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LOCAL EVENTS, A8-10
dailyGAZETTE Thursday, July 16, 2015
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING
Cleanup continues on east side Public Works crews working in areas hit hardest by June 22 storm BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The city’s Public Works Department continues to clean up in the aftermath of a severe storm last month that took down many trees and branches in its path.
The damaging winds from the June 22 storm even ripped off part of the roof at Northland Mall, leading to a massive cleanup effort that has halted business for most of the mall’s tenants. On June 29, the city started a curbside pickup service for storm-related yard waste only.
Yard waste usually must be cut so it is no longer than 4 feet, but that requirement has been waived for storm-related debris. However, if tree limbs are kept at the 4-foot length and put in bundles no heavier than 40 pounds, they can be put out for regular trash and recycling pickup.
Public Works said it is about halfway through what needs to be done. “We finally got south of Lefevre Road on the east side of town,” said Melanie Farmer, Public Works operations clerk. “With a storm like this, it takes at least a month to get through town.”
STERLING MUNICIPAL BAND CONCERT
Farmer said the east side of the city, near the mall, was hit hardest, unlike the storm that made a mess of the west end last August. “We’re working in the hardest-hit areas now – 22nd Avenue near Merrill and Sanborn streets,” Farmer said. CLEANUP CONTINUED ON A4
ILLINOIS | BUDGET
NO ‘BONES’ Stopgap ABOUT IT heads to SAXOPHONIST GUEST STARS AT GRANDON
Rauner
1-month temporary budget OK’d, but it’s likely doomed BY JOHN O’CONNOR AND SOPHIA TAREEN The Associated Press
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Tom “Bones” Malone was the special guest at Wednesday night’s Sterling Municipal Band concert. Malone, who plays a variety of brass instruments, is famous for being a member of The Blues Brothers band, the Saturday Night Live Band (He served as leader of the band from 1981 to 1985.), and a member of the CBS Orchestra, the house band for the Late Show with David Letterman. The Dixon Muni Band will be playing a Halloween-themed show at 7:30 tonight at the Page Park band shell. Check out all the local happenings in our listings on A8-10.
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers sent a stopgap budget plan Wednesday to Gov. Bruce Rauner, who will likely dismiss the one piece to emerge from a flurry of Capitol activity, which did little to move the state toward a yearlong spending agreement. Despite the governor’s well-known opposition, the Senate put up a partisan vote on a $2.3 billion, 1-month budget to keep state government functioning. It was approved 39-0 with 15 voting “present.” Democrats, who have used provisional fiscal plans several times in the past decade, want to keep essential and emergency services available during the budget standoff. Rauner wants a permanent fix. But the day’s bursts of activity provided more heat than light. STOPGAP CONTINUED ON A4
SAUK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | PRESIDENT’S MEET AND GREET
New leader focuses on 3 keys Wants school visible, viable, and involved in manufacturing BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – David Hellmich is already making good on his word. The sixth president at Sauk Valley Community College has spent his first 2 weeks on the job doing a lot of listening and learning – something he emphasized throughout the interview process for the job. “I’ve been meeting with a lot of people and getting to know the college,” Hellmich said. Hellmich, 56, was the center of attention at a meet and greet Wednesday afternoon at KSB Town Square in Dixon.
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City leaders in Dixon visited with Hellmich to hear his vision for the college. “Community colleges is all about access, all about quality, all about giving people a second chance and giving people an affordable chance,” Hellmich said. “My whole career has been in community colleges, and any vision that I have is built on that bedrock.” Based on the conversations, Hellmich has three main focuses: establishing more of a presence in the community, creating a better relationship with manufacturers in the area, and coming up with new revenue streams. Hellmich said he wants the
INDEX
college to be very visible in the community. He also wants the college to lead the conversation about education. “Whether it’s a conversation about education, post-secondary education or workforce development, Sauk needs to have a person there,” Hellmich said. “I want to be involved as much as I can, and that is something we will do early on.” Hellmich especially wants to have more of a presence in the Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com manufacturing world. He wants the college’s relationship with David Hellmich (center), the sixth president of Sauk Valley Commanufacturing to be a major munity College, speaks with Sinnissippi Centers CEO Patrick focus in the upcoming year. Phelan (left) and John Thompson, president of the Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday afternoon during a meet and greet at KSB Town Square in Dixon. PRESIDENT CONTINUED ON A11
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ...............B6
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 79. Low 69. More on A3.
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