Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS June 5, 2014 Volume 47, Number 14 - $1.00
Pudlas Medals
At the Band Shell
Oregon’s CityWide Garage Sales are June 13-14. A2
Troy Pudlas brings home a medal in the discus from the boys state track meet B1
The Jimmys take the stage June 6 and the Kable Concert Band performs June 11. A3
Dog owner will not be charged in April attack Sauk Valley Media The owner of three dogs that attacked and seriously injured 63-year-old Aneda Ebert, rural Ashton, will not face criminal charges, Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock said in a news release. “After reviewing the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department investigative reports and potential criminal statutes, it has been determined that prosecution is not viable,� Rock said in the release, sent May 30. Ebert was attacked April 21 while jogging near her rural Ashton home. Her husband, Larry, was riding his bike and Kaitlin Oltmanns exchanges a smile and a handshake with guidance counselor Shannon Cremens after crossing the happened upon the scene. stage during Oregon High School’s commencement on June 1. Photo by Earleen Hinton He drove off the dogs, which had dragged Aneda into a ditch, and called 911, likely saving his wife’s life. She had severe injuries to her neck, shoulder, arms and leg, spent four days in the hospital and underwent surgery twice to repair her wounds. The dogs, two pit bulls and a smaller brown dog, were impounded by Ogle County By Vinde Wells Animal Control officers Editor shortly after the attack and later euthanized with the The Oregon High School consent of the owner, who has Class of 2014 had to answer not been publicly identified. just one more multiple-choice At the time, Tom Champley, question Sunday afternoon Ogle County Animal Control during graduation exercises Administrator, said the at the Blackhawk Center. county can cite an owner of Commencement speaker dogs running loose dogs, but Dave Nelson quizzed the 129 “there’s not a fine if a dog soon-to-be graduates about bites.� the true meaning of success Vanessa Scott, Whiteside — and most got it right. County Animal Control A few hands went up for Warden, said authorities can each of the first three options: charge owners of attacking A. a job with a large salary, dogs when there is evidence B. a position of power and the owners knew their dogs influence, and C. numerous had the potential to do harm promotions and awards. without provocation. Previous Almost every hand went up incidents, she said, can serve for D. none of the above. “Your definition of success should be determined by you Juan Ocampo checks with a classmate to see if his tie is straight as his row of and only you,� Nelson told graduates get ready to cross the stage during Oregon High School’s commencement the seniors. “Your passion for on June 1. Photo by Earleen Hinton your job is what makes you good times and bad.� successful. Life is not about Crandall plans to attend the the achievements we attain.� University of Iowa in the fall. By Chris Johnson He encouraged his listeners Reporter Salutatorian Kasia to wake up happy every day Majewski stressed that doing and told them their journey acts of kindness can make a With clear blue skies and through life is important. temperatures in the 80s, Leaf difference in the world. “Don’t be afraid to fail — River Summer Daze brought “Kind acts can shape us accept it for what it is. Don’t more than we imagine,� she a good crowd to town. live just for yourself,� he said. Saturday morning the said. “We live in a world of tractor show, car show, and OHS Principal Andrew endless opportunity. Find out Nelson told the audience that bags tournament were the what makes you truly happy members of the Class of 2014 place to be. and pursue it.� Joe Harp, Stillman Valley, were high achievers. Nelson, a 1975 graduate of was sitting by his 1939 “This group of seniors Mt. Morris High School, is a has performed more than Farmall H tractor. risk management specialist 10,000 hours of community “The tractor has been in my and a partner in his family- service hours during their family since March 1946,� he owned farm. time as an Oregon Hawk,� David Nelson, a 1975 graduate of Mt. Morris High School, said. “It came from the Upper Valedictorian Emma he said. “They have earned gave the commencement address on June 1. Peninsula of Michigan.� Crandall urged her approximately Through the years Harp $300,000 Sarah Melvin, Mt. Morris, or more college level courses classmates to embrace the dollars in scholarships, nine was recognized during the (via advanced placement said the tractor has been used new experiences of life after students achieved an overall ceremony for more than 800 or dual credit programs), a and he continues to use the high school. ACT score of a 30 or better, hours of volunteer work. higher percentage than any tractor today. “It is not worth it to give 10 students achieved a 4.0 “It works well and I always In addition, Nelson said other class in OHS history. anything less than your very GPA [grade point average] or 86 percent of the class Twenty-two students take it out for rides,� Harp best,� she said. “Smile in higher.� Turn to A8 said. “This is a 1939 and I successfully completed one
One last quiz for OHS grads
Nelson asks 129 students what is success...really
as proof. Champley agreed. “Legally, there has to be a prior report on these dogs� before animal control can pursue charges, he said. The Eberts were familiar with the dogs and said they never had been a problem before, and they didn’t know what prompted the attack. “They’ve been in our yard when our grandchildren have been here,� Aneda said at the time. Almost every day, weather permitting, Larry and Aneda bike and run past the house where the dogs were kept. Aneda, a retired physical education teacher, teaches one day a week at Tilton Elementary School in Rochelle. Aneda has started to do some walking, but says it will be a while before she can get back on a bike. “I’m still in a lot of pain,� she said Sunday. “The outside wounds are healing well, but the doctor says it could be 5 to 6 months for the internal stuff.� Aneda said the muscle is torn from the bone and skin is torn from the muscle. While it’s nice to start walking again, she said, it’s frustrating how painful any movement can be. “I just don’t have that spring in my step,� Aneda said. “It still hurts too much to run, and I haven’t even tried the bike yet. I’m trying my best to carry on, but it’s painful.� While the decision not to prosecute didn’t come as a surprise, it was still disappointing, Aneda said. “I wasn’t surprised, because of the Illinois statutes, but with the severity of the attack, it just seems that something should have happened,� Aneda said.
Clear skies bring crowd to festival
In This Week’s Edition...
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, A7
Mt. Morris Police, A2 Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Property Transfers, B5 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2, B3 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A2 Zoning, B6
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have a 1945 John Deere. This was like a Cadillac compared to that John Deere.� Everything about the tractor has been easy to maintain and it rides smooth, he said. “You will see a lot of Farmall H’s still in the field pulling something,� Harp said. “They were built to last. It is always best to keep using a tractor.� He said if a tractor sits without being run it may not function properly. A big part of tractor and car shows is sharing stories and meeting new people. “I have fun with this,� said Harp. “You get to meet a lot of people. When my friend gets here we will walk down the line of tractors and share stories.� Turn to A3
Deaths, B5 John B. Capps Calliope Nickolas