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SHE JOINED AN OLYMPIC JOURNEY
Go ahead, get yourself in a pickle
DIXON, B1
FOOD, A9-10
TELEGRAPH
Wednesday, August 3, 2016 n SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
ROCK FALLS | CITY COUNCIL
STERLING
A beautiful night in the neighborhood Ronyn Jacobs, 3, of Sterling waits to see how the pins will drop during an outdoor game of bowling Tuesday night at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sterling. The church at 1701 16th Ave. hosted National Night Out activities. Events also were held in Sterling at Wallace and Kilgour parks. According to the National Night Out website, the event is “an annual community-building campaign that promotes policecommunity partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, better places to live.” In cities across the nation, organizers host block parties, cookouts, parades, contests, youth activities, seminars, and more. Since it began in 1984, participation has grown from 2.5 million people in 400 communities to 32 million people in more than 9,500 communities. Go to natw.org for more information.
There’s no room for exceptions County health department’s request turned down; clinic expansion on hold for now BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ROCK FALLS – The Rock Falls City Council denied a variance request Tuesday that the Whiteside County Health Department said was needed to continue with its plans to expand the dental clinic. The council backed the recommendation handed down July 27 by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. The panel’s vote was 6 to 1 against granting the easement variance that would have allowed the dental clinic to expand south, near the sidewalk. The planned construction would have encroached on the 25-foot setback called for in city code. EXCEPTIONS continued on A54
City’s first TIF bond generates little interest No one weighs in at public hearing BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
LEFT: Kids play in a bounce house Tuesday at the church. RIGHT: Parker Cameron, 1, and his father, Matt, both of Sterling, check out a military Hummer at the church. The Night Out’s Touch-a-Truck event let kids get behind some pretty big wheels, including trucks, buses and emergency vehicles. Read this story at SAUKVALLEY.COM to see video, and more photos, from Tuesday’s event.
ROCK FALLS – The city held a public hearing Tuesday night to discuss its first-ever Tax Increment Financing district bond, but there wasn’t much to hear. That’s because the public didn’t speak at the hearing on the city’s plans to issue bonds for a multimillion-dollar green space project in the RB&W District. The hearing was conducted at the start of the regular Rock Falls City Council meeting. City Clerk Eric Arduini said he wasn’t contacted by anyone wanting to speak on what would be the first TIF district bond in the city’s history. The bond ordinance, if approved, would allow the city to issue up to $5 million in general obligation bonds to pay for projects within the downtown TIF district that includes the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites. The ordinance was given a first read Tuesday, and will be on the agenda for action at the Aug. 16 council meeting. TIF BONDS continued on A54
POLO
Alderman resigns after felony indictments handed down BY VINDE WELLS Shaw Media vwells@shawmedia.com
POLO – An alderman accused of stealing from his employer by padding his sale prices to up his commissions was indicted on two felony charges and is resigning from the council. David Ackeberg, 38, is charged
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with theft and forgery, each punishable by 2 to 5 years in prison. He turned himself in Monday at the Ogle County Jail after State Police issued a warrant for his arrest, posted 10 percent of his $10,000 bond, and was released. Ackeberg is accused of taking $500 to $10,000 between October 2012 and February 2014, when he was a salesman for Birkey’s Farm
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ABBY.................... A8 COMICS................B6 CROSSWORD.....B12
Store in Polo. According to the July 27 indictment, he told Birkey’s officials that he sold customers equipment for prices greater than actually agreed upon, then falsified documents to support the inflated prices. Those prices were then used to calculate his sales commissions. Ackeberg, a Ward 2 alderman FOOD...............A9-10 LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2
from 2009 to 2011, and a Ward 1 alderman since 2013, submitted a letter of resignation Monday, and did not attend that evening’s City Council meeting. The council did not act on the resignation because the letter did not arrive in time to place the matter on the agenda. His term expires in April. His next court hearing is Aug. 26.
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 89. Low 70. More on A3.
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David Ackeberg
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