Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal October 30, 2014 Volume 152, Number 27 - $1.00
Home Game
Fall Back
Election Preview
The Forreston Cardinals will host Fulton Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. B1
Turn your clocks back one hour for Standard Time at 2 a.m. Sunday.
A variety of referendum will be on the ballots for many area voters Nov. 4. A7
Denied access to bid
Contractor will be prohibited from projects By Vinde Wells Editor
A Polo Co-op truck rests on its side in the west ditch of Ill. 26/64 as workers salvage its contents following an accident on Monday. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Man airlifted to hospital after wreck A Dixon man was injured Monday afternoon when the car he was driving collided with a grain truck four miles north of Polo. Stanley E. Rodabaugh, 68, was transported by React helicopter to Rockford
Memorial Hospital for multiple injuries. According to a hospital spokesman, he was listed in fair condition Tuesday morning. Ogle County Sheriff’s Police said a car driven by
Rodabaugh was northbound on Ill. 26 between the intersections with Ill. 64 when it crossed the center line and was struck by a northbound grain truck driven by Mervin D. Ludewig, 77, Polo.
Rodabaugh was extricated from his vehicle by Polo firefighters. According to the police report, Ludewig was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.
The Polo Fire Department, Mt. Morris Fire Department, Polo Police Department, Mt. Morris Police Department, and Forreston Police Department assisted at the scene.
Construction finished on Habitat Home By Chris Johnson Reporter What makes a house a home is more than just a place with four walls and a roof over your head. For Jennifer Larson and her on Vincenzo, 4, their home in Oregon is built with love. “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 Larsons were the beneficiary of the newest home built by Habitat for Humanity. Larson said she would tear up if she tried to give a statement during the house blessing Sunday afternoon so she presented a letter she wrote that was read to those attending the ceremony. Randy and Lori Wagner present Jennifer Larson with the keys to her new home in Oregon Sunday afternoon. Photo
Turn to A3 by Chris Johnson
Fall Concert will be performed on Nov. 5 The Forreston High School and Junior High School Band Department will present their annual Fall Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Forreston Junior High School Gymnasium. Students in the seventh
and eighth grade bands and the Forreston High School Redbird Regiment Marching Band will perform. The junior high school bands will perform songs that they have been working on during the first quarter this
In This Week’s Edition...
year. Included in their programs are Russian Folk Song Suite, Shenandoah, and America, the Beautiful. As part of their fall review, the Redbird Regiment will highlight their most popular
Agriculture, A8-A10 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 Entertainment, A6
pieces performed at this year’s parades, football games and volleyball games. Themes from this year’s shows include Music from The Blues Brothers and other popular hits. The concert is free but the
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B6 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B5
Forreston Music Patrons are grateful for donations. Additionally, the Music Patrons are selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a brand new gas grill donated by Forreston Hardware. Tickets are $1 or 6 for $5.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 Weather, A2
Due to problems with a construction job last summer, a Freeport concrete contractor has been prohibited form bidding on Ogle County projects for the next 15 years. The Ogle County Board approved, by a vote of 18-5 Oct. 21, a recommendation from the Road & Bridge Committee to place Preferred Concrete Systems on the county’s restricted bidder list. County engineer Curtis Cook said the recommendation stemmed from “subpar” work in two instances at the Highway Department’s new storage building which was erected last spring and summer. Preferred Concrete Systems was a subcontractor on the project. Three board members objected to the measure. Lee Meyers, Byron, voiced concern that the action could lead to lawsuits. Bill Welty, Chana, also opposed the action. “Why cut off their legs completely?” he said. “Why not restrict the general contractor as well?” Cook said the matter will likely end up in court. “We had multiple exposures to subpar work with this contractor,” he said. Rich Gronewold, Forreston, asked why the concrete supplier was not also being restricted. The concrete was supplied by Super Mix, which is based near Monroe Center. Construction was delayed for a month last May when the concrete poured for the walls of the 90 by 150 foot building did not meet the strength requirements specified in the contract. Cook said eventually the concrete met the requirements but it took much longer than specified. At that point, Cook said he met with representatives from Cord Construction, Rockford, the general contractor, and Preferred Concrete Systems to iron out the issues. As result, the county did not have to pay for the concrete in the walls, a $10,000 expense; the walls were sealed for extra weather-proofing, at no cost to the county; and the one-year warranty on the concrete was extended to five years. The second instance arose when the floor of the new building was poured. Cook said the joints and surface were not finished properly. Cord Construction officials again came through, Cook said, this time by hiring a finishing company to correct the deficiencies in the floor at no cost to the county. Turn to A3
Deaths, B3 Lillian M. McCanse, Marie A. Frericks, Kevin D. Eckberg, Gloria J. Stone
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com