Michael Cicchetti named new police chief
Mt. Morris Times / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Mar 25, 2022
MT. MORRIS BEAT
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Longtime Chief Jason White set to retire soon By ALEXA ZOELLNER
azoellner@shawmedia.com The Village of Mt. Morris soon will welcome a new face to the position of police chief. On March 22, village trustees voted to hire Michael Cicchetti as chief at a rate of $34.65 per hour. An exact start date is not yet set, but it will be after Cicchetti gives his two-week notice at the Sycamore Police Department. “It was very, very close,” Law Enforcement Trustee Chris Kolling said. “All three
individuals [were] highly qualified. There was just no way to go wrong.” Cicchetti was one of three finalists out of a large pool, Kolling said. He said he, Village President Phil Labash and the three-person Police Commission reviewed 17 applications, interviewed seven people virtually and the final three in person. “Lots of factors in the collaborative decision to make Mike the final choice,” Kolling said. “For me, it was his familiarity with the village, having been here as an officer.” Cicchetti previously worked for the Mt. Morris Police Department for five or six years, Kolling said. He was unsure of the exact dates. Kolling said he’s looking forward to an easy, open line of communication between himself and Cicchetti in order to make sure the police department’s wants and needs
are heard by the board. “It works well with Chief White and me. I expect it to work well with Mike Cicchetti,” Kolling said. “When we met with him, it was my impression that I was not going to have any challenge having a conversation with him. He’s communicative and easy to understand.” Current Police Chief Jason White is retiring after a long career with the village. “I think it’s great,” Kolling said. “It is the moving on from one long period of Chief White into another one, but it’s good. It’s as good as I could have hoped it would have been, because we go from this long period of, ‘This is the way it is,’ into a new space, a new thing, it’s like, ‘What’s going to happen?’ There’s a question, but I feel confident it will be good.”
Music students do well at solo, ensemble contest
The Oregon High School music department had a successful day at IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contest on March 5. There were several “best of day” awards given to OHS band and choir students: Brandon Rowe (Snare Drum Solo), Brandon Rowe (Drumset Solo), Ethan Schafer
(Saxophone Solo), Olivia Wynn (Vocal Solo), Vocal ensemble (Jennica Ciesiel, Ellen Hodson, Liz Mois, Sophia Stender, Imagin Terlikowski, Olivia Wynn), and Vocal Ensemble (Wesley Immel, Isaac Ebert, Brandon Rowe, Dom Terlikowski, Miguel Vazquez-Barragan).
“Overall, Oregon High School students were awarded with 58 Division I ratings and 24 Division II ratings. The OHS music department is currently ranked in fourth place among Class B schools throughout Illinois,” said Zach Hall, OHS choir director.
30, we will be reading books about super heroes like Ladybug Girl! We will be reading books and creating a craft to take home! Come join our SUPER story time at your Mount Morris Public Library! All preschool-age children are welcome. Lego Club Returns! Lego night returns on Thursday, April 21, from 6-6:45 p.m. Bring a friend and build some fun with Lego bricks! All Children and parents are invited – ages 4 and up. Children under 8 need to bring a parent with them! Adult Book Club The March book is The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs. Copies are available at the library. This group will meet in-person at the library on Monday, March 28 at 3:30 p.m. Illinois Libraries Present: Nick Offerman & Jeff Tweedy Wednesday, April 27, 7 p.m. CST - That’s right.... We are truly honored to have Mr. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and friend of Nick Offerman joining ILP’s virtual event on Wednesday, April 27. Visit our website, Facebook, or Instagram for the link to sign up for this awesome event. Explore More Illinois Explore More Illinois is a cultural pass program that provides discounts at museums, visual and performing arts centers, park districts, and more around the state. Use Explore More Illinois to find fun and educational places to go on a free
afternoon or for a little getaway. Explore More Illinois is easy to use with your library card. Visit the library’s website to browse attractions. You can find the information on our resource page. Rock River Center The Rock River Center has a representative in our library the second Thursday of every month. Services provided by Rock River Center are designed to enable older and disabled persons to remain independent, thereby avoiding costly long-term care. No appointment necessary but, if you want to make an appointment with the Rock River Center you may call 815-732-3252.
MT. MORRIS LIBRARY Display Case Showings ‘Watch’ us this month as we have a display of alarm clocks ringing in March! Local collector, Lori Peterson, is showcasing her collection of clocks in our display cases. ‘Wind up’ your excitement and come visit this ‘alarming’ display! We are always looking for collectors or artists who are willing to share their treasures in our display cases. If you are interested, please call, 815-734-4927. Masks Optional - Thank you! We want to remind everyone that you still have the option of having your materials delivered to your vehicle. If you have holds waiting for you, call us to tell us you are on your way, and we will bring them out to your vehicle when you arrive. Call us if you need more information. Spring Break Drop-In Activities School will be out from Spring Break sooner than you think. Want a creative craft for the kids to work on during their time off? ‘Spring’ into the Mt. Morris Public Library for a great craft and some super books! They can be taken home or completed here while you browse for a new book! Oregon School’s spring break is March 28-April 1. Quiche & Scone Sale Coming Soon! Be on the lookout for our Quiche and Scone sale coming in April! We will be offering a variety of delicious items! Yum! Storytime-Wednesday’s - 11:15 a.m. Let’s become super heroes! This week, March
Adult Programming We are trying to get back into the swing of offering monthly programs for adults. We would love to hear from you. Do evenings or weekends work better? Do you have any program ideas? Do you have a program you would like to share? Contact Mary Cheatwood at the library. Additional Services Offered We make copies (25¢ per black and white page). We fax ($2 for the first page and 50¢ each additional page). We can scan a document and send it to email ($2 per document). You can use a computer without a library card for $1. Resume software is available on our computers. Come visit us and let us help you!
