Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal March 27, 2014 Volume 151, Number 48 - $1.00
New Coach
Visions
TOW Fund
A new softball coach has been hired to lead the Forreston-Polo Lady Cardinals. B1
Area businesses and government agencies continue to grow. C1-C20
An Ogle County Board Member asks the status of the sheriff’s TOW Fund. A3
Students injured in crash Two children, two drivers hurt March 21 By Vinde Wells Editor Two school children and two drivers were transported to area hospitals March 21 after a Forrestville Valley school bus collided head-on with a pick-up truck northeast of Leaf River. Bus driver Marsha Birkholz, 64, Forreston, was stopped in the southbound lane to let a rider off at 11461 N. Pecatonica Rd. when the northbound pick-up truck struck the front of the bus. According to a Rockford TV A Leaf River firefighter watches as rescue personnel respond to a Friday afternoon accident involving a Forrestville Valley school bus and a pick-up truck. The accident occurred in the 11,000 block of Pecatonica Road, northeast of Leaf River. The driver of the truck and the
Turn to A3 driver of the school bus along with two children who were riding in the bus were transported by ambulance to area hospitals. Photo by Vinde Wells
Special meeting to discuss building plans not held By Vinde Wells Editor A special Ogle County Board meeting announced last week didn’t happen after all. At the regular meeting on March 19, board member Ron Colson, Mt. Morris, called for the special meeting under Rule 13 to discuss the location of the proposed sheriff’s administration building. Rule 13 allows eight board members to call for a special
meeting. Colson said eight members had agreed to the meeting, but he declined to identify them, saying they would be listed on the meeting agenda. Colson has opposed the new sheriff’s administration building being located on the present site at 103 Jefferson St., Oregon. He favors building it on the property the county owns on Sixth Street across from the judicial center. Colson first voiced his
concern over the location at the Jan. 21 board meeting because he said the property lies within the area designated for a Riverfront District in the City of Oregon’s Comprehensive Plan. He said the property is a key part of planned development to promote tourism in the city, which would also financially benefit the county. He asked for the matter to be on the Feb. 18 meeting agenda. However, the Executive
“I hate to see Ogle County businesses lose money,� he said, suggesting that the bidding should be opened to any funeral home. However, board member Lee Meyers, Byron, said that in the past the county board has favored awarding contracts to business located within the county when at all possible. Finch, who owns and operates a funeral home and crematory with his family in Mt. Morris, had
requested bidding the cremations for indigent persons on an annual basis rather than an individual basis. The board approved the measure. Finch said that last year the county paid for five or six cremations for deceased individuals without the means to pay. Board member Pat Saunders, Polo, asked how many crematories are in Ogle County.
Committee, which decides what goes on the agenda, voted 6-0 against that. Members of the Executive Committee are board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, John O’Brien and Greg Sparrow, both of Rochelle, John Finfrock, Mt. Morris, Don Griffin, Oregon, and Pat Nordman, Oregon. Board member Bill Welty, also a committee member, did not attend that meeting. Gouker reminded Colson
County cremation process questioned By Vinde Wells Editor
March 19 that a special meeting could cost as much as $1,200 if all 24 board members attend. Board members are paid $50 each for special meetings. Colson acknowledged the cost, but said he called the special meeting after the matter had been “blocked� from getting on the regular agenda. Gouker, however, disagreed. “It wasn’t blocked. It’s been discussed in committee,� he said. “We’re moving forward [with the building].� Colson said Monday
Rockford police arrest suspect
Finch said his family’s is the only one. However, he said, several are located in Ogle County Board surrounding counties. members questioned “Just because an Ogle the bidding process last County funeral home gets week for county-funded the bid doesn’t mean they cremations. will use my facility,� he Charged following Board member Bruce said Tuesday. McKinney, Rochelle, asked Board member Dick Ogle shooting March 19 why the bidding Petrizzo, Davis Junction, By Vinde Wells proposal submitted by suggested that all bids Editor Coroner Louis Finch for should go to the county indigent cremation services clerk to be opened at the A Rockford man has been was limited to only Ogle same time. arrested in connection with a County funeral homes. shooting in rural Ogle County over the weekend. Deputy Chief Dave Hopkins of the Rockford Police Department said Brandon McMahon, 20, has been charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm. Hopkins said McMahon, a parolee, is currently in the Winnebago County Jail on a hold for the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). McMahon was taken into custody in Rockford by Rockford police after the shooting, which occurred in the wee hours of March 22 at a residence on North Hoisington Road, northwest of Byron. Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn did not answer his phone or return numerous phone calls Forreston High School FFA members drove tractors to school on March 21 for Tractor Day. Pictured left to right seeking information about are: Ben Baumann, Alex Baumann, Kody Adams, (above) Jordin Gittleson, Aaron Hagemann, and Greg Eytalis. the incident.
Tractor Day
Usually a part of FFA week, the date was changed due to heavy snowfall. Photo by Kathie Conerton
In This Week’s Edition...
Agriculture, A7 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6
Fines, B6 Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B6
afternoon that he decided not to call for the meeting after all because too many board members could not attend. “There were too many schedule conflicts,� he said. Gouker sent out an email Monday evening to county board members and officials, as well as media, notifying them that the special meeting would not be held after all. The email said Colson had filed neither a request nor an agenda for the special meeting with the county clerk by the March 21 deadline.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 Weather, A3
Brandon McMahon
According to a Rockford TV station, Harn said the shooting occurred around 12:30 a.m. after two people got into a fight during a party. The victim, whose name was not released, was shot in the shoulder and was in serious condition, the TV report said. According to IDOC records, McMahon was paroled in July of 2013. He was sentenced to three years in the IDOC in 2010 after being convicted on several charges, including armed robbery (no firearm) and possession of a firearm by a gang member. All the offenses occurred in Winnebago County.
Deaths, B3 Carl E. Cline, Alice C. Hamilton, Clarice H. Himert, Paula K. Mason, Howard E. Mantsch, Thomas A. Myers, Helen M. Ports
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