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RAIDERS GET OFF TO A GOOD START
Warrior racks up a pair of firsts
GIRLS BASKETBALL, B1
GIRLS SWIMMING, B1
dailyGAZETTE Monday, November 21, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
SAUK VALLEY | EDUCATION
Nelson plant delivers a boost to schools’ bottom line BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
ROCK FALLS – Thanks to the assessment of the Nelson Energy Center, two school districts in Rock Falls are expecting extra revenue. Better yet, their superintendents say, the additional revenue isn’t coming out of taxpayers’ pockets.
The high school district is projected to gain $186,000 in revenue. “Any increase is something we’re celebrating, but it won’t represent a tax increase,” Superintendent Ron McCord said. That’s because, while he’s planning for a 4.99 percent levy increase, the bond and interest levy rate is going down.
The district is predominantly in Whiteside County, but also dips into Lee County. McCord said both counties, even before taking the new construction into account, saw a 1.6 percent increase in property values, thanks to the first assessment of the power plant. The plant began operations in May 2015. While that proposed 4.99 levy increase
won’t trigger a truth-in-taxation hearing for the high school district, the East Coloma-Nelson district will have one in December because its proposed 14.85 percent increase is well above the 5-percent threshold. The district’s property values could go up as much as 18 percent. PLANT continued on A54
ILLINOIS
TWIN CITIES
Tour bust
Indictment alleges former Rep. pocketed thousands from tours, meet-and-greets
We wish you a Merrill Christmas ... Jeffrey Linscott, 4, of Dixon, rattles off his Christmas list to Santa on Saturday during the kids holiday party at Merrill School in Rock Falls. The free event offered cookies, holiday-themed games, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The party was held after the Twin Cities Holiday Parade, which started in downtown Sterling before heading across the bridge to Rock Falls, wrapping up at the school.
Christmas gets rolling A truckload of trees – courtesy of people decked out in their Christmas costumes for the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce – made its way through Sterling and Rock Falls on Saturday during the third annual Twin Cities Holiday Parade. The parade got rolling near the Grandon Civic Center, headed across the First Avenue bridge to Rock Falls, and made its way to Merrill School, where it wrapped up. The parade featured plenty of festive fun, including jolly St. Nick and his wife, reindeer, elves, merry music, fire engines, and plenty of familiar faces, courtesy of the folks who filled the floats and marched down the city streets.
More photos Turn to Page A3 to see more photos from Saturday’s parade and party.
Even more photos Read this story at saukvalley.com to see more photos from Saturday’s fun.
CHICAGO (AP) – The indictment of a 35-year-old disgraced former Republican congressman jolted residents of his central Illinois district, shaken by prosecutors’ claims that Aaron Schock illegally dipped into campaign and government coffers to subsidize a lavish lifestyle, including his Capitol Hill office done up in the style of “Downton Aaron Abbey.” Schock Perhaps more stunning was an allegation found on page 34 of the charging document: Schock’s apparent willingness to pocket thousands of constituents’ dollars by arranging annual Washington tours combined with meet-andgreets. BUSTED continued on A54
FESTIVAL OF TREES
‘Everything looks different,’ thanks to hospice Local agency helps give Rock Falls woman a new outlook as she battles cancer BY PHILLIP HARTMAN phartman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5525 @phartman19
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
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TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 244
INDEX
ABBY.................... A7 BUSINESS.......... A10 COMICS................B5
CROSSWORD.......B8 LIFESTYLE............ A7 LOTTERY.............. A2
POLICE................. A2 OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6
STERLING – Oversized snowflakes and a forest of decorated trees helped paint a holiday mood Friday at Northland Mall as music rang out across the Festival of Trees. A young ukulele player performed “Deck the Halls,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and Avicii’s “Wake Me Up,” among other pieces. Children broke into dance as the music played, and their parents and older siblings took in the mix of Christmas standards and slowed-down versions of recent Top 40 songs. Among the festival-goers were Rosalinda “Rose” Scott and her family, who were taking in the sights and sounds of the Hospice of the Rock River Valley’s fundraiser celebration. HOSPICE continued on A54
Today’s weather High 42. Low 25. More on A3.
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