Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS November 23, 2017 Volume 51, Number 6 - $1.00
Hawks BB Preview
New Flag
Art Show
The Hawks boys basketball coach is optimistic about the upcoming season. B1
A large stationary flag was dedicated on Nov. 11. A11
The Old Sandstone Gallery Holiday Art Show will feature unique wood carvings. A2
Board looks into cat problem
Candlelight Walk is this Saturday Oregon kicks off the holiday season with family-fun events By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Oregon’s Candlelight Walk promises to serve up plenty of family fun on Saturday, Nov. 25. At 3 p.m., Santa will arrive “Oregon Style” at the Coliseum building – chauffer services courtesy of the Oregon Fire Department - to kick off 31st annual event. “It’s hard to believe that Candlelight Walk is celebrating 31 years, and our fabulous team of volunteers is busy preparing for this year’s event,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbie Dickson. “We remind everyone that the festivities begin at 3 p.m., and be sure to check out our latest attraction - HoHoHo Let’s GoGoGo at businesses located on Washington Street.” Special attractions include free wagon rides from 4 p.m. until approximately 7:30 p.m., departing from the north side of the Oregon Coliseum on Franklin Street. Please note that this is on a first come, first served situation. A live reindeer exhibit will be located in the Central Bank drive thru, at the corner of Franklin and Third Street. Candy Cane Lane, located on Franklin Street between
Third and Fourth Streets, offers outdoor strolling and food options. Fire stands, designed, built and donated by E.D. Etnyre & Company for the 30th anniversary of Candlelight Walk, will offer warming stations during the evening festivities. What’s a “Red Bow Sponsor”? Red Bow Sponsors are those folks who not only contribute to the cost of “producing” the festival – the nuts and bolts portion necessary to keeping Oregon’s Annual Candlelight Walk alive – but also open their doors for extended hours during this event, many of them offering their own “in store” drawing to folks who patronize their business that evening. Without the participation of these businesses, individuals, and organizations, this event would cease to exist. The businesses with these red bows on display are participating in Candlelight Walk so when you register for the special prize drawing offered by these businesses, your name will also go into the grand prize drawing for a $250 Candlelight Cash Shopping Spree. The lucky Grand Prize winner will be able to spend their “Candlelight Cash”
By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com
Oregon Park District’s Andy Egyed, Brent Suter, and Tyler Hagemann work on putting up the lighted snowman on the lawn of the Oregon Coliseum as part of the decorations for the Christmas season. The snowman and snowflake decorations were provided by Beesing Welding. Photo supplied
at any of the Red Bow participating businesses after the event and throughout the holiday season, Dec. 1 - Dec. 31. Gingerbread Kitchen / Children’s Winter Quarter Carnival The Gingerbread Kitchen will be serving up goodies during Candlelight Walk. Homemade chili, chili dogs, pizza by the slice, breadsticks and sauce, holiday theme sugar cookies and beverages are a few of the perfect seasonal and fun treats for sale. Hot chocolate will be sold outdoors by the horse and wagon rides to help chase away the chills! Bring the kids to the Winter Quarter Carnival from 3- 8 p.m. Games for
children ages 3 years to 10 years of age will feature winter themed activities. Each game costs a quarter, with treats and prizes awarded to every participant, so every child walks away a winner! Money collected will go to the organization running the game. Balloon Artist – Brett Belleque, will be on hand to create a special masterpiece for the little ones. A children’s “Make It, Take It” table will also be up and running again this year. Located in the lower level of the Coliseum, this event for children will host a variety of fun, easy and affordable take home projects for the kids. At $1 per craft, children can select from a variety of quick, easy and fun projects: make a holiday card or gift
bag, or decorate a mug! Santa will be on hand at the Winter Carnival as well, to get an update on “who’s been naughty or nice”. Holiday Gift Fair / Entertainment A large variety of businesses from outside the downtown area, home based specialties, and local entrepreneurs will be on hand to help in the Oregon Coliseum to help you start filling your stockings and gift giving needs for the holiday season. Entertainment throughout the evenings’ festivities will be featured at two locations. At the Coliseum will be a talented pool of local youth as both the OHS Madrigals and Jazz Band perform, as Turn to A8
Cause of fatal house fire not yet determined By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com The cause of the Nov. 10 fatal house fire in Leaf River has not yet been determined. Firefighter Gregory Wood, 19, died in the early morning blaze, and two of his family members were seriously injured. “Officially it’s still under investigation,” Ogle County Detective Brian Ketter said Monday morning. “We’re waiting for the state fire marshal’s office to finish their investigation. At this point it’s not at all suspicious.” He said the fire started in the downstairs along the west wall of the living room. Leaf River Fire Chief Steve Shelton said Gregory’s father, Marcus, 43, and brother, Travis, 16, were recently released from the Rockford hospitals where they were treated for burns and smoke inhalation. “Marcus was released yesterday [Saturday], and
Travis a couple of days ago,” Shelton said Sunday afternoon. Marcus is the deputy fire chief, and Travis is a cadet firefighter. Gregory’s mother Nicole, an EMT, was treated and released from the hospital on the day of the fire. Gregory, a 2017 graduate of Forreston High School, had recently successfully completed EMT classes. An autopsy last week determined he died from smoke inhalation. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. with the visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m., both at the River Valley Complex, 605 Main St., Leaf River. Shelton said the team investigating the fire included the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation, Ogle County Sheriff’s Department, and an insurance company. Shelton, who lives across the street from the Wood home, said he was awakened
In This Week’s Edition...
at about 12:40 a.m. on Nov. 10 when members of the Wood family pounded on his door for help. At that point, he said, the entire front of the two-story frame house was in flames. He said he and his son Aaron, also a firefighter, immediately went to the fire station. When they arrived back on the scene minutes later with a firetruck, the house was totally engulfed. “Basically there were flames coming from every window of the house,” he said. The Wood family rented the house from Lazette Rasmussen, of Steward. Fifteen area fire departments responded with mutual aid. Neighboring fire departments have been covering Leaf River’s fire calls and manning the station since the fire. The Leaf River Fire Department has set up a fund at German American State Bank, German Valley, to assist the Wood family.
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B3
This memorial to Leaf River Firefighter Gregory Wood stands in the front yard at his home at 209 W. Second St. in Leaf River. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B3
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports,B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
The Mt. Morris Village Board agreed to look into how it can help fend off an increasingly out-of-control feral cat situation. During the Nov. 14 board meeting, Mt. Morris resident Melinda Cox, with support from Police Chief Jason White, presented to the board an initiative in dealing with the increasing feral cat population, involving seeking donations to cover costs. “I don’t think we can take action on this tonight,” said Village President Dan Elsasser. “We do need to have some discussion on it — if it’s coming out of the budget, what budget is it coming out of, and that’s what I need to figure out,” said Phil Labash, Finance Committee Chairman. Cox said that she’s more looking for members around the community to help cover costs of trapping, spaying, neutering, and administering rabies vaccinations to the cats in an effort to fend off the large colonies in the 200 block of West First Street, the southwest corner of the village near Lowell Park Road, and west of the village near Ill. 64. Cox estimates the western colony has around 40 feral cats, and the colony at First Street is around 15. White said the southwest colony has recently diminished to around six, but can repopulate very quickly if left alone. “A kitten can become pregnant around four months old,” said Cox. The initiative involves Cox taking traps, both her own and any donated from the county or citizens, and capturing cats from the colonies. Cox claimed she could try to capture as many as 15 to 20 in a day. Once captured, Emily Schier, a veterinarian at Pines Meadow Veterinary Clinic, Oregon, is volunteering her time to spay, neuter, and administer rabies vaccinations to the cats brought in. Treatment for diseases will be on an as-needed basis. Schier said it’s not just about trying to keep cats from being a general nuisance, it’s about keeping the community healthy. “Not only are the colonies themselves unhealthy and diseased, but they spread those illnesses outwards,” said Schier. “Your own pets are in danger of catching diseases and parasites if this is left unchecked.”
Deaths, B5 Drew E. Crase, David A. Jones, Richard D. Lovelace, Lois J. Medlar, Goldie D. Reinke, Gregory J. Wood, Larry Woolcott
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com