Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
May 8, 2014 Volume 164, Number 21 - $1.00
Loyola Bound
Wine Event
Disaster Plans?
Oregon Senior Sam Lambrigtsen will play basketball at Loyola-Chicago. B1
Stronghold castle is the site of this year’s spring wine event. A3
Illinois residents should update disaster plans to include the family pets. B2
School to receive $37,450 for security upgrade By Vinde Wells Editor More than $125,000 in state grant money is coming to Ogle County to upgrade and enhance school security. It’s part of $25 million being distributed to 448 elementary and secondary school districts, community colleges, and state universities
in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s (IEMA) School and Campus Safety Grant Program. The grants will help fund more than 1,300 projects, including vestibules – secure waiting areas – being created in many local schools. Other projects include reinforced doors, shatterresistant glass, locks, and
other security measures, a news release said. Among the local recipients, Oregon is getting $37,450, Polo $16,175, the Ogle County Educational Cooperative $600, Eswood Elementary $5,000, Rochelle Elementary $43,540, and Rochelle High School $22,445. Oregon plans to create
secure vestibules at each of its three schools. Superintendent Tom Mahoney said the grant money will offset the cost of building improvements being done this summer. The heightened security measures are part of a $7.5 million in Health & Life Safety projects approved by the school board last fall.
The majority of the Health & Life Safety work — an estimated $7.1 million — will be for the new heating and cooling system. Included in the rest are more security cameras at various school entrances, repairs to the doors of the band room at Oregon High School, additional electrical outlets and upgrades to
No vote for bees in Polo
Husband of dog attack victim arrived in time Aneda Ebert is eager to get back to running By Vinde Wells Editor After rescuing his wife from an attack by three dogs two weeks ago and likely saving her life, Larry Ebert has altered his views somewhat on tightening laws. “I’ve never been a huge proponent of leash laws, but unstable dogs shouldn’t be allowed to run free either,� he said Friday afternoon. “Dog owners need to be responsible.� Ebert, 62, rural Ashton, was out for a morning bike ride April 21 and as he rode down Dugdale Road, heading home, he saw the neighbor’s three dogs attacking something in the ditch. To his horror he soon realized what they had was his wife, Aneda, 63, who had been out jogging and was about a tenth of a mile from
home. “When I got close enough to see it was her, I rode as fast as I could,� he said. “I saw them drag her at least 15 feet.� He said he ran at the dogs, two pit bulls and a smaller brown dog, and yelled at them, scaring them off. “I don’t know what I would have done if they had decided to stay and fight,� Ebert said. Larry called 911 on Aneda’s cell phone and assisted her as best he could as she lay bloodied and torn in the ditch. “His timing was wonderful,� Aneda said. “He came along at the right time.� Aneda, who is 5’1�, suffered numerous bite wounds to her arms, the back of her neck, and her leg. She was able to protect her face, and the dogs landed only one bite on her cheek. The wounds on her arms are deep, large tears, requiring stitches, and the ones on the back of her neck were stapled. Bruises from the bites are everywhere.
transformers at OHS and Oregon Elementary School, removing and replacing existing phone cables, and adding air-conditioning in six server rooms. Polo will use its grant money to upgrade the locks on classroom doors in all three buildings. “We’re going to install Turn to A2
By Vinde Wells Editor
Aneda and Larry Ebert sit together on a couch in their family room. Aneda was attacked by three dogs as she was jogging near her home on Dugdale Road in rural Ashton on April 21. Photo by Vinde Wells
Her leg is polka-dotted with puncture wounds, where the dogs bit deeply into her muscle. Deep scratches on her upper back are healing. She said the dogs ran at her and began biting at her elbows, quickly knocking her down and dragging her in a savage frenzy. “It hurt so bad. I just wanted to die,� she said. “I couldn’t get that growling out of my head for about a
week.� The dogs tore off the red T-shirt she was wearing over top of her tank top. Aneda remained conscious throughout the ambulance ride to KSB Hospital, Dixon, and remembers making a stop in Lost Nation to pick up a paramedic who could start an IV. Once at KSB, she was x-rayed and then had surgery to clean the wounds and put drains in them.
She was released from the hospital April 25, and the staples came out a few days later. Aneda’s daily workout routine has proved beneficial. “They said she has good muscle texture and good circulations, which are two good things to have going for you with something like this,� Larry said. “They were afraid some of the tissue Turn to A2
After nearly a year of sometimes heated discussions, Polo beekeeper Mike Scholl lost his bid Monday night to raise honey bee queens in small hives outside his home. By a 4-3 vote the city council rejected an ordinance that would have allowed Scholl to maintain small hives called nucs at his home at 110 N. Barber Ave. from Sept. 15 to March 15 each year. Mayor Doug Knapp cast the deciding no vote after the city council reached an impasse with a 3-3 tie. Voting against the measure were aldermen Louise Hall, Cheryl Galor, and Randy Schoon, while aldermen Troy Boothe, David Ackeberg, and Matt Mekeel voted in favor of it. After the meeting Knapp said he did not oppose the nucs, but felt most residents were against raising bees inside the city. “The majority of the people who contacted me and who I Turn to A3
Ground broken for new Habitat Home in Oregon Family of Marie Black donated lot for the home By Chris Johnson Reporter A new home will start taking shape soon in Oregon following a ceremonial ground breaking last week. Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County is helping future homeowner Jennifer Larson and her son Vincenzo build a house at 210 S. Sixth Street. “We are here to dedicate our next build,� said Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County President Bob Van Stedum on May 3. “We would not be here if it were not for the generosity of the Marie Black family.� The lot at the corner of Sixth and Monroe Streets was donated by the Black family. An old house was torn
down to make room for the Habitat home. “We are very excited,� said Larson. “It was touching to have the support.� Larson said she expects her family and friends to support her throughout the build. Oregon Mayor Tom Stone said Larson’s family will enjoy living in Oregon. “I want to welcome you and I am sure you will be a wonderful addition to our community,� he said. Pastor Brion Brooks offered a blessing for the project before Habitat board members, the buildings, and family did the ground breaking. Wagner Construction and Plum Electric will offer their services during the construction. This is the ninth home build in Ogle County. The construction of the home is expected to be completed by September.
In This Week’s Edition...
In addition to the help of volunteers, the family will provide a minimum of 200 hours of “sweat equity.� Habitat for Humanity empowers low-income
families in need by partnering with them to build decent, affordable housing. Habitat works to give families a hand up, not a hand out, by providing the family
with a no-profit, no-interest their ability to repay the loan. mortgage loan. For more information Families are chosen based about Habitat for Humanity on their level of need, their of Ogle County or to learn willingness to become Turn to A3 partners in the program and
Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County broke ground May 3 on a new home in Oregon. Pictured here are Tom Hughes, Oregon Mayor Tom Stone, Lori Wagner, Josh Franks, Randy Wagner, Dave Starke, habitat president Bob Van Stedum, and family Vincenzo and Jennifer Larson. Photo by Chris Johnson
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4 Library News, A3
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B5 Public Voice, A9 Property Transfers, B5
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
Deaths, B3 Donald E. Dusing, Iola J. Geyer, Elaine R. Mowry, George W. Rundlett, Robert W. Wolfley
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