Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
August 20, 2015 Volume 165, Number 36 - $1.00
Ready to Run
Open House
Man Honored
A skilled backfield should keep the Hawks running in 2015 B1
The OPD’s Children’s Center will mark 25 years with an open house. A9
A tree is planted in memory of Alan Steele at White Pines State Park A6
County board rejects tobacco licensing 13-9 By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com Three people voiced their disappointment Tuesday after the Ogle County Board rejected a measure that would have required licenses for businesses that sell tobacco products. The board turned down the motion to approve the licensing by a
vote of 13 to 9. Two board members Nic Bolin, Holcomb, and John Finfrock, Mt. Morris, did not attend the meeting. I’m disappointed,” said Joanie Padilla, county director of Health Education and Emergency Preparedness. She had earlier told the board that she believed the licensing would help discourage businesses from
selling tobacco products to anyone 18 or younger. Zachary Prosser and Grant Zickur, both juniors at Rochelle Township High School, also voiced their disappointment. Both had addressed the board, urging members to vote for the measure. “I’m very disappointed,” Prosser said. “I’ve seen a lot of Rochelle Township High School students
involved in tobacco products.” Zickur agreed. “I found it disappointing not so much for charging [the businesses], but as a another avenue to prevent young people from smoking,” he said. The proposal stipulated that any Ogle County business that sells or wants to sell tobacco products must apply annually to the Ogle County Health Department and, if approved,
pay a $100 license fee. Padilla said the licensing would give the health department the authority to go into businesses and conduct compliance checks, making sure tobacco products are not being sold to underage youths. Currently, she said, the state of Illinois has no such licensing for businesses selling tobacco products. Turn to A3
Contaminated soils removed Work continues on parking lot By Chris Johnson cxjohnson@oglecounty news.com
A back to school assembly was held for the students of Oregon Elementary School and their families at the Blackhawk Center Aug. 13. Photo by Chris Johnson
Back to School in 2015 Oregon School District students returned to their classrooms last week, marking the start of the 2015-16 school year. Oregon students’ first full day of school was Aug. 13. High school students and grades kindergarten through sixth grade attend classes in Oregon at the Oregon High School and Oregon Elementary School. Seventh and eighth grade students attend classes at the David L. Rahn Junior High in Mt. Morris.
Above left, Vivyan Porter waves at her friends and family during the back to school assembly Aug. 13. At right, first grader RJ Helfrick raises the first grade flag as he leads his class into the Blackhawk Center. Photos by Chris Johnson
Contaminated soil from the site of a former gas station has been removed allowing construction to move forward on a county parking lot. An environmental engineer was in Oregon Tuesday morning at 501 W. Washington St. doing final soil samples on the property. “We are having the soil tested and have loaded the final contaminated soil,” said Ogle County Engineer Curtis Cook. “These final samples are from the walls of the excavation from when we removed the tanks.” These last samples will be sent to the lab to confirm all the contamination was removed. “The plan is to finish the samples and have a clean site,” said Cook. “The tank cleanup will then be complete.” While the samples are being checked O’Brien Civil Works, Polo, was able to move forward with the storm sewer work on the site. Cook said so far the previous samples contained petroleum products from the underground tanks. Workers will install the storm sewer by the end of the week. When the storm sewer is completed the property will be graded to prepare the site for a parking lot. “We are fortunate to
have numerous qualified contractors locally,” said Cook. “They do a good job for the county.” Plans call for a curb and gutter around the perimeter of the parking lot. “We are also going to put up street lights to illuminate the parking lot,” Cook said. “It will be nice when completed and this first phase will add 19 parking spots.” The Ogle County Board approved a multiple phase project to demolish the former gas station and turn the property into a parking lot. 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. 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 county purchased this house at 102 S. Fifth St. from Scott and Barb Spoor for $99,500 in December of 2013. At that time the board entered into a three-year lease with attorney Robert Lowe, who has his office there. 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. Work is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 1
Couple honors their son with restoration of native prairie By Sarah Zuniga Correspondent When a mother loses a son, it’s only natural that she would want to preserve his memory. That’s exactly what Carol Soderholm did – in a big way. The Mt. Morris woman, along with her husband, Paul, helped return 130 acres of farmland next to White Pines State Park to native prairie grasses and flowers. In the process, they found a way to keep her son’s memory alive forever. The Soderholms, selfproclaimed conservationists
who have been married 19 years, named their endeavor the Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve, after Carol’s son, who died of leukemia in February 2014 – “because he loved it out here, and because he worked hard to help Paul,” she said. In September 2014, the couple’s efforts were recognized by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources when their property was designated a state land and water reserve. With that recognition, the acreage can’t be developed, but it can be passed down or willed to others, which is
In This Week’s Edition...
what the Soderholms plan to do. “It will all be gifted to an organization that will keep it as beautiful as it is,” Carol said. “It means that the land will be protected forever.” It’s the second-highest designation given by the Nature Preserves Commission of the IDNR. Land and water that support “significant natural heritage or archaeological resources” can be awarded the recognition, according to the department’s website. According to the proposal presented to the commission Paul and Carol Soderholm stand on their deck overlooking the prairie that they have Turn to A2 restored. Photo by Sarah Zuniga
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A9 Marriage Licenses, A4
Oregon Police, A7 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B5 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4
Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3 Zoning Permits, B4
Deaths, B5 Esther J. Appler, William S. Besse, Lois V. Curry, Wanda G. Meiners, Kenneth R. Schneiderman
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com