Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
April 6, 2017 Volume 167, Number 17 - $1.00
Hawks Grounded
Easter Events
Awareness
The Hawks were grounded by Rock Falls 10-3 in baseball action. B1
The rabbit is getting ready to make the rounds. Find an activity. A6
Several groups are raising awareness for victims of crimes and abuse. B3
Polo man faces arson charges By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Election judges Sharon Lauer and Amanda Cowen help Sandra Green as she gets ready to vote at Oregon-Nashua 2 Precinct at the Nash Recreation Center on Tuesday. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Gouker loses out for supervisor By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com Ogle County Board Chairman Kim Gouker was defeated Tuesday in his bid to earn the Byron Township Supervisor post. The race between Gouker and Terry Reeverts was decided by 1,074 voters in four precincts. Gouker took 37.7 percent of the votes with 405 votes, leaving Reeverts with a solid victory of 628 votes, worth 57.54 percent. For Buffalo Township Highway Commissioner, Hunter Grey claimed victory with 423 votes to William
Clothier’s 234. In Leaf River, four positions on the township board and the highway commissioner seat were on the ballot. Anthony A. Peterson narrowly defeated his uncle Paul Bral by 16 votes, 141 to 125, to earn a second term as highway commissioner. Gene Miller, Tyler Wiltfang, Joe Kielsmeier Sr., and Kurt Edler were all elected to the township board in a close race. Kielsmeier was the top vote-getter with 187, Gene Miller received 184, Edler 174, and Wiltfang 167, to defeat Gina Miller who received 152 votes. Rockvale Township was
in a similar position, with four seats on the township board in contention, along with the position as highway commissioner. The highway commissioner seat was claimed by Jason Benesh, who upset longtime incumbent Tim Wiltfang by 18 votes in a close 254-236 race. Township board seats were taken by Richard Montavon Jr., Samuel Thomas, Ron Snodgrass, and Keith Stranberg. Snodgrass received 341 votes, Thomas 311, Stranberg 283, and Montavon 262, to defeat Daniel Libman who garnered 257 votes. Pine Rock Township’s
Highway Commissioner seat was won by incumbent Gary Clark with 142 votes, beating out challenger Jeff Winterland’s 112. In a commanding victory, Heath L. Strohman beat Clayton Fraley for White Rock Township’s Highway Commissioner seat, claiming 74.71 percent of the vote to Fraley’s 25.29 percent. The actual tally put Strohman at 127 votes to Fraley’s 43. For multi-township assessor for Pine Creek, Grand Detour, Eagle Point, and Woosung Townships long-time incumbent Rita Dauphin outlasted challenger Garrett Nettz 194 votes to 83 to win another four-year term.
Going.. Going .. Sold at auction By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com The rain clouds parted long enough for a beautiful spring Saturday as crowds gathered west of Polo for the annual Hazelhurst Spring Consignment Sale. The ground was muddy, but a little mud wasn’t enough to stop around 5,000 people from browsing tractors, cars, semi-trucks, tires, fourwheelers, bicycles, welders, ditch-diggers, and just about anything anyone could think of from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. “It’s a junker’s paradise,” quipped a passerby. The sale began in the late 1940s by Sheryl Hopkins’ mother and father, Ruth and Ellery Shank. It has changed locations a few times, but remains at the 30-acre Hazelhurst site to this day. “All things considered with the weather, we couldn’t have asked for a better day,” said Hopkins, co-owner and operator of Public Auction Service, Polo, with her husband Lyle. “I love that this sale really helps out farmers; both those in need
John Readle (green), Wayne Konprood (maroon), and grandson Blake Konprood browse the lanes at the Hazelhurst Spring Consignment Sale. They come from Dakota every year to hunt for good finds. Photo by Zach Arbogast
of some equipment, and those needing to let go of some.” “Letting go” is a key phrase at this sale; intermixed among well-functioning vehicles and machinery were some fringe items, like a classic soda machine and the bed of a Dodge truck. “We’ve got cars with flat
In This Week’s Edition...
tires, steel-rimmed tractors, stuff that never ceases to amaze me - and I’ve been coming since 1969,” joked James Hopkins, brother to Lyle. “I wasn’t going to come today, but like a moth to flame, you can’t help but be drawn here.” Some customers, like Sterling landscaper Matt
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5
Habben, share a different view. “You see so much crazy stuff that nothing blows my mind anymore,” remarked Habben. “It’s more of a social event for me; lots of good people to talk to.” Habben walked away
Library News, A7 Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B5
Turn to A2
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5
at a friend’s home in the 100 block of West Mason Street. He is in Ogle County Jail on $250,000 bond. A Polo man is charged No motive has been with attempted residential determined as to why arson, a felony that carries Parker tried to set the fire, 3 to 7 years in prison, after Cavanaugh said. police say he tried to set the In a statement Parker house in which he was living posted on Facebook, on fire. however, he appeared to be Polo police arrested saying goodbye to family Johnathon P. Parker, 32, members and friends, while Monday morning accusing others of with the assistance betraying him. of the Ogle After telling two County Sheriff’s friends he would Department. miss them, he A n wrote “I’ll see u acquaintance of all in the next life Parker’s called or heaven or hell!!! 911 around 1:30 Who knows where a.m. Sunday I’ll end up. But I Johnathon P. to report a know I will never Parker disturbance at 302 go back to prison!! E. Mason St. So we will hold The first officer on scene court in the streets!!” called for the fire department Parker, who also was when he smelled an wanted on an Ogle County accelerant and saw a burning warrant for failure to pay TV inside the house, Police fines, has a lengthy felony Chief Kurt Cavanaugh said. history dating back to 2001, “An accelerant had been including convictions for mob poured on the floors, but action, aggravated battery, fortunately, it did not ignite,” possession of weapons by a Cavanaugh said. felon, residential burglary, Michael Custer, who owns and forgery. the house, also lives there, he According to court records, said. he refused to appear in court Parker, who had fled, was via video on Monday. He has arrested at 9:45 a.m. Monday a status hearing on Friday.
Resident upset over semi trucks parking By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com An Oregon resident voiced her concern to the Oregon City Council March 28 that trucks keep blocking her driveway. During the public comment section of the council meeting, Sharon Lauer pleaded with the council to include some sort of signs or other enforcement against semi-trucks parking along the street near her house. “That is not a commercial area, it’s a residential area, and several times now I’ve had a semi-truck park along the road and block my house while running into McDonald’s,” said Lauer. “I was almost late for a doctor’s appointment one morning because of this.” She lives at the corner of South Third and Madison Streets, across the street from McDonald’s. Lauer added that accidents have almost happened multiple times due to trucks blocking vision of oncoming traffic to her and her neighbors. “It definitely has to stop, even if that means truck drivers being unable to buy food at that McDonald’s,” said Mayor Ken Williams. “Only if it’s enforced, which it won’t be; I can tell
you that right now,” replied Lauer. The board also passed a resolution granting Williams authority to enter into an electrical aggregation agreement without the need for a council vote. “This does not mean we’re entering into any agreements right now; this just gives me the authority, if I find out about one throughout the week, to enter into it without having to wait for a council meeting,” said Williams. “Conducting an aggregation discussion among several different cities, villages, and towns becomes difficult with scheduling, and this allows the mayor to act on behalf of a larger group of people,” added Terry Schuster. The council also renewed a two-year intergovernmental agreement between the city and park district for beautification of the downtown area. The park district plants, hangs, and fertilizes plants along Washington and Fourth Streets, and the city pays for the water supplied to Splash Canyon at Park West, 14th Street. “Typically, it costs are similar; around $13,500 for taking care of the plants around the city, and $11,000 to supply water to the splash Turn to A2
Deaths, B4 Richard R. Bentley, Bradon H. Ely, Leonard C. Hagemann, Kenneth V. Imel
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com