to run for city commissioner on the final day to pick up and file petitions. Voters will choose a mayor and four council members in the April 7 election. No new petition for mayor were filed Monday, which leaves City Commissioner Jeff Kuhn and local businessman Liandro Arellano Jr. as the only candidates. Last week, Mayor Jim Burke announced that he would not
seek re-election to a fifth term. A total of 11 candidates will campaign for the four commissioner seats. Incumbent Colleen Brechon filed her petition Monday, as did Mike Venier, owner of Venier Jewelers; Ryan Marshall, owner of The Stables and a former member of the Lee County Board; and Christopher Bishop, head wrestling coach at Dixon High School and a teacher at Reagan Middle School. Candidates who filed last week to run for commissioner were Jesse Arjes, Chuck Brainerd, Tamara Brooks, incumbent Dennis Considine, Bob Gibler, Mitch Tucker and Josie Whaley. Commissioner Dave Blackburn did not file for re-election. RUNNING CONTINUED ON A4
STERLING HIGH PRODUCT READY TO TURN IT LOOS Tyler Loos, a 2010 Sterling High School graduate and fifth-year senior at Northern Illinois University, will finally get to play in a bowl game as he wraps up a college career pockmarked by injuries. His Huskies will face the Marshall Thundering Herd in the Boca Raton Bowl at 5 p.m. today. You can watch it on ESPN. But first, read Tyler’s comeback story on B1.
SVM illustration by Alex T. Paschal
From stuffed monkeys to “Frozen” toys, children from the Sauk Valley had a wide range of requests for Santa Claus’ operation this year. And they promised to leave cookies – and Dr. Pepper, in one case – for the big man, as well as carrots and cheese for his reindeer. See all their letters – printed “as is” – in the Letters to Santa special section inside this edition.
Shaw Media file photo
OREGON | BLACK HAWK STATUE REPAIRS
Festivals raise nearly $16,000 Committee member: About $75,000 still needed for project BY VINDE WELLS Shaw Media vwells@shawmedia.com
OREGON – The fund to repair Black Hawk Statue was enriched by nearly $16,000 recently, thanks to a local festival. Amy Trimble, creator of Oregon Trail Days, said the festival committee sent all of its money to the Illinois Conservation Foundation last week for restoration of the statue, which stands on a high bluff overlooking the Rock River
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 165
at Lowden State Park north of Oregon. The check for a little more than $15,700 represented income from the July festival as well as from sales of merchandise throughout the year, Trimble said. Oregon Trail Days was started in July 2010 as a fundraiser for the century-old landmark; the final festival was held this past July. All told, $50,000 was raised for the project.
To help Checks for the Black Hawk restoration project should be made payable to the Illinois Conservation Foundation, with Black Hawk statue in the memo line. Send them to the foundation, 1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702. Chris Johnson/cxjohnson@shawmedia.com
FESTIVALS CONTINUED ON A5
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A13 COMICS ...............B7
CROSSWORD....B14 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
NATION/WORLD .. A8 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
Today’s weather High 44. Low 33. More on A3.
A crew from Diversified Construction Services in Melrose Park erects scaffolding around the Black Hawk statue Nov. 21 at Lowden State Park near Oregon. The Oregon Trail Days festivals, the last of which was this past summer, raised almost $16,000 for the iconic statue’s repairs.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B9.
TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAPER, CALL 815-284-2224 OR 800-798-4085