Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal December 19, 2013 Volume 151, Number 34 - $1.00
Solid Effort
Dear Santa
Spending Questions
The Forreston Lady Cardinals opened the Polo Tournament with a loss to Byron Dec. 16. B1
Area children send their Christmas lists to St. Nick. Special Section
Ogle County Sheriff ’s credit card spending is called into question. A7
Village board okays sale of property near park By Vinde Wells Editor The Forreston Village Board voted Monday to sell the east side property that had been intended for expansion of Warnken Park. By a 5-1 vote, the board agreed to sell 17.9 acres to Jon Ludwig, Forreston, who has offered $155,000 for the parcel. Trustee Gary Buss cast the only no vote, while trustees Marc Stamm, Tim Drayton, Mark Metzger, and Ken Toms, and village president Michael Harn voted yes. Trustee Jeff Freeze did not attend the meeting. The property lies to the east of the park and adjoins a subdivision already owned by Ludwig. Harn said after the meeting that the village and two partners, the Forrestville Valley School District and Forreston Sports Boosters, purchased the land with a
“The village went into a partnership to enhance the park, but our partners were unable to go forward due to economics constraints,� — Michael Harn Village President state grant and planned to enlarge Warnken Park. “The village went into a partnership to enhance the park, but our partners were unable to go forward due to economics constraints,� he said. Selling the land gives the village the ability to pay the state back, he said. Some of the proceeds from the sale will go to the booster club. After receiving an Open Spaces Lands Acquisition & Development (OSLAD) grant, the village purchased the property in 2010 from Crosby & Associates for $134,805. In another matter, Harn
told the board that a Forreston Fire Protection official has notified him that the fire district board does not want to renew a contract with the village concerning fire hydrants. The five-year agreement Ileen Moring, Forreston, buys a pie Dec. 13 from Judy Dorsey and Priscilla Schumacher recently expired. at the Christmas bake sale sponsored by the women of St. James Church. Photo by Under the terms of the Vinde Wells agreement, the fire district paid for a new hydrant each year, which was then installed and maintained by the village, which owns the fire hydrants. Prior to the agreement, By Vinde Wells near its judicial center. the house from Scott and the village charged the fire Editor The county board voted Barb Spoor, and lease it to district an annual rental fee 20-4 Tuesday to authorize Robert Lowe, who currently Turn to A2 Ogle County will soon own board chairman Kim Gouker, has a law practice there. another piece of property Byron, to sign documents Lowe has a contract to buy to purchase the house at the house from the Spoors 102 S. Fifth St., Oregon, for for $89,500 but is willing $99,500, and to enter into to forego the purchase if he a three-year lease with the can rent it from the county, current occupant. Gouker said. The purchase of the house Lowe will pay the county has been a long time in the $300 a month rent for the making. property, pay the real estate “It’s a piece of property taxes, and take care of we’ve looked at ever since maintenance, Gouker said. we built the judicial center,� Gouker said an appraiser Gouker said. hired by the county valued The judicial center, which the house at $89,500. is next door to the house to Board member Lyle the south, was completed in Hopkins, Polo, voiced his 2005. opposition to the purchase The county board price. purchased the property north “If it was appraised at of the house, where Jackass $89,500, I don’t think we BBQ is located at 501 W. should offer one penny Washington St. (Ill. 64), last more,� he said. June from John Spoor for Board member Greg $150,000. Sparrow, Rochelle, disagreed. The county leases that “If we were buying it just property to restaurant owner for a house I would agree The entire Forreston High School Dance team attended the annual Boys Holiday Tournament Dec. 14 to collect Andy Riegel. Turn to A2 winter hats, gloves, and mittens. The collected clothes will benefit families in the area. Photo by Chris Johnson The board will purchase
County board authorizes the purchase of house in Oregon
Winter Clothing Drive
Polo schools complete hand-on active shooter drill By Chris Johnson Reporter Blanks were fired, books were thrown and police officers were wrestled to the ground during an exercise Dec. 11 at the Polo High School. “Shootings can happen anywhere,� said Rock Valley College police chief Joe Drought. “We need to develop plans on how to respond.� Knowing what to do during an active shooter event can help reduce the loss of life, he said. Faculty, staff, and school officials in the Polo School District participated in the active shooter drill. “I applaud Polo for wanting to do this training,� Drought said. While direct confrontation with a shooter is not preferred, Drought said it may be necessary to prevent further
loss of life. “Fighting back is an option to help save lives,� said Drought. “Since Sandy Hook there is more interest in learning how to deal with these situations.� One year ago a lone gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown Conn. and killed 20 students and six adult staff members. Since that tragedy, school districts across the United States have been taking measures to prevent a similar incident from occurring. “During the class, the teachers and faculty will learn practical measures they can take during an active shooter situation,� said Drought. They include how to barricade a classroom, the best ways to flee the school, and how to fight back if needed. Drought said Rock Valley College has been offering these classes for five years.
In This Week’s Edition...
The course, titled Practical Responses to Active Shooters, required everyone to learn about active shooters and to get hands on demonstrations during the drill. “Our primary objective is to survive,� said Drought. “We are going to be firing blanks today because people ask what a gun sounds like. Blanks are as close as we can simulate to a real shooting without real bullets.� The training instructs participants on how to a defend themselves or the life of another including the use of deadly force, Drought said. “You need to ask yourself ‘what if,’� said Drought. “You need to prepare mentally.� Drought said part of preparing is getting rid of any thoughts that an incident “can not happen here.� “It can happen here, but hopefully we can prevent it,�
Births, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5
said Drought. Dec. 13. ourselves acting instead of Two days after the class was “The purpose of this class panicking,� he said. Turn to A8 held in Polo there was another is to build a database or plans. school shooting in Colorado on If we are prepared we can find
A classroom at Polo High School is barricaded during the active shooter drill Dec. 11. Photo by Chris Johnson
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 Weather, A3 Zoning Permits, B5
Deaths, B3 Hortense Ludwig, Michael McPherson, Joan B. Mock, Frederic A. Yoder
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