Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal September 24, 2015 Volume 153, Number 22 - $1.00
Golf Results
Awareness
Primary Race
Polo and Forreston competed during the annual Sally Wessels Invitational. B1
An Oregon couple is raising awareness about a rare cancer. A4
Chief Deputy Clerk Laura Cook has announced she will run for county clerk. A7
No MFT funds paid in August By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Learning about another missing payment from the state upset one Forreston official Monday night. “He (Gov. Bruce Rauner) keeps robbing us every other month,” said Forreston Village President Michael Harn after hearing treasurer Fred Schneiderman’s report. Schneiderman reported that the village did not receive a state check for motor fuel tax for the month of August. “I don’t think we should send any money to the state,” said Harn. “They owe us.” The state has been without a budget since July 1 and state politicians have restricted the money being
Homecoming Float Forreston High School seniors Maddison Kirchner and Matthew Carlson work on their class homecoming float Monday evening. The design will be unveiled during the parade Thursday evening. Photo by Chris Johnson
Bison bring crowd to the prairie By Earleen Hinton ehinton@oglecounty news.com Don Muggenborg and Mary Ellen Waterson both noticed something different at the Nachusa Grassland’s annual Autumn on the Prairie Saturday — a lot more people. The Lemont and Batavia residents had journeyed to the Grasslands’ event before...before the bison’s return that is. “I’ve been here before, but we’ve never seen such a crowd,” said Waterson.
““I’ve been here before, but we’ve never seen such a crowd,” — Mary Ellen Waterson, Batavia “but they didn’t have bison before.” The bison herd arrived at the Grasslands last October and have since added brand new baby bison this year. That bison buzz brought more than 1,200 visitors by mid-afternoon to Saturday’s event. Visitors patiently waited in the bison tour line as organizers kept busy
shuttling eager people back to the bison area with tractors and hay racks. “We’ve had a very good turnout today,” said Bill Kleiman, Grasslands manager. “We are trying to keep up.” On sunny and mild day, visitors could also learn about native species and Grasslands habitat, take a walking tour into the prairie,
try and catch a butterfly, or ride a horsedrawn wagon through the tall grass. Waterson and Muggenborg walked slowly along one of the self-guided tours stopping to read signs that described particular plants. “We have bison at the Fermi-lab in Batavia. Do I go see them? No, but I came here today to make a trip out of it,” Waterson said. Nachusa Grasslands is owned and operated by the Nature Conservancy. Turn to page A9 to read more about the Grasslands bison herd.
sent to municipalities. In other business the board approved a $17,000 contract to demolish a home on Walnut Avenue. The home on 612 S. Walnut Ave will be removed by Meyers Excavating, Oregon, at a cost not to exceed $17,000. When the work is completed a lien will be placed on the property. Harn said Meyers was the only contractor that met all the criteria the village attorney recommended for the project. The board also learned that the Lions Club would like to paint the concession stand at Warnken Park. The high school baseball team and numerous Little League teams use the field throughout the year.
Caretaker accused of exploiting client By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A Forreston woman has been accused of financially exploiting an elderly Polo resident for whom she was a caretaker. Leslie M. Brashaw, 37, was taken into custody last week by Ogle County Sheriff’s Police on a charge of financial exploitation of an elderly person, a Class 2 felony. According to a press release from Sheriff Brian VanVickle, his department began its investigation on July 23. Ogle County State’s Attorney Eric Morrow said Tuesday that his staff is
Leslie M. Brashaw
reviewing police reports in preparation for filing formal charges at a court hearing on Friday. “The documents show that she took financial advantage of an older person she was providing care for,” he said. Brashaw posted $5,000 bond and was released from the Ogle County Jail.
Company bids $96,615 to demo sheriffs building By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Demolition of the former Ogle County Sheriff’s Office will move forward, pending approval from the county. A Loves Park company submitted the low bid of $96,615 for the project. Long Range Committee Chairman Don Griffin and architect Guy Gehlhausen, Saavedra Gehlhausen Architects, Rockford, held a bid opening Sept. 17 to reveal the quoted prices to have the building removed. The scope of work includes demolition and removal of Don Muggenborg, Lemont, and Mary Ellen Waterson, Batavia, walk along one of the self-guided trails at the Nachusa the two-story structure at the corner of South Second Grasslands during the Autumn on the Prairie event on Sept. 19. Photo by Earleen Hinton
In This Week’s Edition...
Byron Police, B5 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 Entertainment, A6
Fines, B5 Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A10 Property Transfers, B5
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A3
Street and Jefferson Street in Oregon. The work also requires that foundations and demolition and removal of associated items and utilities. Asbestos abatement will need to be completed on the building before demolition and an underground fuel oil storage tank will need to be removed. “We have four bids for this project,” said Gehlhausen. One at a time each bid was opened and the amount as announced. Packard Excavating, Rockford, bid $112,378 with a 60 day turnaround. Martin and Company, Oregon, bid $123,335 with a Turn to A3
Deaths, B6 Anna M. Grace Mammen
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com