Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
May 5, 2016 Volume 166, Number 21 - $1.00
Paying Tribute
AJ’s Jamboree
Plant Sale
Harry Fletcher is remembered for his dedication to sports and community service. A9
The seventh annual AJ’s Garden Tractor Jamboree is May 14. A6
Satisfy your green thumb at the Oregon Park District’s plant sale on May 7. A9
Ogle County Fair feeling the state budget crunch By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Add the Ogle County Fair to the growing list of entities feeling the pinch of no state budget. As a consequence, the fair board is reaching out to residents for donations to keep some aspects of the annual event going. In a letter dated March 21, the 14-member board
asked for donations to pay the premiums paid to project winners, who are mostly 4-H club members and other youths. “The reason we are doing this is that we have lost all funding from the state, like a lot of others, due to the lack of a budget,” board president Harlan Holm said Tuesday. “We want to be able to provide the services we have in the past for kids. What it [funds collected through
donations] will be used for is to pay the premiums for the projects. It will not be used for anything else.” According to the letter, the fair association paid out $29,001 in premiums at last year’s fair. Premiums are paid to the top six finishers in each class. “We would like to continue this practice but without the necessary funding we cannot,” the letter read. “Without incentive to draw
the youth to compete we are afraid that the county fair could be approaching the end of an era of old tradition and quite possible the fair itself.” The letter went on to say that if every adult in the county contributed $2, the board would have enough money to pay the premiums. Holm said the premiums will be paid this year as outlined in the fair book. “We’re trying to raise
By Andy Colbert acolbert@oglecounty news.com
Ghebbar Woods fillmed in Oregon By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com
Randall Cropp
“Some of this film was shot at Stronghold,” Cropp said. Filming the movie has been the realization of years of work. Cropp has appeared and worked on 20 films. “’The UnMiracle’ has the best chance for recognition,” he said. “I love the part in that film. I am the mean guy in a religious film.” “The UnMiracle” stars Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Sorbo. Having those two actors is why Cropp thinks he could be recognized in the film. “Unknown actors are a risk in Hollywood which
Donations can be sent to the Ogle County Fair Association, PO Box 142, Oregon IL 61061. “The people of Ogle County and the surrounding area have been good to us,” Holm said. “The fair is growing and that’s a plus.” This year’s fair — the 163rd — will be held Aug. 3-7 at the fairgrounds on Limekiln Road, just off Ill. 64 west of Oregon.
Gaming area has touches of home
Oregon grad is making movies
A local filmmaker is currently working on bringing multiple projects to the screen. Randall Cropp, a 2007 Oregon High School graduate, is looking to premiere his new film “Ghebbar Woods” in the Sauk Valley area. “This film is a found footage style,” said Cropp. “It is a camping trip with science fiction. I am going to have a premiere this summer.” Found footage was popularized by the film “The Blair Witch Project.” He is still finalizing the plans for a screen to show the film but would like to show the film in Sterling. Cropp is starring in this film and also wrote and directed the film. When writing this film, he wanted to use local landmarks that were familiar.
funds so we can continue what we’ve done in the past,” he said. “We don’t want to cut.” Because the fair association is a not-for-profit organization, donations are tax deductible. Individuals or businesses that make larger donations will be recognized by the fair board. Those who contribute $400 for more will be listed on several signs on the fairgrounds.
A promotional poster for Randall Cropp’s film Ghebbar Woods.
makes small films like “Ghebbar Woods” hard to get distributed,” Cropp said. “The hardest part of making a movie used to be making the movie. Now it is getting people to watch the film. The internet helps get the word out.” His film “Ghebbar Woods” has a Facebook page, trailers on YouTube, and a website ghebbarwoods.com. When asked about why Cropp enjoys working on films he has two answers. “I love the childish
answer,” he said. “Playing pretend and dressing up. The mature answer is I just love creating films. It is a synergy to create a project. It is a rush.” Cropp currently has a following of fans. He has attended several conventions where films he is in have screened and copies of the film are being sold. “You are approached by these fans and asked for autographs,” he said. “I love that feeling. Even the small Turn to A2
Entering Ten Pennies Cafe, Oregon, is like walking into a scene from Taste of Country Living magazine. Far from being a casinotype atmosphere, it has all the touches of home, something women of taste and sophistication would appreciate. And why not? That is the demographic that Ten Pennies is geared to attract for its slot-playing business. “It is 50 years plus, female and retired,” said one of the co-owners of the business, who asked not to be identified. However, a women’s book club would be just as comfortable in the bar area of the establishment as would a slot player at Ten Pennies. A person enjoying a sandwich or drink may not even notice the area off to the side, which houses the slot machines. It’s apparent the two partners of Ten Pennies did their research before setting up shop in Oregon. They looked outside of Illinois at states like West Virginia and Oregon that had already approved slot machines and saw a great
deal of potential. “We made it clear that slots were part of our business plan when we made a presentation to the city mayor and chief of police,” said the co-owner, who also has an interest in a Ten Pennies in Freeport. With a total of 10 machines on both sides of the business, Ten Pennies has been the largest revenue generator among slot machine operations in Oregon. “Slots enable you to open up the type of business you want. The games allow us to continue to grow. We have 9-10 employees. It doesn’t make us a Woods or anything, but helps with employment,” he said. In talking with the coowner, who lives in Rockford, it was apparent he would rather be in the background and let his locally based employees be the face of the business. A block north of Ten Pennies is a soon-to-be opened business owned by Amanda Messenger that will offer slots. In between those two is Fathers and Sons Pizza, which also has slots. Like Ten Pennies, Messenger will capitalize on the popularity of video gaming to grow her bar and grill. Turn to A2
Motorcycle repair shop has opened in Mt. Morris By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Making sure all motorcycles are road ready and not sitting in a garage gathering dust is the goal of a new repair shop in Mt. Morris. Gary DeSmedt is the coowner of BD Cycles and in only the first month of business has seen a steady flow of customers. When DeSmedt moved to Mt. Morris last year he saw the need for a local repair shop. “People have bikes but they may not run it because they needed service. The dealers only like working on newer bikes,” he said. “This was a needed option for owners.”
Customers have been riding past the shop and hearing from other riders about the business. “I have customers tell me that they were tired of having to go so far for service on their motorcycles,” said DeSmedt. “I am offering quality work at a fair price.” All the maintenance required to keep any brand of motorcycle running can be serviced at BD Cycles. In the shop DeSmedt had cycles by Harley Davidson, Honda, Sazuki, and Triumph that were being worked on. “Some bikes sit for years in the garage and I am happy to see them running again,” he said. “This is a love and joy of fixing
In This Week’s Edition...
motorcycles. “I want to make sure all bikes are on the road so the owners can enjoy the passion of riding on the roads.” DeSmedt, 63, has been fixing motorcycles for 50 years since he rode a motorcycle to school in eighth grade. “My parents received a call from the principal that day,” he said. “I started working on my bike and experience is the best teacher. I started working on neighborhood bikes. I never thought it would be a business.” BD Cycles is located at 4279 W. Rt. 64 in Mt. Morris. The shop is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The office phone number is 779-545-0181.
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5 Library News, A3
Gary DeSmedt, co-owner of BD Cycles in Mt. Morris, works on the clutch of a Harley Davidson. Photo by Chris Johnson
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, A7 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B5 Reading Matters, A8
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, A10, B1, B2
Deaths, B4 L. Jane Barr, Sadie Doreen Doyle, Harry W. Fletcher, Beverly A. Fry, Harold “Andy” Martin, Roman Porembski, Paul E. Shriber
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com