Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS March 13, 2014 Volume 47, Number 2 - $1.00
Athletics Health
Farm Focus
Band Extravaganza
Oregon Athletic Director Mike Lawton talks about the schools athletic program. B1
Learn about what’s going on down on the farm. Special Section
A pasta fundraiser will be held before the 20th annual Band Extravaganza March 20. A3
Village board tables grocery store incentives Will discuss it again during future meeting By Vinde Wells Editor
The Mt. Morris Village Board delayed making a decision Tuesday on two items of business that pertain
to a proposed expansion of the village’s grocery store. It tabled action on a proposal to offer incentives to grocery store owner Scott Sullivan, and on forming a tax increment financing (TIF) district, as he requested. However, Village President Dan Elsasser was adamant that the board needs to move forward in the next two weeks with coming up
with an incentive proposal. “We need to take action on this. We need to come up with a proposal,� Elsasser said. “I want an agreed-upon proposal to take action on at the next meeting.� Trustee Mary Francis urged the board to further study the long-term financial impact of various incentive packages before approving one. “I don’t think we’re ready
yet,� she said. A month ago the board discussed Sullivan’s plan to build a new $3 million grocery store on the site where his current store is located on Ill. 64. In a letter, Sullivan asked the village board to give him several incentives to locate the new store there. Sullivan’s proposal asked for the formation of a TIF
district to include the store property, an abatement of village property taxes for the 23-year duration of the TIF, a sales tax rebate of increases over current sales tax amount for the duration of the TIF, and free water and sewer for an unspecified length of time. The village board agreed to offer Sullivan incentives including a 100 percent abatement of the village’s
Mild temperatures and sunshine Monday brought experts to further size up what it will take to repair and restore Ogle County’s bestloved statue. Restoration architects arrived at the Black Hawk Statue around noon to take core samples from the bottom portion of the Black Hawk State at Lowden State Park, near Oregon. The information the samples will yield will help experts determine what exactly needs to be done to repair the 50-foot concrete statue that has overlooked the Rock River from a high bluff at the park for more than a century. The statue has developed cracks, and large pieces of its concrete surface have dislodged. The folded arms of the 50-foot monolith have been especially affected. Large chunks have fallen out of the elbow of the right arm and from underneath the left arm. The cold and snow this winter have taken an additional toll on the statue. Frank Rausa, Sterling,
who is heading up an effort to repair the 103-year-old world renowned icon, shook his head as he surveyed the damage and watched as the crew set up to get their samples. “It’s quite a bit worse than it was. The arm is crumbling,� he said. “And we’re so far behind with the weather.� The crew, made of up Andrzej Dajnowski, director of Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio, Inc., Forest Park, Anne T. Sullivan, an architect from Sullivan Preservation, Chicago, and Amy Woods, an architect from Thornton Tomasetti, Chicago, planned to take samples from the bottom of the statue Monday and then return in warmer weather with a lift to take more core samples from the top. They had intended to do the final sampling in December but had to cancel when snow and cold settled into the area early and stayed. Rausa said the samples will be analyzed to determine the composition of the concrete. Restorationists will then match that when making repairs.
By Vinde Wells Editor
Evan Koska launches a stuffed animal to test out the Circle M 4-H Catapult to Gold Turn to A2 game at the Penny Carnival. Photo by Chris Johnson
Sheriff, SA are only contested races in county By Vinde Wells Editor Voters will have a choice of candidates for only two Ogle County posts in the March 18 primary election. The only contested races are for sheriff and state’s attorney. Three Republican candidates are seeking for their party’s nomination for Ogle County Sheriff. Sheriff Michael Harn, Forreston, is being challenged by Brian E. Van Vickle and Joe Drought, both of Rochelle. All three are currently law enforcement officers. State’s attorney Michael Rock, Byron, faces opposition from Oregon attorney Eric Morrow, for the Republican Party nomination for state’s attorney. County clerk Rebecca Huntley, Chana, and treasurer John Coffman, Polo, also both Republicans,
are running unopposed for reelection to their current posts. Also seeking the Republican nomination for the Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside Regional Superintendent of Schools is Robert Sondgeroth. On the Ogle County Board, all races are uncontested and all but one of the candidates are Republicans. Current board member Kimberly Kirkolis, Davis Junction, who was elected to her first term in 2012, is not seeking another term in District 1, which includes Dement, Lynnville, Monroe, and Scott Townships. Instead J. Nick Bolin, Holcomb, is seeking the party nomination. Incumbent Patricia Nordman, Oregon, is the sole candidate in District 2, which includes White Rock, Pine Rock, Lafayette, and OregonNashua Townships. Veteran board member Bobbie Colbert, Rochelle, the
In This Week’s Edition...
Turn to A3
Jogger finds body in river
Core samples taken from statue By Vinde Wells Editor
portion of real estate taxes on his property for 13 years. Sullivan paid $1,239 to the village in property taxes in 2013 for the three parcels. His total tax bill on the property came to $8,266. The board also agreed to rebate sales tax for 10 years for the amount over what they currently receive from
only Democrat running for a county post, is seeking reelection in District 3, which includes Flagg Township, Precincts 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7. Incumbent Bruce W.
McKinney, Rochelle, is running in District 4, which includes Flagg Township, Precincts 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11. Richard Daniel Janes,
Stillman Valley, is seeking another term on the board in District 5, which includes Marion, Rockvale, and Leaf River Townships. Turn to A2
Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn is seeking the public’s help in identifying the body of a white or Hispanic male who was found Monday evening in a stream near Rochelle. A jogger spotted the body shortly before 7 p.m. floating in the Kyte River near Flannigan Park in Hillcrest, which is just north of Rochelle. An autopsy was performed Tuesday afternoon. In a press release issued Tuesday morning, Harn said no missing adults have been reported within the county. Anyone with information that would assist in identifying the body is asked to contact sheriff’s detectives at 815-732-6666. The press release said the male is believed to be between 35 and 50 years old, approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighs approximately 200 pounds. The male had medium length black hair and a short growth of facial hair. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt, dark T-shirt, and blue jeans with a woven leather belt, and blue athletic shoes, according to the press release.
Temperatures in the mid 50s caused some melting of the large snowpiles along Ill. 64. The result? Water on the road in some areas. This photo was taken just west of the Ogle County Airport. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Agriculture, A7 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6
Fines, B4 Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4
Sheriff’s Arrests, B2 Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B3 Weather, A2
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Deaths, B3 Charles J. Knie, Mariella Zettle