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Library News
oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com
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Forreston Journal, Ogle County News and oglecountynews.com are a division of Shaw Media. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. MorrisTimes , OregonRepublicanReporter, and Polo’s Tri-County Press .
The FORRESTON JOURNAL (USPS No. 205-520) is published weekly by B.F. Shaw Printing Co., Shaw Media. Periodical postage paid at Forreston, Illinois. POSTMASTER Send address changes to FORRESTON JOURNAL, P.O. Box 237, Forreston, IL 61030. Phone 815-732-6166, ext. 2516.
All rights reserved. Copyright 2022.
LOCAL NEWS
Sponsors thanked for 2022 Easter Egg Hunt
The Forreston Lions Club and the Forreston Area Busin e s s A s s o c i a t i on we r e t h i s year’s sponsors of the 2022 Easter Egg Hunt.
A special thank you goes out to the Easter Bunny, Mobile Electronics who donated the stuffed bunnies, HBG Custom Embroidery- who donated the t-shirts for the stuffed bunnies, and Forreston Mutual Insurance Company and Solutions Bank for donating the candy.
“We ask the community to thank each of these businesses with your support,” said Laura Ludwig.
Winners and the sponsors who donated the baskets were: 0-2 years, Eastyn Lachchik, donated by HBG Embroider and C u s t o m A p p a r e l ; 3 - 4 y e a r s , Hadlee Sieber, donated by Forreston Mutual Insurance Company; 5-6 years, Onalee Sieber, donated by Koeller Forreston Hardware; 7-8 years, Isaac Williams, donated by Forreston Car Care; and 9-10 years, Kelly Stauffer, donated by Forreston Veterinary Clinic.
Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media Fifth and sixth -year-olds take their turn during Forreston’s annual Easter egg hunt in Memorial Park on April 16.
FORRESTON LIBRARY
Preschool Storytime (New Day!) Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. - Preschool Storytime has moved to Tuesdays! Join us for a fun-filled time of stories, activities, and crafts each week! Please call the library for more information or to preregister.
Healthy Living & Butterfly Gardens Thursday, May 5, 12 p.m. - Join us at the library or online to learn about recent research by the Alzheimer’s Association in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity, and social engagement as well as the hands-on-tools you can use to help make their recommendations part of a healthy lifestyle.
Following the healthy living presentation, staff from Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden will talk about the Monarch Butterfly and how to build your own butterfly garden at home.
Whether you want to create a garden on your patio or anywhere else in your yard, join us to learn how your home can become a butterfly oasis! To watch online, please call the library or visit our website, forrestonlibrary.org,for login instructions.
New Materials
New adult fiction titles include: “Dream Town” by David Baldacci, “A Family Affair” by Robyn Carr, and “The Investigator” by John Sandford.
Plastic Recycling
We are collecting film-type plastic for recycling. This includes plastic bags, zipper type baggies (with the zip portion removed), cereal/snack bags, bubble wrap, and other soft plastic . Please make sure bags are free from debris and remove all paper/sticker labels. We cannot accept hard plastic, such as water bottles, milk cartons, etc., for this program. Thank you!
Adult Programming
What type of adult programming would you like to see offered at the library? Would you prefer daytime or evening? In person or Take and Make activities? We’d love to hear your suggestions so please call or stop in and share them with us!
Library Hours
The library is open: Monday 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-7 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-12 p.m. We may be reached by phone at 815-938-2624, email at forrestonpubliclibrary@gmail.com, or through Facebook messaging.
Of course, we always love to see you in person, too!
BERTOLET LIBRARY
The Bertolet Memorial Library will welcome presenters and animals from “Hoo” Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in Durand.
During this educational program, children and adults alike will learn about some of the animals that are rescued and how they are nursed back to health and prepared to return to their natural habitats.
The presenters will also be bringing an owl, a red-tailed hawk, and a tortoise for participants to see and learn about.
In conjunction with this event, the library is collecting supplies for “Hoo” Haven through May 14. Because the organization is not government funded, they rely entirely on donations and volunteers to rehabilitate the animals.
Donations may be brought to the library in advance of the program or on May 14. A wish list is available on their website: www.hoohaven.org or for you to pick up at the library.
Monetary donations are also appreciated and are used for special food, medicine, and other items for the animals. Please visit www. hoohaven.org for more information and volunteer opportunities, and plan to join us for this interesting and informative program.
Book of the Month for April: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Set in Depression era America, The Giver of Stars is the story of five extraordinary women who run a traveling library in rural Kentucky.
Based on the true story of the Packhorse Librarians, this band of women face multiple hardships as they bring books to those who never had any.
Pick up a copy of the book at the Bertolet Memorial Library, and discover how these women from different backgrounds forge a friendship that overcomes adversities, both from natural disasters and from those opposed to their courageous efforts to share the gift of learning with those in need.
LEGO Club: First Monday of the month, 5 p.m.
Create with us on the first Monday of each month. We will have the LEGOs waiting for you! Story Hour: Thursdays at 10 a.m.
Join Miss Jana for Story Hour and learn about animals and letters on Thursdays at 10 a.m. Registration requested but not required.
Craft Kits for Adults: May Craft Kits will be available on Wednesday, May 4!
Create-a-Card: Saturday, May 21st, 9:30AM
Spring is in the air! High School graduation season is just around the corner. Create a one-of-a-kind card for that special graduate!
Plastic Recycling
We ask that you make sure plastic is clean with no debris in the donation. Also please remove any ziploc-type seals and paper/sticker labels. Thank you for your cooperation.
New Releases
Adult Books: Dream Town by David Baldacci, Beautiful by Danielle Steel
Juvenile Books: Jac & the Beanstalk by Renee Biermann (Graphic Novel), The View From the Very Best House In Town by Meera Trehan
DVDs: The King’s Daughter
By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com
Six months after a former Oregon Park District employee first publicly claimed the district was a “hostile work environment,” OPD commissioners have declared it is time to move on.
“The Park Board takes these allegations very seriously,” commissioners wrote in an April 12 letter. “It does so because it is fully committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, rewarding and enjoyable workplace. The Board is equally committed to ensuring that its financial procedures are legally compliant, and its practices are maintained to the highest standards, with integrity and transparency.”
On Oct. 12, Amanda Zimmermann went before commissioners and said she experienced “years of misconduct and psychological harassment.” She said she resigned from her job as the park district’s recreation program manager on Sept. 17 after more than five-and-a-half years because of “ongoing poor leadership and the continued lack of accountability” faced by upper management.
Zimmermann blamed OPD Execut i v e D i r e c t o r E r i n F o l k a n d O P D Superintendent of Recreation Tina Ketter, and called for Folk’s resignation or termination.
In a 19-minute prerecorded video, Zimmermann described a stress-filled work environment where she walked on eggshells, was subjected to personal attacks and felt the need to pretend that everything was OK in order to protect her job.
“A reasonable person would define that as a hostile working environment,” she said directly to board members after the video concluded.
M i n u t e s f r o m s u b s e q ue n t O P D board meetings Zimmermann also alleged misuse of OPD credit cards by Folk. Zimmermann cited multiple documents she obtained via the Freedom of Information Act when she made the allegations.
“After evaluating the allegations of a negative work environment and poor employee morale, the Park Board arranged for an independent workplace climate investigation related to these allegations to be conducted by legal counsel,” according to the April 12 letter. “The investigator was given complete access to all full-time employees. All employees were encouraged to be candid in their comments, and we thank them for providing honest feedback.”
The workplace climate investigation is finished, and Park Board members have reviewed the findings and deliberated, the letter states.
“The Board is satisfied that there is no evidence to indicate the existence of any unlawful workplace discrimination or harassment,” commissioners wrote. “The Board did identify the need for certain remedial action to address the legitimate concerns and input provided by our current staff. Specifically, in addition to positive culture-building actions, Park District leadership will participate in management coaching and training.”
The April 12 letter does not identify specific individuals by name.
Commissioners also investigated the allegations of financial wrongdoing, but are “satisfied that no material impropriety has occurred,” the letter states. OPD has received favorable audits every year since its creation, according to the letter.
“Further, the Park Board is satisfie d t h a t e m p l o y e e s ’ e x p e n s e s o n behalf of the District are fully and appropriately documented and in total compliance with applicable law and the policies of the Oregon Park District,” commissioners wrote.
“It is time for the Oregon Park District to move forward,” commissioners wrote. “Since September of 2021, the District has responded to 35 FOIA requests, all from four individuals closely aligned with the group raising these concerns. The Park District’s small team has responded to these requests at significant financial cost and resulting in a diversion of manpower within the organization to meet the demand. The Park Board looks forward to resuming its work providing for the recreational needs of the residents of Oregon.”
Zimmermann did not return calls for further comment.
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media The headquarters for the Oregon Park District are located in the Nash Recreation Center at the corner of Madison and South Fifth streets.
Judge denies 18-year-old’s request to return to high school a s child pornog raphy case continues
By EARLEEN HINTON ehinton@oglecountynews.com
An 18-year-old’s request to have his bond modified to allow him to return to Polo Community High School to finish his senior year was denied Monday.
Clayton A. Davis, 18, of Polo, who is charged with four counts of reproducing child pornography and four counts of possession of child pornography, will be able to finish his classes online through a supervised program offered by the Polo School District.
Judge John B. Roe made the ruling after Polo Superintendent Kelley Mandrell testified that the school district could not provide adequate supervision to allow Davis to return to school while avoiding contact with other students.
Mandrell said the school district could provide Davis with a Chromebook through which he could use he Apex Learning program to earn his remaining credits in order to graduate.
Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten said the online program has safeguards that allows administrators to see what screens students were using.
Davis is charged with using the Signal app on his phone to possess and share videos and photos of a child he k n e w o r s h o u l d h a v e k n o w n w a s younger than 13 and who was engaged in sexual activity. H e w a s c h a r g e d March 9 and pleaded not guilty March 16 t o t h e f e l o n y offenses. He posted $30,000 of his $300,000 bond, and is currently living with his family in Polo. A condition of his bond includes no contact with anyone younger than 18. He is also prohibited from using electronic devices to engage in social media or to view social media sites.
On Monday, Davis’ attorney, Cristina M. Buskohl of Sterling, asked the court to allow Davis to return to school in-person to complete his senior year and also allow him to attend 2022 commencement with his classmates. She subpoenaed Mandrell requiring her to appear in court to testify as to why Davis was not being allowed to return to school.
“There has been no expulsion as far as I know,” Buskohl said. “He is still a s t u d e n t a t P o l o C o m m u n i t y H i gh School.”
Mandrell said there had been no disciplinary issues with Davis in high school or when he was a student in junior high.
She said school officials were not in favor of him returning to in-person
Clayton A. Davis
