GAZ_03182015

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MUSTANGS NOT REINING IN GOALS

PB&J sushi: It’s how we roll

BASEBALL PREVIEW, B1

FOOD, A9, A11&12

dailyGAZETTE Wednesday, March 18, 2015

SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854

ROCK FALLS | STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

Mayor: Budget mess state’s doing Urges residents to contact legislators about proposed cuts BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier

ROCK FALLS – Fiscal responsibility was a recurring theme of Mayor Bill Wescott’s second State of the City address delivered

during Tuesday night’s council meeting. While resolving to keep a balanced budget, Wescott outlined several challenges to the city’s finances in the next fiscal year. Wescott left no doubt in anyone’s mind as to which scenario

posed the biggest threat to the city’s financial health. “State budget concerns and the possibility of cuts in municipal funding are a dark cloud looming for cities,” Wescott said. MESS CONTINUED ON A2

‘‘

The state has a budget mess, created over many years, of their own making – none of it has been the fault of local government. Meanwhile, cities balance their budges while facing the loss of tax dollars, unfunded mandates, and other challenges.

’’

Mayor Bill Wescott

DIXON | SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION

DIXON

Skills, bonds formed

Recovery funds to restore nonprofit?

Mentor molding young artists in ceramics class

FBI: Crundwell stole from group before stealing from city BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @MattMencarini

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

ABOVE: Madi Cumberland, 11, of Dixon adds some slip to bond the top of her clay work to her sculpture’s foot during an introduction to ceramics class Tuesday afternoon at The Next Picture Show in Dixon. ABOVE-LEFT: Jorja Reynolds, 10, of Dixon concentrates while trimming her ceramics sculpture during the class taught by local artist Les Allen.

LEFT: Logan Moeller, 10, of Dixon adds some texture to his project. SVM’s chief photographer photographed many students during the class. See many more pictures at saukvalley.com. And visit thenextpictureshow.com to find more classes and events at the gallery.

DIXON – Before she stole from the city, former Comptroller Rita Crundwell stole from the Dixon Sister Cities Association. That money could be returned soon. Mayor Jim Burke wants the City Council to reimburse the association more than $50,000 before May 1, he said in an email to some city staff and council members Tuesday. The new council, which will be elect- Jim Burke ed in April, takes office in May. Burke isn’t seeking re-election after serving four terms. In April 2012, Crundwell was arrested at City Hall and later pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the theft of nearly $54 million over 2 decades. She was sentenced to 19 years, 7 months, which she is serving a federal prison. SISTER CONTINUED ON A7

BUREAU COUNTY

School district eyes building options Funds to be available in 2016, with payoff of high school BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84

MANLIUS – After 20 years, Bureau Valley High School will be paid off in full this year. What will district officials do with the extra cash? The school board has hired a consultant to come up with options, now narrowed to six, to upgrade or replace

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TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 161 ISSUE 70

aging buildings for the district’s 1,100 students. Most options include building an addition at Bureau Valley High School; one calls for consolidating all grades on the Manlius campus. Construction costs for each proposal range from $22.8 million to $29.3 million. BUILDING CONTINUED ON A7

INDEX

ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ........... A7 COMICS ...............B7

To learn more The board will have another special meeting to discuss the facilities plan at 6 p.m. Monday at Bureau Valley High School. For a summary of the six options, and how they would be paid for, go to bv340.org, click the link under News and Announcements, then click on “Master Plan Comparison of Options and Conclusions Section of Facilities Study.”

CROSSWORD....B13 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2

OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2

SVM file photo

Most of the options for buildings in the Bureau Valley School district include building an addition to the high school. One calls for consolidating all grades on the Manlius campus.

Today’s weather High 49. Low 32. More on A3.

Early voting

Starts Monday in 3 counties, A13.

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