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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
STERLING, ROCK FALLS, B3
Fair has some dedicated friends
Agritourism
Wait-and-see approach being taken by hog farmers – Page 2
Recent growth follows local food movement – Page 4
Today’s Farm
Pumpkin pleasure
This year’s harvest looks a lot better than last year’s – Page 8
TODAY’S FARM: INSIDE
dailyGAZETTE
Cover story: Sheep farmers RoJean
and Dale Coleson honored by Whiteside
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Dave Fox/For Today’s Farm
County Fair – Page 6
A supplement to Sauk Valley Media
Tuesday, September 13, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
ROCK FALLS | CITY COUNCIL
Broadening its horizons City mulls expanding its broadband network, possibly into residential services BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ROCK FALLS – The city has called a special meeting that could go a long way in determining the future of its
broadband business. A representative from Magellan Advisors, the Denver-based technology services consulting firm used by the city, will be in town for a Committee of the Whole meeting at 6 p.m. Monday in council chambers at
City Hall. The city has had dark-fiber infrastructure in the ground for many years, and the fiber-optic network can be built out to expand its broadband offerings for commercial and residential customers.
The network has the potential to be a revenue generator because of its bandwidth and connectivity capabilities. The city already has some business customers, including CGH Medical Center and KSB Hospital. ROCK FALLS continued on A54
DIXON CITY COUNCIL
STERLING
Whistleblower in Crundwell case retiring
Missing peace Local activists know that divided, we stand to lose; and they’re hoping a new generation will help see that peace prevails
Replacement to be named soon; City also close on public works post BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – The woman who blew the whistle on the largest municipal theft in U.S. history is hanging up her spurs (oblique Crundwell reference intended). City Clerk Kathe Swanson, who has worked for the city for 25 years, will step down Monday. The council plans to honor her at that night’s council meeting, her last. Swanson, 59, uncovered the $53 million theft orchestrated by her boss, former City Comptroller Rita Crundwell, in October 2011. She alerted then-Mayor Jim Burke to an unknown bank account where Crundwell stashed the 20-year cache of stolen funds, money she used to build an internationally renowned quarterhorse-breeding empire. DIXON continued on A54
LEE COUNTY
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
The peace pole in Sterling features the message “May peace prevail on Earth” in eight languages – English for obvious reasons; Japanese because the Peace Pole Project originated in Japan in 1955; Hebrew, Arabic and Spanish to recognize the Jewish, Muslim and Latino communities; Russian to illustrate a former adversary can be an ally; and Chinese and Hindi to recognize Asian influence in our world.
Wind farm’s problem could go sky high Neighboring airport raises concerns over decommissioning plans
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
STERLING – When Rock Falls residents Fred and Kay Turk arrived in the Sauk Valley in the 1980s, they joined Rock River Peace Action. The 1980s were the peace group’s heydays, with the arms buildups that took place during the Ronald Reagan administration. “Then in the ’90s, people seemed to go to sleep again, to tell you the truth,” Fred said. “After 9/11, with the way we were getting involved in the war again, we sort of reorganized.” PEACE continued on A84
BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
Rock River Peace Action member Fred Turk stands near the peace pole at Grandon Civic Center.
DIXON – Larger, more spread out wind turbines could present a problem for pilots and students flying in and out of Bresson Airport in Compton. That’s what airport manager Mark Bresson told the Lee County Zoning Board on Monday during the second round of testimony for the Mendota Hills Wind Farm’s proposal to uproot its 63 turbines and replace about half of them with upgraded structures. The existing turbines are far enough away and short enough not to present an issue for the 70-year-old airport at 2760 U.S. Route 30, which is privately owned but available for public use. At least three of the proposed turbines, though, would encroach on airport traffic, with two of them about a quarter of a mile away from regular flight patterns, Bresson said. WIND FARM continued on A54
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TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 195
INDEX
ABBY.................... A7 BUSINESS............ A8 COMICS................B5
CROSSWORD.......B8 LIFESTYLE............ A7 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 80. Low 59. More on A3.
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