Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
December 7, 2017 Volume 167, Number 52 - $1.00
Hawk Bowlers Roll
Food Drive
Totes in 2018
Oregon High School’s bowling teams are rolling along. B2
Scouts will pick up food donations Dec. 16. A8
Smaller trash totes from Moring Disposal won’t arrive until 2018. A2
Candidates file for the 2018 March Primary Two Republicans to be on ballot for Ogle treasurer By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Owen Smothers, age 8 of Dixon, helps guide Jeff Gilbert and the tree they just cut with Whitnie McCaffrey’s help at the Oregon FFA’s tree lot at Sinnissippi Farm and Forest on Sunday. The lot also offers visitors the opportunity to purchase a pre-cut tree. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Oregon FFA teams up to sell Christmas trees at Sinnissippi By Earleen Hinton ehinton@oglecounty news.com Business was brisk at the Oregon FFA Chapter’s Christmas tree lot on Sunday despite the summer-like temperatures and sunshine. With the aroma of fresh pine in the air, an open log fire, and the laughs of Santa and Mrs. Claus in the background, FFA students helped visitors find the right tree as temperatures reached 60. “We’ve been very busy today,” said Doug Conroy, whose family owns the property. “It’s such a nice day.” The lot opened Nov. 24 at the Sinnissippi Farm and Oregon FFA member Matthew Shere helps Patty Watson of Byron look for a Christmas Forest, 3122 S. Lowden Rd., tree in pre-cut lot at the Oregon FFA’s tree lot at Sinnissippi Farm and Forest on Oregon. Sunday. The lot also offers visitors the opportunity to cut their own tree. Photo by Turn to A2 Earleen Hinton
Two Republicans are seeking their party’s nomination for Ogle County Treasurer in the March 20 Primary election. Chief Deputy Treasurer Linda L. Beck and Patrick Weisner, both of Oregon, have thrown their hats into the ring. Monday was the last day candidates could file for the primary. The General election will take place on Nov. 6. Running unopposed for reelection to their current posts are County Clerk Laura J. Cook, of Oregon, and Sheriff Brian E. VanVickle, of Rochelle. Twenty candidates, including two Democrats, are seeking nominations in the primary for seats on the Ogle County Board. Two seats are open in each of the county’s eight districts, and all are four-year terms. In District 1, which includes Dement, Lynnville, Monroe, and Scott Townships, two Republicans, incumbent Rick Fritz, of Monroe Center, and newcomer Benjamin Pihl Youman, of Davis Junction, are running. In District 2, which includes White Rock, Pine Rock, Lafayette, and Oregon-Nashua Townships, Republican incumbents Wayne Reising and Pat Nordman, both of Oregon, and Democrat Jerry Shirar, also of Oregon, have thrown their hats into the ring.
In District 3, which includes Flagg Township Precincts 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, Republican incumbent Greg Sparrow and two newcomers Lloyd Droege, a Democrat, and Jamey Sulser, a Republican, are the candidates. All three are from Rochelle. In District 4, which includes Flagg Township Precincts 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11, incumbents John (Skip) Kenney and Bruce W. McKinney, are challenged by newcomer Anthony Rowley. All three are Rochelle Republicans. In District 5, which includes Marion, Rockvale, and Leaf River Townships, Republican incumbents Martin Typer and Richard Daniel Janes, both of Stillman Valley, are running unopposed. In District 6, which includes Byron Township, incumbent Dorothy R. Bowers and newcomer Todd M. McLester, both Byron Republicans, are running. In District 7, which includes Maryland, Mt. Morris, and Forreston Townships, Republican incumbent Ron Colson, of Mt. Morris, is seeking the nomination along with newcomers Dean Fox, of German Valley, and Stanley G. Asp, of Mt. Morris, both also Republicans. In District 8, which includes Brookville, Lincoln, Eagle Point, Buffalo, Pine Creek, Woosung, Grand Detour, and Taylor Townships, incumbent Lyle Hopkins, of Polo, and Susie Corbitt, also of Polo, are the candidates. Both are Republicans. Each district is represented by three county board members.
Illinois’ bicentennial celebration begins By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Two local communities joined in the yearlong celebration of Illinois’s statehood Monday by raising the official bicentennial flag. Mt. Morris officials raised the white flag with blue lettering at noon at the Memorial Fountain in the downtown and Polo officials did the same outside the city hall. Ogle County is also flying the bicentennial flag at the courthouse in Oregon. Gov. Bruce Rauner and leaders of the Illinois Bicentennial Commission kicked off the official state celebration on Sunday at Navy Pier in Chicago. Illinois became the 21st state in the Union on Dec. 3, 1818. Its first constitution had been signed
a few months earlier on Aug. 26. The Illinois Territory was created on Feb. 3, 1809, with its capital at Kaskaskia, an early French settlement in the southwestern part of the state. After Illinois became a state, the capital remained at Kaskaskia, in a small rental building. The capital was moved a little north and east to Vandalia in 1819 and remained there for 18 years, during which three separate structures were built to serve as the capitol building. State legislators representing Sangamon County, under the leadership of State Rep. Abraham Lincoln, succeeded in having the capital moved to Springfield in 1837, where a fifth capitol building was constructed. Mt. Morris Village President Dan Elsasser reads a proclamation about the village’s participation
The sixth and current capitol building in the yearlong Illinois Bicentennial celebration Monday at the Memorial Fountain. Village Trustee was built in 1867. Jerry Stauffer, left, and Police Chief Jason White hold the bicentennial flag. Photo by Vinde Wells
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B5-B8 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A4 Property Transfers, B3 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
Deaths, B4 Carolyn Armour