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STUDENTS MOURN A FRIEND LOST MORRISON, B1
Farming’s new wave
Cattle Feeders coming
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Milledgeville FFA: It’s not just for boys SECTION INSIDE
dailyGAZETTE Cover story:
Alex T. Paschal/apas
chal@saukvalley.com
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Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
A supplement to Sauk Valley
Media
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | CITY COUNCIL
City hits a bump in the trail Deadline in jeopardy as pastor says he can no longer sign off on a deal that’s become ‘unacceptable’ BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The Sterling Park District’s grant-funded trail project is facing yet another possible delay. During Monday’s Sterling City Council meeting, Abiding Word Church Pastor Scott Porter said he couldn’t sign off on the easement agreement needed for construction to begin
this summer as planned. The issue wasn’t on the agenda, but Porter spoke during the public comment part of the meeting. Porter said he had been out of town for a while, and when he returned, the pact had changed. “We negotiated in good faith and thought we had reached an agreement, but what’s been presented to me is unacceptable,” Porter said. Porter said he objected to an amendment made to the agreement that would restrict
special-use permits. Porter said the change would jeopardize the future building of an entrance/exit point for the church on Lynn Boulevard. “Other places on this street have left and right exits on Lynn Boulevard, why are we being restricted?” Porter said. “We agreed to give the city property appraised at $112,000 as payment for a $53,000 debt, and now we have this roadblock in negotiations.” TRAIL CONTINUED ON A5
Scott Porter
STERLING
STERLING
Row, row, row your kayak ...
City will demolish two more ‘eyesores’ Land will be added to city’s green spaces BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
With temperatures in the lower 60s Monday, it was nice enough to spend some time on the water, which was just what James Bieneman, 32, of Sterling was doing when he took his kayak to the Sinnissippi Park lagoon in Sterling. While temperatures will be warm enough to head outside the rest of the week, rain will probably put a kibosh on kayakers, and anyone else who plans on heading outside. The mercury is forecast to hit a high of 65 today, then drop into the mid 50s by the end of the week, but rain will move into the area and linger through Thursday. It should clear up Friday, but some drizzle will drop back in Saturday.
ROCK FALLS
Owners invest in a frozen asset City’s business landscape will get a boost from pair’s new yogurt shop BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5695 @_angelsierra
ROCK FALLS – Frozen yogurt mania could be coming to the Sauk Valley, and Frosted Spoon plans to lead the craze. “There aren’t any [frozen yogurt shops] in the Sauk Valley, and it will be a new expe-
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rience for many people,” coowner Liandro Arellano Jr. said Monday. Frosted Spoon, next door to Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, 511 First Ave., which Arellano also owns, will have a build-it-yourself station for frozen yogurt and toppings, gelato, and other desserts. FROYO CONTINUED ON A5
INDEX
Submitted
This designer’s rendering shows what the interior of the Frosted Spoon yogurt shop in Rock Falls will look like. The shop will offer self-serve yogurt stations, and seating for folks who don’t want to eat their FroYo on the go. An opening date hasn’t been set yet, but co-owner Liandro Arellano Jr. said “heavy construction” on the business is already underway.
ABBY ................... A7 COMICS ............... A8 CROSSWORD......B9
LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4
OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2 POLITICS ............. A9
STERLING – The city is getting ready to cross off two more addresses on its blighted properties list. The city will use federal grant funds awarded through the Illinois Housing Development Authority to demolish the structures at 1104 Dillon Ave. and 302 W. Fourth St. in Sterling. The grant terms require that the city partner with a nonprofit organization, so the deeds are being transferred to Next Rock Island meeting Economic Growth Corp. The Sterling The nonprofit City Council administers next meets the funds, and at 6:30 p.m. after 3 years, March 21 at they are sold City Hall, 212 back to the Third Ave., on city for $1 the first floor when all grant in the Council requirements Chambers. are met. Go to sterlingThe 3-year il.gov or call period gives City Hall at cities time 815-632-6621 to figure out for an agenda what to do or more inforwith the propmation. erties after demolition, and in the meantime, the cities aren’t responsible for maintaining the areas. In the case of both of these properties, the city has already decided to convert them to green space. The federal Blight Reduction Program was instituted in 2014, to coincide with the state’s Abandoned Property Program. The city has 13 properties targeted, after receiving more grant money than expected. DEMOLITION CONTINUED ON A5
Today’s weather High 64. Low 55. More on A3.
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