Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal August 20, 2015 Volume 153, Number 17 - $1.00
Football Previews
Tree Dedication
Hangar Dance
The 2015 NUIC football season is here. Read about the Marcos and Cardinals teams. B1
A tree was planted in memory of Alan Steele at White Pines. A6
A good crowd turned out to participate in a 1940s dance at the Ogle County Airport. A2
Board rejects tobacco rules By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Back To School Students line up Monday morning for the first day of school at Forreston Grade School. Photo by Vinde Wells
County cleans up Oregon property By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Contaminated soil from the site of a former gas station has been removed allowing construction to move forward on a county parking lot. An environmental engineer was in Oregon Tuesday morning at 501 W. Washington St. doing final soil samples on the property. “We are having the soil tested and have loaded the final contaminated soil,” said Ogle County Engineer Curtis Cook. “These final samples are from the walls of the excavation from when we removed the tanks.” These last samples will be sent to the lab to confirm all the contamination was removed.
“The plan is to finish the samples and have a clean site,” said Cook. “The tank cleanup will then be complete.” While the samples are being checked O’Brien Civil Works, Polo, was able to move forward with the storm sewer work on the site. Cook said so far the previous samples contained petroleum products from the underground tanks. Workers will install the storm sewer by the end of the week. When the storm sewer is completed the property will be graded to prepare the site for a parking lot. “We are fortunate to have numerous qualified contractors locally,” said Turn to A3
Three people voiced their disappointment Tuesday after the Ogle County Board rejected a measure that would have required licenses for businesses that sell tobacco products. The board turned down the motion to approve the licensing by a vote of 13 to 9. Two board members Nic Bolin, Holcomb, and John Finfrock, Mt. Morris, did not attend the meeting. I’m disappointed,” said Joanie Padilla, county director of Health Education and Emergency Preparedness. She had earlier told the board that she believed the licensing would help discourage businesses from selling tobacco products to anyone 18 or younger. Zachary Prosser and Grant Zickur, both juniors at Rochelle Township High School, also voiced their disappointment. Both had addressed the board, urging members to vote for the measure. “I’m very disappointed,” Prosser said. “I’ve seen a lot of Rochelle Township High School students involved in tobacco products.”
Turn to A3
Community picnic will be on Saturday
Ogle County Engineer Curtis Cook talks to a Fehr Graham worker Tuesday morning at the Fifth and Washington lot in Oregon. The lot which once was the site of an old gas station, and more recently the Jackass BBQ, was Faith Lutheran Church purchased by the county and is being converted into a will host its annual Forreston parking lot. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Area Community Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the church on Second Avenue state land and water reserve. between Birch and Elm With that recognition, the Streets. The public is invited to acreage can’t be developed, but it can be passed down or willed to others, which is what the Soderholms plan to do. “It will all be gifted to an organization that will keep it as beautiful as it is,” Carol said. “It means that the land More than 40 workshops will be protected forever.” and 40 booths will be It’s the second-highest featured at the 14th annual designation given by Illinois Renewable Energy the Nature Preserves and Sustainable Lifestyles Commission of the IDNR. Fair this weekend at the Ogle Land and water that support County Fairgrounds near “significant natural heritage Oregon. or archaeological resources” The fair, sponsored by the can be awarded the Illinois Renewable Energy recognition, according to the Association (IREA), will be department’s website. open on Saturday, Aug. 22 According to the proposal from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on presented to the commission Sunday, Aug. 23 from 10 a.m. on the day the designation to 4 p.m. was granted, turning the land The fairgrounds is at 1414 into a reserve will benefit N. Limekiln Road off Ill. 64 White Pines by providing just west of Oregon. “important buffer to help Workshops will include protect high-quality natural Living with the Sun on a features” and “prevent any Hotter Planet, a presentation future land uses that might on coping with climate negatively impact the natural change by Dave Kozlowski, resources and outdoor Woodstock, and Energy Turn to A3 Independence, a presentation
Couple recognized for restoring prairie By Sarah Zuniga Correspondent When a mother loses a son, it’s only natural that she would want to preserve his memory. That’s exactly what Carol Soderholm did – in a big way. The Mt. Morris woman, along with her husband, Paul, helped return 130 acres of farmland next to White Pines State Park to native prairie grasses and flowers. In the process, they found a way to keep her son’s memory alive forever. The Soderholms, selfproclaimed conservationists who have been married 19 years, named their endeavor the Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve, after Carol’s son, who died of leukemia in February 2014 – “because he loved it out here, and because he worked hard to help Paul,” she said. In September 2014, the couple’s efforts were recognized by the Illinois Department of Natural Paul and Carol Soderholm stand on their deck Resources when their overlooking the prairie that they have restored. Photo property was designated a by Sarah Zuniga
In This Week’s Edition...
Zickur agreed. “I found it disappointing not so much for charging [the businesses], but as a another avenue to prevent young people from smoking,” he said. The proposal stipulated that any Ogle County business that sells or wants to sell tobacco products must apply annually to the Ogle County Health Department and, if approved, pay a $100 license fee. Padilla said the licensing would give the health department the authority to go into businesses and conduct compliance checks, making sure tobacco products are not being sold to underage youths. Currently, she said, the state of Illinois has no such licensing for businesses selling tobacco products. Oregon, Byron, and Rochelle have obtained grants to do compliance checks for cigarettes, she said, and the police there carry them out. She said the health department would not do compliance checks for cigarettes in those three towns, but would do them there for other tobacco products, as well as in the rest of the county. “Kids aren’t buying
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Forreston Police, A3
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A9 Property Transfers, B5 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3
come for food, games, and karaoke. The event is free. Donations will be accepted for the food pantry at the New Life Community Center in downtown Forreston. For more information call 815-938-3203.
Renewable Energy Fair is Aug. 22, 23
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3 Zoning Permits, B4
by Willem Dijstelbergen, Leaf River, on utilizing alternative energy sources. Booths will offer a variety of items and information from organic produce to native plants and instructions for earth-sheltered homes, as well as solar and wind power displays. Tickets will be sold at the gate at a cost of $5 per day or $7 for both days for adults. Youths 12-17 will be admitted free, as will younger children who are accompanied by an adult. IREA members are also admitted free. The Ogle County Fairgrounds prohibits pets and alcohol on the property. For more information visit www.illinoisrenew.org or call the IREA at 815-732-7332.
Deaths, B5 Esther J. Appler, William S. Besse, Lois V. Curry, Wanda G. Meiners, Kenneth R. Schneiderman
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com