13 minute read
Jamboree
OGLE COUNTY
Area superintendents: Mask rules ‘out of our hands’
By ALEXA ZOELLNER
azoellner@shawmedia.com
OREGON – Whether students must mask up in Ogle County schools is out of the hands of local leaders.
On Aug. 4, Gov. JB Pritzker issued an executive order mandating that masks be worn in Illinois schools by students, staff and visitors age 2 and older who are medically able to tolerate a face covering, regardless of vaccination status. The order also applies to day cares, nursing homes and longterm care facilities. It brings the state in line with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
The mandate forced a swift change of plans for Oregon, Polo and Forrestville Valley school districts, all of which plan to obey the order, according to their respective superintendents. If a district doesn’t comply, it risks losing state funding and insurance coverage and is opened to additional liability.
“In general, our families have been pretty good and understanding that this wasn’t a local decision,” said Tom Mahoney, Oregon Community Unit School District superintendent. “But, obviously, they’re frustrated with the sudden reversal.
“They’re feeling unempowered because of the change that occurred from the governor’s office,” he said.
Officials from Oregon, Polo and Forrestville Valley school districts in late July released back-to-school plans recommending – but not requiring – masks, except on district transportation. The plans included COVID-19 mitigation measures that would be adjusted throughout the 2021-22 school year based on local data.
As of Aug. 6, Ogle County’s seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 test positivity rate had increased to 4.5%, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The data is on a three-day lag.
Pritzker’s order essentially takes away local control and the ability to use local data to determine what’s best for an individual district’s students and community, Mahoney said. Now, a municipality’s positivity rate doesn’t matter – everyone is subject to the same restrictions, he said.
Polo Community Unit School District Superintendent Kelly Mandrell said she has seen a variety of reactions to the executive order.
“It’s been a mix,” Mandrell said. “However, our board understands – and we feel our community understands – there’s a point when it’s out of our hands.”
The main objective is to keep the children safe and educate students, which is what the district plans to do, she said.
“We’re going to keep moving forward,” Mandrell said. “We really appreciate the community’s support during this time.”
Forrestville Valley School District Superintendent Sheri Smith could not be reached for additional comment before deadline. Oregon Superintendent Tom Mahoney (left) responds to a question from an audience member during the school board meering July 19 as school board member Corey Buck listens. Ogle County school superintendents said they will comply with the statewide mask mandate.
Earleen Hinton file photo – ehinton@shawmedia. com
MT. MORRIS
The Bel-Airs Aug. 13
Missouri-based blues and rock band The Bel-Airs will make their debut at the Mt. Morris Jamboree on Friday, Aug. 13, presenting a free twohour concert starting at 7 p.m.
Fronted by brothers Dick and Dave Pruitt on bass and electric guitars, with Michael Cherry on drums, The Bel Airs play a danceable mix with an authentic but eclectic bluesy-country-soul-and-rock ’n’ roll sound influenced by the likes of Wilson Picket, Slim Harpo, Howlin’ Wolf and Johnny Cash.
Chicago Tribute Anthology Aug. 20
nationwide attention. Born in the Midwest and infused with elements of jazz, blues and Latin influences, the first album by “Chicago Transit Authority,” or CTA as they were commonly known, went double platinum.
Such hits as “Beginnings,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” and “Question 67 & 68” propelled the band to popularity.
“With a rock rhythm section led by the brilliant guitarist Terry Kath, a powerful horn section, and unique vocals, the band now known simply as ‘Chicago’ released their second album in January of 1970,” Jamboree organizer Larry Ubben said. “Considered by many to be the band’s breakout album, Chicago 2 would also go platinum with hits like ‘Make me Smile,’ ‘Colour My World’ and ‘25 or 6 to 4.’ ”
Chicago became a dominant force in popular music during the 1970s, producing at least one new album each year. This period was marked by the release of classic songs like “Free,” “Saturday in the Park,” “Dialogue,” “Just You ’n Me,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” “Call On Me” and “Old Days,” to name a few.
“CTA brings to life the ‘Golden Age’ of Chicago by meticulously recreating many of the great songs from the first 11 albums,” Ubben said.
Members include Tom Anderson, Paul Bata, Terry Geraci, Paul Mabin, Chuck Parrish, Reed Pauley, Dan Peters and John Springbrunn.
Concessions for the evening will be provided by the Mt. Morris Senior Center, serving pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, chips, soda, water and baked goods starting at 6 p.m.
“The campus will be extra festive that evening as the 6th annual National Strawsculpting Competition continues, with new sculptures on display all around the south end of the Campus until Aug. 29,” Ubben said.
The Radical Botanicals show continues at the Encore Art Gallery next door on the first floor of Old Sandstone, open from 6:30-9 p.m. Local small business vendors will often be joining us on the campus with fresh produce and crafts as well as Grandpa’s Ice Cream truck.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Pinecrest Grove Community Center, 500 Evergreen Lane, seven blocks south of Route 64 off McKendrie Street.
Photos by Earleen Hinton – ehinton@shawmedia.com ABOVE: Jakob Kobler, 13, of Forreston was one of the contestants who took part in the teens watermelon eating contest in Forreston during Sauerkraut Days. Kobler won the event. RIGHT: Forreston firefighters Airrin Coy, Stewart Myers and Dane Busker compete in the water fights Saturday during Foreston’s Sauerkraut Days.
FORRESTON
Organizers: Strong showing at Sauerkraut Days
By ALEXA ZOELLNER
azoellner@shawmedia.com
FORRESTON – Jaxen Altensey enjoyed dousing Monty Cotter in cold water so much that the 4-year-old eventually had to be carried away by his father.
“I didn’t hit him sometimes, but I did lots of times,” Jaxen later said as he played with a white balloon.
The un-dunk tank was new this year at Forreston Sauerkraut Days, replacing the usual dunk tank as a precaution against COVID-19.
Overall, it was a good weekend, said Jane Koeller, Sauerkraut Days committee member.
“[It was] hot, but at least it was dry, so that was huge,” Koeller said. “It seemed like everything was really well attended. … It was just so nice to see everybody out and about.”
The weather always is a concern, so it’s a relief when Forreston Sauerkraut Days is over and went well, she said.
“It’s like, ‘Whew, we did it,’ ” Koeller said.
Per usual, the watermelon-eating contest was popular, as were the craft and vendor show; the car show, which had more than 120 entries; and the sauerkraut lunch, she said. The Forreston Lions Club hosts the car show, and the Forreston American Legion hosts the sauerkraut lunch.
For youngsters, there also was the playground and bouncy house – both things Jaxen enjoyed.
Forreston Sauerkraut Days is a great community event that allows different groups to come together for a weekend, Koeller said.
“I’m really impressed with our community,” she said. “Because it is hard to get the volunteers to do this, so to pull it off is kind of a cool thing.”
Alexa Zoellner – azoellner@shawmedia.com Kylie Dales, 4, of Forreston leaps off a stand in a bounce-battle arena Saturday during Forreston Sauerkraut Days.
ABOVE: Addison Dakolo, 2021 Young Miss Ogle County, throws a handful of candy from the bed of a pickup truck Sunday during Forreston’s Sauerkraut Days parade. LEFT: Charlotte Langley, 5, of Forreston was on the lookout for candy Sunday during the Sauerkraut Days parade.
Christine Gomoll of the Flying Fox Conservation Fund holds Poppy, an eclectus parrot, during an educational program Aug. 6 at the Rock River Center. The educational program was offered by the Oregon and Mt. Morris public libraries and paid for by the Maggie & Amos Foundation.
Photos by Alexa Zoellner – azoellner@shawmedia. com
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By ALEXA ZOELLNER
azoellner@shawmedia.com
OREGON – Drago Smith had several choices.
There was Sheldon, a three-banded armadillo; Pooh, the kinkajou; Poppy, an eclectus parrot; and Dandelion, the aptly named lionheaded rabbit.
Then there was Sammy, an African straw-colored fruit bat; Lexi, a Children’s python; Creston, the New Caledonia gecko; a pair of 9-week-old lesser Madagascar tenrecs; and, of course, Chloe, the Linnaeus’ two-toed sloth.
In the end, 8-year-old Drago couldn’t pick just one favorite.
“My favorite one was – I don’t know. All of them. I don’t got a favorite because all of them are my favorite,” the Mt. Morris boy said.
Pooh, Lexi, Chloe and friends were introduced to Drago and others as part of a free educational presentation by the Flying Fox Conservation Fund, a Chicago-based nonprofit.
Dawn Winters and Debbie Herman – leaders of the children’s programs at the Mt. Morris and Oregon public libraries, respectively – organized the Aug. 6 program. It was paid for by the Maggie & Amos Foundation and held at the Rock River Center in Oregon.
Most of the animals were handled by Scott Heinrichs, founder of the Flying Fox Conservation Fund, while educator and speaker Christine Gomoll provided attendees an overview of each species and its part in the world’s ecosystem.
The Mt. Morris and Oregon libraries had tried to host the program as a kickoff to the summer reading programs, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and they had to reschedule, Herman said. At the start of this year’s summer reading programs, there still were too many safety restrictions in place to host the presentation, so it was pushed to late summer.
Flying Fox Conservation Fund’s goal is “to save Old World fruit bat populations and their habitat with a nonconfrontational approach to reach solutions which benefits bats, peoples and ecosystems,” according to its website.
“Flying fox” is another name for fruit bats such as Sammy, There are more than 180 species of Old World fruit bats, according to Britannica.
“We also like to do work to educate and bring awareness of animals and the planet and how they coexist together, how we need them, what they’re about, their benefits, how they’re struggling and things like that just to bring awareness to people,” Gomoll said after the program. “We know about the lions and the tigers and the bears, but who knows what a tenrec is, you know?”
Pooh, a kinkajou or honey bear, rides on Scott Heinrichs' shoulder during an educational program Aug. 6 at the Rock River Center.
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Alex T. Paschal file photos – apaschal@shawmedia.com ABOVE: Visitors tour the property by UTV on Aug. 2. The land is home to several endangered plant species and an outcropping of St. Peter Sandstone, which is rare. LEFT: Family members of Samuel and Edna Hill stand near the site’s new sign during the dedication ceremony Aug. 2. Each family member was given a bowl made by a volunteer from wood harvested from the property.
Richard Harden, grandson of the Hills, point out the different bowls given to the family. The bowls were made with different types of wood from trees that grow on the property.
Grand Detour preservation site dedicated
By ALEXA ZOELLNER
azoellner@shawmedia.com
Descendants of Samuel and Edna Hill gathered Monday at the edge of 92 acres of land that had been in their family for generations to celebrate its transition to a public preservation site.
In 2019, family members sold the parcel – located south of Grand Detour, just off state Route 2 – to Middle Rock Conservation Partners, allowing for the land’s ecological restoration. On Monday, the site was official dedicated as the Samuel & Edna Hill Preservation Site.
“I’m so glad I contacted you the second time,” Carol Wilson, the Hills’ granddaughter, told MRCP Director Deb Carey during the event.
“So am I,” Carey replied.
“It was definitely an answer to my prayers, and I just want to thank you for everything,” Wilson said. “MRCP for all the work that they do and have done. It’s just, it’s really great.”
MRCP is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works in Lee and Ogle counties and southeastern Whiteside County to protect habitat and provide stewardship for species in greatest need of conservation.
When the nonprofit first was organizing, members debated how far they would go, MRCP President Austin Webb said. Would they go cut brush and do prescribed burns and leave it at that, or would they do more?
“Deb [Carey], of course, was like, ‘No. We need to make sure we can protect land also,’ ” Webb said, slamming his fist on a table in mock imitation of Carey. “And we were like, ‘I don’t know, maybe,’ and her and Cody [Considine, MRCP vice president] said, ‘Leave it in there! We have to be able to do that because we never know what opportunity might present itself.’ ”
The opportunity to purchase the 92-acre site with a mostly savanna-type habitat came in July 2019, he said. MRCP didn’t have any money, so it applied for a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.
Savanna habitats are even more rare than original prairie habitats – and there’s only one-tenth of 1% of original prairie left in Illinois, Webb said.
Many of the species present on the preservation site were identified by Cassandra Rogers in the 1980s. At the time, she was an ecologist for the Illinois Department of Transportation. Her job was to examine the proposed highway projects and look for natural resources and potential impacts on them.
When the project to reconstruct the portion of state Route 2 that is the Grand Detour bridge came up, Rogers’ team was on it.
“They wanted to move the bridge over and build the new bridge next to the existing bridge so they could keep Route 2 open to traffic during construction,” she said.
Through surveys, Rogers discovered yellow birch trees – an endangered species – on the west side. So they turned
