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EIGHTS FOR STATE FOR STERLING WRESTLING, B1
FOOD, A9, A11
dailyGAZETTE Wednesday, February 24, 2016
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
MORRISON
Spend now, save later – both lives and money Mitigation plan would help city prevent costly problems and enhance public safety BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
MORRISON – The city is planning for the worst, and hoping for the best. The worst: Natural disasters. The best: The city gets grant money that could be used to deflect the effects of disasters, saving both lives and money. Morrison is preparing to send a hazard
mitigation plan to a federal agency that could open the door to grant opportunities for projects on the list. The city is one of several towns to participate in devising the Whiteside County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, an initiative that started in July 2014 and is designed to identify and prioritize projects that could protect residents and their property in nine types of natural disasters. The county received a grant to formu-
late the plan, and a planning committee was formed, made up of county and city officials, area hospitals, emergency responders, Whiteside County Farm Bureau, and representatives of several other organizations. Cities that send hazard mitigation plan resolutions to the Federal Emergency Management Agency have better chances of receiving grants for the listed projects.
A spring in their step Sterling Park District weight loss program draws rave reviews, and big crowds STERLING – There are a lot of reasons nearly 200 people signed up for the Sterling Park District Spring Fever Weight Loss Challenge at Westwood Fitness & Sports Center. Better health, camaraderie, and the
MITIGATION CONTINUED ON A5
ILLINOIS BUDGET BATTLE | LOCAL IMPACT
HEALTH AND FITNESS
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
“FEMA wants us to go through the proper process, so we have meetings and a consultant walks us through everything,” City Administrator Barry Dykhuizen said. The City Council discussed the plan at Monday’s meeting, but didn’t take action on the resolution. That should happen at the March 14 meeting.
most positive possible form of peer pressure turned the door leading into the west wing of Building 1 into a turnstile Tuesday night. Let’s not forget the 21-visit punch card each participant got – it’s valid as long as they keep weighing in every Tuesday.
Dirt poor
With state funding on hold, soil and water conservation offices are in danger of closing BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Online extra Read this story at saukvalley. com to hear from weight loss program participants – while they work out.
SPRING CONTINUED ON A5
Daily operations at the state’s 97 water and soil conservation districts could cease if the state doesn’t come to a budget agreement soon. The agencies receive funding from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and the payments have been suspended since the state’s new fiscal year started July 1. The last time the agencies received a payment was March 2015. The Whiteside County Soil and Water Conservation District shares office space at 16255 Liberty St. in Morrison with Natural Resources Conservation Services, a federally funded agency. Four federal employees work there, while only two state Without additional SWCD employees are at the county office – Patrifunding, we’ll have cia Paxson, the adminto close our doors istrative and education in September coordinator, and Dave or October. Harrison, the county’s resource conservationDave Cook, ist. Hours have been Whiteside County Soil and Water Conservation cut for the coordinator District Board chairman position. A special board meeting was held Tuesday to discuss the agency’s dire financial situation. Some districts have already laid off people, and lost staff through attrition. Board Chairman Dave Cook said the window is narrowing for continuing services. “We’re a nontaxing body, so we are totally dependent on the state for funding,” Cook said. “Without additional funding, we’ll have to close our doors in September or October.” Making matters worse, funding had been gradually drying up even before the state budget mess. “The county gives us some money, but that’s dropped from $15,000 to about $5,000,” Cook said. State funding for fiscal year 2016 was to be $7.5 million for the 97 agencies combined. Prior to the suspension of funds, only about $4.7 million of fiscal year 2015 funds had been distributed. “It’s been an ongoing battle,” Cook said. “The funding has greatly decreased over the last several years, but we’ve always managed to get by somehow.”
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Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Dawn Castillo (left) and Karla Vazquez, both from Sterling, exercise Tuesday evening at Westwood Fitness & Sports Center in Sterling. They’re among nearly 200 people participating in the Sterling Park District Spring Fever Weight Loss Challenge, and they’ve both focused on exercise and diet thus far. Castillo, who’s 34th birthday is today, said “It’s birthday week for me, though, so that’s no fun, but I’m still indulging a little bit for birthday week.”
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BUDGET CONTINUED ON A5
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 54
INDEX
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ........... A7 COMICS ...............B6
CROSSWORD....B12 FOOD ............. A9, 11 LIFESTYLE ........... A8
LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
Today’s weather High 41. Low 30. More on A3.
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