Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
November 21, 2013 Volume 163, Number 49 - $1.00
Season Previews
Nativities
School Board
OHS bowlers and the girls basketball team prepare for the season. B1
A variety of Nativity scenes will be on display in Oregon Nov. 30. B6
A reduction in property values may result in the school board raising its tax levy. B6
Ogle County Board approves 2014 budget 22-1 By Vinde Wells Editor Only one Ogle County Board member cast a no vote Tuesday against the 2014 budget. The $39. 3 million budget was approved 22-1 with
only Skip Kenney, Rochelle, voting against it. John O’Brien, Rochelle, did not attend the meeting. “It’s not a balanced budget,� Kenney said after the meeting. “You’ve got to live within your means.� He said too much is being
taken out of the Long Range Planning Fund to bolster other funds. Revenues in that fund come from the host fees paid by garbage collection firms to dump refuse in the landfills within the county. The fees bring
approximately $2.5 million per year into the county’s coffers. According to the budget, the Long Range Planning Fund, which is earmarked for major capital projects, is projected to start the new fiscal year Dec. 1 with a
balance of $13 million, add approximately $2.5 million in revenues throughout the year, and end with a balance of $9.5 million. The largest budgeted expenditures in the Long Range Planning Fund are $4.1 million for a new
By Chris Johnson Reporter Safety and an understanding of the law were stressed during a recent concealed carry class. Certified instructors from the Twin Towers Gun Club were offering a Nov. 16 class in Oregon to train a dozen people with the rules and regulations. A second portion of the class, practical skills, includes range shooting and additional safety demonstrations. “A gun is a tool of self defense,� said instructor Scott Schultz. “No one needs to know you have the gun.� He said having a concealed carry permit does not give the weapon’s owner the right to go up to people and wave their gun around. Students in the class learned that Illinois defines a concealed firearm as a loaded or unloaded handgun on or about a person. A firearm is concealed if it is completely or mostly concealed. “If you can see the gun it is not concealed,� Schultz said. “If it is accidentally visible that is allowed.� A concealed gun could be revealed when bending over or raising arms above your head, he said. Training is required to earn the privilege to carry a concealed carry permit. “In Illinois you need to be 21 years old, and complete the training,� said Schultz. “The license is only valid for
five years.� Training consists of an 16 hours which includes classroom time and pistol class at a gun range, both with certified instructors. To qualify for a license a shooter needs to be 70 percent accurate on a target over 30 rounds. Ten are at 5 yards, 10 at 7 yards, and 10 at 10 yards on a standard B-27 target. “In addition to being accurate, you need to follow all of the instructors instructions during the range class,� said Schultz. To renew a license, an additional three hours of training is required. The permit fee is $150. During the application process, local police agencies will have the ability to view who is requesting a permit and can make an objection to the application. A situation that will come up for concealed carry permit-holders are routine traffic stops. Any interaction with a police officer, including a traffic stop, the officer can request a concealed carry license. Schultz said the permitholder does not need to disclose the permit or if a gun is on their person or in their car unless specifically asked by an officer. “You are not required to tell the officer you have a gun, but after a request you need to tell them about the weapon,� Schultz said. Instructor Jason White, who is also the Mt. Morris Police Chief, had a suggestion for permit-holders. “Do not yell ‘I have a gun’ because an officer might
Turn to A2
Twister destroys couple’s home
Concealed Carry Class Instructors offer advice on new Illinois law
sheriff’s administration building, $1 million for a highway department storage building, $435,000 for repairs and maintenance of existing buildings, and $250,000 to establish a new fund for
By Vinde Wells Editor
Part of the concealed carry gun classes is learning about gun safety including techniques on how to hold a gun. Here instructor Scott Schultz demonstrates one way to hold a firearm during a class. Photo by Chris Johnson
pull a gun on you,� said White. “Maybe hand your concealed carry permit with your license to let the officer know.� He said officers in the future may be able to see whether someone has a license on their squad car’s computer by running the vehicle’s tags. A student in the class asked what should happen if the officer asks to see the gun. “If the officer asks, then let the officer know where the gun is,� said Schultz. “They may have you exit the vehicle and check for the gun.� Another section of the class discussed the 23 prohibited areas where guns are not allowed to be concealed. Loaded firearms are not
allowed on any form of public transportation, but an unloaded gun in a bag or case is allowed. “At events like Autumn on Parade you can not attend the event with a concealed firearm,� said Schultz. “You can go through to get to a home or business. You also can not attend the Oregon Trail Days beer garden with a concealed firearm.� Other locations that are not allowed include government buildings, public parks, and any facility displaying the 4 by 6 inch sign showing guns are not allowed. A concealed carry permitholder may bring their firearm to certain parking areas as long as they store the unloaded firearm out of view in a locked vehicle or case. However, there are some
locations where guns are never allowed. Any property that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversees prohibits firearms from the property. This also prohibits the firearms from being in the vehicle. In Ogle County that means anyone going to the Byron Generating Station may not bring a firearm to the property. For additional information about a concealed carry course contact the Twin Towers Gun Club by emailing twintowersgc@ frontier.com. Classes will be also posted at www.nrainstructors.org/ searchcourse.aspx. The instructors will be scheduling additional classes in the spring.
A former Oregon couple and their family escaped with their lives and little else Sunday when a tornado destroyed their home in Washington, Ill. Friends in Oregon have organized a drive to help Jason and Sarah Earl get back on their feet. Wendy Kresheck and Roberta Fassler are taking donations of money and gift cards for the Earls and will deliver them this weekend. Jason and Sarah were at church Sunday with their three young children when the sirens, as well as the electricity went off. They returned to their nearby home to find it completely destroyed, along with their possessions. They are staying with family members, but all they have left is the clothes they were wearing and the car they were driving. Jason was an announcer for Oregon Hawks athletic events for several years, worked at the Blackhawk Center, and was one of the founders of the Oregon Booster Club. Sarah chaired the 5K run at Autumn on Parade for several years and raised money for the Oregon and Polo cross country teams, Focus House, and the Village of Progress. She coached the Oregon High School cross country team and the David L. Rahn Junior High track team. For more information call Kresheck at 815-218-1420 or email her at wendykresheck@ yahoo.com or Fassler at 815440-0969.
Village of Progress holds its 44th annual banquet By Jeannette Mingus Correspondent More than 300 people gathered last week to pay tribute to the men and women whose contributions help a local organization remain successful after more than four decades in operation. The Village of Progress (VOP) held its 44th annual banquet celebration Nov. 13 at St. Mary’s Learning Center, Oregon. Professional speaker Tom Wadsworth served as the
evening’s emcee. Karen Young was awarded the John Herrmann Personal Achievement Award for her consistent progress and willingness to accept any job assignment. She has been enrolled at the VOP for the past 34 years. Young’s current responsibilities include working in the production area and walking Chana, the VOP dog, daily. Named after Bob Moehle who served 36 consecutive years as a board member,
In This Week’s Edition...
the Robert Moehle Personal Achievement Award is presented to someone enrolled in the Developmental Training Program who shows persistence in reaching their goals despite obstacles. This year’s recipient was Patrick Bryson, an 11-year member of the village family. Bryson remained positive and committed despite setbacks associated with a ruptured hernia and recurring grand mal seizures. Oregon High School student Johnathan Prose
Agriculture, A7 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B14 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B3
received the Janie Etnyre Volunteer of the Year Award for his selfless commitment to the consumers at the Village of Progress. Don Etnyre, son of Janie and current village foundation board member, made the presentation. “His maturity, enthusiasm and generous nature are unusual for someone his age, and our agency and disabled are fortunate to have him as a friend,� he said. The Fred Smith Competitive Employment
Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4
Sheriff’s Arrests, B4 Social News, A4 Sports, A13, B1,B2 State’s Attorney, B3
Award was presented to Kelli Nicholas for her dependability, positive attitude, and quality of work in the kitchen at Family First, Oregon. Kathi Heller presented Matt Spurbeck with the Carly Heller Special Olympian of the Year Award, so named after her daughter, a Special Olympics volunteer, who was killed in a car accident in 2002. Spurbeck competes in all three of VOP’s sporting events: basketball, track and
field, and bowling. The VOP Foundation Scholarship Committee awards scholarships to Ogle County high school seniors and full-time college students who either have a disability or are majoring in an area related to the disabled. This year the committee chose three recipients. Sarah Corcoran, an Oregon High School graduate and special education major at Western
Deaths, B3 James H. Mattison, Lois B. Rayhorn, Jacob A. Taour
0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM
Turn to A10