Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
January 8, 2015 Volume 165, Number 4 - $1.00
Hawks Gear Up
Staying Safe
Family Tradition
The Oregon Hawks gear up to improve in second half of season. B1
Agencies offer tips for staying safe in the bitter cold. A7
Three Mt. Morris families continue a 68-year-old Christmas tradition. A4
Byron to get grants Path, fishing piers planned for Hamas Park By Vinde Wells Editor
Common mergansers fly from the Rock River near Carnation Park last week before milder temperatures were replaced with below-zero temperatures over the weekend and into Monday and Tuesday. Photo by Chris Johnson
Snow, ice, bitter cold...hey it’s winter By Vinde Wells Editor Icy roads put cars in the ditch as Old Man Winter finally made his appearance last weekend and early this week, bringing ice, snow, and bitter cold to Ogle County. After a warmer than normal December with just a trace of snow, area residents were in for a reality check when a winter storm Saturday brought fog, freezing rain, rain, snow, more freezing rain, all topped off by a couple of inches of snow. The temperature hovered above the freezing mark for a few hours. Sunday brought a little more snow, a little sunshine, and plummeting mercury. By Monday morning the temperature had nose-dived to a bone-chilling -5 degrees. A second storm Monday evening added another 3-5 inches of fluffy snow as the temperature stayed around the zero mark with significant wind chills. Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said deputies responded to a few accidents and several cars in the ditch throughout the county during and after Monday night’s storm. “We have nothing really serious,” he said. “It was pretty much the same conditions all across the county.” The situation was much the same on Saturday and Sunday. “We had an hour and half of slushy snow on Saturday,” VanVickle said. “A number of vehicles were in the ditch. I-39 was the most affected.” A forecast of sub-zero temperatures and gusty winds starting Tuesday afternoon into Thursday morning promised more headaches for motorists. “The big concern now is
Sheriff advises limited travel With a forecast of extreme cold and strong winds Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle advised limited travel until weather conditions moderate. A posting Tuesday on the sheriff’s department website advised that northsouth roads were expected to drift as the winds whipped up snow that fell over the weekend and Monday evening. VanVickle said road conditions will be updated frequently on the department’s Facebook page and at least twice daily on the website.
best they could from the weekend,” Cook said. The extreme temperatures mean that salt spread on the roads is not as effective as usual. “It’s too cold for the salt to work well,” Cook said. “The sun would help a tremendous amount. That would make the biggest difference to heat up the pavement. Then the salt has a chance of working
better.” Extreme cold is also very hard on snowplowing equipment. The diesel engines in the trucks sometimes get cold enough that the fuel gels despite the preventative treatment added to it. “Sometimes that’s not enough,” Cook said. Plow blades are more likely to sustain damage in
the cold, too. “The colder it gets the more brittle steel gets,” Cook said. “Plows are more apt to crack.” The snowplows were back on the road early Tuesday morning cleaning up after the second storm, and getting ready to deal with more cold and drifting snow later in the day. “Take it slow and safe,” Cook advised motorists.
Turn to A2
Robbery results in 5 arrests By Christi Warren Sauk Valley Media
cold and blowing snow,” VanVickle said late Tuesday morning. County engineer Curtis Cook said the two storms put Ogle County Highway Department snowplows on the roads for 14-15 hours at a stretch. The comparatively warm conditions on Saturday allowed the plows to “peel off” the slushy ice and snow mix left behind by the storm, Cook said. Hampered by the colder temperatures on Sunday, the drivers worked at removing the ice from the roads. Warm temperatures followed so quickly by cold made for very slippery conditions, Cook said. The moisture-laden precipitation prevented the pavement from drying out completely before the cold set in, he said, leading to slick roadways. The snowplows were back Bud Schorr is covered with blowing snow as he works on clearing his driveway on N. Third Street on Tuesday morning. Schorr was using a snow blower owned by his at it by 3 a.m. Monday. “They cleaned up the neighbor, Bob Rees. Photo by Earleen Hinton
In This Week’s Edition...
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4 Marriage Licenses, A4
Byron is one of 72 Illinois communities that will receive park and recreation grants. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced $26 million in investments for 75 projects in 72 communities across Illinois. The investments will help communities acquire land for parks and enhance recreational opportunities, a press release issued by Quinn stated. “The availability of firstrate parks and recreation facilities helps Illinois attract and keep businesses and families in Illinois,” Quinn said. “By providing these opportunities, we enhance the quality of life in Illinois and help build a strong economy at the same time.” The Byron Park District, will receive $298,500, to redevelop and enhance Hamas Park and $46,700, to acquire land along the Rock River. “We’re very excited to receive the grants,” said
Oregon Police, A9 Library News, A3 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B2
Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B2
Dixon police arrested five people, including two Mt. Morris residents, on Dec. 30 after a man was robbed at knifepoint in Dixon in his car the night before. According to Police Chief Danny Langloss, a Dixon man in his early 20s agreed Dec. 29 to drive his friend, Jordan A. Brake, 19, Mt. Morris, to pick up one of her friends, William J. Bankhead, 21, Mt. Morris, in Oregon, and then drive the two back to what the driver thought was Brake’s apartment in Dixon. When the three drove up to the address in the 700 block of West Second Street that Brake had given him, at least three men wearing masks approached the car. The driver was pulled from his seat at knifepoint, and his money was taken. Brake and Bankhead also were threatened before the three masked men fled, as did Bankhead. Brake stayed behind. Turn to A2
Deaths, B3 Chester L. Garrison, Richard L. Holby, Clifford H. Jacobs, Debra L. Pierce
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com