Oregon Republican Reporter, Thursday, June 26, 2014, Page A2
Oregon Beat
www.oglecountynews.com
80 percent of funds raised to repair Black Hawk From A1 urgent, Woods said, before the statue’s surface deteriorates even more. Woods’ presentation included photos of the damaged areas, as well as illustrations of how the statue was constructed, and a plan for how to restore it. The plan still needs the approval of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the
Illinois Historical Preservation Agency, Rausa said. The statue is under the jurisdiction of the IDNR. Once approved, the repair work will include removing bushes, which are holding moisture at the base of the statue; putting up scaffolding; and then removing the damaged areas. After that experts will create forms that exactly duplicate the lines and curves
of the statue. The arms and other damaged areas will be remolded using a mixture of materials that matches the current concrete as closely as possible. “The urgency now is to put a very large restoration project in place,� she said. The process will be slow and painstaking, Woods said, and probably will not be completed this year. She said she hopes the scaffolding will be in place by mid-July with the work beginning sometime in August. The statue will be covered with a tent over the winter to protect it from even more damage. Woods said the statue has
been patched and repairs numerous times over the years. Ironically, epoxy injections done in 1989-1990 to repair cracks actually made the damage worse, she said. “Epoxy is plastic,� Woods said. “It actually traps water and cause even more freezethaw damage.� The epoxy will be removed from the cracks and the cracks will be repaired, she said. Created by sculptor Lorado Taft in 1910 as a tribute to all Native Americans and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the statue is situated on a 125-foot bluff. It draws thousands of visitors each year. “It is a huge honor to work
on this project,� Woods said. “We understand the significance of a Lorado Taft statue.� Rausa said fundraising efforts will continue. “We will be seeking donations. We will be knocking on doors again,� he said. Nearly half the money already raised for the project came from a $350,000 grant the IDNR received from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The rest came from donations, as well as funds raised during the annual Oregon Trail Days festival held at Lowden Park since 2010.
A large contributor was the Jeffris Family Foundation, Janesville, Wis., which gave a $150,000 matching grant. The Chicago Black Hawks hockey team got on board with what Rausa said is a sizable donation, although he declined to specify how much. To donate checks can be made out to the Illinois Conservation Foundation and marked for the Black Hawk Statue. Donations can be mailed to Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702. Additional information about the damage and restoration will be published in next week’s papers.
Ogle board debates concealed carry rules
Living History Phoebe Larson, Stillman Valley, makes a twined rug using scraps from clothing during the Ogle County Historical Society’s Living History and Old Time Craft Fair demonstrations on June 21. Photo by Earleen Hinton
From A1 coroner has a gun. “You have to decide as a board,� he said. “This follows state statute. I don’t like the way it is written. We can’t give employees more of a right than the state statue.� A motion by Meyers and seconded by Dick Petrizzo, Davis Junction, to table the vote on concealed carry was defeated 9-13. Jerry Brooks, Oregon, Colson, John Finfrock, Mt. Morris, Kenney, Kim Kirkolis, Davis Junction, Meyers, Petrizo, Saunders, and Greg Sparrow, Rochelle, voted to table the matter. No votes were cast by Dorothy Bowers, Byron,
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Bobbie Colbert, Rochelle, Don Griffin, Oregon, Rich Gronewold, Forreston, Marcia Heuer, Oregon, Hopkins, Dan Janes, Stillman Valley, Nordman, John O’Brien, Rochelle, Oltmanns, Ashley Simms, Rochelle, Welty, and Gouker. Marty Typer, Stillman Valley, and Bruce McKinney, Rochelle, were absent from the meeting. The motion to adopt the policy was immediately voted on after the previous motion failed. The concealed carry policy was approved 15-7.
Colson, Kenney, Kirkolis, Meyers, Oltmanns, Petrizo, and Saunders cast the no votes. Meyers asked if there was a time limit the board had to wait to revisit the discussion. “At this point it is in the personnel policy,� said Gouker. “We could entertain that in the future.� “If someone has a change it needs to go through the committee process,� said Welty. In other business the board: s 5NANIMOUSLY APPROVED A special use permit for an ATV training course.
The land owned by Steve Hammer is located at 4700 S. Scout Road. One acres will be used by the Blackhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts of America for Camp Lowden activities and programming on the property. s !PPROVED A change order for the sheriff’s administration building for additional hauling of debris. Griffin said there was some areas with 23 inches of concrete and voids underneath. The work was completed by Fishers who had the demolition contract for the project.
From A1 documents is in August. The privately-owned Oregon Ambulance Service Inc. closed its doors at 6 a.m. on June 17 with little warning. Betty Ferris, who comanages the service with her husband Jim, told the fire board about the plans to close on June 11. She later said the reasons were financial. Heller immediately began enlisting help from neighboring fire departments, which have tax-supported ambulance services. The district, which is 120 square miles and bordered by 10 other fire districts, includes all of OregonNashua Township and portions of Pine Creek, Pine Rock, White Rock, Rockvale, Marion, Grand Detour, and Taylor Townships.
Heller said the district has been divided up in segments with each neighboring fire department covering the area closest to it. Mt. Morris and Byron have been designated to handle calls within the City of Oregon. Oregon is the only fire department in the area without an ambulance service funded by property taxes. The Oregon Fire District was formed in 1977 after a referendum was passed in 1976. Prior to that the fire department was owned by the City or Oregon. Because it was city-owned, rural residents were required to pay for calls. According to the fire department website, in 1975 the charge for rural fires was $150 for the first hour
and $100 an hour thereafter, usually paid by insurance. Problems arose as some rural residents did not pay and city deficits increased. The Oregon Ambulance Service Inc. was formed in 1971 as a not-for profit corporation. Don Fuller, Oregon, said a local committee sought ways to form an ambulance service after the local funeral home that ran an ambulance then decided to discontinue it due to increasing state regulations. Money for the ambulance service was raised by subscription. Fuller said subscribers gave donations and in return were charged a reduced amount if they needed the ambulance. Fuller was the first treasurer for the fledgling ambulance service.
Area EMS are fielding calls
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Serving the Oregon area since 1851 The Oregon Republican Reporter is published weekly by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of the B.F. Shaw Printing Co. The Oregon Republican Reporter was founded in 1851 as the Ogle County Reporter. In 1889, the Ogle County Republican, a competing newspaper, was started. In 1890, the Republican was sold to Ziba Landers. Upon his death in 1939, the newspaper was assumed by his son, Ernest D. In March 1951, Paul F. Behan, owner of the Reporter, and E.D. Landers and his son E.G. (Tim) Landers united the newspapers into the Republican Reporter. Ernest D. Landers died in 1966, and E.G. and Behan became partners. Eventually, E.G. Landers assumed sole ownership, and in 1985 he sold the newspaper to B.F. Shaw Printing of Dixon, publisher of the Sauk Valley Newspapers. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. Morris Times, Forreston Journal, and Polo's Tri-County Press.
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