Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS September 18, 2014 Volume 47, Number 29 - $1.00
Hawks Win
Ready to Run
Unit of Honor
The Oregon football team shutout Rock Falls 40-0 in conference action. B1
Registration is now open for the annual AOP 5K and fun run. A12
Habitat for Humanity will be recognized during Autumn on Parade Oct. 4-5. A9
“Sloppy� records slow up Tow Fund audit process By Vinde Wells Editor The auditing firm conducting a forensic examination of Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn’s Tow Fund is still trying to decipher the records. “There are frankly very sloppy records. Right now there are more questions than answers,� County Board Chairman Kim Gouker told the county board Tuesday. He said that while Sikich LLP, Naperville, has made “significant progress� with the examination, they still need more information. Gouker said he has a list of information needed that he plans to give to Harn. Once Sikich examiners have the answers, they can complete their report, he said. Questions were raised late last year over how Harn had been handling money in the Tow Fund. He came under fire over expenditures from the fund, which included purchasing a new vehicle, flowers for Secretaries Day, a tent at the county fair, and $4,000 for the department’s Facebook page to be managed. Harn was defeated by Brian VanVickle, Rochelle, in his bid for re-election in the March Republican Primary. In May, the board approved engaging the forensic services of Sikich to examine Tow Fund expenditures and revenues from the time it was implemented in 2011 to the present. The firm also does the county’s regular annual
Masons celebrate 150th By Vinde Wells Editor
One of Oregon’s most active organizations will celebrate a major milestone this month. Oregon Masonic Lodge 420 will mark its 150th anniversary and rededicate its building at 117 1/2 S. Fourth St. on Saturday, Sept. 27. “It’s remarkable for an organization to remain active for this long,� said Mark Shaulis, Worshipful Master of the lodge. The milestone is especially significant because lodge members are wrapping up an extensive renovation of the second floor of their building, where lodge activities take place. Shaulis said the project has included installing new carpet throughout, converting a storage area into a library, completely redoing the tall wooden staircase and entry area, remodeling the dining Turn to A4
audits. The cost to undertake the forensic examination was $7,500. Last month the board approved spending up to $7,500 more to dig further into the financial records. Gouker told the board then that Sikich may not need all of the additional sum, or could, on the other hand, need more. In another matter, Gouker told the board that a field of 19 applicants has been narrowed to two finalists for Ogle County Emergency Management Agency
(OCEMA) Coordinator. He said the sheriff’s department is currently doing background checks on those two. At the August county board meeting, Gouker announced the resignation of Candace Humphrey, who held the post. Interviews were conducted by the Executive Committee, Gouker said, and he and vice chairman John Finfrock selected the finalists with input from Harn and VanVickle. Mt. Morris Firefighter Brandon Spandet carries a ceremonial fireman’s axe during the OCEMA is part of the opening of the Sept. 11 ceremony held at the Oregon Fire Station. Following Spandet sheriff’s department. is Brianna Hoffmann. Photo by Earleen Hinton
9/11 Ceremony
Two school districts see a slight increase By Vinde Wells Editor Only two school districts in Ogle County are seeing an uptick in enrollment this year. For most districts, the downward trend that began a few years ago is continuing. The Forrestville Valley and Rochelle Township High School Districts, in opposite corners of the county, have slightly more students than
last year. Forrestville Valley, a K-12 district, gained 24 students from last year to boost enrollment from 882 to 906, the first increase since 200708 when enrollment stood at 1,065. Rochelle High School gained 25 students for a current enrollment of 948 students in grade 9-12. Superintendent Richard Craven said the modest gain
comes on the heels of three years of declining numbers. He anticipates another gain next year. “Because the current eighth grade is large, we expect to go up another 30 students next year,� Craven said. “Then enrollment will level off again. I think a good healthy number for us is 1,000 to 1,100 kids.� While it’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of the
decline, Craven believes the slowdown in the housing market is a factor. “Very few new houses are being built. It’s hard for people to sell homes,� he said. The elementary districts that feed into Rochelle Township High School District also have decreasing enrollments. Rochelle Elementary Superintendent Todd Prusator said the number of students
has declined over the last 10 years. This year is no exception — enrollment is 1,572 compared to last year’s 1,598. Creston Elementary has decreased from 116 students last year to 111 this year. At Eswood Elementary the student body went from 91 last year to 82 this year, and the enrollment for Kings Elementary School went Turn to A7
Chautauqua will educate and entertain Submitted by Sally Gray Enjoy General U.S. Grant and Julia Dent Grant’s presentation about their lives together in Galena and during the Civil War on Sunday, Sept. 21 at the Chautauqua in Mt. Morris. Hosted by the Mt. Morris Tourism Committee and will feature historic displays and information, educational opportunities, and music. The theme of the event is “Small Town Living: Yesterday and Today.� Visit blacksmithing, antique farm machinery, and today’s GPS tractor exhibits. View historic and modern fire fighting equipment. Compare yesterday’s library services with those of today. Learn how to line dance and geocache. Take your
family to a children’s art class. Dance to the bluegrass and gospel music of Illinois Rail. Celebrate the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Rock River Seminary, the Mt. Morris Campus, and music on the Campus. Explore the Chautauqua experience. Come to the historic Mt. Morris Campus, one block south of the Wesley and Ill. 64 (Hitt Street) intersection, from noon to 6 p.m. Chautauquas, late 19th century rural entertainment venues, featured live performances, exhibits, and educational events focused on the arts, religion and recreation. The Chautauqua movement was founded in 1874 by Bishop John Heyl Vincent,
Blacksmith Rick Trahan, in his 18th year as supervisor of the John Deere Historical Site, Grand Detour, will be at the Chautauqua in Mt. Morris on Sunday, Sept. 21 beginning at noon. Trahan will demonstrate his trade, explain blacksmithing, and speak about John Deere, his 1837 plow, and the tools that built it. Most Chautauqua exhibits close at 4 p.m. when the concert begins. Photo by Earleen Hinton
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B3 Marriage Licenses, A4
a former Mt. Morris pastor, resident and Rock River Seminary student. Bench seating is available, but bring easily transported lawn chairs to assure a seat. Wear comfortable walking shoes to visit nearby exhibits, all sidewalk accessible. Light refreshments are available. Check www.mtmorrisil. net for more details and any possible storm delay or closure information on Sept. 21. Cash donations are appreciated. Most exhibits are open from noon to 4 p.m. Classes last about an hour. The agriculture display features an old fashioned, end-gate seeder owned by area farmer Ralph Ubben and a modern, GPS guided tractor, owned and demonstrated by Greg Witmer of Witmer Precision Services. Small farm animals can be observed in a grassy, shaded corral. Rick Trahan, the blacksmith and supervisor of the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, will demonstrate and explain the blacksmith trade. He will discuss John Deere the man, the anatomy of the 1837 plow, and the tools that built it. John Deere’s eldest son, Francis Albert, attended Rock River Seminary in Mt. Morris. The Mt. Morris Fire Department, celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, will exhibit old fire fighting equipment and a state of the art fire truck.
Oregon Library, A3 Oregon Police, B5 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B6
Illinois Rail will perform Sunday, Sept. 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the band shell in downtown Mt. Morris. Their program is part of the Chautauqua planned by the Mt. Morris Tourism Committee. Photo supplied
The Mt. Morris Public Library will share historical photos and stories and compare the earlier, book lending library to the vast array of library functions and activities available today. The library, once housed in Old Sandstone, was founded in the early 1900s by the women of the Current Events Club. The club is active today. The Civil War Sesquicentennial will be observed with a 1 p.m. performance by Scott and Peggy Whitney, General U. S. Grant and Julia Dent Grant interpreters. Grant’s close friend, military and presidential advisor John Rawlins attended Rock River Seminary. The Grants will be introduced by Jeff Bold of the Performing Arts Guild. Bold will portray Robert R. Hitt, local congressman from 1882-1906. Grant appointed Hitt as the Secretary of the American Legation in Paris from 18741881. Hitt attended classes at and
Sheriff’s Arrests, B6 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5
later owned the Rock River Seminary. Other educational opportunities include learning the art of line dancing, taught by experienced line dance instructor Linda Halley of Line Dancing with Linda. The class is from 3 to 4 p.m. A geocaching class will be presented for people and families interested in learning how to find hidden caches by means of GPS coordinates posted on websites. A fun art class for young children will be taught by Oregon Grade School art instructor Kelly Handschuh at 1 p.m. The Sunday afternoon Chautauqua will be closed by the popular gospel and bluegrass band Illinois Rail, entertaining from 4 to 6 p.m. Every Mt. Morris Church since 1840 has worshipped either on or within a block of the campus at one time or another. Come celebrate those churches, the community, campus, and friends from nearby towns with music, dance and song.
Deaths, B3 Joan Hagemann, George E. Schmidt, Carl L. Stoner
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