Orr 2017 09 07

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Serving Ogle County since 1851

OREGON Republican Reporter

September 7, 2017 Volume 167, Number 39 - $1.00

Hawks Fall

Saturday Sweep

Not Running

Dixon’s defense proves too tough for the Hawks in a 42-7 loss on Sept. 1. B1

Help clean up the Rock River this Saturday in Oregon. A6

Ogle County Treasurer John Coffman says he won’t seek re-election in 2018. A2

Funds for Taft statue not part of new budget Demmer says he is frustrated by the delay By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com The Black Hawk statue appears to be doomed to spend another year shrouded in black plastic. State Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) said Friday that a $350,000 grant earmarked for repairs to the Black Hawk statue may not be funded by the state legislature until the 2018-19 budget. Hopes were high that the grant, from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, would be part of the recently passed 2017-18 budget. However both Demmer and an IDNR official said that didn’t happen. “Grant funding was not included in the budget that was just passed,” Demmer said. “That’s basically unresolved. It wasn’t appropriated this year.” IDNR Director of

Fun on the Rock River

The Rock River, north of Oregon, was the place to be on Sunday. Above, a jet skier sprays water as he makes a turn. At right, a boat pulls two girls on an inner tube. Below, a water skier shows his form. Photos by Earleen Hinton

Facial features of the Black Hawk Statue protrude through the black covering draped over the historic structure last year.

Communications Ed Cross said Friday that the new budget did not include capital projects, which is where repairs to the statue falls. “What was passed was an operational budget, not a capital budget,” Cross said. “That’s why we haven’t been able to resume anything. Once we get a capital budget passed by the General Assembly then we can begin looking at that [the statue repairs].” Demmer said he backed an earlier budget bill that Turn to A2

Schools waiting for final word on funding total Rochelle business growing better salad greens hydroponically By Andy Colbert acolbert@oglecountynews.com Tired of the old-school salad of bland iceberg lettuce and hard tomato wedges? BrightFarms has something better for your taste buds and overall health. Since last year, its four-acre greenhouse south of Rochelle has been providing top quality fresh greens and herbs, along with tomatoes. It is different the Mighty Vine operation, also near Rochelle, that grows tomatoes only in its greenhouse. Bright Farms grows 75 percent greens and 25 percent tomatoes in its hydroponic greenhouse. “We choose Rochelle because they are very receptive to innovative farming,” said Abby Prior, Vice President of Marketing for Bright Farms. “They were friendly and open to our type of agriculture.” That type of agriculture is based upon the premise of controlling an indoor environment in creating a product superior to what is found outdoors. “When you compare the indoors to outdoors, you take away the harsher element,” Prior said. “We also use less water, land and energy Turn to A8

In This Week’s Edition...

By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com

Two area school superintendents are taking a reserved approach to the state lawmakers’ longawaited approval to a bill for school funding. Oregon Superintendent Tom Mahoney and Forrestville Valley’s Sheri Smith both said they are reserving comment until they have definite numbers on how much their districts will receive as a result of the compromise bill approved by the General Assembly early last week and signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner on Aug. 31. “I have not seen the final numbers on how the funding bill will impact the district,” Mahoney said. “If it is the same as Senate Bill 1 we will received approximately an additional $80,000 in General State Aid. But I want to wait until I have seen the final dollar amounts before I make a comment.” Smith said she, too, is awaiting information from the ISBE on the final BrightFarms has been growing top quality fresh greens and herbs in allocation for the current school year. this greenhouse just south of Rochelle. Photo by Earleen Hinton

Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B4-B8 Entertainment, A6 Marriage Licenses, A4

Oregon Library, A3 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B4

Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2

“For now, I can tell you that Forrestville Valley should start to receive state aid payments in 10-12 days,” she said. “These payments will mirror our payments from last year, so there will be no loss to the district. We are still owed one categorical payment from FY [fiscal year] 17, and we do believe we will receive this final payment in this fiscal year. However, there has been no date verified by the state board of education.” Polo Superintendent Chris Rademacher did not return phone calls. Due to the legislature’s failure to pass a school funding bill earlier, the districts did not receive two promised state aid payments in August. The fiscal year for the state and school districts begins July 1. According to a press release on the ISBE website, districts should start receiving their state aid checks late this week, but final calculations on the amounts each district will receive will not be available for a few months. Turn to A2

Deaths, B4 Margaret C. Ashurst, Wiley J. Lynch, Darlene Nelson

Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com


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