For 2017 08 31

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Serving the Forreston area since 1865

FORRESTON Journal August 31, 2017 Volume 155, Number 19 - $1.00

Cards Win Big

People Pleaser

Jamboree

The Cardinals trounce Du-Pec 54-6 in season opener on the road. A10

A Rockford woman’s sculpture of a bear wins first prize. A3

The Bootleg Flyers will return to the Mt. Morris Jamboree stage Friday night. A8

Visitors learn about farming in Ogle County By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com

Community Picnic Rhowena Genandt gets a bottle of water from Merlin Foat Saturday at the annual Forreston Community Picnic. Photo by Vinde Wells

Dollar General is open for business By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com After more than a year’s worth of negotiations, construction, sewer extensions, and anticipation, a new Forreston business opened its doors. Dollar General just put in a new store at the corner of West Ill. 26 and North Baileyville Road, and celebrated with a ribboncutting Aug. 19 shortly before its 8 a.m. opening. Inside, staff was preparing

for their first open. Store Manager Heidi Lohmann, of Forreston, was going over last-minute details with Kathy Lyman, of Davenport, Iowa, temporary district manager, as she waited for employees Jacob Norris, Ellie Ascher, and Frank Schoensiegel, all of Forreston, to arrive. “Heidi here’s been one of our best employees for a long time, and if you ask me, it’s about time she got her own store,” said Lyman, shortly before the opening. “I’m just so glad to be

able to work closer to home, now,” replied Lohmann. Outside the store, a crowd started gathering as early as 7:30 a.m., and hit right near 40 people when it came time to open. It might seem silly to want to be so early, but consider this: the first 200 customers received a free DG bag and cup, and the first 50 customers were given $10 store gift cards. Forreston Village President Mark Metzger was present, along with village board trustees Vickye Norris

and Tim Drayton. “This agreement has been in the works for a long time now, and I’m happy to be able to stand here and say a new business is in town,” said Metzger. “Hopefully, this is the start of many more like it.” With that said, the ribbon was cut, a balloon was released, and the crowd poured into the brand new store. The balloon is worth a $10 gift card to whomever is lucky enough to find it when it comes down.

Forreston Village Board members and Dollar General personnel gathered Aug. 19 for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Dollar General at the corner of Ill. 26 and North Baileyville Road. Pictured left to right are: Frank Schoensiegel, Ellie Ascher, and Jacob Norris, DG Employees; Heidi Lohman, Store Manager; Mark Metzger, Forreston Village President; Vickye Norris, Forreston Village Trustee; and Tim Drayton, Forreston Village Trustee. Behind Metzger is Kathy Lyman, Temporary District Manager. Photo by Zach Arbogast

In This Week’s Edition...

Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4 Marriage Licenses, A4

Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 School Menus, A3

A steady line of cars streamed down rural blacktop roads Saturday afternoon headed for the four farms featured on the Mt. Morris Country Living Tour. An estimated 150 visitors toured the farms, all within four miles of Mt. Morris, to learn about traditional and specialty agriculture. The event was sponsored by Encore! Mt. Morris and the Mt. Morris Tourism Committee. The ins and outs of making maple syrup was the topic at Maple Lane Farm, owned by Rob and Lynnette Hough and located on North Mt. Morris Road a half mile north of the village. The Houghs and their two children have been tapping maple trees for in late winter for several years to gather sap and make syrup and other maple products. The process carries on a long family tradition started by Rob’s great-grandfather, Ralph Angle. Visitors crowded into the sugar house, a repurposed scale house, while Rob explained the process of evaporating the sap and bottling the resulting syrup. He said the syrup they make is a totally natural product with no chemicals, preservatives, or additives. “Maple syrup theoretically keeps forever,” he said. “A 30-year-old bottle of syrup is as good as when it was made.” One visitor asked where they get the sap, and Rob said they tap trees owned by family and friends around the area. They have also planted a row of maples the length of their long driveway with the intention of tapping those once they are large enough. Any kind of maple, not just sugar maples, can be tapped for its sap, Rob said, but the flavor may vary. Box

elder trees, a member of the maple family, will also yield sap for syrup. Weather greatly affects sap collection, Rob said. Late winter conditions with days above freezing and nights below freezing are ideal and usually come from mid-February into March. Sap runs faster just before a storm, he said. Climate change may eventually affect the entire process, however. “Projections are that by 2050 we won’t be able to make maple syrup in the U.S.,” Rob said. Just around the corner and west on Midtown Road, Jeff Warren was telling the crowd about the aronia berries he and his wife Julie grow at BerryView Orchard. The Warrens also grow apples and peaches, as well as other fruits, and offer u-pick of their products. One of the stops in the orchard was the newly planted orchard of 600 dwarf apple trees. Barb Kinner, of Oregon, stopped before she left to get information from Julie about the u-pick days scheduled for Sunday, and again Sept. 9 and 10. She said she was glad she attended. “It was wonderful!” she said. “I learned so much.” Jerry and Cindy Kinsley came down from Rockford for the tour. “We’re happy to see the town so alive with people and people coming from all over,” Cindy said. Before starting the tour the Kinsleys had taken in the National Straw Sculpting Competition on Mt. Morris’ downtown campus. Back on Midtown Road and three miles back to the east, visitors were getting a close look at the huge farm implements at Witmer Precision Services. Owner Greg Witmer explained how his combine Turn to A2

Barb Kinner, of Oregon, asks Julie Warren about a u-pick day at BerryView Orchard one of four stops on Saturday’s Mt. Morris Country Living Tour. Aso pictured is Abigail Martin. Photo by Vinde Wells

Social News, A4 Sports, A10, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4

Deaths, B5 Reuben “Jim” Bolen Eugene C. Kitzmiller

Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com


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