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ROCKETS FLY PAST HAWKS
GIRLS BASKETBALL, B1
Pop-punk and rock worth a listen MUSIC REVIEWS, A9 & A10
dailyGAZETTE Thursday, January 19, 2017 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
WHITESIDE COUNTY | EMERGENCY SERVICES
Getting some mixed signals Efforts to consolidate dispatch services have made some headway, but how much is up for debate BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ROCK FALLS – Work continues on a pact for the county’s emergency dispatch consolidation, but consensus is lacking even in assessing how far the process has progressed. An intergovernmental agreement for the
Whiteside County consolidation must be approved by the County Board and the Sterling and Rock Falls city councils. The entities thought they were close to finalizing an agreement that would provide guidelines for running the combined dispatch system in Sterling, but disagreement over the hiring of a director has delayed the process.
Back at square one, meetings recently resumed to produce a new agreement. Previous discussions had focused on Sterling being the dispatch employer because most of the equipment is in the Coliseum. Last week, however, the county stepped up, saying dispatchers would work for the county. DISPATCH continued on A54
SAUK VALLEY
SAUK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Categorically denied, for now
LEFT: Jenny Duden (right) of Sterling has fun in a bounce house Wednesday with her daughter, Ellie, 3, during the spring semester SaukFest at Sauk Valley Community College.
Schools aren’t getting the state funds they have coming to them, and that’s putting their budgets in a bind BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
BELOW RIGHT: Angelica Tintori (right) of Sterling takes a picture with SVCC’s mascot Slammin’ Sammy at the table for the Association of Latin American Students during SaukFest.
The Sterling school district has received nearly $14,000 in driver’s education funding from the state for fiscal year 2017. That leaves the state $942,000 behind in transportation and special and bilingual education payments for the first and second quarters of the school year. “This is unprecedented,” Superintendent Tad Everett said. “Normally, it trickles in. We’ve been behind the past couple of years, but not to this extent. I mean, my goodness, the fiscal year starts July 1. They’re 7 months behind making payments.” These categories of funding are commonly referred to as categorical funding by those in education. At least districts’ funds weren’t prorated, like general state aid has been the past several years, until the stopgap budget fully funded K-12 education this year, right? Wrong – for some. FUNDS continued on A54
ONLINE EXTRA: Find these photos at saukvalley.com to see more pictures from SaukFest.
A
Inside Over in Lee County, Dixon will have to chip in $25,000 more a year for emergency dispatch services, but the mayor says the city’s still getting a good deal. Page A3
LEE COUNTY
Another deadly drug takes its toll locally
spring
U4 has already claimed 1 life
(semester)
BY ASHLEY CADY acady@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5521 @ashleycady_svm
in their step
DIXON – Of the three fatal overdoses Lee County saw last year, two were what one might expect – one from heroin, one from prescription drugs. The third, however, was caused by a drug Lee County Coroner Jesse Partington said was new to him – as it is to many others in the field – but one that’s gaining attention nationwide, especially in the wake of the fatal overdose of Prince, in which it played a role. On Oct. 26, a 49-year-old man overdosed on U-47700, Partington said. Also known as U4 or pink, U-47700 is a man-made opioid eight times more powerful than heroin, and, until about 3 weeks after the Lee County man’s death, legal. It comes in pill or powder form, and can be taken alone or mixed with other drugs, such as the pain-killer fentanyl. It’s easy to obtain and inexpensive, costing anywhere from $5 to $40 online.
BELOW RIGHT: Cheyenne Williams (left) of Dixon, and Sophia Renteria of Sterling face off in a pugil stick match at SaukFest. The event – one of two the college holds for the spring and fall semesters – welcomes students with food, fun and information about Sauk. This year, the college has a lot more to show off, thanks to a mall overhaul. The west mall has undergone extensive renovations, boasting a brand-new YMCA, a new testing center, business offices, classroom spaces, an expanded bookstore (complete with a coffee bar), and more (read more about it at http://shawurl.com/2zj9). To check it out, head to a ribbon cutting at the college, 173 state Route 2, Dixon, at 4:30 p.m. Monday in front of the Sauk Y. Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 28
INDEX
ABBY.................... A8 BUSINESS............ A7 COMICS................B6
CROSSWORD.....B11 LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 43. Low 35. More on A3.
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