Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
April 30, 2015 Volume 165, Number 20 - $1.00
New Coach
Landscaping
Scout Project
An Oregon grad has been hired by NIU to be cross country coach. B1
Tips offered on how to keep lawns and gardens healthy. A10
A Boy Scout Eagle Scout Project has helped clean up the historic Chana School. B6
Ogle officials praise tornado recovery efforts By Vinde Wells Editor Ogle County officials voiced their approval last week of how relief and recovery operations have gone in the wake of the April 9 tornado. “We’re in a very good place with recovery efforts,” Ogle County Emergency
Management Agency (OCEMA) Director Tom Richter told the county board April 21. An EF4 tornado with winds of 200 mph cut a path of destruction through the eastern half of the county between 6:30 and 7 p.m. The tornado, which first touched down in Lee County
west of Ashton, destroyed an estimated 30 homes countywide, most of them in two subdivisions west of Flagg Center. In all, nearly 180 structures were damaged or destroyed. The twister then took a northeasterly path through Ogle County, demolishing farm building, homes, and
Grubsteakers Restaurant at the intersection of Ill. 251 and 64. It moved on to the small DeKalb County village of Fairdale where two women were killed and most homes were devastated. Richter said the Red Cross would be doing a needs assessment of all the Ogle
County residents affected by the tornado. He said the Red Cross has been working with the Rochelle Area Community Foundation to coordinate relief efforts and donations. He praised the cooperation between agencies throughout the recovery operations. “I can’t say enough about
Statue on most
By Vinde Wells Editor The Black Hawk Statue has been named to the state’s list of Most Endangered Historic Places. The well-known 50-foot concrete statue, nestled on a high bluff overlooking the Rock River at Lowden State Park, Oregon, was second on the list announced by Landmarks Illinois April 22 at a press conference in Springfield last week. Eleven other sites were also listed. “Designed by noted Chicago sculptor Lorado Taft, generations of Illinoisans have visited Black Hawk during family vacations and school field trips since its dedication in 1911,” the press release read. “Despite several repairs and patches over the decades, the now 104-year old statue is in desperate need of full conservation – its concrete
body in some places is so deteriorated that if not addressed immediately there is a risk that the damage will quickly accelerate and the majority of its original details will be lost.” The release gave credit to a committee formed to raise fund and develop a plan for restoring the statue. “Friends of the Black Hawk Statue Committee have galvanized financial and pro-bono support for Black Hawk’s $825,000 restoration price tag,” it read. “However, the bleak outlook for next year’s IDNR budget, along with bureaucratic procedures that have slowed the contracting process and elevated the budget, have already delayed the scheduled restoration by nearly a year. “A successful restoration of this treasured Illinois monument will likely require pressure from financial contributors, local officials, and the public.” Headed up by Frank and Cherron Rausa, Sterling, the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue have raised nearly $750,000 through donations,
By Chris Johnson Reporter
The protective wrap around the Black Hawk Statue is torn and tattered and flapped in the wind Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Earleen Hinton
grants, and fundraisers. The largest contribution is a $350,000 grant received by the IDNR from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. However, Rausa said recently that the grant may be in jeopardy due to budget cuts proposed by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. Through the efforts of the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue, experts came up with a plan to restore the portions of the statue that
are crumbling and falling off due to the ravages of time and weather. The folded arms of the statue, especially the elbows and underneath the arms; the middle of the robe; and the vertical fold in the robe from armpit to toe are the critical areas. The statue was encased in plastic mesh for the winter to protect it from further damage from cold, ice, and snow. Now in its 20th year, the
Most Endangered statewide list calls attention to threatened historic resources in need of assistance in the form of responsible stewardship, creative reuse plans, and/or advances in public policy. The slow economic recovery, state budget crisis, and a lack of available financing continue to challenge historic sites throughout Illinois. “The sites named to the Turn to A2
Chief retires after 38 years on fire dept. By Vinde Wells Editor Being able to help his neighbors was one of the reasons Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller devoted the last 38 years to being a volunteer firefighter. “Being there meant a lot to me,” he said. “We get the call and it’s the worst day of their lives. It was great just to be able to help out your neighbors and see the look of gratitude on their faces when it was taken care of.” Heller, 60, will retire April 30 as fire chief, a position he has held for the last 14 years. He will be succeeded by Al Greene, currently an assistant chief. A lifelong Oregon resident, Heller joined the department in 1977 when then-fire chief Jim Rosenbalm encouraged him to. He was appointed a lieutenant three years later on the all-volunteer department, then became a captain, and finally chief in 2001. “I enjoyed the camaraderie of all the guys I went through all these years with, and I
Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller directs firefighters as they respond to a garage fire in Oregon in 2012. Photo by Earleen Hinton
wanted to give back to the community I live in,” Heller said. He listed Rosenbalm and other veteran firefighters who were his mentors over the years. “Those early guys shaped you and told you what the department was all about,” he said. “That’s what I’ve tried to instill in the guys today.” Heller had planned to
In This Week’s Edition...
Turn to A2
New mayor takes office
endangered list Still no word on when repairs will begin
the seamless effort we had,” Richter said. A review of the operations will be held May 4, he said. Sheriff Brian Van Vickle told the county board that his department returned to normal operations on March 17. “We were able to help
retire last year when he and his wife Kathie moved to Byron. However, he decided to stay on for a few more months to help with getting a referendum passed April 7 to add an ambulance service to the fire department. Voters passed the measure by a landslide 1,251 to 173. “I feel pretty good about that,” he said. Although Heller valued
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5
his service to the community, it came with some sacrifices. “You miss out on a lot, time with your family, dinners,” he said. He recalled with a grin that one Christmas morning the fire department got called first to a house fire and then to a grass fire. He and Kathie were hosting Christmas that year for both his family and hers. “When I finally got home,
Library News, A8 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B6 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B5
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1-B2 State’s Attorney, B5
my parents were the only ones still there. The dinner was over, the presents were opened, and everyone else had gone home,” Heller remembered. Exhausted, he climbed into bed only to be called out again to an all-night barn fire. “You didn’t think about it. You just got up and went,” he said. The biggest fire of his career was the blaze that destroyed the former Carnation Milk plant on Dec. 5, 2007. More than 20 departments came to help. Another memorable blaze, Heller said was the one that destroyed the First Presbyterian Church. The call came in merely as smoke in the basement. “I remember my wife had just fixed breakfast. I said I’ll be right back,” Heller said with a chuckle. “That was Saturday morning. I got back Monday morning.” Over the years, he spent about 30 hours a week, often every evening, on fire department business, in Turn to A2
Officials got right to business as soon as the new Oregon City Council was sworn in Tuesday evening. Newly elected mayor Ken Williams announced his departmental appointments for commissioners and then asked the council to approve them. Jim Barnes expressed his displeasure at the suggestion he would be assigned to public property and water and sewer. “I really was upset,” said Barnes. “The more I thought about it, the more I thought what I was going to do would not be in the best interest in the city. I was going to ask you to reconsider the nomination. I made up my mind the more I thought about it. I am too proud of Oregon to start off on a bad foot.” Terry Schuster will be finance commissioner, Barnes will be public property and water and sewer department commissioner, Thomas Izer will remain as streets and roads commissioner, and Kurt Wilson will be public health & safety commissioner. The appointments passed unanimously. Williams recommended that Darin DeHaan remain as chief of police, Paul Chadwick remain as city attorney, and Charlene Ruthe remain as city clerk and treasurer. These recommendations were also approved unanimously. During the commissioner reports, Izer passed along information from street superintendent Mike Bowers. A stop light at Tenth Street and Washington Street was without power Tuesday morning. A contractor at Caseys dug up the power supply to the signals, Izer said. The light was temporarily repaired and the permanent repair is scheduled for Thursday after the morning school rush is over. Repairs are scheduled to be completed before school lets Turn to A2
Deaths, B5 Audrey D. Burkholder, Michael C. Hawn, Anita L. Martin
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com