Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal July 3, 2014 Volume 152, Number 10 - $1.00
Impersonators
Pie Contest
Mark Twain and Will Rogers will take the stage in Mt. Morris on July 5. A6
DUI Conviction
Sweet prizes are up for grabs during a July 5 Pie Baking Contest. A3
A Chana man received a 3-year jail sentence for a wreck with a Rochelle school bus. B2
Tree fell through Peterson’s home By Vinde Wells Editor Brigette Peterson, Oregon, was chatting with her sister in the kitchen Monday night when part of an oak tree crashed through the ceiling. A severe storm packing high winds, torrential rain, and small hail swept through town just before 9 p.m. bringing down trees and power lines and leaving most of the city without electricity for more than 12 hours. The storm uprooted a massive oak tree behind Peterson’s house at 410 N. Sixth St., and brought it crashing down on her grill and house. About two feet of one of its branches protruded A tree fell on this car in the 400 block of Main Street in Leaf River during the storm Monday night. Photo by Vinde through the ceiling Wells
above her kitchen sink. Peterson and her two children, ages 6 and 8, were in the kitchen when it happened along with her sister and niece and nephew. “We were actually in that room when it happened,� Peterson said Tuesday morning. “The sound was unbelievable. I’ve never heard anything like it. It sounded like every window in the house was shattering a once. “And then we had water pouring into the house everywhere, from the light fixtures, the ceiling, everywhere,� she said. The main thing, she said, was that no one was hurt. “I’m so thankful we were all fine, not a scratch,� said Turn to B1
Motorists encouraged to slow down for construction By Chris Johnson Reporter Take increased traffic, add construction zones with a dash of distracted drivers, and you have a recipe for accidents. A construction zone that began in June on I-39 between Ill. 64 and Ill. 72 has apparently contributed to accidents on this stretch of interstate. “There are a couple of attributes on I-39 in the area,� said Sergeant Mike
Kuehl, Illinois State Police (ISP) District 1. “There have been increased accidents over the past two years. Some of this increase has occurred with a lot of commercial vehicles on the roadway. The construction has increased the visibility of the accidents.� The ISP has been increasing patrols on I-39 to try and reduce the accidents on the road. “We had a detail out there Monday and Tuesday (June 23-24) targeting commercial vehicles so they comply with
all safety rules,� he said. “Increasing our visibility on the road is one way to address the increased traffic.� The interstate is the busiest road in Ogle County and sees 32,000 vehicles per day, according to statistics from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Of this total, 12,500 are commercial trucks. Compare that with the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) on the southern edge of the county that only sees 16,300 vehicles
per day. Blackhawk Drive (Ill. 2) in Byron has 13,000 vehicles per day and Fourth Street (Ill. 2) in Oregon has 9,700 vehicles per day. “Interstate 39 is congested. Traffic has increased on the road,� said Kuehl. “There has been a tremendous amount of commercial traffic on the roadway and IDOT has helped with funding to increase patrols on the road. We are trying to educate the public to comply with all traffic laws.�
Some of the increases could be related to construction on other Chicago interstates and motorists avoiding Chicago when traveling. Add construction to the mix and the road has been dangerous at times. Accidents over a two week span in one eight-mile stretch of the interstate include: one on June 13; two on June 16 including a fatal; one on June 17; one on June 18; one on June 20; one on June 24; and one on June 26. The cause of these wrecks
was cited as traffic related to the construction zone, based on police reports. The ISP has also ticketed five motorists in the area during the same two weeks. “We need to educate the public to pay attention and slow down,� said Kuehl. The fatal accident on June 16 was caused by a commercial vehicle that did not slow down for traffic near the construction zone. “Be aware of construction Turn to A2
Former pastor receives probation By Chris Johnson Reporter A former minister pleaded guilty June 30 to the aggravated battery of a child. Charles Babler, 65, Mt. Morris, was originally charged with sexually molesting an 11-year-old child. “He pled guilty to a different charge Monday,� ATS Medical Services, Loves Park, began answering said Ogle County Assistant Attorney Joshua ambulance calls in the Oregon Fire Protection District States Versluys. “He received 18 Tuesday morning. Pictured left to right are ATS CEO Andy Schultz, a paramedic, EMT Mike Knoup, Paramedic Kathy Pignato, and Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller. Photo by Vinde Wells
Ambulance will service Oregon By Vinde Wells Editor Oregon’s new ambulance service had been in business only about 20 minutes Tuesday morning when its first call came in. The crew from ATS Medical Services, Loves Park, responded along with Oregon firefighters around 8:20 a.m. to a small, quickly extinguished fire at Oregon Rehabilitation and
Healthcare. A few minutes earlier Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller announced that ATS and fire protection district officials have signed a 10-month contract for ambulance service in the fire protection district. “We entered into a shortterm 10-month contract for ambulance service until our referendum,� Heller said. The move came just two Turn to A2
In This Week’s Edition...
months probation and has all the normal conditions of probation.� Conditions include no alcohol, no drugs, and no contact with the victim. The charge of sexually molesting the child was dismissed per the plea agreement. “Babler will receive sex offender counseling and he will need to register as a violent offender against youth,� said Versluys. The aggravated battery is a
Class 3 felony. “He can not be in a position of authority with children,� said Versluys. Following the court appearance, Babler reported to the probation department. The case stemmed from an investigation into a single incident that took place in early 2011. A jury trial was originally set for June 17 before Charles Babler Babler’s attorney David Tess Babler was formerly the asked for a date for a plea campus pastor at Crossroads agreement. Community Church, Polo.
Pair runs in tribute to all soldiers While some KB Tough Run participants were gasping for air on the hot and humid afternoon, two local men donned gas masks and 35-pound rucksacks to show their support for servicemen and women. JD Heather, Oregon, and Mark Robinson, a Mt. Morris native who now lives in Rockford, ran the three-mile course carrying an American flag and yellow ribbon flags. “We try and pair up with other charities,� said Robinson who was wearing a Semper Fi Fund Team t-shirt. “We run for publicity.� The back of the shirt read: “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B2
never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. We will never forget their sacrifices.� According to the group’s website, Running for a Cause is a fundraising organization focused and dedicated on raising awareness and support to nonprofits that provide for wounded veterans, and/or the families. Robinson said the gas masks and rucksacks, weighing around 25-30 pounds, are used as a tribute those who serve. “We put bricks in the rucksacks we use which is nothing compared to what JD Heather, Oregon, and Mark Robinson, Rockford, ran our soliders carry,� he said. in the 2014 KB Rough Run with 35-pound rucksacks and
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B5 School News, A3
Turn to A2
gas masks as a tribute to those who serve in the military. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B3
Deaths, B5 Mary Jean Gipe, Harmine W. Scheffner, Roger E. Schultz
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