Tri County Press

POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS VOLUME 162 NO. 52 • SERVING THE POLO AREA SINCE 1857

Friday, March 5, 2021 • $1.00

COUNTY NEWS

Family Concerned

Missing man’s family wants sheriff to allow a new search crew. / 3

COUNTY NEWS

State Winner

Teen’s essay wins the VFW’s state competition. / 5

Vaccine Frustration County

health administrator comments on COVID-19 vaccine supplies. / 3

PURE OLYMPIAN

Scot DeWall of Polo earned a gold medal in the singles division of Unified Bocce at the Special Olympics in Seattle in 2018. Scott was a Polo sports enthusiast and was representing Illinois in the sport. He passed away on Feb. 16. Story on page 10.

One section • 20 pages

INDEX Betty’s Column ........ 7 Church Listings.......18 Classifieds ........ 19-20 Colbert Column ....... 7

Library News ...........15 Oregon Police..........16 Otto’s Column .......... 6 Polo Police ...............16

Property Transfers..17 Sheriff Activity........17 Sports................. 10-13 State Police .............17

DEATHS Published every Friday

by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media

Ronald G. Burke, Rylynn Grace Gravenstein, Page 16

POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS LOCAL NEWS POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS RI-COUNTY PRESS

Tri-County Press / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

TRI-COUNTY BEAT

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Copyright 2021

Polo Council tables CedarStone purchase

BY JEFF HELFRICH

jhelfrich@shawmedia.com The Polo City Council opted to table any further action on purchasing the CedarStone building at 610 S. Division Ave. for a new city hall at its Monday meeting.

The council heard multiple citizens speak out in opposition of buying the building and taking city hall out of the downtown. An hour-long discussion was had on the issue which included other possible sites, which aldermen said would likely be more expensive.

The council approved the purchase of the building at a Jan. 28 special meeting for $215,000 with the caveat that the bank would pay for a full site survey.

The bank recently counter offered with the request that only a site survey be done, which is a lesser survey than a site survey. The council rejected that counteroffer at its last meeting and demanded that the bank accept the full site survey along with $215,000.

Mayor Doug Knapp said that he had recently spoken with the bank and said

FUNDRAISER Lions Club offers roses, carnations for purchase

conversations were positive and the bank wanted to work to make both sides happy and get the survey done. Knapp said he’s confident there wouldn’t be any issues with the survey.

City Attorney Tom Suits said at Monday’s meeting that the timeline on the most recent offer had expired and that further action would have to be taken to bring about a sale.

“Tell them we’re tabling it,” Knapp said. “That we’re letting it go for now.

We just have to come to a consensus.

Tell them it was due to concerns from citizens.”

Tamela Merdian, a downtown business owner, was one of the citizens that spoke out against buying the CedarStone building.

“We have a lot in our downtown area and I think we’re selling ourselves short by pulling city hall out,” Meridian said.

“I think we need to keep it downtown. I think it helps with my traffic.”

The city was under contract to purchase the property for $229,000 late last year before the deal expired due to the building being tied up in bankruptcy

The Polo Lions Club’s Annual Rose Day Sale is March 20.

Roses are $20 per dozen and carnations are $10 per dozen.

proceedings. At recent meetings the city made an offer of $175,000 which was countered by an offer of $225,000. The city then offered $185,000 which led to the $215,000 counteroffer.

Multiple aldermen agreed that they’d like to keep city hall downtown, but felt that CedarStone’s price point was preferable to building something new or renovating. Sites like the old bank building and the Daw’s buildings have been discussed in the past.

“I like the [CedarStone] building,” Alderman Jim Busser said. “If we do a new building we have to tear things down and then build something for $500,000 and we don’t know if there will be parking. I’d be all for a new building if people wanted to spend $1 million on it.”

Alderman Troy Boothe said he’d be in favor of looking elsewhere for a new city hall, with one caveat.

“As long as people can guarantee nobody is going to [complain] when we spend a million dollars,” Boothe said.

Pre-orders are encouraged by contacting a local Polo Chamber member or Lions member or by calling Chris Casper at 815-994-0234.

PINE CREEK NEWS

BY KAREN MERLAK As we near the end of a cold February, we turn our faces to feel the sun of the new spring season. Yes, there are a few more weeks, but we know that it is on its way.

This morning’s fog gives way to clear skies just like our hearts are made clean

by God’s love. We are thankful.

This morning in church, we were cheerfully greeted by Don and Vicki Hay. It is so good to see the smiling eyes of our church family. Our pews were slightly fuller this morning and the walls barely held our voices as we sang “Amazing Grace.”

Pastor Charlotte Hoppe gave an uplifting message for the second Sunday in Lent. If you are missing a sermon, our church service is available on Facebook Live. Charlotte also presents a message on Wednesday at noon to lift us in the middle of the week.

After spending a day in Chicago with his dad, Matt headed home to my house.

He has been here since Tuesday evening. Even with my busy schedule, we have had a few afternoons of laughter and conversation.

Matt has spent some time visiting many of his friends. On Friday night, he joined my brother Ben Bittinger, his wife, Jo, and their son, Garrett, for dinner. We still have another week together but it still won’t feel like enough time.

Clint started his drive back from California on Friday morning.

He made it home on Sunday afternoon and told us of his adventures driving through the mountains and deserts.

Clint was relieved to finally get to the fields of the midwest.

In a few days, our Texas group, Stephanie, João, and their dog, Pepper, will join our family for a much needed visit.

We are all looking forward to spending the time together in my busy little home.

Driving to Rockford each day, I am very thankful for the technology that allows me to have a phone at all times.

One morning this past week, I parked my car at the school and realized I left my phone at home.

I didn’t realize how many times I checked my phone in a day until I didn’t have it to check.

At first, I was worried about people trying to contact me. Then I remembered I couldn’t check the weather, look

through social media, or look up anything on Google.

I will admit I can easily fill my day spending, maybe wasting, my time connected to a device. Technology has been great, especially during the past year.

When we couldn’t be together, we still had ways of connecting with one another.

Still, there is great joy in disconnecting. Instead of checking an app for the weather, I looked outside at God’s beautiful world. Instead of looking for the next great idea, I used my own imagination. Instead of checking a friend’s status, I asked God to bless them.

No matter where we are, we are always connected to God. Even if we forget to connect to Him in prayer, God is still connected to us. His love covers any distance, any circumstance.

It is good to know we can’t stray too far from the loving Father. That connection is always available, anytime, anywhere.

I hope to see you next week at our new church building when we gather for a time of worship. If you aren’t ready for in-person services, we are available on our Facebook page. We welcome you and your family.

COUNTY NEWS

VanVickle planning searches with separate group when possible

BY JEFF HELFRICH

jhelfrich@shawmedia.com The family of a missing Byron man has taken issue with Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle after they say he denied a volunteer group permission to search an area of the Rock River.

Brandon Cuddy, 27, of Byron went missing the night of Dec. 26, 2020.

His car was found damaged, covered in snow on Jan. 6 on a steep bank of the river in the 9,000 block of Illinois 2 north of Byron. Searches of the area and river over two days immediately afterwards by law enforcement and the family came up empty.

Cuddy’s family and friends say they have searched the area every day it’s been possible since he went missing. Volunteer search group Wings of Hope recently reached out to the family with a desire to help.

“Last year they did 56 missions and found 56 people,” Billy Cuddy, Brandon’s brother, said. “We were excited. They have cadaver dogs, divers, boats and more. The deter-

Friends and family of Brandon Lynn Cuddy have posted information on this flyer as they continue to search for him following the discovery of his car along a steep bank of the Rock River, north of Byron. mination this guy has made us want to work with them. They said they would start ASAP even with bad weather.”

Cuddy said Wings of Hope needs VanVickle’s permission for licensing purposes.

“The sheriff told us no and kind of put a dagger in our hearts,” Cuddy said. “The group didn’t need their help. I got the permission of the

property owners. For some reason the sheriff doesn’t want the group to come and he has another group. It’s confusing. I’ve called him every day for two weeks. We’re just extremely frustrated.”

VanVickle said he understands the family’s frustration and that a search group will be brought in when weather conditions are safe.

“We continue to speak with search

and rescue groups for land and on water,” VanVickle said. “It has been determined those operations will begin when possible. The property owners have granted permission for searches. Issues are based on weather. Not on our ability to find Brandon. I’ve talked with our teams we’ve used and they agree. When the snow and ice melts we’ll be back out there.”

VanVickle said other issues include the safety of those involved in searches. One K9 dog was hurt during the initial search and he’s trying to be respectful of the private property owner of where searches would take place.

Cuddy said Wings of Hope’s services come free of charge. The family made a Facebook post asking people to call the Sheriff’s department and request that they allow the search group to come in.

The family plans to continue searching in the meantime, Cuddy said. Snow and ice melting will be beneficial.

“We’ve been torn 50-50 on if he’s in the water or on land,” Cuddy said.

“We’ve been splitting it up. We’ve searched as much as we can on foot.

There’s a lot of the river we haven’t looked at. We want to get on the river and search. We hope to do that and hope the sheriff has a change of heart.”

COVID-19 UPDATE

Administrator details difficulty with vaccine allocations

BY JEFF HELFRICH

jhelfrich@shawmedia.com The Ogle County Health Department is currently only doing second doses of COVID-19 vaccinations due to setbacks in allocations last week, Public Administrator Kyle Auman said.

Second dose appointments had to be canceled and rescheduled last week after a delay in shipments due to weather and production.

“We have resumed second doses this week,” Auman said on Feb. 25. “We got a shipment from the previous week on Monday and got this week’s as well. We’ve been able to resume and we’re trying to get caught up with reschedules of a couple hundred appointments.”

Auman said it takes his staff a lot of work to reschedule appointments and a lot of work to schedule them in the first place. He hopes the OCHD can resume first doses within the first two weeks of March.

Less-than-expected allocations have been “very frustrating,” Auman said.

“It’s been really challenging,” Auman said.

“The governor said we could move into additional groups in 1B, but we’re not even halfway done

with phase 1B. We have 6,000 people on pre registration that still need their first dose.”

Auman said allocation problems aren’t unique to Ogle County or the region and he’s heard similar frustrations from counties all over the state.

The OCHD has been told by the state that there will be an Kyle Auman uptick in allocations in coming weeks, but there haven’t been specific details.

Auman said he expected a slow trickle of vaccines initially, but not the delays and confusion.

“We hear a lot of frustration and concern from the community,” Auman said. “It gets taken out on our front desk staff a lot. It’s completely out of our control. We’re doing everything we can. When we get angry phone calls, it’s difficult. We’ll keep working. Especially with the variants out there, we’re worried. Positivity is low right now, but we still need to follow mitigations. Our best tool is the vaccine right now. We share the sentiment with everyone upset.”

Auman said the current low COVID-19 case

number can be attributed to a number of different things. He’s still concerned there could be a spike in the future, especially with reported variants.

Even with government requirements on who can get the vaccine, Auman said low allocations has forced the OCHD to make challenging decisions on who to give doses to.

“If it was readily available, we could do more for facilities and places we’ve seen spread in,” Auman said. “But we have to do the 65 and over group. We have to make strategic and tough decisions. It all falls back on allocations.”

Local organizations like senior centers and libraries have partnered with the OCHD recently to help setting up appointments for a large number of citizens that aren’t as inclined to use the online registration. Auman hopes those partners can be put to better use with larger allocations soon.

Auman said the vaccine timeline for the county is currently 1-2 weeks behind. He said it’s hard to say how much longer things will take than expected in the long run.

“We just ask the community to bear with us,” Auman said. “We’re ready to ramp up when possible. We’re encouraged by the number of people who want it. It is a good feeling.”

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

Family of missing man says sheriff denied search crew

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Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

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COUNTY NEWS

Sheriff reacts to police reform bill being signed

BY JEFF HELFRICH

jhelfrich@shawmedia.com Despite Gov. JB Pritzker signing a state criminal justice reform bill into law on Feb. 22, Ogle County Sheriff doesn’t plan to stop working against what he says “doesn’t keep our community safe.”

House Bill 3653 includes eliminating cash bail within two years, allowing the use of deadly force only when an officer acts in self defense or defending others from bodily harm, making it easier to decertify officers by eliminating signed affidavit of complaint and mandating the use of police body cameras for all officers by 2025.

VanVickle has long served on the Illinois Sheriff’s Association Board and recently took the position of president. He has spent time testifying in Springfield against the bill.

“Obviously we’ve been outspoken about our concerns,” VanVickle said. “It doesn’t keep our community safe. We told legislators why and the public. Then the public response came and to see the governor sign it

after that is a concern. We continue to research and draft things to fix it.

It’s a bad bill that requires a lot of changes.”

The bill is more than 700 pages long. VanVickle believes that with the exception of the nearly 300-page portion that concerns police certification, every part of the bill “needs to be touched.”

“There’s conflicting language,” VanVickle said. “It would be a heavy lift. We’ve already started work on it. But the legislature isn’t even meeting right now.”

Oregon Police Chief Shawn Melville recently came out against the bill’s passing, but said he plans to comply despite difficulties that may come due to new expenses and procedures.

“We’re going through it,” Melville said. “It’s signed now. We’ll do what we have to do and training. All the new rules and regulations. There will be a lot of extra training but we’ll do whatever we have to do.

VanVickle said there will “have to

See REFORM BILL, Page 5

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Omer and Joyce Deets were marred on March 11, 1951.

Deets mark 70th anniversary Omer and Joyce Deets of Milledgeville will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on March 11.

Omer Deets and Joyce Zier were married March 11, 1951 at First Brethren Church in Milledgeville.

They are the parents of Leanne Reecher of Jacksonville, Flori-

da and Norman Deets and Marti Deets, both of Milledgeville. They have two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Those wishing to send greetings may address cards to 31371 Barclay Road, Milledgeville, IL 61051.

MARRIAGE LICENSES Ogle County Clerk Laura Cook has issued the following marriage licenses.

Feb. 19 Isiah Barber Boomgarden and Rachel Paige Thompson, both of Pecatonica.

Feb. 23 Larry Eugene Boes and Deborah Lynn Grimes, both of Byron.

Feb. 25 Sebastian Solis and Bilesly Garcia, both of Rochelle.

All Town Garage Sales The All Town Garage Sales will be the last weekend in April.

Save the Date Mark your calendars for “The Original Polo, Illinois 32nd Annual Car Show” on Aug. 14. Details coming soon.

Business After Hours If you are interested and would like to host a Business after Hours or Breakfast before Business call the Chamber at 815946-3131.

OVERPAYING? OUR PRICE VS. AREA AVERAGE

CHAMBER CHATTER Downtown Project The Chamber is busy working on a project for our downtown area. Watch for details soon!!

TIRED OF

Certificates of Recognition The Polo Chamber of Commerce would like to issue Certificates of Recognition to any Polo Chamber of Commerce business members who are celebrating five years of being in business, or those with fiveyear increments of being in business in Polo. Contact us so that we can announce your special business celebration during our Annual Dinner.

Get the Word Out Contact The Polo Chamber of Commerce at (815) 946-3131, polochamber@ gmail.com, or mail to P.O. Box 116, Polo, IL 61064 if you would like to post your event on the Chamber Sign, Chamber Website (www.polochamber.org), Chamber Face Book Page and/or the Chamber Chatter.

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WE ACCEPT MEDICARE & MEDICAID

COUNTY NEWS

Schwartzrock will now compete at the national level

BY JEFF HELFRICH

jhelfrich@shawmedia.com It took Sophia Schwartzrock a few drafts before she thought her VFW Voice of Democracy essay had potential.

“When I thought of time traveling and Ben Franklin and humor, I thought I had something,” Schwartzrock said. “I didn’t anticipate this, though.”

Schwartzrock’s entry won at the state level earlier this month. She was presented with an award by State VFW Commander Laurie Emmer at Oregon’s post on Feb. 19. She’ll now go on to compete at the national level.

The essay takes Franklin into the present and gives him the chance to share his opinions and those of his friends Madison, Hamilton and Jefferson.

“I explored the concerns pertaining to a balance of power within the governmental branches specifically in the judicial system,” Schwartzrock said. “Both Hamilton and Jefferson, the two opposing political

LIVE THEATER

Oregon High School to present Schoolhouse Rock Live!

It’s not Just A Bill, it’s the Oregon High School Spring Musical!

Yes, you’re reading this correctly. Not only is Oregon High School putting on a spring musical this year, but the musical is Schoolhouse Rock Live!

• REFORM BILL

Continued from Page 4 be” trailer bills to address language and impacts on public safety.

The police certification portion came as a result of police organizations working “extensively” with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, VanVickle said. He is happy with how that came together, but said after 30 hours of testimony on the rest of the bill, there was no dialogue on those parts.

The Ogle County Board is currently considering passing a “Back the Blue” ordinance that would guarantee qualified immunity to employees of the sheriff’s office. The potential

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com

VFW state commander Laurie Emmer presents a plaque to Mt. Morris’ Sophia Schwartzrock, 16, for winning the state’s Voice of Democracy scholarship contest. Schwartzrock’s audio essay will go on to compete against 54 others in the national contest. Just to get here, she had to win the local and district competitions and beat out 3,000 other essays in the state. opinions concerning the limitations on the judicial system, would be surprised to find just how much power the Supreme Court wields today.”

Schwartzrock enjoys looking into America’s history and how the government is supposed to function. She wants to go into the law field when

she’s older. Her interest in it came from a mock trial at school.

“I learned a lot about the founding fathers and what they believe,” Schwartzrock said. “Franklin was so interesting. He was a jack of all trades. His wit, I thought it’d fit well with the humor I had in there.”

There was a cash prize involved with the contest and Schwartzrock said being paid to do schoolwork felt “fantastic.”

“Being in the national competition is definitely exciting,” Schwartzrock said. “You keep your fingers crossed.”

This musical takes everyone’s favorite songs from the School House Rock television show and bundles them together around one cohesive plot: A new teacher nervous on the morning of his first day of teaching.

For adults, this show is sure to invoke feelings of nostalgia, while it will provide a lighthearted and fun educational

experience for kids. The show dates and times are Thursday, March 11, Friday, March 12, Saturday, March 13 at 7 p.m. and a Sunday matinée on March 14 at 2 p.m. All performances will be held in the OHS music room. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.

In order to manage the number of attendees at each show reservations

must be made in advance to zhall@ ocusd.net.

One reservation per group, including the following information: name, size of group and the names of everyone else in your group All groups will be spread out 6+ feet away from other groups in attendance and must wear face masks.

ordinance stems from the house bill.

The board put off voting on the ordinance at its February meeting to get feedback from its insurance carrier.

Part of the proposed ordinance reads as follows: “The County Board recognizes the lawful right of Ogle County Sheriff’s Office employees to qualified immunity and indemnification when they act within the scope of their employment and are subjected to any civil cause of action brought against an employee resulting from or arising out of the performance of their duties, whether the employee was on or off duty at the time of the incident.”

The ordinance would have the

county protect sheriff’s office employees who are subjected to civil causes of action brought against them, when the employee is acting within the scope of their Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle employment.

VanVickle said he’s hopeful the board will vote on the ordinance at its next meeting and that several other counties have similar ordinances on their agendas and four have already passed one.

“It is significant in the way we do our jobs,” VanVickle said. “You

have to qualify for immunity. A judge determines that. They would look at the situation and the decision making process. It holds deputies civilly liable. With qualified immunity, if the officer intentionally breaks the law, qualified immunity doesn’t apply. These are split-second decisions that they’ll now be held civilly liable for.”

VanVickle said the “Back the Blue” ordinances could be struck down by the state in the future.

“There’s a potential the state could say, ‘No, you can’t do this at a county level,’” VanVickle said.

“This would show the county board supports their employees if they do their jobs correctly.”

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

Mt. Morris teenager wins VFW state award for essay

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Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

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LOCAL HISTORY

Illinois 2 carries designation of two scenic routes Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written.

BY OTTO DICK

L

ocated at the intersection of Illinois. 2 and Illinois 64 in Oregon are two signs, the Blackhawk Trail and Rock River Trail.

This article will explain the Blackhawk Trail sign located below the Rock River Trail sign.

The Blackhawk Trail Association was organized in 1915. The road that followed the Rock River from Rock Island to Rockford was named the Blackhawk Trail and a figure of the Blackhawk Statue was painted on utility poles. This was a dirt road.

This road was paved in 1925 and designated as Illinois Route 2.

On May 24, 1996 the Illinois Senate of the Eighty-Ninth General Assembly passed legislation naming the section of Illinois Route 2 extending from the City of Dixon to the City of Rockford be named the Blackhawk Trail as a scenic route.

Wallace Heckman, Solon Crowell and J. C. Seyster of Oregon spearheaded this years ago.

Wallace Heckman from Chicago built his mansion where Lowden Memorial Park is now located.

Solon W. Crowell graduated from Oregon Public Schools, later taking a course at the University of Illinois and obtained a law degree at Northwestern Law School and practiced law upstairs at 400 Washington Street.

J. C. Seyster of Oregon was president of the Rock River Valley Road Association.

Through the efforts of Heckman and Crowell, noted Landscape artist George Kessler of St. Louis did a three day survey of the Rock River Valley. Kessler stated the Rock

Photos supplied by Otto Dick

TOP LEFT: These signs mark Illinois 2 between Oregon and Dixon. TOP RIGHT: This is the Oregon Lions Club’s handicapped fishing platform that is located in Carnation Park, formerly known as Sandsucker Park, south of Illinois 64 on the west bank of the Rock River. RIGHT: This 1916 photo shows a catfish that was caught at the Sandsucker region along the west bank of the Rock River, south of Illinois 64 in Oregon.

River scenery between Rockford and Dixon excels that of the Mohawk Valley and the Berkshire Hills in beauty and picturesqueness.

Later he returned to make a further study and made a recommendation for the improvement of the Black Hawk Trail as a scenic route.

Mr. Denman, engineer for the state, accompanied Kessler during his survey of the Rock River Valley.

Kessler believed that the road should be kept as close to the river as possible. He recommended the elimination of the two grade crossings in Byron by taking the road under the tracks of the Great Western and Milwaukee Railroads.

While he did not suggest many changes to the location of the road-

way, he recommended the road bed should be kept clear of weeds so the beauty of the woods and shrubbery could be appreciated by the traveling public.

The Blackhawk Road is located on the east side of the river from Dixon to Grand Detour and on the west side from Grand Detour to Rockford.

Locally, Sandsucker located in Oregon, now Carnation Park played a major role in providing gravel for the Rock River Trail from Grand Detour to Byron.

A narrow gauge track (30 inches) ran from Sandsucker up 5rd Street through the fairgrounds all the way to Byron. It’s hard to imagine gondola railroad cars loaded with gravel traveling through Oregon.

If anyone has a sketch of an Indian painted on a telephone, that sketch would be a wonderful addition to the Oregon Historical Society.

• Oregon Republican Reporter • Mt. Morris Times •Tri-County Press • Forreston Journal Only $39 a year for subscribers living in Ogle County.

Call 815-632-2520 to subscribe today!

LOCAL HISTORY

On Aug. 21, 2020 I wrote an article about the involvement of my aunt and uncle in the making of the atomic bomb at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. I received several comments from others how they too had family members taking part in that Manhattan Project.

A number of weeks later my cousin sent me a picture of my aunt in the nursing home beside her bed that had a beautiful quilt on it. On the quilt was a book titled, “The Girls of Atomic City.”

While the snow and ice makes it treacherous for me to get out, I am going to give you numerous details of what it was like to be a part of that time in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The book answered many questions for me and you may be interested in what I found out as I read this book published in 2013 by Denise Kiernan. The storyline follows 16 women and 12 men who played a part in their lives. The author called them the “principal cast of characters.”

P

eople near Oak Ridge, Tennessee were not surprised at all the building of the new government program. They had seen the Norris Dam go in during the 1930s as part of the Roosevelt New Deal. The Tennessee Valley Authority had taken land then and had changed the area during that whole phase.

So in 1942 when orders to vacate land came once again, it was another time of difficult adjustment for some families. Toni saw land taken from her family over at Black Oak Ridge. She lived in neighboring Clinton, Tennessee. People were used to sacrifice and it was war time.

As construction continued, everyone kept seeing things going in to the construction area but nothing ever coming out. Where were all the tanks, guns, and ammunition required for a war?

Why did they not see things used in war coming out of this new construction. All the secrecy baffled them.

Finally the day came when Toni decided to go over and see what was going on in that fenced

COMMENTARY Betty Obendorf Polo Historical Society

off area. She was going to see about getting a job and she hoped workers would still be needed.

The original estimation for workers had been 13,000 and that number was long gone. When Toni arrived they were at 42,000 residents. Little did they know that she would end up being a part of 75,000 workers.

Toni became a secretary and soon found herself to be a part of the secrecy. As she typed up documents, she found herself saying as little as possible but using the most amount of words that one could think of as you did it. She was also drafted to serve coffee to the guests that would periodically arrive. They loved her southern drawl or the “native tongue.”

Toni eventually dated Chuck, a young soldier when he was sent to Oak Ridge. When it was all over with, they married and stayed working at the site.

Another woman involved with the project was Vi Warren and she wrote for the Oak Ridge Newspaper. She also was the wife of the head of the medical section of the Manhattan Project, Dr. Warren Stafford. He had studied radiology and the effects radioactive material would have on people.

Vi was amazed at the mud, the state of the construction of the area, and the secrecy of everything. Newspaper stories had to be gone over carefully. Even in the comics, Superman, the Atom Smasher had to be scratched for Superman in a baseball game.

Vi was also concerned with the families and the housewives who had to deal with the secrecy

This New York Times bestseller tells the true story of the top-secret World War II town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the young women brought there unknowingly to help build the atomic bomb.

of their husbands. Vi stated that the women soon got over it and became more involved with the mud, doing the laundry, and keeping house in these small little homes.

The houses contained limited furnishings. Bed, dresser, table and chairs were enough for the 600 square feet in the prefab structure. Occupants had to bring dishes and pans to cook in. Spam became the most cooked item for the cooks in the household.

My aunt and uncle, still childless, were both workers and they wrote about helping each other with the cooking, cleaning, and keeping up the property.

They really did like the little house they were in even if it had been put up in 30 minutes. They decided when the war was over, they would look for a house instead of an apartment.

Vi, as a newspaper woman, found out it was even tricky talking with the men. Sometimes the look on their face told her she was in dangerous territory and she needed to clam up!

Secrecy was overwhelming for a newspaper person but the day did come when all was out in the open.

SPORTS COLUMN

Basketball winding up; football, volleyball coming T he condensed basketball season wraps up this weekend with football practice to immediately crank up.

With an abbreviated schedule, mask-wearing at games and no post season, I did not pay much attention to the action on the court this year.

I did stop by the Blackhawk Center to soak up the atmosphere of the AFC-Oregon boys game Saturday night, with the Hawks prevailing for its second win.

And there was some atmosphere with the pep band and cheerleaders present, along with a student body of around 30.

Credit to Oregon for giving priority to students over parents for at least one game. With seven home games, they certainly deserved the chance.

WRHL was also present, as they now broadcast area games on Facebook instead of the radio.

COMMENTARY Andy Colbert

That’s handy for anyone who wants to watch it while listening to their device.

The Blackhawk Center is more of a facility than a basketball venue. It’s never had the same rabid environment as some of the area gyms, but it sure comes in handy for spacing people in these Covid times.

For example, there are rules for having a band present and the Blackhawk Center allows ade-

quate room for that.

I always like to check in with officials to see how they are holding up. In speaking with Corey Kreider of Rochelle and Ted Austin of Freeport, I learned they were on their fourth game of the day.

Normally, an official will do one game, not four. And, that was without masks.

Ted said he’s been doing games six days a week, as the shortage of official is very acute.

The previous week, a ref passed out at an Oregon junior high game.

Life will get a little easier for them with only one varsity football game a week.

Speaking of things being easier, Oregon caught a break in football. Other than powerhouse Stillman Valley, they have winnable games against

See COLBERT, Page 8

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

The Making of the Bomb in Oak Ridge - Part 4

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Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

8

• COLBERT

Continued from Page 7 Mendota, RF, Lutheran and North Boone in the randomly-schedule BNC slate.

After this year, Mendota will depart the BNC for the Three Rivers conference. Being geographically distanced, Mendota never seemed at home in the Big Northern.

Additionally, the Trojans have fallen on hard times in athletics, something that is difficult for this once-proud sports town to accept.

How good was Mendota?

In the era that graduated around 1960, four of those football players would go on to captain Big 10 teams, including Bill Brown who starred for the Minnesota Vikings at fullback.

Rockford Christian, which stepped away from BNC football for a couple years, will return. That allows the league to maintain 10 teams and avoid scheduling difficulties.

Hopefully, RC, which shines in many other sports, can remain competitive enough in football to keep its program alive. It would not be good to drop to nine teams for football, forcing one team each week to find an outside opponent.

A more immediate challenge is

what to do with all the snow on the ground. Here at Oregon, Austin Wolber of Wolber and Sons cleared the practice field of the white stuff.

Some schools will do the same, while others will let it melt naturally. With the potential damage from wet conditions, this is where artificial turf comes in handy.

Mendota may be bad at football, but they at least had the foresight to put in artificial field a few years ago.

In chatting with Oregon athletic director, he is concerned with participation numbers for the remaining sports.

“With sports stretching into summer, it might impact those kids who want to get a job,” Lawton said.

“That’s besides sports over-lapping into each other and lower than normal to begin with. It’s not just Oregon, but common throughout the whole region.”

Spring sports were also hurt by not having a season in 2020. That lack of continuity also contributes to decreased participation.

Don’t forget about the lack of development from not being able to practice and compete. Kids coming back after a year’s absence will have plenty of catching up to do, unless they have been getting specialized training and coaching elsewhere.

Rochelle Veterinary Hospital

BRIEFS Chana church’s noodle supper is March 13 Chana United Methodist Church will host its annual Chicken Noodle Lasagna Dinner Drive Thru on Saturday, March 13 from 4-6:30 p.m.

Cost of the dinner is $10 and includes a hearty portion of home made (from scratch) noodles and chicken, a generous piece of homemade lasagna. and fresh from the oven. peach crisp. Chana UMC is a certified kitchen and is COVID-19 compliant.

Oregon Park District offers new twist on Easter events The Oregon Park District is offering a new twist for a popular Easter event this year.

The district is offering a fun alternative to the traditional Easter Egg Hunt on Wednesday, March 24 at Oregon Park West.

Participants can sign up to walk the StoryWalk Trail reading The Story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Tegen.

Following the StoryWalk, families can enjoy a couple of minutes with the Easter Bunny (socially distanced), snap a few pictures and children will receive

a small goodie bag.

Time slots are every five minutes (limit two adults and four children per time) starting at 1:30 p.m. and ending at 6:10 p.m.

CDC/IDPH guidelines will be followed. Masks must be worn and temp checks will occur at the start of the Walk. Register at https://www.oregonpark.org/programs/online-registration/ or by calling 815-732-3101.

Names and ages of individuals in your group will be required upon registration.

Oregon Woman’s Club cancels annual antique show The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed another cancellation of a popular Ogle County event.

This time it its the Oregon Woman’s Club’s Annual Antique Show.

The show, which was to be held March 27-28, will be canceled because of concerns about the COVID-19 virus, organizers announced last week.

Club members said they are looking forward to having the show in 2022.

The show is the main fundraiser for the club.

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David L. Rahn Junior High Students were able to poke some fun at life during the COVID-19 quarantine, during the school’s performance of “10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine”.

The short comedy, written by Don Zolidis and produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc., included 10 scenes portrayed by DLR students last week at the Oregon High School Auditorium.

Some of the scenes were: “Fall in Love with Inanimate Objects”, “Perform in Your Own Musicals with Your Pets”, “I Am Good at Sports Now—No One Can Stop Me”, and “Get Really Involved in the Lives of Squirrels Outside Your Window.”

Audience members had to wear face masks and sit at least six feet away from others.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media There were 16 cast members, four directors/producers, and four lighting TOP LEFT: David L. Rahn Junior High student Reese Beck performs the scene “Fall in Love with Inanimate Objects” during and sound crew members for the hour- the school’s performance of “10 Ways to Survive Life in Quarantine”. TOP RIGHT: Abby Hatch and two classmates act out a long performance.

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

Students spoof quarantine with live theater

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

10

PEOPLE

Polo man remembered for love of Marcos sports Scot DeWall brought home his own medal in Special Olympics

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN

bweidman@shawmedia.com Scot DeWall wasn’t going to let a little thing like the Chicago Bears keep him from schmoozing with his beloved Chicago Cubs.

Back in January 2011, DeWall was part of a group that had booked a room at the Palmer House Hotel in downtown Chicago for the Cubs Convention. He planned on getting up at 4:30 a.m. to be among the first in line for autographs and pictures.

Upon arrival at the Palmer House, however, some bad news was waiting. The DeWalls were being bumped to make room for the Chicago Bears, who were getting ready to play the Seattle Seahawks in a playoff game.

Palmer House officials offered to set them up at a hotel down the street, but Melodie DeWall, Scot’s stepmother, would have none of it.

Melodie and her husband Jim had booked a room a year ahead of time.

Scot had a mild learning disability, and with him determined to be in the autograph line at 4:30 a.m., the DeWalls didn’t want Scot roaming the Chicago streets at such an early hour.

In the end, it all worked out, as Scot was able to meet some of Chicago’s top athletes up close and personal.

“I refused to take that they didn’t have a room for us, so they put us in a conference room and we all had rollaway beds,” Melodie DeWall said. “I said, ‘We’ve had this booked for a year. We need a room.’ [Scot] was having the time of his life, going up and down the elevators with all of the baseball players and football players. We didn’t mind sleeping on the rollaway beds at all.”

Scot DeWall died Feb. 16 after being diagnosed with cancer this past November. He touched a lot of lives in his 50 years, none more than in his hometown of Polo. He was a huge sports fan, especially for his beloved Marcos.

When Scot would see boys basketball coach Matt Messer before a season, Messer would have to divulge a full scouting report. Scot would want to know about personnel and whether the Marcos would be a runand-gun squad, or perhaps need to slow it down.

“He really wanted to know exact-

TOP LEFT: Scot DeWall was a pitcher for The Rockford Red Hots, a Special Olympics softball team. TOP RIGHT: A crowd of well-wishers welcomed DeWall back home in Polo after he returned from competing in the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, where he won a gold medal in the singles division of Unified Bocce. DeWall was given a reception befitting a champ: a police and fire escort to bring him home, and a crowd waiting there to cheer him on. ly what we were going to be doing whatever year it was,” Messer said.

“He wasn’t just like, ‘Oh, are we going to be good?’’ He wanted to know the ins and outs of the program.”

When Polo won the 8-man football state title in the fall of 2019, Scot was the belated recipient of a championship medal. Polo Athletic Director Ted Alston delivered it to him personally at Serenity Hospice in Oregon.

“When he was in hospice, there was a day when a lot of people drove over there and said hello – there were hundreds of people that went,” Alston said. “A lot of people were bringing him things to try to raise his spirits up. There was this bag that’s been sitting on my desk since the state championship, and the bag had a state medal in it. We couldn’t figure out whose it was, or if was an extra one.

“I thought, ‘You know what, maybe it just belongs to Scot.’ I took it over there and said, ‘You know, you deserve this as much as anybody outside the football team.’ He’s been such a huge supporter of Polo sports.”

It wasn’t just football and boys basketball Scot was interested in.

If a Marco was competing, he was all in.

“It didn’t matter if it was a teeball game in the middle of April and freezing, Scot would be there if he knew the participants in the game,”

said Don Vock, a close family friend.

“He always followed Polo athletics.

Every family knew him because he was there at games.”

Vock was instrumental in getting Scot involved in Special Olympics about 20 years ago. The Rockford Red Hots needed a pitcher, and Scot was their man.

“At first he was a little apprehensive about playing,” Vock said, “but once he got started, he fell in love with it and he became our permanent pitcher on the softball team.

He was a great pitcher in slow-pitch softball.”

Scot was an active Special Olympian. In addition to softball, he played basketball and once rolled a 246 game in bowling. A highlight came in 2018 when he won a gold medal in bocce ball at the Special Olympics National Games in Seattle.

A parade, complete with a fire truck escort, was held in his honor upon arrival back in Polo. Just about the whole town showed up.

“He knew everybody, and everybody in Polo knew him,” said his mother, Elaine Guyer. “He was doing exactly what he liked to do.

The fans at games, everybody knew him and loved him as much as we did.”

For 20 years, Scot worked the morning/early afternoon shift at McDonald’s in Dixon. To say he was a favorite of McDonald’s owner Nancy Plock would be an understatement. A broad smile, followed

by tears welling up in her eyes, would come as she recalled some of her favorite Scot moments.

“The guy hardly ever called off, and when he did, it was to go to baseball games,” Plock said. “He came to work sick or with problems, and we’d have to send him home because he didn’t want to miss work. He loved the people, and he kept my lobby spotless. I got awards because of his cleanliness. He was just Scot, and he was perfect.”

One time, Scot came to work and he was having trouble walking. It turned out he had been to Magic Waters, a water park in Rockford, and neglected to use sunblock on his legs and feet.

“He came back to work, and he is shuffling,” Plock said. “He had shoes on, and he was miserable. We said, ‘What happened?’ He showed us his feet and we’re like, ‘Scot, go home.’ He was always worried he was going to get in trouble.”

At McDonald’s, Scot became a favorite with customers. He would help little children find lost toys in the play area, and talk to high school kids about big wins or tough losses in athletics.

Adults would get so chummy with him that they would invite him to sporting events – an unexpected trip to see the Cubs at Wrigley Field was a big treat.

“He had more of a social life than I did,” Plock said with a smile.

11

SPORTS ROUND UP

Trish Patterson/Photo

Feb. 23 Girls Basketball Polo 64, AFC 37: The Marcos turned an early deficit into an NUIC South win at home thanks to a 53-24 scoring edge after the opening quarter.

Lindee Poper paced Polo with 14 points, and Mallory Patterson and Alex Dusing both scored 11 as the Marcos led 29-19 at halftime and 42-28 after three quarters. Harper Clark added eight points, and Marah Blake scored seven.

Hannah Atkinson finished with a game-high 17 points for the Raiders, who led 13-11 after one quarter. Taylor Jahn chipped in 11.

Forreston 55, Milledgeville 44: The Missiles couldn’t keep up with the Cardinals in an NUIC South loss at home.

Adriana Miller led Milledgeville with 23 points, while Lily Smith added eight and Ali Mertz scored seven. The Missiles trailed 11-10 after the first quarter, 29-21 at halftime, and 46-33 after three periods.

Brooke Boettner’s 16 points paced Forreston, and Paityn Broshous added 12.

Girls Bowling Oregon 3,141, Dixon 3,068: The Hawks took a tightly contested dual from the Duchesses at Plum Hollow, winning the first two games by a total

of 127 pins before Dixon won the third game by 54.

Ava Wight led Oregon with a 611 series and a 212 high game, while Rebbeca Meyers rolled a 575 series and Sammantha Meyers added a 555 series.

Tianna Bryson finished her match-high 634 series with games of 232 and 226, and Tori Baker rolled a 569 series for the Duchesses. Kaylie Yocum added a 533, and Grace DeBord closed her 530 series with a 213 game.

Feb. 24 Boys Basketball Dixon 70, Stillman Valley 57: The Dixon Dukes slowly pulled away throughout the game to beat Stillman Valley 70-57 in a Big Northern Conference road contest Wednesday night.

The Dukes (6-2, 5-2 BNC) led 18-13 after one quarter, 30-21 at halftime, and 57-41 after three periods.

Jake Gaither poured in 26 points for Dixon, with Riley Abell, Cal Kyker and Ryan Pitzer scoring 12 points apiece.

Oregon 62, Mendota 58, OT: The Hawks blanked the Trojans 4-0 in the extra period at the Blackhawk Center to claim their first win of the season.

In a tight game the whole way through, Oregon (1-9, 1-6 Big Northern) built a 32-25 halftime lead, only to see

Mendota cut it to 45-44 after three quarters before the teams ended regulation tied a 58.

Joey Gelander scored 22 points to pace the Hawks, and Owen Ketter hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.

Polo 72, AFC 38: The Marcos led 19-8 after the opening quarter and 41-17 by halftime in an NUIC South win at home.

Gavin Zell had 19 points to pace Polo, and Bennett Soltow scored 16. Logan Kindle chipped in 10, with Parker Wolber and Tyler Merdian each adding nine.

Carson Rueff had 14 points, and Matt Thompson scored 12 for the Raiders.

Milledgeville 67, Forreston 37: The Missiles jumped out to a 20-10 lead after the opening quarter, stretched it to 36-20 by halftime, and 51-31 by the end of the third period in an NUIC South win at home.

Treyton Selman poured in 38 points for Milledgeville, hitting five 3-pointers and making all seven of his free throws.

Kieren Harris had 10, and Ryan Kendall added eight for the Missiles.

Girls Basketball Mendota 56, Oregon 47: The Hawks were outscored 30-21 in the second half of a Big Northern road game after the teams were tied at 26 heading into halftime.

Hadley Lutz had 13 points for Oregon, and Ella Martin scored 10. Mariah Drake and Liz Mois added eight points each.

Feb. 25 Girls Basketball Polo 53, AFC 23: The Polo girls basketball team traveled to Ashton on Thursday and came back with a 53-23 win over AFC. Abby Gorzny and Marah Blake each scored 11 for Polo. Lindee Poper added 10.

Brittney Mundell led the Raiders with 10.

Polo held the Raiders to two points in the first quarter, jumping out to a 9-2 lead.

Forreston 54, Milledgeville 45: The Cardinals beat the Missiles in Forreston.

Ali Mertz and Adriana Miller scored 12 for Milledgeville. Lily Smith added 10.

Boys Bowling Oregon 3,303, Sterling 3,254: The Hawks pulled out a home win at Town & Country Lanes.

Isaac Kaltenbrun led the way for Oregon with a 6-3 series, which included games of 219 and 230. Kyle Strite rolled a 571. Brendon Rowe notched a 559.

Jordan Glazier led the Golden Warriors See SPORTS ROUND UP, Page 13

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com

The Oregon girls bowling team celebrate a strike Saturday at the Dixon Invite at Plum Polo’s Logan Kindle shoots over an AFC’s Ermir Ramadani during basketball action in Hollow.

Polo last week.

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

12

Earleen Hinton Shaw Media

ABOVE: Oregon’s Liz Mois comes down with a rebound between Forreston’s Paityn Broshous and Taylor Greenfield during Saturday action at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon. RIGHT: Oregon’s Hadley Lutz shoots over Forreston’s Kylee Curry.

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Earleen Hinton Shaw Media

Trish Patterson/Photo

Oregon’s Issac Reber and AFC’s Ermir Ramadani wrestle for a loose ball as Issac Nelson watches during Saturday Polo’s Parker Wolber drives to the basket against AFC during action at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon. basketball action in Polo last week.

• SPORTS ROUND UP Continued from Page 11

with a 612 series which included games of 221 and 206. Carter Schlegel rolled a 586. Andrew Doughty rolled a 549.

Feb. 27 Girls Bowling Oregon wins Dixon Invitational: Paced by senior Alysa Conley, the Oregon girls bowling team took top honors in the 44th annual Dixon Invitational on Saturday at Plum Hollow Family Center.

The Hawks finished with a total pinfall of 5,630, well ahead of runner-up Sycamore, which had 5,432. Dixon (5,383), Geneseo (4,999) and United Township (4,853) rounded out the top five in a nine-team field. Sterling was seventh with a 4,520.

Conley took top individual honors with

a six-game score of 1,245, one more than Geneseo’s Jenah Hart. Conley used a new ball, a Storm, that was delivered on Friday.

“I didn’t think I was going to come out here and bowl this good considering the fact during the week I was struggling all of the time, shooting like a 160,” Conley said. “Then I come out here with the ball I just got and shot pretty good. I didn’t know what place I was in all day. Our coaches tell us that’s something we don’t need to worry about.”

Oregon had five bowlers finish in the top 19 spots: Sammantha Meyers (6th, 1,170), Rebbeca Meyers (11th, 1,108), Hannah Kaltenbrun (12th, 1,087) and Ava Wight (19th, 1,019).

“I think coming into this we knew we had competitors, so we knew we had to bowl as good as we can,” Conley said.

“We did struggle a little bit. Not every game is going to be perfect, but I think

throughout the day we did come back.”

Boys Basketball Oregon 72, AFC 47: The Hawks picked up a non-conference win at the Blackhawk Center.

Oregon led 19-11 after one quarter, 34-25 at halftime and 50-38 after three.

Joey Gelander led Oregon with 25 points. Owen Ketter scored 15. Isaac Nelson and Jameson Caposey both scored seven.

Peyton Lanning scored 22 points for the Raiders, including eight in the second quarter alone. Matt Thompson scored 10. Carson Reuff added seven.

Girls Basketball Oregon 58, Forreston 47: Hadley Lutz and Marian Drake each scored 18 points for the Hawks in a home win against the Cardinals.

Elizabeth Mois added 13 points for Oregon.

Kylee Curry poured in 22 points for

Forreston.

Polo 46, River Ridge 35: Lindee Poper had 13 points and Alex Dusing added 12 as the Marcos picked up a home win against the Wildcats.

March 1 Girls Basketball Rockford Christian 70, Oregon 67, OT: The Hawks forced an extra period, but fell to the Lions at the Blackhawk Center.

Oregon led 12-5 after one quarter, 28-21 at halftime and 41-38 after three, but a 20-point fourth quarter from Rockford Christian sent the game to overtime tied 58-58. Courtney Park had six points in the overtime period for Rockford Christian, and 22 in the game.

Hadley Lutz led Oregon with 18 points.

Elizabeth Mois scored 14, Ella Martin and Ashlyn Kitzmiller each scored 12, and Mariah Drake scored nine.

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

14

BERTOLET LIBRARY Wednesday WhoDunIt: March 24 at 10:30 a.m. - Join us Wednesday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m. for coffee, a slice of pie, and a chat about crime solving Flavia de Luce, the delightful 11 year-old sleuth in Alan Bradley’s book The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Pick up a copy of the book at Bertolet Library. Discussion will be held, socially distanced, in the library meeting room. Masks will be

required. Registration is not necessary.

Questions? Call 815-738-2742.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten!

Instill a love of reading in your littles.

Join the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program! If you have a child that is in preschool or younger, come in and sign them up! They get a surprise for every 100 books read.

Family Story Time: Thursdays at 10

a.m. - Family Story Time is back!! Each Thursday at 10 a.m., join Miss Jana for your family’s own personal story time.

Call to register for your family time slot or follow the SignUpGenius link found on our Facebook page. Masks are required for ages 3 and up. Miss Jana can’t wait to see all of you! Extra storytime crafts will be available on Thursdays while supplies last.

New Releases Adult Fiction: Dead Man Switch by Matthew Quirk Juvenile Fiction: The Lights Under the Lake by Sophie Cleverly Board Books: Five Little Monkeys Play Hide-and-Seek by Eileen Christelow Audio Books: Here Is the Beehive

by Sarah Crossan; Ballistic by Mark Greaney

pickup is still available for anyone who wishes to use it.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Instill a lifelong love of reading in your babies and young children with this easy incentive program. Just sign up at the library to receive information and a book log and then start reading! Prizes are awarded at various levels of completion.

Preschool Activities

Looking for fun, engaging activities for your preschooler? Our Grab n Go packets include a Scholastic story paper with a different theme each month, accompanying worksheets/coloring pages, and a code to access online stories and activities. Call to reserve yours or stop in and pick one up for your favorite little person.

Library Updates

Please like our Facebook page to stay up to date with the most current information on our plans and activities and also check out our recently updated website at forrestonlibrary.org.

If you have any questions or needs, please feel free to contact us by phone at 815-938-2624, email at forrestonpubliclibrary@gmail.com, or through Facebook messaging.

do not bring your children if you will be using the computer).

Browsing is limited to 30 minutes and computer use to one hour. Curbside service will remain available. Library staff is continuing to quarantine all items for a period of time. Recently returned materials may remain on your account longer than usual. No overdue fines will be charged.

Services Offered We make copies ($0.25 per black and white page)! We fax ($2 for the first page and $0.50 each additional page)! We can scan a document and send it to email ($2 per document)! We can do voter registration.

To-Go Craft Kits for All Ages We have the following to-go craft kits

available: Kids: Pipe Cleaner Paper Clip Monster; Teens & Adults: Book Folding Heart. Call the library 815-734-4927 or email dawn.mtmorrislib@gmail.com to get yours Adult Book Club Adult Book Club will be the 4th Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. (Currently via Zoom.) Copies of the March book The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion are on their way to the library. Or feel free to grab a copy digitally. Email Dawn Winters at dawn.mtmorrislib@gmail.com to sign up (Zoom link will be sent via email).

Digital Network Access of Illinois Libraries Grant We were the recipients of a Digital Network Access of Illinois Libraries Grant which allows wifi access 24 hours a day.

Simply find MMPL Guest, agree to the Terms & Conditions on the login page and enjoy access for up to 8 hours. Funding for this grant was awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Join Our Email List Want to make sure you receive information about our upcoming programs and other important information directly?

Feel like you forget programs you were interested in because you only saw them on social media? If so, call the library 815734-4927 or email dawn.mtmorrislib@ gmail.com to be added to our email list.

FORRESTON LIBRARY Library Hours The library is open with the following hours: Monday 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., 2-7 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., 2 - 6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. We are closed on Friday and Sunday. Masks are required for everyone over the age of 2 and children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a responsible party. Curbside

MT. MORRIS LIBRARY Have a Collection or Hobby to Share? - Do you have a collection available to share with others? Things you are proud of and want others to see? What about a hobby? We have two display cases that are calling for items to be shown and viewed!! How about snowmen? Beanie babies? Penguins? History?

Art? We aren’t picky! We want to show off your items! Call the library 815-7344927 or email dawn.mtmorrislib@gmail. com for more information.

We Are Open We are open for browsing and computer use. Masks are required and you will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering the library. No unaccompanied children (ages 16 and under) will be allowed in the library at this time (please

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BYRON LIBRARY your holds online at Byron.lib.il.us or call us at 815-234-5107. Not sure what you want? Call us for help. We will call or email you with a confirmation when your holds are ready to be picked up.

Call us when you arrive at the library, and we will bring your items out to you.

A receipt with your due dates will be included with your items.

Check Out Our eBooks While we can pull books for you to deliver curbside, our digital books are available 24-7. Check out Hoopla, Libby, Axis 360 and Biblioboard for free with your library card at byron.lib.il.us/ resources/.

Print Wirelessly with Princh!

Did you know that there is an app that allows you to print from your smartphone to the Byron Library printers?

Just download Princh from the iTunes or Google Play Store. You can also use Princh to wirelessly print at the library from your computer. Just visit http:// byron.lib.il.us/ and select “Wireless Printing” from the Services menu.

Share Your Story - Monday, March 15 11 a.m. – noon via Zoom - Seniors are encouraged to join Beth as she provides monthly journal prompts.

Reflect on and record your memories for future generations. There will be a

Visit the Byron Library Facebook page to keep up to date on library news and virtual programs! Be sure to also check out the Byron Library and Byron Library Teen Instagram pages!

available for pick up you will receive the automated notification from PrairieCat. Call us at 815-732-2724 after you receive this notice to schedule your curbside pick up.

Remember to check our Facebook posts or the local papers for new releases! You can also talk to the librarians for book recommendations and to place items on hold.

COVID-19 Vaccine Notification Form We can help with completing the Ogle County Health Department COVID-19 Vaccine Notification Form.

We have computers available by appointments and staff are able to assist with completing the form. Ogle County Health Department released a form for community members to express interest in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. This

will help them determine which phase of the vaccination plan you are in and when you may be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Call the Library at 815-7322724 during regular business hours and library staff can also register you over the phone.

New OPLD Dial-a-story Just added...call 630-397-0912 to hear a story. New children’s stories every week. Let us know if you like them or have any requests.

Library Book Clubs The Afternoon Book Club meets Wednesday, March 17 at 1 p.m. to discuss Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.

Books on Tap Book Club meets at Cork N Tap, pending COVID-19 mitiga-

tion recommendations, on Thursday, March. 25 at 6 p.m. to discuss The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate. The New Cookbook Book Club meets Thursday, March 11 at 6:30 pm to discuss Stock the Crock by Phyllis Good.

The 2WBC Book Club meets Wednesday, March 10 at 12:30 p.m. to discuss Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher.

Oregon Writer’s Group, 10 a.m. second Tuesday each month The OWG is a gathering of writers or writer-wannabes who meet to support each other and to further their own writing. The purpose of the group is to help and encourage you in your writing.

If you need brainstorming ideas, we can help suggest ideas or aid with the creative process.

6 p.m. Wednesday, March 10 - Get on Zoom with other teens to play Among Us! Registration is required and capped at 9 participants. Register at pololibrary. org. Note: You will need two devices to participate, one that you can use for Zoom, and one on which you can actually play the game.

I Heart Polo - Family Program - Saturday, March 13 - Saturday, April 17 Learn about the history, places, and people of Polo together as a family.

Get the whole family together and join Ms. Melanie as she kicks off “I Heart Polo” with a special live Storytime Saturday on March 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Facebook.com/pololibrary On Wednesday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m., join Ms. Melanie on Zoom for a Family Trivia Night, all about Polo.

There will be more “I Heart Polo” programs happening in April, so keep watching Facebook.com/pololibrary so you don’t miss out on any of the fun.

Creating a Shady Garden Respite Zoom - 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25 Join Polo Public Library as we host Master Gardener, Carl Monk, who will share how to create a Shady Garden Respite.

Perfect for that area of your yard that doesn’t get a lot of sun!

Register in advance at Pololibrary.org Book Subscription Box - Grades 6-12 - The book subscription box contains one book to read and some goodies. You pick the genre, we supply the book! Email library@pololibrary.org and ask for a Book Subscription Box form, fill it out, and we’ll call you to set up a pickup time when your box is ready! Read

the book while you enjoy some treats, then return the book in the book drop.

Book Clubs Polo Library currently has two traditional book clubs meeting via Zoom, one on the second Friday of each month and one on the fourth Monday of each month, both at 1:30 p.m. There is also a third book club that is a books to movies group that meets on Zoom on the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm. Please email carlap@pololibrary.org.

Polo Cycle Yearbooks for Sale Polo Public Library has 66 Polo Community High School “Cycle” Yearbooks available for sale. They are all withdrawn library yearbooks, so they do have library markings and are in varying conditions. We are asking $5-$10 based on condition.

designated time for seniors to share their stories with the group, if interested. A journal will be provided to new registrants and will be available for pick up at the library any time after Friday, March 12.

Please visit Byron.evanced.info/ signup or call 815-234-5107 to register.

Zoom meeting ID will be emailed to registrants.

OREGON LIBRARY Library Procedures The Oregon Public Library is currently offering curbside pick-up and appointments for browsing, computer use, printing or faxing. Please call 815-7322724 to schedule pick-ups or appointments.

If you are interested in curbside pick up or a computer reservation, holds can be placed three different ways: Online through the catalog: http://search.prairiecat.info/iii/ encore/?lang=eng Over the phone with Library staff at 815-732-2724, or through our NEW mobile App - PrairieCat Mobile.

Log into your library account with your library card number and PIN (last four digits of the library card number).

Once your requested items are

POLO LIBRARY Polo Library Building Open The Polo Library building is now open for in-person browsing and computer use.

Curbside services will continue to be available during open hours. Masks will be required for entry.

Open hours will be Mondays - 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Tuesdays - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wednesdays - 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Thursdays - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Fridays - 10 a.m.

- 4 p.m, and Saturdays - 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Do You Need Help Registering for Your COVID-19 Vaccine?

Polo Library can help! Call 815-9462713 to register over the phone with one of our staff members, or stop in during our open hours and use one of our two patron computers to register.

Among Us - Teen Program - Zoom -

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

Library is Fine Free Read more and worry less, for the Byron Library has gone fine free. How does it work? There will still be a due date for items checked out and returned to the Byron Library, but patrons will no longer be charged a fee for bringing materials back late. Just remember to bring your materials back, because you will receive a bill for items that are overdue by 21 days or more. As a bonus, we’ve also waived all of those old late fees. Start a new chapter at the Byron Library.

Curbside Delivery Curbside service is here to stay. Place

15

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

16

YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Residential electronics recycling collection March 26 The Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department (OCSWMD) will be holding a residential electronic recycling event on Friday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the County Annex Building at 909 Pines Road in Oregon.

Due to building usage that day, participants are required to enter this recycling event on Bennett Drive. Signs will be posted. Bennett Drive is located just east of the County Annex Building main entrance.

A free permit is required in advance to attend this recycling

OBITUARIES RONALD G. BURKE EAST TROY, Wis. – Ronald G. Burke of East Troy, Wisconsin, passed away Saturday, February 20, 2021, at Angels Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

Originally of Mt. Morris, Ron was born May 23, 1950 to Arthur and Harriet Burke (nee Hogan). He was a 1968 graduate of Mt. Morris High School and attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Prior to retirement, Ron spent many years in the employ of Wildeck Mezzanines and A.O. Smith Corporation.

Ron was an active hunter and outdoorsman who enjoyed his time in Wisconsin’s north woods and on the waters of Lake Beulah, usually accompanied by a pet golden retriever.

He was a dedicated fan of the Packers, Brewers, Bucks, and Badgers.

Ron is survived by his long-time partner, Judy Gilmore; son, Dan Burke (Dawn); grandson, Domonic Burke; canine, Archie; other relatives; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents. The family plans to make a memorial donation to a cause that Ron supported.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to contribute may forward a memorial donation to the family.

Ron’s family extends its appreciation

event. Permits are limited and must be requested by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24.

To obtain a permit call the OCSWMD at 815-732-4020 or email the department at solidwaste@oglecounty.org and provide your name address, phone number and email address.

Permits are limited to one per household per month, and allow up to seven items to be brought in for recycling.

This event is for Ogle County residential electronics. Accepted items include all types of televisions and computer monitors, computers and all computer hardware and cables, laptops, tablets, cell phones, video game equipment, printers, FAX machines, copiers, scanners, VCR/ DVD players, cable and satellite boxes, all remote controls (please remove batteries), radios,

stereo equipment, phones, digital clocks, calculators, holiday light strands, computer power back-ups, rechargeable batteries, and printer ink cartridges.

Microwave ovens are accepted for a $5 fee per unit.

A full list of accepted items and further instructions will be included with issuance of the permit.

Call the OCSWMD at the number above, visit www.oglecounty.org, or go to Facebook at Ogle County Solid Waste Management for more information.

POLO POLICE to the staff at Angels Grace Hospice for the care and comfort they provided him in his final days.

Legacy Funeral Services in East Troy, Wis., is assisting the family with a private service. Interment will be at Oak Ridge Cemetery, East Troy, Wisconsin.

Legacy Funeral Services, 262-6425057, 2974 Main St. East, Troy, WI 53120.

RYLYNN GRACE GRAVENSTEIN FORRESTON — Rylynn Grace Gravenstein, born February 20, 2021 to her parents, Jeremy and Janesa Gravenstein and very proud big brother Rhett, passed away February 22.

Although her time for this world was extremely short, she was loved by so many and left an amazing footprint on so many lives for her short time here.

She is survived by her parents, Jeremy and Janesa Gravenstein; big brother, Rhett; grandparents, Allan Gravenstein, and Ron and Becky Deshazo. Also surviving are many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her grandma, Carol Gravenstein and great-grandparents.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Please sign Rylynn’s guestbook at www.burketubbs.com.

Let us know what’s happening in your hometown!

Email: news@oglecountynews.com

Polo Police Chief Tim Rockwood released the following police activity.

Feb. 17 Ricky J. Rippy, 22, of Polo, was cited for speeding 41 mph in a 30 mph speed zone, and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle. Rippy was released on an I-Bond.

Feb. 25 Brandon M. Reynolds, 37, of Rockford, was cited for driving with a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, and no insurance. Reynolds was released on an I-Bond.

Feb. 26 Eric H. Rivera, 61, of Legihg Acres,

Florida, was cited for speeding 40 mph in a 30 mph speed zone. Rivera was released on an I-Bond.

Feb. 27 Isabel Emmert, 20, of Polo, was cited for speeding 47 mph in a 35 mph speed zone. Emmert was released on an I-Bond.

Nicholas T. Fullington, 25, of Sterling, was cited for operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and no valid registration. Fullington was issued a Notice to Appear.

Mary A. Collie, 54, of Polo, was cited for speeding 48 mph in a 35 mph speed zone. Collie was released on an I-Bond.

OREGON POLICE Oregon Police Chief Shawn Melville reports the following police activity.

Five verbal warnings were issued Feb. 22-28.

Feb. 22 Carrie A. Cowley, 29, of Oregon was arrested at 12:27 p.m. on an outstanding Whiteside County warrant. Cowley was transported to the Ogle County jail.

Please note: Any arrests listed are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Feb. 28 Sarah J. Kirby, 25, of Mendota, was arrested at 6:14 p.m. on an outstanding Lee County warrant for failure to appear. Kirby was also issued citations for driving while license suspended and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

These violations occurred in the 600 block of S. 4th Street.

General Calls for Service Through dispatch Feb. 22-28 Checking a Subject / Vehicle...........10 Citizen Complaints...............................5 Citizen Assist / Civil Problem ............ 7 Assist EMS / Other Department .......9 Disturbance / Domestic Battery .......3 911 Hang-up / Open Line .....................1 Ordinance Violations ...........................2 Traffic Stops..........................................5

STATE POLICE were nine arrests for driving while under the influence.

District 1, which encompasses Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside counties, investigated no fatal traffic crashes in February.

March 1 At approximately 10:03 p.m., a trooper stopped a vehicle on Interstate 39 southbound at milepost 104 in Ogle County, for an equipment violation.

During the traffic stop investigation, the trooper learned the driver, Shakill

O. Easterling, 29, Mendenhall, Mississippi, had a suspended driver’s license.

Easterling was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. He was also issued a written warning for improper lighting.

Easterling was released on a recognizance bond.

At approximately 11:27 p.m., a trooper stopped a vehicle on Interstate 39 northbound at milepost 11 in Ogle County. During the traffic stop investigation, Noel Sena, 37, of Rockford, was arrested and charged with driving while licensed suspended, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. He was also wanted on two outstanding Ogle County warrants.

Sena was transported and lodged at Ogle County Jail.

OGLE COUNTY SHERIFF Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle reports the following activity Feb. 23 Tyson McCarthy, 20, of DeKalb was arrested at 1 a.m. for driving while license suspended and a valid DeKalb County warrant after deputies stopped a vehicle on Interstate 39 at mile marker 109 for speeding. McCarthy was also cited for speeding 87 miles per hour in a 70 mile per hour zone. He was released at the scene on a $2,500 I-bond and given a return court date in DeKalb County of March 29 at 9 a.m.

Robert Disch was arrested on an outstanding Ogle County warrant. Disch remained in custody at the Ogle County Jail with a bond of $3,408 pending a

court appearance.

Feb. 24 David Verbout, 37, of Milledgeville was arrested at 5:31 p.m. for driving while license suspended after deputies initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Milledgeville Road and Goose Road. Verbout was released on an I-bond.

Jacobi O’Bryant, 25, of Sterling was arrested at 9:10 p.m. for no valid driver’s license and an out-of-state warrant after deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Fourth Street at Franklin Street in Oregon for an equipment violation.

O’Bryant was released on a signature I-Bond for no valid driver’s license and

transported to the Ogle County Jail for the out-of-state warrant.

Feb. 25 Carlos De Los Reyes, 21, of Rochelle was arrested at 7:52 p.m. for felony possession of cannabis, 100-500 grams, no valid driver’s license and obstructing identification after deputies initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Illinois 251 and Illinois 64. De Los Reyes was transported to the Ogle County Jail where he was held in lieu of bond.

Feb. 26 Amaya Watters, 20, of Rockford was arrested at 12:02 a.m. for no valid driver’s license after deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 6,000 block of South Illinois 251 in rural Rochelle on a Ford

Taurus for an equipment violation. Watters was released on a notice to appear with a court date of March 24 at 9 a.m.

Alyssa M. Trotter, 28, of Polo was arrested at 4:15 p.m. for defrauding a drug and alcohol screening test after deputies responded to the Ogle County probation department. Trotter was transported to the Ogle County Jail where she was held in lieu of bond.

March 1 Carlos Andres, 21, of Rockford was arrested at 2:38 p.m. for driving while license suspended after deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 7,000 block of North Illinois 2. Andres was released on an I-Bond and given a future court date.

PROPERTY TRANSFERS These Ogle County property transfers were recorded week of Feb. 19-25.

Warranty Deeds Armin and Mary Margaret Engelhardt to Kerry L. and Marcy K. Hughes, 3022 W. Camp Road, Mt. Morris, $176,000.

Andrew W. Wilt and Aubrey A. Moon to Karlie Marie Sue-Ann Henry, 1190 W. Second St., Byron, $160,000.

James B. Cappel to Esmeralda Garcia, 1204 Westview Drive, Rochelle, $125,000.

Betty J. Armstrong to Jose J. Navarrete, 225 W. Willis Ave., Rochelle, $160,000.

Michael J. Schultz to Richard A. and Cynthia M. Schultz, one parcel in Flagg Township, $238,000.

Gerald L. and Crystal L. Pohlman to Carol A. Brown, 209 N. Mississippi Drive, Dixon, $130,000.

Polo Cooperative Association to Haldane Custom Paint and Body Inc., 105 W. Oregon St., Polo, $50,000.

Randi Isham, Justin B., Shelly and Jerald E. Rosecke Jr. to William D. Hindenburg, 112 E. Splendor Court, Forreston, $175,000.

•Stanley C. Ludwig and Ogle County Recorder to Jon M. and Renee M. Ludwig, one parcel on N. Columbine Road, Forreston, $0.

Nordic Investment Corp. and Nordic Park Realty Inc. to David Funk, two parcels in Rockvale Township, $11,000.

Vulcan Building LLC to Jonathan Dano, 1101 Depot St., Davis Junction, $225,900.

Alan G. and Donna A. Benke to Isaac J. Hock, 7071 N. Alpine Drive, Byron, $180,000.

Jordan M. and Allison B. Kittinger to Ricky L. and Christene A. Zinke, 725 N.

Seven Hickory Road, $165,000.

JM Commercial Holdings LLC to Jordan M. and Allison B. Kittinger, 1104 Old Hunter Run, Byron, $190,000.

The late Lilas V. Grabow by heirs to Donald G. and Jordan G. Smith, 101 W. Montague Road, Forreston, $7,000.

Mildred L. Nichols to Lynnay C. Hamill, 3710 W. Rock St., Grand Detour, $50,000.

Quit Claim Deeds Stanley C. Ludwig and Ogle County Recorder to Stanley C. and Karen K. Ludwig, 503 E. Green St., Forreston, $0.

Cleo J. Straley to Chad D. Timmer, 7020 N. State Route 2, $0.

Trustee’s Deeds Richard A. Yankus Trust 99, Mary M. and Richard A. Yankus to Trenton A. Magnuson, one parcel in Marion Town-

ship, $150,000.

White Oak Trust, Joshua J. Petry, trustee to Vulcan Building LLC, 1007 Northwestern Ave., Davis Junction, $0.

Ronald M. Voltz, trustee to Omar Villalobos, 309 Southview Drive, Rochelle, $60,000.

Joyce M. Hunsaker Revocable Trust 1, Joyce M. Hunsaker, trustee to Morgyn Bennett, 4894 E Nordic Woods Drive, $194,000.

Executor’s Deed The late Karen K. Ludwig by executor to Benjamin L. and Karissa R. Engelberts, 6865 N. Columbine Road, Forreston, $174,000.

Sheriff’s Deed Sheriff of Ogle County and Nicholas Strobach to AJ Homes LLC, 915 N. 16th St., Rochelle, $80,521.

Source: Ogle County Recorder’s Office

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

Monthly activity for February Illinois State Police District 1 Troopers issued 324 citations, 362 written warnings, and made 15 criminal arrests during the month of February.

Speeding accounted for 136 citations, 17 citations were issued for occupant restraint violations and 13 citations were issued for distracted driving violations.

Troopers investigated 38 traffic crashes, assisted 217 motorists, and conducted 148 commercial vehicle inspections, 20 of which were placed out-of-service for safety reasons. There

17

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

18

ADELINE ZION EVANGELICAL CHURCH 9106 Cedar St. in Adeline Phone 815-541-4863

BAILEYVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH

303 W. Franklin St., Baileyville Pastor Gary Branam www.baileyvillebaptistchurch.org

BAILEYVILLE REFORMED CHURCH

400 W. Center St., Baileyville Pastor Bruce Otto 815-235-1201

BROOKVILLE & ELKHORN UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES

Brookville: 17725 W. Chamber St. in Brookville Elkorn: Corner of Wilson Mill & Brick Church Roads

CHANA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 606 Main St., Chana Pastor Matt Smith 815-732-7683 chanaumc@gmail.com

CHRIST OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH

2035 Ill. Rt. 26, Dixon 815-284-4554 Pastor David Andermann 815-632-6767

OPEN BIBLE

302 S. Franklin St., Polo Luke Schier, Pastor 815-946-2848 PoloOpenBible.org

CROSSROADS COMMUNITY CHURCH Polo Campus

EAST OREGON CHAPEL CHURCH OF GOD

107 N. Daysville Rd., Oregon Pastor John Guthrie 815-732-2960 or 815-732-6569

EBENEZER REFORMED CHURCH

FORRESTON REFORMED CHURCH

2997 N. German Church Rd. Rev. Josiah Youngquist.

815-732-6313 www.ebenezerreformed.com

EMMANUEL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 764 N. Stillman Road, Oregon (Payne’s Point) Pastor Andrew Kayes 815-732-2424

EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF MT. MORRIS 102 S. Seminary St., Mt. Morris Senior Pastor Bruce McKanna Associate Pastor Logan Murphy 815-734-4942 www.efcmm.org office@efcmm.org

FAITH DISCOVERY CHURCH 801 W. Oregon St., Polo Pastor Jeremy Heller 815-946-3588

501 Third Ave. Pastor Lyle Zumdahl 815-938-2424 lylezumdahl@gmail.com

FREEDOM LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA

Pastor Karyn Kost 815-661-6315 www.freedomlutheran.org.

GERMAN VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Church and Main Streets Pastor Don Plock

GRACE VALLEY CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH 8210 E. Edwardsville Rd., German Valley Pastor Eric Schlukebir 815-362-6601

LEAF RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH

FAITH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

402 Second Ave., Forreston Pastor Scott Ralston Church 815-938-3203

FAITH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 702 E. Dixon St., Polo Pastor Brian LeBaron 815-946-3212 faithumcpolo

6941 N. Mt. Morris Rd., Leaf River Pastor Billy Hardy 815-738-2205 leafriverbc@gmail.com

LEAF RIVER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 104 E. Rt. 72, Leaf River Pastor Sung-Eun Kim 815-345-3038

LIGHTHOUSE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

205 N. Jefferson Ave., Polo Pastor Chris Bradshaw 815-837-5255 polo@crossroadscn.com www.crossroadscn.com

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

DISCIPLES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

505 Hill St., Oregon Pastor David Snow 815-732-2642 www.fbcoregon.org

4938 S. Daysville Rd., Oregon Pastor Matt Smith

MT. MORRIS CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

102 N. Maple St., Mt. Morris Pastor Julie Bunt 815-734-4853 www.disciplesumc.org

200 S. Fifth St., Oregon Rev. Karen Gerhard Conner 815-732-2894 www.fpcoregon.com

EAST JORDAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

22027 Polo Rd., Sterling Jim Miller, Pastor 815-626-0104

FORRESTON GROVE CHURCH

7246 N. Freeport Rd., Forreston Presbyterian Church in America Pastor Drew Jones 815-938-3605 www.forrestongrovechurch.com

402 First Ave., Forreston Pastor Sung-Eun Kim 815-938-2380

409 W. Brayton Rd, P.O. Box 2055 Mt. Morris, IL 61054 Pastor Rodney Caldwell Phone: 815-734-4573

NORTH GROVE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

10384 W. Coffman Rd., Forreston Pastor Mark Phillips Church: 815-938-2194 Pastor’s Cell: 760-550-4563

OREGON CHURCH OF GOD

ST. MARY CHURCH

860 W. Oregon Trail Rd. Pastor Michael Hoffman 815-732-6847

301 N. Fourth St., Oregon Father Joseph P. Naill Office Phone 815-732-7383 Office FAX 815-732-4742

OREGON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

200 S. Fourth, Oregon Rev. Megan Smick 815-732-2994 oregonumc@outlook.com

PINE CREEK CHRISTIAN CHURCH 5076 S. Lowell Park Rd. Pastor Charlotte Hoppe 815-946-3949

POLO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

Congress Ave. & Webster St. PoloCob3@rgmail.com

PRAIRIE DELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

16032 W. Coffman Rd., Shannon 815-864-2448

RIVERSTONE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 609 S. 10th St., Oregon Craig Arnold, Pastor 812-236-1213

ST. BRIDE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

1000 Ill. 64 West Oregon Rev. Eldred George 815-732-7211 www.saintbrides.org saint.bride.church@gmail.com

ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH

6024 N. Columbine Rd., Forreston Rev. Karyn Kost 815-661-6315 pastorofstjames1850@gmail.com

ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

201 N. Division Ave., Polo Pastor Terrie Wilder 815-946-2919

213 N. Franklin Ave., Polo Father Joseph P. Naill 815-946-2535

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH 114 S. Fifth St., Oregon 815-732-2367

ST. WENDELIN CATHOLIC CHURCH 18 S. Linn St., Shannon Rev. Michael Bolger 815-864-2548

SAUK VALLEY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 416 Prospect St., Dixon John Lewis, Pastor 815-677-9199

SILVER CREEK REFORMED CHURCH 326 S. Bunker Hill Rd. German Valley Pastor Grant Mulder 815-362-2129

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 308 E. Brayton Mt. Morris Pastor Josh Ehrler 815-734-6354 trinitymmil@frontier.com www.trinitymmil.net

VAN BROCKLIN-FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3582 Bolton Rd.., Freeport Pastor Dawn Barr 815-291-0601

WEST BRANCH CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN 4014 West Branch Rd., Forreston 815-938-2586

How to submit church news Changes in church listings and articles about special church services and events can be emailed to news@oglecountynews.com.

For more information call 815-732-6166 ext. 2591.

SHANNON • POLO • LAKE CARROLL

708 S. Division St., Polo • 946-2714

Byron • Oregon • Rochelle • Rockford Member Roscoe/Rockton • Stillman Valley FDIC

211 S. Division Ave., Rt. 26 Polo Member 946-2777 FDIC

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 101

LEGAL NOTICES

101

LEGAL NOTICES

101

p IN THE CIRCUIT date of first publi- sion, unless under cation, or within Section 28-4 of the COURT OF THE FIFTEENTH three (3) months Probate Act (755 from the date of ILCS 5/28-4) any JUDICIAL mailing or delivery interested person CIRCUIT OGLE indeof Notice to credi- terminates COUNTY, tors, if mailing or pendent adminisILLINOIS In the Matter of the delivery is required tration at any time

by Section 5/18-3 by mailing or delivPetition of of the Illinois Pro- ering a petition to RANDALL REED bate Act, 1975, as terminate to the KLINE, Petitioner, Clerk.

No. 2021 MR 6 amended, whichever date is Claims against the PUBLICATION later. Any claim not estate may be filed NOTICE Public Notice is filed by the requi- in the office of the hereby given that site date stated Clerk of the Court, County on the Petition of above shall be Ogle Courthouse, 106 S. RANDALL REED barred.

KLINE to change Claims against the 5th Street #300, his name to estate may be filed Oregon, IL 61061 RANDY REED in the Office of the or with the repreCROPP. The hear- Circuit Clerk, Ogle sentative, or both, Judicial on or before Auing on this Petition County will be held on 15th Center, 106 South gust 19, 2021, or day of April, 2021 5th Street, Oregon, within 3 months at 9:00 AM before IL 61061- or with from the date of Judge John C. the estate legal mailing or delivery Redington, in representative, or of notice to creditors, if mailing or Courtroorn #202 both. at the Ogle County Copies of a claim delivery is required Judicial Center, filed with the clerk by Section 18-3 of 106 S. 5th Street, must be mailed or the Probate Act, delivered to the whichever date is Oregon, Illinois.

Any claim Dated this 10th representative and later. day of February, to the attorney not filed by the within 10 days af- requisite date stat2021.

RANDALL REED ter it has been ed above is barred.

Copies of a claim KLINE filed.

By: MICHAEL J. filed with the Clerk Eric D. Morrow CRAIG Indepen- must be mailed or ARDC #6272754 dent Executor delivered to the SMITH, BIRKHOLZ representative and Law Offices of M. & MORROW, P.C. to the attorney THOMAS SUITS, Attorney for PetiP.C. 114 W. Mason within 10 days aftioner 129 S. 4th ter it has been St. Polo, IL 61064 St., P.O. Box 10 filed.

(815) 946-2276 Oregon, Illinois Thomas A. Rapp tom@ 61061 Independent suitslegal.com 815-732-6124 Executor Feb. 19, 26, eric@oglelaw.com March 5, 2021 Feb. 19, 26, Feb. 19, 26, March March 5, 2021 5, 2021 STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCIRCUIT COURT Publication Notice of Court Date for OF THE 15TH CUIT COURT OF Request for Name JUDICIAL THE FIFTEENTH Change (Adult) CIRCUIT COUNTY JUDICIAL CIRState of Illinois, OF OGLE CUIT COUNTY OF Circuit Court, Ogle PROBATE OGLE County 2020MR70 DIVISION In re the Estate of: In the Matter of the Request of: ROSEMARY CRAIG, Deceased. Estate of RODNEY Katelynn Elise Grobe 2021 P 11 R. RAPP, SR., There will be a Deceased.

CLAIM NOTICE court date on my Notice is given of No. 2021-P-16 Request to change CLAIM NOTICE the death of Notice is given of my name from: ROSEMARY CRAIG. Letters of the death of ROD- Katelynn Elise Office were issued NEY R. RAPP, SR. Grobe on February 8, of Leaf River, Illi- to the new name 2021, to MICHAEL nois. Letters of Of- of: Tate Axel Grobe J. CRAIG, as Inde- fice were issued on Court Date: pendent Executor, February 10, 2021 March 25, 2021 at whose attorney is to THOMAS A. 9:00 A.M. M. Thomas Suits, RAPP as Indepen- At 106 S. 5th Executor Street, Oregon of the Law Offices dent of M. THOMAS whose attorneys Ogle County, SUITS, P.C., 114 are WILLIAMS Mc- Courtroom #202 Katelynn Grobe West Mason CARTHY LLP, 120 March 5, 12, Street, Polo, Illinois W. State St., P.O. & 19, 2021 61064.

Box 219, Rockford, Claims against the IL 61105.

CARS815.com estate may be filed The estate will be Search for within six (6) administered withlocal cars months from the out court supervi-

VOLUNTEERS

126

CASA 15th Judicial Circuit (Lee/ Carroll/Ogle Counties) is seeking volunteers in the Ogle County area to advocate for children in the Ogle County court system involved in abuse and neglect cases.

Your involvement can impact a child’s future.

Contact Trisha Morrow, Executive Director (815) 288-1901 www.casaleecar roll.com

APARTMENTSFURNISHED 305

ROCK FALLS 1 & 2BR Hampton Apts.

815-625-7043

STERLING Sinnissippi Townhomes Spacious 2/3BR 2 story townhomes Central air, Good location. Laundry hookup.

(815)626-1130.

Ogle County Classifieds

EMPLOYMENT

505

Winstead Pallet Salvage Looking for a CDL truck driver.

Hours are MonFri 6am to 3pm.

Some days may be until 4:00.

Deliveries are local. Please call 815-626-9545 to set up an appointment.

GREAT GARAGE SALES

IN THE CLASSIFIEDS

Inside Sales Representative Dixon, IL

Sauk Valley Media has a full-time opening for an Inside Sales Representative.

Sauk Valley Media, part of Shaw Media, publishes two daily newspapers: the Telegraph and the Daily Gazette,nine weekly publications and also maintains a vibrant and timely online and social media presence.

About This Opportunity: This position requires excellent relationship building skills, a positive team driven attitude, written and verbal communication skills, excellent phone skills, goal driven, multitasking ability, computer and typing skills, ability to manage deadlines, strong organizational skills, an eye for detail, and a proactive work ethic.

About Shaw Media: Shaw Media publishes over 150 titles in Illinois and Iowa.

Its holdings include websites, newspapers, magazines, a video production unit and a digital marketing services division. Founded in Dixon, Illinois, Shaw Media has been privately owned by the Shaw family since its inception in 1851.

Enjoy the Rewards of WorkingAmong the Best: In return for your contributions to our success, Shaw Media offers a competitive benets package, including medical, dental, vision and 401(k) with company match, as well as opportunities to advance within the company.

Apply Today!

Please submit a cover letter and resume: Apply online: www.shawmedia.com/careers Or Mail to:

LOOKING FOR QUALITY NEWSPAPER CARRIERS Routes Available Now Dixon

4th Ave, Graham, Hubbell (Rt. 3102 - 58 customers) 1st-4th Ave, Palmyra St, Hill Dr (Rt. 3107 - 83 customers) Marclare, Apple, Brinton, Washington (Rt. 3081 - 90 customers)

Sterling and Rock Falls

Several routes available! Call for more details.

Call for available Motor Routes!

est. 1851

CALL 815-625-3600 EXT. 5301 Telegraph • 113 S. Peoria Dixon, IL 61021

HAZELHURST ANNUAL SPRING CONSIGNMENT LIVE-VIRTUAL AUCTION SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021

Online bidding will require early delivery. We want to keep everyone safe and healthy (social distancing, masks, etc) therefore we will only be accepting tractors, farm implements, trucks, trailers, vehicles. Plus running riding mowers, 4x4’s, 3 wheelers, golf carts. *** Also accepting small farm items, Good tires will be accepted. NOhayrack items, used lumber or household items. We have the Right to Refuse!*** Questions, please contact us.

Location - Midway between Polo, IL and Milledgeville, IL (17748 W. Milledgeville Rd, Polo 61064 - Mrs. Sherwood Shank Farm) at the corner of Milledgeville Road and Ogle (Brookville) Road. Loading dock and boom tractors/operators available to unload & load most anything.

Consignments can be called in by March 15 for the salebill advertising and then brought to the auction sight: March 19, 20, 22 through 27, 29, 30 & 31 between the hours of 7:30 am & 5 pm (gates locked).

Gates will be open on April 1 & 2 between 10:00 am & 5:00 pm for viewing (and getting a buyer number).

Please follow PPE Guidelines!

To list equipment, contact: LYLE HOPKINS (IL#440.000185) POLO, IL 815-441-1251 815-946-2660 EMAIL—slpaspolo@gmail.com John Hopkins 815-994-1836 LENNY BRYSON (IL#440.000158) POLO, IL 815-946-4120 SM-ST1861818

Sauk Valley Media Human Resources 113 S. Peoria Avenue Dixon, IL 61021 est. 1851

Shaw Media is a Drug-Free Employer. Pre-employment background check and drug screen required. This posting may not include all duties of the position.

Got something special you no longer use?

Sell it in the Classifieds.

It may just be the perfect item to fill somebody elseʼs need.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

LEGAL NOTICES

19

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 5, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

20

EMPLOYMENT

505

3rd Shift Supervisor Position

The Production Supervisor, with limited supervision, will oversee and direct hourly employee work performance to accomplish daily production and shipping requirements consistent with quality control and safety/health policies and procedures. Candidate must have previous supervisory experience, preferably in mining, manufacturing or a related industry.

Please apply online, no walk-ins will be accepted.

Apply to https://www. coviacorp.com/ careers/ Look under Oregon, IL.

GREAT GARAGE SALES

IN THE CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT

505

Position available Village of at Progress for nurse to work with adults having developmental disabilities.

RN preferred but LPN will be considered.

We are an experienced and dedicated staff serving the needs of adults with developmental disabilities in the Oregon area. You will be working in a team setting, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Primary responsibilities include: direct care and nursing which includes monitoring dietary needs and restrictions, blood pressure checks, med pass as needed, hoyer and standing lifts, safety orientation for new individuals, safety inservices, MSDS paperwork, case record paperwork, and charting.

Submit resume and two letters of reference to Village of Progress, P.O. Box 418, Oregon, IL 61061 EOE

EMPLOYMENT

505

EMPLOYMENT

505

SALESPERSONS

RCRCC, LLC is now hiring Salespersons to locate individuals and businesses, to purchase a product that is not physical in nature, a food or drink product, a non-drug, a multi-level marketing system, but a high quality “service” that should be welcomed by our future clients or customers. Service area covers northern 1/3 of Illinois (outside of Chicago).

Over a period of the next 4-5 months, RCRCC, LLC will be hiring: 5 Sales Managers 20 Sales Persons Please mail resume to: RCRCC, LLC Box 546, Dixon Post Office Dixon, IL 61021

EMPLOYMENT

505

EMPLOYMENT

505

HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) MANAGER

Must have a strong record of success as a manager or asst manager of a HR Department(s). Starting salary will be negotiated on the basis of prior experience, reasons for leaving prior employment, and prior salaries.

Job will consist of: Managing HR Department Locating highly qualified applicants Writing new employee manual Recommending: salaries & benefits Be available to start now or in a very short period.

Please mail resume to: RCRCC, LLC Box 546, Dixon Post Office Dixon, IL 61021

WANT TO BUY 795 Local Buyer Pays Cash 4 Gold, Silver, Coins, Estate Gold, Single Earrings, Antiques, etc. 24/7 779-245-2950

LIVESTOCK / SUPPLIES

840

DISABLED LIVESTOCK WANTED Top Prices Paid 815-871-2697 SCHAAP LIVESTOCK

AUTOMOBILES 905 2003 Acura MDX Touring Great shape $4200 815-973-2437

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