36 minute read
Board Decision
from Mt. Morris Times
by Shaw Media
2 MT. MORRIS MORRIS TIMES
MT. MORRIS BEAT oglecountynews.com OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 (815) 732-6166 ext. 2592 Fax: (815) 284-2078 Mt. Morris Times / oglecountynews.com • Friday, November 20, 2020 SUBSCRIPTIONS $39 in Ogle County, and $52 outside Ogle County. Single-copy price is $1 To subscribe, make a payment or discuss your delivery, call 815-732-6166, ext. 2518 from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or send an e-mail to subscriptions@ oglecountynews.com. You also can subscribe online by going to oglecountynews.com and clicking on Subscribe. CLASSIFIED SALES 815-284-2222 OBITUARIES 815-732-6166, ext. 2591 ehinton@oglecountynews.com Deadline for obituaries is 2 p.m. Tuesday for Friday’s edition SEND NEWS news@oglecountynews.com General Manager
Earleen Hinton
815-732-6166, ext. 2591 ehinton@oglecountynews.com
Editor Jeff Helfrich 815-732-6166, ext. 2590 jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com
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BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
The Oregon City Council unanimously approved adding a labor position to its street department at its Tuesday meeting.
The new employee will be the department’s fifth and will be accompanied by cuts to the city’s contractor costs, city officials said. The starting salary is $31,200.
“I was not willing to support this unless it meant zero budget impact on the city,” Finance Commissioner Terry Schuster said. “We’re going to be adding salary, I wanted to recoup other costs that will equal that. I talked with [Street Department Superintendent Terry Plemmons] about contracting costs over past years and talked about this additional person replacing that. In other words, the amount of the salary equals the amount we’ve been paying contractors.”
The new employee will be under a probationary position for the first year before becoming an operator. Some of the main offsets will be keeping sidewalk replacement and landscaping in house, along with general maintenance, Streets and Public Improvements Commissioner Tim Krug said.
The new employee will also help with offsetting labor times, Krug said.
“They had one snowstorm last year, these guys were in the trucks for 32 hours straight without a break,” Krug said. “Yeah, they should’ve taken time off, but they were trying to get all the snow cleared before it froze. Having a fifth would allow better rotation so it’s just a 12 hour shift so they can go home and get some sleep.”
Leaf Duty
Denny Davis of the Mt. Morris Street department was busy vaccuming leaves along curbs throughout the village on Monday. Residents in Mt. Morris can rake or blow their leaves to the curb for collection while residents in other Ogle County communities must bag their leaves for collection.
Earleen Hinton/ Shaw Media
SPECIAL EVENTS
Mt. Morris Times, Ogle County News and oglecountynews.com are a division of Shaw Media. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. Morris Times, Oregon Republican Reporter, and Polo’s Tri-County Press .
The MT. MORRIS TIMES (USPS No. 365-440) is published weekly by B.F. Shaw Printing Co., Shaw Media. Periodical postage paid at Mt. Morris, Illinois. POSTMASTER Send address changes to MT. MORRIS TIMES, P.O. Box 8, Oregon, IL 61061. Phone 815-732-6166, ext. 2516. Oregon VFW seeks donations for annual Christmas Food Basket Drive
Once again the Oregon VFW post 8739 will be assembling and delivering food baskets for Christmas to families and individuals who are in need in the Oregon area.
Coulter said the Post normally provides at least 120 baskets.
Families or individuals in need must call the VFW Post (815-732-6851) between 3 and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Each individual or family representative must call for themselves.
An adult must be home on Dec. 19 to receive the basket. Deliveries will start around 8:30 a.m. and should conclude by noon.
The VFW Post is also seeking volunteers to help deliver the baskets. Call 815-732-6851 to volunteer.
Mt. Morris Goodfellows accepting donations for the holidays
The Mt. Morris Goodfellows are accepting monetary donations for those in need this holiday season.
Donations are greatly appreciated. Jerry Griffin and Charlie Beard, Goodfellows Co-Chairmen, say that the Goodfellows will once again be able to provide assistance this Christmas thanks to the financial support of the community.
“Each holiday season, for more than 60 years, the Goodfellows have provided food assistance and fruit baskets to residents in Mt. Morris,” Griffin said.
Donations can be mailed to Mt. Morris Goodfellows, P.O. Box 75, Mt. Morris, IL 61054 or dropped into a Goodfellows donation can located at local businesses.
Participating Mt. Morris businesses are Sterling Federal Bank, Union Savings Bank, Rockford Bell Credit Union, Cimino’s Pizza, The Idle Hour, Moose Lodge, Peppermill Restaurant, Sharky’s, Shell Express, Sullivan’s Grocery, Village Hall, Mobil, Eclips Hair Salon, Hometown Restaurant, Campus Café and Mullarkey’s Bar & Grill.
“Please note that some of these businesses may be temporarily closed due to COVID19 restrictions,” Griffin said.
For more information about Goodfellows, call Griffin at 815-440-4440.
“The Mt. Morris Goodfellows appreciate your support. Thank you,” Griffin said.
‘We’re seeing roughly 50 or more cases every day. It’s the highest we’ve seen’ - Auman
BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
Ogle County is currently seeing more than 50 COVID-19 cases per day.
Ogle County Health Department Public Administrator Kyle Auman told the Ogle County Board Tuesday that the county recently recorded its highest daily numbers count since the start of the pandemic.
“We certainly don’t think they’ll slow unless something significant happens,” Auman said. “We are reporting two deaths today and we have several still pending with the state coroner’s office on when to report them. The death rate here is growing.”
Auman said Region 1 is at a 20 percent positivity rate and residents should expect one in five people in public to possibly have the virus. Ogle Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media
Workers from HR Support were busy last week running the COVID-19 testing site in the parking lot of the Ogle County Health Department.
County is at 17 percent positivity. Auman said those numbers are concerning and the entire county is at risk.
Auman detailed the Governor’s Tier 3 mitigations that impact gathering sizes at businesses like health and fitness centers, hotels and theaters. The OCHD met with county department heads on response this week and recently recommended schools pause in-person learning until mid-January.
“We only believe it will grow through the holidays with traditions and activities,” Auman said. “It’s a big bar holiday on the night before Thanksgiving. It’s certainly a cause for concern. With the new mitigations, it should limit Black Friday shopping. We’re asking people to be reasonable and responsible.”
The OCHD has been monitoring increased hospital admissions due to COVID-19. KSB Hospital is reporting significant levels in all beds, Auman said. The state stands at 35 percent availability for med-surge beds and 36 percent for ICU beds.
Auman said Rockford hospitals are being monitored as well, due to how often patients are diverted there from KSB and Rochelle Community Hospital.
The OCHD is currently working on outbreaks at several local locations including long-term care facilities, schools and businesses.
“We’re trying to contact trace, but people are less compliant and higher numbers will make it harder for us to do that,” Auman said. “We’re talking about standing up the Emergency Operations Center and bringing in healthcare providers in those conversations.”
COVID-19 CASES COVID-19 cases up to 2,311 as of Tues.,Nov. 17
Five deaths in past three reports, 381 cases in a week
BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
The Ogle County Health Department reported 47 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, Nov. 17, totaling 2,311.
One hundred and sixty five cases were reported Saturday through Monday. 381 new cases have come in the past week. Ages and locations of the individuals that test positive are not being released to protect their privacy.
The OCHD has reported five new deaths in its last three reports, with two each being reported on Monday and Tuesday. Ogle County has seen a total of 14 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Recoveries of documented cases stand at 1,647, with no new ones reported Tuesday. The OCHD took to its Facebook page Monday, posting a message urging the community to change its behaviors to stop an elevated level of spread.
“It is important that everyone does their part to disrupt community transmission,” the post said. “The next several weeks will determine the course of COVID-19 response. Local health departments cannot do this work alone. We need a whole community approach to support our healthcare workers. Hospitals are seeing high levels of activity due to COVID-19.”
“Your role is very important to our region! Please only go out when you absolutely need to, wear a mask if you need to go out, watch your distance, wash your hands, get tested if you feel you have symptoms or have had contact with a case and quarantine if you feel that you have contact with a case or are symptomatic. We want to keep everyone safe this holiday season!”
The Illinois Department of Public Health site said Tuesday that there are 848 cases in the zip code that includes Rochelle, Creston and White Rock.
Stillman Valley has 120 cases, Byron has 454 cases and Davis Junction has 133 cases.
Oregon and Mt. Morris have 208 and 125 cases, respectively.
Polo has 115 cases, Leaf River has 55 cases and Forreston has 92 cases.
The Sauk Valley as a whole reported three additional coronavirus deaths and 170 new cases Tuesday.
The Whiteside County Health Department on Tuesday reported an additional COVID-related death involving a person in their 70s, as well as 85 new cases of COVID-19.
The new cases involve eight people under 20, 15 in their 20s, eight in their 30s, 14 in their 40s, 17 in their 50s, eight in their 60s, six in their 70s and nine over the age of 80. There were also 65 recoveries.
Lee County on Tuesday reported 38 new cases, with six of those from the Franklin Grove Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. An additional 27 residents have been lifted off of isolation. The new cases involved four people under the age of 12, four teens, five people in their 20s, six people in their 30s, three people in their 40s, two people in their 50s, six people in their 60s and two people in their 70s.
Whiteside County has had 3,232 cases and 56 deaths. Lee County has had 1,425 cases, 838 recoveries and five deaths. Carroll County, which did not report updated statistics on Tuesday, has had 905 cases, 687 recoveries and 23 deaths.
The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen eight days of positivity increases and seven days of hospital admission increases. The region’s positivity rate decreased for the second consecutive day, this time to 20.0%. Currently, 35% of medical/surgical beds are available and 36% of ICU beds.
The North region (Region 1) is under Tier 2 mitigations and will move to Tier 3 Friday along with the rest of the state.
Illinois had 12,601 new cases and 97 deaths. There have been 597,849 cases and 10,875 deaths statewide.
Sterling has had 9,692 tests and 1,198 cases. Rock Falls has had 4,820 tests and 709 cases. Dixon has had 10,827 tests and 981 cases. Rochelle has had 5,940 tests and 848 cases.
Health department recommended e-learning until mid-January
BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
The Oregon School Board unanimously voted Monday to continue in-person learning through the end of the fall semester.
The Ogle County Health Department has recommended county schools go to full remote learning from Thanksgiving until the end of the semester due to COVID-19 concerns of people gathering during the holidays and a recent uptick in cases.
Board President Bryan Wills read a statement at the meeting outlining the board’s rationale for the decision. That rationale included the principles put into place in July when the district decided to return to in-person schooling.
The principles included providing for care, safety, welfare and health of children, families, staff and the community as well as providing for the continuity of learning for students.
In-person learning protocols are intended to limit the risk as much as possible, not eliminate it, Wills said, and all policies support students being physically present in school.
“What we developed to mitigate the spread must be balanced against its negative impact on our students and families when students aren’t allowed to learn and interact with one another in school,” Wills said. “Simply put, there is no evinot agree with the decision and that the board respects that and will allow families to switch their students to e-learning for the period the OCHD recommended. The district has offered e-learning to those that want it throughout its fall semester so far. Several public comments were read from parents advocating for and against in-person learning at the meeting. “We appreciate the extra effort taken to have in-person learning,” Stacy Glendenning wrote. “We have three sons at OHS and have learned that in-person is best. Teachers are making connections and providing Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media experiences that can’t be done from The Oregon High School is located on 10th Street. afar.” Another parent submitted a statedence that students being in school is increasing ment in support of a switch to full the spread of the virus.” e-learning.
Wills said Superintendent Tom Mahoney spoke “I’ve seen my family in Wisconsin get sick after with several local mental health professionals last a gathering of four people,” she wrote. “Now nine Wednesday who shared they’ve seen an uptick in have COVID-19 and two have been hospitalized. adolescent suicide ideation and emphasized an I can guarantee people won’t be safe over the importance of in-person learning as a way for holidays. Please consider those affected outside students to socialize of school. Kids may show mild symptoms, but
“We do want to inform the community that others they infect may be more susceptible.” this does not mean we won’t have to shift to The board tabled a decision regarding winter remote learning during that period,” Wills said. sports due to the scheduled meetings with the “Only that we won’t be preemptively making that IHSA, Governor’s office and the Illinois Departdetermination. The goal is to continue in-person ment of Public Health. instruction as long as we have adequate staffing The IHSA put winter sports on hold on Tuesday and there is not a spread occurring in schools.” after the Governor announced Tier 3 mitigations
Wills said he understands some families will for the entirety of the state.
COVID-19 & PRISONS One inmate death, virus cases surging at prison
BY TIMOTHY EGGERT teggert@shawmedia.com
Amid a surge in the number of active coronavirus cases at Dixon Correctional Center, the first inmate has died from COVID-19, according to authorities.
The inmate, a man in his 70s, died Nov. 6, said Lindsey Hess, public information officer for the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Deaths are not being reported on IDOC’s website, but the John Howard Association, a prison watchdog group in Illinois, reported that through the end of October, at least 29 inmates had died from complications caused by the virus.
No DCC staff have died from the virus, Hess said.
The inmate’s death marks a sobering turning point at the medium-security prison at 2600 N. Brinton Ave., which in the last month has witnessed an explosion in the number of incarcerated individuals and staff who have tested positive for the virus.
As of Thursday, there are 128 active COVID-19 cases among inmates, and 53 active COVID-19 cases among staff, according to IDOC.
On Oct. 12, only three active cases existed among inmates, and only nine active cases were reported among staff.
The first DCC staff member tested positive for the coronavirus on May 24, while the first report of an inmate testing positive for the virus didn’t come until Aug. 30, when two individuals tested positive.
Since then, 129 staff and 311 inmates have tested positive for the virus, totaling 440 cases.
“We are now starting to see a much higher number of daily recoveries, which is expected to increase through this week,” Hess said. “It is also important to note that a large number of the offender cases being monitored by the facility involve individuals who are experiencing only minimal symptoms or are asymptomatic and were tested through contact tracing.”
A minor outbreak in cases among inmates was reported in September, which peaked on Sept. 17 at 18 cases. All of those inmates recovered, and no new inmate cases were reported until Oct. 9, when two inmates tested positive.
The two positive cases came after six new cases among DCC staff were reported the week between Oct. 3 and Oct. 9.
Hess did not offer details about the previous outbreak, but did say that the current surge is primarily among inmates who live in the facility’s general population section and that inmates of all age ranges have tested positive for the virus.
“The number of positive offender cases has increased due to the style of living units that have been impacted,” Hess said. “These living units present unique infection control challenges because they house multiple offenders per cell.”
Some of the inmates who have tested positive do have underlying health conditions, Hess added, but she did not offer details on whether they were experiencing more serious symptoms of the virus than other inmates who had tested positive.
No known cases exist among inmates with “the most serious [underlying] conditions” who are housed in a separate area of the facility, Hess said.
See PRISON, Page 5
NEW JAIL Open house, tours set for new jail
Jennifer Vollen-Katz, executive director of the JHA, said inmates at the prison have reported that some who have tested positive or may have been exposed to the virus while traveling to a hospital for outside medical treatment are not quarantined or separated from other inmates when they return to the facility.
“The perception of the people in the prison is that there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of thought about how people are being quarantined,” Vollen-Katz said.
Staff who have tested positive for the virus work in all parts of the facility, Hess said, adding that the
Ogle County’s brand new jail is nearing completion and area residents have a chance to see it in person.
A ribbon cutting and tours will be offered at the new Ogle County Judicial Center Annex on Friday, Dec. 3 starting at 12:30 p.m.
Tours consisting of a maximum of 10 people will take place every 15 minutes from 1-4 p.m.
Time slots can be signed up for at this link: signup-
• PRISON
Continued from Page 4
genius.com/go/10C0D4AA5AD2AA6FEC43-ogle. increase in staff cases “does not appear to be related to any changes or practices within the facility.”
IDOC has worked with the Illinois Department of Public Health and infectious disease consultants to mitigate the spread of infection within its facilities, Hess said.
Visitation at all correctional facilities was suspended March 14, and facilities were placed on administrative quarantine with restricted movement on March 20.
Prisons with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are placed on medical quarantine.
“Dixon Correctional Center activated its Incident Command Center and is aggressively responding to COVID-19 by utilizing FEMA’s National Incident Command System,” Hess said. “The facility is providing around-the-clock medical care, conducting routine temperature checks and screening measures, and equipping all individuals with appropriate P[ersonal] P[rotective] E[quipment], hand sanitizer, antibacterial soap and cleaning supplies.”
Vollen-Katz said the “only way” the virus could have been introduced to inmates at the DCC and at other state prison facilities closed since March is through staff, who daily move in and out of facilities.
“When there hasn’t been a case or a rise in cases after all outside visits were canceled and outsiders have been prevented from going inside the prison, staff seem to be the most common vector,” she said.
“There’s a lot of responsibility if you are the only people who can come and go from the facility,” Vollen-Katz said. “You not only risk exposing the individuals inside, but also your families and communities outside the facility.”
Dixon inmates and their allies have told JHA of instances of staff not “actively or appropriately” using PPE, with the most common reported concern being staff not wearing masks, Vollen-Katz said.
“It’s deeply concerning,” she said. “Vulnerabilities are immediately heightened in a carceral environment, and when you don’t have control over that environment or the virus, those vulnerabilities are multiplied.”
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Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written.
BY OTTO DICK
In 2012 the National Park Service published a list of recent historic places in Ogle County, Illinois.
There are 27 properties and districts listed with seven located in or near Oregon.
The Chana School was placed on the National Register in 2005 and is an education museum located at 201 N. River Road, Oregon.
The schoolhouse was built in 1883 in the village of Chana. This school was moved and refurbished in 2002 and 2003. The building now stands in Oregon Park East along the Rock River.
The Oregon Commercial Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The district is roughly bordered by Jefferson, Franklin, 5th and 3rd Streets.
This district includes 62 buildings and objects. The historic district contains a wide variety of architectural styles and uses.
The Ogle County Courthouse listed on the National Registry stands on the public square in the downtown commercial district.
The current structure completed in 1891 was preceded by two other buildings one of which was destroyed by a group of outlaws. It was added to the Register in 2006.
The Ogle County Courthouse was designed by Chicago architect George O. Garnsey in the Romanesque Revival Style of architecture. The cupola can be seen a distance from Oregon.
The Oregon Depot that stands today was built by the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railway in 1913 serving passengers until 1971.
Thanks to Congressman Frank Lowden we have this upscale depot. His wife was Florence Pullman, daughter of George Pullman.
On the Fourth Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. (before the COVID-19 pandemic) the depot hosted “Those Were The Days”, a program by local speakers who shared their memories on a variety of subjects.
Chris Martin recruited speakers and moderated these wonderful memories. The recently constructed viewing stand also serves as the trail head for Bike Ogle. Ogle bike routes maps are posted at the viewing stand.
In 1904 it was learned that Mr. Andrew Carnegie would donate $10,000 for a new library in Oregon. Taxes were increased and residents voted for the location of the library at the corner of Third and Jefferson Streets.
It was purchased for $1,900. Plans were drawn up by architects Pond and Pond, members of Lorado Taft’s summer colony of artist at Eagle’s Nest Bluff. Construction work was completed in December, 1908 at a cost of around $13,000. (National Historic Record, 2003)
On July 4, 1911 the Eternal Indian (Black Hawk) was dedicated. Lorado Taft was a founding member of the Eagle’s Nest Art Colony. Black Hawk was built on the private property of Wallace Heckman.
When you view the statue remember this was built only 5 years after the first car passed through Oregon. Taft stated this is a composite of the Foxes, ABOVE: Four men stand by the Oregon Depot in this undated photo. Note the wheeled wagon to the left of the building. BELOW RIGHT: This undated photo of the Ogle County Courthouse indicates the presence of parking meters along Fourth Street (Illinois 2) and many more trees on the lawn. BOTTOM: This old photo is from the Oregon Republican
Reporter’s archive.
the Sacs, the Sioux, and the Mohawks, and in short represents the Indian personality.
He left off the usual Native American trappings, the feathers and buckskin and other Indian signs. Black Hawk is 42 feet high on a six foot base. This statue contains 238 cubic yards of concrete which would be approximately 30 ready mix trucks today. (National Historic Record 2009)
Pinehill located at 400 Mix Street was added to the Historic Record in 1978. William Judd Mix purchased the land in 1872, began construction in 1873 and moved into the home in 1874. This home is an example of Italianate Country Villa style of architecture popular from 1860-1885.
So Oregon nested in the beautiful and scenic Rock River Valley has seven of the 27 historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic places in Ogle County.
You can see the complete list and photos on Wikipedia.
After I had moved, my friend Bert, from the Class of 1950, emailed me and asked if we now lived on “Quality Hill.”
I laughed and told him we now lived on the other side of Mason Street and we were still a couple of blocks away.
“Quality Hill,” “Silk Stocking Hill,” and “Snob Hill” were the names of that part of Mason Street where the big Barber homes had been built. I assumed the names were always quietly spoken, but I was wrong.
When I got the July 9, 1942 newspaper, Jack, the columnist, referred to Ross Stouffer and his wife lounging on their front porch on “Quality Hill.”
The Stouffers had been at the square dance the previous night at the Edgewood Country Club and as Jack drove by their home the next day, they were relaxing on their front porch. Jack assumed they were all worn out from the big square dance at Edgewood.
I have been attempting to find out when the old golf course near Polo started and the old Tri-Counties in the library would give me that information. I just have not gotten there yet. Yesterday I went over to the museum to run off our membership material that needs to be mailed.
While there I got out some of Milbrey Mulnix’s old scrapbooks that she started in 1930. Her scrapbooks are just so very interesting and one
SPORTS COLUMN
For me, the best time for reflective thinking is while out running. The combination of exercising outdoors and enjoying the beautiful farmland in and around Ogle County is quite stimulating.
Many of us make a big deal of how scenic it is out West among the mountains, canyons and deserts. The older I get, the more I appreciate what we have right here in our own backyard and credit to all the hard-working farmers for maintaining the bucolic setting.
This thought came to me a few days ago. Women sure have had to overcome a lot of prejudices to enjoy the same running privileges as us males.
There was a time when it was considered dangerous for women to run anything longer than 200 meters in the Olympics. It was until the 1960s that women were given approval to run 400 and 800 meters.
It was another 20 years until a women’s Olympics marathon was contested for the first time in 1984. That’s not so long ago.
What’s up with this backward line of thinking?
At the time, it didn’t seem backward. The school of thought was that women did not have the strength to run long distances and not only that, but their reproductive organs could be damaged by such an ordeal.
Bottom line – it wasn’t perceived to be safe and our womenfolk needed to be protected at all costs. Thanks heavens for a male-dominated society that had such a high regard for the welfare of the female body.
COMMENTARY Betty Obendorf Polo Historical Society
can get lost in time just reading them. I wonder if she ever realized that someone in 2020 would find them having such great value?
I quickly found out in the early 1930s the old golf course was going strong. Many articles of what the women were doing had been carefully cut out and saved.
Milbrey herself was on many different committees and Helen Bentley decorated the club house for the holidays in that December for a wonderful program.
I copied off several articles to put in the Edgewood file and I was amazed how much the women were involved in the golf course right along with the men. I saw Miss Vera Joiner’s name and she was my first grade teacher when we came to Polo in 1938.
Then I came home and there in my email was an article sent to me by Linda Gall. It was dated Aug. 2, 1928. Eight ladies had driven to Polo from COMMENTARY Andy Colbert
Hah. There was no scientific evidence to prove any of this. All men had to go on were their own prejudices.
The real bottom line is that men can be total idiots.
In reading my Sunday sports page, I noticed an article about several minor league baseball teams concerned about being dropped by the Major Leagues. It’s been an on-going situation, but there is a bigger issue at hand.
What about all those sweetheart deals municipalities gave to baseball in building new stadiums and other infrastructure?
Taxpayers have long been on the hook for unfulfilled promises of revenues the minor league team would bring in, be it parking, concessions, ticket sales or adjoining development. All over the country, county and city government officials get hoodwinked by such ploys.
One of the biggest lies in professional sports is the economic advantage of a publicly financed arena or stadium. Sports owners are notorious getting gullible city officials to believe this. Rock River to play golf and they later lunched at the club. So that brings the golf course activities down into the 1920s.
According to the article from the Dixon Telegraph of 1938 that it all started when several businessmen from Polo started going to Barber’s pasture to play golf. They were Milton Dingley, Dr. Markle, and Pearl Herrick along with some others. Eventually they rented the pasture for five dollars.
Added to the group were John Hacket, Forest Mulnix, Robert Bracken, and Dr. Griffin. In their spare time they would mow and rake the pasture. They were now renting it for what looked like $15 a year.
Soon they dug out a foundation and moved an old church in for a club house. It became an excellent place for entertaining. The women really loved to do just that.
The problem was that it was not open to the public and when the war came, all the young men left town. The owner of the pasture wanted more money and the golfers deliberated a little too long. Finally they sent someone to pay the extra rent but he waited a day too long.
As he drove the next morning up over “Quality Hill” and came down the other side, he quickly viewed the golf course had just been plowed up.
Taxpayers will be on the hook for shuttered stadiums
That was the end of old Edgewood Golf Course!
Though minor league sporting venues don’t carry the billion-dollar price tag of infrastructure for top-level professional sports, they can still become a liability for the municipality they are located in.
If Major League Baseball pulls the plug on minor league affiliates, it’s the taxpayers left holding the bag.
Bottom line – never sell your soul to fat-cat sports owners for the promises of riches and community prestige.
The real bottom line – government leaders who sell out to these interests are just as ignorant as those that said women should not run more than 200 meters.
Finally, while watching Jacksonville’s James Robinson run for over 100 yards on Green Bay on Sunday, my own stupidity came to the forefront.
When Robinson was at Rockford Lutheran on his way to setting a career IHSA rushing record and also tearing up the BNC, I thought he’d never make it to the big time.
Apparently, most colleges felt that way too, with Robinson ending up at Illinois State instead of a big-name school. He did okay at ISU, but my thoughts seemingly were justified when he wasn’t drafted by the NFL.
Well, all of us were wrong, dead wrong, that’s for sure.
Bottom line on this is none of us know the future and it is futile to try to predict it.
New Tier 3 mitigations to impact fitness centers
BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a $57,000 loss for the Oregon Park District—so far.
“Right now we’re trying to project out how long it will affect us,” Executive Director Erin Folk said. “A certain income level comes from memberships and daily visits. We have a lot of people who wanted refunds. We don’t know when it’ll kick back up. I think it will affect us for the first three quarters of 2021.”
The park district has strictly followed measures recommended and put into place by the Governor’s office and the Illinois Department of Public Health, being cognizant of liability issues.
Folk said a reservation system has been implemented to combat COVID-19. Each person who enters Nash Recreation Center is screened and the district has its own contact tracing if there were to be a positive.
“I hate to jinx us, but our procedures are restrictive and we’ve done a great job,” Folk said. “So far we have no cases.”
Folk said the park district is worried that there Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media
The Nash Recreation Center is located at 304 S. Fifth Street in Oregon.
may be another stay-at-home order, which would cause it to shut down. The state’s Tier 3 mitigations, which were released Tuesday, call for health and fitness centers to operate at no more than 25 percent capacity.
No indoor group classes will be allowed and locker rooms are required to close. Facial coverings must be worn at all times, including by those exercising. Reservations are required.
“We’ve been discussing with staff on how we would offer services,” Folk said. “The main priority is keeping staff safe. We have plans where preschool and children’s center kids could do Zoom. Aerobics could do Zoom. Maybe we were less-prepared when things shut down in March. We’re more prepared now. That makes it very easy.”
Folk said the pandemic has been unusual for everyone in her district, while still trying to do whatever they can to provide services. She’s been happy to still maintain some level of operation and programs.
Despite the $57,000 loss, Folk said the district is still in “good” financial shape. The park district got $32,000 in C.A.R.E.S. Act funding to combat losses.
The district is also dealing with the planned closure of the Byron Nuclear Plant in September 2021. As a taxing body, the park district received over $2.2 million from the plant’s property taxes in its most recent year.
Folk said her district has looked at possible changes, impacts and budget reductions that would come from a closure or less tax money.
“I’m optimistic about our chances to keep it,” Folk said. “There’s a lot of good things happening and moving in the right direction.”
POLO CITY COUNCIL Purchase of new Polo City Hall has been delayed
Dec. 16 new date for potential closing
BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com
It was revealed at Monday’s Polo City Council that there has been a delay in the city’s purchase of a new city hall and police department building due to title issues with the new property.
The CedarStone building, located at 610 S. Division Ave. is tied up in bankruptcy issues with its previous owner and an original closure date in late October was not possible, city officials said Monday. The new closing date is Dec. 16.
The city council unanimously approved a $229,000 offer on the building at a special meeting on Friday, Oct. 9. Multiple aldermen expressed frustration at the delay of the purchase, including Randy Schoon, who expressed that the city should take a step back and look at other options if delays continued.
“I think we lept over a cliff without research and got ourselves into a mess,” Schoon said. “Why did the bank not know what was going on?”
City Attorney Tom Suits replied by saying the bank thought it had done its homework about obtaining a clear title, but that hasn’t been the case.
Alderman Justin Grobe asked if it would be possible to make a lower offer due to having to go through the delays.
“Can we make an offer with a smaller number?” Grobe asked. “If we’re getting the runaround on this, we gave the asking price. To me, a lower offer is a better idea.”
Suits said if the title issues can be resolved, closing will be done on Dec. 16. If not, the sale would terminate, and another extension and/ or a lower offer would be the city’s response. COVID-19 closure
City Clerk Sydney Bartelt asked for and was granted closure of the current city hall to the public at the meeting due to COVID-19 concerns.
The door will now be locked and those that have city hall business can make appointments to be allowed inside, Bartelt said.
POLO PROGRAM
Donate now for Christmas basket program in Polo
The Polo Council of Churches is once again sponsoring the Christmas Basket Program, providing food for persons in need for Christmas.
Sign-up sheets to receive a basket are available at the Lifeline Pantry, 113 N Green Ave. in Polo. The deadline for sign-up is Monday, Nov. 30 with pickup or delivery on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 10-11 a.m. at Faith Discovery Church, 801 W Oregon Street Polo.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pickup will be a drive thru with baskets being brought out to cars by the volunteers
Monetary donations may be made to Polo Council of Churches at First State Bank Polo or by contacting local participating churches
For more information call Jan Martin at 815440-2561.
OREGON FFA Oregon FFA to sell Christmas trees, adhering to guidelines
Acres of open space, fresh air and beautiful trees — it’s time to come and experience the sights, sounds and smells of the country and select your favorite Christmas tree.
The Oregon FFA Chapter is again partnering with Eagle Bluff at Sinnissippi Farm and Forest to provide a wide selection of Christmas trees, wreaths and garland.
COVID-19 protection guidelines set by the state of Illinois and the National Christmas Tree Association will be followed.
The site will be open Saturdays and Sundays and the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, being the opening day.
Weekend hours are: 8-9 a.m. for seniors and individuals with compromised health concerns and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. for the general public.
Hours for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are 2-4 p.m. for the general public.
Other guidelines for customers include curbside pickup available upon request and wearing masks when checking out with the cashier and at the no-contact concession stand. Hand sanitizing stations will also be available for customers.
All visitors should practice social distancing to be as safe as possible, even though the site is outdoors.
A wide selection of Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir, Douglas Fir, Spruce, White Pine and Scotch Pine trees will be available, in both Choose & Cut and Fresh-Cut options.
For more specific information on sizes and pricing of trees, visit www.sinnissippitrees. com search Facebook.
“Students have been working year-round with trimming, watering, fertilizing and weed control at the tree farm to give customers one of the best years of selection ever,” said Doug Conroy, owner of the tree farm. “FFA members will be on site for most of the time to assist with carrying trees, netting them and even securing them to the vehicles.”
A non-contact concession stand will be open offering individually wrapped apple cider donuts, hot cocoa and coffee.
Because of COVID-19 protection guidelines, Santa and Mrs. Claus and wagon rides will not be offered this year.
For more information, go to www.sinnissippitrees.com or call 708-710-8354.
The annual Ogle Country Christmas tree recycling day will be in the first week of January. Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media
Grace and Louisa Bruening, of Mt. Carroll, pull their wrapped tree at the Oregon FFA’s Christmas Tree lot in 2018. The girls picked out the tree and had it wrapped for the ride home by FFA members. They wanted to escort the tree to their car on their own, but accepted some help later on.
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