Officials say Sterling-Rock Falls homelessness worsening

STERLING, Ill. (AP) - Officials in the Sterling-Rock Falls area are pushing to keep a homeless shelter open year-round.

The (Sterling) Daily Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2e7z2Dz ) that advocates say homelessness in the two cities and in Dixon is growing. They say there has to be more help from the Sterling-based Twin Cities PADS Homeless Shelter.

Rock Falls Police Chief Tammy Nelson, Sterling Police Chief Tim Morgan and Whiteside County Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi have been discussing the situation. Nelson recently learned that other shelters in Sterling and Dixon are regularly full.

Twin Cities PADS board members put together a subcommittee last spring to study year-round operations. The shelter is open from Oct. 1 to May 1.

The 16-bed Dixon PADS shelter is open all year.

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Information from: The Daily Gazette, http://www.saukvalley.com