Library News

2 POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS BE AT POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS TRI-COUNTY PRESS

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The Tri-County Press, Ogle County News and oglecountynews.com are a division of Shaw Media. Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. MorrisTimes , Forreston Journal, and OregonRepublicanReporter.

The TRI-COUNTY PRESS (USPS No. 638-530) is published weekly by B.F. Shaw Printing Co., Shaw Media. Periodical postage paid at Polo, Illinois.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to TRI-COUNTY PRESS, 113 N. Franklin, Polo, IL 61064. Phone 815-732-6166, ext. 2516.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2021 Photo provided On Feb. 26, Polo Lions Club member Jeff Short made two donations to the Polo Food Pantry. Kathy Wragg, director of the pantry, received the donations. One donation, $2,000, was a simple donation from the Lions Club and the other donation, $1,500, was made in honor of Ed Olsen. Ed has relocated out of the state, but was a longtime member of the Polo Lions Club and a longtime volunteer at the pantry.

PINE CREEK NEWS

BY KAREN MERLAK

At the start of a new month, we are filled with expectation for the new season. It is a time of new growth and new life. We know that beautiful days are ahead of us. We are thankful for the many ways God has blessed us. For yesterday, today and tomorrow, we are grateful.

T h i s m o r n i n g i n c h u r c h , w e w e r e greeted by Judy and Kent Nettz. Pastor Suzanne Hall Stout shared her message for the first Sunday in Lent. Before our church service, Suzanne led a Bible study for a small group.

Deb Ohlwine has returned from a trip to Arizona to visit family. While there, she visited family members along with her brother, Mike Hopkins, and his wife, Rena, who were visiting his daughter, Theresa. The family celebrated the birthday of their Aunt Shirley Morgan.

Mike and Rena visited with Becky Hansen, a schoolmate from Polo who now resides in Arizona. They were surprised to also get to visit with Becky’s mother, Gail Powell. Everyone enjoyed spending time together in the warm weather.

On Tuesday evening, I attended the regular meeting of our PEO Chapter DW at the Church of the Brethren. Our host for the evening was Suzanne Sorenson. Nancy Cline shared some light poetry for our program.

This past Wednesday evening, Pastor Suzanne led an Ash Wednesday service. We had a small group for the meaningful service to start the Lenten season. We are happy to see the return of special services in our new building.

On Saturday night, my friend and former co-worker and I met for dinner. We drove over to Clinton and had a nice long visit. We made it back to Sterling just before the storms arrived, bringing the high winds that blew throughout the evening.

In the afternoon, I spent some time at school preparing lessons and grading papers. The weather was beautiful and warm. In the evening, we experienced storms and lots of wind. To end the weekend, we are once again expecting snow.

Our weather, especially in northern Illinois, can be very unexpected. We do our best to plan for what is to come, but we can still be caught off-guard. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised. Other times, we are seeking shelter from a storm.

We have no way of predicting what God has in store for us. Many times I have been happily surprised. He has been in unexpected places and situations. He knows and loves me best, so I trust Him.

When I am not able to avoid the storm, God is my shelter. He is the one I go to when things start to fall apart. I know and trust that I can handle anything that comes my way because I am not alone. He is always with me.

God’s love and presence is for all of us. He knows each one of us. He cares for each one of us. His love and comfort are a gift to us. We only need to receive it. As we learn about His unending love, we learn to live in faith.

Putting our trust in God may not be easy. We practice it each day. In time, we find that God is faithful and will always see us through. He is with us for the moments we celebrate and He is protecting us when we need it.

I hope to see you next Sunday in our church. We are meeting in person and online. Come and join us for a time of worship and praise. Our church family gladly welcomes you and your family. • Karen Merlak lives in Polo and is a m e m b e r o f t h e P i n e C r e e k C h r i s t i an Church.

New car pet at Polo librar y

The Polo Public Librar y recent ly received a generous gift from Blanche Jones Charitable Trust.

In previous years the trust has funded building renovation projects, furniture and equipment.

The trust was a major contributor to the construction and landscaping of the library pavilion and parking lot. The addition of this outdoor space provides a location for the library’s concert series each year.

“Most recently the trust funded the replacement of carpet in the children’s area of the library with bright and appealing carpet squares. It also allowed for the digitization of past issues of the Tri County Press, making it possible to research from the comfort of your own home,” said Ellen Finfrock, library director.

No library card is necessary to access the newspaper archives on the library’s website – www.pololibrary.org.

“This year’s gift will be used to purchase equipment and furniture for outdoor programming and additional landscaping of library grounds. Library staff and trustees are dedicated to providing innovative library services in a welcoming environment. Gifts like this make it possible for us to make the library a welcoming place and to better serve our community,” Finfrock said.

Photo provided Kids enjoy the newly decorated room at the Polo Library during StoryTime.

Public comments due March 17

Polo residents still have the opportunity to offer public comment on several proposed water distribution system improvements.

Among the more than 20 potential projects are a new well and associated water treatment plant and replacing the watermain underneath Division Avenue.

A copy of a project summary packet, as well as the full project plan, are available for review at Polo City Hall. Written public comments will be accepted until March 17 and can be submitted to Mayor Doug Knapp or Jillian Fowler, of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Fowler can be reached at P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, IL 64794-9276.

IN THE SCHOOLS

Students working again w ith health care professionals

Oregon High School students will again be working hands-on with health care professionals in collaboration with the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford through the Rural Healthcare Explorers Program.

The program started last year and has now expanded to allow a total of 28 students.

The Rural Healthcare Explorers Program is made possible by a $17,103 grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Dr. Louis and Violet Rubin Fund.

This program is a six-week introduction to the field of health care and prepares students wishing to pursue a degree in the health sciences.

Students learn about fields such as medicine, pharmacy and nursing through hands-on activities, discussions with local health care professionals,and a health topic exploration project.

Students at OHS received a link from the Dean of Students, Shannon Cremeens, to apply. The program will begin in April. “I enjoyed being part of the program last year because it helped me learn more about the medical field in rural areas,” said Allyssa Leary, an OHS sophomore. “I learned the importance of having health care professionals work locally.

“ I also appreciated having various guests come in and talk to us about their jobs in medicine and the pros and cons. It was a very eye-opening experience, and I am thrilled to get the opportunity to join the program again!”

OREGON NEWS

Cit y council tables decision on v ideo gaming increase

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azollener@shawmedia.com

O r e g o n C i t y C o u n c i l m e m b e r s again put off deciding whether to raise the annual video gaming terminal fee.

At their March 8 meeting, commissioners unanimously voted to table the matter until May 24. The annual fee is charged on June 1, City Administrator Darin DeHaan said.

“It gives us time to go back and look at pre-COVID and COVID revenue [from the gaming terminals] and see how much of an impact that made,” Finance Commissioner Terry Schuster said.

The matter originally was considered at the council’s Feb. 23 meeting, but council members postponed making a decision after hearing protests from local business owners who rent video gaming terminals.

At the March 8 meeting, Mayor Ken Williams proposed tabling the matter for a year to give businesses a chance to use profits from the terminals to assist in recovering revenue lost from COVID-19 impacts.

“We could wait a year without any harm to the city and then when we do it, we do it as a tiered basis,” Williams suggested.

According to the Illinois Gaming Board’s video gaming monthly revenue reports, Oregon made $173,685.95 from video gaming terminal taxes and fees in 2021.

In a separate interview, DeHaan said $40,000 of that money goes into the city’s General Fund to support general operational expenses, $50,000 goes into the City Hall Capital Improvement Fund to help pay for the upkeep of the building and the remainder is allocated to the Economic Development Fund.

“[The Economic Development Fund supports] things that spur economic growth, like downtown flowers, landscaping and watering, to our contract with an economic development consultant, website design and maintenance, brochures, newsletters, some facade grants, etc.,” DaHaan said. “We also used it to help get the farmers market started last year.”

Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media Mike Arians stands by the six video gaming terminals located in The Road House, a bar in Oregon owned by his daughter, Amy Marquis. Arians runs the establishment day-to-day.

• VIGIL

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he [her grandfather] brought with him close to heart.”

Andrews held the sunflowers – the national flower for Ukraine – as she joined others to pray and listen to songs during the hourlong vigil organized by three Oregon residents Lisa S c h u l t z , G a r y S c h r i m p s h e r a n d Veronica Mathews.

Schrimpsher, the founder of the What’s Up Ogle County? Facebook page, said Saturday’s event was meant as a show of support for the people of Ukraine.

“We just thought it would be real nice if they could be able to see that Americans supported them,” he said.

Mathews said about 75 candles were handed out for the event. “We did get a good turnout. I think it went really well. I am really happy for everybody who came out. I really do think that God or the universe will hear our prayers and hopefully Russia will stop and Ukraine will be victorious.”

Rick Elerd, pastor of the East Oregon Chapel Church of God, also helped organize the event and asked everyone to pray for the people of Ukraine. “You don’t have to be here to pray for their strength and peace,” he said.

When asked what they would do to end the conflict, Schultz said she would try to get the two presidents together to see if “there was something that possibly could be worked out.”

“Right now they need our prayers and support,” Schultz said.

Schrimpsher said by buying Russian oil, the U.S. was actually “financing their war.”

Rosemarie and Jim Farmer of Oregon also attended the vigil. “I think this was good to gather people together and show we are all united,” said Rosemarie.

“I’m a Vietnam veteran and I know what war is like,” Jim said. “It’s unnecessary. We need tougher sanctions [on Russia]. I’m willing to bite the bullet as far as gas goes to help them [Ukranians] out.”

Andrews, a retired social worker, traveled to Ukraine in 2005 to explore more of her heritage. “I had the opportunity to teach a class on social issues for 18- to 20-year-olds. They wanted to know how they could have independence like we have here in the United States and I told them they had to speak up to change the world,” she said. “We have privileges here in the U.S. I pray for humanity to win out.”

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Veronica Mathews, Rick Elerd (pastor of East Oregon Chapel Church of God), Gary Schrimpsher and Lisa Schultz organized a candlelight prayer vigil for the Ukrainian people on the east lawn of the Ogle County Courthouse on March 5.