Community Voices

Do you want to live a life of gratitude every day, not just one day a year?

Check out this baked pears recipe, made with three simple ingredients.

Like so many others, Charles Rudolph Walgreen became forever attached to Dixon, a historic endearing town by the Rock River. Even though he acquired more wealth and business success than any other person in Dixon history, he remained attached to Dixon throughout his life.

Menopause is a topic that would not have come up in polite conversation years ago but these days there is more research available, and more attention being paid, to addressing a woman’s physical and mental health needs during this big “change” in her life.

Has Lee County always voted Republican? Why is it so hard for a local Democrat to get elected? To answer these questions, Shaw Local columnist Tom Wadsworth researched Lee County results for all 42 presidential elections from 2020 back to 1856 when the Republican Party began.

CGH's Sherry DeWalt: Making your own soup from scratch is easier than you think and allows you to control the sodium content and avoid questionable additives.

George Page was a local boy who built a global business empire that included the world’s largest condensed milk factory in Dixon. He certainly left his mark on Dixon and Palmyra and experienced a level of business success that few other locals, if any, have ever achieved.

Only 20% of those with a substance use disorder get the help they need. There are many barriers, but stigma and lack of coverage or adequate coverage are two major reasons.

In part 1 of this series about George Page, published on Sept. 5, we learned about the meteoric rise of George Page, Dixon’s homegrown mega-successful entrepreneur. In this installment, we learn of his return from Switzerland to Dixon to build his largest condensed milk factory.

Examples of grains that go well in salads include brown rice, farro or quinoa. Roasted butternut squash, beets or sweet potatoes also are great for cool weather salads.

In all the history of the Dixon area, it’s likely that no other homegrown native has reached such pinnacles of business success as George Ham Page.

Learn how to plan before you plant to extend your home garden veggie harvest.

A new seminar of GriefShare for the Sauk Valley is beginning from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Sauk Valley Community Church.

The Methodists were the first to organize in 1837, but the Baptists and Episcopalians would soon follow. All these churches would share the use of Dixon’s first school house, erected in 1837.

Dixon’s only formal presence of Christianity in 1836 was an occasional visit from a traveling preacher. Caleb and Amanda Talmadge (Methodists), Rebecca Dixon (a Baptist) and Eliza Hamilton (a Presbyterian) “were all that represented the Christian religion in Dixon in 1836."

Wadsworth: When did the frontier town of Dixon first “get religion?” What denomination was the first to get established here? How did it happen? Did the town oppose the early religious folks? I researched a variety of sources, such as early church records, to find the answers.

On May 11, 1876, 91-year-old John Dixon followed his routine of walking to the post office from his home in North Dixon (at Jefferson and Bradshaw). But later that day, as the Chicago Tribune reported, he was “struck with palsy," which probably meant that he suffered a stroke.

On June 20, 1927, 97 years ago, the citizens of Dixon voted to build one new high school for all northsiders and southsiders. After that momentous election, Dixon built “the castle,” its majestic high school that has stood along the banks of the Rock River for almost a century.

The development of the Route 40/I-88 intersection is a significant step in our region’s growth.

This is a busy time of year with graduation parties, weddings, festivals, etc. If you are trying to watch your weight and/or stay healthy, it can be challenging.

This is the rarely told story of the “lost” Lincoln Pavilion, which was also known by other names. Created when the Sterling-Dixon electric trolley opened in May 1904, it was first called “Oak Park, the Sterling and Dixon pleasure park.”

Hellmich: KSB’s merger with OSF HealthCare holds great promise. As chairman of the KSB Board of Directors, I am convinced this merger will allow Judge Solomon Bethea’s life mission of providing superior local health care to live on for generations to come.

Sutcliffe: Together, we can witness the restoration of hope and the rebirth of our community. Together, we can demonstrate that the greatest force for change is the love of God, lived out through us, his people.

The horror of the bridge story may be best understood through the experience of one particular Dixonite who was standing on the bridge on that day in 1873: Colonel Henry T. Noble.

Swifties celebration, Fleetwood Mac tribute on schedule at downtown venue.

In its first years, the rustic outpost of Dixon’s Ferry attracted a long list of people who later became “cabinet ministers, United States senators, representatives, governors, and soldiers and statesmen without number.” So said historian Frank Stevens. He was right.

Yakov Smirnoff is coming to the theater April 5

If your organization has a need for time, treasure and talent from the community, let us know by sending us information about your organization, what it does, what it needs and how people can contact you. We’ll publish it as a volunteer spotlight.

In this column, we focus primarily on the major celebrities who came to Dixon from 1875 to 1925 and to the Rock River Assembly.

Sterling's Emerald Hill Golf Course features 18 holes, a driving range, three practice greens and a practice chipping area.

Ever since Dixon’s early days in the 1800s, the town has been a notable stop for major speakers, celebrities and entertainers as they traveled through northern Illinois.

Yakov Smirnoff, the 1980′s iconic comedian, is performing April 5 and the Dixon Municipal Band is back March 23, bringing with it some of the original band members from The Blue Brothers.

Cholesterol should be at the forefront of our minds in March, which is Healthy Vision Month.

Writer: I have experienced many hurts that have led me to have many hang-ups that have resulted in my developing habits that aren’t so good. I want to tell you about a meeting that I attend where I have learned a better way to deal with my hurts, hang-ups and habits.

Richter: The Dixon Family YMCA’s focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility is at the heart of its mission to empower individuals, strengthen families, and build a stronger, more vibrant community.

On March 1, 1954, Dixon officially dedicated its new Washington and Jefferson grade schools, a project hailed as “the largest single school building program ever to be undertaken in Dixon.”

My name is Janell Loos and I’m excited and grateful to serve the community as the new marketing manager. It is truly a dream come true to grow professionally and personally here at the park district.

Artistic producer: From here to Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri and Indiana, we want to entertain the Midwest and bring big-city shows to our amazing, Broadway-style theater in the Heartland.

Did you know that February is National Canned Food Month? Sometimes we get the message that canned foods are not healthy but that may not be true.

Always consider how you treat the guests that come to your church. Always be welcoming and hospitable, because your guests have overcome a lot just to attend.

Shannon Gallentine: The idea of teaching Art Mindfulness came from seeing a need in the people around me. A need to get out of their heads in order to find a place to escape the noise through art expression.

The largest Christian event in Dixon actually started in Sterling 120 years ago this week, on Feb. 12, 1904. That’s when Billy Sunday, the former Major League Baseball player and young evangelist, came to Sterling.

February is Hearth Month and it’s a good time to remind ourselves about how important it is to eat a healthy diet for our heart health.

There are two notable events taking place in February that are important to grasp an understanding of. The events recognized this month are centered around two main components of life: love and sacrifice.

Meetings are generally held at 1 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at KSB in Polo. All are welcome.

Sunday, Feb. 11, marks 2-1-1 Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the helpline provided by United Ways in Lee and Whiteside counties.

President Ronald Reagan’s 1984 visit to Dixon, which occurred 40 years ago this week, should be placed at the top of the list of the most significant events in Dixon history.

DeWalt: Feb. 1 is National Dark Chocolate Day, and you may have heard that dark chocolate is healthier than milk or white chocolate. I would say “that depends”.

A new 13-week GriefShare session for the Sauk Valley area is beginning Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 1-3 p.m., at Sauk Valley Community Church.

"Father" John Dixon knew that the Chicago Road would be a key stage route that would require stagecoach stations every 10-15 miles or so.