Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS November 14, 2013 Volume 46, Number 37 - $1.00
Seasons Ended
Bake Sale
The OHS volleyball and football teams lost their postseason matchups. B1
Feeding Birds
A former resident raises $2,465 for the Good Samaritan Fund. A8
A winter bird feeding program will be held Nov. 20 at the extension office. A7
Death is ruled a homicide
Newman honored to speak at DLR
Williams died after fight at drinking party
By Chris Johnson Reporter Students at David Rahn Junior High were honored to have Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Newman at their school last week. Newman, a member of the Illinois National Guard since he enlisted in 1985, was the guest speaker during a Veteran’s Day program Nov. 6. “I originally joined to go to college, and I had my parents sign my enlistment forms when I was only 17,� he said. “A year later I went to basic training.� This idea of joining quickly LTC Jerry Newman salutes the flag during a Veteran’s Day program at DLR Junior High Nov. 6. changed when Newman began Photo by Chris Johnson working with his fellow soldiers. “You form bonds when you are in the military and these bonds are greater than any others,� he said. “I wanted to be by their side.� Newman returned from Afghanistan in May after serving oversees for a year. “We are currently moving out of the country,� Newman said. “But there are still casualties occurring in Afghanistan. He talked about a soldier that gave his life to save Afghanistan police during a mission. “The soldier is a fallen warrior,� said Newman. “When he was flown to another hospital his buddies insisted on going with so he would not fly alone.� Veterans Samuel Thomas, World War II, Lou Finch, Vietnam, and David Baker, 1967-68, were three Turn to A2 of the veterans who attended the DLR Junior High program Nov. 6. Photo by Chris Johnson
By Vinde Wells Editor A Winnebago County Coroner’s Jury ruled Nov. 8 that the death of an Oregon teen last summer was a homicide. Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock said Tuesday that he expects to file criminal charges in the death of Jonathan Williams, 18, within the next three weeks Williams died Aug. 11 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford, after being injured in a fight in the wee hours of Aug. 10 at an underage drinking party at 804 Monroe St., Oregon. He would have been a senior at Oregon High School this year. Rock declined to say who will be charged or what the charges will be. “Being ruled a homicide doesn’t necessarily mean there’s going to be murder charges,� he said. “The Winnebago County Coroner’s report is something we’ll take into account when deciding what charges are appropriate.� He said he wants to go over the report from the inquest carefully before filing the charges. The homicide ruling did not come as a surprise, Rock said. “I’m not sure how they reached their conclusion, but it’s what I anticipated,� he said. Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia said during an interview Nov. 8 that each coroner’s office has different Turn to A2
Woman pronounced dead after 1-car crash An New Mexico woman in town for a relative’s wedding died in a single vehicle crash near Polo Nov. 9. Melanie R. Wagner, 21, Albuquerque, N.M., was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Union Road near the intersection with
Canada Road approximately two miles north of Polo. A press release issued Tuesday afternoon by Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn said Wagner was a front seat passenger in a vehicle driven by her cousin Jason W. Wagner, 23, Polo. She was
ejected from the vehicle. According to the press release, the vehicle was southbound in the 600 block of Union Road when the vehicle went out of control, left the roadway, and collided with an electric pole shortly after 10 p.m.
Harn said alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. Jason was transported by Dixon City ambulance to KSB Hospital, Dixon, and later transferred to a Rockford hospital and then to a Peoria hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
A rear seat passenger, Jay R. Wagner, 18, Albuquerque, N.M., Melanie’s brother, was transported by ambulance to KSB Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The three had been attending a wedding reception for Jason’s father, Greg Wagner, Polo,
before the crash occurred. The Ogle County Coroner, Polo Fire Department and ambulance, Polo Police Department, and Dixon City ambulance assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Residents may see higher tax bills By Vinde Wells Editor
Veterans Day Doug Wean talks about the importance of remembering all veterans during an annual program at Pinecrest Manor Nov. 11. Photo by Vinde Wells
In This Week’s Edition...
Reduced property values may mean higher real estate taxes for Mt. Morris residents. Village treasurer Bruce True said Tuesday that although the village board approved a tax levy that’s less than last year’s, property owners could be paying more to meet the village’s expenses in 2014-15. The fiscal year begins May 1. The village board approved a tax levy of $462,900, which is $14,599 less than it received in tax revenue last year. True said the village’s equalized assessed value (EAV) decreased from $30.4 million last year to $26.3 million this year, mainly due
Business Briefs, B5 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B3
to the closing of the Quad Graphics plant. He recommended that the board continue to levy at the maximum rates for most of the village’s funds. However, some funds — the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), Social Security Fund, the Tort Liability Insurance Fund, and the Municipal Auditing Fund — have a variable rate because the village must meet the actual costs. Those costs are increasing and are what could drive taxes up, he said. True recommended increasing the IMRF levy from $69,000 last year to $75,000, the Social Security levy from $50,000 to $51,000, the Tort Liability Insurance Fund from $85,000
Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Snow Ordinance, A3
to $92,000, and the Municipal Auditing Fund from $12,000 to $13,000. He said the rates for those four funds have not yet been set. In another matter, the board discussed updating a 1968 ordinance for getting rid of dangerous buildings. According to the current ordinance, the board can order damaged or decaying buildings to be demolished once they have lost 50 percent of their value. However, board members were concerned as to how the value would be determined. “How do we determine 50 percent?� questioned trustee Jon Murray. “Fifty percent of what?� Trustee Mary Francis agreed. “Where do we start
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3 Weather, A2 Zoning, B5
with the value?� she said. Francis said the value of a home in 2007 before the collapse of the real estate market could be very different from the current value. The board agreed to turn the ordinance over to village attorney Eric Morrow to make revisions. In other business, village president Dan Elsasser chided the board for its lack of participation at recent business grand openings and ribbon cuttings. He said only one or two trustees have attended the last four or five held since he took office in May. “That’s unacceptable,� he said. “I think we need to make our presence known that we’re here to support the businesses.�
Deaths, B3 Margaret I. Van Buskirk, Melanie R. Wagner
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