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Library News
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Oregon Republican Reporter, Ogle County News and oglecountynews.com are a division of Shaw Media. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. Morris Times, Forreston Journal and Polo’s Tri-County Press.
The OREGON REPUBLICAN REPORTER (USPS No. 411-420) is published weekly by B.F. Shaw Printing Co., Shaw Media. Periodical postage paid at Oregon, Illinois, 61061. POSTMASTER Send address changes to OGLE REPUBLICAN REPORTER, P.O. Box 8, Oregon, IL 61061. Phone 815-732-6166, ext. 5306.
The Toys for Tots effort received a $600 boost in donations from Oregon Elementary School students.
OES Student Ambassadors led a community service project to collect donations by promoting the project throughout the school building and creating wish lists of items they thought children might like to receive this holiday season.
Students will use the funds donated to purchase gifts to give to deserving children in Ogle County.
“I am proud of our students for taking the initiative to raise funds to give back to those in need within our community,” said Kelli Virgil, OES principal. “A big thank you to our Student Ambassadors for creating posters to hang around the building and encouraging classmates to donate to help every child have a Merry Christmas this year.” OES Student Ambassadors led a community service project to collect donations for Toys for Tots. Holding the check, left to right, are Kate Nobis, Deshawn Wallace, Vivian Kingery and Zoey Manees. In the back row are Bryleigh Reeverts, Toys for Tots Rep Heather Tinsman, Callan Gadow, Isaiah Moore, Hannah Mendoza and Gianna Quadraro.
BRIEF
Snow ordinance reminder
Oregon Police Chief Joe Brooks is reminding residents of the city’s parking ordinance following snow storms.
“We are expecting strong winds, bitter cold temperatures, and snow beginning this Thursday,” Brooks said in a Tuesday news release. “Blizzard like conditions will make it difficult for our plows and we urge anyone who has to park on the streets to follow the snow parking ordinance.
Brooks said Thursday, Dec. 22, is an even day that means after 1 inch of snow, vehicles need to be parked on the even-numbered side of the street from 7 a.m. until 7 a.m. on Friday.
“At 7 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, you need to park on the odd side of the street. If the streets have been cleared of the snow, you may park on either side,” he said.
The municipal lots are numbered by row, Brooks said.
Brooks said the city’s public works department will be out in full force to clean the streets and police officers will be issuing $30 parking citations to the violators.
A free copy of the ordinance is available at the Oregon Police Department.
Brooks also said the Oregon Coliseum will be used as a warming center, if necessary.
“We will open the lower level of the Oregon Coliseum as a warming center if needed. The Coliseum is located at 124 N. Fourth St. Please call the Oregon Police Department at 815-732-2803 or Oregon City Hall at 815-732-6321 during business hours if you need assistance.
OREGON LIBRARY
Holiday Hours
The Library will be closed Dec. 24, Dec. 25, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 & 2.
Book Clubs
Cocktails & Crimes will meet Sunday, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m. (grab a book to find out where).
The 2WBC Book Club meets Jan. 11 at 12:30 p.m. to discuss Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson.
The Afternoon Book Club meets Wednesday, Jan. 18, 16 at 1 p.m. to discuss the Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.
New - Fantasy Book Club meets Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. at the library to discuss A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross.
Books on Tap meets Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. to discuss Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
Lego Club (2nd grade & up) - Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2:30 p.m.
The club is designed to provide an enjoyable activity (FUN) that stimulates and develops spatial intelligence. Registration required. Go online to our website or call, 815-732-2724, to register.
Virtual Author Visit Watch Party - Saturday, Feb. 11, 3-4 p.m. Love the graphic novel series Real Friends? Join us for a virtual author visit with writer, Shannon Hale and illustrator, LeUyen Pham! they will talk about their books, answer your questions, and share an engaging activity. Registration begins now and can be done by going online or calling 815-732-2724. For more info, call the library.
Winter Blues Bundle - Jan. 10 through Feb. 10
Register for a winter blues bundle beginning Jan. 2. Not sure what to read, do, or need something to keep you busy during these cold winter months? Winter Blues Bundle! Each bundle will have a hand-picked book, magazine, DVD and some fun activities. Complete the registration form online at www.oregonpubliclibrary.com or stop in the library to complete one.
YOGA -New Day – Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. beginning Jan. 4 Functional Yin-Yasa - This class is a hybrid of yang (active yoga) with yin (passive yoga). We will use fundamental yoga postures combined with functional movements to build strength and warmth followed by passive, long held poses to help with flexibility and mobility of the joints and soft tissues. A yoga mat and blocks will be useful props for this class!
All levels welcome.” Oregon Library Patrons only. Registration required, this class fills quickly. Please call 815-732-2724 or visitwww. oregonpubliclibrary.com.
By EARLEEN HINTON ehinton@shawmedia.com
Cold winter temperatures and biting wind failed to deter volunteers from placing wreaths on the graves of veterans at Daysville Cemetery southeast of O r e g o n a s p a r t o f t h e n a t i o n w i d e Wreaths Across America
The Saturday afternoon event was coordinated by the Rochelle Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution with help from Oregon VFW Post 8 7 3 9 . T h e w r e a t h s w e r e p r o v i d ed through donations.
Laurie Perry, regent of the Rochelle Chapter of the DAR, spoke briefly about the Wreaths Across America program noting that Saturday’s event was part of a national effort to honor local veterans by placing wreaths at their graves.
“All wreaths are sponsored by donation – as is the entire program: trucks, drivers’ time, fuel, everything,” she said.
Ceremonial wreaths were first placed in honor of all of the military services including the U.S. Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and POW/MIAs. Twenty-five volunteers then spread out across the cemetery to place wreaths at each veterans’ grave that already had been marked with U.S. flags.
According to Saturday’s program, 204 veterans are buried at the Daysville Cemetery, located five miles southeast of Oregon on Daysville Road.
Ceremonies also were held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Creston and St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Rochelle. Girls Scouts from Troop 2189 gave the Pledge of Allegiance to open Saturday’s event.
Wreaths Across America Day, held annually in December, also includes a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, in addition to other locations in all 50 states.
According to the Wreaths Across America website: “We understand we have Veterans Day in the fall and Memorial Day in the spring, but our service members sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year to preserve our freedoms. In many homes, there is an empty seat for one who is serving or one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. There is no better time to express our appreciation than during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We hope you will join us at any of our more than 3,400 participating locations to show our veterans and their families that we will not forget. We will never forget.”
For additional information or to donate, visit wreathsacrossamerica. org.
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media ABOVE: Bill and Stephanie Nelson of Oregon lay wreaths on veterans’ graves at Daysville Cemetery on Dec. 17 during the Wreaths Across America project. Bill was laying a wreath on the grave of Virgil Reed, who fought in the Civil War.
ABOVE: Don Stevens and his daughter, Anne, helped place wreath on veterans’ graves at Daysville Cemetery. LEFT: Devyn, 12, of Oregon places a wreath on a veteran’s grave. RIGHT: John Tuttle of Oregon, a Vietnam War veteran, salutes after laying a wreath in honor of POWs and MIAs.
Fee previously was $25 per machine
By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com
Ogle County upped its annual video gaming terminal fee to $150 during its Dec. 20 board meeting.
Ogle County Board members voted 17-4 to raise the fee, effective May 1, 2022. Board Chairperson John Finfrock and board members Dan Miller, Joseph Simms and Stan Asp voted no.
“It was passed at committee a while b a c k , b u t n e v e r c a m e b e f o r e t h e board,” Finfrock said.
The Ogle County Liquor Control Commission recommended the $150 fee during its April 19 meeting.
The fee previously was $25 per terminal. A state law passed Dec. 17, 2021, allows the county to raise the fee to no more than $250 per machine per year.
The new fee set by the county board applies only to establishments under the jurisdiction of Ogle County. The f e e c o v e r s a f i s c a l y e a r o f M a y 1 through April 30.
ARPA economic grants OK’d
C o u n t y b o a r d m e m b e r s a l s o approved the following economic development grants, which are funded from American Rescue Plan Act dollars received by the county:
The village of Forreston received $17,375 for a LED sign and HVAC upgrades to a new village hall building.
The Byron Fire Protection District got $23,000 for extrication equipment.
EMS-Emergency Operations Center was given $5,000 to cover lost revenue.
Old jail demolition update
Demolition of the old county jail is “moving along very nicely,” said Don Griffin, Ogle County Board member and Long Range Planning chairperson. The building has been completely removed, along with underground materials, and the space is being filled in.
“We hope to have that finished up at the end of the week,” Griffin said.
The Ogle County Board approved a bid of $98,000 to raze the building on Oct. 18 after receiving a total of eight bids for the project.
The cost of demolition will be paid for using American Rescue Plan Act monies; that expenditure also was approved by board members Oct. 18.
The jail was located at 107 S. Fifth St., just south of the historic Ogle County Courthouse that was built in 1891. The courthouse still houses several county offices. The new Ogle County Correctional Center, located west of the Ogle County Judicial Center, opened in November 2020.
The judicial center, located in the 100 block of South Fifth Street west of the courthouse, houses courtrooms and county offices affiliated with the court system.
The current plan for the site is to add one row of parking stalls and sidewalks on the east side of the existing parking lot and leave the rest as green space.
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media A Martin & Co. truck unloads gravel as workers fill in the basement of the old Ogle County Jail on Tuesday. Demolition of the 1969 jail started Dec. 5.
Sheriff: ‘Dr ive merry, bright and sober’ this holiday season
The Ogle County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation to remind motorists about the dangers of impaired driving.
From Dec. 16 through Jan. 2, law enforcement across Illinois will step up enforcement efforts with a high visibility “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High. Get a DUI” traffic safety campaign.
“We want everyone in our communities to enjoy the holidays without worrying about the dangers of impaired drivers,” Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said in a news release. “During the campaign, you can expect to see extra safety patrols. We will show zero tolerance for alcohol- and drug-impaired driving to help ensure everyone makes it to and from their holiday festivities safely.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, in 2020, a total of 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.
On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, with one person killed in an alcohol-related crash every 45 minutes in 2020.
Before the holiday fun begins, make a plan for a sober ride home and remember these tips:
Designate a sober driver or make a plan to use public transportation or a ride-sharing service to get home safely.
If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull over and contact the Sheriff’s Office.
Have a friend who is about to drive impaired? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get them home safely. They’ll thank you later.
Always buckle up!
The holiday enforcement campaign is administered by IDOT with federal highway safety funds managed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, VanVickle said. Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle
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Program ‘will help communities streamline policies, implement best practices’ to prepare for influx of electric vehicles
By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com
Polo is participating in an initiative to help local governments prepare to meet a growing demand for electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure.
The city is one of 16 members of the EV Readiness Program’s inaugural cohort. The program, which was launched earlier this year by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and ComEd, “will help communities streamline policies and implement best practices for safe and effective regional transportation electrification,” according to a news release on MayorsCaucus. org.
“We’d like to set the standard for the little towns,” Polo Alderperson Beth Sundman told fellow city council members during their Dec. 5 meeting. “We want to be a leader in an area and show everybody else that this can be done in a town this size.”
Municipalities in the cohort range in population from Polo’s 2,291 to Chicago’s 2,746,388.
According to the 2020 census, Polo, Deer Park, University Park, Hampshire and Glencoe each have fewer than 9,000 residents; Richton Park’s population is 12,775. Geneva, Darien, Maywood, Hanover Park, Carol Stream, Oak Park and Skokie each have between 21,000 and 68,000 residents. Aurora’s population is 180,542 and Kane County’s is 516,522.
“They [Chicago’s representatives] made a comment about being the elephant in the room,” said Sundman, referencing an in-person meeting of the cohort she and City Clerk Sydney Bartelt attended. “So when it came around to us, I was like, ‘Well if they’re the elephant, we’re the mouse in the room because this is what we’re dealing with.’”
Bartelt applied for the program on behalf of Polo.
There are 17 goals related to preparation that Polo is supposed to accomplish within the next six months, Sundman said. She noted that it might take longer than that, but once the goals are met, the city will receive a plaque declaring its EV Ready Bronze designation.
Beyond the 17 Bronze designation goals, there are goals that will earn a municipality Silver or Gold designation, according to the news release.
“My concern was scalability and them being able to help us do this even on a smaller scaled area,” Sundman said. “But I’m excited because I really think that if we can get even one of these stations somewhere in town and get on these databases for people who have EV cars who need to charge while they’re in transport [we’ll draw people into Polo].”
If someone is driving an EV from Monroe to Dixon and their battery needs to charge, having Polo as an option to stop and charge benefits the city, she said.
“They may pull in here, plug in, and they’ve got to hang for half an hour,” Sundman noted. “Meanwhile, they can walk to Shell, walk to the market, walk downtown, go look at a tree. We kind of hold them hostage while they are charging, which gives them a chance to see what we can offer.
“If they can go downtown and they can see the restaurants and they can see options and they can see stores and they can see the stuff here, then that might encourage them to come back,” she continued. “So that was my personal hope for that.”
According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s website, there were 35,504 EVs in the state and 53 EVs in Ogle County as of Nov. 15, 2021. As of Nov. 15 of this year, there are 55,333 EVs in Illinois and 77 in Ogle County. These totals do not include hybrid vehicles.
The state’s records of EVs per county go back to November 2017; at that point there were 8,031 EVs in the state and three in Ogle County.
Lee Count y looking to increase speed limit on Lowell Park Road
By RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@shawmedia.com
The Lee County Board will be voting next week on reverting the speed limit on a portion of Lowell Park Road back to 55 mph.
In October 2020, the board approved changing the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph from Timber Creek Road to Pilgrim Road following safety concerns from residents.
Pilgrim Road marks where Lee County ends and Ogle County begins.
Lee County Board members wanted to reevaluate the speed zone, and the Lee County Highway Department conducted a speed study for Lowell Park Road from Penrose to Pilgrim roads in July.
The study found that 88% of drivers were violating the limit. The average for about 85% of drivers was 59 mph, and the prevailing speed was around 56 mph.
Prevailing speed is determined to reflect what a majority of the drivers will drive at what they judge to be safe and proper.
The board will vote on a resolution saying that “an increase in the posted speed limit on Lowell Park Road from Timber Creek Road to Pilgrim Road is reasonable and necessary for the safety of the motoring public.” The 45-mph speed limit on Lowell Park Road begins at Pilgrim Road once the road enters Lee County.
