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TEAMMATE PITCHES IN AS A MENTOR
ROCK FALLS SOFTBALL, B1
Group shows what pool has to offer DIXON, A9
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, May 24, 2016 ■ SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | CITY COUNCIL
City mulls liquor license change Commission discusses freezing licenses and examining applications case-by-case BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The city’s liquor commission is looking at freezing licenses in an effort to better control the location of the businesses that seek them. In February 2015, the Sterling City Council revised a liquor ordinance that specifically targeted video gambling. The council passed a res-
olution that requires businesses with video gambling to derive at least 60 percent of its receipts from food and beverages, or devote at least 60 percent of its space to the primary business. The ordinance change, however, hasn’t had the desired effect. “A lot of council members don’t want an expansion of the places that are just gambling businesses, and legally, you can’t just limit gambling parlors,” said Joe Martin, who is an alderman and one of three liquor panel members.
Martin said the 60 percent revenue and space language doesn’t hinder gambling pursuits, especially if a business already has a liquor license. The commission is headed by Mayor Skip Lee, and the council representatives are Martin and Retha Elston. Martin said his once-hard stance against video gambling has softened in light of the city’s budgetary realities. Joe Martin
LIQUOR CONTINUED ON A4
MORRISON
EDUCATION
City has a big bullet to bite Council discusses list of road repairs totaling nearly $3 million BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Instructor Tim Brabender (left) and Polo High School junior Jakob Simpson diagnose a fuel problem on a Camaro Z28 on Monday during Automotive Technology class in the shop at Whiteside Area Career Center in Sterling.
Driving home the basics Class teaches students that without the proper foundation, their career in auto repair could very well stall
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
STERLING – Instructor Tim Brabender has a favorite question, and it’s as brief as it is deep: “Why?” He spent 30 years learning the myriad answers to that question while working for General Motors, and brought them into the shop with him 3 years ago when he joined his former automotive technology instructor, Rollie Conkling, at Whiteside Area Career Center. “I figured it was time for me to pay back all the things I’ve learned over the years,” Brabender said as he and Polo junior Jakob Simpson got ready to test the carburetor in a Chevrolet Camaro Z28. The carburetor had been running awfully rich and coughing out black smoke. As a mechanic, Brabender’s forte was drivability – getting vehicles to run as well as possible. “I like to think I got pretty good at drivability issues,” the 51-year-old Rock Falls resident said. DRIVING CONTINUED ON A5
WACC turning 50
Today’s stories wrap up special coverage of Whiteside Area Career Center, which is turning 50 this fall. If you’d like to contribute to the Whiteside Area Career Center reunion, contact Executive Director Paula Rademacher at 815-626-5810, ext. 202, or prademacher@wacc.cc. Also, keep an eye out for a Facebook page dedicated to the event.
Inside
Rollie Conkling (right), who’s taught automotive technology at WACC for 33 years, is retiring. Read about his story on Page A3.
MORRISON – The city is faced with rough roads ahead, but if they wait too long, those roads will only get rougher. That’s why the City Council kicked off a conversation at its meeting Monday night to address nearly $3 million in roadwork the city wants to do. The discussion only scratched the surface of the city’s wish list of road repairs. There’s no concrete plan – or asphalt one, for that matter – in place right now, or even a timeline, but city leaders say the discussion is a step in the right direction down some roads that are sorely in need of repair. ROAD REPAIRS CONTINUED ON A5
DIXON PARKS
Cracking open its nest egg Board considers dipping into reserves to pay for projects BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – With the demand for infrastructure improvements growing throughout the Dixon Park District, the park board is faced with dipping into its reserve funds to meet its needs. The board plans to vote Wednesday on its fiscal year 2017 budget, which – with $1,290,750 in revenue and $1,435,636 in expenses – carries a proposed deficit of nearly $145,000. The excess expenditures come from additional capital improvement projects in the budget, including about $95,000 toward repairs to roads in Lowell Park and Page Park, an allocation of $75,000 and $20,000, respectively. “It’s so important to maintain our infrastructure, and we have to catch up on some of these repairs,” said Debra Carey, the district’s executive director. “We just have to.” Other projects include $30,000 toward resurfacing the Emma Hubbs Tennis Courts at Page Park, $50,000 to expand the Vaile Park splash pad, $15,000 to repair a portion of seawall near Lincoln Statue Drive, and a $1,000 donation to Project GenNex. NEST EGG CONTINUED ON A4
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TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 118
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 COMICS ............... A8 CROSSWORD......B7
LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4
OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2 STATE ................ A10
Today’s weather High 82. Low 62. More on A3.
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