Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal November 10, 2016 Volume 154, Number 29 - $1.00
Cardinals Win
Earth Angels
Business Workshop
The Cardinals defeated Stark County 43-14 and advance to a game against Le-Win. B1
Donations will be accepted to help families during Christmas. A6
A free small business workshop will be held in Mt. Morris on Nov. 17. B1
Voters approve tax referendum By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Residents of the Forreston Fire Protection District said yes to higher taxes Tuesday. Voters approved two referenda to hike the taxes by a maximum of 10 cents, from 30 cents to 40 cents, per $100 of equalized assessed valuation (EAV) in both the fire service and the ambulance service. The ambulance referendum was approved 691 to 515 and the fire measured passed 612 to 590. That means the annual real estate taxes on a $100,000 house will increase by approximately $33 for each levy or a total of $66 for both.
“Naturally we’re happy with the win,” said fire board president Jack Daws. “This will give us a chance to get everything going in the right direction.” Fire officials said the increases were needed to pay salaries of EMTs and for future purchases of both fire and ambulance equipment. The ambulance service budget has run in red ink to the tune of $40,000 in the past year. This is the first time the Turn to A9
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Nancy Ocken casts her ballot Tuesday morning at the Lincoln Township polling place. Photo by Vinde Wells
Board approves tax levy estimate The Forreston Village Board reviewed options for insurance renewal, briefly discussed the sewer project, and approved the 2017 tax levy estimate. During Monday evening’s board meeting, Julie Heeren presented insurance rates for a 2017 renewal. Heeren represents Dimond Bros. Insurance, which has supplied insurance to village
Ambulance 691 515 Fire 612 590
Yes votes are not enough for Polo
Casting a Ballot
By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com
Forreston Referendum Totals Yes No
employees for several years. After the wastewater treatment plant renovations, the village only saw a $486 overall premium increase which Heeren said is great news. The board is expected to vote on the renewal at its Nov. 21 meeting. In another matter, village president Mark Metzger said the paperwork for the sewer line extension is completed and approved with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), and final plats should be
ready for the next meeting. The project proposes running a new sewer line east of Ill. 26 to Baileyville Road to allow Keith Ruter to hook up his new indoor gun range, located at what was formerly Bailey’s Edge Restaurant. It will also allow the upcoming Dollar General to connect to the sewer. “Dr. Ruter said he’s impressed with how efficiently the village has made it through the process,” said Metzger. The board also approved
an estimated 7.74 percent tax levy for next year. A truth in taxation hearing, to allow for public comment, is required any time a municipality goes above 105 percent of the previous year - something Forreston has avoided since 2009. The truth in taxation hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5. The public can voice their opinions through the village board up to and during the public hearing. The village board meets again on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.
Polo School Referendum
Polo School District voters approved at-large school board elections by 445 votes Tuesday, but the measure still failed to meet the two-thirds majority required to pass. A referendum asking if school board members should be elected at large and without restriction as to where they live received 1,149 yes votes to 704 no votes, but that amounted to only about a 65 percent majority, just short of the 66.7 percent needed. “It was a very good vote, but we needed 66.7 percent for the referendum to pass,” said Superintendent Chris
Yes No Brookville 31 18 Buffalo1 266 128 Buffalo2 273 133 Buffalo3 267 132 Eagle Point 53 67 Grand Detour 3 4 Lincoln 74 69 Pine Creek 50 53 Woosung 114 77 Palmyra 6 11 Jordan 12 12 Totals 1149 704 Rademacher. “We got darn close with around 65 percent. It may not have passed, but it’s a feat nonetheless; we Turn to A9
Voters rejected township merger By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Voters in two Ogle County Townships had a difference of opinion Tuesday about joining forces. Lafayette Township voters favored a referendum to merge with Taylor Township 55 to 35, while those in
“It was time to let the people decide. They’ve decided.” — Cliff Jones, Lafayette Township Supervisor Taylor narrowly rejected the measure 270 to 277. For the merger to happen, a majority of voters in both townships had to approve the referendum.
“The people have spoken,” said Lafayette Township Supervisor Cliff Jones. “We’ve talked about it for 12 years, and it was time to let the people decide. They’ve
Township Merger Yes No Taylor 270 277 Lafayette 55 35 decided.” Officials in the two townships, on the county’s southern border, have been discussing the possibility Turn to A9
Parents tried to prevent heroin overdose Editor’s note: This is the third of a 4-part series on the growing use of heroin in Ogle County and how it is affecting governmental agencies, addicts, family members and the political process. By Andy Colbert acolbert@oglecounty news.com
Go Cards! A fan cheers on Garett Badertscher Saturday night during the game with Stark County. Photo by Chris Johnson
In This Week’s Edition...
Strange as it sounds, one of the most relaxing times for the parent of a heroin addict is
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B5-B10 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4
when their son or daughter is in jail. “There is a sense of relief knowing they are locked up,” said Bob (not his real name), father of an addict. “Jail is the best place for our kids. For a least a while, we don’t have to worry about them overdosing.” Bob and his wife spent many a day worrying about that. “Any day, you could walk into his bedroom and find him
Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B3 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4
dead,” Bob said. “Many times, I heard his mom screaming at him, ‘I don’t want to find you dead’.” Unfortunately, that is what happened several months ago. Their son took an injection of heroin and some oxycontin. He was scheduled to report for work at 11 that night. Instead, he overdosed about an hour earlier. He had overdosed before, by his own count, 12 times, including three in which an
Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather Forecast, A8 Zoning Permits, B4
ambulance was called for him. “You never know,” Bob said. “You can shoot up every day for years and still be alive and then one day be gone.” Their son died from the mixture of heroin and oxycontin. It wasn’t until the next morning, that his sister found him unresponsive. “In 10 seconds, I went from a dead sleep to bounding down the basement stairs to Turn to A10
Deaths, B4 Wilma M. Buse, Edward L. Ludwig, Pauline V. Rowland
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com