ORR_06182015

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Serving Ogle County since 1851

OREGON Republican Reporter

Polo Festival

Slam-n-Jam

Microchipping

Polo’s Town & Country Days offers a variety of affordable family activities June 18-21. B1

June 18, 2015 Volume 165, Number 27 - $1.00

Keep your pets safe by having them microchipped Saturday. A7

The weather held off for an annual day of fun and remembrance at Oregon Park West. B1

County board moves ahead with tank removal By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com The Ogle County Board moved ahead Tuesday with plans to create more parking spaces near the judicial center in the next few months. The board approved a resolution to accept a proposal for $15,283 from Stiles Inc., Loves Park, to remove five underground storage tanks on the county’s property at

501 W. Washington St., the corner of Washington and Fifth Streets. Board member Don Griffin, who is coordinating the project, said he expects the project to be completed in time for the Autumn on Parade festival, scheduled for Oct. 3-4. Board member Lee Meyers, Byron, questioned why the resolution appropriated $18,000 for project when Stiles’ bid was less than that. Griffin said the extra money was

allocated in case unexpected costs arise during the tank removal. He said two of the tanks still have oil in them. Board member Pat Saunders, Polo, said that the bid includes a price per yard to remove any contaminated soil from around the tanks. The price will vary depending on how much is found. Board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, said the bid also includes a price per gallon to pump out the oil

left in the tanks. Neither amount can be determined, he said, until the excavation is underway. The removal of the tanks is part of a three-phase project that will likely take place over the next few years to remove the former Jackass BBQ building from 501 W. Washington St., and the house next door to the south at 102 S. Fifth St. and create a parking lot with 39 spaces.

Gouker said last month that the project will be done in phases, with the removal of the underground tanks, demolition of the Jackass BBQ building, and completing that part the parking lot as Phase 1, removal of the house next door as Phase 2, and completing the rest of the parking lot as Phase 3. The board also approved a resolution with an estimate from Turn to A2

Taxing error is a topic

Torch Run

Law enforcement officers step up for Special Olympics By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Local athletes received the send off of a lifetime last week when the Flame of Hope made its way through Oregon. Individuals from the Village of Progress (VOP), including Special Olympic athletes, lined downtown Oregon to see the torch as it passed by June 10. The torch, carried by law enforcement workers, was headed to Bloomington for the annual summer Special Olympics for track and field. “This is the 29th year the Torch Run has been organized for Special Olympics,” said run leader Assistant Deputy Chief Patrick Hoey, of the Rockford Police Department. First responders from the Oregon, Mt. Morris, and Byron Police Departments, and Ogle County Sheriff’s Department were participating in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics “I am so proud of Sheriff (Brian) VanVickle to do their first ever Torch Run,” said Hoey. “We had a fantastic turnout today. It is fantastic seeing everyone in town.” Along the route the officers participating in the run were greeted by athletes from the VOP and lots of heat and humidity. “We are from the Village of Progress,” said Karen Kereven. “We have our athletes out supporting the group today. It

By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Oregon officials and a store manager agree that a local restaurant was charging too much sales tax for several weeks, but no one can say how much extra money that amounted to. Commissioner Jim Barnes brought the topic up June 9 at the Oregon City Council meeting. He said a business, which he did not name, was charging 8.25 percent instead of the 7.25 percent that should have been collected. The problem came to light when Oregon resident Doug Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle leads law enforcement officers through downtown Oregon as they run a leg Raney contacted Oregon of the Torch Run. Photo by Earleen Hinton Police Chief Darin DeHaan is a good cause.” after he and his wife Darlene She was with two athletes were overcharged 10 cents from the VOP who have on a $10 purchase at Dairy participated in Special Queen on May 1. Olympics. Their receipt showed that “Our athletes all love playing 83 cents was charged for tax in the sports,” said Kereven. “It instead of 73 cents. is fun.” Doug Raney said after Jenny Meyer is a basketball the meeting that the amount standout on the team that went could be “substantial.” to the state competition this DeHaan told the council year. that he called the Internal “I like basketball,” Meyer Revenue Service (IRS) as said. “It is good to play on the soon as he found out there team.” was a problem. Earlier this year, Meyer “I notified the Rockford practiced her skills during office of the IRS,” he said. the annual game between the “They are aware of it. It took VOP and the Ogle County a week to talk to someone Educational Coop at the there.” Oregon High School. “They [Dairy Queen] During the Torch Run, she have been doing this two or was there to support her fellow Village of Progress workers and consumers held signs to encourage runners as three months,” Barnes said. athletes and cheer on the law they passed through Oregon on the Torch Run. Pictured here, left to right, are: “I think we should have our Jason Roinas, Lori Pederson, Chris Hernandez, Rachel Brooks, Gary Moats,

Turn to B2 Teresa Vaughn, David Rebuck, and Victoria Barnhart. Photo by Earleen Hinton

Turn to A2

Ambulance service top responsibility for new chief Greene also wants to get community more involved By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com Oregon’s new fire chief hopes to get the community more involved in the fire department. “I want to create an environment that makes people feel welcome to come into the fire house,” said Al Greene. “I want the public to come

in to talk and ask questions. I want the community to understand the fire service and to be involved. Greene, 48, took over May 1 as fire chief, after the retirement of Don Heller, who served as chief for 14 years and was a volunteer firefighter for 38 years. Greene said his first responsibility as fire chief is to get the new ambulance service up and running. Voters approved a referendum in April to have a tax-supported ambulance service through the fire district.

In This Week’s Edition...

Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B6

“We’re changing,” Greene said. “We’ve doubled our services in the last year. I want to maintain the quality [fire] service to the community and bring EMS (emergency medical service) to Oregon.” One of his goals is to get all members of the fire department the necessary training. “I hope to train our personnel to the levels required today,” he said. A professional firefighter himself in Lombard, Greene said he hopes more Oregon residents will join the department and see it

Library News, A11 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B2 Property Transfers, B5

as a career path. He and his wife Michelle and their two children moved to Oregon in 1999. “It’s a great place to live,” he said. Greene has been a full-time firefighter and paramedic for the last 30 years. He is currently a lieutenant and battalion chief with the Lombard Fire Department, where he has worked since 1991. His work schedule of 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off allows him to Turn to A3

Public Voice, A9 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 State’s Attorney, B4

Oregon Fire Chief Al Greene

Deaths, B5

Kathryn L. Donaldson, Everette R. Henderson, Bryan K. Peltz, Roger E. Satterfield, Homer Snyder, Michael J. Stevens

Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com


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