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Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967

MT.Times MORRIS April 3, 2014 Volume 47, Number 5 - $1.00

FFA Awards

School Taxes

Back at Work

Oregon FFA members recently attended contests and brought home awards. A7

The Meridian School Board will ask voters for more money. B2

The Forrestville Valley school bus driver hurt in a crash is back on the job. A9

What’s Cookin plays to packed house March 29 By Andy Colbert Reporter What started in Rockford and onto Rochelle has found its way to Oregon. Based off the popular “30 Men Who Cook� concept, the Rock River Center of Oregon created a spin-off called “What’s Cookin�. Playing in front of a packed house of hundreds of eager diners at Oak Lane in Daysville on Saturday, March 26 area cooking teams supplied a myriad of food concoctions, including such exotic offerings as chocolatecovered bacon and deviled eggs topped with bugs. For the less adventuresome, there were also the old standbys, such as a variety of appetizers, meats, salads, breads, soups and desserts. The event served as a fundraiser for the Rock River Center, as patrons paid $20 for entrance. “This is a lot of fun,� said Ed Fane of Oregon, one of the 376 counted attendees. As the hungry masses began to assemble and were first met by the smell of Dick Zimmerman deepfrying catfish outside, it was apparent that this was no ordinary fundraiser. The combination of the bucolic setting of Oak Lane, the vast array of food and party atmosphere also turned “What’s Cookin� into a social gathering par excellence. “We’re thrilled,� Rock

River Director Ann Haas said. “Next year, it will be even bigger. With this crowd, we will need to put a tent up.� For an event that had no interested cooking teams show up at the first planning meeting, “What’s Cookin� came a long way in four months. That was about the time Joyce Bruns proposed the idea to Haas. “I’ve been to the event at Rochelle and had always wanted to do it in Oregon for a fundraiser for the Rock River Center,� Bruns said. Bruns and her friend Diane Palmer went to Haas and after some convincing got the RRC to buy into the concept. It was a risky venture for RRC, as they had never attempted an off-site fundraiser. “It was an awesome idea, ‘let’s go for it’, I said,� Haas said. “It took a lot of coordinating and we were fortunate to have staff with organizational experience.� Slowly, the venture began to pick up steam as more and more people were contacted. “We couldn’t let that first meeting bother us. We kept right at it,� Bruns said. “It was just a matter of informing the community and they were great at that.� But, it was Bruns and Palmer who were the driving force behind the event. “From the beginning, Joyce and I wanted to incorporate more than Oregon. We wanted this to be for the

Charges not yet filed in shooting Sheriff’s dept. continues to investigate By Vinde Wells Editor

Jack Hayden, Mt. Morris, serves up a scoop of the ice cream the Mt. Morris Senior Center made March 29 for What’s Cookin. Photo by Chris Johnson

whole county,� Palmer said. Even with the overflow crowds, Haas has no plans at this point in moving “What’s Cookin� to a bigger venue. “Oak Lane was gracious to host this. They’ve been wonderful to work with,�

Haas said. “We plan to have it at the end of April instead of March.� Sean Considine, Byron, served as celebrity spokesperson for the event and could be found handing out that chocolate-covered

bacon for his joint ventureship with Headon Meats. The deviled eggs served with bugs were provided by Lucky and Louie Larson of Stillman Valley and winners of the “Get Out Alive� reality television show.

No charges have been filed yet in Ogle County against a Rockford man in connection with shooting early March 22 in rural Byron. Ogle County State’s Attorney Michael Rock said Tuesday that Brandon McMahon, 20, who is being held in the Winnebago County Jail, has not yet been formally charged. He is accused of shooting a 19-year-old at a residence on North Hoisington Road. The name of the victim, who remains in the hospital, has not been released. “We’re waiting for the investigation to be completed by the sheriff’s department,� Rock said. “When they bring it to us we’ll decide what charges to file.� Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn said Tuesday that detectives are continuing to interview witnesses in the case. Rockford police took McMahon into custody in Rockford a few hours after the shooting. Deputy Chief Dave Hopkins of the Rockford Turn to A3

Spring weather brings record crowd to annual antique show By Vinde Wells Editor

“I think people were glad to get out after a hard winter. We even had people still coming after we closed on The first warm, sunny weekend Sunday.� — after a long, cold winter meant Judy Groharing a record crowd at the Oregon Oregon Woman’s Club President Woman’s Club’s 64th annual Antique Show. “We had a wonderful turnout — around 1,970 people,� said club president Judy Groharing. “I think people were glad to get out after a hard winter. We even had people still coming after we closed on Sunday.� Sunshine prevailed both days of the event and Saturday’s temperatures in the low 50s turned into 60s on Sunday. The parking areas at and near the Blackhawk Center, Oregon, were already filled with vehicles at 10 a.m. Saturday, just an hour after the show opened its doors. Inside the vendor booths were busy with both buyers and “lookers.� Joe DeWulf from Deer Run Antiques, Waunakee, Wis., a veteran exhibitor at the show, said business was brisk. “It’s been good. We’ve had a lot

of interest,� he said as he found an item for a customer from a large antique trunk. Across the auditorium, Stanley Campbell, Rockford, was looking for political items in the array displayed by Darryl Giambalvo, Wheaton. “I come almost every year,� Campbell said. The show is also a do-not-miss event for Larry and Hazel Ford, Sycamore. “We come every year. We mostly just look,� said Hazel as she examined a large crock. Groharing said the crowd seemed pleased at the wide array of merchandise offered by vendors. “We have such a wide variety of categories, there is something for all interests, and visitors commented a lot on that,� she said. “I saw a lot of all kinds of items go out, and the dealers were very happy. We

In This Week’s Edition...

Birth, A4 Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4

have many who return and their customers come looking for them.� The five dealers new to the show this year seemed pleased, Groharing said, and will likely return. The Chana United Methodist Church provided the food for the event for the first time this year. Ron Bry, Oregon, is the show’s manager. The Oregon Woman’s Club, a member of the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs and a non-profit organization, sponsors the show as its major fund-raising event and uses the proceeds to help fund various community projects and charities. The club sponsors two scholarships for graduating seniors, donates funds and food to the local food pantry, helps the VFW with holiday food baskets, and sends a student to leadership camp each summer.

Library News, A2 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B5 Property Transfers, B3 Reading Matters, A8

Mary Lou Mahalik, owner of Mary Lou’s Crystal Repair, Joliet, smooths a chip from the lip of a glass vase March 29 at the Oregon Woman’s Club Antique Show at the Blackhawk Center. Photo by Vinde Wells

Sheriff’s Arrests, B4 Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A2

0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM

Deaths, B3 Judith I. Lamia John R. Long Ruth E. Straw


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