GAZ_09182014

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Your source for community news and sports 7 days a week.

Youth make pitch for regionals SOCCER COMPETITION, A5

BERGE TO STEP DOWN AS ROCK FALLS COACH PREP FOOTBALL, B1

dailyGAZETTE Thursday, September 18, 2014

SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854

ROCK FALLS | TOURISM DISPUTE

DIXON

Balancing act for circus

Group moving into new office

Troupe greeted by crowd, protesters at Assembly of God

Board still pushing for meeting with city, renegotiation BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570

ROCK FALLS – As the city and its tourism organization struggle to define their future relationship, the Rock Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced it is moving its office. Tim Wilson, executive director of Rock Falls Tourism, has told the city that the CVB will move from its city-owned office at the Community Building to space at the Pignatelli and Associates complex at 102 E. Route 30. “We will be moving the weekend of Sept. 26, and will be open for business on Sept. 29,� Wilson said. During Tuesday’s council meeting, Wilson asked the city for time to bring both sides together to discuss the expiration of its hotel tax agreement. On Feb. 18, the council authorized Mayor Bill Wescott to send a notice of termination of the pact between the city and Tourism, which includes its leasing of office space at the Community Building.

Photos Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com

ABOVE-LEFT: Dixon Assembly of God pastor Adam Meyer speaks to the crowd Wednesday and leads a prayer before the Kelly Miller Circus begins its performance on the church’s property. ABOVE-RIGHT: The self-proclaimed world’s strongest clown, J.P. Ballyhoo, balances balloons on his nose. Paxton MacRunnels, 6, of Dixon rides an elephant Wednesday during the Kelly Miller Circus at Dixon Assembly of God. See more photos of the performance at saukvalley. com.

Video online About a half-dozen people carried out a peaceful protest during the circus’ visit to Dixon. Visit saukvalley.com to see interviews with animal rights protesters, and the rebuttal from a Kelly Miller Circus official.

DIXON SCHOOLS | 2015 BUDGET

Approved with $1.4M shortfall Revenue decline cited; board gets information on April election BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525

DIXON – At its Wednesday meeting, the Dixon School Board unanimously approved the 2015 fiscal year budget, which includes a $1.4 million deficit in the education fund. The education fund pays for teacher salaries, educational programs, and other expenses in the school district. School officials cite declining revenue as the main reason for the budget deficit. The school district is not the only one with a budget deficit. Officials estimate more than 60 percent of Illinois school districts are in a deficit-spending mode.

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TOURISM CONTINUED ON A4

TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 160 ISSUE 200

Next meeting The Dixon School Board will next meet at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Madison Elementary School, 618 Division St. Go to www.DixonSchools. org or call the school district’s central office, 815-284-7722, for more information. The state has done very little to help struggling school districts, which are faced with the challenge of trying to educate students with dwindling resources. General state aid is prorated at 89 percent, which means the state will pay only 89 percent of what it would take to

INDEX

fully fund a $6,119 per student foundation level. For the Dixon district, the proration alone means a loss of $478,000 for this fiscal year. In addition, the money the district receives from local revenue is dependent on the assessed property value of the district. That overall value has decreased in each of the past 3 years, contributing to a decline of about $430,400 to the education fund this year. In other business, the school board received preliminary information on the April 7, 2015, school board election.

BUSINESS ......... A14 COMICS ............. A12 CROSSWORD....B12

We had asked for an extension to Oct. 31, but they never responded, so we didn’t really have a choice but to leave.

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Tourism Board President Pam Erby

PLAN!T FOR SOONER & LATER Sooner s #OUNTRY TRIO (countrio?) Scarletta (right) will bust out its three-part harmony Saturday at Champs in Sterling. Page A9 s &OLK &ESTIVAL TO offer tunes, food, kids games this weekend in Nelson. Page A11

Later s 3CARECROW &ESTIVAL RETURNS TO $IXON NEXT WEEKEND s 4OYS FOR 4OTS BENEFIT SLATED FOR 3EPT IN 2OCK &ALLS

With listings on pages A9-11 and A13-14, you won’t have trouble planning fun for this weekend and those upcoming in the Sauk Valley.

SHORTFALL CONTINUED ON A4

DEAR ABBY ......... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4

OPINION .............. A6 PLAN!T ................. A9 SPORTS ...............B1

Today’s weather High 72. Low 48. More on A3.

Need work? Check out your classifieds, B8.

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