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Serving Lee, Whiteside, Carroll, Ogle and Bureau counties Saturday&Sunday, December 27-28, 2014 $2.00
Locals hoop it up for holidays PREP BASKETBALL, B1
A LOOK BACK AT 2014, THE YEAR IN PHOTOS COMMUNITY, C12
LOCAL BUSINESSES | SAUK VALLEY SHOP SMALL
Big year for shopping small Records set on Small Business Saturday in Sauk Valley BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
Sauk Valley Shop Small isn’t just a holiday promotion, and the year-round efforts seem to be reaping dividends. The alliance of area small businesses and community organizations has worked hard to keep building on the momentum from the national movement’s signature event, Small Business Saturday. Those efforts appear to be paying off, based on data compiled from the survey filled out by the
For more information To learn more about Sauk Valley Shop Small, visit saukvalleyshopsmall.org online, the Sauk Valley Shop Small Facebook page, or call Sterling Main Street Executive Director Janna Groharing at 815-626-8610, or Lisa Higby LeFevre at 815-5357325. businesses that participated in the event held locally and nationwide on Nov. 29. Small Business Saturday 2014, collectively, was a record-setting
day for the Sauk Valley Shop Small merchants. More than 65 percent of members who responded to a survey conducted after the event showed an increase in both sales and foot traffic compared to last year. Small business owners also report that the brisk sales continued throughout the holiday season. Beautiful You Boutique, 3512 E. Lincolnway in Sterling, reported its most successful Small Business Saturday to date, in both foot traffic and sales. SMALL CONTINUED ON A3
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Deanna Lancaster of Rock Falls shops Dec. 13, 2013, at Bushel Basket Candle Co. in Sterling. Bushel Basket Candle Co. was among the local businesses that participated in Small Business Saturday in 2013.
GRUB HUB FEATURE | MARTIN’S STEAKS AND SPIRITS, STERLING
2014 IN REVIEW | TOP U.S. STORIES
AP poll: Killings by police top story BY DAVID CRARY Associated Press Writer
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Martin Escatel, owner of Martin’s Steaks and Spirits, has been cooking for more than 25 years. His downtown Sterling restaurant has been open for more than 3 years and recently added Tex Mex dishes to its menu.
Making menu sizzle
READ MORE ONLINE
Martin’s adds Tex Mex to ‘upscale’ offerings BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525
STERLING — I hear a loud sizzling noise as I sit at the bar inside Martin’s Steaks and Spirits. It is the same sound you hear when you grill a steak on a warm summer day. But, there are no grills around. Instead, it is the sound of the steak fajitas I ordered off the restaurant’s new Tex-Mex menu, which became available Nov. 5. “We had a lot of requests for a Tex-
Rain/snow
VOLUME 7 ISSUE 17 44 Pages
Today: 43/23 For the forecast, see Page A11
Mex menu, so we decided to add it,” says Martin Escatel, owner of the restaurant. Martin’s Steaks and Spirits has been in downtown Sterling for more than 3 years. The cozy, upscale restaurant specializes in steaks, pasta, chicken, seafood and, now, Tex-Mex. Although the new Tex-Mex menu is a hit, Martin’s main attraction on the menu is steak, whether you like it rare or well done. I prefer my steak well done. MARTIN’S CONTINUED ON A2
Coffee and gifts
Blooms-a-Latte in Prophetstown also will feature flowers in the future. See Page C1
NEW YORK – The police killings of unarmed blacks in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere – and the investigations and tumultuous protests they inspired – was the top news story of 2014, according to The Associated Press’ annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors. In a year crowded with dramatic and often wrenching news developments around the world, the No. 2 story was the devastating outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, followed by the conflict in Iraq and Syria fueled by the brutal actions of Islamic State militants. Among the 85 voters casting ballots, first-place votes were spread among 15 different stories. The Ferguson entry received 22 first-place votes, Ebola 11 and the Islamic State story 12. TOP CONTINUED ON A9
In Monday’s edition Visit the Grub Hub
The Associated Press’ Top 10 Illinois stories of the year
We’ve redesigned our Plan!t Sauk Valley website and added new features. Among them is Grub Hub, about places where you eat in the Sauk Valley. SVM reporter Jermaine Pigee visits local restaurants and writes about his experiences. Read more at planitsaukvalley.com
SVM published its list of the Top 15 local stories of 2014, as voted on by news staff members, in Friday’s editions. You can still read our story online at saukvalley.com.
Hot items for 2015
Index
Franchise films to return; also trends in TV, music and books Also inside USA Weekend: Newest tech fads and gadgets Roast salmon on crispy rice Molly Sims
In case you missed it
Births................ C5 Lottery .............. A2 Business........... C1 Markets .......... A11 Classified .......... D1 Obituaries ......... A4 Comics ............. B8 Opinion............. A6 Community ..... C12 Scoreboard ...... B7 Scrapbook ....... C3 Crossword Saturday ........... D7 Sports .............. B1 Support groups .. C5 Crossword Sunday ............. C8 Travel .............. C10 Dave Ramsey ... C1 Weather.......... A11 Dear Abby ........ C4 Wheels ............. D8