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Shaken-baby trial dates set
SOMETHING DIDN’T GIVE IN STERLING
DIXON, A2
BASEBALL, B1
TELEGRAPH Friday, May 9, 2014
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | ANCHOR COUPLING
Local plants being consolidated Sauk Valley not ruled out as new location, which will be ‘in North America’ BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
STERLING – Caterpillar, which owns three Anchor Coupling plants in Sterling and Dixon, plans to consolidate them into a plant somewhere in North America, a company official said Thursday.
Last week, Caterpillar announced to its 160 local employees that it was nearing completion of a yearlong consolidation study of its two operations in Sterling and one in Dixon, according to spokeswoman Rachel Potts. The Sauk Valley has not been ruled out, according to the company. “We are not in a position to disclose
the potential location of the consolidated operations, except to say that locations considered are in North America,” Potts wrote in an email. “Consolidation of operations is not a result of the performance of the workforce, but rather based on the cost structure of the three facilities.” PLANTS CONTINUED ON A4
Anchor Coupling is owned by Peoriabased Caterpillar, which reported a 5 percent first-quarter earnings increase. But declining mining equipment sales put 160 employees at three local plants in jeopardy.
FRANKLIN GROVE
POVERTY HAS MANY FACES, PARTICIPANTS LEARN
County: It’s spring; clean up your mess Piles of junk near state park could pose threat to creek BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
A line forms at the fictitious Food-A-Rama on Thursday evening, as families line up to buy groceries during a poverty simulation at Challand Middle School in Sterling. Community Relations that Matter, part of the Whiteside Community Action Network was one of several groups that organized the role-playing event that made participants aware of the struggles of the poor.
ABOVE: Participants fill out paperwork at the welfare office. Role-players received a folder with their life stories and duties for a week. Every 15 minutes, the week would change, and events in their life would take place. RIGHT: Al Campbell (left) plays the roll of a 25-year-old single mother with two children, portrayed by Don Becker (center) and Santi Delgado. They look into their folder they find that they have no car, little money, and an autistic child.
FRANKLIN GROVE – Farms and well-kept homes line the road from the village to Franklin Creek State Park. On private property next to the park and Franklin Creek, though, are two big piles of junk and four cars, one with missing wheels. They are in a grassy area surrounded by trees. The gate is open, but two faded signs warn trespassers. Across the road is one of the park’s picnic areas. Since last month, Lee County’s zoning office has received a number of complaints about the property at 1480 Old Mill Road. It received the first one April 3, said Chris Henkel, the county’s zoning administrator. Henkel went out to see the junk piles later that day. Then he took Assistant State’s Attorney Matt Klahn. On April 4, the county sent a notice to ask the owner, Jason Parks, to clean up the mess in 15 days. The county got no response, Henkel said. DUI CONTINUED ON A2
TOP5 Your Weekend
1
Garage sales in twin cities
ROCK FALLS – The Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce Spring Garage Sale Days are today through Sunday in Rock Falls and Sterling. Free maps of sale locations are available at www.rockfallschamber.com and at Shell gas stations in Rock Falls and Sterling and the Mobil station in Rock Falls.
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 7
2
Fundraiser for St. Mary School
DIXON – Crafts, delicious goodies and uniforms will be part of a fundraising sale Saturday for St. Mary School. A Spring Bazaar Craft and Vendor Show, Bake Sale and Uniform Resale will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Holloway Center at St. Patrick Church, 612 Highland Ave. There will be more than 20 vendors and crafters, raffles, a bake sale and a uniform resale.
INDEX
3 Sound of Music in Grand Detour
4 Off to see the Wizard in Morrison
5 Second Saturdays in Dixon
GRAND DETOUR – Faith Christian School students will present “The Sound of Music” today and Saturday at the school, 7571 S. Ridge Road. Doors will open at 6 p.m. today, with the performance at 6:30. On Saturday, doors will open at 2 p.m. with the performance at 2:30. Tickets cost $10 at the door.
MORRISON – “The Wizard of Oz” will be presented in the Morrison High School auditorium, 643 Genesee Ave., at 7 p.m. today and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets, which cost $5 for all ages, can be bought at the door, or in advance at Fitzgerald’s Pharmacy in Morrison.
DIXON – Second Saturdays Art Happenings, featuring art, music and other cultural events, will return to downtown venues between First and Second streets and Peoria and Galena avenues, mostly from 6 to 8 p.m., on Saturday. Find Second Saturdays on Facebook for event information.
BUSINESS ......... A13 CHURCH............ A12 COMICS ............. A11
CROSSWORD....B12 DEAR ABBY ......... A8 LIFESTYLE ........... A7
LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
Today’s weather High 73. Low 48. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B7.
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