Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS January 16, 2014 Volume 46, Number 46 - $1.00
Third Place
Tax Time
Spending Studied
Hawk wrestlers place third Jan. 11 at annual Polo Invitational. B1
Get help with income tax prep at THE 2OCK 2IVER #ENTER B2
&OUR /GLE #OUNTY $EPARTMENT HEADS TALK ABOUT their credit card practices. A7
LR man found not guilty by reason of insanity By Chris Johnson Reporter A man accused of stabbing a Leaf River couple more than two years ago showed no emotion while answering questions during a Jan. 8 BENCH TRIAL IN /GLE #OUNTY #OURT Judge John Redington found Michael Mitchell, 29, Leaf River, not guilty by reason of insanity on 10 counts. Mitchell was charged with four counts of attempted MURDER ALL #LASS 8 FELONIES two counts of home invasion, BOTH #LASS 8 FELONIES AND four counts of aggravated BATTERY ALL #LASS FELONIES Mitchell, 29, was accused
of breaking into the home of David and Denise Zellers on July 3, 2011 and repeatedly stabbing them with two knives he brought with him. Both suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital. They have since recovered. After fleeing on foot from the scene, Mitchell was taken into custody a short distance from the Zellers home after a five-hour manhunt. After more than twoyears the case was set for a stipulated bench trial before Redington. Redington said the state and defense would present the evidence they would use if the case went to a full trial. Before proceeding with
the trial, Redington asked Mitchell if he agreed to waive his rights to a jury trial. “Yes,� said Mitchell. Mitchell was then asked if it was his desire to give up a jury trial. “Yes,� he said. Redington asked Mitchell if he had any questions for the court before the bench trial. “No,� said Mitchell. Redington then asked Mitchell if he had signed the document waiving his right to a jury trial. “Yes,� said Mitchell. In each of these questions the tone of Mitchell’s responses was in the same flat voice that did not
waver or show any signs of emotion. After the questions were answered, Redington proceeded with the bench trial. “The facts will be presented stipulated,� said Redington. He said all parties were willing to proceed. Assistant States Attorney Aaron Wiles had written reports from the officers who responded to the scene in July of 2011. (E SAID /GLE #OUNTY Deputy Robert Gemmell was the first on the scene. Wiles read the reports from Gemmell which included a description of where the two victims were in the home
and what the victims said occurred at the home. These reports stated David Zellers received a phone call from Mitchell earlier that day in which he, Mitchell, complained about the quality of the village water supply. A report from Sergeant Brian Ketter was also read. Ketter talked with Mitchell’s mother Patricia and obtained some text messages Mitchell had sent her. The report also stated that Mitchell was located in Leaf River and was tased as he tried to flee from the officers. Wiles said Mitchell was brought to an interview room at the sheriff’s administration building in Oregon where
Michael Mitchell
$ETECTIVE #HAD 'ALLICK talked to the defendant. The response Mitchell gave to most of the questions asked was “I don’t know, I don’t Turn to A3
Board postpones closed sessions By Vinde Wells Editor The Mt. Morris Village Board postponed three closed sessions listed on Tuesday’s board meeting agenda. The first was slated to discuss sewer rates for Mt. Morris Estates. Although the mobile home park lies outside the village limits, 107 trailers are hooked up to the village sewer system. A contract with the park’s owners expired last fall, and a rate increase is being considered. Village president Dan Elsasser said the closed session would be rescheduled because Sewer Department Supervisor Jack Beck was unable to attend the meeting. Beck was injured Tuesday
morning when he slipped and fell on ice at the sewer plant. Two other closed sessions pertained to economic growth in the village. One was to discuss business incentives and the other to discuss annexations. Both were also postponed. After the meeting Elsasser declined to give details but said the board is considering a business incentive plan for possible economic growth. In another matter, board members asked questions about an update to the security system at the village hall. Elsasser said the old key pad system has been replaced by a card reader. He said only certain village employees and officials, including himself, village clerk Paula Diehl, and the
police, have badges that can be swiped in the card reader to gain access to the building after normal business hours. “The only thing that’s really changed is the card reader versus the key pad,� Elsasser said. Board members had the number code for the key pad, but don’t have badges for the card reader, he said. Board members asked how members of local organizations which meet in the building can get in for evening meetings. Elsasser said the card reader can be deactivated when meetings are scheduled. In other business, the board approved seeking bids to sell three trucks and set the minimum price for each vehicle.
Dozens of accidents close down ice-slickened roads By Vinde Wells Editor Portions of three state highways were closed for SEVERAL HOURS IN /GLE #OUNTY Jan. 10 while emergency crews dealt with the dozens of accidents caused by freezing rain. /GLE #OUNTY 3HERIFF Michael Harn said Monday morning that he did not yet have a count on how many accidents occurred from midafternoon Friday until late into the evening. “It was probably well over 50,� he said. “There were no serious injuries that I know of but at least of couple of people went to the hospital.� Although the temperature Friday was several degrees above freezing, the rain turned to ice as soon as it hit the pavement, which remained much colder after several days below zero earlier in the week. Deputies had their hands full as vehicles collided or slipped off the road in rapid succession. Harn said deputies working that day extended their shifts
by several hours and those on the night shift came in several hours early. The sheriff’s department was assisted by the Illinois State Police, Oregon Police Department, and Illinois #ONSERVATION 0OLICE #RASHES THROUGHOUT THE afternoon and evening led to portions of Ill. 72, Ill. 2, and Ill. 64 being closed, with traffic backing up for extended periods. With local wreckers all at crash scenes, Harn told telecommunicators to call Dixon-based tow services for help. The biggest back-up closed )LL NEAR #ASTLE 2OCK 3TATE Park for about four hours when a semi jack-knifed and struck a snow plow in the “cut� around 5:30 p.m., Harn said. #ARS WERE BACKED UP FOR A mile and a half on each side of the accident, Harn said. “There were 40 cars on this (north) side of the accident,� he said. “There were probably at least that many on the other side.� One of the vehicles caught in the traffic stoppage was
In This Week’s Edition...
a Rock Falls High School bus bringing players to a basketball game in Oregon. The game was canceled and rescheduled. Harn said the road was reopened around 9:30 p.m. Reports of cars sliding off the icy roads began around 2:30 p.m. when two cars went into the ditch on Ill. 64 approximately four miles east of Oregon. That was soon followed by a semi versus car crash in the same vicinity. Harn said the semi ended up in its side in the ditch. A driver from Maggio’s towing service, Rockford, deemed the icy conditions too treacherous to pull the semi out on Friday, and it remained in the ditch until Saturday afternoon, he said. Ill. 64 was closed for a time due to that crash. The road was also closed later in the evening when accidents occurred on Liberty Hill just west of Oregon. Another semi slid off the road on Ill. 2 near Meridian Road north of Byron when the driver was trying to avoid Turn to A2
Business Briefs, B3 #HURCH "ELLS ! #LASSIlEDS " " Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
Team Support Leona and Bob Groenhagen, Oregon, traveled to Stillman Valley Tuesday night to cheer on the Lady Hawks to victory in a conference game. Photo by Chris Johnson
School official suspended No reason given for action on superintendent By Vinde Wells Editor Forrestville Valley school officials suspended the district’s superintendent without pay last week but would not say why. Superintendent Lowell Taylor, who has been on medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) since Aug. 26, was suspended without pay pending a dismissal hearing Jan. 8 at a special school board meeting. Board president Robert Ebbesmeyer declined to give the reasons for the action. “I can’t go into any more detail,� he said after the meeting, which was attended by more than 30 people, most of them teachers and school staff members.
Marriage Licenses, A4 Mt. Morris Police, A2 Public Voice, A9 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B2
The board unanimously took the action after a 30-minute closed session. Taylor was on sick leave for approximately two weeks prior to the board approving his medical leave under FMLA. Ebbesmeyer said no date has been set for a dismissal hearing. Hand-outs made available at the meeting detailed the board’s policy on suspensions without pay. The hand-out reads as follows: “The board of education may suspend without pay: (1) a professional employee pending a dismissal hearing, or (2) a teacher as a disciplinary measure for up to 30 employment days for misconduct that is detrimental to the school district. Administrative staff members may not be suspended without pay as a disciplinary measure.� The hand-out defined “misconduct that is detrimental to the school
Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B3 Weather, A3 Zoning, B3
0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM
district� to include: s )NSUBORDINATION including any failure to follow an oral or written directive from a supervisor; s 6IOLATION OF BOARD POLICY or administrative procedure; s #ONDUCT THAT DISRUPTS OR may disrupt the educational program or process; s #ONDUCT THAT VIOLATES an state of federal law that relates to the employee’s duties; s /THER SUFFICIENT CAUSES Taylor’s employment contract with the board runs through June 30, 2018. It was signed Jan. 18, 2012. In Taylor’s absence, Interim Superintendent Jane Eichman has been overseeing the district. She was hired by the board on Aug. 26. In accordance with state guidelines, Eichman is being paid $550 per day. Because she is a retired superintendent, pension requirements limit her to work 100 days per school year.
Deaths, B2 William S. Giles John R. Long Lois M. Scheffler