A Look at What’s New in Our Communities
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Top: A grand opening and ribbon cutting was held at Oregon’s new Cork & Tap in February in downtown Oregon. The establishment, located at 305 W. Washington Street (Ill. 64), offers wine, beer, and specialty drinks. Below: Tushar Patel stands in one of the well-stocked aisles in his grocery store in Lanark. Patel recently purchased the Polo Food Center property and plans to open a grocery store there later this year. In the past year, local city councils and village boards have been working alongside economic development groups and other organizations to attract businesses and, therefore, growth to their communities. Look inside to see what’s happening with the expanding Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone, which offers financial incentives for new businesses. Find out about the new and innovative businesses that have opened in our Ogle County communities.
A Supplement to Ogle County Newspapers • Oregon Republican Reporter • Mt. Morris Times • Forreston Journal • Tri-County Press
www.oglecountynews.com
Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page C2
Community Outlook
Enterprise zone...opportunities to attract businesses Can enterprise zones increase development? By Andy Colbert acolbert@oglecounty news.com What does Amazon have in common with various businesses in Lee and Ogle counties? At one of its fulfillment centers in Edwardsville, just outside of St. Louis, it receives tax abatements and exemptions for being in an enterprise zone. Could a business like Amazon set up shop in Mt. Morris? Why not? Mt. Morris recently applied to be a part of burgeoning enterprise zone that has served Ogle and Lee counties quite well. Enterprise zones have been a vehicle for encouraging economic development in this area for decades. A little known fact borne out of a joint partnership between Lee and Ogle is the creation of over a thousand jobs and one billion dollars of business development. Those are the figures put up by the Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone from 1986-2017. With a new year, comes an even wider swath of the zone. “It’s a win-win situation for cities,” Ogle County Chairman Kim Gouker said. “This particular zone started this past year and is an extension of what’s been done in the past.” Coordinating the intergovernmental agreement is Andy Shaw of the Blackhawk Hills regional office in Rock Falls. “The zone is a very valuable
incentive for businesses,” Shaw said. “Their owners see the dollar sign of the bottom line and this is a helping hand for them. It makes a project more feasible or maybe enables them to do it this year rather than waiting.” An enterprise zone offers sales tax exemptions on building materials and a 50 percent tax abatement for six years, besides other benefits. Any business looking to expand or locating in Lee or Ogle County may apply for the incentive. The latest zone has another 15 square miles to it. Initially, it was the domain of Lee County, but expanded into Ogle County with the construction of Union Pacific’s Global III Intermodal Terminal in the early 2000s. The enterprise zone has continued to expand its footprint in Dixon and Rochelle. However, Amboy and Mt. Morris recently applied to be a part of it. The Polo and Oregon City Councils have also discussed the possibility of joining. “Looking at the map now, it’s virtually 50-50 between the two counties,” Shaw said. The Amboy application for 74 acres is close to approval, while the paperwork Mt. Morris has submitted for 100 acres of undeveloped land southeast of town and double that acreage downtown and at the former Quad Graphics is yet to be acted on. It has been approved at the local level and needs only the go-ahead from the state. “The entire process takes several months,” Shaw said. Besides needing approval by Springfield, affected taxing bodies are required to sign off on enterprise zone, with
Mt. Morris only waiting for Highland Community College to do so. For the village of 3,000 residents, it’s an opportunity to fill the void left by the shuttering of printing businesses. “It’s been a difficult time to attract businesses,” Gouker said. “A enterprise zone is a tool to use for help. Mt. Morris has excess sewer and water, land and building available.” The State of Illinois reapproved the enterprise zone between the two counties in September of 2016. That is part of Shaw’s responsibility as administrator to aid regional planning officials in filling the paperwork out and satisfying the state requirements, along with advising business owner and the taxing bodies. “There are complexities in reporting to the state,” Shaw said. Mt. Morris is pleased to have Shaw and those on the enterprise zone board advise and facilitate the cause of economic growth. “The right guys are in the boat doing the rowing,” said Rob Urish, of the Mt. Morris Economic Development Committee. “Here in Mt. Morris, we’re rookies at this.” Currently, Mt. Morris doesn’t have an Amazon, or for that matter any other business, earmarked for its enterprise zone. The important component is having all the pieces in place for businesses looking to set up shop once the village gets approval. “In the Great Recession, we had the horrible misfortune of losing 2,500 to 3,000 jobs,” Urish said. “We’re taking a proactive approach and it’s exciting.”
The map above shows in green the areas in Dixon, left, and Rochelle that are part of the Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone. The map of Mt. Morris below shows the areas in red that were recently accepted into the Enterprise Zone.
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Community Outlook
Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page C3
www.oglecountynews.com
Oregon Together shares accomplishments, updates Citizens group works together to make changes By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com Oregon’s growing volunteer organization established a new committee, condensed two events into one, and put the call out for volunteers for a returning night out. Oregon Together, a volunteer group dedicated to highlighting and improving the city’s entrepreneurial and touristic appeal, was busy on March 15 at The Experience art gallery, above Cork & Tap, 305 W. Washington St., looking at ways to improve the city. The group celebrated accomplishments made over the last year, while looking ahead to events on the horizon. Applause and credit were given to the success of events like the Chocolate Walk, Rockin’ River Fest, the cleaning of the Washington Street alleyway, the installation of the bike statues, and the installation of sitting stones on the western river bank behind Conover Square. However, attention was focused mainly on the new developments within the group. One of the big
announcements was a fourth committee dedicated to making sure the Black Hawk Statue is repaired. This committee is joining the Arts and Beautification, Festivals, Events, Dining and Shopping, and Riverfront and Outdoor Recreation teams. Roger Cain represented the Black Hawk Statue Restoration committee, a team solely dedicated to getting the Lorado Taft statue repaired and restored. The statue, owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is currently covered with a black tarp as its restoration effort has stalled. Jan Stilson, John Lindhorst, and Michal Burnett were also named as part of the committee, with more volunteers joining. “We’re making a lot of good progress,” said Cain. “Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we’ll have some information to share.” Upcoming events were also a big focus for the meeting. John Lindhorst, vice president of OT’s executive board, said the OT Block Party will not be a separate event, but integrated into the Mix Street Mixer on Aug. 24 and 25. Gayle Noble, chairwoman for the Rockin’ River Fest got the room prepared for the Chocolate Walk on April 14, putting the word out that she needs 180 volunteers to get it
running smoothly. Noble mentioned three big lessons putting on the fest the year prior. “Number one, finding over 150 people to fill all the areas around the Rockin’ River Fest is very difficult,” said Noble. “Number two, there are a lot of very nice people in this community.” The third, she said, is how to get people to volunteer. “Those nice people are just waiting to be asked,” said Noble. “I think that’s why we were so successful last year, was because we asked them.” Noble stressed the hardest part was actually getting volunteers to help clean up the Sunday after the festival. Volunteers who fill one of the many three-hour shifts during the festival receive a free T-shirt and admission to the event. Terry Schuster, with the Riverfront committee and part of the executive board, said his favorite parts of the group were that it brought everyone together. “When you think about it, this really is Oregon Together,” said Schuster. “There are so many people that never would have met were it not for this group.” The next Oregon Together meeting is Monday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oregon Train Depot, 518 N. Fourth St.
John Lindhorst, Oregon Together Executive Board Vice President, addresses a room filled with volunteers regarding announcements, upcoming events, and appreciation for recent accomplishments. Seated left to right are Liz Hiemstra, Oregon Together executive board treasurer, Sue Hubbs, assistant principal of Jefferson Elementary, Omaha, Nebraska, and Lori Peterson, Peterson Appraisals and real estate agent. Photo by Zach Arbogast
A look back at “Together’s” success By Thomas Mahoney Oregon Together As we enter the first few months of 2018, we’d like to take a little time to look back on the accomplishments of Oregon Together in the past year. Since our initial formation, we’ve pared down from six to three teams and really focused our efforts with great results. Arts & Beautification Committee (ABC) • Transformation of the Alleyway near Fourth and Washington Streets: custom iron arch, overhead lighting, benches and decor • Bicycle Themed Downtown: bicycle planter decor and “Bicycle Man” statue • City Hall Beautification: custom metal awning, new lighting fixtures, newly painted clock • Courthouse Canons: cleaned and painted canons,
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cleared and freshened plantings • Art Events: Oregon Alumni Art Show and ‘Winter 61061’
Festivals, Events, Dining & Shopping (FEDS) • Hosted seven movie nights in 2017 plus two in 2018 for a total of nine so far. • The first annual Chocolate Walk was held on March 9, 2017 with overwhelming attendance. • The first annual Rockin’ River Fest was deemed a huge success, despite the nasty Turn to C4
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Community Outlook
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Family and village history served together at cafe By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com A Mt. Morris eatery contains a wealth of history combined in the building, the decorations, and the family running it. The Campus Cafè, 101 S Wesley Ave, opened up the first week of July 2017, and the quiet, comfortable family diner has been a hit with the locals. Sam Ismaili, owner and chef, comes down from the family’s apartment directly above the restaurant and starts the coffee every morning at 5 a.m., as the wait staff shows up and prepares for their 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. day. Ismaili cooks “a little bit of everything,” from breaded pork tenderloin and gravy, to hamburgers, chicken parmesan, gyros, and all-day breakfast. Kids options are aplenty as well, including Mickey Mouse Pancakes. It’s rare to get Ismaili out of the kitchen, being the head and only chef, but if you ask him how he enjoys running the restaurant, he’ll give a smile and say “I like it.” According to his 13-yearold daughter, Kike, that hardly scratches the surface. “He loves it; he’s been cooking his whole life,” said Kike. “He’s wanted to own a restaurant for a long time, and it means so much to him.”
Kike, her twin brother Bini, and Sam’s wife Vicki, all work at the restaurant, though, with school, the children only work weekends. The cafè is truly an understated setting filled with history. The Ismailis came to America approximately eight years ago from Albania, first settling in Hanover. After five years, they moved to Yorkville, until coming to Mt. Morris in May of last year. In that time, Sam has worked as a chef at Charlie’s Place in Hanover, and Silver Dollar Restaurant in Yorkville. With some encouragement from his brother, a restauranteur from Anamosa, Iowa, Sam was ready to run his own place, and that’s when he bought the old Mt. Morris Family Restaurant building, which closed in 2014, on Dec. 22, 2016. The space got some new equipment, remodeling, and a fresh coat of paint - both literal and figurative. The building front also got a fresh, new face, for the fresh, new faces operating it. In an initiative from the Mt. Morris Economic Development Group, the village board approved Tax Increment Finance funds to provide the restaurant with a few final touches: the painting of the window logo and an awning.
The Campus Cafe is ran by an Ismaili family effort. From left to right, Vicki, Bini, Kike, and Sam Ismaili, owner and chef. Ismaili cooks up diner favorites from around the globe. Photo by Zach Arbogast
“It really was good for them, and good for us,” said village board member Jerry Stauffer. “That building looked the same since I could remember, it was time for something nice and new.” Shortly thereafter, Ismaili
held a grand opening on Oct. 28. The paint may be new, but history is firmly locked into the building, which went up between 1860 and 1870, and has been anything from a restaurant before Ismaili, to a
hardware store. Even the decorations on the restaurant wall are nostalgic; nearly 30 photos of historic Mt. Morris sit above the booths. The pictures came as donations from the Mt. Morris Historical Museum, and
roughly a third were from the personal collection of Stauffer, who is also curator of the museum. “We’ll be doubling, if not tripling, the current collection over a period of time,” said Stauffer.
New downtown pub taps into regional beer and wines By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@saukvalley.com The owner of a new pub in Oregon is specializing in regional brewers and vineyards. Cork & Tap owner Carrie O’Neil, 32 of Oregon, and general manager Nicole Pecen eschew national brands of beers in favor of wines and brews by regional craftsmen. “We are serving unique cocktails and featuring regional Midwest wine and beer,” Pecen said. “We have wine from Cedarville, Bollingbrook, and North Utica. Supporting local
craftsmen makes us unique.” Drink selections include wines such as August Harvest Winery’s August Infusion and Sweet Catawba and ISC’s Brut Ombre Rose and Demi Sec Rose. Brew connoisseurs can find Pig Minds Brewing’s Vanilla Slap, Lakefront’s River West Stein, Wisconsin Brewing Co.’s Chocolate Lab porter, and Potosi’s Cave Ale amber ale among the 14 on tap. Not sure which draft beer to
pick? The bar offers a flight of 9, which is a sampler of some of its selections – and what’s on the flight deck will change based on season and availability. Sometimes a brewer will run out of a batch, or a vineyard will have a bad year, limiting certain supplies. That’s OK with them. “This gives us a chance to rotate the selection and try something new,” Pecen said. “Spring selections will include light and fruity selections and
the heartier wines and beer will be available in winter.” The business, in a historic downtown building on Washington Street that once housed a department store, has a rustic yet contemporary decor. It features a bright, two-story open space with the original tin ceiling on the main floor, a couple of intimate seating areas on the second floor, and space for an art gallery and events on the third floor.
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From C3 weather which forced an early shutdown. Riverfront & Cork & Tap, in downtown Oregon at 305 W. Washington St., is open for business. The Recreation (R & R) building is owned by Merlin Hagemann and the business is owned by his daughter Carrie • Met with local IDNR O’Neil, center. Nicole Pecen is general manager. Photo by Chris Johnson representative to discuss the condition of the dam. • Met with Oregon Park District to propose changes to the Kiwanis Park river access • Sponsored a local river clean-up day • Participated in the Rock River Sweep • Brush clean-up on top of the dam • Added large rocks to the west side of the dam • Cleaned brush behind Conover As a team, we would like to thank all the individuals and businesses that have supported our mission of improving the $ $ experience of those living in and visiting our beautiful town. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far and are very excited about the future of our group and our town. If you would like to get more insight into who we are and what we are planning for 2018, we would like to invite you to our next whole team gathering Thursday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. upstairs at Cork & Tap, 305 W. Washington St. You can also visit our Facebook page at facebook. com/oregontogether or email oregontogether@gmail.com for more information.
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Community Outlook
Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page C5
www.oglecountynews.com
After a decade, Polo is on its way to a grocery store New store owner has experience in grocery business By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com If all goes according to plan, Polo will once again have a grocery store, just in time for Christmas. “I’m hoping to open before the holidays,” said new owner Tushar Patel, of Lanark. Patel recently bought Polo Food Center, 205 S. Division Ave., for $120,000 from the First National Bank of Amboy, which is the trustee of a land trust formed by former owner Ahmad Farraj, of Rock Falls. Patel plans for the store to feature a deli and liquor department as well as offer meats, produce, and dairy products, along with other groceries. He already runs a store in Lanark and he voiced his enthusiasm that the Polo store offers him more room. The Lanark Food Center, 13 N. Broad St., offers a variety of different products and services – produce, dairy and frozen foods, quality meats, deli-sliced meats, cheeses, salads, roasted chicken, beer, wine, liquor, magazines, and local newspapers. Its website features weekly specials, printable coupons, and a recipe page. Patel has hired a firm to clean the Polo building inside. After that, a design plan will be
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developed, and construction can get underway. Polo has been without a grocery for a decade, and both the Polo Economic Development Corporation and the Polo City Council worked diligently to bring one back to town. “The grocery store has been the top priority for the PEDC for several years,” said Susie Corbitt, a member of the PEDC and former city clerk. “The city gave approval for us to work on this, and we worked very hard on it for 10 months.” Based on how important a grocery store is to a community, the city council did all it could to welcome Patel to town. It agreed to loan him $70,000 in a self-canceling note to assisting with buying the property and making the needed improvements. Under the terms of the note, the city will loan Patel the money from its General Fund, with the stipulation that the
Tushar Patel recently purchased the Polo Food Center property at 205 S. Division Ave. (Ill. 26) in Polo, where he plans to open a grocery store later this year. Photo by Vinde Wells
grocery store opens by Dec. 1 of this year and remains in continuous operation until Dec. 31, 2023. If the store is in continuous operation through Dec. 31, 2021, the city will forgive $35,000 of the loan. The remainder will be forgiven if the business is still operating on Dec. 31, 2023. “I think this [the grocery store] is a key piece for our
community and for economic development,” Corbitt said. “Healthy food is so important for not only new families, but also for our residents who can’t or don’t want to drive out of town for groceries. This is a great convenience for all of our citizens.” With the grocery store well underway, Corbitt said, the PEDC’s top goals will now be developing affordable housing,
including senior and assisted living facilities. “The grocery store adds assets and opportunities for attaining our goals,” she said. “In order to make this a success our citizens will need to patronize it.” The new store will also enhance employment opportunities for local citizens, including part-time jobs for high school students, she said. The city hasn’t had a grocery
store since 2008 when then owner Yong Shim closed it. Paul and Terri Koenck owned and operated by Polo Super Valu for many years prior to that. They sold the store to Shim in 2007. He changed the name to Polo Food Center, and it closed several months later. Farraj later purchased the property with plans to open a grocery store, but that did not materialize.
New pub is in Oregon’s downtown historic district atmosphere. We want a space to come out, relax, and socialize with friends,” she said. That’s evident by what’s missing: The only TV in the business is used to display the drink menu. Bar games include cards, checkers, and chess – just don’t look for no darts or billiards. “We hope people will come here for the experience and socialize,” O’Neil said. An appetite for partnerships For non-brew lovers, the Cork & Tap offers soda. No food is sold on site, but Hazel’s, the former Conover Coffee and Chocolates, recently opened next door – it’s connected through a
set of French doors – and food from Hazels, or other establishments, can be brought in, O’Neil said. Conover Coffee and
Chocolates originally opened in 2003 and was purchased by one of its employees, Candace Rivera. “It is bittersweet to have
this location,” she said of moving from the coffee cafe’s longtime location, but the “downtown is changing and I wanted to be a part of it. I am recreating and making the business my own, while
embracing partnerships” – like the one with Cork & Tap. Hazel’s still sells the coffee and chocolates that customers know and love, while offering an expanded
menu, including bruschetta, flatbreads, soups, a variety of sandwiches, and burgers made with local beef. “Working with other local businesses is the key for small towns,” said Rivera.
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Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page C6
Two Polo homes added to the National Register By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Two more Polo home were added to the National Register of Historic Places in the last year. The addition of the Zenas Aplington House, 123 N. Franklin Ave., and the David and Julia Watson House, 103 Maple Ave., brings Polo’s National Register total to eight
buildings, nearly a third of those listed in Ogle County. The city’s impressive number is a testament to the hard work over several decades by the Polo Historical Society and its volunteer members to preserve and restore prominent buildings and do the research necessary for successful completion of the sometimes arduous application process. The Zenas Aplington House is significant for its association
Above, the David and Julia Watson House in Polo was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 2017. Below, the Zenas Aplington House was added on Sept. 5. Photos by Vinde Wells
Barb Noble stands by a table filled with her own creations at The Noble Cakery’s open house on March 15. Photo by Zach Arbogast
Sweet treats at Conover By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com
After years of working out of her home, a confectionery aficionado opens her own cake shop in Oregon. The Noble Cakery moved into Oregon’s Conover Square, 201 N. Third St., Suite 23, and celebrated with an open house on March 15. The space, previously occupied by Conover Coffee and Chocolates, is now headquarters for Barb Noble’s sweet treats, and she is enthusiastic about getting back into the business. “I love baking, it’s a passion for me,” said Noble. “I’ve been baking pretty much my whole life; my mom got me started when I was young.” Noble boasted a love for baking from scratch, with whole, real ingredients, gourmet flavorings, and putting love into her creations.
“I want to make things for people that I would be proud to serve my family,” she said. “Bringing those creations to weddings, I just want it to be special for everyone whose going to enjoy them.” Those creations don’t just come to weddings, though. Noble services corporate or school events, birthdays, graduations, and just about anything someone would need a dessert table for. People buzzed in and out of the open house throughout its 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. time slot, sampling salted-caramel macaroons, tiramisu mousse, blondes, Oreo gems, and cupcakes in two flavors: chocolate white-chocolate and vanilla bean champagne. “The shop is beautiful, and the flavors are to die for,” Sue Griswold, of DeKalb, said. “Barb is so sweet, and the shop is wonderful,” said Regan Helgeson, of Creston. “It’s so classy, and the desserts are so
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great.” Conover Square building owner Lou VanderWyst said he was proud of Barb’s drive to get the shop up and running. “She had her challenges getting everything ready, and she overcame them, and it’s good to have that spot filled,” said VanderWyst. “I think she’s got a great product, and I think she’s going to do really well.” Noble is no stranger to event baking; she was in the wedding scene for five years while living in Cortland with her husband, Brandon, 7-year-old daughter, Audrey, and 2-yearold son, Logan. She operated out of their home thanks to the “Cupcake Law” created by state lawmakers in 2014, which allowed direct sales of goods baked from home kitchens, so long as the seller had a food sanitation manager license and did not bring in more than $1,000 per month in sales.
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with Zenas Aplington, Polo’s town founder. In 1852, Aplington offered his farmland to the Illinois Central Railroad. The property of Aplington’s former farm now comprises 17 city blocks in the center of Polo, including his house, which was built in 1853 and is excellent example of American folk architecture with Greek Revival influences. Aplington, who later was elected to the State Senate, where he served with Abraham Lincoln, lived there until his death in the Civil War in 1862. Lincoln visited Aplington and his family at their home. The home is now owned by the Polo Historical Society and is a museum of local history. The David and Julia Watson House, built in 1900 and designed by Rockford architect E. F. Dowling, is a substantial Shingle Style residence. The Shingle Style, developed in New England in the early 1880s, is uniquely American. Its single defining feature, a continuous wall surface clad in wood shingles, became ubiquitous in upper class suburban America and in resort and vacation communities throughout the country in the 1880s and 90s. Inside and out, the Watson home exhibits many elements that define the style, including a wide and low building profile, long open porch in the front, shingle-cladding, a central hall with inglenook, and fine woodworking throughout. The home is a privatelyowned residence.
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Community Outlook
www.oglecountynews.com
Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page C7
Report says: little change in Illinois farmland values Prices being paid for high quality Illinois farmland, as well as cash rents have stayed essentially flat for the past 12 months according to the 2018 Illinois Farmland Values and Lease Trends Report released last week by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers at the Illinois Land Values Conference held in Bloomington. The report is based on an annual survey of the society’s members and others allied to the industry and reflects activity from 2017. “The news is there is isn’t much new regarding land values or changes in rents being paid for farmland,� said David Klein, AFM, ALC, with Soy Capital Ag Services and overall chair of the annual Land Values project sponsored by the society. “Prices paid for excellent quality farmland across the northern part of the state were down one to two percent with ranges from $10,500 to $11,000 per acre across the various regions of the state. That same type of land in the central part of the state was going at $10,350 to
$11,400 per acre in the past year. This was flat-to-down five percent in certain areas. “In the southern regions of the state there was really no movement at all in terms of drops or increases in prices for land. It was going from $8,000 to $10,885 per acre in the same areas as it was a year ago,� he said. Land values in Ogle County are consistent with that, according to Ogle County Farm Bureau Director Ron Kern. “In the last four years, farmland values have tanked,� he said. “We’ve seen them really flatten out.� Land prices depend on a variety of factors, Kern said, including the productivity, location, size of the parcel, and who is interested in buying it. He estimated that land in the county is currently selling for $10,000 to $13,000 per acre, “depending on the parcel.� A similar trend was true of cash rents being paid for the same excellent quality farmland, Klein said. “Projected rents remained relatively steady all across the state,� he said.
Rent prices ranged from $295 to $325 per acre in the northern part of the state; $300 to $350 per acre for the central region, and; $160 to $325 in the southern counties. Klein said the statewide average prices being paid
From C6
said. “I talked to him again, and it turned out the coffee shop was moving out, and the timing was perfect.� Getting everything set up wasn’t exactly a piece of cake. Noble got the keys to the shop on Jan. 30, and from there, renovation efforts were nonstop. One of her biggest hurdles was a piping issue - not with frosting, but with plumbing that was not grandfathered in to code. Noble was under the impression she would only need to add a few sinks, a grease trap, and upgrade a section of drain line. Instead, after inspection, she needed to add a vent to an
existing hand sink, change the plumbing to the prep sink, and upgrade the hot water line. “All in all, our project went from being quoted at one day, to four plus days, and my budget almost doubled,� said Noble. “It was the biggest expense for the entire project by far, so having it increase even more had me re-evaluating my budget and cutting some wish list items.� In the end, and thanks to what Noble credited as “amazing plumbers� who worked hard to get everything ready, the plumbing and renovations were finished, and the health department gave her the thumbs Sue Griswold, of DeKalb, and Regan Helgeson, of Creston, enjoy some of Barb Noble’s treats at The Noble Cakery’s open house on March 15. Photo by Zach Arbogast. up on March 2.
A combine picks soybeans on a field southwest of Polo. Photo by Earleen Hinton
for excellent farmland have dropped from their peak of approximately $12,500 per acre in 2013. “Comparatively, though, the average price paid for this same farmland in 2002, 15 years ago, was a little over
$3,400 per acre,� he said. Some Things Don’t Change Klein said the profile of the buyers of farmland has not changed in many years with farmers accounting for 62
percent of that group. “They know the value as well as, if not better than, anyone else and they are reinvesting into their own farm businesses. Investors, local and otherwise, Turn to C8
Hard work gets Oregon cake shop up and running However, despite being state-made, the law needs to be adopted on an individual county and local municipality basis. While DeKalb County has adopted the “Cupcake Law�, Ogle County has not. That’s why when the Nobles moved into Oregon in July, the cake business went on hold. Talks started happening about setting up shop in Conover Square between Noble and VanderWyst as the months went on. “I talked to Lou about a space in Conover a while back, and it just wasn’t the right time,� Noble
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Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page C8
www.oglecountynews.com
Community Outlook
Local business gives homes that special touch By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com A downtown Oregon shop has all the signs of success. Simply Home, a home decor store at 300 W. Washington St., is covered wall to wall with custom, hand-made signs and decorations to make someone’s house feel more cozy. Chris and Diana Weber own the spot, but Diana is the artist, 17 years of experience making signs and studying interior design in her college years. Her signs have been for sale at Autumn on Parade, and could be seen at Merlin’s Greenhouse & Flowers. Other than signs, the shop also carries some homemade shelving and furniture pieces, front door decorations, custom pillows, and several other autistic knick-knacks. Some of the pieces are work done by various family members, and a couple of items are bought wholesale, but Weber’s work remains the bulk.
Weber said the community response has been “wonderful,” and she’s been busy ever since opening. “The business has been way better than I expected,” said Weber. Weber said opening the business has been a dream of hers, and her daughters having grown up helps make it a reality. “Now my girls are older they’re teenagers, and drive themselves places, so that helps,” said Weber. Simply Home originally opened on Nov. 25 and operated in the rear space of the building where Cork & Tap sits, 305 W. Washington, owned by Merlin Hagemann. Being a frequent customer of Weber’s, Merlin Hagemann offered her the spot within Cork & Tap. The Webers made the move across the street into their own shop, opening February 15 in their new location. A ribbon cutting celebration was held March 22.
Oregon Chamber of Commerce board members and ambassadors celebrate a ribbon cutting for Simply Home with the Weber family. From left to right are: Ryan Hopper, Kathy Groenhagen, Diane Nesterojil, Kim Stahl, Jenni Winterland, Reuben Barnhart, Oregon Chamber Executive Director Debbie Dickson, Katelyn Weber, Chris Weber, Diana Weber, Megan Boehle, Allison Weber, Ogle County Clerk Laura Cook, Laura Medlar, Oregon Economic Development Intern Farrahn Hawkins, and Pete Novak. Photo by Zach Arbogast
Prices and rents for Illinois farmland remain the same From C7 are the second largest group of buyers accounting for 23 percent of the sales,” he said. “Estate sales still lead the way as the greatest reason for a property to come on the market,” he said. Private treaty is still the most popular way of selling land (49 percent) followed by public auction (35 percent). “It’s interesting to note how little this changes with time,” Klein said. “In 2003 our report indicated that private treaty accounted for 50 percent of sales and public auction was at 32 percent,” he said. As with rent rates, prices being paid for the land are
SM-ST1516732
based primarily on commodity prices. “It’s one of the ironies of agriculture – often the higher the soil productivity, the lower the cash return. But this also often carries with it lower risk, and improved asset price stability,” he said. “Our surveyed members believe the primary factor that could cause a drop in farmland prices of more than five percent would be falling commodity prices because of good growing condition in the United States.” He noted, however, that an increase in interest rates could also impact demand, and cause prices to drop. “Keep an eye on grain prices, interest rates, and governmental
policy changes over the next 1224 months for further direction in where the farmland market may be headed. What feels like a market that should be getting softer, may not happen because of general economic reasons. Conversely, there may be some real opportunities for investors to purchase productive land that could use some improvements during moments of uncertainty.” Klein said. Rent Rates Staying the Same For excellent quality farmland, traditional crop shares had average income of $193 per acre, cash rent had $230 per acre, and custom farming had $253 per acre, said
Dr. Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois Department of Ag and Consumer Economics. Across all productivities, a straight crop share lease had the lowest returns. Cash rent and custom farming had returns near one another for the good, average, and fair land classes. There is a great deal of variability in cash rents for a given land productivity, he said. “For example, the average cash rent for the mid one-third group on excellent quality farmland is $298 per acre. The high one-third of leases averaged $317 per acre, $19 higher than the mid one-third group.
Similarly, the low one-third group averaged $258 per acre, $40 lower than the mid onethird group. From the high one-third group to the low one-third group, there is a $59 per acre difference in average rents for excellent productivity farmland. Similar ranges exist across good ($53 from the high one-third to low one-third averages), average ($49 per acre), and fair ($50 per acre) productivity classes. “Fifty-eight percent of respondents expected 2019 cash rents to remain the same as 2018 cash rents,” he said. The complete 2018 Illinois Land Values and Lease Trends
Report is available for purchase in hard copy at www.ispfmra. org. The 124-page document includes region-by-region farmland sales data and also features year-over-year trend lines with numbers of properties sold, sales prices. The ISPFMRA is one of 37 chapters of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. The Illinois chapter, now celebrating its 90th year, is the oldest and largest state organization of its kind in the United States. Members are professionals devoted to the management and appraisal of rural property and agricultural consulting.