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WARRIORS GET READY TO Man charged with DUI TACKLE A TOUGH SCHEDULE in fatal boat accident FOOTBALL, B1
OREGON, A3
TELEGRAPH Tuesday, June 28, 2016 n SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
BUSINESS
Job growth set in cement 7 years after shutting down, St. Marys is not only open, it’s brought back more than 80 jobs BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
DIXON – After a 7-year shutdown, the local St. Marys Cement plant continues to expand its workforce. The city lost about 90 jobs when the company closed the plant at 1914 White Oak Lane in December 2008. The reces-
sion, particularly the collapse of the housing industry, prompted the decision to close. The shutdown also came on the heels of the company’s issues with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. On Sept. 8, 2008, St. Marys and then-coowner, St. Barbara Cement, reached a settlement regarding violations of the federal Clean Air Act found at the Dixon facility. The company was fined
$800,000 and was required to spend nearly $2 million to upgrade its air pollution controls and to reduce harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides. When the plant was closed, city and county officials feared it could be idled for 10 years or longer, but in January 2015, a small maintenance crew started readying the plant for production. Two months later, the company offi-
cially announced it soon would reopen the plant, which had been used as a distribution terminal when production stopped. The company said demand was starting to come back, and all regulatory hurdles had been cleared. The Dixon plant would be one of five focused on U.S. and Canadian customers in the Great Lakes region. CEMENT continued on A44
DIXON | RESIGNATION & RETIREMENT
SAUK PRESIDENT | YEAR ONE
City looking for new public works director BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – Public Works Director Tim Ridder has resigned after about 9 months in the position to pursue his doctorate degree in the Quad Cities. Ridder started in the newly created position on Oct. 13; his last day was Friday. City Manager Cole O’Donnell, who will be interim public works director, announced Ridder’s resignation Monday morning.
Tim Ridder
PUBLIC WORKS continued on A44
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
David Hellmich and his wife, Linda, are celebrating 1 year in Dixon. Hellmich took over as president of Sauk Valley Community College when George Mihel retired about a year ago, and Linda is a psychologist at KSB Hospital.
Dixon firefighter Lt. Keith Gabany is retiring from the department after 37 years. The 64-year-old Dixon native is the longest serving firefighter at the department.
Community-minded David Hellmich’s first year at Sauk’s helm has been a good one. Now, despite the challenge of uncertainty in Springfield, he plans to make the second one even better
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
DIXON – David Hellmich took the reins as president of Sauk Valley Community College a year ago with experience in spades. Trustees called him likable and professional after interviewing him. One year later, Hellmich continues to exhibit an invaluable attribute: cool. At the mercy of the gridlock in Springfield, the college has factored 70 percent of state funding into its equation for fiscal year 2017. If it gets nothing, that would equate to a $2.1 million deficit – something Hellmich knows he can’t control. HELLMICH continued on A54
Trailblazer hangs up his turnout gear Fireman who was one of the city’s first paramedics retires after nearly 37 years BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – Lt. Keith Gabany sets a record every time he walks into work at the Dixon Fire Department. The 64-year-old Dixon native is the longest-serving firefighter at the department, with nearly 37 years on the job. He is also the last hold-out from the city’s first class of paramedics, in 1985. Gabany plans to solidify his record at 36 years, 10 months and 3 weeks by retiring at the end of this week. TRAILBLAZER continued on A24
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 166 ISSUE 41
INDEX
ABBY.................... A7 BUSINESS.......... A12 COMICS................B6
CROSSWORD.....B11 LIFESTYLE............ A7 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 75. Low 52. More on A3.
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