Orr 2017 10 05

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Serving Ogle County since 1851

OREGON Republican Reporter

October 5, 2017 Volume 167, Number 43 - $1.00

Golfer Advances

Face Lift

First Fridays

Junior Adam Merrill was the lone Hawk to advance from the Byron Regional. B1

Lorado Taft’s “Fish Boys” fountain was restored by a loving family. A6

The popular free music event will be in Mt. Morris at Pinecrest Friday night. A7

Gas leak prompts shut down

AOP offers fun for family

By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com A natural gas leak in the basement of a building in the 400 block of West Washington Street in Oregon prompted emergency personnel to evacuate one full city block on Tuesday as workers from Nicor Gas tried to cap the leak. A contractor working in the basement of the building at 408 W. Washington St., accidentally cut the gas line. By late afternoon, the leak had been repaired and residents and businesses were getting back to normal. “The gas leak has been stooped and they’re venting the building,” Oregon Police Chief Darin DeHaan said at 5:30 p.m. “The good thing is we had a strong Turn to A2

Oregon hosts 47th festival this weekend By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Oregon Police Chief Darin DeHaan and Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle along with Ogle County Lieutenants Jim Getzelman and Clint Myers and Oregon Patrol Officer Matt Kalnins redirect traffic at the Illinois 2 and 64 intersection in downtown Oregon after the 100 block of North Fourth Street and the 400 block of West Washington Street were evacuated due to a gas leak in a building. Photo by Earleen Hinton

Caution tape was strung across the north lawn of the Ogle County Jonathan Champion, a resident of 408 1/2 West Washington Street, holds Courthouse on Tuesday as fire and police officials cordoned off a full his dog Lola while his other dog Graham sits in his car after the trio had to city block after a natural gas leak occurred in the building at 408 W. Washington St., in Oregon. Photo by Earleen Hinton leave their upstairs apartment. Photo by Earleen Hinton

Guests solve “murder” at Stronghold Trixie Biltwell’s left had gave her away By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Solving the murder of a newspaper reporter who was just too nosy occupied guests at Stronghold Castle’s firstever Murder Mystery Dinner over the weekend. As it turned out only one group of eight guest sleuths picked the right person — Miss Trixie Biltwell, whose left-handedness gave her away. The event was held on Friday evening and again on Sunday afternoon at the castle on Ill. 2 north of Oregon and was attended by more than 80 people. Rose Thomas, of Oregon, was in the group who figured it all out on Sunday afternoon. Set in the 1920s, the crime

scenario was that Drew Calloway, the reporter, was found dead in the castle of a blow to the head. “We had a picture of the dead man with an injury to his head,” Thomas said. “One of the men in our group figured out that only a lefthanded person could have done it.” And as Biltwell’s luck would have it, she was the only left-hander out of the eight suspects, including castle owners Walter and Josephine Strong and their houseguests. Ray Farrey, of Oregon, said no one figured out the whodunit at Friday’s session. “Nobody picked the murderer,” he said laughing. “Everyone picked the wrong person.” For both sessions, dinner guests were divided into tables of eight and introduced to the suspects, Mr. Michael Donaghy, an Illinois State Senator; Miss Heddy L’Amour, Kit Kat Club performer; Mr. Walter

In This Week’s Edition...

Strong, publisher of the Chicago Daily News; Mrs. Josephine Strong, socialite wife of Mr. Strong; Mrs. Connie Canariatto, mob wife of Donnie “Two Scoops” Canariatto; Miss Belle Boudoir, manager of the Kit Kat Club; and Biltwell, a Kit Kat Club performer. The suspects, who were all played by actors from the Northern Illinois Players Troupe, then went to different rooms in the castle where the groups of guests followed to hear what they had to say. “Each one gave an explanation of what happened,” Thomas said. “They also tried to cast suspicion on the other suspects.” “We listened to their spiels but couldn’t ask questions until later,” Farrey said. Boudoir said Calloway asked too many questions. “People were upset with his nosing around,” she said. “But I don’t know anything — I just met him tonight.” Walter Strong, she said,

Church News, A5 Classifieds, B5-B8 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3

had bought the Kit Kat Club for her because she was a single woman and needed a way to support herself. She described the club as a place where customers could “unwind and enjoy entertainment.” Josephine Strong had

harsh words for Boudoir. “I only invited Belle out of obligation. I didn’t think she would really come,” she said. Canariatto, however, wasn’t keen on Josephine Strong, whose family, she said, claimed to be in the oil Turn to A2

Sherry Alber, of Freeport, reviews her “detective” notes as she partakes in a six course meal at Stronghold Castle’s Murder Mystery Dinner on Sunday. Photo by Earleen Hinton

Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B4

Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4

Handmade craft items, a parade, and lots of food are just three of the attractions awaiting visitors to Oregon’s Autumn on Parade festival Oct. 7-8. “We have new crafters, new parade entries, and plenty for kids and families to do,” said AOP Committee President Marseyne Snow. “Hopefully the weather holds out, and it looks like it will.” The festival, which started with a handful of vendors selling bittersweet and apples in 1970, is celebrating its 47th anniversary this year. It continues to be organized and run by an all-volunteer committee and is funded through sponsorships, donations, booth fees, and food court revenues. The heart of the festival is the Farmer’s Market and Craft Fair that features upwards of 190 vendors selling a variety of arts and crafts ranging from handmade wood items to homemade baked breads. “We have lots of homemade and homegrown items for sale,” Snow said. Ornamental produce, painted items, jewelry, soaps, candles, antiques, and seasonal items are just a few of the hundreds of items that can be found throughout the craft show. Booths are located around the lawn of the historic Ogle County Courthouse and surrounding streets. There is no charge for admission. Paddlewheel boat rides on the scenic Rock River are offered for the first time this year. “Maxson’s is offering sight-seeing tours on the Pride of Oregon at several different times on Saturday,” Snow said. Visitors to Autumn on Parade can also partake of a variety of scrumptious treats in the Food Court where local not-for-profit organizations prepare their specialties each year. Apple fritters, pork chop and ribeye sandwiches, funnel cakes, bratwurst, and gyros are just some of the items offered by service agencies and clubs from Oregon and Ogle County. A new taste treat this year is a biscuits and gravy breakfast on Sunday morning served by The Gathering Place congregation at the Oregon Turn to A2

Deaths, B5 B. Charles Ames, Travis L. Gates, Diane S. Heeren, Lois Elaine Mount

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


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