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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
DIXON, A3
SPORTS, B3
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, September 9, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
TWIN CITIES | SALES TAX REFERENDUM
Only avenue to road repairs? Measure could be on April ballot, but not in Dixon, mayor says BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
ROCK FALLS – Municipal officials say that concerns about road conditions are the most frequent complaints heard at city halls throughout the Sauk Valley. In Sterling and Rock Falls, there is a good chance that a half-cent increase in the local sales tax will be presented as the solution to fixing
all of those potholes. Voters in the Twin Cities and Dixon approved the tax in November 2004. There had been an agreement that all three municipalities would put the tax on the ballot at the same time, or none of them would. Officials didn’t want the tax increase to give retailers in any one city an advantage. Local sales tax income is being used by many cash-strapped
municipalities as an alternative to property tax increases for infrastructure projects. That includes roads, curb and gutter, sidewalks, and water and storm sewers. The tax is often considered more palatable than property tax increases, because the burden is shared by people who don’t reside in the city.
The 2004 referendum The percentage of voters to approve the first half-cent sales tax referendum in 2004: Dixon – 70.1 percent Sterling – 61.5 percent Rock Falls – 52 percent In 2004, Sterling and Rock Falls’ referendums designated the extra money for general city infrastructure, while Dixon’s extra money went for improvements in the city water system.
SALES TAX CONTINUED ON A4
HARMON | DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS
LEE COUNTY
Smile to light up Times Square
Excessive force used by deputy, jury finds Other deputy found not liable in 2009 incident BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Caleb and Jamie Daniels submitted a photo (above) of their 7-month-old daughter, Coraline, to the National Down Syndrome Society, and it was one of about 220 chosen to be featured in a slideshow Sept. 20 at Times Square in New York.
7-month-old’s picture to be featured in slideshow Sept. 20 BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
HARMON – Coraline Alyce Daniels is only 7 months old, but she has a smile that can light up a room. Her parents, Jamie and Caleb Daniels of Harmon, didn’t think twice about submitting their daughter’s photo to use in a video slideshow sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society. Her smile won the hearts of the judges. Her photo will be featured in the slideshow, which will be shown Sept.
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20 in the heart of New York’s Times Square. The video will kick off Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which is October. Coraline was born with Down syndrome, which doesn’t run in either parent’s family. The couple had a 1-in-2,000 chance of having a baby with Down syndrome. “This really gives us a different perspective on life,” said Caleb, 22. NDSS ran a nationwide search for photos of people with Down syndrome, and a panel of independent judges selected more than 220 photos from more than 2,000 entries, accord-
ing to Mark Priceman, a spokesman for the society. “We have a submission process that runs for about 6 weeks where people are able to submit the photos,” Priceman said. “A third-party group comes in and works with us and selects the photos.” Priceman said the video is roughly 20 minutes long, and it will loop three times from 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 20. Jamie, 21, said she learned of the contest on the society’s Facebook page. SMILE CONTINUED ON A4
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If we could go back and change her having Down syndrome, we wouldn’t. She is perfect just the way she is.
$1.00
Jamie Daniels, mother of 7-month-old Coraline
TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 160 ISSUE 193
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A10 COMICS ............. A12
CROSSWORD....B13 LIFESTYLE ........... A6 LOTTERY ............. A2
NATION/WORLD .. A8 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
ROCKFORD – A federal jury has decided that a Lee County sheriff’s deputy used excessive force during the 2009 seizure of an Amboy man. The jury found for Wilson Burnell against the county because of actions by Deputy Andrew Tarr, who struck Burnell with a flashlight. The actions of Tarr’s partner at the time, William Roberts, were found not to be liable. Burnell was awarded $10,000 in damages plus attorney’s fees of about $40,000. Tarr and Roberts were dispatched to Burnell’s home on Nov. 13, 2009, to John perform a welVarga fare check on the Lee County man after police sheriff says received a phone call that reported ruling calls into question what Burnell was sui- steps an officer cidal. Earlier in should take in a the day, Burnell, scenario such 56, had called the as the one his VA to ask that all two deputies of his appointfaced. ments be canceled, but he didn’t threaten to harm himself or others, according to his attorney, Rene Hernandez of Rockford. When Tarr and Roberts arrived at the home, according to their statements, Burnell tried to barricade himself inside the house, took Tarr’s pepper spray, and tried to disarm Roberts of his Taser. FORCE CONTINUED ON A5
Today’s weather High 80. Low 65. More on A3.
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