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NIU GETS A KICK OUT OF DUCHESS
History and more coming in for a landing
SOCCER, B1
WHITESIDE COUNTY, A10
dailyGAZETTE
Tuesday, July 19, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
City partners up for lofts Council approves agreement for next step in Lawrence Lofts project BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – After setting up its new downtown TIF, the city took the next step in the Lawrence Lofts project during Monday’s Sterling City Council meeting. The council unanimously approved a
redevelopment agreement between the city and Lawrence Lofts LP, a limited partnership set up by the developer, Rock Island Economic Growth Corp. The East Central Business District TIF was a key financing element for the 20-unit low-income housing project that will be in floors two through five, above the Whiteside County Court-
house in the Lawrence Building. The new TIF will have a life span of 23 years, while the West Central Business District TIF is set to expire in 2019. The pact calls for the developer to acquire the building at 101 E. Third St. In addition to building the apartments, the work list will include putting a laundry area in the basement, roof, chim-
ney and window replacement, masonry repair, plumbing, and installing a new elevator. The developer is responsible for all project costs, and will be reimbursed by the new TIF. The cost of the project is estimated at $5.5 million, and is expected to take about a year to complete. DOCKS continued on A54
WHITESIDE COUNTY
ROCK FALLS
On his way to retiring Longtime United Way director announces he’ll retire in 2017 BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
STERLING – They are mighty, mighty, big shoes to fill. Russ Siefken Jr., United Way of Whiteside County’s executive director for 24 years, is retiring March 1. In his time at the helm, Northwestern Steel and Wire closed and local manufacturing declined in general. Like others in the Midwest, Whiteside County’s economy tanked. Through it all, though, United Way stuck to its mission: “We never had to drop any agencies, we always had enough money to help everybody out, and we even added new programs,” Siefken said Monday. The “we” Siefken is talking about are all the people he’s quick to credit for the agency’s success: his administrative assistant, a bookkeeper, and a hoard of volunteers who’ve helped the agency keep on giving, and growing. SIEFKEN continued on A54
Well, shucks!
LEE COUNTY
County finally gets its administrator
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
ABOVE: Jayden Cheung, 3, all the way from Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta, helps shuck corn at Poci’s Market and Greenhouse on Monday in preparation for the Rock Falls Rotary corn boil. Cheung was among the volunteers and Rotary members helping clean the corn for the 77th Online Extra annual corn boil, Click on this story which will take at saukvalley.com place 11 a.m. to to see video of corn7 p.m. today at cleanin’ volunteers the Rock Falls Community Building, 610 W. 10th St. Along with all-you-can-eat sweet corn, pulled pork barbecue or a hot dog, chips, and a beverage are included. Tickets, available at the door, are $8 for adults and $4 for children younger than 12. RIGHT: Kalie Conklen, 20 (left) of Sterling and Joel Rozhon, 18, of Rock Falls help husk corn.
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 156
INDEX
Yearlong search ends with a ‘great’ choice, says board chair
DIXON – After a year of searching, Lee County has found its first administrator. Theresa Wittenauer, executive director of the Blackhawk Hills Regional Council, will begin in the new position on Aug. 8. Her salary is $90,000 a year. “I think she will be a great administrator,” said Marilyn Shippert, Theresa Lee County Board member and Wittenauer chairwoman of the administrator search committee. “Her educational background was just fabulous.” Wittenauer, a Lee County native, has a master’s in public administration specializing in city management and development as well as a master’s in geography focusing on land use planning and economics, both from Northern Illinois University. ADMINISTRATOR continued on A44
ABBY.................... A7 BUSINESS.......... A11 COMICS................ A9
CROSSWORD.....B11 LIFESTYLE............ A7 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 88. Low 70. More on A3.
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