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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SPECIAL SECTION, INSIDE
NEWMAN HIGH, A2
SPORTS, B3
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, April 14, 2015
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
ROCK FALLS | HENNEPIN CANAL/TRAILS
Prairie burn set for Wednesday Family-friendly Storybook Trail added to city’s beautification efforts BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ROCK FALLS – Plans are underway to improve the city’s nature areas, particularly prairie land and the bike path.
City Building Inspector Mark Searing has been working with the Hennepin Canal/Trails Committee on several beautification projects. If the weather cooperates, Searing and staff from the Public Works and Streets depart-
ments will do a controlled burn Wednesday of about 3 acres of prairie land near the industrial park water tower. It’s scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., and should be completed by noon. The fire department will be there to supervise.
“The area is at the railroad right of way from Avenue D to McNeil Road,” Searing said. “We just planted it last year, and this will be the first burn.” Last spring, the city planted prairie grass and flowers on
MORRISON
vacant land to lower maintenance costs. Within the city limits, 6 acres have been planted near the bike path, industrial parks, and the wastewater treatment plant. BURN CONTINUED ON A5
ILLINOIS | SUPREME COURT
Divas roll out carhop service
Verdicts sought on court experience
Roller derby team holds fundraiser at Hardee’s
‘Customers’ being surveyed on how they were treated BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Midwest Derby Divas team owner Andrea “Anita Painkiller” Wakeman, in classic carhop fashion, delivers food to a patron on her skates at Hardee’s in Morrison. More Divas were on hand to answer questions about their sport and deliver food to patrons at the restaurant. In turn, the team received 20 percent of the sales. The team is organizing an event at The Meadows in Dixon for late May. Keep an eye on the team’s Facebook page for details.
DIXON PUBLIC SCHOOLS | LONG-RANGE FACILITIES PLAN
Groups’ findings on options to be shared Board to get update on two plans; one includes building a new high school BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
To attend
DIXON – The Dixon School Board will receive an update on the long-range facilities plan during Wednesday’s meeting. Different work groups made up of students, staff, teachers and community members have been meeting to discuss
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 161 ISSUE 89
The School Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the school district’s central office, 1335 Franklin Grove Road. the district’s final two options. Amy Yurko of BrainSpaces, a Chicago-based consultant on school facilities planning, will share the discussions and opinions of the work groups,
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ............... A9
whose input has served as a road map for the plan’s development. “We have been getting opinions from parents, teachers, students and the community to get their perspective on the options,” the consultant’s founder said. “Some people are taking a stand on the different preferences, and they are discussing the pros and cons.”
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
OPTIONS CONTINUED ON A4
NATION/WORLD A11 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
The Illinois Supreme Court wants you to tell them about your experience with your local court. This week, and for the following 2 weeks – depending on where you live – circuit court administrators will distribute surveys that ask the public about just that. Were people nice to you? Did court start on time? “It’s strictly civility,” said Vicky Bluedorn, administrator for the 14th Circuit. “It’s about their experience in court, their perception of how they were treated, and general information.” In Ogle County, sur- Online extra veyors were Click on this in c o u r t story at saukvalMonday. ley.com to see a T h e y ’ l l copy of the surbe in Car- vey court users roll County will be asked to on April 21. complete. In Sterling, expect them on the 27th and the 28th. In Lee County: the 29th, and in Morrison, the 29th and the 30th. After the two-page survey is filled out, the court user will slip it into a box that will be sent to the Illinois Supreme Court, where workers will pore over the responses and offer an analysis to the various courts when they’re done – likely at a meeting of the state’s Conference of Chief Judges, said Tom Schwamberger, administrative assistant for the 15th Circuit. Surveys are available in English, Spanish, and Polish. All court users will be asked to complete the survey, including attorneys, students, and visitors. The idea behind the whole thing is that the court is expected to “be accountable and provide justice in a fair, equitable and expeditions manner,” Chief Justice Rita Garman said in a news release.
Today’s weather High 68. Low 40. More on A3.
No more ‘stuff’ Fairdale continues recovery, A3.
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