Mmt 2017 07 06

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Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967

MT.Times MORRIS July 6, 2017 Volume 50, Number 38 - $1.00

Running Again

In Memory

At the Band Shell

Ogle County Clerk & Recorder Laura Cook will seek a second term in 2018. A7

Serenity Hospice & Home will hold a butterfly release July 8. A6

Pete’s Sake is the featured band Friday night at the Mt. Morris Jamboree. A2

Growing the village Board learns about an economic development plan during meeting by Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecountynews.com

Letting Freedom Ring Rebecca Hough and Let Freedom Ring keynote speaker Gary Henderson help ring in the Fourth of July by ringing the Freedom Bell on Tuesday afternoon. A story on Henderson’s speech and more festival photos appear on B1. Photo by Zach Arbogast

Royalty crowned in Mt. Morris By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecountynews.com

Kings, queens, and a couple little firecrackers brightened the cloudy evening that threatened to rain out a Mt. Morris celebration. The Let Freedom Ring Festival kicked off June 28, and it fought the threat of storms, as several showers poured in earlier through the day and dark clouds swept in fast. An ice cream social, hosted by the Community Woman’s Club, was scheduled, but the storm threat pushed it back to June 30. However, the show went on at 6 p.m. sharp for the Little Miss and Mister Firecracker contest, and save for a tiny sprinkle before the Kable Band concert, the weather held off to crown some little Firecrackers, a King and Queen, and to let freedom sing. Briggz Scheck, 4, and Ellie Schier, 3, had the sparkling looks and the explosive personalities to be crowned and hatted as Little Mister and Miss Firecracker, respectively.

Rebecca Hough and Ryan Lazansky stand proudly near the Official Illinois State Freedom Bell after being crowned Let Freedom Ring Queen and King. The pair will represent Mt. Morris for the next year at events in and outside the community. Photo by Zach Arbogast

One of the highlights of the contest were the jokes the contestants brought with them. “What do you call an alligator wearing a vest?” asked Briggz. “An investigator!”

The parents were nothing short of proud of their children for getting up on stage, and even conquering some stage fright. “He’s usually very shy,” said mother Jennifer Scheck. “Seeing him get up there, tell jokes, and smile without being afraid was very exciting.” After the little jesters told their jokes, it was time for a queen to be crowned, along with Mt. Morris’ first Let Freedom Ring King. As candidates were arriving to the venue, the 2016 Queen, Sydne Robinson, attempted to perform “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert, but found it difficult without her grandfather, Doug Stibers, to perform with her. “I performed this with my grandfather last year for the competition, and I’m actually finding it very difficult to do without him,” she said. “It’s just too special to me.” However, absent grandfather notwithstanding, Robinson tried again and performed fully for the crowd. Turn to A3

Memorial show honors man’s love of autos By Earleen Hinton ehinton@oglecounty news.com For 15 years, Jonas Fultz helped make the car show at Let Freedom Ring run. When Fultz passed away in January 2013, Let Freedom Ring organizers made sure that legacy lived on, renaming the event the Jonas Levi Fultz Memorial Car Show & Cruise. “This is our fifth memorial show,” said Linda, Jonas’ widow. “He ran this show for 15 years and the AOP car show too.” Linda, a resident of Mt. Morris, made sure that Jonas’ bright red 1967 Camaro SS was on display at Sunday’s show. “We got in 1988. We were in Ohio and bought it from a friend of ours. It was painted, but Jonas did the engine

compartment and the interior,” she said. “We’ve shown it ever since. Every season he would tweak something on it or change something. We’ve had a lot of fun with it over the years.” The shiny SS was parked next to the officials’ table at Sunday’s show in the former Kable News parking lot on the campus square. “It was a winning car. Everybody liked it,” said Susan Palmer, of 3D Sound, the emcee for the show. “We gave a lot of awards to it.” Fifty one cars took part in this year’s show including six entries by Luke Sheely of Adeline. Sheely brought three VW bugs ranging in age from 1952 to 1978, and his 1929 Mercedes Gazelle with a wooden dashboard.

Jonas Fultz’s 1967 Camaro SS was on display at the Jonas Levi Fultz Memorial Car Show held during the Let Freedom Ring festival on Sunday. Photo by Earleen Hinton

A former DeKalb mayor who currently sits on the Ogle County Board came to talk to the Mt. Morris Village Board about joining into a county-wide economic development group. Greg Sparrow, Ogle County Economic Development, came to the June 27 board meeting to talk about County Economic Development. According to Sparrow, the county board voted unanimously June 20 to enter into an economic development agreement with the various communities within Ogle County. Sparrow said the intergovernmental agreement was contingent upon getting at least three communities to join the group. “We need at least three to commit, and I think we’ve to between six or seven who are interested,” said Sparrow. “These entities will work with the county and the private sector to bring economic development to the communities around the county.” The communities interested, according to Sparrow, are Polo, Mt. Morris, Oregon, Byron, Davis Junction, and Stillman Valley - who voted June 26 to opt into the agreement. “I know this can work. I used to be the mayor of DeKalb for 20 years, and Turn to A2

State finally approves 911 funding bill By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecountynews.com After two bills and two vetoes, a pair of supermajority overrides in the Illinois General Assembly got Ogle County 911 the funding it needs. House Bill 1811 passed Saturday after a 90-22 House vote and 43-1 Senate vote to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s morning veto. The bill increases the monthly telephone surcharge, which is collected for 911 services, to $5 in Chicago and $1.50 in the rest of the state, up from $3.90 and 87 cents, respectively. It also maintained the Emergency Telephone System Act, a set of rules and regulations for setting up and funding emergency 911 services at the local government level, until December 2020. HB1811 was identical in language to Senate Bill 1839, which Rauner openly intended to veto. Rauner kept good on his intention Friday, but with amendments — namely, revoking the sunset on the Emergency Telephone System Act. These changes denied the surcharge increases, but would have allowed 911 to continue in Illinois without needing the General Assembly to pass legislation to renew services. However, SB1839 expired Friday evening, at which point the House pushed forward HB1811, surcharge increases and all. Rauner vetoed the bill entirely, Turn to A2

In This Week’s Edition...

Birth, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B5-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6

Fines, B4 Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, A3 Property Transfers, B4

Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, A12, B1 State’s Attorney, B5 Weather, A3

Deaths, B5 Vera J. Noffsinger, Alice R. Rebuck, Roger L. Saaijenga

Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com


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