Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS December 29, 2016 Volume 50, Number 11 - $1.00
Nailbiter Win
Tree Recycling
EMT Training
The Lady Hawks squeak past Serena 46-44 in non-conference action Dec. 21. B1
Don’t throw out that Christmas tree. Recycle it instead. A6
Interested in helping out during emergencies? Sign up for EMT training is underway. A7
Passerby called 911, alerted homeowner 150-year-old rural Leaf River home was severely damaged by fire on Dec. 21 By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A rural Leaf River man safely escaped from his burning home Dec. 21, thanks to a passerby. Mt. Morris Fire Chief Rob Hough said Robert Seele, 80, 5613 N. Mt. Morris Rd., was alerted to the fire by a passing motorist. “A passerby called 911 and alerted Mr. Seele, who was in the residence and was unaware of the fire,” Hough said. “The passerby reported the north side exterior of the residence was fully involved in fire. We arrived on scene to find heavy fire on the north side of the residence, with serious extension in the structure.” The blaze is thought to have started near a woodburning stove. “Mt. Morris Fire and OSFM [Office of the State Fire Marshal] performed an investigation,” Hough said. “The most probable area of origin was a wood burning heating plant on the north side of the residence. The most probable cause was ignition of wood structural components near the heating plant.” He said the house, which was insured, sustained heavy fire damage throughout. The fire was reported just after 1 p.m. and firefighters from Mt. Morris and nine other departments were on the scene until 9 p.m. Mt. Morris firefighters remained throughout the
“We arrived on scene to find heavy fire on the north side of the residence,” — Rob Hough Mt. Morris Fire Chief night to watch for hot spots, Hough said. At least 50 firefighters from the Mt. Morris, Oregon, Forreston, Leaf River, Polo, Byron, Stillman Valley, Shannon, Pecatonica, and Win Bur Sew Fire Departments were on the scene, along with the German Valley ambulance. Polo and Advanced EMS covered the Mt. Morris Fire Station. The two-story home, sided with vinyl, was built in 1858 from bricks made at the brick kiln at Trot Town, a tiny settlement just to the east on West Grove Road. According to the “Bicentennial History of Ogle County,” at least eight homes in and near Trot Town were built from bricks made at the kiln in the mid-1800s. Seele’s was the last one still standing. Trot Town was located on West Grove Road between Mt. Morris and Leaf River Roads until the early 1900s. It consisted of several homes, a handful of businesses, the Silver Creek Church of the Brethren and cemetery, and a one-room schoolhouse.
Above, firefighters from 10 area departments battled a blaze at the home of Robert Seele, 5316 N. Mt. Morris Rd., in the afternoon of Dec. 21. Mt. Morris firemen remained on the scene throughout the night. The fire, which severely damaged the home, is thought to have started near a wood-burning stove. Photo by Vinde Wells. At left, the Mt. Morris firefighters carry hoses to the scene as they arrive. Photo courtesy of the MMFD
Fresh egg sales not allowed County board approves new rules for employees By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Complaints about Ogle County employees selling fresh eggs while at work prompted the county board Dec. 20 to prohibit doing personal business on county time and property. The board passed a resolution, recommended by the Personnel & Salary Committee, that stipulates “There are to be no private food solicitations and forprofit solicitations on county properties at any time and not-for-profit fundraisers can be done on county properties but not on county time.” Board member Skip Kenney, Rochelle, head of the Personnel & Salary Committee, explained what the recommendation means: “No county employees may sell, for personal gain, anything on county property or time.” Board member Ron
“It came to our attention that this was going on and was problematic to other county employees.” — Skip Kenney, Rochelle Colson, Mt. Morris, asked if the regulation means a county employee is prohibited from having a booth at the Autumn of Parade festival, because some booths are on county property. “That’s not the intent, and that would be in their off-hours anyway,” Kenney said. According to the minutes of the Dec. 13 Personnel & Salary Committee meeting, Kenney brought up that more than one employee was selling fresh eggs out of the county offices in which they worked. “Kenney stated this particular case was very messy, and it affected the work environment,” the minutes read.
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The minutes did not name the employees involved. “It came to our attention that this was going on and was problematic to other county employees,” Kenney said Tuesday. “In some cases, they [the other employees] were asked to fill in and conduct the business.” Another issue: Selling some food items requires the seller to have credentials in food service. County board member Marcia Heuer, Oregon, also on the Personnel & Salary Committee, voiced concern about the county’s liability if the practice was allowed to go on. Department heads will be responsible for letting their employees know about the new rule, Kenney said.
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B4-B8 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3
Christmas Delivery Santa was not the only one out delivering gifts over the weekend. Members of the Mt. Morris Fire Department were out making Christmas deliveries Dec. 22 to families in the community. Here firefighter Ben Taylor and Captain Steve Foss load up the gifts. Photo courtesy of the MMFD
Marriage Licenses, A4 Pine Creek News, A3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B2 Sheriff’s Arrests, B2
Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B2 Weather, A3
Deaths, B3 Arlene M. Blum, Robert W. Cultra, Thomas D. Messer, Deane E. Rowland, Ames J. Schryver, John L. Siddens
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