
12 minute read
Library News
2 POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS BE AT POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS TRI-COUNTY PRESS
Tri-County Press / ShawLocal.com • Friday, Jul 8, 2022 OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 SUBSCRIPTIONS $39 in Ogle County, and $52 outside Ogle County. Singlecopy price is $1 To subscribe, make a payment or discuss your delivery, call 1-866-979-1053 Monday-Friday or send an e-mail to subscriptions@ oglecountynews.com. You also can subscribe online by going to oglecountynews.com and clicking on Subscribe. CLASSIFIED SALES 815-220-6942 apicco@shawmedia.com OBITUARIES Children’s Programs - Summer Reading Program “Reading Beyond the Beaten Path” through Saturday, July 30. Introducing Beanstack as our new reading challenging website and app to help you kiddos achieve your reading goals while earning badges in fun exciting ways!! For more information call 815-946-2713, or email melaniew@pololibrary.org Adult Programs - Retirement Open House - Celebrating Library Director, Ellen Finfrock - Stop by the Library on Friday, July 15 between 10 a.m. - 4 815-632-2534 p.m. and share memories, well-wishes and phartman@shawmedia.com refreshments. Deadline for obituaries is 2 p.m. Tuesday for Friday’s 2022 Outdoor Concert Series - Join us at the edition Polo Library pavilion on Saturday, July 16 for SEND NEWS news@oglecountynews.com Project Nostalgia playing classic rock and oldies. Grab a friend and bring your chairs to enjoy the music! The concert will start at 7 p.m. and will last approximately two hours.
Save the date for the rest of the series: Aug. 13 - The Lone Canary (Folk/Americana), Sept. 17 - The Beaux (Classic Rock 60-90s).
The 2022 Outdoor Concert Series is funded by a grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.
Coffee & Community Conversations Wednesday, July 13 - 10:30 a.m.
Head down to the Library for conversations about the things happening in our community. The special guest this month will be Marie Monaco, the new Polo Library Director. Coffee will be provided, registration is not required.
What we’re reading and discussing in July
Friday Discussion Group, July 8 at 1 p.m. Meeting at Polo Senior Center to discuss Without You, There Is No Us by Suki Kim.
Flower show coming in August
The Polo Woman’s Garden Club Flower Show will be held on Saturday, Aug. 4, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Polo Area Senior Center, 101 E. Mason St., in Polo. This year’s theme is “BEE-UTIFUL BLOOMS.”
Gardeners are invited to “sign up” to display their plantings for their own enjoyment and for any onlookers out for a pleasant afternoon. The variety of categories people may enter include
POLO LIBRARY
Wednesday Books 2 Movies, July 20 at 5 p.m. Meeting at Polo Library to talk about the book and movie The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean.
Monday Afternoon Book Club, July 25 at 1:30 p.m. Meeting at Polo Library to share our opinions of The Maidens by Alex Michaelides.
Copies of these titles are available to checkout. All are welcome.
Genealogy Assistance - Are you interested in researching your ancestors but don’t know where to start? Do you have a start and need help with your research? Stop by the first Wednesday 5-7 p.m. or the third Saturday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and let Donna help with your project. Polo Library is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library which allows access to more digital records when you’re researching at the library.
“cut flowers,” “wildflower arrangements,” “outdoor container plantings”– “not house plants,” “floral bouquets,” “single specimen of flower” and a “horticulture category for vegetables.” There is a special class for children under 12 years of age to enter that includes some of the adult categories plus one called “ditch display” which means “any plant growing in a ditch” so probably NOT grown by choice. All children entering will receive a participation ribbon and
SPECIAL EVENT
other recognition.
There is no entry fee for either adults or children exhibiting items and all may enter as many categories as they would like.
First-, second- and third-place ribbons will be awarded in each adult class plus a “People’s Choice” award will be given. Judging will be done between 10 a.m. and noon by three area judges experienced in gardening and/or working as professionals in the field.
Publisher
Jennifer Heintzelman
815-632-2502 jheintzelman@shawmedia.com
PINE CREEK NEWS
General Manager Earleen Hinton 815-632-2591 ehinton@shawmedia.com
News Alexa Zoellner 815-632-2590 azoellner@shawmedia.com
Advertising Sales Alexandria Shields 815-632-2502 ashields@shawmedia.com
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
By KAREN MERLAK
This is a wonderful time to take a drive in the country. The fields are full and green. There are fragrant flowers in bloom. These are the days when it is easy to appreciate the beautiful creation all around us. This is His day, and for that, we continually rejoice.
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 Mark Stout. For the sermon, Pastor Suzanne Hall Stout asked James Hopkins and I to share our thoughts on freedom and faith. The three of us spoke at different times in the service.
Our pianist Beverly Kerns played several patriotic pieces before and after the service. Eric Ellingsen, son of James and Nancy Hopkins, was home for the holiday and sang “America, the Beautiful” for our special music.
James and Nancy Hopkins hosted their family for the holiday weekend. Their daughter, Edie Klein, her husband, Dave, and their daughter, Hanna, traveled home from Arizona. Hanna will be going into the fifth grade in a few weeks. We are so glad we get to see her grow.
Edie’s twin brother, Eric Ellingsen, and his husband, Andrew, were visiting from Iowa. Both Eric and Andrew are very talented singers and help enhance our congregational singing when they are with us. Our church family enjoyed talking with all of our visitors after church.
Matt and Clint are getting settled in their new homes in North Carolina. They are on two different bases but only live about 10 minutes from each other. If I call or text one of them, the other is usually close by.
We are making our final plans to visit Minneapolis, Minnesota, where we will celebrate the marriage of my daughter Stephanie to João Halab. It has not been an easy task to arrange the travel, but we are all looking forward to being together again.
A c o u p l e o f w e e k s a g o , S u z a n n e approached me about sharing my thoughts on freedom. There were only a few guidelines, leaving the subject wide open. I had several ideas running through my head but did not settle on one until just a few days ago.
I talked about the different times in my life when I gained my freedom. I shared stories about when I earned my driver’s license and went off to college. Each time I experienced a new freedom, there were also expectations and responsibilities to maintain.
In the lineup of the service, Suzanne and James spoke before me. As I listened, I noticed something familiar in each of our words. Freedom does not mean we get to do whatever we want. Freedom comes with rules.
While I told a few lighthearted stories about taking out my mom’s car and leaving for college for the first time, these freedoms came with very important rules. James shared his thoughts on our freedoms as a nation and how we are still required to be good citizens.
As a Christian, we have been given the ultimate freedom when Jesus died on the cross. We are free from the consequences of our own sins. Even with this new freedom, we are still expected to live with certain expectations.
We have been given the commandment to love one another. This statement is more than just being happy with everyone we meet. It goes much deeper. Offering kindness and forgiving wrongs are just the start.
S o m e d a y s a r e e a s i e r t h a n o t h e r s. Everyone will make mistakes along the way. The good news is that we always have Jesus. We are already loved even when we fall short of these expectations. With the love of Jesus, we can truly be free.
I hope to see you next week in our little church in the country. Come and join us for a time of worship. Our service is available on our Facebook page to watch anytime. We gladly welcome you.
By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com
Two mature trees on the north side of the old Ogle County Courthouse campus were removed Tuesday for safety reasons, according to a county official.
“They are a liability. They’re dying,” Ogle County Board Vice Chairperson Patrica Nordman said at the June 21 county board meeting. “Part of the stewardship that we’re going to be building upon, we’ll be trying to look at Illinois trees that are native to Illinois. We’ll be looking at putting new trees up.
“They also will be doing trimming of the canopies because we have quite a few dead areas up there also,” she added. “So just an FYI. We’re not trying to kill the trees. We just want to maintain safety.”
A crew from Timberman Tree Service in Rochelle cut down the trees Tuesday morning and ground their stumps.
Nordman posted this news release Tuesday:
Ogle County Courthouse Lawn Tree Forestry, Oregon
The beautiful courthouse located in Oregon, IL, needs attention on the north side. The two large trees located either side of the Veteran’s Memorial are very old. Those trees have served the county well but need to be removed for safety. The trees will be removed July 5, as well as additional canopy work will be done.
This fall watch for reforestation and planting of the Illinois State Tree the White Oak.
Thank you for understanding and patience in advance.
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Two large mature trees, located on the north side of the Ogle County Courthouse Square, were cut down Tuesday. A county official said the trees needed to be removed for safety reasons.


POLO PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS THE 2 0 2 2 O U T D O O R C O N C E R T S E RI E S
FREE FAMILY EVENT ALL CONCERTS START AT 7PM
SAT Just 4 Fun
MAY 21 CLASSIC COUNTRY, CLASSIC ROCK AND OLDIES
SAT Turas
JUN 18 IRISH/CELTIC FOLK
SAT Project Nostalgia
JUL 16 CLASSIC ROCK AND OLDIES
SAT The Lone Canary
AUG 13 FOLK/AMERICANA
POLO PUBLIC LIBRARY SAT The Beaux 302 W. MASON ST. POLO, IL 61064 SEP 17 CLASSIC ROCK, 60s-90s For updates or more information call 815-946-2713, email library@pololibrary.org Made possible with funding from or visit pololibrary.org or Facebook.com/Pololibrary
L et Freedom Ring marks 59 years of family f un
By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com
Let Freedom Ring’s 59th year went well, despite a monsoon-like downpour on Ronald Reagan’s reappearance.
“It was a great turnout most of the weekend,” LFR Committee Chairperson Tiffany West said.
L e t F r e e d o m R i n g i s M t . M o r r i s ’ annual Independence Day festival. This year’s event took place Wednesday, June 29, and Friday through Monday, July 1-4.
The Little Miss and Mister Firecracker contest drew six entrants, with the winners declared on June 29. John Murphy, 4, was crowned Little Mister, and Ahniya Wheeler, 5, earned the title of Little Miss.
More than 1,000 people attended the Friday night concert, West said. Saturday was a bit slower, but still good, she said.
Friday was the night LFR committee members were selling root beer floats, which ended up presenting an interesting challenge. Committee members ran out of root beer and ice cream a few times, forcing them to go on grocery runs.
“We served about 200 root beer floats that night,” West said.
Sunday drew the largest ever number of entries – 35 children – to the Kiddie Parade, and although a heavy rain on Monday chased away a few people following the Patriotic Program, they were able to start the Grand Parade only a few minutes late, she said.
“It looked like it was a great turnout for the Patriotic Program,” West said. “The weather, I believe, did impact the bell ringing right after the Patriotic Program.” (Story on page 5)
The downpour cleared up in time for organizers to make the call around 1:30 p.m. that the parade would start just after 2 p.m., she said.
“Once we made that call, everybody was great and joined in and got ready to do their part in the parade,” West said. “It worked out great. I do feel that we didn’t have as many turn out for the parade because of the weather. Normally, the streets are lined, and for the most part it was, but there were patches here and there where there weren’t people.”
That rain shower was the biggest challenge, she said.
On Monday evening, Jeff Warren was selected as the 50/50 raffle winner, and Dawn Hale’s ticket was picked, signaling she would be the one to set off the fireworks show.
July 4, 2023, lands on a Tuesday, which will present its own challenges, West said.
Still, she’s looking forward to it.
“I always look forward to the parade and fireworks,” West said. “Just everybody getting together and having a good time.”

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media ABOVE: 2021 Let Freedom Ring Queen Katelyn Bowers rides with this year’s Little Miss and Mister ahead of the Oregon school band during the Let Freedom Ring Grand Parade in Mt. Morris on July 4. LOWER LEFT: The Let Freedom Ring parade marshal was Carol Reckmeyer. She was driven by Jan Dietrich. LOWER RIGHT: The Bramm family of Mt. Morris was at full attention as they watched the Let Freedom Ring Grand Parade on July 4 in Mt. Morris. Pictured are Nate, Ellen, Charlotte, 2, Annabelle, 5, and Bramm, their golden doodle.




Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media ABOVE LEFT: Immanuel Arellano, 15, of Mt. Morris, competes in the Let Freedom Ring watermelon eating contest July 2 in Mt. Morris. Immanuel won the teen division. ABOVE RIGHT: Grey O’Louke, 7, of Oregon, dances to The StingRays musical performance on the Mt. Morris campus July 1. The event was part of the village’s annual Let Freedom Ring festival.