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Thousands of hot dogs will be unleashed
PLAYERS LEARN TO KEEP THEIR HEADS IN THE GAME SPORTS, B1
STERLING, A12
TELEGRAPH Thursday, August 4, 2016 n SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
LEE AND OGLE COUNTIES | ENTERPRISE ZONES
Middle is a good place to be Counties get good news from state board about the ‘best economic development tool’ they’ve got BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – Lee and Ogle county officials can breathe a little easier when it comes to attracting new businesses. The State Enterprise Zone Board released the rankings of 18 applicants competing for 12 available enterprise zones Wednesday, and the Lee-Ogle
zone landed in the sixth spot. Having a place in the middle of the ranks gives the region a decent cushion to sit on while waiting for official zone approval, but it does not guarantee the state’s decision. “They are not bound by the scores, but they tend to follow them,” said John Thompson, president of the Lee County Industrial Development Association.
Online extra Read this story at saukvalley.com to see maps of the proposed enterprise zones. Enterprise zones serve as economic development tools to draw in new businesses or expand existing ones through tax abatements and other incentives.
“It’s literally the best economic development tool we’ve got,” Thompson said. “If we don’t get one, it’s a major disaster.” Thompson said the area’s existing zone was established around 1986 and expires at the end of 2017. However, if the new zone is approved, it will take effect Jan. 1 and cancel out the last year of the current zone. DEVELOPMENT continued on A24
EDUCATION
DIXON
Have a few teachable moments you can spare? If so, some programs at Sauk could use your help BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Zach Hill of Dixon hides one of his 3-D Pokemon characters at Dixon’s Memorial Pool.
A Fat Finger points the way to Pokemon Business owners adds another dimension to popular app BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – People chasing Pokemon around the city are suddenly on the hunt for the real thing. Well, real in the sense of finding plastic, 3D-printed Pokemon Online extra rather than the byte-size kind on a Read this story at phone screen. saukvalley.com to Dixon resident Zach Hill, inforsee video, and more mation systems technician at KSB photos, of Zach Hospital and owner of Fat Finger Hill’s 3-D Pokemon. Photography, began hiding Pokemon figurines at the riverfront last week and posting hints on their whereabouts on his photography Facebook page. “Seeing the kids light up when they’re looking for them and when they find them is amazing,” he said. “It blew my mind that so many people were interested.”
STERLING – As a bilingual administrative assistant with Lee County Health Department, Laura Moreno knows many folks who could use a free English as a Second Language course. She also knows that, regardless of heritage, a lot of folks could use some help getting their GED. And she knows just how good it feels to help folks better themselves. She knows all these things because she’s been there, done that. Two pivotal programs at Sauk Valley Community College, Project VITAL (Volunteers in Teaching Adult Literacy) and Adult Education, helped Moreno, 25, learn English when she emigrated from Mexico in October 2010, then get her GED and help others follow suit. When Moreno’s sister, Mirna Cabrera, persuaded her to move to Sterling, she knew little to no English. She’d left Universidad Autonama De Chihuauha in Mexico during her third semester of studying international relations, only to start over, more or less, at Sauk. SAUK continued on A54
INSIDE How to find them
Top-of-the-line performers
Search for Fat Finger Photography on Facebook to get hints on where Zach Hill is hiding 3D Pokemon like the one seen above at his Dixon business. He hides new batches every day and asks that the Pokemon catcher posts a photo of the find on social media so he can release another clue.
A member of Shadow, a drum line from Oregon, Wisconsin, performs Wednesday at the start of the Petunia City Brass event at A.C. Bowers Field in Dixon. See more percussion in the Petunia City on Page A3 and at saukvalley.com.
POKEMON continued on A54 Michael Krabbenhoeft/ mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 166 ISSUE 67
INDEX
ABBY.................... A8 COMICS................B6 CROSSWORD.....B10
LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2 OBITUARIES......... A4
OPINION............... A6 PLAN!T.............A9-12 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 90. Low 71. More on A3.
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