Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
January 5, 2017 Volume 167, Number 4 - $1.00
Lady Hawks Split
Eagle Watch
Dog Training
The Lady Hawks win two games, lose two games at the Dixon Holiday Classic. B1
Find out all about America’s national symbol Jan. 7. A6
Get your dog in shape for 2017 when Granny Rose begins training classes next week. A6
Lost cat home for Christmas
Tons of electronics are being recycled in Ogle County By Earleen Hinton ehinton@oglecountynews.com The big bulky 27” Magnavox was no match for Rudy Castillo. Castillo wrapped both arms around the plastic-encased television, removed it carefully from the SUV, and promptly placed it on top of a wheeled cart where it was whisked away to a 5-foot high stack of similar televisions past their heyday. Another volunteer, Todd Schiro, quickly wrapped the stack with plastic, before the pile was moved to the back of the garage, waiting to be shipped to a recycling company in Wisconsin. Such was the fate of older televisions, microwaves, computers, and monitors at the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department’s monthly electronic recycling event just five days after Christmas. “So far we’ve had 145 vehicles come through,” said Rita Nicoholson, administrative assistant for the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department, shortly before noon. “We’ve had quite a few televisions.” Nicholson greeted Ogle County residents as they drove up to the garage area of the OCSWMD’s main office on Pines Road on Dec. 30. Computer printers, monitors, microwaves, and televisions were just some of the electronic items
brought in during the day. Large stacks of items sitting on skids were wrapped in plastic and moved to the back of the garage area where they awaited transport to Dynamic Recycling in Wisconsin. The recycling events are held to reduce the amount of electronics disposed in landfills. “We had at least 230 vehicles come through by the end of the day. We had more than 214 CRT (tube) televisions,” Nicholson said. Not including last week’s totals, the OCSWMD collected a total of 248,179 pounds of electronics, just over 124 tons. That total, January through November, included 128,349 pounds of televisions, 15,019 of computer monitors, 15,120 pounds of computer laptops, monitors, and 10,448 pounds of microwaves. “It’s amazing how many tons of items we get,” Nicholson said. “We are trying to keep as much out the landfills as we can. We do not make a profit on the recycling at all.” The recycling events are held the last Friday of each month at the OCSWMD’s office on Pines Road in Oregon. “We also will host two Saturday events this year for people who can’t get here on a Friday because they have to work,” Nicholson said. There is a $5 fee for each Turn to A2
By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com
Above, Rudy Castillo, a volunteer at the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department’s electronic recycling event, unloads a large television during the department’s monthly recycling event in Oregon on Dec. 30. Below, Volunteer Matt Leather moves a skid of old televisions that were dropped off. Photos by Earleen Hinton
A lost cat made its way from Sterling to halfway between Polo and Forreston before finding its way home in time for Christmas. Lovie the cat finally came home from his “Kitty Vacation” - at least, that’s what Jacine Garza told her worried children. A young cat Garza took in as a stray in April, Lovie went missing July 2 from the Garzas’ home on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Ill. 2 in Sterling. Garza spread the word around the neighborhood, hoping that a local family found him. Fast forward to the weekend before Christmas, and nearly 21 miles north at a home on the corner of Ill. 64 and Freeport Road. Terry and Brad Campshure were asleep when they heard a cat shrieking “bloody murder” around 2:30 a.m. “We were in the middle of some renovations, and thought it honestly sounded like a cat was in the walls,” said Terry. However, with all of their own pets accounted for, they went outside and found a cat clinging to the window for dear life in the sub-zero Turn to A2
Byron man retires after 51 years at grocery stores By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com After more than half a century on the job, a Byron man retired last week with some unexpected, but much deserved, fanfare and accolades. Tommy Whetsel, 69, a familiar face at Byron grocery stores for 51 years, summed up why he has stayed on the job. “I like to help people,” he said. Co-workers and customers alike turned out Dec. 30 to honor Whetsel on his last day on the job at County Market, where he has worked for 33 of those 51 years, bagging and carrying out groceries and stocking shelves. The day began as usual almost. A Byron firetruck picked Whetsel up for work at 6:30 a.m. and then returned him home after his shift was over in the afternoon. Banners inside and outside the store said, “Happy Retirement Tommy!” in giant letters. Then on his break at 9 a.m., friends, co-workers, customers, and media slipped into the break room in the back of the store to
“Tommy has been a fixture for this community, and an example of ...,working hard and loving his job— Kim Gouker County Board Chairman surprise Whetsel with a cake, gifts, and a day proclaimed in his honor. Ogle County Board Chairman Kim Gouker was on hand to read a resolution proclaiming Dec. 30 as Tommy Whetsel Day in the county. Gouker, 64, began his remarks by recalling that his friendship with Whetsel started back in the 1970s when, as a Rock Valley College student, he got a job working at Byron Super Valu. “You’ve been a great friend of mine, and I appreciate it,” he told Whetsel. A childhood accident left Whetsel developmentally disabled but he’s never allowed that to stand in his way. “Tommy has been a fixture for this community, and an
In This Week’s Edition...
Tommy Whetsel, second from left, visits Don Roe, left, County Market store director, Gavin Clark, assistant manager, Dave Johnson, former manager of the Byron Super Value, where Whetsel began his 51-year career. The table holds gifts from Whetsel’s co-workers. Photo by Vinde Wells
example of beating adversity, not feeling sorry for himself, working hard and loving his job, and spreading joy while he does it,” Gouker said. True to his work ethic, Whetsel finished stocking the dairy case before going
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B4-B8 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B3
on his break, and answered questions from the media while he worked. Long-time friend Tom Johnson, Byron, was one of those who turned out for the retirement reception. “I’ve known him
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B2 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B2
practically all my life,” Johnson said. “Ever since we were young boys when his dad ran the shoe store downtown.” He comes to the store nearly every day to visit with Whetsel on his break.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B2 Social News, A4 Sports, A8, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
Whetsel started his career when he was 18 years old down the street from County Market at the Super Valu store. After that closed he went Turn to A2
Deaths, B3 Arlene M. Blum, Richard F. Dempsey, Harriet Ross
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com