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Summer: A dry run for the fall season
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CROSS COUNTRY, B1
dailyGAZETTE Wednesday, August 5, 2015
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
ILLINOIS | BUDGET BATTLE
‘Something’s not right’ Forum struggles to stake out answers somewhere in the middle ground to what’s wrong in Springfield BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
ROCHELLE – Gridlock over public pension and education funding may reside in Springfield with state legislators. But its impact – and abil-
ity to evoke strong emotions – is far reaching, as evidenced by Rochelle Township High School audience members Tuesday night. For 2 hours, former Republican Senate candidate Patrick Hughes and Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Bud-
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Senate finds a solution amid the stalemate for Illinois’ social services. Page A5 get Accountability presented different sides of the budget issue during a forum hosted by hosted by the Illinois Associa-
tion of School Administrators. An audience of about 80 contained a number of area educators, including some from the Sauk Valley. As lawmakers weigh their options – and the delay in setting the state budget goes on – Hughes’ contention is that high
taxes in Illinois handcuff economic development. He pointed to the state’s 20-year net population decline as evidence that dollars and jobs are leaving the state, resulting in less tax revenue for governments to work with. FORUM CONTINUED ON A5
CITY COUNCIL
NEIGHBORS CALL IT A NIGHT IN STERLING
Drivers will be in Seventh heaven sooner Tax money speeds up Rock Falls road repair BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Sethina Lerma, 4, of Sterling eyes a duck to pluck Tuesday evening during a National Night Out celebration at Wallace Park in Sterling. She picked the right duck and won a treat. City of God Church also held a bucket brigade to purchase and distribute back-to-school backpacks. National Night Out events are held to help build stronger relationships between communities and local law enforcement agencies, in turn making neighborhoods safer. Go to natw.org/ for more information. RIGHT: Javorion Moman, 3, holds up his spiffy new Batman backpack so his cousin, Darel Young Jr., can take his photo at the National Night Out event. For more photos, see A2, or go to saukvalley.com.
IN THE COURTS
Lawyer: It was defense, not attempted murder BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
DIXON – A 26-year-old Sterling man facing attempted murder and other charges plans to argue self-defense at trial. In a document filed July 24 in Lee County Court, Mario Garnica’s attorney, Jim Mertes,
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said a violent fight broke out between Garnica and his thenboyfriend, and the 29-yearold was injured when Garnica fought back. Garnica has been jailed on $300,000 bond since his Feb. 3 arrest. Mertes is seeking to have his bond reduced; that motion will be heard Aug. 18. He also is indicted on two counts of armed violence, four counts of aggravated domestic
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battery, and two counts of battery. He is accused of showing up at the Dixon man’s apartment on Jan. 19, stabbing him in the neck, and beating him on the head, shoulders and arms with a metal pipe. Garnica was a bilingual firstgrade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Sterling at the time of the fight. His contract was not renewed.
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ...............B5
CROSSWORD....B11 FOOD ..............A9-10 LIFESTYLE ........... A8
Mario Garnica LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
ROCK FALLS – Motorists will have a resurfaced Seventh Avenue before the onset of winter. The council Tuesday approved a recommendation from the Finance Committee to complete the project this year rather than stick with the original plan of doing the repaving next year. The city had initially decided to spread out the cost of the nearly $500,000 project. Excavation, rock fill and concrete was to be done this year, and drivers would have been forced to deal with a gravel surface until next year. All of the work scheduled for this year had an Aug. 7 deadline, which has already been met. “The 2015 part is done, and I’ve spoken with the contractor about doing the resurfacing yet this year,” City Engineer Brian Frickenstein said. “We have to work with their schedule, but it should be done by the end of September or early October.” Finance Chairman Glen KuhleNext meeting mier had earlier The Rock Falls City voiced a concern Council next meets at about compac6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at tion with the City Hall, 603 W. 10th winter coming so St. The agendas will be soon after repavposted at www.rocking. falls61071.com and at The engineers City Hall. Call 815-622told the city that 1100 for more informathe depth of the tion. The City Council base was sufficient meeting also airs live on to ward off comChannel 5. paction problems. City officials said the doubling of the Local Option Sales Tax, approved by voters in April, made it possible to wrap up the project ahead of schedule. The tax will now bring an estimated $800,000 to the city for infrastructure projects. The city is targeting roads with the additional funding. City Administrator Robbin Blackert said the cost of bituminous surfacing for Seventh Avenue would be $130,000. After doing the work, the city would have $100,000 left in the fund before new money came in from the sales tax or the motor fuel tax. In 2014, Rock Falls received about $227,000 in motor fuel tax funds, but much of that money is paying for projects already done on Second Street. In other matters, a water project could inconvenience some motorists today. Water Department Superintendent Ted Padilla said surface valve work for the high school will close the area from Grace Avenue to 12th Avenue will be closed for part of the day. Blackert said the county will also be out working this week on some road surfaces that already have been tilled, including Lincoln Street, Eighth Avenue and Wike Place.
Today’s weather High 84. Low 60. More on A3.
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