Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS September 24, 2015 Volume 48, Number 30 - $1.00
Two-Day Game
Awareness
Primary Race
The Hawks lost to Dixon 28-27 during a game suspended by lightning. B1
An Oregon couple is raising awareness about a rare cancer. A4
Chief Deputy Clerk Laura Cook has announced she will run for county clerk. A7
Pharmacy will open in Mt. Morris in near future TelePharm plans to open online pharmacy By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Mt. Morris will once again have a pharmacy. Economic Development Committee member Rob Urish told the village board Tuesday that TelePharm, based in Iowa City, Iowa, will soon open an online pharmacy in the downtown.
A press release from TelePharm said the business will open this winter. Urish said the business will be located in a portion of the building that houses the Main Street Bistro, owned by Dave and Maggie Johnson at 12 W. Main St. TelePharm also has online pharmacies in Lanark and Milledgeville. Urish said the pharmacies will stock commonly requested prescriptions at the site, which will be manned by pharmacy technicians. Customers can order online and then pick up the
prescription in person. Technicians and customers will have access to a licensed pharmacist based at another location. Mt. Morris has been without a pharmacy since Felker Pharmacy closed several years ago. According to the press release, along with dispensing medications, the pharmacy plans to add medication therapy management, immunization clinics, and health education sessions. “Mt. Morris Pharmacy will focus on community
health and hold monthly events to educate residents on preventative health practices,” the press release read. The pharmacy was not the only good news that Urish brought to the board. Speaking for the Ecomonic Development Committee, he said the village has been solicited to bid for three “large” businesses to come to town. “We expect to make another exciting announcement before year’s end,” he said. In other economic news,
village clerk Paula Diehl said she toured the new Sullivan’s Foods store earlier in the day. “It’s fabulous, it’s huge,” she said. Diehl said the store will hold a “soft” opening on Oct. 2. Customers can access the store from a temporary entrance off Front Street, while the old store is demolished, she said. The store will be completely open for business on Nov. 1, Diehl said. The board also paved the way for a new laundromat to open in town. They unanimously
approved an agreement with Matt Dusing for economic incentives to get the business up and running. Dusing told the board two weeks ago that he is buying the old laundromat on Ill. 64 and plans to make improvements inside and out. He said he hopes to open by January. The board approved his request for a break on his water and sewer bills for three years. The board granted him a 100 percent abatement of the fees the first year, 75 percent the second year, and 50 percent the third year.
Coach comments on adding girls soccer at OHS By Andy Colbert acolbert@oglecounty news.com
Mt. Morris fireman Rick Hough walks around the exterior of the home at 501 West First Tuesday night. Photo by Chris Johnson
Four departments respond to house fire By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Four fire departments responded to a house fire Tuesday evening in Mt. Morris. Homeowner Karen Dorcey was at her home at 510 W. First when she noticed
smoke. “I smelled smoke and went downstairs,” she said. “I saw a fire. I tried to put it our with the extinguisher then ran out of the house.” She said the fire was in the laundry room, and clothes were on fire. Dorcey and her three dogs escaped the smoke-
filled home unharmed. Her husband Nick Lung was not home. Her son had just reported to boot camp over the weekend. Dorcey called 9-1-1 shortly after 6 p.m. to report the fire. Once outside, Dorcey sat with neighbors and watched the fireman work on her home.
The Mt. Morris Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Polo, Oregon, and Byron Fire Departments. The Mt. Morris Police Department and Ogle County Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Police seek help to solve window shootings By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com The Oregon Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in solving who is responsible for shooting out the windows in seven vehicles over the weekend. According to a press
release from Police Chief Darin DeHaan, police were called to the 500 block of South Second Street around 10 p.m. Sunday night because the window of a vehicle had been shot out with a small projectile. Upon further checking in the area, six more vehicles found with similar damage. “The damage appears to
be random, and the victims do not have anything in common. This may be related to similar damage reported in the county,” DeHaan said in the press release. Police believe the damage took place between 10 p.m. on Sept. 19 and 3 a.m. on Sept. 20. Anyone who has any information is asked to
contact the Oregon Police Department at 815-732-2803 or on Facebook. Ogle County Sgt. Greg Kunce said a similar incident took place at Mt. Morris Estates within the last several days. He said the window of a vehicle there was damaged by what appeared to be BBs.
During public comments at the Monday’s Oregon School Board meeting, Lady Hawks softball coach Jay Holley addressed the board about the potential effect of adding girls soccer on other spring sports. “For my softball program, I have to have at least 30 girls,” Holley said. “Our numbers have been going down, and then you have issues with eligibility, injuries and vacations.” For the past three years, the number of girls out for softball has been 33, 27 and 23. “I’m not against (soccer), but concerned what it will do to existing programs,” Holley said. One problem for Holley has been lack of seniors. Two years ago he had three and only one in 2015. Traditionally, spring sports have a more difficult time getting upperclassmen. “What I’m after is to see what the numbers of girls from freshmen to senior year who are going to be in soccer,” Holley said. If softball loses players to soccer, Holley is concerned about being able to field both a fresh-soph and varsity
softball team. “If numbers are down because of a third sport, we may end up with only one team and have to use freshmen and sophomores on varsity to fill out the roster,” Holley said. “Some can do it, but not all of them can. Will that discourage their development and make it even harder to keep people out?” A handful of parents supporting the girls soccer program attended the meeting, but none of them addressed the board. The school board discussed girls soccer during the meeting, but did not take any action. “Right now, we have three beliefs,” superintendent Tom Mahoney said. “Number one – there is enough interest. Secondly, a mechanism is in place for it to be self-funding and creating an environment for the boys and girls to be separate.” If a girls program is approved, the earliest is could begin would be spring of 2017, though the possibility of an exhibition season was bandied about for 2016. “If you put in a third sport, are you looking at making this competing for conference championships or just participation only?” Holley said.
Craft Fair Pinecrest Community held its annual Vendor & Craft Fair and Pie Auction Sept. 19 at the Pinecrest Grove Community Center. At far left, vendor Emory Cragg, Oregon, shows Donna Hoppe, Mt. Morris, pictures of items he has made. At left, auctioneer Phil Labash urges bidders to go just a little higher. Photos by Vinde Wells
In This Week’s Edition...
Byron Police, B5 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 Entertainment, A6
Fines, B5 Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A10
Property Transfers, B5 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4
Deaths, B6 Anna M. Grace Mammen
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com