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STERLING, MORRISON PLAY BALL ... FOR QUITE A WHILE
Engineer taking class outdoors
BASEBALL, B1
MORRISON, A4
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, March 15, 2016
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WACC enrollment to be slashed School district dealing with projected $800,000 shortfall in FY17 BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
STERLING – To help alleviate a projected $800,000 shortfall, the Sterling school district plans to significantly reduce the number of students it sends to Whiteside Area Career
Center, Superintendent Tad Everett said in a letter to WACC superintendents, obtained by Sauk Valley Media. In the letter, Everett said Sterling High students still will attend four programs: building trades, Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, commercial food services and auto service.
Starting this fall, though, they will take health occupations and allied health, welding and fabrication, criminal justice, computer science and early childhood education classes through Sauk Valley Community College. The decision, which would save about $50,000, is part of a budget reduction plan the board
will discuss in closed session at its meeting Wednesday before sharing details in open session. Members are working to balance a fiscal year 2017 budget projected to be $800,000 in the red. A public reduction-in-force hearing will be held March 30. SLASHED CONTINUED ON A3
STERLING
To attend
The Sterling school board meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the high school library, 1608 Fourth Ave. Go to sterlingpublicschools.org, or call 815-626-5050 for more information.
ROCK FALLS
Main fixed, but work continues Council to hear update on sewer Work can’t start until new pumps arrive BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Heavy equipment sits idle at the site of a water main that broke Sunday morning in downtown Sterling, causing part of Third Street to be shut down for the day as crews repaired the damage.
Stopbox repaired; road damages assessed after Sunday morning break BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – A water main break on East Third Street near Locust Street is fixed, but utility crews are taking the opportunity to do additional work in the area. Sterling Police reported the break about 5:40 a.m. Sunday, after being notified by a downtown business owner. The city’s public water utility, Illinois American Water, said the water was safe to drink, so a boil order wasn’t issued. Some residents noticed changes in the color and pressure of the water, but the utility said running it for a while would take care of the problems. Because the utility’s crews were there, and the road was torn up, they decided to do some unplanned work. A lone bicyclist pedals along the usually bustling thoroughfare in downtown Sterling. MAIN CONTINUED ON A2
MISSOURI | THE SHELEY TRIAL
Judge denies request for change of venue Motion requesting new judge also denied BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5695 @_angelsierra
HILLSBORO, Mo. – A convicted spree killer’s requests to have his Jefferson County murder trial moved
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 68
and judge changed were denied. Assistant Prosecutor Attorney Steven Jerrell successfully opposed Nicholas Sheley, 36, of Sterling by shutting down several argumentative exhibits: that Jefferson County residents are prejudiced because
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A10 COMICS ............... A8
of TV news video that aired in 2008; that residents are biased because of online news coverage; and that a jury cannot be selected because of several out-of-state newspaper articles. “We don’t pick juries here from Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin,” Jerrell said in the argument submitted to Circuit Judge Nathan B. Stewart. SHELEY CONTINUED ON A5
CROSSWORD....B10 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Nicholas Sheley
NATION/WORLD .. A9 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
ROCK FALLS – A representative from the consulting firm overseeing an overhaul of the city’s main sewer lift station will be in town to give an update on the project. The presentation by Larry Thomas, an engineer at Muscatine, Iowa-based Stanley Consultants, is at the top of the agenda for tonight’s council meeting. In August, the city signed a supplemental agreement with Stanley to do engineering work at the wastewater facility after flooding at the lift station in June caused the second citywide water shutdown in a year and a half. Heavy rains during a short period of time brought a deluge of water into the wastewater system and submersed the pumps at the main lift station. After the first water shutdown, Stanley was hired to plan a rebuild of the lift station that called for about $600,000 in system upgrades. Those changes are being paid for by Willett, Hofmann & Associates, the firm that designed the sewer plant. Willett, Hofmann took responsibility for the first system failure, and agreed to pay the city $815,379.15 for the costs incurred for the emergency situation, ensuing investigation, and fixes. SEWER CONTINUED ON A4
To attend
Stanley Consultants will update residents on planned upgrades at the city’s main sewer lift station when the Rock Falls City Council next meets at 6:30 tonight, at City Hall, 603 W. 10th St. The agendas are posted at rockfalls61071.com and at City Hall. Call 815-622-1100 for more information. The City Council meeting also airs live on Channel 5.
Today’s weather High 63. Low 46. More on A3.
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Election Day Illinois in election spotlight, A5.