17 minute read
FFA Fundraiser
from Forreston Journal
by Shaw Media
oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com
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FFA FUNDRAISER G et your order in now for strawberries
Forreston FFA is selling Florida strawberries again this year
The Forreston FFA is selling flats of strawberries from the Florida Fruit Association. Due to COVID-19, things will run differently.
Orders: All orders will be submitted online. The link for the order form can be found on the Forrestville Valley District Website at fvdistrict221.org.
Payment will be collected at the time orders are picked up. Sales end on Friday, Feb. 19.
For the safety of all, students will not be selling door to door and will not be delivering orders.
Orders must be picked up at the Forreston Junior/Senior High School. A drive-through pick up area will be set up behind the school by the shop door and football field.
“At pick up you will give your name and payment and the strawberries will be loaded for you into your vehicle,” said Kelley Parks, FFA adviser. “We are very happy to bring you this great tradition that is just so delicious!”
Strawberries will be delivered the week of March 15.
“Closer to the delivery time, the Florida Fruit Association will communicate a date for delivery. An email will be sent at that time so arrangements can be made for order pick up. Pick-up times will be scheduled after school with more details included in the email,” Parks said.
For additional information, contact Parks at kparks@fvdistrict221.org
SPECIAL EVENT
Free Lunch Friday is Feb. 5
Rock River Center’s Feb. 5 Free Lunch Friday will be curbside service only with pre-registration by Feb. 2.
Special dietary meals are available when requested at the time of registration. Curbside pickup for lunch starts at 11:30 a.m.
The menu is brat with a bun, sauerkraut and roasted potatoes, Snickerdoodle Poke cake and a drink.
Rock River Center prepared and distributed around 150 meals at Free Lunch Friday on Dec. 4 thanks to the generosity of The Etnyre Foundation and Heritage Woods of Rockford, Belvidere, Dekalb & Sterling.
For additional information, call the center at 815-732-3252.
POLO CITY COUNCIL Council approves purchase of building
BY JEFF HELFRICH
jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
The Polo City Council approved accepting the bank’s counteroffer of $215,000 on the CedarStone building at 610 S. Division Ave. by a vote of 4-2 at a special meeting on Jan. 28. The city plans to use the building as a new city hall.
The city was under contract to purchase the property for $229,000 late last year before the deal expired due to the building being tied up in bankruptcy proceedings. At recent meetings the city made an offer of $175,000 which was countered by an offer of $225,000. The city then offered $185,000 which led to the $215,000 counteroffer, which the bank said was its last and final.
Aldermen Keith Chesnut, Troy Boothe, Justin Grobe and Jim Busser voted in favor of the move while Randy Schoon and Donald Sanders Jr. voted no.
Boothe’s vote of yes was due to the high cost of other options like building a new city hall or costly renovations to another building in town.
“Why are we fighting over $15,000 when a new one could cost $1.2 million?” Boothe said. “Do we have our feelings hurt or what? What would plan B even be? It’s whether we want the building or not. If we do, I don’t have a problem with $215,000. If not, we’ll look at other things. We’d be saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. And it’s $15,000 off our original offer. I think this is our last chance.”
Busser agreed and said the $15,000 saved from the original offer could be put towards renovations that would include getting the building up to Americans with Disabilities Act codes.
The ADA issues would include changes to parking, lowering countertops and work on a walkway outside.
Schoon was against paying $215,000 and said he was under the impression that the city’s $185,000 offer would be its last. He also said he was put off by the bank not being able to meet the original sale last year after title issues.
“They’ve tried to undercut and undermine us,” Schoon said. “I’m not a $215,000 guy. And they don’t want to talk anymore. It was their mistake to not get $229,000. I say we go back at $200,000 and we’re done. It upsets me we’re back in here again. It was supposed to be $185,000 and we’re done.”
City Attorney Tom Suits said it is possible the sale could go back to bankruptcy court and another 14-day appeal period like it did in the original sale contract. That’s why the closing date for the latest contract was moved out to May rather than in the next month or two.
The bank’s attorney will contact the bankruptcy trustee and see if it has to go back to bankruptcy court, Suits said.
“The bankruptcy court wants more to pay creditors,” Suits said. “They may have to go the court route and appeal again. The bank has a title, but not a clear title. We won’t proceed until it’s clear. They can’t give a clear title until bankruptcy court. ”
BUSINESS UPDATE New Ogle County Brewery plans to open soon
Beer brewing has started in Oregon
BY JEFF HELFRICH
jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
One of the final steps of opening a brewery is, of course, brewing the beer.
That’s what Ogle County Brewery owners Joshua Skinner and Brian Wynn are working on this week ahead of their opening within the next two months. They, along with their third business partner, Mike Basciak, haven’t yet set a concrete date for their downtown Oregon location.
Before getting into the old National Clothing building on the corner of Illinois 64 and Illinois 2, beer was brewed in Skinner’s garage.
“We have the same system in my garage,” Skinner said. “It’s just on a bigger scale. It’s not that difficult moving up. Getting larger mill and pumps, but it’s the same. It will be easier to brew here when it’s all set up and it’s less-cluttered. We’ve brought in light beer, a stout, brown ale, maple brown ale, IPA and a seltzer. Just brewing some stuff having fun and letting the guys test it out and give us feedback.”
The brewery will have at least 11-12 beers on tap after opening. Nine will be exclusive to the location and three or four others will be imported from Hilsenbeck Bier, a brewery partner in South Germany.
Skinner got connected with Hilsenbeck through his accountant, who knew a relative of the brewery that lives in Naperville. Some seasonal beers may be on tap in Oregon from the foreign brewery as well.
“Really good beer, a solid company,” Skinner said. “It’s just been great to work with them and bring in more products. Having them in collaboration with us will be fun and we’ll do collaboration beers with them at some point when the master brewer can come here.”
Ogle County Brewery will have a full food menu including mini pizzas, sandwiches and wings.
“Pretty much all the food will be unique to our place,” Wynn said. “There’s nothing on our menu you can get at another restaurant or bar here locally besides wings. Our sauces you can’t get elsewhere.”
The brewery will have video gambling as well when it opens. Later this year there are plans to expand downstairs, where there will be bags, darts and video games.
The ownership group has a desire to source ingredients and resources locally.
“Our yeast comes from Chicago,” Skinner said. “Our hops come from Amboy. We used local spec cranes. Haven’t found a local grain source yet. We’d like to.”
Building owners Mark Gale and Kevin Wiegmann renovated and transformed the historic building to pave the way for the building. Wynn’s favorite part is the floorto-ceiling front window, which also functions as a garage door for warmer weather.
“The aesthetic of the old building is very welcoming,” Wynn said. “It feels like home. It’s been pretty cool seeing it transform especially these front windows. We saw pictures of what it used to look like. It’s completely different and opens it up.”
Wynn is most excited to get into a rhythm and see people come in and enjoy the beers they make. He believes Ogle County Brewery will be a good compliment to other places in town, not a competitor.
He imagines someone going kayaking with White Pelican on the river and coming to get a craft beer afterwards.
“A great place for the community to come and gather and have something unique to this community,” Wynn said. “Just a lot of unique things coming alive here in Oregon. It’ll be fun.”
Skinner told patrons to keep an eye on the Ogle County Brewery Facebook page for an open dates. He wants to take things slow and make sure everything is completely ready beforehand.
“We’ll just pick a day,” Skinner said. “I’m not sure we’ll let too many people know until we’re actually ready. Whenever we flip the sign on, that will be the opening day. I really want to be ready. Everyone asks.”
Alex T. Paschal/Shaw Media ABOVE: Brian Wynn, brewmaster and co-owner of the Ogle County Brewery, grinds up a batch of grain for an American light beer at the soon to be opened brewery. BELOW LEFT: The brewery is located at the corner of Illinois 64 and 2 in Oregon. BELOW RIGHT:
Joshua Skinner and son Spencer move grains into place in the brewhouse. Joshua and Brian Wynn share co-owner/brewmaster status.
COVID-19 UPDATE Ogle has administered 4,319 vaccines as of Feb. 1
1,050 county residents have received both doses so far
BY JEFF HELFRICH
jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
As of Monday, Feb. 1, Ogle County has administered 4,319 total COVID vaccines with 1,050 people receiving their first and second dose with 2.06 percent of the population fully vaccinated, the Ogle County Health Department said on its Facebook page.
The OCHD said it continues to vaccinate as quickly as allocations from the state allow.
“There is much more demand than there is supply right now so we understand some of you have been registered waiting on a call for an appointment for a couple of weeks,” the OCHD post said. “Do not get discouraged, we will get to everyone, it will just take longer than we would all like.
The OCHD announced Jan. 27 that it will no longer be posting daily COVID-19 case numbers and will now post them weekly. The last post on Jan. 27 said there are 4,648 cases, 4,118 recoveries and 67 deaths.
A week prior to that, the county reported 4,532 cases, 3,973 recoveries and 64 deaths.
The Illinois Department of Public Health site said Tuesday that there are 1,530 cases in the zip code that includes Rochelle, Creston and White Rock.
Stillman Valley has 251 cases, Byron has 861 cases and Davis Junction has 293 cases.
Oregon and Mt. Morris have 602 and 250 cases, respectively.
Polo has 297 cases, Leaf River has 138 cases and Forreston has 189 cases.
OCHD Public Administrator Kyle Auman spoke with the Oregon Public Library Monday about what his department is currently doing and his experience during the pandemic.
Auman said he’s spent 10 years studying and training for situations similar to this, but he never expected he’d see a pandemic in his lifetime.
The OCHD’s pandemic responsibilities have included recommendations, enforcement, public information, tracing, case investigation, coordinating with local hospitals, doing testing, tracking data and trends, ensuring local entities have PPE and surveillance on and advising long-term care.
“It really has been a monumental task for the 13 normal full-time staff at the OCHD,” Auman said. “And now we’re moving into vaccination which we’re responsible for locally.”
Auman said keeping up with changes and guidance, and sometimes the lack thereof, from federal institutions has been one of the biggest challenges.
“The mitigations from the state are ever-changing,” Auman said. “We watch and look for those changes and try to report valid information to the public when we can.”
Misinformation and the politicization of the pandemic have been big challenges as well, Auman said. He believes public health should not be a political issue and he’s seen people not trusting science or the mitigations.
“There’s been a lot of misinformation, some mistaken and some intentional,” Auman said. “That makes it difficult for the general public. It feels at some times there’s more misinformation than appropriate information.”
Auman said at the beginning of the pandemic, he’d have calls with the Center for Disease Control several times a week. That ceased in March. He believes without that information, it leaves room for people to make up their own.
When asked about where to point people for accurate pandemic information, Auman said the IDPH and CDC sites along with the OCHD’s would be the best places to start.
“Anything you’re reading on social media, you have to take with a grain of salt,” Auman said. “Fact-check it against the IDPH or your local health department.”
Auman doesn’t believe the full picture of COVID-19’s impact will be seen until it’s largely over. Looking at the death and attack rates at any point in the pandemic so far can be misleading, he said.
Auman believes there are many months left to go in the pandemic and thinks we’ll see many more lives lost and people contracting COVID19. Each time it finds a new host, the virus has a chance to mutate and become one of the new strains that have popped up across the world.
“We need to be concerned because we don’t know what the future holds,” Auman said. “It could become something that’s more deadly. There’s a much bigger picture and things to worry about than just those base-level statistics.”
Kyle Auman
SPORTS Oregon, Polo ADs prepped for return of sports
BY JEFF HELFRICH
jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
Jan. 27 was the moment Mike Lawton had been waiting for since March 13. The return of high school sports to Illinois.
“Ten months of sitting around wondering,” The Oregon High School Activities Director said. “A roller coaster ride. September and October were a glimmer of hope with cross country and golf. It was a downer after that. This is great news for the kids.”
The IHSA announced boys and girls basketball and lower-risk winter sports can start immediately. Previously-postponed fall sports and upcoming spring sports will take place starting in March and April with some running into June.
The revamped schedule comes with some complications for county schools like Oregon and Polo. Many of the sports overlap with each other, and as a result, will make it tough for multi-sport athletes that are relied upon by smaller schools.
Lawton said local conferences will likely remedy that by ending sports a week earlier or delaying the start of the following sport so there’s no overlap.
“The IHSA had an incredibly difficult job to put humpty dumpty back together,” Lawton said. “It’s going to be tough for small schools like us. We’re meeting as a conference to see if we can tweak it. It would be almost impossible to compete for us the way it is.”
Lawton said it’s important that kids have the chance to do every sport they want and not have to choose. The actual scheduling of times, dates and opponents will be hammered out once season dates are nailed down.
Polo Athletic Director Ted Alston said he plans to make sure kids are safely-prepared to do each of their sports, especially football, which is slated to run March 3 through April 24.
Alston said it’s been tough to throw out schedules and start over so many times.
“We’ve dealt with so much, we’ve become good at getting things done last second,” Alston said. “My concern is officials. Some are hesitant with COVID-19. There may be some two man crews instead of three. Maybe some freshman and sophomore refs will be used.”
Freshman and sophomore games will take place as well in the upcoming months.
Alston called football being pushed back one of the positives in the IHSA’s plan with weather being bad at the moment. He is concerned about kids being ready in March and again in August when the next season starts, but some football is better than none, he said.
Lawton said lines were painted on the football and soccer fields this past winter for this very purpose.
“The number one question I get is how are we going to play football with snow on the ground?” Lawton said. “We’d start in the snow and end in 60 degree weather. Hopefully it’s as nice as can be.”
According to the IHSA’s plan, everyone in attendance at each sporting event including players must wear masks. Officials are the only exception. There will be different spectator limits depending on which COVID-19 tier each home area is in. Lawton hopes to get limited family in to watch at home events and may rotate those who can come.
“Someone asked the executive director of the IHSA how you play football and wrestle with a mask,” Lawton said. “He more or less said it is what it is. It’s that or don’t play. We’ve got some time until then for that to maybe change, though.”
As far as COVID-19 protocols, no extra work will have to be done for athletics due to systems already in place for kids to attend school each day. If an athlete has to quarantine or is positive, they won’t be able to play. The IHSA won’t be using the term forfeit this season. Games that teams have to cancel due to COVID19 will be called “no contests.”
Athletic directors plan a year in advance, so the past 10 months have still been business as usual for Lawton and Alston during regular school hours. What’s been strange for them is going home and staying there on for nights and weekends when they’d typically be at games.
“It hasn’t been easy for us, the coaches or the kids,” Alston said. “You get used to a certain way of life. It’s been weird to come home at a normal time. My wife can’t catch up on her shows that she wants to watch without me. You get antsy. It’s a challenge to stay occupied.”
The part of the next few months that Alston is looking forward to most is seeing players finally get the chance to shine, after it looked like they wouldn’t for many months.
“I’m just excited to see our seniors on the fields and courts,” Alston said. “What they’ve been through, weeks turned into months. They’ve lost homecoming and a lot of memories. To go out on a positive note, we have a great group.”
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Oregon’s Ashyn Kitzmiller dribbles during practice at the Blackhawk Center on Monday. The Lady Hawks first game is Saturday.
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