Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal January 1, 2015 Volume 152, Number 36 - $1.00
Tree Recycling
New Laws
With Christmas in the past make sure to help out by recycling the tree. A6
With the change in the calender to a new year, several new laws will take effect. A8
New officials busy after taking oath of office Sheriff putting in long hours
Experience is an asset for Morrow
By Vinde Wells Editor For the first weeks after taking office newly-elected Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle has been putting in long hours. Despite the 12-hour-plus days, he is enthusiastic about his new job. “I am excited,” he said. “It’s worth it to get this department back on the right track.” VanVickle, 38, Rochelle, defeated incumbent Michael Harn in the March Republican primary and was elected sheriff Nov. 4. VanVickle, a lifelong area resident, was a Rochelle police officer and K-9 handler for six years, and prior to that worked as manager at his family’s business Krahenbuhl Chrysler Jeep. One of VanVickle’s priorities after taking office Dec. 1 was appointing his administrative staff. He named Danny White as chief deputy, Greg Kunce to head up the patrol division, Brian Ketter as the supervisor of the detective division, and Susan Montavon as his administrative assistant. White, Kunce, and Ketter are all long-time deputies on the department, and Montavon previously worked in the Ogle County State’s Attorney’s office. “Our new command structure is in place,” VanVickle said.
By Vinde Wells Editor
Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle sits at his desk at the sheriff’s office. Photo by Vinde Wells
He made changes in the administrative focus, he said, putting two lieutenants back on the road in supervisory positions. That means another two squad cars are patrolling the roads, he said. VanVickle also ordered the six new squad cars that were already budgeted and approved by the county board. However, he made a change — the new cars will be silver rather than white. “Changing the color did not add to the cost,” he said.
“And I want the department to have a new image.” One of the things occupying VanVickle’s time is getting ready for the move into the new sheriff’s and coroner’s administrative building that should be completed in the next few weeks. He said plans call for the move to take place in early February. Designed by Saavedra Gehlhausen Architects, Rockford, the new $4.1 million one-story building is Turn to A2
Ogle County’s newly elected state’s attorney said experience will be one of the assets he and his staff bring to the office. “We’ve got around 70 years of experience between myself and the assistants,” said Eric Morrow, 39, Oregon, who was elected to his first term as state’s attorney Nov. 4 and took over the post Dec. 1. Morrow, who defeated former state’s attorney Mike Rock in the March Republican primary, has been in private law practice for 14 years and was a partner in the Oregon law firm of Smith & Morrow, now Smith & Birkholz. He also served as a public defender for several years. First assistant Bob Schuman, while new to Ogle County, has 25 years experience as a prosecutor for Winnebago County. He will be handling many of the more serious felony cases. Assistant prosecutors Josh Versluys, Ann Switzer, and Andrew Wilt, and administrative assistant Christy Egyed make up the rest of Morrow’s staff. In addition to prosecuting cases, Morrow said he plans to concentrate especially on two areas — juvenile programs and the drug court. “I want to bring the focus back to juvenile programs,” he said. “That affects our
Eric Morrow was elected Ogle County State’s Attorney on Nov. 4 and took office Dec. 1 Photo by Chris Johnson
entire community. We can make a real difference there. Our system is fortunate to have Focus House — that’s a great resource.” Located on Ill. 251 north of Rochelle, Focus House is a county-owned youth sheltercare facility operated by the Ogle County Probation Department. The facility provides round-the-clock care services for adjudicated youth, including residential care, on-site schooling and education, counseling, health care, leisure and recreational
activities, and post-discharge services. Another of Morrow’s goals is to work with the Probation Department and judges to enhance the county’s adult drug court. “We’ve got a drug court that’s up and running,” he said. “I’d like to expand that with the help of the other departments.” Through the drug court, the county’s court system offers intensive services to nonviolent adult felons who have been identified as having Turn to A2
Family completes the move into a new Habitat home By Chris Johnson Reporter It may have taken a few weeks longer to complete the paperwork, but Jennifer Larson and her son Vincenzo are now the proud owners of a home in Oregon. The family closed on the Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County home on Dec. 16. This was the 10th home built in the county since 2002. Larson’s home is at 210 N. Sixth St. and the property has a loving history. “Our dream of having our own home began out of love, was built with love, and forever will be rooted with love,” wrote Larson in a letter to Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County. “This home is the cornerstone of our foundation. We have been blessed with a home.” The letter was read during the Oct. 26 house blessing. A delay in the final paperwork was due to a grant application that became available after the blessing. This grant reduced the overall cost of the home to the Larsons. This home would not have been completed without
The final mortgage paperwork has been signed for Jennifer Larson’s home. Pictured here at the signing is general contractor Randy Wagner, Larson, and Dirk Meminger. Photo supplied
volunteers and the love of another family. The Marie Black family donated the old house and property to Habitat. The home was torn down and the site was used to build Larson’s home. Black’s sister Marilyn Schwartz, daughter Laury Edlund, and daughter-in-law Trisha Black attended the house blessing. The family decided to donate the property so another family would have a
In This Week’s Edition...
chance to own a home. Numerous volunteers and businesses helped throughout the process of building the Larsons’ new home. Some of these that Habitat for Humanity and the Larsons would like to recognize include Wagner Construction, Randy Howald & Local IBEW, Moring Disposal, Doug Knapp, True Value Hardware, Rock River Resale, Casey’s of Oregon, Shell of Oregon, St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus,
Business Briefs, A7, B2 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B2
SuperValu, Oregon Pizza Hut, Subway of Byron and Oregon, Father and Son Pizza, and County Market of Byron. Habitat for Humanity builds affordable homes and sells them to qualifying individuals. The homeowner has an affordable mortgage. Part of the reason the mortgages are low is the homeowner puts in hours of “sweat equity” into the home. These hours building the home allowed Larson to
Forreston Police, A2 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, A5 Public Voice, A9 Property Transfers, B2
Vincenzo, age 4, enjoys his new room. Photo by Chris Johnson
experience the entire home building process. She was at the home throughout the year building her home with volunteers. Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County is planning to
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B5 Weather, A2
build a home in Mt. Morris in 2015. For more information contact 815-732-6855 to volunteer or help with this build. A general contractor is also needed for the project.
Deaths, B3 T. J. Condit, Sally A. Holtapp, Donald W. Paul, Sherwood N. Stouffer, Lowell F. TerHark
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com