Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
July 24, 2014 Volume 164, Number 32 - $1.00
Rugged Runner
It’s Fair Time!
New Queen
A Polo native wins the Rugged Run at Oregon Trail Days on July 20. A9
The Ogle County Fair and 4-H Fair is right around the corner. Insert
Katrina Lowry has been crowned 2014 Ogle County Fair Queen. A2
New Casey’s store planned By Chris Johnson Reporter A new gas station on the west side of Oregon will replace an aging store if everything goes according to plan. Casey’s General Store, 901 W. Washington St., has been in its present location for decades. The Ankeny, Iowa, company has plans to purchase the neighboring A rider for the Northern Illinois Outlaws shoots a balloon while on horseback during a performance at Oregon Trail properties to build a 3,269 Days on Sunday. The event was held at Lowden State Park. Photo by Earleen Hinton square foot convenience store on the site. “For us, the growth strategy is to replace our older assets,� said William Walljasper, Time and weather have Casey’s General Store Chief caused significant damage Financial Officer Tuesday to the 103-year-old concrete afternoon. “We evaluate the landmark which was created sites and we feel an enlarged by sculptor Laredo Taft. By Vinde Wells presence will better serve Since most of the money Editor the community. The Oregon has been raised for the store has a lot of visibility.� repairs, Henderson said Perfect weather and Work on the project is it’s time to discontinue the a worthy cause drew an being handled by project estimated 4,500 people to the festival, which has been held manager Ryan Swanson, fifth and final Oregon Trail on the third weekend in July. ARC Design, Loves Park. “We’ve met our goal,� she Days festival last weekend. “We have filed paperwork “It may have been our said. on behalf of Casey’s General Amy Trimble, also an highest attendance ever,� Store,� Swanson said. “We said Beth Henderson, one of organizer of the festival, said are currently going through Tuesday that the event has the festival organizers. the permitting phase. We are raised $50,000 over its five She said the two-day getting everything in line.� event, held July 19 and 20 at year history for the statue Two variances and a Lowden State Park, went off repair fund and has increased building permit still need to public awareness of the without a hitch. be approved, said Swanson. “It was phenomenal!� she statue’s condition. The variances were “We’ve raised $50,000,� said Tuesday. “The weather unanimously approved she said. “Where we were was perfect and everything Tuesday night by the city fell into place. Several people important was bringing in council. the media and for public came up to me and said we Both variances addressed relations. We brought in should keep it going.� storm water. The first was to The festival, featuring a television stations from limit the storm runoff to the Chicago and Rockford.� Native American and western 10-year peak rate instead of So far, $725,000 has been theme, was organized in 2010 the 100-year maximum rate. raised of the estimated almost to raise money for repairs to The second variance was to $1 million that will be needed the renowned Black Hawk increase the side slopes on the to repair the statue’s surface statue, which is situated on Abigail, age 7, and Madelyn Eaton, age 4, both of Lake edge of the property to allow a high bluff overlooking the damage. of the Woods, react as a Native American dancer Ronnie additional storm water to be Turn to B1 Rock River at the park. Preston performs on July 19. Photo by Earleen Hinton detained on the property.
Perfect weather for final Trail Days Committee says goal was met
“We have no timeline for the construction,� said Walljasper. “We need to finalize all of the paperwork.� Plans call for purchasing the apartment building at 905 W. Washington St. This property was rezoned from Residential R-3 to Commercial by the city council. Casey’s is purchasing the property contingent on getting a building permit. The house to the south of the store will be purchased and demolished. A public hearing on the rezoning was held on June 17 and approved by the city council on June 24. “City officials has been positive through the process,� said Swanson. “The expansion would be a nice improvement.� The gas station currently has four gas pumps. The small parking lot has been overflowing with customers during peak hours which limits the number of customers the current store can handle. “We plan to build behind the existing store,� said Walljasper. “There will be expanded parking.� Gas pumps on the site will increase from two self serve pump islands to four. The new store will offer additional amenities to customers, Walljasper said. “We also will be adding new products to the store,� said Walljasper. “Our new stores have made to order sandwiches and self serve ice cream.� The Oregon location will not sell alcohol. Mayor Tom Stone said Tuesday night the city will Turn to A2
Workers begin on statue’s base Full restoration of statue awaits state approval By Vinde Wells Editor
Although the project has not been officially approved, preparatory work started last week to repair the Black Hawk statue. A crew from Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio, Forest Park, put up a fence around the 103-yearold concrete landmark at Lowden State Park near Oregon, and removed bushes and limestone blocks surrounding the statue’s base. “We’re getting ready to put some scaffolding up and to do some mock-ups,� said Frank Rausa, Sterling, a volunteer who is spear-heading the repair effort. He said the limestone blocks, which were not a A fence now surrounds the Black Hawk Statue as restoration part of the statue’s original pedestal, will be saved and work on the base begins. Photo by Earleen Hinton
In This Week’s Edition...
Business Brief, B6 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6
Christopher Ciaston watches as Robert Zarycki and Leszek Zarebski of Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio Inc., Forest Park, began removing stones from the base of the 103-year-old Black Hawk Statue. Restoration work will continue throughout the summer. Photo by Earleen Hinton
probably re-used when the repairs are completed. Once the scaffolding is in place, Rausa said, a team of experts will begin doing “mock-ups� or testing various mixtures of concrete and other materials to see which one will work the best to restore the areas of the
Fines, B6 Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B5 Public Voice, A8
statue damaged by time and weather. “Four to six recipes will be applied to the statue, and that will take about a month to cure,� He said. “Then they will determine which blend will be the best match and go from there.� For actual repair work to
Property Transfers, B6 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 State’s Attorney, B7
begin, two state agencies — Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) — must approve a plan submitted several weeks ago by Thornton Tomasetti, Chicago, an architectural Turn to A2
Deaths, B3 Reuben H. Barnhart Jr., Everett Lundin, Mervel E. Wood
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