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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK DIXON & AFC, B3
CARROLL COUNTY, A2
TELEGRAPH
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | CITY COUNCIL
UTV concerns cross council’s path Revised amendment would address fees and safety inspections BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – Concerns about utility task vehicles not having certain safety features prompted the City Council to take
a closer look at having them inspected before they hit city streets. The city has received complaints about UTVs and similar vehicles being driven without seatbelts, noticeable turn signals or child-safety seats, all of which are required to be road-legal. “One of the complaints I know we received is the vehicle had turn signals on it, but they were about the size of a quarter,” City Manager Cole O’Donnell said Monday. The City Council rejected an ordi-
nance amendment that would require UTV riders to undergo a police inspection each year before receiving their city permit, but the proposal is likely to return with a few revisions and a fee increase. Councilman Chris Bishop said annual inspections would be overkill and suggested requiring an initial look-over before granting the city permits, which cost $10 if they have the $100 permit from the Dixon Park District. The original ordinance included an inspection provision, but it was taken
out over concerns it might take up too much of the Dixon Police Department’s time and resources. Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss said if they had to account for a large volume of inspections, like 10 a week, it would be burdensome to the department, but the current 40 or so riders would be manageable. “I think we can accommodate it if the council wants to do it,” he said, adding that they could also set certain hours to conduct the inspections. UTV CONTINUED ON A4
ROCK FALLS
FOOTBALL
Council can chart its course Magellan helps city explore new world: Residential broadband 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.
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 official 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 A5
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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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, and the new dealership will allow them to cater more to northeastern areas, Watts said. MAJESKI CONTINUED ON A4
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A10 COMICS ............... A8
CROSSWORD......B7 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Justin Shuman/jshuman@saukvalley.com
A few months after razing homes behind its Sterling lot in April for an expanded parking lot, Majeski Motors is growing again, this time to the former Auto Store of Dixon.
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 84. Low 65. More on A3.
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