Library News

2 MT. MORRIS TIMES MT. MORRIS TIMES MO RRIS BE AT oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. MT. Dixon, IL 61021

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Mt. Morris Times / ShawLocal.com • Friday, Jul 1, 2022 $39 in Ogle County, and $52 outside Ogle County. Singlecopy price is $1 To subscribe, make a payment or discuss your delivery, call 1-866-979-1053 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 815-220-6942 apicco@shawmedia.com OBITUARIES 815-632-2534 phartman@shawmedia.com Deadline for obituaries is Editor’s Note:The following letter was submitted by Phil Labash, Mt. Morris Village President, representing the Mt. Morris Village Board of Trustees, following their decision not to accept the David L. Rahn Junior High property from the Oregon School District. The school board voted to close the school and move seventh and eighth grade students to the Oregon High School. We strongly recommend that the Oregon School Board reconsider pursuing any disposition of the DLR building for a period of 2-3 years. This 2 p.m. Tuesday for Friday’s includes the potential transfer of DLR to the edition Village of Mt. Morris. SEND NEWS In January of this year, the Mt. Morris Village news@oglecountynews.com Board passed a resolution strongly recommending that the Oregon School Board repeal their decision to close David L. Rahn Jr. High School at the end of the 21/22 school year. In this resolution, concerns were shared, including:

The closing is not in the best interest of Mt. Morris students and families. It will place an increased and unfair financial burden on families within the village.

The closing of DLR will not result in a better educational experience for district students and staff and it does not support the unique social and educational needs of Jr. High students.

The closing is not in the best interest of taxpayers and property owners in Mt. Morris and may negatively impact demand for family-based housing in the Village and property values.

The closing may negatively impact the Village’s ability to grow and prosper by discouraging

Kable Band Patriotic Concerts

July 4, 7:30 p.m. – Kable Band concert behind the David L. Rahn School, prior to the fireworks.

July 6, 7:30 p.m. – “Red, White and Blue” concert. Patriotic marches, music from WWI, WWII and more. Concert in the Warren Reckmeyer Bandshell, on the Mt. Morris Campus.

Benches available or bring your lawn chairs.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

investment in new business and housing development that support young families.

We continue to believe this decision is wrong, shortsighted and not in the best interest of students, staff and district families. Immediate disposition of the building through sale, transfer or demolition will eliminate a critical safety net, should serious issues arise as a result of this decision.

For this reason, the Mt. Morris Village Board will not pursue the potential transfer of DLR to the Village and we strongly encourage the Oregon School Board to keep and maintain the building for a period of 2-3 years, in the event it is needed to address serious concerns that could develop as a result of the decision to close DLR.

Publisher

Jennifer Heintzelman

815-632-2502 jheintzelman@shawmedia.com

MT. MORRIS LIBRARY

General Manager Earleen Hinton 815-632-2591 ehinton@shawmedia.com

News Alexa Zoellner 815-632-2590 azoellner@shawmedia.com

Advertising Sales Alexandria Shields 815-632-2502 ashields@shawmedia.com

Mt. Morris Times, Ogle County News and oglecountynews.com are a division of Shaw Media. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. MorrisTimes , OregonRepublicanReporter, and Polo’s Tri-CountyPress .

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.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2022

Summer Reading Program

Let’s keep the summer reading going by “Reading Beyond the Beaten Path” at your local library! This week we will be taking a break from our crafts and story hour to celebrate Independence Day. But, don’t forget to keep reading and reach those goals!

Special Program: Give Bees a Chance!

Buzz in Monday, July 11 at 11 a.m. to hear all about Bees! Ms. Melinda from the University of Illinois Extension will be bringing in her awesome stories, crafts, and snacks to share while teaching us the importance of bees! This program is geared toward any elementary age student.

Storytime - Wednesdays 11:15 a.m.

This Wednesday, July 6, we will not be having story hour. Please enjoy the holiday week with your families. Join us next week, July 13, for our next story time.

Lego Club!

Lego night on Thursday, July 15, from 6 – 6:45 p.m. Bring a friend and build some fun with Lego bricks! All Children and parents are invited. Children under 8 need to bring a parent with them.

Adult Book Club

The July book is The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. Everyone is welcome to join this book club group! Copies of the book are available at the library. This group will meet in-person at the library on Monday, July 25 at 3:30 p.m.

Display Case Showings

Stop in to see our new display for July! Disney is the theme with memorabilia on display from a local patron, Liz Garncarz! Check out her collection of all things Disney and Disney World! “See You Real Soon!” 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.

Newspapers Available

We will now be receiving the Dixon Telegraph daily! We receive the Ogle County Life, Sauk Valley, and Mt. Morris Times. If you want to keep up with the local news-stop on by!

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 website, www. mtmorris-il.org under the resources 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.

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 through email at mmlib@mtmorris-il.org or call 815-7344927.

Curbside Service is available!

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.

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!

District offers old trophies July 1

The Oregon School District is offering the public a chance to pick up old trophies currently on display at the former David L. Rahn Junior High in Mt. Morris.

“Numerous old Oregon/Mt. Morris junior high trophies will be on display and available for any interested community members to pick up and keep on Friday morning, July 1 from 9 a.m. to noon outside the main doors of the former Mt. Morris Jr. High gym lobby area,” Mike Lawton said. “Many of these were from seventh and eighth grade athletics events from 1995-2018.”

Items will be available on a first come, first serve basis.”

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com

Rumble strips are coming to Lowell Park Road at its intersection with Pines Road, where more than 20 crashes have occurred since 2009.

Ogle County Engineer Jeremy Ciesiel said he ordered temporary rumble strips a few weeks ago, and plans to have permanent ones installed as part of next year’s construction season.

The project should go out to bid in March 2023, and likely will be completed around June 2023, he said.

“The cooperation of the property owners [near the intersection] by signing a petition made the process at lot easier to do,” Ciesiel said. “There was the concern about the proximity of the residents [to the rumble strips], but when they were in favor of it, we were able to move forward with it.”

Marcia Dewey, of Polo, brought petitions signed by the nearby property owners to the May 17 Ogle County Board meeting. The petitions state the residents are OK with rumble strops being added and that they are aware of the noise factor. She also had other petitions with more than 200 total signatures asking that rumble strips be put in on Lowell Park Road.

Dewey was injured in a June 1, 2021, crash at the Lowell Park and Pines roads intersection. The driver of a box truck didn’t obey the stop sign on Lowell Park Road and entered the intersection.

“I was in critical condition and am still on the road to recovery today,” Dewey said at the May 17 meeting.

From Jan. 1, 2009, to April 30 of this year, 21 crashes have occurred at the intersection located about 3 miles east of Polo, according to a traffic study conducted by Ciesiel. Sixteen of them involved drivers on Lowell Park Road who either did not obey the stop signs, or failed to yield to traffic on Pines Road after stopping.

The temporary rumble strips cost about $4,000, Ciesiel said. He expects the permanent rumble strips to cost $24,000 to $25,000, based on previous projects’ costs.

These temporary rumble strips will “be an experiment” because of the length of time they’re looking to keep them in place, Ciesiel said.

“To be honest, we’ve never had them up for more than a couple months,” he said. “I’m not sure how well it will hold up. I got a variety different than what we’ve had on previous projects in the hope we can keep them in place over the winter, but I’m not sure what a snow plow will do to them.”

Ciesiel isn’t sure when the strips will be delivered because of continued supply chain issues. As of June 23, they also still were waiting on the arrival of flashing LED enhanced stop signs for the north and south legs of Lowell Park Road, which were ordered six weeks prior, he said.

“The supply lines for just about everything we’re trying to acquire is so messed up, still,” Ciesiel said. “I never know when to expect anything. Everything just takes much longer than we would like.”

County highway department employees will install both the stop signs and the temporary rumble strips once they arrive, he said.

Sue Ramage, whose sister was killed in a crash at Lowell Park and Pines roads, said she is “so excited.” She credited Dewey’s efforts in gathering petition signatures for the addition of the rumble strips.

“I’m very happy, and I still hope for a four-way stop, but rumble strips is a huge start,” Ramage said. “It’s wonderful. I just hope it’s going to save lots of people from having an accident there, from any direction.”

Her sister, Kathleen Brooks, died July 5, 1972, at age 22. Brooks’ then-2-year-old daughter survived the crash.

“The timing couldn’t be better, because next week is 50 years since my sister got killed,” Ramage said. “So I feel like it’s for her.”

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media A motorcycle rider and his passenger tun onto Pines Road at the intersection with Lowell Park Road, east of Polo.

Happy

Independence Day

Local Investment. Jobs. Clean Energy.

Let Freedom Ring rolls out red car pet for annual Fourth of July celebration

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com

Mt. Morris’ annual Independence Day festival kicked off Wednesday and will continue through the weekend.

L e t F r ee d o m R i n g t a k e s p l a c e Wednesday, June 29, and Friday to Monday, July 1-4.

“Ours isn’t a huge carnival festival. It’s a small-town festival,” said Tiffany West, LFR Committee chairperson. “It reminds me of grabbing your picnic basket and blanket and coming out and having a good time.”

On Wednesday, Little Miss and Mister Firecracker were crowned. (The winners names were unavailable in time for Ogle County Newspapers’ print deadline.) The winners will represent Mt. Morris for the next year, participating in the village’s July 4 parade, as well as parades in surrounding areas, West said.

T h e J o n a s F u l t z M e m o r i a l C a r Show runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday on Wesley Street.

“This is a memorial car show,” West said. “In years past, they usually did a cruise. Last year, they chose not to do a cruise, so we’ve changed it to this.”

Friday night’s band is the Sting Rays, who perform 1950s and 1960s style music, she said.

“To incorporate that, we decided to do a ’50s and ’60s style costume contest,” West said. “That’s something new this year.”

Also new is a tractor and small engine show on Saturday, she said. That takes place in the Kable parking lot from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

At 6:30 p.m., the watermelon eating contest takes place in the Bandshell yard. It has a $5 entry fee, West said.

On Sunday, the Kiddie Parade will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Main Street; registration is at noon on Wesley and Main streets. Firefighters will host water fights for kids starting at 1:30 p.m. on Main Street.

“We have an alumni gathering at the Senior Center,” West said. “It’s people from the Oregon and Mt. Morris area where they can come together and have a good time. We’ll have light snacks, and drinks can be brought in.”

T h e r e u s e d to b e a d a n c e , b u t they’ve found people would “rather chit-chat,” she said.

The fireman’s breakfast will open up events on July 4, with breakfast being served from 7 to 11 a.m. at the fire station. The cost is a donation, West said. Breakfast also will be available at the Mt. Morris Airport from 7 to 11 a.m., with the fly-in/drive-in breakfast.

Registration for Pound the Pavement is from 8 to 9 a.m. at Dillehay Park, with the run starting at 9 a.m.

“They are the biggest supporters of the festival,” West said. “They give us a large check each year. This year was $4,000.”

This year’s patriotic program –which takes place at the Bandshell stage from noon to 1 p.m. – will include a recreation of former President Ronald Reagan’s speech, as well as a motorcade, West said.

Then, at 1 p.m., the Illinois Freedom Bell will be rung.

The parade follows at 2 p.m.

“If anybody wants last minute to participate, please feel free,” West said. “Show up at registration and we’ll get you a spot.”

She encouraged past royalty to participate by either creating their own float or hopping in a convertible with a sign stating the year they were a queen or king.

“Then our grand fireworks [start at dusk],” West said. “The firework people said it was going to be a better year than last year, so I’m excited to see what they’re going to be.”

Raffle tickets to be the one to start the firework show are on sale now and will be available for purchase until 8:30 p.m. on July 4, when the winner will be announced, West said.

For a full schedule of events, information on donations and the parade, visit: https://lfrmtmorris.com.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Tinley Miller, 5, of Mt. Morris, focuses on the road as she drives a motorized 4-wheeler at the 2021 Let Freedom Ring Kiddie Parade.

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com

Ogle County Board members approved allocating more of the American Rescue Plan Act funds during their June 21 meeting.

A total of $77,673.39 was allocated to county departments, $39,351.06 to community organizations and $42,500 to the Mt. Morris Fire Protection District in the form of an economic development grant.

Ogle County received $9,836,809 in ARPA funds, which was delivered in two tranches; the second tranche was delivered in June.

“Last year’s money, the tranche of money we first got – the $4.98 million – we set aside $500,000 of it for monies for the economic development operations as well as grants to assist communities on economic development,” Finance Committee Chairperson Greg Sparrow said.

The county set aside 5% of the second tranche –$250,000 – for community development grants or other nonprofit entities, he said.

The Mt. Morris Fire Protection District had to complete an application in order to be eligible for the economic development grant.

Applications are considered by the Ogle County Economic Development Department, the county Finance and Insurance Committee and the Executive Committee before being sent to the full county board for final approval.

“This grant is to the Mt. Morris Fire Protection District to assist them in putting together the engineering study so they can go out and then apply for further grants through the feds [federal government] and the state in order to build a new future fire district station,” Sparrow said. “It’s my understanding that the station they’re at is over 100 years old.”

The two community organizations were the Ogle County Fair Association, which received $24,737.50 for electric work at the fairgrounds, and the Byron Lions Club, which got $14,613.56 to replace revenue lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both organizations had to apply for the funds.

ARPA allocations to county departments totaled $77,673.39 and included:

Pines Annex, landscaping/signage, $1,714.55;

Sheriff’s Office/Office of Emergency Management Agency, RAM 1500, $27,963;

Sheriff’s Office, contractual jail/communication, $34,613.64;

Sheriff’s Office, retaining wall at sheriff’s building, $11,382.31;

Buildings and Grounds, campus cannon and veterans’ memorial, $1,300;

IT, printer for economic development, $699.89.

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021. It is a $1.9 trillion package that offers “fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses and industries,” according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury website.

One program ARPA supports is the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program, which delivered $350 billion to state, local and tribal governments. Of that, $65.1 billion was designated for counties.

The amount each county gets is based on its share of the U.S. population, according to a National Association of Counties March 2021 legislative analysis of ARPA.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media The Ogle County Courthouse is located in downtown Oregon, Illinois. The Ogle County Board meets the third Tuesday of each month on the third floor of the historic courthouse. Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m.

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