Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
April 13, 2017 Volume 167, Number 18 - $1.00
Track Competition
Easter Events
Harp Concert
The Hawks played host at the annual Gebhardt-Worley meet on Saturday. B1
The Oregon Park District will hold its annual egg hunt April 15. A10
Trinity Lutheran Church will host a trio of harpists on April 30. A4
Magic is in the air as fairies frolic at Nash By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com
because the Nash Recreation Center, Oregon, hosted a gathering of fairies. Little ladies from all over the region congregated April 8, decked out in fairy
wardrobes. The relatively short window between noon and 2:30 p.m. was packed with If you felt a little magic fun experiences, including in the air on Saturday, that’s building floral crowns with local artist Kate Goss. The girls also created magic fairy wands, planted tiny fairy gardens inside teacups, and enjoyed hair appointments to show off those crowns. Afterwards, families gathered into the River Room, where the fairies put on a fashion show as parents enjoyed tea and refreshments prepared by Nancy Kerwin and Lynn Baylor-Ziess. Sixteen girls participated in the Fairies like Ella Miller (left) and Harper Johnson need a fashion show, with little help to build crowns, gardens, and wands in such Debbie Dickson a short time. Samantha Anderson, Teresa Nehrkorn, serving as Olivia Stafford, Rebecca Hough, Mary Sansone, emcee. Each Emalie Gunder, Jordan Melville, Haley Moore, Amanda fairy got to strut Zimmrmann, and Erin Folk all volunteered to help with down an elevated the multitude of crafts, projects, and set-up for the runway while event. At right, Lucy Beckman’s fairy outfit showcased Dickson shared information a stunning pair of butterfly wings. The wings were a gift about each participant. from her grandparents. Photos by Zach Arbogast. “It’s such a great event, and
so many wonderful memories are made here,” said Debbie Leffelman, Oregon Park District Event Coordinator. “A lot of work went into this, and I just want to thank everyone who had a hand in it.” Many hands were in the event, indeed; more than 20 people donated their time, along with personal and
business resources. Niki Hunt photography was on-site, setting up an enchanted forest backdrop for the fashion show and taking pictures for parents as keepsakes. Merlin’s Greenhouse & Flowers brought in plants and flowers for the fashion show decor, as well as donated soil and plants for the tea cup fairy
gardens, which park district horticulturist Tyler Hagemann helped the girls put together. The girls’ hair appointment was also a special treat, with Staci Beckman and Amie Schelling volunteering from Red Stone Salon, with some help from local teens studying cosmetology.
Stillman junior honored by Army, NFL Hall of Fame By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com A Stillman Valley High School junior was honored on April 7 for success on and off the athletic field. Surrounded by peers, teachers, U.S. Army representatives, and a hall of famer, Jared Van Vleet was recognized as a finalist for the U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for
Excellence. The award is aimed at student-athletes across the country, and is open to all sophomore, junior, and seniors. While studentsathletes are nominated from schools all over the U.S., only 25 are selected as finalists. Van Vleet was introduced by 2014 hall of fame inductee Aeneas Williams, an eighttime Pro Bowl player who played 10 seasons for the Arizona Cardinals and four
seasons for the St. Louis Rams. Van Vleet was nominated by teachers and counselors, and when he was given the paperwork to complete, he actually sat on it for a few days. “I wanted to think everything over, do my research, and make sure everything was legitimate,” said Van Vleet. “After a Turn to A2
ComEd adding smart meters By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com White ComEd vans emblazoned with the words “Smart Meter Installer” swarmed into Oregon and Mt. Morris early this week to begin giving customers new electric meters. Several installers were in each community getting down to the business of replacing old meters with new high tech devices. Mt. Morris Village Clerk Paula Diehl said the installer showed up at her house first thing Tuesday morning. “It only took him a couple of minutes and my electricity flashed for about five seconds,” she said. Mt. Morris, Oregon, Polo, and Forreston officials received notification last month that the installations would begin in April. Work in Oregon began on Monday, and Forreston village buildings already have their smart meters. According to ComEd’s website, employees will
install approximately 4 million smart meters in all homes and businesses across northern Illinois by the end of 2018. More than 2.5 million have already been installed. Smart meters are digital, electric meters that wirelessly provide secure, two-way communication between the meter and ComEd and also allow customers access to more information about their usage, according to the website. The new digital meters will eliminate the need for meter readers. A flier from ComEd said that residents and business owners will receive information in their bills and in mailings, first about the new meters, and then as the installation approaches, an approximate date and what happens when the meter is installed. A recorded phone message will be sent a week before the installation. “Sorry we missed you” door hangers will be left if the crew was unable to install
In This Week’s Edition...
the new meter, especially for those whose meters are inside. “Meter installed” door hangers will be left where the installation was accomplished. A final piece will be mailed out after installation to encourage participation in energy management. A uniformed meter installer with appropriate identification from ComEd or Corix, a ComEdauthorized contractor, will perform the installation at no cost to customers, the website says. Customers with outside meters are asked to be sure there is nothing blocking access to the meter. Those with inside meters will be contacted to make arrangements for the installation. Installation typically takes 10 minutes, and customers should expect a brief interruption to their electric service. The smart meters
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5 Library News, A3
Turn to A2
Riding Together Veronica Vaclavicek, Oregon, made the most of the nice weather on April 7 as she took Norah and Penelope, ages three and one, for a stroll along North Fourth Street in Oregon. The two were holding hands as the photo was taken. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B5 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 School Menus, A2
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5 Zoning, B4
Deaths, B4 Viola M. “Totsie” Dykema, Kenneth E. Shipman
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com