Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
March 23, 2017 Volume 167, Number 15 - $1.00
Maiden Season
Helping Hands
Job Fair
The new Oregon girls soccer team has been practicing for the inaugural season. B1
Ogle County residents spend hours of their lives volunteering. Inside
Brush up the resumes and prepare to attend an April 6 job fair at the Oregon Coliseum. A6
Byron man dies in car
Spring Has Arrived
crash after stabbing wife By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A Byron man who police say stabbed his wife died March 16 in a car accident while fleeing the scene. Michael J. Gorman, 48, a public service administrator at the Dixon Correctional Center, was pronounced dead at Rockford Memorial Hospital. According to a press release from Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle, Gorman stabbed his wife Jodi, 45, during a domestic dispute at their home at 8438 Winnebago Lane, rural Byron. Jodi Gorman remains in a Rockford hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The press release said
Ogle County deputies were called to a domestic dispute involving a stabbing victim at 5:15 p.m., and when they arrived Michael Gorman had already fled in his car. The car he was driving struck a tree on Ill. 26 in Stephenson County just before 6 p.m. Gorman was ejected from the vehicle. According to a crash report from the Stephenson County Sheriff ’s Department, Gorman was southbound on Ill. 26 approximately about a mile and a half north of the Ogle-Stephenson county line when his vehicle left the roadway on the west side, went up an embankment, and hit the tree. The car spun around and came to rest partially in the southbound lane.
Gorman was transported to FHN Hospital, Freeport, and then flown to Rockford. The preliminary report from the autopsy, completed by the Winnebago Coroner’s Office, indicates he died from blunt force trauma as a result of the traffic crash. VanVickle said Monday that police were not pursuing Gorman at the time of the crash. According to Ogle County Court records, Michael Gorman filed for a divorce in 2014, but the couple both remained living in the home on Winnebago Lane. They have two children. The Ogle County Sheriff ’s Department was assisted by the Byron Police Department, Byron Fire Department, Stephenson County Sheriff ’s Department, and Illinois State Police.
The resolution to get the appraisals authorizes county officials to contact the affected property owners for their permission to proceed with the appraisals. “This provides property value protection for people near the [new] jail,” said county board member Ron Colson, Mt. Morris. “That’s been a big concern.” The properties listed for the appraisals are five residences and four businesses - the four houses and law office on the
east side of the 100 block of South Seventh Street, a house on Jefferson Street next to one already owned by the county, and the three business properties on Washington Street north of the judicial center. Board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, said at the February meeting that getting the appraisals now would provide a basis for the setting prices for the properties when they come up for sale. Turn to A2
County board approves appraisals of property
Spring temperatures brought people out to Oregon Park West Sunday afternoon. Above, Carli and Landon Bailey, ages 6 and 8, swing at Oregon Park West. Mild temperatures were forecast for the rest of the week. At right, Robin Minnis and her dog, Bindy, Oregon, stopped long enough on for a photo during a walk aorund Oregon Park West. Photos by Earleen Hinton
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com The Ogle County Board approved spending up to $6,000 Tuesday for appraisals of property surrounding the 100 block of South Sixth Street, where it plans to build a new county jail. The properties were designated as part of the 50 year Property Acquisition Plan adopted by the board in 2014 for long range planning.
Library renovations a hit with patrons By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Oregon residents gave rave reviews March 17 of the renovations to their century-old public library. “I think its fabulous, absolutely fabulous,” said Marine Kuethe. Pat Farraday agreed. “I think they’ve done a wonderful job,” she said. “It’s so light downstairs.” Cliff Knapp made it unanimous. He said he especially approved of the decision to preserve and restore the library, which was built in 1908. An estimated 150 people turned out to see the transformed building at the corner of Jefferson and Third Streets. The library board and staff rolled out the red carpet, offering refreshments and information during the open house. Library Director Andy Dettman said the event
went “very well.” “It was a good turnout. We had a lot of kids in and we had older people who hadn’t seen the elevator yet.” The recently published “The Art of Oregon” was featured at the open house with a book-signing by author Beth Simeone. Renovations were made to all three floors of the Carnegie library, which was built with money donated by Pittsburg businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the main goals of the renovations was to make the building handicapped accessible and meet Americans with Disabilities Acts (ADA) requirements. That was accomplished with a small addition for an elevator that runs from the basement to the second floor art gallery. Spacious handicapped
In This Week’s Edition...
Cliff Knapp, Pat Farraday, and Marine Kuethe visit over refreshments March 17 at the Oregon Public Library’s open house. Photo by Vinde Wells
accessible restrooms completed the project. The basement has been converted into space for programs and materials for children and youth. That freed up space on
Birth, A4 Business Briefs, B6 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 Entertainment, A6
the first and second floors. Book stacks on the first floor were moved, allowing room for a large computer room and a room to relax and read in front of the restored fireplace.
Fines, B4 Library News, A10 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B2 Public Voice, A7
The stacks were also lowered and situated farther apart, another part of meeting ADA standards. With children’s programs no longer on the second Turn to A10
Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B2
Hearing Cancelled
The Oregon Planning Commission’s public hearing set for Thursday, March 23 on the closing of South Sixth Street has been cancelled. Oregon Mayor Ken Williams said the planning meeting will still be held on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Coliseum, but the hearing on the street closing will be rescheduled. Ogle County officials have requested that the city council close the 100 block of South Sixth Street to allow a proposed new jail to be connected to the judicial center by a sally port. However, last week county officials also requested rezoning on the property, which is owned by the county and zoned R-1 (residential). “They also requested we have only one public hearing to cover both rezoning and vacating Sixth Street since it is the same basic issue,” Williams said in an email. “Since we have not provided proper notice for the zoning request we cannot include it in this Thursday’s meeting so the public hearing is cancelled.”
Deaths, B4 Virginia G. Borneman, Tera S. Frano, Kelli R. Huneke, Marvin L. Ludwig, Francis C. Michael
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com