Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS November 7, 2013 Volume 46, Number 36 - $1.00
Lady Hawks Win!
Playoff Action
Recycle Program
The Lady Hawks advance to the finals of the South Beloit Sectional. B1
The Hawks come from behind to upset Wilmington. B1
A new recycling program for residential electronics begins on Nov. 15. A11
Artist inspired by bean fields By Vinde Wells Editor Walking through soybean fields as a youngster gave artist Pamela Lee the idea for “Soy Pod,� the ninth addition to the Community Art Legacy’s series of 10 sculptures. “I got my inspiration for ‘Soy Pod’ from living in the community and having my father take me into farm fields,� she said Nov. 2 at the unveiling and dedication of her sculpture on the Oregon Public Library’s lot west of the Oregon Post Office. She grew up on the rural edges of Chicago suburbs and said now she often observes the soybeans growing in the field outside the windows of her home in Grayslake. The bronze sculpture is a large open soybean pod with farm animals emerging from the beans inside. The Community Arts Legacy (CAL) was founded nearly a decade ago with
the goal of erecting 10 new sculptures in the Oregon area in 10 years. Artists were then invited to enter sculptures in an annual contest at the Art Festival sponsored each June by The Fields Project. The overall theme of the festival and contest is the blending of art and agriculture, both part of Ogle County’s heritage. “Soy Pod� was selected as the winner of the contest for 2013. Jeff Adams, owner of inBronze Foundry, Mt. Morris, where the statue was cast, said he was pleased that Lee’s submission was chosen. “Pamela has been in the Army Chaplain Matt Madison presents a folded American flag to Myrna Hart Aug. 12 at Arlington National Cemetery. contests for three years, and Seated with her a her sons, Adam and Ryan and his wife, Elizabeth. Photo courtesy of Myrna Hart she has had dynamite pieces all three years,� he said. “I was really glad one of Pamela’s was finally number one instead of number two.� By Vinde Wells for our family,� she said. “No CAL member Doug Editor other place felt right.� Wean told the crowd of Army chaplain Captain Turn to A3 An Oregon veteran, Matt Madison presided over decorated for his bravery the graveside service. while serving in Vietnam, He spoke of Hart’s was laid to rest last summer gallantry in action during the at Arlington National Vietnam War, his 32-year Cemetery, Arlington, Va. teaching career, his family, Philip F. Hart, who earned and his travel adventures. a Silver Star, was buried with A gun salute, flag folding Once the word got out in full military honors Aug. 12 ceremony, and military the local newspaper about the at a ceremony attended by his bugler playing “Taps� were closing, Wiesner said he had family and friends. distinctive parts of the a potential buyer. Hart, 66, died unexpectedly military ceremony. “He’s been to see me three from heart complications on Friends, neighbors, and times in the last month,� Jan. 7 this year. His service former colleagues attended Wiesner said. record qualified him for from the local area were also In the year the restaurant burial at Arlington. in attendance. Two dozen had been on the market, “Standing at his gravesite family members from various he said no one had shown (#3971 in section 55), as you locales were present as well. interest. look across the Potomac River Hart served as an “The real estate people towards Washington D.C., infantryman in Vietnam didn’t find anybody, and the the Washington Monument with Delta Company 2/8 of newspapers did,� Wiesner is directly in your view,� said the First Cavalry Division in said with a wry chuckle. his wife Myrna, who attended 1967 and 1968. During his The last customer left just the ceremony with their two tour of duty he was awarded after 2 p.m. Oct. 31. Business sons Adam and Ryan. the Silver Star for valor was brisk in the last few days Myrna said the family had displayed on the battlefield as before the closing, he said. visited Arlington many times a Private First Class. “The outpouring from the over the years and it seemed Myrna said he enlisted community has been unreal like the appropriate place for rather than waiting to be Philip Hart served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 196768 and was decorated for gallantry in action. Photo her husband to be buried. Turn to A3 Turn to A3 courtesy of Myrna Hart “It’s been a special place
Local veteran buried at Arlington
Maxson’s serves last lunch on Oct. 31 By Vinde Wells Editor The last customer is gone and the lights are shut off at one of Oregon’s landmark restaurants, but the situation may not be permanent. After serving lunch Oct. 31, Maxson’s Riverside Restaurant closed its doors. The restaurant, which includes the Pride of Oregon Riverboat, had been in business for more than 60 years under four owners. However, owner Rich Wiesner said he’s holding out hope that the well-known eatery, with its unparalleled view of the Rock River and Black Hawk Statue, may reopen.
Flag on dam disappears By Vinde Wells Editor The American flag that waved in the breeze on the Rock River dam in Oregon for the last two months has disappeared as mysteriously as it appeared. Oregon Police Chief Darin DeHaan said Tuesday that he noticed the flag was gone approximately a week ago, but has no idea how or where it went. “I’m not sure if it got knocked loose or if someone made their way out there,� he said. The flag mysteriously Mt. Morris Sewer plant supervisor Jack Beck explains how the new wastewater treatment plant works to a group who toured the facility Nov. 2. Photo by Vinde Wells appeared in late August, on
Sewer Tour
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B5 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4
a pole securely fixed near the center of the dam. DeHaan said he still has received no tips on who put it there or how. He said that with all the mostly positive attention it has received, he is surprised no one has come forward. At the time it appeared, both DeHaan and Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller stressed the danger of getting too near the dam for any reason. “I wouldn’t encourage it,� DeHaan said then. “Doing anything around the dam is dangerous.� The Oregon dam has been the site of several accidental drownings over the years.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, A14, B1-B3 State’s Attorney, B5
Reyes Perez, 37, Chicago, drowned July 4, 2012 when he waded off a small island just below the dam. His body was recovered the following day. Fifteen-year-old Damiam Folwarkow, Chicago, got too near the dam while fishing at Oregon Park East on July 29, 2007 and was swept under the water by the strong current. He also drowned. Samir Zukanovic, 29, Chicago, drowned Aug. 13, 2006 when he was fishing from the east bank of the river just below the dam and tried to wade to an island. The current also knocked him down.
Death, B4 Tressa L. Willstead-Sheely
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