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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Jury selected in Lanark murder trial
ERIE, FULTON, B3
CARROLL COUNTY, A2
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, September 20, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
ROCK FALLS | BROADBAND EXPANSION
Council can chart its course Magellan helps city officials explore new worlds: Residential broadband BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ROCK FALLS – With a price tag in the millions, the stakes are high for the city to expand its broadband offerings, but it could pay off. A local economic development offi-
cial said expanded broadband service could put the city head and high-speed shoulders above other communities, attract business, and improve people’s quality of life. Whether the city decides to pick up speed on the information superhighway remains to be seen, but at least now it has a road map that provides it
with some direction. The city’s broadband consultants met with officials Monday to give a recommendation for how to proceed with an infrastructure buildout. Representatives from Denver-based Magellan Advisors presented study findings during a Committee of the Whole meeting. No council action is taken at
these meetings; they are called to give aldermen a chance to discuss important complex issues at length. The city has provided limited broadband services as part of its electric department, but has been exploring options for expanding the business and establishing it as a separate utility. BROADBAND continued on A54
STERLING CITY COUNCIL
FOOTBALL
Liquor license changes passed City more in line with state; changes geared toward special events BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
A white-letter day in Fulton ABOVE: Don Sweenie paints letters on the end zone Monday afternoon at Fulton High School in preparation for this weekend’s homecoming game against Princeton, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday. It didn’t take long for the paint to dry during a sunny day when temperatures topped out in the upper 80s. The rest of the week is shaping up to be pretty nice, too, with summer having a hard time letting go. A few thunderstorms might crop up at night, but other than that, sunshine and warmer-than-normal temperatures are headed our way. Highs are expected to hover in the mid- to upper-80s during the day, and the low to mid-60s at night.
Mike McClary (left) and Rick Mason paint the letters on the Fulton Steamers field Monday. The booster club was getting the field ready for this weekend’s homecoming game.
STERLING – The city took the final step Monday to make liquor licenses for special events more accessible to more groups. Ordinance amendments, all in the area of special events/special use, were approved by the City Council. Specific areas modified pertain to licensing application eligibility, and special-use fees. The city’s liquor commission met Aug. 22 to lay out a framework for the code changes. Members wanted to move quickly on the changes in order to have them in place for fall events. Some of the changes will make more groups eligible to apply for a special-event license. While the code had specifically addressed licenses for nonprofits, it was changed to bring incorporated fraternal, political, and religious groups into the mix. LICENSE continued on A44
BUSINESS
There’s more in Store for Majeski Sterling auto dealer buys Dixon dealership, plans October opening BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – After expanding in Sterling, Majeski Motors has shifted its sights to Dixon. The business, which opened in 2005 at 1701 E. Fourth St., bought the former Auto Store of Dixon last week and has already begun renovations to the interior and exterior of the property to establish a secondary used-car dealership. The sale included the building at 849 N. Galena
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INDEX
Ave. as well as its inventory. John Watts, Majeski inventory and Internet manager, said they anticipate opening the Dixon location in mid-October. “We are constantly looking to improve the business, and the opportunity presented itself to move into the Dixon market,” he said. Their customer base extends from Rockford and the Quad Cities to the Chicagoland area, Justin Shuman/jshuman@saukvalley.com and the new dealership will allow them to cater A few months after razing homes behind its Sterling lot in April more to northeastern areas, Watts said. for an expanded parking lot, Majeski Motors is growing again, MAJESKI continued on A44 this time to the former Auto Store of Dixon. ABBY.................... A7 BUSINESS.......... A10 COMICS................ A8
CROSSWORD.......B7 LIFESTYLE............ A7 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 84. Low 65. More on A3.
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