MMT_07162015

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Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967

MT.Times MORRIS July 16, 2015 Volume 48, Number 20 - $1.00

Outdoor Theater

Butterflies

At the Band Shell

The PACT will perform “The Rules of Comedy” outdoors July 17-19. A6

An annual butterfly festival will be held near Forreston July 25. A10

The Ernie Hendrickson Band will play July 17 and the Kable Band takes the stage July 22. A6

Building owner wants variance for downtown apt. By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com A downtown property owner asked the Mt. Morris Village Board Tuesday to grant him a variance for a building he recently purchased. Mt. Morris resident Bob Janacek, 65, asked the board to allow him to put an apartment on the main floor at 1 N. Wesley Ave., on the northeast corner of Wesley Avenue and Main Street. Village ordinances prohibit residential quarters on the street

level of downtown buildings, except in the back portion. The front portions of buildings are reserved for businesses, according to the ordinance. Janacek said he wants to put a handicapped accessible apartment on the main floor of the building, which was formerly the law office of attorney Robert Hanson, now an Ogle County Circuit Judge. “We all know it would probably be a good place for a store, but we also know that probably isn’t going to happen,” Janacek said.

He said he plans to improve the outside of the building, as well as renovate the inside. Janacek said the village’s ordinance prohibiting street level apartments is outdated. “It’s not being honored, and it may not be in the best interests of the village,” he said. He said other downtown buildings currently have apartments on the main floor. Police Chief Jason White said the two apartments on the street level were “grandfathered,” there

before the ordinance was adopted. Janacek said he bought the building two months ago and was not aware of the ordinance at that time. “I’d like a waiver of the ordinance,” he said. Trustee Jon Murray, who was acting as village president pro tem in the absence of Dan Elsasser, told him the board will check with its attorney about what procedure should be followed. “Fair is fair,” Janacek replied. “It’s not going to set well with me

if you don’t approve this.” He said that if the board does not approve his request, he will take out the new windows he just installed, board up the openings, and sell it “in a couple of years.” Murray asked Janacek, that should the board approve his request, would he be willing to oust his tenant and convert the apartment back to a business if one becomes available in the future. Janacek said he is willing to write a clause to that effect into the lease.

House gets its roof before rain begins

Families invited to the fair 162nd county fair starts July 29

By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com In a race against Mother Nature July 11, Mt. Morris firefighters won with time to spare. With dark skies and rain predicted, several members of the fire department volunteered to put the roof on Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County’s (HFHOC) 11th home, which is being built at 408 W. Front St. in Mt. Morris. The group of volunteers started their project early and finished by mid-morning. “We had enough time to do the roof and eat lunch before the rain came,” said Fire Chief Rob Hough. The roof wasn’t the only work being done to the new house on Saturday morning. Inside, volunteers worked on the plumbing. HFHOC chose Elias and Betty Sotelo and their daughters Maya and Kiana as the recipients of the house, the second built in Mt. Morris. Ground was broken April 26, and crews of volunteers and family members are on hand every weekend getting the house up and ready. Since it was founded 12 years ago, HFHOC has completed 10 houses. So far, HFHOC volunteers have built two homes in Forreston, both of which have been sold, one in Byron, four in Polo, two in Oregon, and one in Mt. Morris. Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry, comprised of volunteers, that welcomes to all people dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built

By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com

Mt. Morris firefighters volunteered their time July 11 to put a roof on the Habitat for Humanity house under construction at 408 W. Front St., Mt. Morris. Pictured above are Jeff Warren, Nick Hoffman, and Gerry Hough. Photo by Vinde Wells

more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than a million people. Future homeowners help build their homes and then buy them through affordable, no-profit mortgages; their payments go into a Fund for Humanity to build additional homes. To be chosen as the recipient of a Habitat home, a family must apply and undergo a lengthy selection

process. Once selected, home recipients are required to put in the a number of “sweat equity” hours by helping to build their new home. To volunteer or for more information, call 815732-6855. Donations of any amount to help with this build can be sent to: Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County, P.O. Box 628, Oregon, IL 61061.

An Ogle County Fair official is hoping for a break in the so far rainy summer when fair time rolls around in a couple of weeks. “I’m hoping for no rain from July 28 to Aug. 3,” joked Harlan Holm, fair board president. The 162nd Ogle County Fair is slated to run from Wednesday, July 29 through Sunday, Aug. 2, but Holm is hoping to gain an extra sunny day on either end for set-up and tear-down. Once again the fair will offer family entertainment at family-friendly prices at the fairgrounds on Lime Kiln Road just off Ill. 64 a mile west of Oregon. Advance tickets offer discounted prices for both general admission and the grandstand events. Turn to A3

County demolishes old restaurant for new parking By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com A building that originally was a gas station and more recently a BBQ restaurant, was razed July 10 in downtown Oregon. The Ogle County Highway Department was on site at 501 W. Washington St. to demolish the building at the corner of Fifth and Washington Streets. “I am extremely excited with the progress on this project,” said Ogle County Board member Don Griffin, who is coordinating the project through the Long Range Planning Committee. “This is a good project for the county and the city.” When completed the property will be graded and paved as a county parking lot. Additional expansion of the parking lot is in the county’s long range plan. Griffin said the house to the

south of the property will be demolished in the future. In December of 2013, the county board approved buying the house at 102 S. Fifth St. from Scott and Barb Spoor for $99,500. At that time the board entered into a three-year lease with attorney Robert Lowe, who has his office there. The Washington Street property will provide additional parking for the Judicial Center and festivals and events in Oregon, Griffin said. The final demolition of the building was competed Friday. Griffin said the parking lot on that site will be completed in time for the annual Autumn on Parade festival, scheduled for Oct. 3-4. The first phase of the project was to remove the former Jackass BBQ building from 501 W. Washington St. and add parking spaces. This included the removal of underground tanks, left from

In This Week’s Edition...

Workers from the Ogle County Highway Department were busy July 10 demolishing the building at 501 W. Washington Street in Oregon that was recently home to a restaurant. The site will be transformed into a new county parking lot. Photo by Chris Johnson

the gas station, that were discovered on the property. The board approved a resolution in June to accept a proposal for $15,283 from Stiles Inc., Loves Park, to

Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B6

remove five underground storage tanks from the property. Phase two will include the demolition of the house next door, once the lease expires

Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B6 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B3

Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3 Weather, A3

for that renter. A date has yet to be set for that action. The final phase will be completing the entire parking lot, which will have 39 spaces. Costs for the project were

estimated at $203,500 for the first phase. The final two phases have an estimated cost of $161,950 to complete. Vinde Wells contributed to this story.

Deaths, A7, B5

Walter J. Bernhard, Jesse A. Gigous, Mary K. Head, William E. Jones, Everett R. Kested, Juanita M. Lawton, Leo G. Piper, Michael J. Robinson, Donald N. Sherrick, LaMoine A. Stukenberg, Donald E. White

Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com


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