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DIVING DUO SET FOR STATE
LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT, A9-11, A13
SWIMMING, B1
dailyGAZETTE
Thursday, November 20, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
WINTER WEATHER | DAMAGE REPORT
County cash cast into vortex Whiteside County extends budget by 60K; another cold one forecast – just not that cold BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
STERLING – Last winter didn’t take a toll on just the minds and bodies of Sauk Valley residents. It also took a toll on their governments’ pocket books. At the Whiteside County Board meet-
ing Tuesday night, members approved a resolution to extend the Highway Department’s budget by $60,000 because of the extra overtime pay, fuel, and equipment repair endured because of the weather, which was punctuated by a polar vortex. Overtime, extra fuel, and equipment repairs, all attributable to the weather,
amounted to $66,850 more than was budgeted, County Engineer Russ Renner said. But the cost of last winter actually was much more than that, simply because during normal winters, the highway department usually finishes out the year way under budget. Having to ask for a $60,000 extension is rare, Renner said. The Lee County Highway Department, too, was over budget, thanks to the winter, by $27,000, County Engineer Dave Anderson said. That money, as in Whiteside County,
was spent on overtime, maintenance, and fuel. “It’s just not something you can plan for,” Anderson said. “It’s a complete unknown, so we pretty much try to carry a sufficient cash balance.” But sometimes, like this past year, it’s just not enough. Long-range predictions indicate that this winter won’t be quite as cold as last, (although colder than average), and will be marked by less-than-average snowfall. Here’s hoping.
DIXON | PUBLIC SCHOOLS
STERLING | FESTIVAL OF TREES
Pining for the holidays?
Board backing senate bill Community forum on facility plan set for Monday BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
DIXON – The Dixon School Board has decided to support Senate Bill 16. The board unanimously approved a resolution in support of Senate Bill 16 during its regular meeting Wednesday. “We are flat out awful with how we support education, because we are so dependent on property taxes,” said Superintendent Michael Juenger. “If it’s not Senate Bill 16, it has to be something else.” SB16 is intended to completely rework the way the state funds public education by shifting money away from suburban and urban school districts and toward more rural districts with lower assessed property values.
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SENATE BILL CONTINUED ON A4
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
David and Betsy Hoover of Tampico look at the variety of decorated trees and gifts Wednesday at the Festival of Trees at the red barn at Woodlawn Arts Academy in Sterling. The festival is open through Sunday. For more information, call (815) 288-3673 or visit hospicerockriver.org
LET US GUIDE YOUR SLEIGH • What toys are on little Johnny and Jenny’s list this year? • How are you going to properly surprise your better half? • Never too late to deck the halls. How about home décor?
Sauk Valley Media has you covered. Check out our 24-page 2014 gift guide, wrapped neatly in this edition.
DIXON
Police crack down on downtown parking 2-hour parking limit will be enforced, chief says BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521
Police Chief Danny Langloss
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DIXON – Police will crack down on the downtown area’s 2-hour parking rule starting next week, Chief Danny Langloss said Wednesday. TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 160 ISSUE 245
INDEX
Lately, downtown business workers have taken advantage of the lax enforcement, parking longer than allowed and leaving few spaces for shoppers, Langloss said. He hopes the increased police patrols will change that. Langloss and Giana Bonneur, acting executive director of Dixon Main Street, will go around to businesses next week, talking to owners
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ......... A14 COMICS ............. A12
This is basically robbing Peter to pay Paul. However ... if we were to continue this way, it would be catastrophic.
READ FOR THOSE IN NEED Find out on A5 how a purchase at Books on First in Dixon could spell holiday magic for a child.
and shop workers, and leave fliers on cars to remind them about the 2-hour limit. “Our downtown businesses have suffered quite a bit due to the [streetscape] construction,” Langloss said. “With the upcoming holiday season, we just want to make sure parking is open and available [for shoppers], so businesses have the chance to really rebound.”
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 PLAN!T ................. A9
Dixon Schools Superintendent Michael Juenger
Today’s weather High 24. Low 1. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B8.
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