Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS November 26, 2015 Volume 48, Number 39 - $1.00
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bowlers Win The OHS bowling team stuns its opponents to win a 47-team tournament. B1
VOP Awards Banquet emcee Tom Wadsworth takes home the Volunteer of the Year Award. A7
Storm kicks off winter with a blast of snow By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Mt. Morris EMT Brandon Mead was presented his certificate of completion by Dr. John Pakiela, left, Mercy Rockford’s MD-1 program, and instructor Dana Carr, EMS educator from Mercy Rockford. Photo by Chris Johnson
Sixteen complete EMT training By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecountynews.com A new class of EMTs will soon be serving residents of Ogle and Lee Counties. Sixteen people from Oregon, Mt. Morris, Stillman Valley, Polo, Ashton, and the Dixon Rural Fire Departments completed a rigorous class to become EMTs. “Their training was extremely rigorous,” said instructor Dana Carr, EMS educator from Mercy Rockford. “They had 180 plus hours of training
where they had to pass written tests and skills tests. They also participated in simulated accidents.” All that is left is for them to become certified is to pass a national exam in December. Being certified is not the end of classroom training. “The Illinois Department of Public Health requires continual really education,” said Carr. “Nationally they need to re-certify every two years and the state re-certifies every four years.” Everyone in the course has had
some prior medical training as first responders. This will be the first time that they are directly in charge of a person’s care at the scene. When responding to medical emergencies these new EMTs will not be alone. Dr. John Pakiela, is with Mercy Rockford’s MD-1 program. “This program allows EMTs to request the assistance of the MD-1 vehicle for additional support at the scene,” said Pakiela. “We can respond Turn to A9
Vandals blamed for damage to statue’s cover By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Vandals are being blamed for the damage to the protective plastic mesh surrounding the Black Hawk statue at Lowden State Park near Oregon. “This is vandalism. It’s been cut,” said project conservator Dr. Andrzej Dajnowski from Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio, Forest Park. Dajnowski and his crew, who have been repairing the 104-year-old statue, were on the scene Monday rewrapping it to protect it from winter weather. “We’re rewrapping it for winter,” Dajnowski said. “I don’t want the sculpture to be exposed to snow or rain.” Strong winds earlier this month tore off approximately the top third of the protective wrapping attached to a scaffold surrounding the statue. Dajnowski said Monday that when he climbed to the top to do repairs he saw the plastic mesh had been cut. “I was shocked when I saw
it. This is unacceptable,” he said. “The flag that someone put on the top is also gone.” The mesh on the lower part of the statue was not affected, Dajnowski said. Late last summer an American flag appeared at the very top of the plastic-encased scaffold, but it is disappeared just s mysteriously. Dajnowski said that with the mesh gone, the statue, as well as repair work already done on it, are exposed to the elements, which can potentially cause most damage. He said he has not reported the vandalism to the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Brian VanVickle confirmed Monday that the incident has not been reported. “If they want to file a report, it will be handled like any other investigation,” he said. Dajnowski said he and his crew will replace the damaged mesh with a new double layer. Designed by Chicago sculptor Lorado Taft in 1910
In This Week’s Edition...
Mother Nature kicked off the winter season early and decisively, dumping six to 10 inches of heavy snow on Ogle County over the weekend. Flakes began to fly Friday afternoon but most of that melted due to warm air and ground temperatures. The white stuff began to accumulate in the early evening and by 8 p.m. the storm was getting down to business. The snow fell steadily throughout the night and continued through Saturday afternoon, reducing visibility and turning roads slushy and slippery. In a Facebook post Saturday morning, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle advised residents to stay at home. “In case you haven’t looked outside, it is still snowing and the roadways are snow-covered,” VanVickle posted at 9:45 a.m. “So pour yourself a cup of coffee and stay safely
inside.” The sheriff’s department implemented winter weather operations from 9 p.m. Friday through 9 p.m. Saturday. Lt. Greg Kunce, who heads up patrol operations for the sheriff’s department, said that over the two days, deputies responded to 19 traffic accidents and 49 cars in ditches, most of them on Saturday morning when the conditions worsened. “Fortunately we had no serious accidents, just property damage and cars in ditches,” he said. He said motorists may not have anticipated the deteriorating road conditions as the storm picked up steam. “It started off slow Friday night. On Saturday morning with the wind and falling temperatures and heavy snow, the roads were drifting and much worse,” he said. With winds out of the north, east-west roads were the most impacted by drifting road. Ogle County Engineer Curtis Cook said snowplow Turn to A2
Candlelight Walk returns Saturday By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Crews were busy Monday repairing the protective screen that Lorado Taft’s Eternal Indian, also known as the Black Hawk Statue, has been wrapped in while restoration work continues. Photo by Earleen Hinton
and dedicated in 1911, Black Hawk has been damaged by the effects of time and weather. Dajnowski is part of a team of experts hired to restore the portions of the statue that are crumbling and
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Marriage Licenses, A4
falling off. The folded arms of the statue, especially the elbows and underneath the arms; the middle of the robe; and the vertical fold in the robe from armpit to toe are the critical areas.
Library News, A3 Pine Creek News, A3 Public Voice, A10 Property Transfers, B3
Sheriff’s Arrests, B6 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
Oregon will don on its holiday best on Saturday, Nov. 28 to officially welcome the Christmas season at the 29th Candlelight Walk. The festive event will feature the annual arrival of Santa Claus, seasonal music, taste-tempting treats, and holiday giveaways as businesses roll out the red carpet to welcome shoppers. “We are always excited to host this event,” said Debbie Dickson, Executive Director of the Oregon Chamber of Commerce. “This year, in particular, so many businesses and organizations have partnered to continually improve our holiday kickoff.” The evening begins when Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at the Ogle County Courthouse Square, chauffeured by the Oregon Fire Department at 4 p.m. to light the Christmas tree. Dickson especially invited shoppers to take a stroll down Candy Cane Lane, which is a transformation, just for the occasion, of Franklin Avenue between Fourth Street (Ill. 64) and Third Street. The block is closed to traffic and lined with food venues, vendors, and live reindeer at First National
Bank. “Candy Cane Lane is a great safe thoroughfare between the Coliseum and Conover,” Dickson said. “There’s going to be a lot of great aromas and activities going on there.” The Lincoln Highway Association will serve kettle corn; Cliff Jones will offer his well-known apple cider donuts and grilled hamburgers; the Oregon Lions Club will have pork chops; and the Oregon Boy Scouts will be making S’mores. After Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive, they will stay on the scene from 4:30 to 8 p.m. on the lower level of the Coliseum to hear kids’ Christmas wishes and take pictures. Other family activities on the lower level of the Coliseum include the Winter Quarter Carnival and balloon artist Brett Belleque. The Gingerbread Kitchen in the downstairs will serve treats such as homemade chili, personal pan pizzas, bread sticks and sauce, gingerbread sugar cookies, and beverages. On the main level of the Coliseum, the Holiday Gift Fair will offer dozens of booths and tables featuring home-based specialties and
Deaths, B3 Merle G. Snodgrass Lois D. White
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
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