Pine Creek News

2 POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS BE AT POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS TRI-COUNTY PRESS By ALEXA ZOELLNER TRI-COUNTY oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 azoellner@shawmedia.com Solar farms and solar gardens won’t be allowed in Polo. On Oct. 3, Polo City Council members passed an ordinance defining a solar farm/ Tri-County Press / ShawLocal.com • Friday, Oct 14, 2022 815-732-6166, ext. 2592 SUBSCRIPTIONS $39 in Ogle County, and $52 outside Ogle County. Single-copy price is $1 To subscribe, make a payment or discuss your delivery, call 815-732-6166, ext. 2518, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or send an email to subscriptions@ oglecountynews.com. You also can subscribe online by going to oglecountynews.com and clicking on Subscribe. CLASSIFIED SALES classified@shawlocal.com HELP WANTED employment@shawlocal.com LEGAL NOTICES solar garden and forbidding their construction in city limits, Mayor Doug Knapp said in an Oct. 10 interview. “We did approve that [ordinance] as submitted,” Knapp said. Ordinance No. 22-15 defines a solar farm/solar garden as: “A use of land where a series of solar collectors are placed in an area for the purpose of converting solar energy into electrical power for interconsauklegals@shawlocal.com

OBITUARIES

saukobits@shawlocal.com Deadline for obituaries is 2 p.m. Tuesday for Friday’s edition

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news@oglecountynews.com nection with the power grid primarily for off-site energy consumption. The term includes any associated cabling, devices, equipment and structures located on-site that are associated with the operation of a solar farm/solar garden. The use of solar collectors for residential or business consumption that occurs on-site is not considered a solar farm or solar garden.”

The ordinance immediately went into effect.

In an unrelated matter, council members directed city attorney M. Thomas Suits to draft an ordinance regulating accessory structures/unattached garages, Knapp said.

“It’s stated that as long as the detached

No solar farms, solar gardens allowed in Polo garage or out-structure was behind the primary building, it said they could have a 2 0 - f o o t r o o f , ” K n a p p e x p l a i n e d . “ W e changed that to any out-structures have to be approved on a one-by-one basis as a special use variance.” U n l e s s a s p e c i a l u s e v a r i a n c e i s approved by the Polo Zoning Board of Appeals, a roof can’t exceed 15 feet in height, he said. Council members also: Set trick-or-treat hours for 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31, per Police Chief Troy Randall’s recommendation. Approved Knapp’s appointment of Jennifer Grobe to the Polo Park Board to fill a vacancy. Members of the Polo Lions Club started at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8 covering all four sides of the storage building at Westside Park in Polo. The roof and door are the only things left to get done. The roof will be done on Saturday Oct. 15. Photos by Jeff Short

Publisher Jennifer Heintzelman 815-632-2502 jheintzelman@shawmedia.com

General Manager Earleen Hinton 815-632-2591 ehinton@shawmedia.com

News Alexa Zoellner 815-632-2590 azoellner@shawmedia.com

Advertising Sales Jennifer Heintzelman 815-632-2502 jheintzelman@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. Morris Times, Forreston Journal and Oregon Republican Reporter.

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.

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BY KAREN MERLAK

Beautiful weather has been a blessing for our farming community as they start the harvest season. We thank our farmers for taking care of God’s land. Our prayers are with them for an abundant and safe harvest. Our God is always here for us, and we are thankful.

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 Curly Hagemann and Elizabeth Eliot. Pastor Suzanne Hall Stout shared her message for the morning. She also gave the children’s message for our young friend, Amelia. Sheryl Hopkins led the morning prayer for our service.

On Saturday morning, our women’s breakfast group met at the Village Bakery in Oregon for breakfast and fellowship. Hosted by Elizabeth Eliot, we enjoyed each other’s company and the delicious treats made at the bakery.

Our conversations are filled with laught e r , c o n c er ns , a n d w i t h l o v e f o r o n e another. I joined in the fun with Sheryl Hopkins, Vicki Hay, Martha Johannsen, Sandra Ford, Judy Riffle, and Pastor Suzanne Hall Stout.

This past Tuesday evening, I hosted the regular meeting for our PEO Sisterhood Chapter DW at the fellowship hall of our church. Vicki Hay was my co-hostess and provided the dessert for the evening.

Julie Hoak shared a program on the importance of popcorn in our movie theaters. At the end of the program, she shared some of the delicious snack with our sisters. Joining us from Pine Creek were Lisa Coffman and Maggie Henning.

This was homecoming week for Polo High School. Kent and Judy Nettz had two grandchildren on the homecoming court this year. Polo won the Friday night game and the students attended the dance on Saturday evening. It is a fun walk down memory lane for former students of PCHS.

On Friday night, I drove over to Forreston to watch the game. My interest was the halftime show which featured students from the recent cheer camp. There were 93 participants in the camp, including a few of my students.

It was a busy but short week for students and staff in Forreston. We have been enjoying a four-day break this weekend. While I did spend some time working and making projects for school, I also found time for relaxation and fun.

After breakfast on Saturday morning, I took a long, beautiful drive to Belvidere to see the changing leaves and to shop at a craft show. Several years ago, my mom and I rented space to sell our crafts at this show. There have been several changes over the years, but it is still one of my favorites.

Some changes we expect, like the colors of the leaves and the cold temperatures of the new fall season. Some changes come unexpectedly, like losing a family member or friend. Whether we know it is coming or not, it can be difficult to move on.

When we have a relationship with Jesus, we have a friend that we can depend on. We have an example of hope to look to. We are made stronger by the love of this faithful friend. The changes ahead of us are made just a little easier because of His guidance.

Personally, I have seen many changes over the past decade, some more devastating than others. Through it all, I have been surrounded by supportive family and friends. When the day has quieted down and I find myself alone, my hope for tomorrow grows because of Jesus.

I hope to see you and your family at our church, in person or online. Through the many changes of the past couple of years, we are still here, gathering in worship, prayer, and praise. Come and join us at our little church in the country.

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com

In its first go-round, the Oregon Area Farm Tour was a success, organizers say.

“It was a sunny fall day with perfect weather,” said Liz Vos, Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. “People just wanted to get out of their houses and go exploring.”

The farm tour took place the afternoon of Oct. 9. People were able to tour four farms: BerryView Orchard and Dietrich Ranch, both in Mt. Morris, and Dandelion Feathers Farm and White Pines Ranch, both in Oregon.

Vos said she was told by Dandelion Feathers Farm owner Andrea Murray that Murray was doing face painting nonstop from 1 to 4 p.m., and Murr a y ’ s p a r e n t s c o u n t e d 1 2 0 t o 1 4 0 visitors.

Total participation is hard to measure because of the spread-out nature of the event, Vos said.

“Based on the number of people at the Dandelion Feathers Farm, I’d say maybe there were more than that,” she said. “I don’t really have a way of knowing.”

The University of Illinois Extension was at Dietrich Ranch, where they had a worm compost and soil testing stand, Vos said. The people running that reported 27 adults and 20 children visited their stand, and even more were exploring other areas of the farm, she said. “They had so much fun,” Vos said.

A dinner and barn dance originally were scheduled to follow the afternoon farm tours, but that part of the event was canceled.

“I think some people just wanted to do the farm visits,” Vos said.

There used to be farm tours every year, but there hasn’t been one in a while, Vos said when asked her reason for hosting the event.

“We live in a rural community, and I think that we have several [Chamber of Commerce] members that they have farms, farm stores and farm boutiques and things,” she said. “I thought it would be fun to do an event centered around them and what they have to offer. Our community is really a great rural destination.”

Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media Buddy Murray, 10, of Oregon, leans against a hay bale holding his chicken, Fluffy, during the Oregon Area Farm Tour on Oct. 9. Buddy’s mother owns Dandelion Feathers Farm.

L et Freedom Ring Family Fall Festival set for Oct. 16

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com

A new Let Freedom Ring family fun event is scheduled for this weekend in Mt. Morris.

The Family Fall Festival is set for 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 16. It will take place on the village square; the rain location is the Mt. Morris Senior Center.

“It’s a new thing we’re trying to raise some money for the festival, but also to get some fall fun in, too,” said Tiffany West, Let Freedom Ring Committee chairperson.

Activities include a penny carnival, pumpkin carving contest, costume parade and craft show, she said.

There are about 15 craft vendors signed up to attend, West said. Tickets for penny carnival games are six tickets for $1, she said.

“The Evangelical Free Church is helping with the penny carnival games and stuff,” West said. “We’ll be doing prizes for those games for the kids.”

To enter the pumpkin carving contest is $2 for ages 5 and under with a painted pumpkin and $5 per pumpkin for all other ages, she said. Pumpkins are to be entered already carved and ready to be judged, West said.

There will be winners for different age groups: 5 and under; 6 to 10 years old; 11 to 15 years old; and 16 and up.

“The costumes, it’s another time for people to wear costumes,” West said. “It’s not necessarily judging.”

People should come to have family fun, support the Mt. Morris community and to support Let Freedom Ring in funding the Fourth of July firework show, she said.

Fireworks cost $20,000, and the price is expected to go up next year, West noted.

POLICE NEWS

Two arrested for retail theft f rom Oregon store

T w o F r e e p o r t r e s i d e n t s w e r e arrested last week for stealing merchandise from an Oregon store.

Terry M. Ernst, 58, of Freeport, and Michael C. Hille, 57, of Freeport, were arrested after police investigated a retail theft at the Oregon Snyder Ace Hardware store, 201 N. Fourth St., at 6:54 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6.

“Oregon police responded to a possible retail theft at the Oregon Snyder Ace Hardware. It was alleged that two male subjects entered the store and began concealing a felony amount of merchandise,” Oregon Police Chief Joe Brooks said in an Oct. 7 news release. “The two subjects matched the description from a prior theft at the store and they were confronted by employees. Upon arrival of the Oregon officers, a foot pursuit ensued.

“With the assistance of the Ogle County Sheriff’s Depart ment , the Byron Police Department, and the Mt. Morris Police Department, the suspect’s vehicle was located in the 200 block of North Third Street and a felony stop was conducted. Two male subjects were taken into custody.”

Ernst was charged with four counts of felony retail theft.

“The Byron Police Department charged Hille with two counts of felony retail theft,” the news release said.

Both were transported to the Ogle County Jail.

Within the vehicle a large amount of possible stolen property from other j u r i s d i c t i o n s w a s r e c o v e r e d , t h e release said.

BRIEFS

County Crossroads Quilt Guild to host ‘quilt trunk show’

The Country Crossroads Quilt Guild will offer a quilt trunk show, “Attic Quilts,” on Monday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Forreston Grove Church.

The show will be presented by Heidi Brenum, owner of the Pins & Pieces Quilt Shop in Darlington, Wisconsin. Her shop is in the newly renovated Driver Opera House in Darlington.

Please join us for a fun-filled evening and the viewing of some beautiful quilts!

Guild meetings are held at the Forreston Grove Church, 7246 Freeport Road, Forreston, the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m., with ample time to meet and greet members before the meeting.

Visitors are welcome for a fee of $5 at the door. For more information, call Program Committee Chair Shauna Heck 815-2381342 or Guild President Barb Gaertner 815-297-2700.

Polo Women’s Club to accept winter coats, accessories through Nov. 1

The Polo Women’s Club has officially kicked off its third annual coat drive season, which runs until Nov. 1.

The club is accepting donations of NEW or “gently used” coats, hats, scarves, mittens and gloves. Drop-off locations in Polo are First State Bank Shannon-Polo (211 S. Division Ave.), Polo Senior Center (101 W. Mason St.), 802 E. Buffalo St. and 103 E. Oregon St.

Distribution will take place free of charge at Crossroads Community Church in Polo on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to noon.

GFWC Illinois Polo Women’s Club, organized in 1921, is a community-based service organization that makes a difference through volunteer service.

For additional information, call Louise Hall at 815-946-2198.