Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
July 16, 2015 Volume 165, Number 31 - $1.00
Lunch and Learn
Butterflies
K-9 Center
State parks will be the topic at the Chamber’s Lunch n’ Learn on July 21. A8
An annual butterfly festival will be held near Forreston July 25. A10
A Dixon animal shelter is working to raise funds for a K-9 Enrichment Center A7
City earmarks funds for viewing stand at depot By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com Could a viewing stand be built at the Oregon Depot? That is what several residents and members of the Oregon Depot Board would like to see happen with some financial assistance from the city council. “A project is afoot to make the Oregon Train Depot appeal to
bicyclists,” said Henry Tideman. “The benefit of this would be partly the citizens of Oregon, but more importantly to attract people from outside of Oregon.” Tideman believes the depot is something that can lead to economic improvements and retail sales for the community. He made his comments during the city’s appropriation and budget hearing. Roger Cain of the Oregon Depot
Board presented the council with a $33,000 proposal to assist with the construction of a steel viewing platform from which depot visitors could view the active Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks. “I am asking $23,000 for the structure and another $10,000 for expenses,” said Cain. “We have an equal amount committed from volunteers and companies. I appreciate your consideration.” Cain said local companies
including E.D. Etnyre and Company and F.N. Smith have made contributions for the project. “The viewing stand will complement the building,” said Cain. “The bulk of the money for the restoration of the depot has been donated.” A group of dedicated volunteers has been working to restore and finish the depot, he said. The Oregon Depot is open to the public every Saturday and is filled
with railroad-related artifacts and stories from the community. Another draw for the viewing platform would be to make it a place for bicyclists to meet. “We can make the depot a destination,” said Cain. The budget as presented did not have money appropriated for the project. “I would like to amend the budget for the project in case we approve Turn to A2
Village hears request
Demo Done County razes building for new parking lot
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com A building that originally was a gas station and more recently a BBQ restaurant, was razed July 10 in downtown Oregon. The Ogle County Highway Department was on site at 501 W. Washington St. to demolish the building at the corner of Fifth and Washington Streets. “I am extremely excited with the progress on this project,” said Ogle County Board member Don Griffin, who is coordinating the project through the Long Range Planning Committee. “This is a good project for the county and the city.” When completed the property will be graded and paved as a county parking lot. Additional expansion of the parking lot is in the county’s long range plan. Griffin said the house to the south of the property will be demolished in the future.
Workers from the Ogle County Highway Department were busy July 10 demolishing the building at 501 W. Washington Street in Oregon that was recently home to a restaurant. The site will be transformed into a new county parking lot. Photo by Chris Johnson
In December of 2013, the county board approved buying the house at 102 S. Fifth St. from Scott and Barb Spoor for $99,500. At that time the board entered into a three-year lease with attorney Robert Lowe, who has his office there. The Washington Street property will provide additional parking for the Judicial Center and festivals
and events in Oregon, Griffin said. The final demolition of the building was competed Friday. Griffin said the parking lot on that site will be completed in time for the annual Autumn on Parade festival, scheduled for Oct. 3-4. The first phase of the project was to remove the former Jackass BBQ building from 501 W. Washington
St. and add parking spaces. This included the removal of underground tanks, left from the gas station, that were discovered on the property. The board approved a resolution in June to accept a proposal for $15,283 from Stiles Inc., Loves Park, to remove five underground storage tanks from the property. Phase two will include the demolition of the house next
door, once the lease expires for that renter. A date has yet to be set for that action. The final phase will be completing the entire parking lot, which will have 39 spaces. Costs for the project were estimated at $203,500 for the first phase. The final two phases have an estimated cost of $161,950 to complete. Vinde Wells contributed to this story.
A downtown property owner asked the Mt. Morris Village Board Tuesday to grant him a variance for a building he recently purchased. Mt. Morris resident Bob Janacek, 65, asked the board to allow him to put an apartment on the main floor at 1 N. Wesley Ave., on the northeast corner of Wesley Avenue and Main Street. Village ordinances prohibit residential quarters on the street level of downtown buildings, except in the back portion. The front portions of buildings are reserved for businesses, according to the ordinance. Janacek said he wants to put a handicapped accessible apartment on the main floor of the building, which was formerly the law office of attorney Robert Hanson, who is now an Ogle County Circuit Judge. “We all know it would probably be a good place for a store, but we also know Turn to A2
Firefighters raced the rain to get roof on new Habitat Home By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com In a race against Mother Nature July 11, Mt. Morris firefighters won with time to spare. With dark skies and rain predicted, several members of the fire department volunteered to put the roof on Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County’s (HFHOC) 11th home, which is being built at 408 W. Front St. in Mt. Morris. The group of volunteers started their project early and finished by mid-morning. “We had enough time to do the roof and eat lunch before the rain came,” said Fire Chief Rob Hough. The roof wasn’t the only Mt. Morris firefighters volunteered their time July 11 to put a roof on the Habitat for Humanity house under construction at 408 W. Front St., Mt. Morris. Volunteers are still work being done to the new house on Saturday morning. needed to help with the project. Photo by Vinde Wells Inside, volunteers worked
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B6
Library News, A8 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B6 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B3
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
on the plumbing. HFHOC chose Elias and Betty Sotelo and their daughters Maya and Kiana as the recipients of the house, the second built in Mt. Morris. Ground was broken April 26, and crews of volunteers and family members are on hand every weekend getting the house up and ready. Since it was founded 12 years ago, HFHOC has completed 10 houses. So far, HFHOC volunteers have built two homes in Forreston, both of which have been sold, one in Byron, four in Polo, two in Oregon, and one in Mt. Morris. Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry, comprised of volunteers, that welcomes to all people dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than
200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than a million people. Future homeowners help build their homes and then buy them through affordable, no-profit mortgages; their payments go into a Fund for Humanity to build additional homes. To be chosen as the recipient of a Habitat home, a family must apply and undergo a lengthy selection process. Once selected, home recipients are required to put in the a number of “sweat equity” hours by helping to build their new home. To volunteer or for more information, call 815-7326855. Donations can be sent to: Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County, P.O. Box 628, Oregon, IL 61061.
Deaths, A7, B5
Walter J. Bernhard, Jesse A. Gigous, Mary K. Head, William E. Jones, Everett R. Kested, Juanita M. Lawton, Leo G. Piper, Michael J. Robinson, Donald N. Sherrick, LaMoine A. Stukenberg, Donald E. White
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com