Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS
March 15, 2018 Volume 51, Number 22 - $1.00
‘Bago Takes Second
Coloring Contest
Farm Focus
Winnebago’s boys basketball team takes second at the 2A state tournament. B1
Attention kids!! Color our Easter Bunny and enter it in our contest! B6
Agriculture-related articles and photos make up these special pages. A7-10
Few county races are contested in primary By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
This photo shows what solar panels look like when installed. Photo supplied by SunVest Solar.
Village president wants more study on solar project before making decision By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A solar project may be under consideration for Mt. Morris, but a village official says more study is needed before it can go forward. Village president Dan Elsasser said Tuesday morning that he would recommend delaying a decision when the village board met that evening. “My recommendation is going to be to table it for now,” he said. “I don’t think we can meet the deadlines for the first round of funding.” He said he wants plenty of time for the board to consider all aspects of the project before making a decision, which would include amending the village zoning code. The village board heard a proposal Feb. 27 for a small solar farm on 23 acres now being planted to farm crops on the north side of the village, behind the Mobil Gas Station
on Ill. 64. Patrick Dalseth, of SunVest Solar, Inc., Geneva, said the project means lower electricity costs for customers and higher real estate tax revenues for government bodies. The parcel is owned by David Luepkes and is within the boundaries of the Mt. Morris Industrial Park. Dalseth said the site has been identified a suitable for a community solar project of up to two megawatts. He asked the board to consider amending its current zoning code to allow the project. The area is zoned light industrial, which does not currently allow solar projects. Dalseth told the board that several solar companies are actively seeking sites for projects since the Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act was passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner just over a year ago. FEJA is aimed at increasing
renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, as well as increasing energy efficiency, providing job training in the energy field, and cutting costs to consumers. The project would consist of solar panels running from east to west in the field, Dalseth said, and tilted to the south to collect the maximum amount of sunlight. The electricity generated will be put into the ComEd power grid at the substation next to the field, and will most likely be used by local customers, he said. Potential benefits include reduced electric bills for those who sign up to get power from the solar project and increased real estate tax revenue for the affected taxing bodies, which includes the Village of Mt. Morris, Ogle County, Oregon School District, Mt. Morris Township & Road District, Mt. Morris Fire Protection District, Mt. Morris Public Library District, and Highland
Community College District. The panels are anchored to the ground with pilings, Dalseth said, to avoid using concrete and disturbing the ground. The 12-foot panels will be screened from view by landscaping, Dalseth said, and native plants will be used to prevent soil erosion. He said the panels do not emit light, sound, or heat. Dalseth said the board would need to approve the project and amend the zoning by June to allow his company to take advantage of the first round of funding from FEJA, and that’s where a glitch comes in. Village attorney Rob LeSage said the timeline may be too tight to get the zoning changed, even if the board approves the project in the near future. Dalseth said in that case, he would like to continue to pursue the project for future rounds of funding. “If the board is willing, I’ll keep this project alive for two to three years,” he said.
Most candidates running for office will face no obstacles in getting their party’s nominations next week in Ogle County’s Primary Election. One of the exceptions is the contested race for Ogle County Treasurer. Chief Deputy Treasurer Linda Beck and Patrick Wiesner, both of Oregon, are seeking the Republican nomination for the post in the March 20 primary. Beck has served in her current post of the last 12 years under current treasurer John Coffman, who is retiring after 20 years in the position. Wiesner, an accountant, served as an Oregon City Commissioner from 2011 to 2014. Also contested in the Republican Primary is the race for Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Regional Superintendent of Schools. Current regional superintendent Robert Sondgeroth is challenged by Paul McMahon. The General Election will take place on Nov. 6. Running unopposed in the primary for re-election to their current posts are County Clerk Laura J. Cook, of Oregon, and Sheriff Brian E. VanVickle, of Rochelle. Twenty candidates, including two Democrats, are seeking nominations in the primary for seats on the Ogle County Board. Two seats are open in each of the county’s eight districts, and all are four-year terms. In District 1, which includes Dement, Lynnville, Monroe, and Scott Townships, two Republicans, incumbent Rick Fritz, of Monroe Center, and newcomer Benjamin Pihl Youman, of Davis Junction, are running.
In District 2, which includes White Rock, Pine Rock, Lafayette, and Oregon-Nashua Townships, Republican incumbents Wayne Reising and Pat Nordman, both of Oregon, and Democrat Jerry Shirar, also of Oregon, have thrown their hats into the ring. In District 3, which includes Flagg Township Precincts 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, Republican incumbent Greg Sparrow and two newcomers Lloyd Droege, a Democrat, and Jamey Sulser, a Republican, are the candidates. All three are from Rochelle. In District 4, which includes Flagg Township Precincts 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11, incumbents John (Skip) Kenney and Bruce W. McKinney, are challenged by newcomer Anthony Rowley. All three are Rochelle Republicans. In District 5, which includes Marion, Rockvale, and Leaf River Townships, Republican incumbents Martin Typer and Richard Daniel Janes, both of Stillman Valley, are running unopposed. In District 6, which includes Byron Township, incumbent Dorothy R. Bowers and newcomer Todd M. McLester, both Byron Republicans, are running. In District 7, which includes Maryland, Mt. Morris, and Forreston Townships, Republican incumbent Ron Colson, of Mt. Morris, is seeking the nomination along with newcomers Dean Fox, of German Valley, and Stanley G. Asp, of Mt. Morris, both also Republicans. In District 8, which includes Brookville, Lincoln, Eagle Point, Buffalo, Pine Creek, Woosung, Grand Detour, and Taylor Townships, incumbent Lyle Hopkins, of Polo, and Susie Corbitt, also of Polo, are the candidates. Both are Republicans. Each district is represented by three county board members.
Fire marshal rules cause of fatal LR fire undetermined By Kathleen Schultz kschultz@saukvalley.com The cause of the Nov. 10 house fire that killed a young Leaf River volunteer firefighter has been ruled undetermined. The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office has ruled the cause of the blaze at 209 W. Second St. undetermined, but investigator Mitchel S. Kushner was able to determine that the fire began on the first floor, along the west wall of the living room. According to his report, family members told him a table lamp was plugged in and sat on a wooden chest in front of the window on that wall. Wires were found still plugged into the outlet and s a “V” pattern
“traveled upwards and outwards” from that area, but remains of the lamp itself could not be found, Kushner said in his report. The home did have working smoke detectors, the report said. Greg Wood, 19, a first-year firefighter, and his dog died in a second-floor bedroom. His father Marcus Wood, 44, deputy chief of the volunteer fire department, and his brother Travis, 16, a cadet firefighter, were treated for burns at a Rockford hospital, and his mother Nicole, 40, an EMT for the department, was treated and released that day. The fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. at the house, which was just a block from the fire station. It has since been
In This Week’s Edition...
demolished. The home belonged to Lazette Rasmussen, of Chana, the report said. Greg graduated from Forreston High School last May. He was a member of the Leaf River Fire Department Volunteer Cadet Program, and had just completed EMT classes. He and his father also volunteered for the German Valley Fire Department. The Leaf River Fire Department has set up a fund for the family at German American State Bank. Checks can be sent to the bank at P.O. Box 89, German Valley, IL 61039, or dropped off at any branch, with “Woods family” in the memo field.
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5 Marriage Licenses, A4
Adult Prom Let Freedom Ring Committee member Tiffany West, and her husband Bryon, take a turn on the dance floor March 10 at the Mardi Gras-themed adult prom, a fundraising event sponsored by LFR at the Mt. Morris Moose Club. Photo by Zach Arbogast
Library News, A3 Oregon Police, B5 Property Transfers, B4 Senior Center News, A2 Sheriff’s Arrests, B4
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5 Zoning. B5
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
Deaths, B4 Pauline J. Buttel Daniel M. Dunlap Shirley Stevens