Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
January 11, 2018 Volume 168, Number 5 - $1.00
Wrestlers Win
For the Horses
Learn at Lunch
The Hawk wrestling team wins the Polo Invitational. B1
A fundraising campaign to build a new horse barn has started. A6
Meet the City of Oregon’s new intern at the Chamber’s Lunch ‘n Learn on Jan. 16. A2
16-year-old is charged in shooting Police say teen accidentally shot 20-year-old By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A 16-year-old Mt. Morris boy is facing three felony charges and a misdemeanor after he accidentally shot a Mt. Morris man in the abdomen with a stolen semiautomatic .45-caliber handgun early Monday morning in Oregon. The shooting victim, Allen Hayenga, 20, is in the intensive care unit at KSB Hospital, Dixon, Oregon Police Chief Darin DeHaan said Tuesday. Ogle County State’s Attorney Eric Morrow said the juvenile was charged Tuesday morning in Ogle County Juvenile Court with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony; possession of a stolen firearm, a Class 2 felony; reckless discharge of a
Winter Break!
Warmer temperatures and sunny skies on Monday made it a bit more easier on wildlife and area residents. Above, a bald eagle sits in a tree just below the Oregon dam. At right, James Brown, of Oregon, wipes down his car after washing it on Monday. Below, a man washes his truck in Oregon. Photo by Earleen Hinton
firearm, a Class 4 felony; and possession of a firearm without a FOID card, a Class A misdemeanor. He was detained at Morrow’s request and is being held at the Kane County juvenile detention facility in St. Charles. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 18. DeHaan said the shooting took place at 2:20 a.m. on Jan. 8 in an apartment at 408 1/2 W. Washington St., above H&R Block, across the street from the Ogle County Courthouse. DeHaan said the teen was displaying the handgun when it fired. A resident of the apartment called 911, and Hayenga was transported to KSB by Oregon ambulance. According to a press release issued Monday by DeHaan, the gun may have been taken from a vehicle in Oregon within the last year. Its owner is being sought, and anyone with information is asked to call the Oregon Police Department at 815732-2803.
No budget is still holding up statue repairs Tom Demmer working with state agencies By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
Council approves liquor license By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com The Oregon City Council approved a liquor license for an new wine shop and art gallery. During Tuesday evening’s meeting, the council voted unanimously to approve of a Class 1A liquor license for Cork & Tap, LLC, a soon-to-open business at 305 W. Washington St., Oregon. With the license, Cork & Tap can both serve customers within the bar, as well as sell bottles to go.
The motion to approve or deny the license appeared on the Dec. 28 special meeting agenda, but was tabled because background checks had not yet been completed on Jason and Carrie O’Neil, who will be running the establishment, nor on Beth Davidson, the manager. Commissioner Jim Barnes asked for clarification on whether that means unless the establishment plans to sell food as well, minors cannot be in the building without their parents. “That’s correct - you can’t have minors serve, you can’t have minors bus the tables, any of that,” said Oregon Mayor
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B8 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3
Ken Williams. The building, which will feature a wine and craft beer bar on the first floor and an art gallery on the second, was purchased Feb. 16 by Merlin and Cindy Hagemann, from Robert and Heather McLean, for $67,850. “Merlin has put in considerable amount of money and effort in there, refurbishing it, and turning it into an impressivelooking building,” said Williams. The council meets again on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Oregon City Hall, 115 N. Third St. The meeting is open to the public.
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B4 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B4
The state’s lack of a funding for capital projects means the a local landmark is still languishing under a wrapping of black plastic. The 107-year-old Black Hawk statue at Lowden State Park, near Oregon, is spending a fourth winter encased in plastic wrappings for protection from the elements, awaiting much-needed repairs to its deteriorating surface. “There’s no capital budget yet — that’s what we’re waiting on,” IDNR Director of Communications Ed Cross said on Friday. “That’s the hold-up.” A $350,000 grant earmarked for repairs to the statue may not be funded by the state legislature any time soon. Hopes were high last summer that the grant, from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Sheriff’s Arrests, B4 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2, B3
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
Opportunity to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which has jurisdiction over the statue, would be part of the 2017-18 budget. The General Assembly ended up passing only an operational budget, leaving capital projects like the statue repairs out in the cold. State Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) offered a ray of hope early this week. “I’m continuing to work with IDNR and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which is the agency who controls the grant that we’re waiting on,” he said on Monday afternoon. Demmer’s legislative aide was planning to attend a community group meeting on Tuesday “to gather specific questions and then we’ll get answers to those questions from whatever state agency is appropriate,” he said. “Then our plan is to do a public meeting and share those answers and an update on funding sources and opportunities.” The state legislature returns to session on Tuesday, Jan. 23, but passage of a Turn to A2
Deaths, B5 Howard R. Heid Richard A. Zilly