Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS October 6, 2016 Volume 49, Number 51 - $1.00
Sectional Qualifiers
Wellness Fair
Fall Festival
Two Hawk golfers advance out of Tuesday’s regional match . B1
The Wellness & Resource Fair for adults is on Oct. 7. A6
The John Deere Historic Site will hold its first Fall Festival on Oct. 8. A6
Motion to dismiss filed in zoning case
Great reviews for AOP
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Four of the defendants in a civil case over zoning have asked an Ogle County judge to dismiss a lawsuit The right elements came brought against them by their together last weekend for neighbors. another successful Autumn Attorneys for Mike on Parade festival in Oregon. and Colleen Stukenberg, Festival goers had fun, the Forreston, and and STKE vendors did well, and even LLC, a company owned by the weather cooperated. the Steve and Kevin Moring, “It turned out very well,” also of Forreston, filed a said Marseyne Snow, AOP motion Sept. 22 to “strike and Committee President. dismiss” the lawsuit brought “We had a lot of positive against them by Walter Paul comments and everyone and his daughter and sonseemed to have a good time. in-law Linette and Curtis People liked the booths and DeHaven, all of Forreston. the parade especially. They Paul and the DeHavens are also liked watching the Pirate Brett Belleque, Mt. Morris, performs a magic trick with the aid of a young helper also suing the county. donut-eating contest.” Saturday at the Olde English Faire at Stronghold Castle during Autumn on Parade. Judge Robert Hanson set Turn to A3 Photo by Vinde Wells another hearing for Nov. 29. The lawsuit stems from the county board’s decision in May to grant a special use By Chris Johnson permit requested by Mike cxjohnson@ogle countynews.com
Armstrong reconnects with friends at AOP It did not take long for farm reporter Max Armstrong to reconnect with old friends when he visited Oregon for Autumn on Parade. He was talking with Remmer Schuetz, Ashton, about a tractor show, a magazine, and farming on Sunday afternoon. “Coming to Oregon you get to meet friends and talk about the crops,” said Armstrong. “I have known so many of the local farmers and we meet throughout the year. Today I had the chance to reconnect.” Armstrong hosts “This Week in AgriBusiness” with his friend and fellow farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson. Armstrong said the fields locally are wet in places, but not as bad as other portions of the Midwest.
Stukenberg and the Morings to allow a Class 2 Motor Carrier Facility on property zoned for agricultural use. The property, at 11123 W. Ill. 72 just east of Forreston, was owned by the Stukenbergs and recently purchased by STKE LLC. Paul and other nearby property owners, including the DeHavens, objected because of environmental issues. The lawsuit, filed July 21 by Paul’s attorney Dan Fishburn, Freeport, asks the court to reverse the board’s decision and to issue a temporary and permanent injunction to stop the development of the property for the special use. The lawsuit states that the special use applicants failed to meet the standards set forth in the county zoning ordinance because a Class 2 Motor Carrier Facility Turn to A3
Village board hires two for sewer dept. By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Agricultural broadcaster Max Armstrong poses for a photo with Leona and Carl Nelson, Mt. Morris, before the Harvest Time Parade on Sunday. Behind the trio is Armstrong’s antique Farmall tractor that he rode in the parade. Photo by Stan Eden
“The forecast presented during the program was for a wet and slow harvest and it looks like that is the case this year,” said Armstrong. “It rained by the foot in parts of Iowa, Minnesota,
and Wisconsin and that rain is going to make it difficult for farmers to complete the harvest. I think we will re-air the forecast.” Armstrong was riding his 1953 Farmall Super M in the
parade and waved at fans. While he owns Farmall’s, Armstrong enjoys all tractors. “It is nice when you go to a show and see all the colors on the field,” he said.
The Mt. Morris Village Board hired two people last week to run the wastewater treatment plant. The board approved the full-time employment on Sept. 27 of C.J. Ostrander, Mt. Morris, to work at the plant, and eventually replace Sewer Department Supervisor Jack Beck, who recently retired. Ostrander will be paid $16 per hour and is working toward obtaining the required license to operate the plant. He has previously worked in the department.
The board also hired Dan Mayhan, on a part-time consulting basis, to assist Ostrander. Village President Dan Elsasser said Mayhan has a one-year contract with the village. Mayhan, who is licensed, will be paid $45 per hour for a maximum of 15 hours per week. He will do the tests and certifications that must be performed by a licensed operator. Elsasser said plans call for Ostrander to become the plant’s operator once he completes the necessary training and obtains his license.
Oregon woman receives a festival prize to remember By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com An Oregon woman won’t soon forget this year’s Autumn on Parade festival. Joni Willard, Oregon, won the AOP 60/40 raffle. She learned Sunday night that one of the six tickets she purchased was drawn. “When they called I was shocked,” she said on Monday before receiving a check for $10,170. “What are the odds that one ticket from one of all of the pad of tickets sold was chosen.” As an employee of Snyder’s Ace Hardware, Willard sold herself the winning ticket. “I thought I might as well buy my own and I knew it would help out the festival.” She plans on donating a portion of her winnings to the KB Fund, an Oregon group that helps area residents with
“When they called I was shocked. ” — Joni Willard, 60/40 raffle winner medical expenses. It was founded to help April Roos, a young woman who is battling cancer. “Most of it will go into savings, but some will go to the KB Fund,” she said. “My son is in remission. They helped him so I want to pay it forward.” This was the first year the festival offered a 60/40 raffle and sold tickets prior to the two-day event. AOP had previously offered a 50/50 raffle Snyder’s Ace received $50 for selling the winning ticket. Joanne’s Total Image Salon & Spa received gift certificates for selling the most ticket books (128) prior to the weekend. Raffle organizer Jessie Hafer said she was very pleased by
In This Week’s Edition...
this year’s participation. “Last year’s 50/50 winner won a little over $900. The growth and support had been phenomenal,” she said. “Dave Boehle, a fellow AOP Committee member, and I thought big this year, but we were just shy of big enough. We sold out of tickets before the conclusion of the festival. She thanked everyone who took part. “We would like to thank everyone who purchased tickets and supported AOP,” she said. “We would also like to thank all the local businesses who participated in pre-event sales and all the volunteers who sold raffle tickets the weekend of the festival.” Earleen Hinton contributed to this story.
Church News A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4 Library News, A3
Autumn on Parade 60/40 Chairman Jessie Hafer (center right) poses with Joni Willard, Oregon, (center left) whose ticket was drawn on Sunday winning her $10,170. At far left, is Sue Harler, shift manager for Snyder’s Ace Hardware, the store that sold the winning ticket. At far right, is Joanne Canfield, owner of Joanne’s Total Image Salon & Spa, which sold the most 60/40 raffle ticket books prior to the festival. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Marriage Licenses, A4 Pine Creek News, A3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A3
Deaths, B5 Helen E. DeWall, Dale R. Drexler, Howard W. Fox, Dennis S. Johnson, James C. Smith
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