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STERLING, DIXON GO TO THE MAT PREP WRESTLING, B1
LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT, A7-9
dailyGAZETTE
Thursday, January 9, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
ROCK FALLS | SHOOTING OUTSIDE LAMB’S TAP
Shooter killed ‘best friend’ Victim was involved with Harris’ ex-wife BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
ROCK FALLS – The shooting that left one man dead and two injured outside Lamb’s Tap early Saturday stemmed, it seems, from a relationship dispute.
The tragic episode that took the life of Frederick A. Michels also led the shooter, Leonard “Frank” Harris Jr., to take his Leonard own life a short “Frank” time later as police Harris Jr. closed in on his home. In a court filing last month, Harris had referred to Michels as his “best friend.” Rock Falls Police were called shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday when a 911 call reported
that shots had been fired near the bar. Upon arriving, they found the body of Michels lying on the sidewalk. Harris had Frederick A. fled the scene. Michels At the time of his death, according to his obituary, Michels was involved in a relationship with Harris’ ex-wife, Brenda. That night, police say, Brenda was at the bar with Michels. The Harrises had only recently divorced.
“Your Honor, I loved this woman for almost 15 years,” Harris wrote in a court filing from Dec. 16. “Gave her everything. Told her she didn’t have to work, I made enough. Raised her children as my own. Only to be betrayed by her and my best friend.” The two had one child together, a 10-year-old girl. According to public records, Brenda and Leonard Harris were married on Nov. 23, 2002. She filed for divorce on June 11, citing “extreme and repeated mental cruelty.”
Police said Leonard Harris also shot two other men that night: Jason Chapman, 37, and David Adams, 22, both of Sterling. They suffered non-lifethreatening injuries, and, Rock Falls Chief Mike Kuelper said the men were just “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” After the shooting, Harris walked north, away from the bar, across the First Avenue bridge, and disappeared into his home in the 300 block of Sixth Avenue in Sterling. SHOOTER CONTINUED ON A4
DIXON
GETTING BACK OUTSIDE IN THE SAUK VALLEY
Groups nearing merger Council will discuss plan for Main Street, Riverfront Commission BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 529
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Packs of runners braved the cold weather and hit the streets Wednesday, crossing the Galena Avenue bridge in Dixon. With temps creeping above the sub-zero line, school and city activity resumed to something close to normal. Temperatures will continue to rise, with a forecasted high of 24 today in Dixon.
U.S. CONGRESS
Lawmakers divided on jobless benefits Kinzinger, Bustos adhere to party lines on extension BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 570
STERLING – Just days after more than 550 people in Lee and Whiteside counties lost their unemployment benefits, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted to continue debate on Democrats’ plan to extend those insurance payments for 3 months. To even clear that small hurdle, Democrats needed help from six GOP lawmakers who voted with them after some last-minute arm-twisting by President Obama. Extended unemployment insurance benefits ran out for
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 160 ISSUE 23
Lost benefits The number of area people, by county, who lost extended unemployment benefits on Dec. 28. Ogle: 326 Whiteside: 351 Bureau: 205 Lee: 206 Carroll: 50 Total in Sauk Valley: 1,138 Source: House Ways and Means Committee Democrats
about 82,000 Illinoisans on Dec. 28. The average weekly benefit lost was $312.77, according to an analysis done by the House Ways and Means Committee. An additional 89,000 will AP lose assistance in the first half Audience members hold signs appealing for jobs as they of 2014 if Congress does not attend a Democratic news conference about extending approve an extension. unemployment insurance benefits which expired Dec. 28, on LAWMAKERS CONTINUED ON A2 Wednesday, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
INDEX
BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ............. A10 CROSSWORD....B11
DEAR ABBY ....... A11 LOTTERY ............. A2 PLAN!T ................. A7
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
DIXON – The official merger of the Dixon Riverfront Commission and Dixon Main Street could come “sooner rather than later,” an official said. Larry Reed, Riverfront Commission chairman, said that when the Larry commission met Reed Jan. 3, it was the first time members had discussed the merger with representatives from the city. The commission supported the proposed merger, he said, and expected for it to be completed in the near future. The merger was scheduled to be a discussion item on Josh the City Council Albrecht agenda for the Jan. 6 meeting, City Administrator David Nord said, but when that meeting was canceled, it was moved to the Jan. 21 meeting. At that next council meeting, a presentation will explain how the newly aligned organization will operate, Main Street Executive Director Josh Albrecht said. Then, the merger could be voted on during the City Council’s first meeting in February, Nord said. A recommendation to merge the Riverfront Commission and Main Street was presented to the City Council in September. It came from a threeperson committee that had studied Dixon Tourism, Main Street and the Riverfront Commission.
Today’s weather High 24. Low 22. More on A3.
MERGER CONTINUED ON A2
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