Oregon_Republican_Reporter-01-26-2024

VOLUME 173 NO. 48 • SERVING OGLE COUNTY SINCE 1851

Friday, January 26, 2024 • $1.00

NEWS

Destroyed by fire Devastating fire at Moore Tires, a longtime Rock Falls business / 3

SPORTS

On the wrestling mat

EVERYTHING’S ON ICE

Oregon wrestlers finish sixth at LeRoy tournament / 11

In the courtroom Jury finds Hillcrest man not guilty of sexual abuse, assault charges / 6

Earleen Hinton

Icicles hang from the west side of the Oregon dam on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Subzero temperatures and 10 to 13 inches of snow fell across the region last week. Temperatures are forecast to rise into the mid-30s this week.

One section • 20 pages

INDEX Betty’s Column......... 4 Classifieds...........17-18 Colbert Column...... 10

Library News............. 2 Mt. Morris Police.....15 Otto’s Column........... 4

DEATHS Published every Friday

by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media

Larry Wilson, Page 8

Property Transfers...16 Sheriff Activity.........15 Sports....................9-14

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

2

Artist reception at Coliseum museum rescheduled for Feb. 2 oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS Included in every subscription Activate your digital access today.

Visit: ShawLocal.com/digital-activation Call: 866-979-1053 OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 815-732-6166, ext. 2592 SUBSCRIPTIONS 1 month – $4.33 13 weeks – $13 26 weeks – $26 52 weeks – $52 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 email to subscriptions@oglecountynews.com.

You also can subscribe online by going to oglecountynews.com and clicking on Subscribe.

CLASSIFIED SALES classified@shawlocal.com HELP WANTED employment@shawlocal.com LEGAL NOTICES sauklegals@shawlocal.com OBITUARIES saukobits@shawlocal.com Deadline for obituaries is 2 p.m. Tuesday for Friday’s edition SEND NEWS news@oglecountynews.com Publisher Jennifer Heintzelman 815-632-2502 jheintzelman@shawmedia.com General Manager Earleen Hinton 815-632-2591 ehinton@shawmedia.com Senior Director of Content Joe Biesk 815-526-4387 jbiesk@shawmedia.com News Alexa Zoellner 815-632-2590 azoellner@shawmedia.com Advertising Sales Jennifer Heintzelman 815-632-2502 jheintzelman@shawmedia.com The Tri-County Press, Ogle County News and oglecountynews.com are a division of Shaw Media. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. Morris Times, Forreston Journal and Oregon Republican Reporter.

The TRI-COUNTY PRESS (USPS No. 638-530) is published weekly

by B.F. Shaw Printing Co., Shaw Media.

Periodical postage paid at Polo, Illinois.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SHAW MEDIA, P.O. Box 598, Sterling, IL 61081 All rights reserved. Copyright 2024

OREGON – Because of recent extreme weather conditions, the Coliseum Museum has rescheduled its Artist Reception to Friday, Feb. 2. The event will be from 6 to 8 p.m.

New exhibits opened in January including Scott Ide of Rochelle with his display of digital photography, Dick Cholke of Pecatonica presenting his watercolor art and Bob Cholke of Rockford showing his digital photography work.

The Feb. 2 reception will feature music by guitarist Lee Murdock of Kaneville and highlight two new displays: oil paintings by Karen Tucker of Grand Detour and work by award-winning artist Kitto of Dixon.

The reception is sponsored by Kathe

POLO – A Polo city employee once again has switched departments, this time being rehired onto the police department with the approval of the Polo City Council.

On Jan. 15, Polo City Council members voted 5-0 to hire Tim Rockwood as a police sergeant effective Jan. 19 at a rate of $30 an hour. Alderman Randy Schoon was absent.

“We based our projected salary off a five-year officer, plus 10% for the elevated duties involved in the patrol sergeant position,” said Alderman Keith Chesnut, who heads the Police Committee.

The City Council first hired Rockwood as a police officer Dec. 5, 2016. He started at the Springfield-based State Police Academy on Jan. 8, 2017. Rockwood was the Polo police chief from Feb. 18, 2020, to July 19, 2021, when he resigned for personal reasons.

Less than a month after stepping down from his spot as chief, Rockwood was rehired to the city’s Public Works Department, where he had worked before joining the Polo Police Department.

Rockwood then served as interim police chief from Oct. 17, 2023, to Jan. 2, at which point Matt Coppotelli was sworn in as chief.

you’d like any items back after the swap that were not taken, please label them with your name and phone number.

Illinois Library Presents 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6 – New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jerry Craft Craft is the author and illustrator of the No. 1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel “New Kid” and its companion book “Class Act.” “New Kid” was the first book in history to win the Newbery Medal (2020), The Coretta Scott King Author Award (2020) and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019). Craft uses his personal life as fuel for his stories and creates compelling stories and characters to represent his community.

His works tackle complex themes with humor, heart and a deep understanding of the human experience. Registration is required. Visit https://bit.ly/ILP_JerryCraft. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. Illinois Libraries Present is committed to inclusion and accessibility.

Ink with A Friend Monthly Card Club 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19. Sending personal cards to your friends and family is a way to let them know you care and are thinking about them. All designs include colored cardstock, designer series paper, detailed stamped images, die cut pieces, matching ink, ribbon and embellishments. All cards come with matching envelopes. Whether

you’re a new card maker or a seasoned pro, our kits are suited to every skill level. Sign up today to reserve your spot. Oregon patrons only. Registration required at 815-7322724 or www.oregonpubliclibrary.com Book Clubs Is This Just Fantasy? Book Club will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the library to discuss “The Stardust Thief” by Chelsea Abdullah.

The 2WBC meets at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, to discuss “Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold.

Cocktails & Crimes will meet at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 18. Pick up your book to find out where the club will meet.

The Afternoon Book Club meets at 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 21, to discuss “The Flight Girls” by Noelle Salazar.

Books on Tap Book Club meets at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 22, at Cork & Tap to discuss “Wrong Place, Wrong Time” by Gillian McAllister.

OPLD Dial-A-Story and Oregon Public Library StoryWalk @Oregon Park West Call 815-732-2724, follow the prompts and presto ... a story! Current story is “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner.

New at the StoryWalk is “Annie & the Wild Animals” by Jan Brett.

Passport Services The Oregon Public Library offers passport application processing. Patrons seeking passport services should call the library before their visit to ensure that an official processor is available at that time and for a checklist of items you will need.

Wilson of Oregon.

The CMAAA’s mission is to present Art, Antiques, Americana and history through permanent and rotating exhibits, workshops, music, theater and more.

More information can be found at www. cmaaa.org and the Facebook page, www. facebook.com/ColiseumMuseum.

Rockwood hired as Polo police sergeant

OREGON LIBRARY Story Time (18 months to 6 years) 10 a.m. Mondays. Stories, activities and fun.

Go online or call to register.

Find A Character Ticket!

What is a Character Ticket? A Character Ticket represents an image of a character from that specific book. Character Tickets will be hidden in books in the children/youth book collection. After you check out a book and find a Character Ticket in the book, you may adopt that character doll and take it home. Open to Oregon Public Library cardholders only. May adopt only once.

Winter Blues Bundle Through Feb. 15 Not sure what to read or do, or do you need something to keep you busy during these cold winter months? How about the Winter Blues Bundle. Each bundle will have a handpicked book, magazine, DVD and some fun activities. Complete the registration form online at www.oregonpubliclibrary.com or stop in the library to complete one. Oregon library patrons only.

Craft Swap 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27 What is a craft swap? It’s when you gather the craft supplies, materials, tools and accessories that have been in your craft room collecting dust and give them away to someone who will use them. You know the phrase “one person’s trash is another’s treasure?” It definitely applies to crafting. You may have been hanging onto items for years, but someone might be able to use it. So bring your items to the library Jan. 25 and 26. Then come back and shop the swap Jan. 27. If

CORRECTIONS

HOW ARE WE DOING?

Accuracy is important to the Oregon Republican Reporter. Please call errors to our attention by email at news@oglecountynews.com.

We want to hear from you. Email us your thoughts at feedback@shawmedia.com.

ROCK FALLS

By KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@shawmedia.com

ROCK FALLS – A longtime Rock Falls business was destroyed by a fire that broke out early Tuesday morning, Jan. 16.

Firefighters from throughout the Sauk Valley fought the blaze at Moore Tires’ shop, 2411 E. Rock Falls Road/ U.S. Route 30. Rock Falls firefighters were called about 4:25 a.m. to the 70,000-square-foot facility.

When firefighters arrived, heavy smoke was coming from the shop area and fire quickly spread throughout the building, leading to the partial collapse of the south and west walls. As dawn broke, clouds of thick black smoke could be seen roiling above the building.

About 6:30 a.m., the department called for an excavator to help put out the flames, which got trapped under falling sheet metal from the walls and roof and became difficult to put out unless exposed, Rock Falls Fire Capt.

Matt Kobbeman said.

No one was injured. About 20 agencies responded at some point, many bringing tenders, Kobbeman said.

About 7 a.m., Moore Tires posted on its Facebook page: “There’s been a devastating fire at our Rock Falls location early this morning. We are so thankful all employees are safe. While we figure out next steps for our business, please know our Dixon location is fully operational. ... Please keep our incredible first responders in your thoughts and prayers this morning.”

Fire crews were still on scene Tuesday afternoon hitting any hot spots. In a news release about 2:15 p.m., Rock Falls Acting Fire Chief Ken Wolf said it appears the fire began in the first-floor shop area. Its cause is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments and the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office.

About 90% of the building was affected, the release said.

Wolf called in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the EPA and representatives arrived to monitor the chemicals in the water runoff and in the air and they came away with “no major concerns,” Wolf said.

According to Whiteside County property tax records, the building was worth $409,000. That’s not including the equipment and trucks that were inside at the time.

John Witherow, owner of the nearby Skybox Sports Bar at 1118 E.

Photos by Alex T. Paschal

Fire departments from all over the Sauk Valley area responded Tuesday, Jan. 16, to help douse the flames at Moore Tires in Rock Falls.

Rock Falls Road, immediately offered the bar as a place for firefighters to rest and warm up.

They needed it. At 4:30 a.m., the temperature was 4 below with a windchill factor of -20 to -25 and it didn’t improve. In fact, the weather was even colder by 9 a.m. with a temp of minus 8 and a windchill of 30 below, according to the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, which gets its info from the Whiteside County Airport in Rock Falls.

It never got warmer than about 1 degree all day with a windchill of minus 25.

This is the biggest fire Rock Falls has seen in years. On Dec. 28, 2006, the abandoned Reliant Fastener company downtown, which had been closed since 2002, burned to the ground in a fire that started about 5 p.m. Fourteen fire departments responded.

Moore’s Rock Falls location was the company’s original site, opened in 1991 by owner Jeff Moore and his wife, Angie.

The first shop had only two bays and the Moores lived in an apartment above the garage, according to the Moore website.

Firefighters worked in frigid temperatures during the early morning fire at Moore Tires in Rock Falls on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

They have since expanded the building to nine bays and the Moores no longer live on-site.

In addition to tire sales, Moore does oil changes and brake and suspension work.

Its newest location, which is in the former Plaza Cinemas, 1315 N. Galena Ave. in Dixon, opened Feb. 28, 2022.

The family-owned business also has locations in Mendota, Kewanee, Monmouth and Macomb.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

Moore Tires destroyed in Jan. 16 blaze

3

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

4 LOCAL HISTORY

Past big snows in Polo and a trip to KSB in a snowplow

People are enjoying all the memories of past big snowstorms in Polo.

Everyone has a story to tell and they are all interesting. After we get finished with the memories, maybe all this snow can just go quietly away, which, of course, is a dream.

I enjoyed my neighbor Dorothy Noble’s story of the school buses that got stuck in years past. The bus driver sent the oldest boys to the nearest farmhouse to see if the farmer had a tractor to pull them out. Meanwhile, the students sat on the bus reflecting on all the classes they were missing and hoping it would take all day to get to school.

One of our memories in Eagle Point was soon after we were married and Benardine’s had just come to Polo.

They had a TV store in town and had rented a place not too far from us in the area. Late in the afternoon on a bad snowy day, Bertha knocked on my door and she was stuck too far from our house. I took her in since the men were out busy with the plows.

The school buses were trying to get the students home and even placed three teachers on each bus to carry the smaller students to their doors. A mile

POLO HISTORY Betty Obendorf away, the school bus finally could go no further. They started bringing the kids left on the bus to Kenneth’s mother’s home next door.

The strange thing was that they were all kids from old town that was right at the edge of Polo. If you were the last to get on the bus in the morning, you were the last to get off at night.

Her living room was full of kids and teachers that needed to be fed. Kenneth’s mother was just the person to get the job done.

Bertha Bernardine and I helped and we soon had everyone fed. I do not remember what she fixed but it was never a problem. No one went away hungry from her house. The living room full of kids settled down to playing cards even though parents were not too happy. The school informed parents that they were under the good care of Nellie Obendorf.

At three in the morning came the

parade of snowplows and a school bus down the hill. The wind had gone down and they were able to dig out the bus. It soon was loaded up with kids and away they went. It had been quite a night.

I think the policy of last on in the morning and last off after school was changed. The old town kids did not ride the whole route from then on.

The snow story that took the cake was the year our daughter Susan was in lower elementary. On a Friday night, her friend Julie came home with her for an overnight stay.

Through the night a blizzard had swept in and as Kenneth and I peered out the window in the morning, he said, “You better get Julie home right away.” He left for the grain elevator nearby and soon called back telling me it was too late. It was the snowstorm of the season.

Julie was with us for Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and most of Thursday. I did everything to keep two little girls busy. We cooked. We baked. We sewed. We painted. We did puzzles and read stories. I was exhausted!

Finally on Thursday, Kenneth broke an ankle at the elevator and the road commissioner and Ogle County sheriff were called. I got the call to be ready to climb into the road plow to get Kenneth to the hospital in Dixon. I yelled to Julie, “Pack your bag. You are going for a ride in the snowplow.”

It was like a patchwork quilt to find a road that was open in order to get to Polo and the sheriff was in the lead. Julie lived on the highway in Polo and as we entered the town, we pulled up in front of her house and got her safely inside. Then we headed for Dixon and the hospital with the Ogle County sheriff still in the lead. I never saw so much snow.

Years later, when winter storm watches were being given in advance, Julie called me and said, “Betty, there is a chance we may be snowed in. Can I come out to your house and bring my little girl?” We both laughed. She had never forgotten how an overnight stay turned into a winter vacation.

• Betty Obendorf is a retired teacher and volunteer for the Polo Historical Society.

Oregon’s 125th anniversary commemorated in 1968

for his first customer.

“Some astonishing progress has taken place in the food industry since then. Barney Kroger’s was the day of the cracker barrel, the pot-belly stove, the derby hat and the store cat. Very few items, except a few canned goods, were ever packaged in those days.

Flour, pickles, crackers, cheese all set around in barrels, boxes or sacks to be dipped out or weighed up at the time of purchase. Fresh fruits and vegetables were only to be found in the store during the local growing season. Potatoes, apples and cabbages were about the sum of it the rest of the time.

“Actually, one of Barney Kroger’s first ventures into the manufacturing field was in the roasting of coffee and blending teas. He was the first grocer in the country to sell fresh meats in a grocery store. Back in 1904, he bought a group of meat markets and quite sensibly decided customers would appreciate the convenience of buying both groceries and meats at the same store.

By that time, Barney had the habit of establishing (firsts) in the food business. He earlier recognized the advantage of buying in quantity for a quick turnover at a small profit. He was the first grocer to operate a bakery to sup-

• Otto Dick is a retired teacher and has researched Ogle County history for several years.

“The event attracts many talented performers, but musicians and singers of all skill levels find acceptance from its supportive audience,” organizer Lowell Harp said.

The show starts at 6:30 p.m.

“Admission is free, although a jar is available for donations. Performers can sign up for time slots on a first-come, first-served basis so it’s best to arrive by

6 p.m. or earlier,” Harp said.

For questions, call Jerry Tice at 815-449-2660.

The VFW is at 1310 W. Washington St. in Oregon. A fish fry runs from 4 to 8 p.m.

By OTTO DICK The following was a full-page ad for Kroger Foods in the Oregon Republican Reporter newspaper in July 1968 marking Oregon’s 125th anniversary.

“Grandma Liked Kroger’s Foods Too! Since 1883, Kroger has been growing for you. It takes a lot of people to make a supermarket work. The checker … the meat man … stock boy … many, many more, many of them your Oregon friends and neighbors … who join together to cordially invite you to visit your nearby Kroger store.

Kroger continues to grow because Oregon customers know they … Get More With Kroger’s Big 4 (Everyday Low Prices, Weekly Sale Prices, Tenderay Brand Beef and Top Value Stamps).

“Yesterday … Eighty-five years ago, on July 1 to be exact, Barney Kroger turned the key in the door of his first store, put on an apron and was ready

Photo provided by Otto Dick

This Kroger ad appeared in the special edition of the Oregon Republican Reporter’s 125th anniversary special section in 1968.

ply his stores with fresh bread (priced at 2½ cents a loaf). He was a great believer in the power of advertising and one of his first purchases was a bright red wagon with his name in letters of gold. Before the turn of the century, newspapers regularly carried food ads for B.H. Kroger’s stores.

“To all the drummers or salesmen in the area he was known as a crank because he would not accept the promise of fancy labels. He insisted on opening cans and tasting the contents. I sell food not labels, he would say. My customers won’t come back if they don’t get what they pay for. That was pretty startling in an era when let the buyer beware was the general rule. Barney’s customers appreciated his concern and they trusted him.”

LOCAL NEWS BRIEF First Fridays Open Mic on Feb. 2 at Oregon VFW

OREGON – The First Fridays Open Mic will present its monthly show Feb. 2 at the Oregon VFW.

SUBMITTED BY SHEILA DEA Polo Women’s Club President

Originally called The Polo Evening Woman’s Club, the club adopted a constitution and bylaws at its second meeting in December 1938 and became an active member of the county, district and state federation. It wasn’t until later that the club joined the national federation based in Washington, D.C. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is a unifying force, bringing together local women’s clubs, with members dedicated to strengthening their communities and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Illinois, organized in 1894 under the umbrella of the national federation, has numerous chapters statewide and Polo is a member of District 13 that also includes Byron, Chadwick, Thomson, Franklin Grove and Oregon. The mission of the Polo Women’s Club is to improve and support communities at home and across the globe.

Its members are focused on leadership and progress through volunteerism.

Over the years, the clubs have crusaded for civil rights and for a woman’s right to vote and established about 75% of the libraries in the U.S. The Polo Women’s Club has been an active and respected member of the Polo community for the past 85 years, helping out in activities to support the town and its citizens’ needs.

Several projects have been undertaken over the years including: 1939: Christmas party for the underprivileged children of Polo that was held annually for many years 1940: Donations of funds to buy trees to beautify Pines Road from Polo to the state park 1950: Began the reorganization of the Girl Scouts in Polo 1954: Conducted fundraising activities to improve the clubroom and kitchen of the rebuilt Polo Town Hall 1958: Provided a sandbox for Community Park

Photo provided by Sheila Dean

Polo Mayor Doug Knapp poses for a photo Sept. 18, 2023, with Polo Women’s Club President Sheila Dean (left), club member Mary Cimino (center) and club Secretary Pat Kuhn after signing a proclamation declaring Sept. 30 to be “GFWC Illinois Polo Women’s Club Step Up to End Hunger Day of Service.”

During World War II, the club provided layettes for servicemen’s wives and the British War Relief, baked items for troop trains and local USO centers and donated books to the Mer-

chant Marine Library.

Over the years, the club has worked with the Red Cross, the Cancer Foundation, Future Nurses Association at the high school and the Civic Indus-

trial Planning Committee. More recently, the club has worked with the Polo Food Pantry and local schools supporting their arts programs.

Since 2008, the Polo Women’s Club has worked in conjunction with GFWC Illinois and the Prevent Child Abuse Illinois organization to promote awareness of child abuse through a project called “Our Promise – A Safe Place for Every Child.” Members of the club plant blue and silver pinwheel gardens in April to raise awareness of the project at the three Polo schools and Paul Grahling Park at the corner of Division and Mason streets.

Since 2020, the club has sponsored a coat drive that has grown in both size and need in the past several years. The club collects an average of 300 new and slightly used coats each year, along with hats, mittens and scarves to distribute in November free of charge at Crossroads Community Church in Polo. Several local businesses offer their facilities as drop-off locations in town.

A new project in 2023 was the National Day of Service promoted by the GFWC in Washington, D.C., for all clubs throughout the U.S. and internationally. Held on Sept. 30, the Polo Women’s Club raised awareness of food insecurities in our community by collecting donations of canned goods and nonperishable items at the Polo Fresh Food Market. The community responded with more than 250 items and cash donations that were given to the Polo Food Pantry. The club is looking to participate again in 2024 for this wonderful cause.

The Polo Women’s Club has changed over the years, but its original goals of helping the community are still the main priority of its members.

Monthly meetings generally are held at 1 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at KSB in Polo. If you are interested in attending a meeting to see what the club is about, please contact Sheila Dean at 815-677-6877 or Louise Hall at 815-238-7937.

New members always are welcome.

Illinois Extension helps navigate changes associated with aging OREGON – Kara Schweitzer, University of Illinois Extension Family Life Educator, will conduct “Navigating Changes as We Age” at 10 a.m. Feb. 13 at Rock River Center in Oregon.

“Participating in this program will examine the significant life changes we experience and explore ways to adopt a more accepting mindset that will improve well-being and open new opportunities,” Schweitzer said in a

news release.

The workshop is free. Registration is encouraged by calling the Rock River Center at 815-732-3252 by Feb. 6.

In Wits Fitness brain exercises, Schweitzer will lead interactive activities to enhance cognitive function and memory.

“Current research indicates that challenging the brain is one of several things you can do to improve your

brain health as you age,” she said.

Wits Fitness classes will take place from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23, Thursday, March 28, Thursday, April 25, and Thursday, May 30, at the Hub City Senior Center in Rochelle. Classes also will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, March 18, Monday, April 15, and Monday, May 20, at the Rock River Center in Oregon.

Each monthly class is free and open

to the public. Registration is not required but is appreciated.

Call the Hub City Senior Center at 815-562-5050 or the Rock River Center at 815-732-3252 to register. Participants are welcome to join the class at any time.

For more information about the classes or if you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in programming, call 815-632-3611.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

Polo Women’s Club turns 85 years young

5

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

6

Jury finds Hillcrest man not guilty of sexual abuse, assault charges

By EARLEEN HINTON

ehinton@shawmedia.com OREGON – An Ogle County jury took less than one hour Jan. 18 to find a Hillcrest man not guilty of the sexual assault and abuse of a girl more than 10 years ago.

Jody Willis, 47, was charged with one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a girl younger than 13 between 2006-08, and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 2007-08 and 2013-14.

He was arrested in March 2021 after an August 2020 Ogle County Sheriff’s Department investigation and had been free on $250,000 bond since the arrest.

Willis, who was a Rochelle firefighter at the time of his arrest, told jurors he had “nothing to hide.” He said he willingly agreed to be interviewed by investigators in 2020.

In a 17-minute video of that interview, Willis denied all the accusations.

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, the alleged assault victim, now an adult, testified the allegations stemmed from an incident she said happened when she was in elementary school and alone with Willis at his Hillcrest home.

She described in detail a game she said Willis had her take part in that preceded the alleged sexual assault.

The alleged victim said she was sexually abused by Willis when she was a teen. She said she didn’t tell her mother about any of the incidents until 2020.

In earlier testimony, jurors learned Willis had known the girl from a young age.

Willis said they did play a game, but he denied there was any sexual assault or sexual contact, and again strongly denied all the allegations.

In his closing argument, Russell Crull, who represented Willis along with Eric Arnquist, said the state failed to prove his client was guilty.

“Just because somebody said something happened does not make it true,” Crull said.

Assistant Ogle County State’s Attorney Heather Kruse told jurors to consider the alleged victim’s testimony as evidence.

“There were a complicated set of emotions. That doesn’t mean she was lying. She’s a human being,” Kruse said. “She came in here and told you what happened.”

Under cross examination by Arnquist, the alleged victim said she did not try to call out to her mother or tell her about the incident until 2020.

“You didn’t scream out ‘Stop, he’s touching me?’ ” Arnquist asked. “No,” she replied.

Arnquist questioned why as an adult she invited him to a Christmas celebration and went on a vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin with him.

He also pointed out social media posts the alleged victim posted in 2019, which included the statement, “You are the best example of a great man. I thank God you crossed paths with me.”

Arnquist asked: “And you tagged Jody Willis?”

The alleged victim replied, “Yeah.”

Arnquist then began a line of questioning where he accused the alleged victim of fabricating the allegations against Willis, which she denied.

The girl’s mother also testified and said she had never played the game with her daughter that Willis was accused of initiating.

Ogle County Lt. Brian Ketter testified he interviewed Willis after the mother contacted the sheriff’s department and made the allegations.

The jury heard a 17-minute video of that interview with some portions redacted through pretrial rulings by Judge John “Ben” Roe. In his closing argument, Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten characterized the alleged victim as a “vulnerable girl” who was taken advantage of by someone she trusted.

He said there was no DNA or other physical evidence in the case, but asked jurors to find Willis guilty.

Crull said Willis always had vehemently denied the allegations.

“He denied it every single time because he did not do this,” Crull said.

Jurors began deliberations at 3:50 p.m. and notified Roe, who presided over the trial at the Ogle County Judicial Center, at 4:40 p.m. that they had reached their decision.

As the court clerk read the not guilty verdicts, members of Willis’ family who had been present throughout the trial, wept and hugged one another. Willis put his head in his hands and wept.

The alleged victim and her family were not in the courtroom when the verdicts were read.

Crull issued a statement after the verdict.

“We at Tess, Crull and Arnquist [law firm] pride ourselves in representing people like Jody Willis in cases just like this. These cases are exceptionally difficult due to the media and social media they receive.

We thank the jury for considering all the evidence and delivering a just verdict.”

“Mr. Willis waited a long time for his day in court and his name has been exonerated,” Crull said.

Forreston man appears in court on sexual assault charges

By EARLEEN HINTON

ehinton@shawmedia.com OREGON – A Forreston man has pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault of a teenage girl in January 2023.

Andrew Marshall, 22, is charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident with a 16-year-old on Jan. 7, 2023. All three offenses are felonies.

Marshall pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared in Ogle County Circuit Court on Monday with

his attorney, Brendan Caver of Rockford. He appeared in court again Tuesday for a detention hearing in front of Judge Clayton Lindsey to determine whether he should be released from custody as his case proceeds through the court system.

Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Voss argued that Marshall is charged with a “detainable” offense and should remain in jail.

“We are asking that the defendant be detained,” she said. “There is a real and present threat to the victim and the community. We believe there are no conditions that can mitigate that threat.”

Caver disagreed, arguing that despite the seriousness of the charges, conditions could be set by the court if Marshall were released from the Ogle County Correctional Center.

“No-contact orders would be sufficient,” Caver said claiming that the alleged offense happened at a party with friends where alcohol was involved. “There is not a stranger involved. There is not a risk of a random act. We believe he can be released while protecting the public.”

Caver also said Marshall is employed and has no criminal history.

Lindsey said Marshall had “very

little criminal history” – only two traffic offenses – before the current charges were filed Jan. 17.

“Mr. Marshall, up until this point, was a law-abiding citizen,” Lindsey said before setting conditions for his release. “There is nothing in his bond report [to indicate] that the community is at risk.”

Lindsey said Marshall could not have any contact with the alleged victim “whatsoever” and ordered him to wear a Global Positioning System monitoring device when released.

Marshall’s next court date is at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 for a status hearing.

OCEDC gets $100K of support from Ogle County ARPA funds 7 OREGON – A consolidated effort to promote the development, establishment and expansion of industries in Ogle County got some financial support from the county government Jan. 16.

Ogle County Board members unanimously voted to allocate $100,000 of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Ogle County Economic Development Corp.

The OCEDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private-public partnership that works to “coordinate economic development policies, programs and services for Ogle County, its communities, employers and residents,” according to the organization’s page on OgleCountyIL.gov.

Before the vote, OCEDC board Vice President Darin DeHaan spoke about the organization’s request for funds.

“There have been multiple efforts to try and create a cohesive countywide economic development entity that can kind of be a clearinghouse and a leader for economic development throughout the county,” said DeHaan, who also is Oregon’s city manager.

Since 2017, representatives of various Ogle County communities, utility

Alexa Zoellner

Ogle County Economic Development Corp. officers and others pose for a photo outside the Old Ogle County Courthouse on Aug. 17, 2023. Front row (from left) are ComEd Economic and Business Development Team member Karen Halstead, Comcast Government and Community Affairs manager Joan Sage, Ogle County Board Vice Chairwoman Patricia Nordman, OCEDC Secretary and Mt. Morris EDC Executive Director Paula Diehl, Polo City Clerk Sydney Bartelt, Stillman Valley Village President Marty Typer and ComEd External Affairs manager Nicolas Escobar. Back row (from left) are OCEDC Treasurer and Byron Mayor John Rickard, OCEDC President and Polo City Councilman Randy Schoon, OCEDC Vice President and Oregon City Manager Darin DeHaan, OCEDC economic development consultant Chris Manheim, Oregon Mayor Ken Williams and Ogle County Board Chairman John Finfrock. companies and state and regional economic agencies have worked on and off to create what became the OCEDC, according to the OCEDC’s business

plan published in September 2023.

The OCEDC’s articles of incorporation were filed with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office on April 21, 2023,

and the Internal Revenue Service granted it 501(c)(3) nonprofit status effective the same date.

“What we’re asking for is your ultimate financial commitment, and your commitment as elected officials, to start driving Ogle County forward with economic development,” DeHaan told Ogle County Board members.

Oregon, Polo, Mount Morris and Byron all have committed to providing at least two years of financial support to the OCEDC. Its board of directors includes President Randy Schoon of Polo, DeHaan, Secretary Paula Diehl of Mount Morris, Treasurer John Rickard of Byron, Ogle County Board Chairman John Finfrock, Ogle County Board Vice Chairwoman Patricia Nordman and Karen Halstead of ComEd. The OCEDC is in the process of finalizing a contract with an executive director, whom DeHaan declined to name. However, he said, “He was in the top 50 economic development developers.”

“We’re seeing cohesiveness and cooperation,” DeHaan said. “We’ve kind of torn down the barriers [between communities], those borders that seemed to exist in the past, and are all working together.”

All Serta Perfect Sleeper Mattresses are On Sale Serta Perfect Sleeper Cape May™ Comfort Level

Serta Perfect Sleeper Renewed Night™ Comfort Level

Serta Perfect Sleeper Luna Vista™ Extra Firm

Serta Perfect Sleeper Meadowbrook™ Firm

$649.95

$999.95

$799.95

$499.95

Queen Mattress

Queen Mattress

Queen Mattress

Queen Mattress

The enhanced, all-new Perfect Sleeper features Serta’s exclusive HexCloud™ Gel Memory foam which delivers cool, contouring pressure relief for oh-so-relaxing sleep.

Select Serta Mattress are on Clearance while Supplies Last All Bedroom Furniture is On Sale during the Serta Sale 20 E. Stephenson St., Downtown Freeport 815-235-4911 ritewayfreeport.com Mon - Fri 9 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 4 pm Northwest IL Largest Furniture, Mattress & Appliance Dealer

SM-ST2135568

FINANCING Ask about the Short & Long AVAILABLE Financing Opportunities.

Mattress, Furniture, and Appliances

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

By ALEXA ZOELLNER

azoellner@shawmedia.com

MOUNT MORRIS

8

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

Art classes to be held at Old Sandstone Gallery SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

Shaw Local News Network file photo

Items for sale are displayed during the 2023 February Finds Antiques and Collectible Market. This year’s event is Feb. 3 at the Mt. Morris Moose Lodge.

Antiques, collectibles coming to Mount Morris on Feb. 3 SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

MOUNT MORRIS – The annual February Finds Antiques and Collectible Market will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Mount Morris Moose Lodge 1551 Family Center, 485 E. Hitt St. Admission is $3 a person. Children younger than 12 get in free.

More than 20 dealers will feature vintage items, retro decor, primitives, glassware, pottery, artwork,

old toys, local advertising, furniture, baseball cards, fishing lures, linens, jewelry, military items, vintage political, local maple syrup and more.

Bobbi’s Country Catering will have baked goods for sale.

The Mount Morris Moose Lodge will have food and drinks available to buy through the day.

“Plan on an enjoyable day browsing the booths full of unique things and finding a special treasure,” said Edit White, an event organizer.

Tri-County Opportunities Council offering 2024 scholarships Twelve scholarships will be awarded by Tri-County Opportunities Council to income-eligible students residing in the agency’s service area.

The scholarships are worth up to $1,250 and have been made available by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development through its Community Services Block Grant funds.

To be eligible for the scholarship competition: • The applicant must be a member of an income-eligible household.

• The applicants must attend an Illinois-accredited post-secondary

educational institution of higher learning during the fall of 2024.

• Applicants must be a resident of Bureau, Carroll, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark or Whiteside counties.

Students must be considered fulltime (minimum of 12 semester hours) to qualify for the full $1,250 scholarship. Part-time students will be considered in the competition. Scholarship awards will be pro-rated if a part-time student is selected as a winner.

Application deadline is March 15.

For more information and application forms, call the office at 800-3235434, ext. 710, or visit tcochelps.org.

MOUNT MORRIS – Learning to create original art for your own use and enjoyment or to give as gifts to those you care about is a joy. Think of the friends you will meet while learning new skills.

Encore! Mt. Morris and Highland Community College are collaborating to host six art classes between March 6 and April 18.

Classes, which will be held in the Old Sandstone Gallery at 122 S. Wesley Ave., Mount Morris, are: • Macrame (Spring Gnome Garland), 6 to 8 p.m. March 6 • Essential Skills for Basic Wood Carving, 6 to 8 p.m. March 11 and 18 • Mastering Smartphone Photography, 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 14 and 21 • Extreme Beginner Drawing with Pencil, 6 to 8 p.m. April 8 and 15 • The Art of Drawing with Colored Pencils, 6 to 8 p.m. April 11 and 18 • Introduction to Watercolor Paint-

ing, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 13 All supplies are included in the course fees.

For course details (descriptions, fees, instructors, photos of projects) and to register for one or more of the classes, go to EncoreMtMorris.com and click on “Spring 2024 Art Classes.”

Clicking on the title or photo of the class that interests you will take you to the Highland Community College’s Lifelong Learning page to register.

Contact Molly Baker at mollyb@ encoremtmorris.com with questions.

Encore! Mt. Morris is composed of volunteers committed to developing the village into a unique, thriving rural and cultural arts destination in northwest Illinois.

OBITUARY LARRY WILSON

industrious work schedule, Larry made time for hobbies like meeting friends for coffee, Born: October 17, 1945 game night with his family, fishing, dog ownDied: January 16, 2024 ership, riding motor scooters, and watching car races.

Larry Wilson, 78, of Larry was a Christian for most of his life Mt. Morris, IL, passed but became much more serious about living away on January 16, 2024, at his home with consistently with his faith as he approached middle-age. He was a long-time member of his wife and son by his side, after a 2-year the Mt. Morris Evangelical Free Church and served for several years as the deacon of battle with cancer. facilities there.

Larry was born on Larry was preceded in death by his father, October 17, 1945, in Martin, TN, to Irgy T and Effie Pocahontas Carmichael. After attending his mother, and his four sisters: Joyce, Melba, Carolyn Oleta, and Wanda Bell. He is survived Martin High School in 1960, he worked in by his children, Kenneth Hollister, and Kevin construction and various other endeavors.

(Megan) Regal); stepchildren, John (Teresa) In 1967, he married Janice Yvonne Riggs of Lantz, Jeff (Sue) Lantz, Janette (Mark) Wolfe, Parsons, TN, with whom he had two sons, Randy (Sue) Long; ten grandchildren; and ten Kenneth, and Kevin. great-grandchildren.

Larry lived and worked in various places including Havre de Grace, MD and Waukegan, A visitation will be held at 10:00am on January 27, 2024, at Mt. Morris Evangelical Free IL before settling permanently in Mt. Morris Church with a memorial service at 11:00am. in 1973. In 1977 he married Joyce Long, also The church is located at 102 South Seminary of Mt. Morris. Larry worked tirelessly in his Avenue, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. Mr. Wilson’s trucking and rental property businesses, in which he maintained and repaired all his own family requests that donations be made to Serenity Hospice in Oregon, IL. trucks and rental properties. Even with his

Please Recycle Your Newspaper

9

Photos by Earleen Hinton

TOP LEFT: Forreston’s Noah Genandt reaches for a loose ball against Oregon on Jan. 20 at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon. TOP RIGHT: Oregon’s Cooper Johnson passes the ball during a Jan. 20 game against Forreston at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon. Oregon won 66-44. ABOVE: Polo’s Gus Mumford drives on Scales Mound’s Evan Cogan during a Jan. 20 game at Polo High School. The Marcos fell 64-61 in overtime. LEFT: Polo coach Matt Messer (right) and Gage Zeigler (3) and Bill Lowry (12) react after a 3-pointer during a game against Scales Mound. MIDDLE LEFT: Polo’s Gus Mumford battles for a loose ball with Scales Mound’s Kaden Duerr (12) and Evan Cogan.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

Around the courts

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

10 Basketball, bowling take center stage; Dixon ends Lutheran’s streak It was a good week to be a Dixon Duke, Polo basketball coach Matt Messer and bowler Trevor Anifer of Lemont.

Not only did the Dixon boys basketball team beat Rockford Lutheran 56-51 to end the Crusaders’ 43-game conference winning streak, but the Dixon boys bowling team advanced to state for the first time in school history.

The Dixon bowlers were way down in the standings at the Rockford Jefferson Sectional but came alive in the final game to sneak into the state tournament as the fifthplace sectional qualifier.

Though it did not advance out of the regional, the Oregon bowling team had an excellent season. Its regional was as tough as it gets as evidenced by the results from the sectional.

Six sectional teams moved on to the state tournament and all four (Harlem, Dakota, Dixon, Hononegah) from the regional that Oregon was in made it.

With Rockford Christian and Byron also fast on the heels of Lutheran, it was very likely that Lutheran’s four-year BNC basketball winning streak would come to

GUEST VIEW Andy Colbert

end this season. Dixon got the job done.

For the Byron boys, this past week and into next week will be the real tale of the regular season with games against Freeport, Pecatonica, Lutheran, Dixon and Rockford Christian. I would like to give you an update, but press deadlines prevent it.

Compared with instant social media, that’s one hang-up with oldschool newspaper printing. Oh, well, the world is too fast-paced anyway.

I got a chance to see Byron play Oregon at the Blackhawk Center and it was evident that Byron was a bit rusty after not playing three scheduled games because of the weather. Once the Tigers got it going in the third quarter, it was all over for the Hawks.

In talking with Oregon coach Jarrett Reynolds afterward, his philosophy is progression over perfection.

With a youthful roster, that’s all you

Liberty Village is dedicated to Elegant Retirement Apartments • Month to Month Rental • No Endowment Fees • All Utilities Except Telephone • Weekly Housekeeping • Buffet Dining

LIBERTY ESTATES Alzheimer/Dementia Unit

• Safety, Security & Dignity • Nutritional Management • Activity Based Program • Individualized Stimulating Activities • Individual Staff, trained and experienced Management • Respite and Hospice Care Now Accepting Residents

GARDEN COURT Nursing Center • Skilled Nursing • Rehabilitation of the Older Adult • Geriatric Nutritional Management • Respite and Hospice Care

Pick Your Site Today!

MANOR COURT

can do, or as he says, “paving the way” into the future.

Congratulations to Polo coach Matt Messer for his 300th career win. The milestone came against rival Forreston and a couple of days later the Marcos almost upset stateranked Scales Mound. Of any coach around, Messer gets the most of out the talent he has.

Another thing that stands out over the years is the large turnout he gets as it must be desirable to be on the Marcos team. With declining numbers in so many boys and girls programs that isn’t always the case.

In terms of measurable data, did you know that he has coached more consecutive 20-win seasons than any other coach around? From 2012 to 2019, Polo had 20 or more wins, a feat that no school from the NUIC, NIC-10 or BNC has accomplished.

And who is Trevor Anifor?

I don’t know him personally, but in reviewing IHSA sectional bowling results, Anifor capped the weekend’s best six-game series of 1,527 with a 300 in his final game.

It was sweet redemption after finishing 10th in the state two years ago and then entering last year’s sectional with the top regional score

(1,458) in the state only to bomb out at the sectional and miss a trip to state where he would have contended for a title.

Bowling is probably a bit like golf in that if you get out of the groove it can be hard to regain one’s mental and physical wherewithal.

While at the Byron-Oregon basketball game, I was in my 1970s groove listening to some of the songs pumped out by the Hawks pep band.

Credit to song selector Andy Eckardt for taking me back to my high school days.

The only thing missing from the playlist was the Budweiser theme song, but that’s probably politically incorrect nowadays. I doubt if anyone from my age group became smokers from listening to pep bands play it back then.

A little-known fact: Back then, some schools had smoking lounges for their students. Eventually, they were all phased out in favor of a healthier environment.

• Andy Colbert, an avid runner, has been a sports writer for Shaw Media and has covered high school sports in Ogle County for more than 31 years.

Simply the Finest Liberty Village

in retirement lifestyles.

Liberty Village offers a neighborhood village concept and strives for the highest of quality throughout the campus.

of Freeport

Assisted Living Center • Spacious Suites • Privacy and Independence • Weekly Housekeeping • Restaurant Style Dining • Recreation & Social Events

HAWTHORNE INN Single Family Villas or Duplex Villas • 2 Bedroom/2 Bath • Now Available for Purchase • Ground Maintenance • Call System • Beautiful Setting

LIBERTY VILLAS

Call 297-9902

For more information 2170 NAVAJO DRIVE FREEPORT, IL 61032

www.LibertyVillageofFreeport.com

WRESTLING

Oregon grapplers defeat Rock Falls, fall to Dixon

Hawks wrestlers finish 6th at LeRoy tournament

For Shaw Media

OREGON – The Oregon wrestlers hosted BNC foes Rock Falls and Dixon on Jan. 18 at the Blackhawk Center and notched one victory. The Hawks jumped out to a 30-0 lead on the Rockets and held on for a 42-31 win.

The Dukes were much tougher, especially in the middle weights.

Oregon got some wins early, but Dixon scored three pins, a major decision and a decision and technical fall down the stretch to defeat the Hawks 48-21.

Against the Rockets, Jackson Glendenning worked a cradle in 28 seconds and Andrew Young found a scrape at 3:01. Quentin Berry and Landen Elder took forfeits at 190 and 215 and Briggs Sellers hit a drive to the back at the second-period buzzer in the 285-pound match. Oregon led 30-0.

The Hawks had to forfeit 106 and Nelson Benesh got a free pass at 113.

At 120, Jackson Messenger got stacked to a pin at 5:00. Dylen Ware was taken down in a chicken wing in 35 seconds. At 132, Preston LaBay dropped a 12-4 major decision. At 138, Jayden Berry was turned in a chicken wing at 1:31 and suddenly the Hawks’ lead was cut to 30-28.

Jakob Moser found a half nelson at 1:51. At 150, Ethan Mowry ran out of time in a 7-6 loss. Up 36-31, Oregon needed to avoid a pin to preserve the team win. Anthony Bauer grabbed a cradle at 3:38 to secure the victory.

Wrestling against Dixon started at 190 and Quentin Berry held on for a

6-5 win. Elder was pinned in a cradle in 30 seconds. Seth Rote got the points back at heavyweight with a heel pick to the back at 1:25, but Oregon had to forfeit 106 and the Dukes retook the lead.

Benesh had a 5-2 win to tie the score at 12. Dixon took the lead again when Messenger was caught in a double chicken wing in 53 seconds.

At 126, LaBay lost the first takedown but came back for a 10-9 win. The Hawks then hit a dry spell.

Ware was turned in a chicken wing at 2:34. Jayden Berry was reversed into a headlock at 1:21.

Mowry gave up a 12-3 major decision loss.

Bauer reversed in a cradle at 2:47 to add six for Oregon and earn his 100th varsity win. At 175, Glendenning lost a counter midway through the third to take a tough 3-0 loss.

That made the score 43-21 in favor of Dixon. Young lost four sets of backpoints in a 15-0 technical fall loss at 3:39 to complete the meet.

JV winners against Rock Falls were Landon Batton-Harriett with a chicken wing at 3:59 and Leyton Kenney with a high half nelson at 3:33.

Landon Ege lost 5-1. Miles Olsen dropped a 6-2 decision and Maxx George was pinned in a half nelson at 1:22.

George scraped for a pin at 1:40 against Dixon. Ege hit a headlock at 1:27. Kenney hooked up a half nelson at 1:41.

Zayden VandeSand was turned in a half nelson at 2:58. Jack Tinsman took a 20-10 major decision loss.

Jakob Moser was pinned in a half nelson at 4:58.

By RANDY HOLLAND For Shaw Media

LEROY – Ten Oregon wrestlers made the two-plus-hour trip to LeRoy to participate in the Randy Bowman Invitational Tournament on Jan. 20.

Eight reached the medal round, with six bringing home hardware.

Oregon finished sixth with 104 points, five points behind Shelbyville.

Oakwood-Salt Fork took the team title with 210.5 points. Princeton, LeRoy and Auburn were clustered around 160 points, so the Hawks were well off the pace.

Oregon was led by freshman Nelson Benesh, who placed second at 113 pounds.

Benesh started with a bye and then took his first opponent down in a cradle in 13 seconds and scored a takedown to the back at 4:37 to advance to the title match. In the championship match, Benesh met undefeated and second-ranked Hunter Robbins of Illini Bluffs. Benesh gave Robbins a

match but lost 11-7.

Finishing third for Oregon were Anthony Bauer at 157 and Quentin Berry at 190.

Bauer was able to hang on for a 6-4 win in his first match. In the semifinal, eventual champion Bryson Capansky of Oakwood was tough on his feet and scored five takedowns, holding off a late surge by Bauer to win 14-11. Bauer won the third-place match 13-6.

Berry pinned with an arm bar at 1:37 in his first match. In the quarterfinal, Berry sealed a 14-10 win with a reverse to the back as time expired.

In the semifinal, Berry was turned in a chicken wing at 5:07. In the thirdplace match, Berry withstood a late escape to hold on for a 6-3 win.

Preston LaBay finished fourth at 126 pounds. He scraped for a pin in 50 seconds and again at 3:40 in his second match. In the semifinals, LaBay was taken to his back in a high crotch and pinned at 2:53.

See WRESTLING, page 15

WE SPECIALIZE IN PORTABLE STRUCTURES!

STOP & SEE OUR DISPLAY MODELS Large or Small, You Name It, We Design It, We Build It...YOU LIKE IT! CALL FOR A FREE LITERATURE PACKAGE

SM-ST2132977

By RANDY HOLLAND

779-861-3542 ROCKYR@IBYFAX.COM

3500 S. CHANA RD., CHANA, IL 61015

11 OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

WRESTLING

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

12 HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ROUNDUP Boys bowling

Mumford with 14 points and Carter Merdian with 12 points.

Forreston was led by Kendall Erdmann with 21 points and Mickey Probst with eight points.

Oregon 77, Harvard 42: Benny Olalde hit seven 3-pointers during a 26-point game as the Hawks dominated the Hornets.

Olalde scored 17 points in the second quarter.

Jameson Caposey scored 12 points and Noah Johnson had 10 for Oregon.

Polo 78, Orangeville 62: Five Marcos scored in double figures to fuel a nonconference win over the Broncos.

Polo was led by Brock Soltow with 19 points, Carter Merdian with 18 points, Nolan Hahn and Gus Mumford with 13 points each and Noah Dewey with 10 points.

Scales Mound 64, Polo 61 (OT): The Marcos almost upset state-ranked Scales Mound at home on Jan. 20.

Gus Mumford led Polo with 25 points, followed by Brock Soltow with 12, Nolan Hahn with 11 and Carter Merdian with 10.

Derrick Distler and Thomas Hereau each had 22 points for Scales Mound.

Oregon’s season ends: T h e

Hawks boys bowling team ended its season at the IHSA regional Jan. 17 in Freeport. On a day that started with a lane breakdown after one frame, the Hawks never found a groove and ended in ninth place.

Oregon was led by Matthew Stahl with an 1,167 series (184, 213, 220, 172, 207, 171), who missed advancing to the sectional by two pins.

Also making a run at advancing to the sectional was Gavvin Surmo with an 1,134 series, including a 246 in game five. He fell 35 pins short of reaching the sectional.

Other bowlers for Oregon were Codey Dunbar with a 1,033 series, Brady Davis with a 1,029 series, Aiden Currier with a 369 series (two games), RJ Keen with a 304 series, Caleb Brooks with a 177 game and Caleb Ehrler with a 137 game.

Boys basketball

Polo 60, Forreston 46: The Marcos outscored the Cardinals 36-21 in the second half to secure an NUIC South win. Polo was led by Brock Soltow with 24 points, Gus

Earleen Hinton

See ROUNDUP, page 14

Polo’s Nolan Hahn looks to shoot against Scales Mound’s Max Wienen during a Jan. 20 game.

TRACTOR & PLANTER INSPECTIONS

Planters & Corn Meters Utility $349 IMPLEMENT SIGN UP BY SIGN UP AFTER 20-60 Series 2 W Row JANUARY 31ST FEBRUARY 1ST Meters Only $45/Row $60/Row Crop $399 Row Unit Only $25/Row $40/Row Meters & Row Only $69/Row $99/Row 50/60 MFWD thru 8R $449 *Parts not included in the above pricing 4WD’s $549 NO REPAIRS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL BUY 2 AG INSPECTIONS, GET THE 3RD ONE FREE! MUST SIGN UP BY 1/31/24 All 3 inspections must be completed by Sloans ADDITIONAL SERVICE SPECIALS: • Forage & Hay • Planters & Corn Meters • Sprayers • New Leader Bed Services • Skid Steer Loaders BULK OIL PROGRAM: LOWER cost, FREE delivery, PICKUP of used oil. Genuine John Deere oil & Convenience for you.

Call us for details & pricing.

BULK DEF is now available

Payment Options*

JD Financial, No Payments No Interest until 11/15/24 OR 2% Cash Discount on Parts & Labor

YOUR ALWAYS HERE BANK Community means neighbors helping neighbors, and that's exactly what we want your experience with us to feel like.

Let us help you find the checking account that best supports your needs and we’ll include these FREE services.

Personal Checking Accounts BENEFITS: • FREE Debit Card • FREE Bill Pay • FREE Notifi Account Alerts • FREE Online Banking • FREE Mobile Banking • FREE First Box of Checks • FREE Mobile Deposits

MUST SIGN UP BY 1/31/24 TO QUALIFY FOR DISCOUNT OPTIONS * For repairs > $1,000 ** For JDF Preferred Accounts

Call Dan for details concerning all of the service specials 26208 U.S. Hwy 52 • Lanark, IL 61046 (815) 493-2191 or Toll Free (800) 344-8023

www.sloans.com

Like us on Facebook

Member FDIC

1 W. Hitt Street Mt. Morris, IL 61054

Phone Number: 815.734.4116 www.unionsavingsbank.com

GIRLS BASKETBALL: MORRISON 46, OREGON 16

Fillies leverage height advantage by feeding post early and often

By DAN WUSSOW

dwussow@shawmedia.com OREGON – Working the ball inside.

That was a big point of emphasis for Morrison in a 46-16 win over Oregon on Jan. 17 at the Blackhawk Center.

Going into the game, the Fillies knew they had a clear height advantage and with that knowledge, they immediately worked to leverage it.

Camryn Veltrop, a 6-foot-2 junior, scored 10 of her game-high 28 points in the first quarter as Morrison (16-8) took a 17-4 lead. All 10 of the points came on post layups as senior guard Emery Brewer and junior guard Kaylee Pruis kept the lob passes coming and Veltrop kept scoring.

“It’s definitely a big help, especially when my team is so good at getting passes in,” Veltrop said about her height advantage. “And [my teammates] really help. I wouldn’t be able to get the ball without them. The height helps a lot, but they’re a big part of it.”

Oregon (4-17) got some momentum going in the first 1:30 of the game with back-to-back baskets from sophomore guard Sarah Eckardt and sophomore guard-forward Aniyah Sarver.

Eckardt answered a Veltrop layup in the first eight seconds with a shortrange jumper with 6:30 on the clock and drew a foul on the shot. After the free-throw attempt rimmed out, Sarver scooped up the rebound and put it back in for a 4-2 Oregon lead.

The advantage didn’t last long.

Morrison senior Sarah Weston and Veltrop sparked a 15-0 run with consecutive baskets less than a minute later.

That surge stretched the Fillies’ lead to 17-4 at the end of the first quarter.

“The size is definitely an advantage for them, something that we did struggle with, but for the most part we did what we could on defense,” Oregon coach Olyvia Donahue said. “And on offense, our shots just weren’t falling. I think we were running our offense well, but tonight just wasn’t our night for shots.”

Oregon junior guard-forward Alease McLain nailed a left-wing 3 only 11 seconds into the second quarter, drawing the Hawks to within 17-7, but the Fillies had an answer for everything.

Pruis hit a right-wing 3 just 24 seconds later and an 11-0 Morrison run ensued. Veltrop scored three straight post layups and Weston hit another as

Photos by Alex T. Paschal

Oregon’s Mya Engelkes and Morrison’s Emery Brewer dive for a loose ball Jan. 17 at Oregon High School.

Oregon’s Sarah Eckhardt is defended by Morrison’s Avery White. the lead ballooned to 28-7 with just over two minutes left.

“I think that we passed the ball a lot, which is really helpful in getting people open,” Pruis said about keys to establishing the first-half lead. “We do

kind of a 2-3 and I feel like it helps a lot because they are outside shooters.

They don’t really get layups, either, because there’s three people in there, so I feel like that’s helpful, too.”

The Hawks got to within 28-11 by

halftime with a mid-range jumper by junior guard Ava Carreno and a shortrange jumper from Eckardt, but the Fillies kept the pressure on in the third and extended their lead with an 11-4 run.

Veltrop scored six more points on a pair of free throws, a post layup and a putback, and senior Jordan Eads drilled a right-corner 3 followed by a short-range jumper for a 39-15 lead at the end of three quarters.

“We really wanted to come in and not play down to their level because we are a strong team, but we struggle with playing down to team’s level, so we just came out very tough,” Veltrop said. “I think [we limited them by] playing aggressive and our defense has improved a lot throughout the season. We found a new defense and we were just really aggressive.”

Veltrop finished with game highs of 28 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks, and Pruis and Eads chipped in six points each. Pruis had three rebounds, three assists and three steals and Eads had four rebounds and two steals. Brewer dished seven assists and grabbed three steals and freshman Avery White added seven rebounds off the bench.

Eckardt, McLain and Sarver led Oregon with four points each. Sarver grabbed five rebounds and Eckardt added four.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

Camryn Veltrop’s 28 points power Morrison

13

14 • ROUNDUP

Byron 67, Oregon 42: The Tigers downed the Hawks in a Jan. 19 Big Northern Conference game at the Blackhawk Center. Kade Girton led Oregon with 12 points, followed by Jameson Caposey and Noah Johnson with 11 points each. Byron was led by Cason Newton with 22 points and Jack Hiveley with 17.

Oregon 66, Forreston 44: The Hawks and Cardinals met Jan. 20 at the Blackhawk Center with Oregon taking the win. Kade Girton led Oregon with 16 points, followed by Jameson Caposey with 15 and Noah Johnson with 10.

Girls basketball

Amboy 42, Polo 30: At Polo, the Clippers downed the Lady Marcos with a balanced offensive attack.

Amboy was led by Maeve Larson with 12 points. Tyrah Vaessen and Addison Pertell added eight points each.

Polo was led by Carlee Grobe with 11 points and Madison Glawe with nine points.

Forreston 47, Milledgeville 21: At Forreston, the Cardinals built a 30-17 halftime lead and rolled past the Missiles.

Forreston was led by Jenna Greenfield with 16 points and Keeli Larson with seven points.

Earleen Hinton

Forreston’s Jakob Kobler looks to the basket as Oregon’s Daniel Gonzalez defends Jan. 20 at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon.

Now Available

11/6/2023 9:16:40 AM

To request your FREE copy, simply call us at (815) 632-2566 or email your requests and address to: knull@saukvalley.com 1699283795-prtlq.indd 1

SM-ST2063189

SM-ST2125258

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

Continued from page 12

OGLE COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTS Jan. 16

Jacob Goodall, 33, of Machesney Park, was cited for driving while license suspended, no insurance and expired registration after deputies responded to a truck in the ditch at Penn Corner and Ridge roads about 7:30 a.m. Goodall was given a notice to appear and released from the scene.

Kristopher Lowery, 29, of Rochelle, was arrested for an outstanding Ogle County no-bond warrant for suspended registration about 2:10 p.m. Lowery was taken to the Ogle County jail and held pending a court appearance.

Trei Sanders, 29, of Mount Morris, was arrested for an outstanding Ogle County no-bond warrant for aggravated driving while under the influence about 2:14 p.m.

Jan. 17

Christopher Palmer, 60, of Rockford, was arrested at the Ogle County Courthouse about 8:45 a.m. for an outstanding failure to appear warrant for aggravated driving while under the influence. Palmer was unable to post bond and appeared in court Jan. 17.

Jan. 20

Michael Geary, 30, of Polo, was arrested for aggravated driving while under the influence of alcohol and driving while under the influence of alcohol after deputies responded to a car in a ditch at Eagle Point and Wilson Mill roads about 5:08 a.m. Geary also was cited for no valid license, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, disobeying a stop sign and improper lane use. Geary was taken to the Ogle County jail. He later was released on a notice to appear and given a future court date.

Blake Cohoon, 39, of Stillman Valley, was arrested for domestic battery and possession of a controlled substance/ Schedule II pill (Class 4 felony). About 10:51 a.m., deputies responded to the 5400 block of Beltline Road in Rockford to meet with two subjects involved in a domestic battery that had occurred earlier in the day at a residence in the 10000 block of east Illinois Route 72. Cohoon was taken to the Ogle County jail and held pending a court appearance.

taken to KSB Hospital for injuries. She was released on a notice to appear.

Madisyn E. Bradford, 22, of Cordova, Tennessee, was arrested for driving on a suspended license after a traffic stop in the 300 block of West Third Street in Leaf River about 10:37 p.m. Bradford also was cited for improper lane use, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and operating a vehicle with suspended registration. Bradford was released from the scene on a notice to appear.

Jan. 21

Jan. 22

Anna Bender, 29, of Polo, was arrested for driving while under the influence.

About 3 a.m., deputies responded to a driving complaint in the area of South Lowell Park and West Pines roads. After searching the area, deputies found Bender in the driver’s seat of a 2017 silver Chevrolet Traverse in the 7000 block of West Pines Road. Bender was

Omar Munoz Perez, 34, of Rockford, turned himself in on an outstanding failure to appear warrant about 9:28 a.m.

Munoz Perez appeared in court, posted bond and was released.

Charges are accusations and all subjects are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court of law.

MT. MORRIS POLICE Mt. Morris Police Chief Michael Cicchetti reports the following police activity.

Jan. 2

Amy A. Demilio, 47, of Mt. Morris, was arrested at 3:05 a.m. in the 300 block of East Hitt Street on an Ogle County warrant for traffic offenses. Demilio also was cited for operating a vehicle with a suspended registration. Demilio was transported to the Ogle County jail.

Jan. 5

Kristopher M. Mockovak, 22, of Mt. Morris, was arrested at 6:56 p.m. in the 10 block of North Wesley on a Rockford Police Department warrant for retail theft. Mockovak was transported to the Ogle County jail.

• WRESTLING

Continued from page 11 In the medal match, he tried to stand and reverse but went to his back and was pinned at 5:17.

Landon Ege at 113 and Landen Elder at 215 finished fifth.

Ege lost an 11-3 major decision in the semifinals. He got byes all the way to the fifth-place match, where he hit a high crotch takedown and worked into a half nelson in 41 seconds to take the medal.

Elder hooked up a power half in 50 seconds in his opener. In the quarterfinals, Elder missed on two throws and dropped a 13-5 major decision. In the lower bracket, Elder pinned his way to fifth place with a counter to the back in

Jan. 6

At 12:05 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop in the 10 block of North McKendrie Avenue for a traffic violation. After an investigation, the driver, Joshua D. Eckhardt, was arrested for violation of an order of protection. The petitioner on the order of protection was a passenger in the vehicle. Eckhardt was transported to the Ogle County jail.

Jay R. Bonnette, 33, of Mt. Morris, was arrested at 11:50 a.m. on a Lee County warrant for contempt of court. Bonnette was transported to the Ogle County jail.

Jan. 7

Juan Martin Cervantes, 24, of Oregon, was arrested at 7:15 p.m. for no valid driver’s license after a traffic stop in the 100 block of North McKendrie Avenue.

51 seconds, a half nelson at 3:06 and a reverse to the back at 3:10.

Jackson Messenger at 120 and Jackson Glendenning at 165 both reached the fifth-place match and finished sixth.

Messenger was pinned in his opener and pinned his way to the fifthplace match where he was turned with a butcher in 52 seconds. Glendenning pinned with a cradle at 1:09 and was pinned in a butcher at 1:50 in the second round. In the consolation bracket, he won by forfeit, ran a chicken wing at 2:51 and was pinned at 5:45 in the medal match.

Andrew Young wrestled at 175 and Briggs Sellers at 285. Both had a pin and both missed on throw attempts in the consolation semifinals to finish out of the medal mix.

Cervantes was transported to the Ogle County jail where he was given a notice to appear.

Jan. 10

At 4:40 p.m., police were dispatched to the area of the 100 block of East Illinois Route 64 for the report of a subject who was trespassing. Officers found Carl D. Pitt, 82, of Mt. Morris, and arrested him for criminal trespass to property. Pitt was transported to the Ogle County jail where he was given a notice to appear.

At 7:15 p.m., police received a driving complaint near the 4000 block of West Illinois Route 64. Officers found the vehicle and observed the driver commit driving infractions. A traffic stop was conducted. After an investigation, the driver, Jordyn S. Arneson, 31, of Mt.

Morris, was arrested for driving while under the influence and endangering the life or health of a child. She also was cited for improper lane use. Arneson was transported to the Ogle County jail where she was given a notice to appear.

Jan. 21

At 7:35 p.m., police found a subject in the 10 block of West Center Street.

James Turner, 53, of Mt. Morris, was arrested on a Lee County warrant for failure to appear. Turner was transported to the Ogle County jail.

Fifteen snow ordinance violation citations were issued.

Charges are accusations and all subjects are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court of law.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle reports the following activity:

15

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

16

Electronics recycling offered Friday in Oregon The Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department is hosting a residential electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 26, at 909 Pines Road in Oregon.

The event is for Ogle County residents only and a free permit was required in advance.

Accepted items include TVs and computer monitors, computers, computer hardware and cables, laptops, tablets, cellphones, printers, FAX machines, scanners,

shredders (no tubs), copiers, video gaming equipment, VCRs, cable/ satellite boxes, stereo equipment, radios, digital clocks, cameras, calculators, phone systems, holiday light strands, extension cords, rechargeable batteries, printer ink cartridges, CD/DVDs and CFL bulbs.

Microwave ovens will be accepted for $5 per unit. Cash or check will be accepted.

There is a limit of seven large or bulky items per permit and one

permit per county household per month.

Business or institutional electronic materials are not accepted at these events. Those electronics are accepted by the OCSWMD via a separate program. Call 815-732-4020 for more information and pricing for business electronic recycling and to make an appointment for Earleen Hinton file photo dropping off materials to be recycled.

Volunteers stack TVs and other items during an electronFor more information about the ics recycling event conducted by the Ogle County Solid event, visit www.oglecountyil.gov. Waste Management Department in 2023.

PROPERTY TRANSFERS Jan. 12-18 Warranty deeds

Kathy Brogren, Joann Haefner, Terri Lynn Henderson and Steven, David, Brian and Mark Brooks to Edward C. Vock, two parcels in Pine Creek Township, $1,027,833.

Dennis E. and Noreen K. Sweetwood to Michael J. and Janet L. Greenfield, 105 E. Main St., Forreston, $80,000.

Randal W. Holder to Mitchell McGee and Madison Merdian, 6745 N. Smokey Lane, Stillman Valley, $287,900.

TLI Inc. to LKBL Properties LLC, 6 S. Seminary St., Mt. Morris, $65,000.

Annette L. Ellis to Robert F. and Mary C. Carsella, 113 Katies Way, Mt. Morris, $177,000.

Leonard J. Bryson to Benjamin R. and Heather J. Faivre, one parcel in Buffalo Township, Polo, $60,000.

Neil K. and Marianne Swanson to Guillermo and Sorayda Maciel, 5743 S. Skare Road, Rochelle, $263,000.

Quit claim deed

Julie A. Terhark to Michael K. Bacon,

7587 Northwest Road, Mt. Morris, $0.

Trustees deeds

David M. and Laurie F. Sherrick Trust, David M. and Laurie F. Sherrick trustees, to David G. and Linda S. Poole, six farmland parcels in Buffalo Township, $1,972,712.

David M. and Laurie F. Sherrick Trust, David M. and Laurie F. Sherrick trustees, to Keith and Deborah Poole, two parcels in Buffalo Township, $910,568.

Carsella Family Revocable Living Trust, Robert and Mary C. Carsella, trustees, to

Jake Cammin, 899 N. Etnyre Terrace, Oregon, $218,000.

William S. Foley Trust, Brian Magura, trustee, to Benjamin and Danny E. McKean, one parcel on state Route 64, Polo, $71,300.

Executors deed

The late Susan L. Mackay by executor to Gary S. and Sheri L. Guzzardo, 400 N. Sixth St., Oregon, $175,000.

Source: Ogle County Recorder’s Office

Wedding Expo 2024 SUNDAY, FEB. 4, 2024 12PM - 3PM Northland Mall • Sterling, IL Free Admission

Visit with vendors that specialize in planning YOUR perfect wedding!

Sponsored By:

CLASSIFIED 833-584-NEWS (6397)

BUSINESS PROPERTY

EMPLOYMENT

Building for lease: apx., 4200 sq. ft., laydown area apx 2 acres, (2) 12'x 14' OHD shop area & office.

815-535-3282

Sell your Arrowheads today!

I'm a local Artifact collector and I'm paying top dollar for Native American Artifacts of any kind.

Call or Text pictures for a free evaluation:

630-824-8902

ROCK FALLS EFFICIENCY -FurnishedUtilities incl. $175/wk.

815-626-8790

Say no more. Subscribe to the classifieds for a big bite of opportunity.

Jobs.ShawLocal.com

EMPLOYMENT

Addison Precision Products is Hiring!!

Rock Falls location is looking for Experienced Fabricators ( bending, rolling, welding ) Amboy location is looking for Experienced CNC Machinist / Setup.

Please contact Steve at steve@addisonprecision.com or call to setup an interview today 815-857-4466

WANT TO BUY

ARROWHEADS WANTED!!

classified@shawlocal.com

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 15TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY - OREGON, ILLINOIS U.S. Bank National Association PLAINTIFF Vs. Donna K. Pearse a/k/a Donna Pearse; et. al.

DEFENDANTS No. 2023FC42 NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE OF REAL ESTATE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 11/17/2023, the Sheriff of Ogle County, Illinois will on February 23, 2024 at the hour of 10:00 AM at Ogle County Public Safety Complex 202 S. 1st St. Oregon, IL 61061, or in a place otherwise designated at the time of sale, County of Ogle and State of Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described real estate: PIN 14-16-280-005 Improved with Residential COMMONLY KNOWN AS: 511 E Colden St Polo, IL 61064 Sale terms: 10% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the auction; The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in "AS IS" condition.

The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

If the property is a condominium and the foreclosure takes place after 1/1/2007, purchasers other than the mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4).

If the property is located in a common interest community, purchasers other than mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee's attorney.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after Confirmation of the sale. The successful purchaser has the sole responsibility/ expense of evicting any tenants or other individuals presently in possession of the subject premises.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and Plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information.

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information: Examine the court file or contact Plaintiff's attorney: Codilis & Associates, P.C., 15W030 North Frontage Road, Suite 100, Burr Ridge, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876. Please refer to file number 14-23-04092.

I3236039 January 12, 19, 26, 2024

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 15TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY - OREGON, ILLINOIS U.S. Bank National Association PLAINTIFF Vs. Donna K. Pearse a/k/a Donna Pearse; et. al.

DEFENDANTS No. 2023FC42 NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE OF REAL ESTATE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 11/17/2023, the Sheriff of Ogle County, Illinois will on February 23, 2024 at the hour of 10:00 AM at Ogle County Public Safety Complex 202 S. 1st St. Oregon, IL 61061, or in a place otherwise designated at the time of sale, County of Ogle and State of Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described real estate: THE LAND REFERRED TO HEREIN BELOW IS SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF OGLE, STATE OF ILLINOIS, AND IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: LOT THREE (3) IN SNOOK'S FIRST ADDITION TO THE CITY OF POLO, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN BOOK A OF PLATS, PAGE 291 AS DOCUMENT NO. 116226; SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF OGLE AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. PIN 14-16-280-005 Improved with Residential COMMONLY KNOWN AS: 511 E Colden St Polo, IL 61064 Sale terms: 10% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the auction; The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in "AS IS" condition.

The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

If the property is a condominium and the foreclosure takes place after 1/1/2007, purchasers other than the mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4).

If the property is located in a common interest community, purchasers other than mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee's attorney.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after Confirmation of the sale. The successful purchaser has the sole responsibility/ expense of evicting any tenants or other individuals presently in possession of the subject premises.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and Plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information.

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information: Examine the court file or contact Plaintiff's attorney: Codilis & Associates, P.C., 15W030 North Frontage Road, Suite 100, Burr Ridge, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876. Please refer to file number 14-23-04092.

I3236039 January 12, 19, 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

To place an ad

17

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

18

LEGAL NOTICES IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF Sandra A. Buddinger Deceased Case No. 2023PR000076 INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: [X] Creditors and Claimants [ ] Unknown Heirs and Legatees* 1. Notice is given of the death of Sandra A. Buddinger, who died on July 12, 2023 a resident of Rochelle, Illinois.

2. The Representative for the estate and his/her address is: Eugene E. Buddinger, 1221 Crest Lane, Rochelle, IL 61068.

3. The attorney for the estate and his/her address is: Richard L. Turner, Jr., Turner Law Group LLC, 107 W. Exchange St., Sycamore, IL 60178.

4. Claims against the estate may be filed on or before July 15, 2024.** Claims against the estate may be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, 106 S. 5th Street, Suite #300, Oregon, IL 61061, or with the Representative, or both. Any claim not filed within that period is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the Representative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed.*** 8. The estate will be administered without Court supervision unless an interested party terminates independent supervision administration by filing a petition to terminate under Section 28-4 of the Probate Act (755 ILCS 5/28-4).

January 12, 19, 26, 2024 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 15th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY ILLINOIS In the Matter of: THOMAS R. BROWN, Deceased.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 15th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT EGAL NOTICES LOGLE COUNTY ILLINOIS In the Matter of: THOMAS R. BROWN, Deceased.

No. 2023-PR-82 CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of THOMAS R. BROWN of Oregon, Illinois. Letters of Office were issued on January 3, 2024 to LORI J. BROWN, as Independent Executor attorneys whose are WILLIAMS McCARTHY LLP, 120 W. State St., P.O. Box 219, Rockford, IL 61105.

The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless under Section 28-4 of the Probate Act (755 ILCS 5/28-4) any interested person indeterminates pendent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the Clerk.

Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Court, Ogle County Courthouse, 106 S. 5th Street #300, Oregon, IL 61061 or with the representative, or both, on or before JULY 12, 2024, or within 3 months from the date of mailing or delivery of notice creditors, if to mailing or delivery required by is Section 18-3 of the Probate Act, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated above is barred.

Copies of a claim filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the representative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed.

LORI J. BROWN Independent Executor January 12, 19, 26, 2024 TAX DEED NO.: 2024TX3 FILED: 1/2/2024 TAKE NOTICE County of Ogle Date Premises Sold: November 3, 2021 Certificate No.: 2020-00128 Sold for General Taxes of (Year): 2020 Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality) and Special Assessment Number: N/A Warrant No.: N/A

Sold: November 3, 2021 Certificate No.: 2020-00128 Sold for General Taxes of (Year): 2020 OTICES LEGAL Nfor Sold Special Assessment of (Municipality) and Special Assessment Number: N/A Warrant No.: N/A Installment No.: N/A THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES Property Located at: 8230 South Green Street, Dixon, IL 61021 Legal Description or Property Index 21-13-152No.: 001 This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of from redemption the sale will expire on June 27, 2024.

The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subseaccruing quently taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales. Check with the County Clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.

This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before June 27, 2024.

This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of Ogle County in 106 S. 5th St., Oregon, IL 61061, Room 302, on July 11, 2024 at 9:00 AM. You may be present at this hearing, but your right to redeem will already have expired at that time.

YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY Redemption can be made at any time on or before June 27, 2024 by applying to the County Clerk of Lee, Illinois at the Office of the County Clerk in Oregon, Illinois.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE COUNTY CLERK 105 South 5th Street Suite 104

June 27, 2024 by applying to the County Clerk of Lee, Illinois at the Office of the County Clerk in Oregon, Illinois.

LEGALFURTHER NOTICES FOR INFORMATION CONTACT THE COUNTY CLERK 105 South 5th Street Suite 104 Oregon, IL 61061 (815) 732-1110 Private Equity Group, LLC Purchaser or Assignee January 4, 2024 Jeffery J. Rose a/k/a Jeffrey J. Rose Jeffery J. Rose a/k/a Jeffrey J. Rose Occupant The Colonial Rose Inn Illinois Secretary of State for The Colonial Rose Inn Illinois Department of Revenue State of Illinois Department of Revenue Attorney General for the State of Illinois Department of Revenue Tom Rose Tom Rose Laura J. Cook, County Clerk of Ogle County, Illinois Claimants, Judgment Creditors, and Decree Creditors, if any of the above described as "Unknown Owners" "Unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots" 10716-938782

Property Located at: RNG/BLK: 2 TWP:40 SECT/LOT:24 E825FT W1089F LYING S&ADJ CNW RR ROW LEGAL NW4 NOTICESBK 94SW4 7099 PARCEL C SURVEY 201801449 Legal Description or Property Index No.: 25-24-100009 This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on June 27, 2024.

The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales. Check with the County Clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.

This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before June 27, 2024.

This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of Ogle County in 106 S. 5th St., Oregon, January 19, 26, IL 61061, Room 302, on July 11, 2024 February 2, 2024 2024 at 9:00 AM. (938782) You may be present at this TAX DEED NO.: hearing, but your 2024TX4 right to redeem will FILED: 1/2/2024 already have exTAKE NOTICE pired at that time.

County of Ogle YOU ARE URGED Date Premises TO REDEEM Sold: November 3, IMMEDIATELY TO 2021 PREVENT LOSS Certificate No.: OF PROPERTY 2020-00209 Redemption can Sold for General be made at any Taxes of (Year): time on or before 2020 June 27, 2024 by Sold for Special applying to the Assessment of County Clerk of (Municipality) and Ogle, Illinois at the Special AssessOffice of the Counment Number: N/A ty Clerk in Oregon, Warrant No.: N/A Illinois.

Installment No.: FOR FURTHER N/A INFORMATION THIS PROPERTY CONTACT THE HAS BEEN COUNTY CLERK SOLD FOR 105 South 5th DELINQUENT Street TAXES Suite 104 Property Located Oregon, IL 61061 at: RNG/BLK: 2 (815) 732-1110 TWP:40 Myriad Capital LLC SECT/LOT:24 Purchaser or E825FT W1089F Assignee LYING S&ADJ January 4, 2024 CNW RR ROW Davidson of SW4 NW4 BK 94- Creston, LLC 7099 PARCEL C Davidson of SURVEY Creston, LLC 201801449 Illinois Secretary of Legal Description State for Davidson or Property Index of Creston, LLC

Suite 104 Oregon, IL 61061 (815) 732-1110 Myriad Capital LLC Purchaser or Assignee January 4, 2024 LEGAL NOTICES Davidson of Creston, LLC Davidson of Creston, LLC Illinois Secretary of State for Davidson of Creston, LLC Charles G. Brown as R/A for Davidson of Creston, LLC Ronald W. Davidson as Manager for Davidson of Creston, LLC Ronald W. Davidson as Manager for Davidson of Creston, LLC John Davison Davidson of Creston, LLC John Davison Carol Jean Davidson Laura J. Cook, County Clerk of Ogle County, Illinois Claimants, Judgment Creditors, and Decree Creditors, if any of the above described as "Unknown Owners" "Unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots" 10716-938783 January 19, 26, 2024 February 2, 2024 (938783) IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS In the interest of: Varrick Masteller Adahlia Masteller, Ettie Masteller, a minor Case No: 2023 JA 15 2023 JA 16 2023 JA 17 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION To: Cassandra Masteller, respondent(s), and all whom it may concern, take notice that on October 24, 2023, a petition was filed under the Juvenile Court Act

by ASA R. Russo, In the Circuit Court of Ogle County entitled “In the interest of Varrick, Adahlia & Ettie Masteller, minors”, and that in courtroom 304 at 106 South Fifth, Oregon, Illinois on February 13, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as this cause may be heard, an adjudicatory hearing will be held upon the Petition to have the child declared to be a ward of the court and for other

South Fifth, Oregon, Illinois on February 13, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as this cause may be heard, an adjudicaLEGALhearing NOTICESwill be tory held upon the Petition to have the child declared to be a ward of the court and for other relief under that act. The court has authority in this proceeding to take from you the custody and guardianship of the minor.

If the Petition requests the termination of your parental rights and the appointment of a guardian with power to consent to adoption, you may lose all parental rights to the child. Unless you appear you will not be entitled to further written notices or publication notices of the proceedings in this case, including the filing of an amended petition for a motion to terminate parental rights.

Unless you appear at the hearing and show cause against the petition, the allegations of the petition may stand admitted as against you and each of you, and an order for judgment entered.

Dated this 17th day of January, 2024 Kimberly A. Stahl Clerk of the Circuit Court By: JLG, Deputy Clerk Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 9, 2024 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS In the interest of: Nickolas Lee Roberts, a minor Case No: 2023 JA 9 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION To: Lindsey Roberts, Jeremy Gray & All Whom It May Concern, respondent(s), and all whom it may concern, take notice that on January 16, 2024, a petition was filed under the Juvenile Court Act by ASA R. Russo, In the Circuit Court of Ogle County entitled “In the interest of Nickolas Lee Roberts, a minor”, and that in courtroom 304 at 106 South Fifth, Oregon, Illinois on February 13, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. or as soon thereafter as this cause may be

Circuit Court of Ogle County entitled “In the interest of Nickolas Lee Roberts, a minor”, and that in courtroom 304 at 106 OTICES OreLEGAL NFifth, South gon, Illinois on February 13, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. or as soon thereafter as this cause may be heard, an adjudicatory hearing will be held upon the Petition to have the child declared to be a ward of the court and for other relief under that act. The court has authority in this proceeding to take from you the custody and guardianship of the minor.

If the Petition requests the termination of your parental rights and the appointment of a guardian with power to consent to adoption, you lose all may parental rights to the child. Unless you appear you will not be entitled to further written notices or publication notices of the proceedings in this case, including the filing of an amended petition for a motion to terminate parental rights.

Unless you appear the hearing at and show cause against the petition, the allegations of the petition may stand admitted as against you and each of you, and an order for judgment entered.

Dated this 16th day of January, 2024 Kimberly A. Stahl Clerk of the Circuit Court By: JLG, Deputy Clerk Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 9, 2024 Assumed Name Publication Notice Public Notice is hereby given that on December 29, 2023, a certificate was filed in the County Ogle Clerk's Office setting forth the names and postoffice address of all of the persons owning, conducting and transacting the business known as: RUSTIC PAW STUDIO located at 111 S. 4th Street Oregon, IL 61061 Dated December 29, 2023.

Laura J. Cook Laura J. Cook Ogle County Clerk January 12, 19, 26, 2024

LEGAL NOTICES ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD NOTICE OF PROPOSED STIPULATION AND PROPOSAL FOR SETTLEMENT OF ENFORCEMENT CASE The Attorney General has brought a case against Rochelle Energy LLC for violating State pollution control rules. On January 8, 2024, the parties filed a stipulation and proposal for settlement. The parties agree that a hearing is unnecessary, and in accordance with State law, have requested that the settlement be adopted withholding a out public hearing. Any person who would like to comment on, or demand a public hearing on, the stipulation and proposal for settlement may do so by filing a written comment or hearing demand with the Illinois Pollution Board Control within 21 days after the publication of this notice. The written comment or demand hearing must refer to People of the State of Illinois v. Rochelle Energy LLC, PCB 23-91, and must be filed with the Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, 60 East Van Buren, Suite 630, Illinois Chicago, 60605. Additional information can be obtained through the Office of the Clerk at 312/8143461 and the Board's website at https://pcb.Illinois. gov/.

Barbara Flynn Currie, Chairman January 26, 2024

19

Custom Pull-Out Shelves

for your existing cabinets, pantry, and bathroom.

Call for Your FREE Design Consultation

(855) 560-6975

*Limit one offer per household. Must purchase 5+ Classic/Designer Pull-Out Shelves. EXP 03/31/24. Independently owned and operated franchise. ©2023 ShelfGenie SPV LLC. All rights Reserved.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

50% OFF INSTALL!*

Ogle County Newspapers / ShawLocal.com • Friday, January 26, 2024

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

20