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DIXON, MILLEDGEVILLE BATTLE FOR TITLE BERTH
The year in entertainment
POLO GIRLS TOURNEY, B1
A9
dailyGAZETTE Thursday, December 15, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | CITY GOVERNMENT
Sterling water rates going up Hike about half of company’s request BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
STERLING – Water bills for city residents are going up about 12 cents a day, starting
Jan. 1, Illinois American Water announced Wednesdy afternoon. That’s about half as much as the company requested. A residential customer who uses 4,500 gallons a month will see an increase of about $3.54, to about $46.38 a month, not including taxes, franchise fees, and fire protection charges, the company said.
Illinois American had requested an 18 percent hike, which would have meant that same customer’s bill would have gone up about $7.57 a month. The company filed its rate hike request with the Illinois Commerce Commission on Jan. 21, citing $342 million in infrastructure investments that will have been made
statewide – including nearly $4 million in Sterling – between Oct. 1, 2013 and the end of this year. “Periodic rate adjustments allow us to continue making critical investments in water plants, pumps and pipelines that help to enhance quality, service reliability, and fire protection for customers,” Charlotte Dunne, operations
DIXON
superintendent for the Sterling District, said in a news release. Bruce Hauk, Illinois American Water president, said the company also has worked to control costs, reducing operating expenses by about 3 percent since the last rate hike in September 2012. RATES
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DIXON SCHOOLS
A Reigle dedication
Fixes, cost ‘tough to accept’
New nurses station at Heritage Square in Dixon named after former resident
Board member upset by what $22.9 million won’t buy for DHS BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Heritage Square Administrator Bonnie O’Connell hugs Bill Reigle, president of the Board of Directors, on Wednesday during a dedication of the the Dixon nursing facility’s new nurses station. Reigle provided the funds for the station in memory of his wife, Mary, who was a resident at Heritage Square for 2 years. TOP: The desk is decorated with inspirational words and pictures of orchids. Mary Reigle was known as an expert in growing the delicate flowers.
DIXON
Bivins, Demmer talk state budget stalemate BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – As the state’s 6-month stopgap budget comes to a close, a new General Assembly soon will inherit the struggle to balance state finances. With an $11 billion elephant in the room, state Sen. Tim Bivins and state Rep. Tom Demmer, both Dixon
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 5
Republicans, addressed a crowd of business leaders Wednesday during the Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative luncheon. Both gave a brief review of the legislative season and a look at what to expect with the incoming 100th General Assembly, which will be seated Jan. 11 and will be faced with trying to fix the same fiscal woes.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
State Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon, lists several bills he introduced while speaking Wednesday at a Dixon BUDGET continued on A24 Area Chamber of Commerce legislative luncheon.
INDEX
ABBY.................... A8 BUSINESS............ A7 COMICS................B6
CROSSWORD.....B10 LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 PLAN!T.................. A9
DIXON – Jim Schielein’s face said it all: The vice president of the school board wasn’t impressed with what $22.9 million can buy Dixon High School. Superintendent Margo Empen presented the board with a proposed breakdown of how and when the disJim trict could pump Schielein that money into fixing the high school, per health/ life safety requirements. Mud-jacking, moisture control, asbestos removal, Margo and about $5.5 milEmpen lion on exterior masonry repairs alone? She might as well have told Schielein the district planned to buy $22.9 million in fruitcake. He let loose after learning that the cracks in sidewalks, parking lots and roads couldn’t be mended by HLS funds, which can go toward only spots within 5 feet of the building, as explained by Kevin Schultz, director of buildings and grounds. “We’re going to spend $22 million, and we don’t even get another parking space?” Schielein said. “That doesn’t get us air conditioning, either.” Empen explained that as proposed geothermal projects take place at the elementary schools, window units could be used to air condition some of the hotter rooms at Dixon High. “But no, we won’t be able to air condition the whole school,” she said. “I could ask a lot more, but I think everybody’s understood the point,” Schielein said. “We’re going to spend a lot of money on this building for very little gain.” The money will tackle the mandated A and B priorities, but the C priorities are mere recommendations.
Today’s weather High 7. Low 2. More on A3.
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FIXES continued on A44
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