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BIG-PLAY QB IN STERLING
PREP FOOTBALL, B1
Don’t know dal? Maybe it’s time FOOD, A9-10
dailyGAZETTE Wednesday, September 24, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
MEDICAL MARIJUANA | CULTIVATION CENTER APPLICATIONS
At least 12 apply in Sauk Valley Five in Lee County, four in Whiteside, two in Carroll and one in Ogle The deadline for companies to apply for a permit passed Monday. State officials had planned to have a total number of applications available by Tuesday, but there were so many, apparently, that the number now won’t come until this afternoon. Of the many companies vying for permits, only 21 will receive them – one
BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
STERLING – At least 12 applications have been filed for the one permit available to build a marijuana cultivation center in Illinois State Police District 1, which covers most of the Sauk Valley.
for each of the 22 State Police districts, minus District 15, which patrols the state’s tollways. An unofficial poll of District 1’s four counties showed five applications for Lee County, four for Whiteside County, two for Carroll and one for Ogle. APPLY CONTINUED ON A11
What’s next Permits to grow medical marijuana could be doled out by end of year, but that depends on how many applications the state receives. State officials hope to have that number by this afternoon.
ROCK FALLS
POLO | VETERAN WELCOMED HOME
‘It’s a different world’
Mayor makes case for tax hike Says road projects depend on influx of new money BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Navy Lt. Rick Knutson holds his 4-month-old daughter, Annalise, with his wife, Natasha, at his side Tuesday afternoon at his parents’ farm in rural Polo. Knutson returned home Monday after being deployed in Afghanistan since April. While he had seen Annalise on FaceTime, Knutson hadn’t been able to hold her until he returned home.
Lieutenant greeted by parade, chance to hold his baby girl BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
POLO – As Rick Knutson and his wife drove into Dixon, he wondered why a bunch of motorcycles were lined up at a gas station. “It was 9:30 p.m. on a Monday night,” he said. “I didn’t know what was going on.” But as he and Natasha got a little closer, he saw some familiar faces. “We pulled in and I was, like, ‘I know
all the people on the motorcycles,’” said Knutson, a Navy officer. “It was awesome, and it was cool to see everyone.” Knutson returned home from Afghanistan to a surprise parade and a welcome-home party. He also held Annalise, his 4-month-old daughter, for the first time. “I’ve been able to see her on FaceTime,” Knutson said. “Everyone said she looks like me, and I guess she does.”
Patriot Guard Riders waiting at the Marathon station escorted him out of Dixon and into Polo, where a parade was held along Main Street. He and Natasha, 28, drove to Polo in a white SUV with “Honk, A Soldier’s Home” sign in the back window. All along the way, people complied. A couple of military veterans even stopped to salute Knutson. WELCOMED CONTINUED ON A2
LYNDON
State to review possible meeting violations Resident complains village board meeting agendas were not posted BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529
LYNDON – The state attorney general will take a closer look at the village of Lyndon to determine whether it again violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Village resident Tracy Shaffer, in a
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letter to the attorney general’s office, said the agendas for the Village Board’s July and August meetings had not been posted, as the law requires. In an interview Tuesday, she said she had checked the door at the Village Hall, a board inside, and the post office for posted agendas on the day of the meetings.
INDEX
BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ...............B7 CROSSWORD....B14
According to the Open Meetings Act, “An agenda for each regular meeting shall be posted at the principal office of the public body and at the location where the meeting is to be held at least 48 hours in advance of the holding of the meeting.”
DEAR ABBY ......... A8 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
VIOLATIONS CONTINUED ON A3
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
ROCK FALLS – City officials throughout the area say they are bombarded by complaints about streets that need to be fixed. For some cities, the question of how badly residents want the work to be done might be answered at the polls. In Rock Falls, discussions about putting a half-cent sales tax increase on What’s next the ballot The half-cent in April are sales tax issue heating up. will be discussed At a further at a ComF i n a n c e mittee of the C o m m i t - Whole meeting at t e e m e e t - 6 p.m. Monday i n g T u e s - in council chamday, Mayor bers at City Hall, Bill Wescott 603 W. 10th St. made a case for putting the tax question before the voters. “If we put it on the ballot and it’s defeated, we know where residents stand,” he said. “If it’s approved, then we can move forward with some of these projects.”
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TAX CONTINUED ON A4
If we put it on the ballot and it’s defeated, we know where residents stand. If it’s approved, then we can move forward with some of these projects.
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Today’s weather High 74. Low 50. More on A3.
Rock Falls Mayor Bill Wescott on putting sales tax question up to voters
Surprise!
Unforeseen funds in Sterling, A7.
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