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Rockets lose one of their biggest fans
MUSEUM HAS BIG RIGS AND SMALL
SPORTS, B1
DAY TRIP, A7
TELEGRAPH Friday, August 5, 2016 n SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
STERLING SCHOOLS
They’re happy to be in the education field Ag courses are fertile ground for a couple of peas in a pod BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
STERLING – Hey, Sterling High School students: Interested in agriculture, but you didn’t grow up on, or even around, a farm? That’s OK. Neither did your new agriculture instructor and FFA adviser. Elise Baker, 22, has loved horses since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. “When I was little, every horse I could possibly see, I had to get on,” the New Len-
Challand Middle School agriculture education instructor Julie LeFevre (left) and first-year Sterling High ag teacher Elise Baker talk about the school district’s new FFA chapter Thursday afternoon in the courtyard outside Challand.
nox native and Illinois State graduate said. “Whether it was the one at the supermarket or the live one at the state fair, I had to get on it.” Her family had a garden, and “it just kind of tumbled on from there,” Baker said. “I went to college and I didn’t want to sit behind a desk. I wanted to interact with people. But I’m not very good at math. I’m OK at science, and I’m awful at English. If I can bring a different perspective for students, that’s amazing. AG COURSES continued on A54
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
DIXON | CRIME
PUBLIC SAFETY
Police put to the test
A slap in the face
Concerns raised over vandalism, drugs along city’s riverfront BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
Sterling Police Officer Clay Hadley enters a room at the Whiteside Area Career Center on Thursday during an active shooter exercise. Police, firefighters and EMS took part in the training and learned how to work together to safely and efficiently take down the threat, secure the building, and get victims to safety. Public safety agencies take advantage of students’ time off for summer vacation by honing their skills to respond to a shooter on school grounds. Lee County public safety personnel conducted similar training in Dixon last week. Go to saukvalley.com for video, and more photos, of Thursday’s training.
TOP5 Your Weekend
1 Let’s pow wow PROPHETSTOWN – The 10th annual Prophetstown Pow Wow will return at Prophetstown State Recreation Area on Saturday and Sunday. The pow wow features authentic Native American food, crafts, and jewelry sold at vending booths. Grounds will open at 10 a.m. each day. The entrance is at Park Avenue and River Drive. Dancing will start at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. For more information, go to prophetstownpowwow. com, find the event on Facebook, or contact Dan Eads at riverat2@yahoo. com or 815-441-0148.
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 166 ISSUE 68
DIXON – A resident is pushing for more security measures in an area she says represents the face of Dixon because of recent vandalism and drug activity in the area. Tina Coffey approached the City Council on Monday to propose installing security cameras under Peoria and Galena Avenue bridges, where students and children often walk, as well as increasing patrols at Howell Park. She said the area is littered with syringes and other drug paraphernalia, making an unsafe environment for children. “That presents a public safety issue as well as a public health issue,” she said. A memorial bench was destroyed at Howell Park last month. “We have a group of rowdy teenagers that seems to be getting larger,” Coffey said. Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said the concerns will be passed along to the Dixon Police Department, and that it would be possible to draft an intergovernmental agreement between the city and the park district to enhance security measures. Deb Carey, executive director of the Park District, said parks can be a magnet for vandalism and illegal activity.
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
2 A toast to transit ROCK FALLS – Toast to Transit, a wine-tasting fundraiser for Whiteside County Public Transportation, will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at The Barn at Allen Acres, 2206 Prophet Road. Tickets are $25 each or two for $40 before the event, or $30 each or two for $50 at the door. VIP tables also are available and will include a full bottle of wine and a “swag bag.” Admission includes eight tasting tickets, appetizers and live music. Wines, beer and martini samples will be offered, and there will be a 50-50 raffle and silent auction. Attendees must be 21. Go to ridewcpt. net or contact Tori McDaniel at 815625-7433, ext. 105, for tickets or more information.
INDEX
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Trucks roll in
4
ROCK FALLS – The Optimist Club of Rock Falls will present its annual Touch-a-Truck event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 201 Ave. A. Emergency vehicles will be on display from Sterling, Rock Falls and Whiteside County public safety agencies. Organizers also are expecting a Life Flight helicopter. Also featured: a junior dragster, race cars, race simulators, a Blues Brothers tribute car, and a corn boil. “Leslie,” a pink fire truck from Pink Heals, which travels the country supporting women affected by cancer, will be on hand. Contact John Watts at jwwatts78@gmail.com or 815-631-3012 for more information.
ABBY.................... A8 COMICS................ A9 CROSSWORD.......B9
DAY TRIP.............. A7 LIFESTYLE.........A7-8 LOTTERY.............. A2
VANDALISM continued on A54
Let’s be frank
STERLING – From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today – or while supplies last – downtown merchants will cook hot dogs and sell them for 25 cents for the annual Hot Dog Days in Sterling. Drinks and chips also will be available. This year’s cooking sites: SBM Business Equipment Center, 501 Locust St.; Golden Key Gifts, 702 W. Fourth St.; JJM Printing Inc., 311 First Ave.; Showplace Antiques & Treasures, 307 First Ave.; Air Play Sports & Espresso, 115 E. Third St.; City Hall, 212 Third Ave.; Smitty’s Sew-n-Vac, 505 E. Third St.; and Country at Heart, 1910 E. Fourth St. There will also be other familyfriend activities. Go to sterlingmainstreet.org or find Sterling Main Street on Facebook for a complete list.
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
5
Building birthday
DIXON – Firefighters and police officers will host a community event from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Public Safety Building, 220 S. Hennepin Ave. Admission is free. There will be a beer garden, a fire truck bounce house, face painting, a 50-50 raffle, live music, and a cookout. Seating is limited; people may bring their own lawn chairs. Tickets for the 50-50 raffle are $5 each and can be purchased in advance at That Place on Palmyra, 628 Palmyra Road; PatiO’s, 222 W. First St.; Zero’s Tap, 81 S. Galena Ave.; and at the Public Safety Building. Proceeds from the event will be used to upgrade fitness equipment for the firefighters and police officers. Call 815-288-4411 for more information.
Today’s weather High 82. Low 60. More on A3.
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