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Library News
oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com
OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 815-732-6166, ext. 2592
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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.
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, said the Goodfellows once again will be able to provide assistance this Christmas thanks to the financial support of the community.
Each holiday season for almost 70 years, the Goodfellows have provided food assistance and fruit baskets to residents in Mt. Morris.
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, Campus Café, Mullarkey’s Bar & Grill and Nava Family Restaurant.
For additional information regarding Goodfellows, call Griffin at 815-440-4440.
Retirement open house for Diehl
The Village of Mt. Morris is hosting a retirement open house to honor Mt. Morris Village Clerk Paula Diehl, who is retiring at the end of this year.
“The village of Mt. Morris is very grateful for the service of Paula. We are celebrating her with an open house at the Mt. Morris Senior Center (9 E. Front St., Mt. Morris) on Friday, Dec. 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. Paula loves plants and flowers, so please come in your favorite flowery attire,” officials said in a news release.
Alex T. Paschal - apaschal@shawmedia.com Connie Augsburger played the part of the Grinch in one scene of the Performing Art Guild’s “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!).” PAG presented the performance last weekend at the Pinecrest Grove Theater, 500 Evergreen Lane, Mt. Morris.
MT. MORRIS LIBRARY
Library Closings
Holidays are coming and we will be closed for a few days to allow our staff time to spend with their families. We will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 24 through Monday, Dec. 26. We will reopen on Tuesday, Dec. 27. For New Year’s we will be closed Saturday, Dec. 31 through Monday, Jan. 2. The library will resume regular hours on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Happy Holidays!
Cookbook Club
Join us as we explore The Cookbook Club! Wonderful recipes combined with friendship creates something both beautiful and delicious!Stop by to choose your recipe, then bring the dish to pass at our next meeting! Join us on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. at The Senior Center for another exciting meal!
Card Making at the Library
Join us in January to make some lovely home-made cards to send to family and friends. We will be offering a card-making class from local crafter, Liz Gullett. Liz has already been working with the Oregon Public Library and her classes are quite the success! We want to offer her lovely workshops to our Mount Morris patrons also. She will be here on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 5-7! You will get all the materials to make two beautiful cards to take home. Stop by to see the samples, fees are by donation. Registration is limited so call the library or stop by to save your spot.
Cookie Decorating
School’s out and that means it’s a great time to visit the library and give those kids something to do! Stop by on Friday, Dec. 23 from 1-3 p.m. to decorate cookies!!! We will have premade cut-out cookies and all the frosting and sprinkles needed to make a gorgeous cookie! Kids will get to take their cookie home with them to eat-or leave out for Santa!
Lego Club
Our next Lego night is this Thursday, Dec. 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 December book is “The Gift” by Richard Paul Evans. Everyone is welcome to join this book club group! Copies of the book are available at the library. This group will meet in-person on Monday, Dec. 19 at the library.
Display Case Showings
Stop in to see our new display for December! It will be a wonderful Christmas display revealing some of our own collection donated by our wonderful patrons. Come join in the holiday spirit to admire these wonderful keepsakes. 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, 815-7344927.
Explore More Illinois
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. Resumé software is available on our computers. Come visit us and let us help you!
By EARLEEN HINTON ehinton@shawmedia.com
A woman was rescued from the Rock River in a dramatic effort by fire crews after an alert homeowner saw her in the river – above the Oregon dam – and immediately called for help.
A homeowner in the 500 block of North Fourth Street reported the woman in the river at 5:11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, Oregon Fire Chief Mike Knoup said in a news release.
“Oregon police advised that she was in the middle of the west channel,” Knoup said. “Due to the low head d a m , c r e w s w e r e i m m e d i a t e l y deployed with swift water suits into the river, but due to her being a few hundred feet away from the shore, crews could not get to her while she floated down the river.”
The Oregon dam is classified as a “low head dam” making it difficult to see when on the river at water level.
Knoup said one of the fire department’s boats was put in the river above the dam from Kiwanis Park, located behind Conover Square, on the west bank of the river.
“Boat 5382 was deployed into the river with two swift water technicians. The crew was able to make contact with the victim less than 200 feet about the dam,” Knoup said.
The 32-year-old Oregon woman was rescued from the river, brought to the shore, and then transported to KSB hospital. She remained in stable condition during transport, Knoup said, noting he believed she was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
He said the air temperature at the time of the rescue was 34 degrees. “I d o n ’ t t h i n k t h e w a t e r w a s m u ch warmer than that,” said Knoup on Tuesday noting that rescuers were working in the dark before the sun had risen. “Our swift water training really made a difference in this rescue.”
Oregon Police Chief Joe Brooks said the incident was classified as a “ m e d i c a l a s s i s t ” w i t h t h e w o m a n somehow entering the river above the dam.
“She was in the water for about 45 minutes,” he said noting that his officer could see her swimming. “Everyone did a great job working together.”
Knoup agreed.
“The patient was successfully saved due to a quick 911 call made by a citizen who heard the victim call for help, fantastic work by our dispatch, quick actions by fire and EMS personnel and the help of the Oregon Police Department and the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office.”
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Oregon fire crews rescued a woman from the Rock River after she entered the water above the Oregon dam about 5 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. She was within 200 feet from the dam when she was rescued, officials said.
Deput y testifies he feared for his life at end of chase
Judge rules probable cause exists to continue attempted murder charge
By EARLEEN HINTON ehinton@shawmedia.com
An Ogle County Sheriff’s deputy testified Dec. 7 that he thought he was “going to die” when an Ohio man fleei n g a S t e p h e n so n C o u nt y d e p u t y veered his car in an attempt to avoid being apprehended.
Patrol Sgt. Michael Halfman testified during a preliminary hearing for Brian K. Taylor, 49, of Massillon, Ohio, who has been charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery to a police officer, one count of aggravated assault of a police officer, two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, one count of unlawful display of a license plate and one count of Class A speeding 35-plus mph over the speed limit.
Judge John Redington ruled probable cause existed to continue the case. Taylor has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Halfman testified he had been dispatched at 12:15 p.m. to assist with a high speed chase that had originated in Stephenson County.
He said he had parked his squad car at the intersection of Freeport and Milledgeville roads and was ready to deploy “stop sticks” to flatten Taylor’s tires when he saw Taylor and the Stephenson County squad coming at a “high rate of speed” in the southbound lane.
He said Taylor’s Mazda swerved into the northbound lane and then directly at him causing him to “shuffle” to try to avoid from being hit as the Mazda veered into the ditch.
“I thought he was going to hit me. I thought I was going to die,” Halfman said.
Earlier in the preliminary hearing, Stephenson County Deputy Anthony Miller testified he started pursuing Taylor about 11:59 a.m. in Dakota, Illinois, on Route 75, after clocking him at 70 mph in a 55 mph zone.
“It took me a while to catch up with him,” Miller said, noting he had turned on his sirens and lights. “He did not pull over.”
Miller said he pursued Taylor to U.S. Route 20 when he realized he was fleeing. He testified that Taylor made “abrupt turns” and went through a ditch and over a median while “appearing to smile” before entering Freeport. He said Taylor disobeyed stop signs and traffic signals during the pursuit with speeds reaching 110 mph when going west on Route 20.
The chase then went south into Ogle County on Illinois Route 26 and eventually Freeport Road.
“I had the siren on the entire time,” Miller said.
As the vehicles reached the intersection of Freeport and Milledgeville roads, Miller said he could clearly see Halfman and his parked squad in the northbound lane.
“I clearly saw the sergeant standing t h e r e , ” s a i d M i l l e r , r e f e r r i n g t o Halfman. He said the Mazda veered toward Halfman and then the ditch before entering the ditch and then exiting the ditch, eventually striking his squad car.
He said the Mazda came to a rest in the ditch and Taylor was apprehended.
Redington set Taylor’s next court date for Dec. 14 at 1 p.m.
Taylor was represented in court by Public Defender Michael O’Brien and remains in custody with bail set at $500,000.
Only prosecution witnesses testify at preliminary hearings.
Brian K. Taylor
FORRESTON – Forreston received a $242,103.22 water infrastructure loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, half of which will be forgiven.
The village plans to replace all meters within the distribution system with radio read meters and to purchase a data collection device and software, according to a Nov. 1 news release from the IEPA.
“The current water meters are outdated and losing their recording capabilities and accuracy,” the project description reads. “Replacing the water meters will allow the village to read this amount of water used more accuracy and efficiently and detect leaks.”
The IEPA issued more than $70 million in water infrastructure loans to 13 local governments and sanitary districts for the first quarter of fiscal 2023, which runs July to September 2022.
The IEPA State Revolving Fund program provides low-interest loans which fund wastewater, stormwater and drinking water projects. Eleven of the loans qualified for Disadvantaged Community Principal Forgiveness.
“The Illinois EPA’s robust State Revolving Fund programs continue to serve as a valuable resource for c o m m u n i t i e s t o a d d r e s s o n g o i n g water infrastructure needs,” Director John J. Kim said in the news release. “Our programs provide a financial solution for funding infrastructure improvements while protecting Illinois’ water resources.”
IEPA’s SRF includes two loan programs: the Water Pollution Control Loan Program, which funds both wastewater and stormwater projects, and the Public Water Supply Loan Program for drinking water projects.
Both programs provide funding at a low interest rate of just 1.24 percent for fiscal 2023. The programs receive federal capitalization funding annually, which is combined with state matching funds, interest earnings, repayment money and the sale of bonds, to form the source of financing for these infrastructure projects.
The state matching funds for fiscal years 2020 to 2024 are being provided through Gov. JB Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan, thus increasing the funding capacity of both loan programs.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Card shower planned for Doris Swedberg
Doris Swedberg will mark her 98th birthday on Dec. 29 with a card shower.
S h e t a u g h t English, drama and speech at Mt. Morris High School before retiring.
Anyone wishing to send her a birthday card can do so at: Allure of Pinecrest, 414 S. Wesley Ave., Mt Morris, IL 61054.
Labash: New owners busy analyzing, working to ‘do right’ by employees while stabilizing financials
By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com
As the final minutes of November approached, Pinecrest Community’s third-shift employees clocked out of their jobs at the Mt. Morris-based nonprofit. Once midnight came and went, they clocked back in as employees of Allure of Pinecrest.
Allure Healthcare Services’ purchase of Pinecrest Community was finalized Dec. 1. Pinecrest is a continuing care retirement campus with 129 years of history that today serves about 170 residents.
“There’s just a lot of things changing all at once,” Allure of Pinecrest A d m i n i s t r a t o r F e r o l L a b a s h s a i d Dec. 13, when asked how things have gone since the closing. “It’s going to take us a little time. The new ownership has had about a week. There’s a lot that they’re looking at, that they’re analyzing.”
Labash was Pinecrest Community’s CEO prior to the sale.
Allure, which is headquartered in Chicago, owns nine other nursing facilities, including ones in Sterling, Mount Carroll and Prophetstown. Its centers provide short-term stays for respite or rehabilitation, hospice care, dementia and memory care, 24-hour nursing care, various therapies and more, according to AllureHCS.com.
P in ec r est ’s b o ar d o f d ir e ct o rs sought a buyer because of a combination of increased costs, staff shortages and lost revenue, Labash said in a previous interview.
“Pinecrest has been losing $150,000 or more each month during the last two years, which has caused us to burn through cash at a rate that alerted the board and management to the need to act,” she told the Church of the Brethren Newsline.
Pinecrest Community was formed in 1893 as “Brethren Home” by the Church of the Brethren to care for seniors and orphans; the church was affiliated with Pinecrest before the sale, but no longer owned it. The sale ended that affiliation.
“The Church of the Brethren is grieving this loss, and we realize that there were factors and situations beyond the control of the Pinecrest board that really forced them to seek a buyer,” said Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Church of the Brethren news service director. “I think the prayers of the church are with Pinecrest employees and residents as they go through this change.”
There are a few job positions that existed within Pinecrest Community that Allure didn’t hire on, Labash s a i d . O f t h e a b o u t 1 5 5 P i n e c r e s t employees, four were laid off; other employees whose positions changed were offered alternate work with Allure, she said.
“I’m really seeing a good effort from Allure management to keep our staff employed,” Labash said.
Allure’s vice president of operations met with Pinecrest certified nursing assistants Dec. 13 to “talk through a lot of their questions,” Labash said, adding that she thinks the meeting answered many questions staff members had. Similar meetings are planned with other departments, she said.
“All my interactions with the new ownership, they’re doing their best to really do right by our employees,” Labash said. “They’re trying to make sure they’re doing their best for our employees, while also turning the financial situation around.”
The wait for employees while higher-ups analyze various aspects of the company can be difficult because staff aren’t always privy to that part of things and finding answers takes time, she acknowledged.
Labash said she expects things to improve once some of the unknowns are sorted out and as people become more comfortable with the new owners.
“It’s just a process,” she said. “I think it’s just going to take a few months.”
Calls to reach a representative from Allure were not returned as of Tuesday night.
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Pinecrest Community has been sold to Allure Healthcare Services. The facility is located on Brayton Street and McKendrie Avenue in Mt. Morris.
