Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS January 30, 2014 Volume 46, Number 48 - $1.00
Tenth Place
February Finds
Alumni Wanted
The Oregon Hawk bowlers finished in 10th place at the tough Boylan Sectional. B1
Antiques, artwork, and more will be offered at the annual event. A7
Alumni are being sought for the 20th annual OHS Band Extravaganza. A2
Wet fall, cold winter blamed for propane shortage By Vinde Wells Editor A propane supply emergency was declared Monday in the state of Illinois. According to a press release, Gov. Pat Quinn declared the emergency in the wake of distribution problems around the state. Damp fall weather and recent cold temperatures are being blamed. With demand for propane surging, its price is skyrocketing — and less
of it is available for local customers. In recent days, the pergallon price for propane has nearly doubled to more than $3.60 in Ogle County and the surrounding area. With cold temperatures continuing, experts expect the trend to continue. Mike Faivre, president of Burkardt’s LP Gas, Polo, said last week that his company usually gets its propane from pipelines in Tampico and Rockford, but now companies are allocated only so much because of limited
supplies. During the winter, he said, his company typically gets three to five semi-truck loads a day. Now, its lucky to just get one. “We’re short-filling people, limiting the amount of gallons they get,� Faivre said, adding, “Our customers are being taken care of.� How much they get, he said, depends on their usage, but the rule of thumb is that the company gives enough to get a customer by for a month. Because the company is
giving limited amounts to customers, it’s making twice as many deliveries, he said. “We’ve been working 14 to 15 hours a day for the last month, six days a week. That’s what we’ve had to do to keep up with the cold weather,� Faivre said. “We’ve been in business for 32 years, and it’s never been like this.� All of Burkardt’s customers have their prices locked in because of prewinter agreements, so the price spike won’t affect them, Faivre said.
Ray Woessner, general manager at Carroll Service Company, Lanark, said Monday that the problem was accelerated last fall when more propane than usual was used to dry the corn crop, coupled with more being used for residential and commercial heating due to colder than normal temperatures in October, November, and December. “This didn’t start in January,� he said. “I anticipate we will continue to have these problems as long as the cold weather persists.�
Carroll Service Company, which serves numerous customers in western Ogle County, has been unable to get enough propane from its usual suppliers in Tampico and Rockford. “We’ve been unable to get an adequate supply locally,� Woessner said. “We’ve had to resort to transporting it from Kansas and Louisiana.� So far, the firm hasn’t had to short-fill customers. “We’ve been able to supply our customers,� he said. Turn to A3
Cold and wind close schools, strand cars across Ogle County By Vinde Wells Editor Sub zero temperatures coupled with strong winds resulted in the closure of all school districts in Ogle County on Monday. Also closed were all Ogle County governmental offices and the Rock River Center in Oregon and Polo Senior Center. The school closures continued into Tuesday when the mercury plummeted to -18 with wind chills estimated in the -40 range. School children across the county have been out of school for five days this month, mainly due to frigid temperatures. Ogle County Sheriff’s Mt. Morris firefighter Justin Stewart, left, and Captain Steve Foss are pulled from the icy water of the pond at Quad Police had their hands full Graphics Jan. 25 during ice rescue training. Turn to A2 for more information. Photo courtesy of the Mt. Morris Fire Monday morning with dozens Department
Ice Rescue
of vehicles in the ditches and abandoned on roadways during Sunday night’s near blizzard conditions. Sheriff Michael Harn estimated that 70 vehicles were left behind when their occupants got stuck on drifting roads in white-out conditions Sunday evening into Monday morning. “A lot of cars were abandoned on the road,� Harn said. “They [drivers] couldn’t tell where they were and they were able to get a ride and left the car behind. The north-south roads were the worst — the wind was straight out of the west.� Deputies closed Ill. 26 at Montague Road north of Forreston periodically for at least four hours Monday Turn to A3
All Stars meet in annual match-up By Chris Johnson Reporter Members of the Village of Progress All Stars and Ogle County All Stars soaked in the energy Jan. 24 when the two teams met on the court. The Oregon High School students and faculty welcomed the two teams to their school for the annual basketball game. Both teams went back and forth in the scoring with students cheering every play. When a player missed a shot, their opponents would sometimes hand them the ball so they could try the shot again. The game offered a chance to showcase both teams’ skills in front of an audience that was supportive and cheering them for all participants. “This is my favorite day of the year,� said OHS principal Andrew Nelson. “I absolutely love this day because everyone is supportive.� Nelson said the game has been played for four years Ogle County All Star Andrew Watter passes the ball to a and is a highlight of the teammate Friday morning. Photo by Chris Johnson school year.
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
For the students, it is a chance to get to know the athletes of the Village of Progress and Ogle County Educational Coop. “This is a fun experience for everyone,� said OHS senior Josh Drew. “The best part is knowing how much fun the athletes are having out there.� Drew volunteered as a referee for the game and could not wait to get out on the court. “I always look forward to this game,� he said. The day started with the OHS pep band playing the school song and a selection of tunes while the athletes warmed up. The National Anthem was performed by the OHS choir. Athletes were announced and then took a lap around the gym to wave to the cheering crowd. When the game started, play-by-play announcing was done by OHS students. The format of the game was 8-minute quarters with a
Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B6
A single engine plane owned by a Janesville, Wis., firm crashed Saturday in a field four miles east of Forreston.
Pilot only slightly hurt in plane crash By Vinde Wells Editor
A Texas man trying to deliver a newly repaired single-engine airplane to Janesville, Wis., suffered only minor injuries when the 1984 Cessna crashed Jan. 25 in a farm field east of Forreston. Pilot Fred H. Rose, 75, Spring Branch, Texas, was transported by Forreston ambulance to FHN Memorial Hospital, Freeport, for treatment of minor injuries. “He had a bump on the head,� said Ogle County Turn to A3 Sheriff Michael Harn.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4
Rose flew out of Texas around 6 a.m. that morning bound for Janesville, Harn said. The plane, which is registered to Gelbach Aviation, Janesville, had a new engine installed in Texas, the sheriff said. Rose refueled in Joplin, Mo., around 10:45 a.m. and told authorities that the engine locked up south of Forreston. “He was gliding around looking for a place to land,� Harn said. “He thought it was a mechanical failure.� Rose was able to put the plane down in the snow in Turn to A3
Deaths, B3
Richard H. Bourdage, Wayne H. Brantner, Margaret Lois Cline, Elinor Merdian, Glenn O. Mueller
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