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dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, December 16, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | TAX LEVY
4.95 percent increase approved Mayor: Retirements cause $25K uptick from Nov. 17 estimate BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
STERLING – The City Council approved the 2014 tax levy at a 4.95 percent increase compared to 2013. City Manager Scott Shu-
mard told the council that the 2014 levy came in at $3.66 million, while the 2013 levy came in at more than $3.48 million. What the council approved Monday was $25,000 more than what was estimated at the
Nov. 17 meeting. “Given the additional retirements and funding levels, an increase was needed,” Mayor Skip Lee said. Because the increase was approved, the owner of a $100,000 house would see
an increase of roughly $33 in their 2015 property taxes. It would be less with a senior homestead exemption. The number also changes for rental property. LEVY CONTINUED ON A4
STERLING HIGH | ILLINOIS STOCK MARKET GAME
Next Meeting The Sterling City Council next meets at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5, at City Hall, 212 Third Ave., on the first floor in the Council Chambers. Go to sterling-il.gov or call City Hall at 815-632-6621 for an agenda or more information.
DIXON
Futures stars
Dairy Queen closes Owners say they ‘ran out of time’ BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
After picking stocks that propelled them to the head of the class, two Sterling High seniors took first place in the fall semester of the Illinois Stock Market Game. The tandem of Tanner Massey and Michaela Avila, both 17, competed with 524 other student teams from around the state, and finished the semester with the highest-valued portfolio.
Duo outperforms 524 other teams in state competition BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
STERLING – They might not win millions of dollars investing in the stock market, but two Sterling High School students won first place in the fall semester of the Illinois Stock Market Game. Competing with 524 other student
teams from around the state, 17-yearold seniors Michaela Avila and Tanner Massey finished the semester with the highest-valued portfolio of stocks. Each team tried to create the bestperforming portfolio by researching and evaluating the stock market. In building their portfolio, students researched and evaluated stocks, bonds and mutual funds, and
made decisions based on what they learned. The students began the game with $100,000 in virtual cash, which they used to buy and sell stocks based on actual numbers and prices. “We used NASDAQ to get the numbers of real-time stocks,” Avila said. STARS CONTINUED ON A4
DIXON – The Dixon Dairy Queen will close, and if it reopens, it’ll be with new ownership. Owner Jeff Boothe confirmed the closure, saying it was the last option after struggling to maintain Dairy Queen locations in Dixon, 1912 Lowell Park Road, and Rochelle for about 15 years. “It just doesn’t seem to get much traction, despite our best effort,” he said. “That’s not to take anything away from our customers. We know a lot of our customers by name, and they love the brand.” Boothe and Steve Vock, his brother-in-law, are coowners of the Dixon and Rochelle Dairy Queen locations. Both will be closed. A sign was placed on the door of the Dixon location last week. “Sorry the store is closed until further notice,” it reads. Boothe said he hopes new owners can come in and reopen the locations as Dairy Queens, adding that he still has faith in the brand. DAIRY QUEEN CONTINUED ON A2
DIXON
Former hoops star rebounds Bodybuilder, gym owner hopes transformation inspires others BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5695
DIXON – Be your best self: It’s a philosophy that lifted Dixon native Greg Clausen from the depths of being overweight and unhealthy, and made him face a transformation that likely saved his life. Clausen, 35, now of Boise,
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 161 ISSUE 6
More on A3 • Find out how to follow Clausen • See his before/after pictures
Idaho, ballooned to 340 pounds, a weight gain attributed to a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating choices. He became an emotional eater after a careerhalting back injury while he was
INDEX
in the Phoenix Suns basketball farm system. When he returned home to Dixon, he worked in graphic design at Downtown Sports, a shop owned by his parents on Galena Avenue, but felt “stuck in a rut” and wanted to accomplish more, he said.
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ...............B6
REBOUNDS CONTINUED ON A3
CROSSWORD....B12 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Courtesy of Eric Wainwright/Wainwright Images
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 NATION/WORLD .. A8
Today’s weather High 42. Low 23. More on A3.
Greg Clausen poses at the bodybuilding. com gym in Boise, Idaho. In addition to bodybuilding, the Dixon native also has a budding modeling career.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B7.
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