Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
January 21, 2016 Volume 166, Number 6 - $1.00
Ready to Strike
New Book
Wildlife Workshop
Hawk bowlers are prepared to meet challenge of Sectionals on Saturday. B1
99-year-old publishes her memoirs of growing up in China. A4
Learn about coyotes and other wild things Jan. 27 at a special program by Peggy Doty. A6
Ogle County Board rejects gun range request By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com In a twist of irony, a tie vote derailed a special use permit requested by the Byron Sportsmans & Conservation Club. The Ogle County Board’s decision on a special use permit for a handgun caliber range at the club, located on Town Line Road, ended in a 11-11 deadlock Tuesday evening. The tie vote means the measure failed. The controversial request has been plagued by tie votes. Just last month, it was delayed when the Supervisor of Assessments and Planning &
Zoning Committee, which met Dec. 8, ended up in a 4-4 tie twice after two motions, first to approve and then to deny. That meant the committee had no recommendation to take to the county board in December. In an effort to get the request back on track committee member Rick Fritz, Monroe Center, changed his no to a yes, allowing it to move on to the county board. Citing safety and noise concerns, most neighbors of the sportsman’s club have vehemently opposed the expanded range ever since club president O.K. Welty filed it earlier this year.
Before Tuesday’s vote, Fritz, who is also a county board member, said he would vote no. He said he had researched the issue, talked to people on both sides, and visited other gun ranges. “I guess it comes down to would I want it next door to me? The answer is no,” he said. County board member Lee Meyers, Byron, also said he would vote against it. He said the neighbors were told they would have to prove that the gun range would hurt their property. “They did prove it. It fell on deaf ears so far,” Meyers said. “Their property values will decrease, their
peace will decrease, but mostly their safety will be jeopardized.” However, board member Ashley Simms, Rochelle, felt different. “I think the gun range is a huge asset to the county,” she said. Simms said she believes more citizens should be qualified for concealed carry and the gun range would be a good place to do that. Board member Pat Saunders, Polo, said she supports concealed carry, but not the gun range. “I agree we need a gun range in this county,” she said. “But I don’t think this is the right place for it. It’s too populated.” Fourteen conditions were added to
STEM program
Pharmacy moves into addition
is coming to OES By Christopher Heimerman Sauk Valley Media
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com It was business as usual Tuesday at Oregon’s new Snyder Pharmacy — almost. While pharmacist Don Walter and pharmacist technician Kristy Watts were efficiently filling prescriptions and answering questions for the line of customers both inside the store and at the drive-through window, work was going on in all areas of the building. On the second day of business in the store’s new addition, some shelves were filled with merchandise while others were waiting to be setup. Crews were busy in the older portion of the building, where the pharmacy used to be, getting it ready to be a new Ace Hardware store. Owner Tom Felker said the pharmacy moved into the new addition to his building at 201 N. Fourth St. over the weekend, which means the older portion of the building can now be transformed into an Ace store. Felker said that he’s aiming for the hardware store to open next month.
the special use permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals, which approved it 3-2. Another seven were added by the Supervisor of Assessments and Planning & Zoning Committee. Board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, said he believes the conditions adequately addressed the neighbors’ concerns. “I don’t remember ever having 21 conditions placed on a zoning issue,” he said. “That’s the definition of a compromise.” After the vote, Welty thanked the county board for the time and effort members had devoted to his request. “I’m sorely disappointed obviously,” he said.
Pharmacist technician Kristy Watts answers a customer’s questions Tuesday at the new Snyder Pharmacy in Oregon. Photo by Vinde Wells
A new liquor department is also being added. The store has remained open throughout the construction, which started last year, with a 75x130 foot addition built on its north side for the pharmacy. Felker purchased a house at 206 N. Third St., northeast of the pharmacy, last year and tore it down to make room to expand his building and allow for more parking and a loading dock. He purchased the former Bemis Ford building and parking area
across the street last fall to enhance the hardware business. Felker said the Bemis property may be used for rental equipment associated with the Ace store, as well as pallet goods, such as mulch. Felker also owns a pharmacy and grocery store in Byron, as well as pharmacies in Polo, Dixon, Winnebago, and Poplar Grove. Oregon has been without a hardware store since Basler’s Ace Hardware on Pines Road at the south edge of Oregon closed in October of 2014.
First-grade teacher Ryan Huels knows not every child can afford to go to the museum. Consequently, he and his colleagues are bringing the museum to Oregon Elementary School, in the form of the Northern Illinois University STEM Outreach Program. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math, and those concepts will be on display in all their glory March 18 at the elementary school. The program’s goal is to generate interest and excitement through presentations and hands-on experiences. Huels, 27, a fourth-year teacher in the school, already has been implementing STEM concepts in his classroom to encourage students’ creativity, collaboration, and enterprising spirit. “In the past, you might have seen students who were afraid to fail,” he said. “The quality of the debate has
taken off. And kids know that if they fail at something, it’s okay. They’ll explore the problem.” He and his first-grade colleagues wrote the grant application that brought in $2,000 – $1,000 from Exelon Corp., $500 from the Oregon School Foundation and $500 from an anonymous donor – to bring NIU’s Exploration Lab to town. NIU will send a few staffers to conduct demonstrations and projects, and Oregon volunteers and high school staff will help, too. Thirty hands-on stations will be featured, each with one to three individual activities or exhibits. Beyond March 18, the program provides professional development teachers can use down the road. Leftover money will be used to buy materials necessary for STEM education, Huels said. “STEM subjects are extremely important to prepare our students for an ever-changing future,” Superintendent Tom Turn to A2
Sixth grader collects 939 coats and $5K for HOPE By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com HOPE of Ogle County Director Ruth Carter was in for two big surprises Jan. 16 when she went to Byron Middle School for the culmination of a coat drive and fundraiser. Byron sixth grader Victoria Kuzlik, who organized the drive and named HOPE the recipient, had much more than met the goals she had set. Waiting for Carter in the main lobby of the school were 17 large boxes filled to overflowing with winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves and mittens. “We collected 939 coats — some of them are brand new,” 11-year-old Victoria told Carter. “Our original
goal was 300.” But that wasn’t all. Carter looked stunned and a little bit tearful when Victoria also presented her with a check for $5,070. “I can’t believe you raised this much,” Carter said. “Thank you very much.” Victoria had hoped to raise $4,500 in addition to the coats. HOPE, a domestic violence shelter with offices in Oregon and Rochelle, has suffered a loss of funding because of the state budget crisis. Carter said the agency serves 538 clients. “For our clients there’s enough winter coats here to get them through this winter and next winter,” she said. In fact, it’s more than enough, and Carter said the bounty will be shared
In This Week’s Edition...
with the YWCA in Sterling, Remedies in Rockford, and the homeless shelter in Rochelle. She said the coats would be distributed this week. Victoria began collecting coats in early December after her father Bob Kuzlik bought her a new one for the winter. “We needed to decide what to do with the one I outgrew,” Victoria said. “Ordinarily we give them to Good Will, but I said ‘let’s have a coat drive.’” She decided on HOPE as the recipient because she and her father used their services a few years back. “My dad and I were victims of domestic violence,” Victoria said. “I wanted to give back to the places that helped us.” She said they also received help from the Sterling Turn to A2
Business Briefs, B6 Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
Surprise shows on the face of HOPE of Ogle County Director Ruth Carter Saturday when Byron sixth grader Victoria Kuzlik presented her with a check for $5,070 raised during a recent coat and fund drive. Also pictured is Byron Middle School Principal Zach Ettelbrick. Photo by Vinde Wells
Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, A7 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3 Zoning B6
Deaths, B5
Edwin C. Bettner, Harlan E. Blake, Jean A. Blakeslee, Robert L. Campshure, Bradley W. Jewell, Robert E. Luy, Karshan A.L. Peterson, Larry L. Travis, Alexis M. Walker
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com