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Former supervisor lands a new job
JOE TO GO PLAY IN LUXEMBOURG
COLOMA TOWNSHIP, A3
STERLING ALUMNUS CATCHUP, B1
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, July 22, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | HIT-AND-RUN UPDATE
19-year-old arrested in Texas Rock Falls man charged with attempted murder; second suspect still sought BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – One of two Rock Falls men wanted in a hit-and-run that left a Sterling man critically injured was arrested Monday morning in Corpus Christi, Texas, and charged with attempted murder.
Dayton J. Hicks, 19 was found after a tip on his whereabouts came in this morning, Sterling police said in a news release Monday afternoon. Hicks, on 2 years’ probation for a March conviction of consumption of alcohol as a minor, also was charged with
a probation violation. Jorden E. Johnson, 22, still is being sought. Jacob Carr, 20, was found injured and unresponsive in the 300 block of West Fifth Street about 12:30 a.m. April 2. He might have been lying there for an hour, police said. Carr was flown to OSF Saint
Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, where he was listed in critical condition. He has since been released, and his recovery has been a very slow process. His family has declined to talk about his injuries at this point. HIT-AND-RUN CONTINUED ON A4
MANY HAPPY TO HELP HUSK IN ROCK FALLS
Dayton J. Hicks
Jorden E. Johnson
STERLING SCHOOLS
Teachers, support staff get contracts Federal mediator helps district finalize 2-year agreements BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Students from B.L.I.N.D. groups at Sterling, Rock Falls and Newman high schools helped the Rock Falls Rotary husk corn Monday at Poci’s Market for the 75th annual Rock Falls Rotary Corn Boil at the Rock Falls Community Building. Many gather to help the Rock Falls Rotary husk corn Monday evening at Poci’s Market in Rock Falls. The boil runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. Tickets will be $7 for adults and $4 for ages 12 and younger. The menu includes allyou-can-eat corn, pulled pork barbecue or a hot dog, chips and a beverage. Drive-through meals also will be available, and the Rock Falls Women’s Club will sell desserts. Proceeds benefit Rotary community projects.
DIXON CITY COUNCIL | EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
Revised guide presented, could be OK’d Aug. 4 Administrator to work on policies-and-practices manual next BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529
DIXON – The City Council could approve a completely new employee handbook in August. A copy of the employee handbook – or personnel policy – was placed on file during the regular council meeting Monday night. It will be on the
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agenda for approval during the Aug. 4 meeting. It’s the first major revision to the employee handbook in years and took about 6 months of meetings with city staff, city commissioners, City Administrator David Nord and Paul Greufe, a human resources consultant, to be completed. “It will be a living document,” Greufe said during his pre-
INDEX
sentation to the council. “So I would be surprised if it doesn’t change or it’s not updated in the next year or so.” Once the handbook is approved and put in place, changes in the future can be made if policies are brought into question, or if policies to address issues need to be added.
BUSINESS ......... A10 COMICS ............... A9 CROSSWORD......B8
HANDBOOK CONTINUED ON A2
DEAR ABBY ......... A7 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Up for approval The Dixon City Council next meets at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at City Hall, 121 W. Second St., on the second floor in the Council Chambers. Go to www.DiscoverDixon.org or call City Hall at 815-2881485 for an agenda or more information.
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
STERLING – The Sterling School District has approved 2-year contracts with teachers and support staff. The school board unanimously approved the contracts during a brief meeting Monday. The Sterling Education Association, which represents teachers, counselors and other certified staff members, will receive a 2 percent salary increase on the base for the 2014-15 school year and a 1 percent base increase for 2015-16. The current base pay for teachers is $29,652. That will increase to $30,245 in 2014-15 and to $30,547 in 2015-16. The Sterling Association of Educational Support Personnel, which represents bus drivers, food service workers, and other support staff, will get a 3.7 percent hourly rate increase for the 2014-15 school year and a 2 percent increase in 2015-16. For the support staff, hourly rates vary by position, now ranging from $9.45 to $11.70 an hour for beginning pay. School officials estimate the cost for both contracts will be just over $400,000 for the 2 years, including an estimated increase in health and dental insurance premiums in the second year. CONTRACTS CONTINUED ON A4
‘‘ ’’ We are ready to get back to what we do best, which is educating kids.
Today’s weather High 92. Low 66. More on A3.
Superintendent Tad Everett
Fundraiser
Teens help plan PADS event, A5.
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