Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
Tornado Coverage
Now Open
Fifth Place The Oregon Lady Hawks placed fifth at the Gebhardt-Worley Invitational. B1
April 16, 2015 Volume 165, Number 18 - $1.00
The new Ogle County Public Safety Complex has opened. A7
EF4 tornado carves a path of destruction through Ogle, DeKalb Counties. A9-A11, B2-B3
Two more tanks on Ogle lot By Chris Johnson Reporter
Homes and autos were demolished on E. Kuehl Ct, northwest of Rochelle, during the April 9 tornado. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Clean-up from EF4 tornado continues By Vinde Wells Editor Clean-up efforts continue after an EF4 tornado packing 200 mph winds damaged 179 structures and demolished 30 homes in eastern Ogle County last week. The tornado, which first touched down in Lee County west of Ashton, destroyed an estimated 30 homes countywide April 9, most of them in a subdivision northwest of Flagg Center. The twister then cut a northeasterly path through Ogle County to the small DeKalb County village of Fairdale where two women were killed and most homes devastated.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has determined the wedgeshaped tornado was a halfmile wide at times and was on the ground an estimated 39 miles before weakening as it entered Boone and McHenry Counties. The storm also spawned at least four more funnels as it churned its way through northern Illinois, according to the NWS. Next-door neighbors, Geraldine M. Schultz, 67, and Jacqueline Klosa, 69, both died in their homes in Fairdale, a town of about 150 people, when the tornado swept through at 7:15 p.m. According to an NWS statement issued shortly after
the storm, “Based on early findings, the tornado that tracked from near Rochelle to near Belvidere and impacted the community of Fairdale appears to have been a single long track tornado.” Aerial surveys were done the following morning to assess damage and determine the storm’s exact track. Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner paid a visit to the most areas where the most damage occurred on Friday and declared Ogle and DeKalb Counties to be disaster areas. Jennifer Thompson, Ogle County Emergency Management Agency Public Information Officer, said Tuesday that a dollar amount for the damage has yet to be
determined. Surveys have shown that 179 structures sustained damage from the storm, 30 of those completely destroyed, she said. The Emergency Operations Center in downtown Rochelle was activated in the aftermath of the storm, she said, and would likely remain open for the remainder of this week. The Red Cross set up a center for victims of the tornado shortly after the storm at Rochelle Township High School, and that also remains in operation. Thompson said that the out-pouring of donations of food, household goods, and clothing has been so great
that officials are no longer accepting anything but monetary contributions. “We’ve filled several warehouses already,” she said. Anyone wanting to donate is asked to make a financial contribution to the Rochelle Area Community Foundation at rochellefoundation.org. Volunteer help is still needed for the clean-up effort, she said. “We’re taking volunteers to help with clean-up with a push for this Saturday,” Thompson said. In addition, a multiagency resource center was set to open Wednesday at the Beacon on the Green in Turn to A2
Two additional tank were discovered last week during an exploratory digging project at the county property in Oregon at Ill. 64 and Fifth Street. Ogle County Engineer Curtis Cook said he was out with an environmental engineer to determine what number and condition of several fuel tanks were under the former Jackass BBQ property. “We helped check to see what tanks were there,” said Cook. “The county board asked my department to assist. We completed an exploratory excavation to prepare for removal.” Besides the two gasoline tanks previously known to be on the site, Cook said two other tanks were discovered. Cook said the tops of all the tanks or the vents were uncovered to check the status of the tanks. This was done so Cook could complete a comprehensive specification Turn to A2 Tornado Coverage Inside A popular restaurant east of Oregon is destroyed, but customers safe thanks to storm cellar, B2 Governor Rauner declares Ogle, DeKalb Counties disaster areas, A11 Ogle County Animal Control says call them if you think you see a lost pet from tornado area, A10
Tornado destroys farm buildings, but misses home By Andy Colbert Reporter In much the same way Ogle County is noted for the natural beauty of its state parks and the Rock River flowing through it, there is also a bucolic charm from an
abundance of family farms. One of the most immaculate of those farmsteads was devastated by last Thursday’s tornado. Taking a direct hit was the 260-acre Schabacker family farm, located at Hemstock and White Rock roads, about
two miles northwest of Skare Park. It is also one of the oldest, dating back to preCivil War. “It was a pristine farm,” said 51-year old Todd Schabacker, the fifth generation to farm at the location. “Over the years, we
had so many compliments on its appearance.” Schabacker was showing a visitor a large framed aerial photograph taken in 2013. In the perfectly manicured yard, there were two newer large Morton buildings, five other buildings and a pair of
adjoining silos. The tornado, with winds speeds estimated at 200 mph, completely demolished those buildings and damaged all implements needed for planting. Inside were five tractors, two planters, grain and corn headers, sprayer, auger, grain wagon, and semi, among other farm equipment. “We were going to be in the field next week,” said a stunned Schabacker. “The timing could not have been
worse.” Schabacker was coming home from Rochelle in the late afternoon April 9 when golf ball-sized hail began to pound his vehicle. “There was stuff blowing around,” said Schabacker, sensing that a major storm was about to hit. Little did he know that he would be encountering the strongest storm ever to hit Ogle County. Instead of going to his own Turn to A2
This 1931 Ford received minor damage when the garage it was in was destroyed by the tornado. Tractors in the garage, Roofers were replacing the missing and damaged shingles two Farmalls, and a John Deere, owned by the Schabackers’ Springdale Farm on White Rock and Hemstock roads on the Schabackers farm house April 10. The home received were also damaged. The farmhouse received relatively minor damage from the tornado. Photos by Chris Johnson minor damage from the storm. Photo by Chris Johnson
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 Entertainment, A6 Marriage Licenses, A4
Oregon Police, B7 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B6 Sheriff’s Arrests, B6
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B6
Deaths, B5 Evelyn M. Forsyth, LaVonne Byrd Frey, Marsha F. Johnson, Tom Jordan, Donald G. Leary, Wilma J. Wolfley
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com