Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
April 5, 2018 Volume 168, Number 17 - $1.00
Hawks Win 18-0
Expect Delays!
Chocolate Walk
The Hawks’ baseball team posts a big win over South Beloit on Monday. B1
Road work has started on Ill. 2 between Oregon and Dixon. B3
Oregon will host is annual Chocolate Walk on Thursday. April 12. A3
Global events mean higher recycling costs China drastically limits imports of scrap materials By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Recent global events are likely to mean higher recycling costs for Ogle County. According to Dr. Kate O’Neill of the University of California at Berkeley, China drastically limited all scrap material it will import as of March 1. Up until then, roughly half of all scrap materials produced in the U.S. (paper, metal, and plastics) have ended up in China using return-trip cargo container ships, which had brought goods to the U.S. “They have decided to drastically cut back in China,”said Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department Stephen Rypkema. “What that means is that to the U.S. and the rest of the world is finding a new outlet.” In the short run recycling will be more expensive and more difficult to get rid of, he said. “In the long run it may mean more processing facilities will be developed in the U.S.,” he
2018 Easter Egg Hunt The Oregon Park District held its annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 31. Above, kids run to collect candy and plastic eggs as their parents direct and film at the start of the hunt. At right, Rory Cotovsky, age 5 (left), and Callum Groenhagen, age 3, both of Oregon, pick up candy. Below right, Gabriella and Griffyn Havey, ages 5 and 4, of Oregon, sit on their Easter pails as they wait patiently for the start of hunt. Below, Jayda Sowl, age 3, of Oregon, holds her Easter Bunny basket. Turn to B2 for additional coverage. Photos by Earleen Hinton
said. China had developed the infrastructure for scrap processing and, up until recently, had welcomed U.S. waste scrap for raw materials. Those days have come to an end, according to O’Neill. Due to contamination of scrap, safety concerns, and alternative industries emerging in China, the scrap import ban has been established. Rypkema said Chinese officials have been indicating their plans to cut back on accepting recyclables since last year. He said he does not believe it is a reaction to a plan to impose tariffs recently announced by President Donald Trump. Rypkema encouraged local residents to put only acceptable recyclable items in the bins provided in various locations around the county. “We want people to be more careful what they put in the recycle bins,” he said. “Our efforts are aimed at trying to educate people about what is recyclable and to encourage them to stick with it.” A renewed effort is needed to not contaminate loads of recyclable material and to put more emphasis on waste reduction. Turn to A2
Sewer repairs are planned throughout city By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com More than 20,000 feet of Oregon pipework is set to be repaired, and it won’t be on the backs of the taxpayers. During the March 13 Oregon City Council meeting, the council unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing the borrowing of funds from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund. The loan will pay for the repair of 21,000 feet of sewer main throughout the city, as well as relining 30 manholes and replacing 10 manholes entirely, altogether estimated at $1.557 million. The city borrowed more than $2.5 million in 2016 for work on well houses two, three, and four, along with repairs and repainting to the eastern and western reservoirs. The IEPA forgave $750,000 of the loan. “Loan forgiveness is not something that’s guaranteed,
In This Week’s Edition...
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B5-B8 Entertainment, A6 Marriage Licenses, A4
Oregon Library, A8 Oregon Police, B2 Public Voice, A6-7 Property Transfers, B3
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1-2 State’s Attorney, B2
but it’s a possibility,” said Dave Kent, Water and Sewer Superintendent. The IEPA loan comes with a 1.32 percent interest rate, which Mayor Ken Williams called “extremely attractive.” Williams said that taxpayers will not see an increase in water and sewer rates through this project. “It’s my understanding we are not requiring any increase in sewer or water rates, because that’s already been factored into this,” said Williams. The repairs will happen through a process known as trenchless pipe lining, which uses an epoxy-saturated felt tube into the sewer mains. The tube is inflated and cured in place, creating essentially a new, healthy pipe within the old pipe. Reinstatement equipment is then inserted into the pipe, cutting open service at each entry point to cititzens. “Once the pipes are lined, the liner prevents roots from growing back in, seals Turn to A2
Deaths, B4 E. Marie Armbruster, Eugene R. Gann, Mary Ellen Sassaman
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com