Library News

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

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Tri-County Press / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Dec 31, 2021 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 815-632-2534 phartman@shawmedia.com Deadline for obituaries is 2 p.m. Tuesday for Friday’s edition

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Special Hours

The library will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1 to observe New Year’s Day. We wish all our patrons a safe and happy holiday! The library will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 17 to observe Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Special Procedures

Masks are required in the library for everyone over the age of two. Polo Library’s programs and services are for everyone. If you require an access service to fully participate or have any questions about accessibility, please contact Ellen Finfrock at 815-946-2713.

Community Services

A representative from Rock River Center will be at the library from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Library Services

Did you know we offer home delivery? Just call to request an item and make arrangements for delivery. Another call to the library is all that is necessary to arrange pick up. Items of all types are available, including magazines, movies, large print books and audiobooks.

Adult Programs

Book groups meet Friday, Jan. 14 and Monday, Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m. Book 2 Movie discussion group meets on Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m. These groups are open to anyone who is interested, no registration required. Stop in to pick up a copy and join us!

Coffee with a Cop

Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 10:30 a.m. Drop in and enjoy coffee and conversation with Polo’s Chief of Police, Troy Randall.

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.

Jigsaw Puzzle Swap

Are you bored with the same old puzzles you have at home? Bring your gently used puzzles to the library and leave with new-to-you puzzles. Each puzzle to swap must: be primarily at least

POLO LIBRARY

500 pieces, be complete, no missing pieces; be placed in a zip-lock bag within its container; include an image of the completed puzzle - picture on box, poster or photo. Don’t have a puzzle to swap? Come pick one out and swap it back when you’ve finished with it. Jigsaw Puzzle Swap is located in the display cabinet in the Congress Street foyer.

Virtual Travelogue

John Lynn’s America Coast to Coast, Part 1 Jan. 12, 6 p.m. This is a live on Zoom program. Register at the Circulation Desk, email library@pololibrary. org or call 815-946-2713.

Yoga at the Library

Monday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. Taught by Clementine Studio. Register at the Circulation Desk or call 815-946-2713.

Children’s Programs

Winter Reading Land Kick-Off Party, Saturday, Jan. 8 10:30 a.m. Help Ms Melanie kick off Winter Reading Land with a Board Game Party. This reading program is for Kindergarten through 5th graders and will run from Jan. 8-Feb. 26. Register for the kick-off party and reading program by emailing melaniew@pololibrary.org or call 815-946-2713.

Virtual Storytime on Saturday, Jan.15 at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook and YouTube.

In person Storytime on Saturdays, Jan. 22 and 29 at 10:30 a.m.

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 Patty Bridgeman 815-632-2555 pbridgeman@ 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

PINE CREEK NEWS

BY KAREN MERLAK

Christmas Day has come with the celebration of the birth of the King. This is the moment we have been anticipating for the past four weeks of the Advent season. For the greatest gift of love, we are forever grateful to our Heavenly Father.

This morning for church, we are starting a three-week pause from in-person church. Pastor Suzanne Hall Stout led the service on Facebook Live. Our pianist, Bev Kearns, provided the music for the morning. We will be online only for the next two Sunday mornings.

On Friday evening, our church hosted a Christmas Eve service in our building, in person and online. Greeters for the evening were Don and Vicki Hay. James and Nancy Hopkins lit the Christ candle for the service.

Pastor Suzanne led the service, which included singing many of our favorite hymns. James Hopkins and Chuck Kearns also helped with readings during the service. James also provided the luminaries outside of the church. The service concluded with a candlelight singing of “Silent Night.”

Stephanie and João had plans to travel to Minnesota to spend a few days with João’s family. Unfortunately, they were not able to go due to illness. The couple stayed home with their dog, Pepper. Even miles apart, we are able to keep in touch, sharing the excitement of the holidays.

This Christmas looks a bit different for me this year. I am celebrating with my son Matt in Hawaii. I arrived last week and will return home in a couple of days.

For the week, he has given me a tour of the area where he has been stationed for the past six years.

He was able to take me to his shop where he works, a tour around the base and neighboring cities, and to the beach to see the ocean. This area is surrounded by mountains, palm trees, and beautiful flowers.

Even more than the beautiful scenery, I am grateful for the long talks, time cooking dinners, and the many memories made over this week together. I have been getting acquainted with his blind cat, Alice.

For Christmas Day, we exchanged gifts and made dinner together, including a couple of our family favorites. In the evening, we went to the movies. Matt and I share a great love for stories, in books and in movies.

On Friday afternoon, Matt and I called Clint to wish him a Merry Christmas since it was Christmas Day where he is. Clint is back to work and feeling much better. Our family is looking forward to the next big moves in 2022 for Matt and Stephanie.

Mostly, our time together has included lots of relaxing rest. This rest has given me time to reflect on my life at home. This year has been full of great accomplishments. However, spending time working toward my goals has taken me away from other things.

It is easy to lose our focus with so many other things of this world that take our attention. We have so many distractions around us. This morning, Pastor Suzanne spoke about the importance of making room for Jesus, now that He is here with us.

Being away from home has allowed me to think about my priorities and the amount of room they are taking up in my life.

Each time we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we have a reminder to invite Him into our lives.

When we invite Him first, everything else falls into place. During this time of relaxation and rest, I am rearranging my priorities again so that He is first. I am grateful for this time of refreshment and reconnection.

I hope to see you online with us next Sunday as we gather on Facebook Live to worship. Please leave a comment when you join. Soon, we will be together again. For now, our family bond is stretched but not broken.

COUNT Y NEWS

ICC approves crossing improvements near Polo

A railroad crossing east of Polo will be getting a major facelift next year.

The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved a stipulated agreement to improve safety at the North Union Road railroad crossing.

Under the agreement, BNSF Railway Company will install new automatic flashing light signals, gates with bells which are controlled by constant warning time circuitry and equipped with an event recorder and a remote monitoring system.

The total estimated cost of materials for the crossing upgrades is $223,364.

The ICC staff recommends that the Grade Crossing Protection Fund be used to pay 95% of the total cost, not to exceed $212,193.

All work is to be completed within 12 months of the order date.

“These upgrades are needed and will greatly improve safety at this location. This is good news for the community and anyone who utilizes the crossing. The allocation of Grade Crossing Protection Funds enables important rail safety projects such as this to advance,” ICC Commissioner Michael Carrigan said.

In 1955, the state passed legislation creating the GCPF. Since then, Illinois has strengthened its commitment to public highway-rail safety by increasing funding toward projects such as the closure and consolidation of existing public crossings, installation of new warning systems, highway approach improvements, upgrades to existing warning devices and interconnection to nearby traffic signals, construction/reconstruction of grade separation structures and the construction of pedestrian grade separations.

The commission administers the GCPF, which is funded by motor fuel tax money designated for rail safety improvements.

The General Assembly appropriates $42 million annually for the GCPF.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media The railroad crossing on Union Road, east of Polo, is slated to be upgraded next year. The crossing currently has lights, but no stop arms.

REGIONAL NEWS

Road rage shooting spurs civ il suit; man awarded $850,000

BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@shawmedia.com

DIXON – Two men charged with attempted murder in an apparent road rage case are being sued by the Dixon man who said they shot at his vehicle, hitting it four times.

Kennedy L. Jackson Jr., 27, of Hele n a , A r k a n s a s , a n d C o u r t n e y D . Gaines, 26, of Memphis, Tennessee, w e r e c h a r g e d S e p t . 3 , 2 0 1 9 , w i th attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm and indicted Sept. 20 in Lee County Court on those same charges.

The two men were employees of Inmate Services Corp., a West Memphis, Arkansas, interstate inmate transport company, when investigators say they shot at a Dodge Caravan driven by David L. Brockman.

Lee County Circuit Court Judge Douglas Lee, presiding over the civil suit, found the company liable in the shooting on Nov. 17, 2020, and on Dec. 29, 2020, ordered it to pay Brockman $850,000 – $50,000 for counseling and the rest for emotional damages.

It was a default judgment, meaning the company failed to respond to the finding of liability, or to come to court the day the judgment was rendered.

President Randy Cagle Jr. is named in the court record as representing the company. He could not be reached for comment.

The suit still is pending against Gaines and Jackson, the only other defendants in the case.

Dixon attorneys Paul and Tom Whitcombe are representing Brockman.

According to the suit:

On Aug. 19, 2019, Jackson was driving and Gaines was the front-seat passenger in a white Inmate Service van transporting at least two inmates in the westbound left lane of Interstate 88. The van’s bright lights were on.

Brockman, who was driving his Caravan westbound in the left lane, moved to the right lane, in front of the transport van, “to get their attention.”

The transport van switched lanes and pulled up next to Brockman, who rolled down his passenger window and yelled to Jackson and Gaines to “turn down your (expletive) brights.”

“Concerned that the security of the inmates they were transporting was being threatened, defendant Jackson produced a firearm from under the driver’s seat. Defendant Gaines told defendant Jackson to ‘scare the (expletive) out of him.’”

Jackson fired multiple shots at Brockman’s van; four rounds hit it, one passing through a case of water bottles behind Brockman’s seat, the suit says.

The shooting happened just before the Dixon toll booth. Jackson got off at the Dixon exit and pulled into the Road Ranger on Route 26, while Brockman followed at a distance and pulled into the Pizza Hut parking lot across the street and called 911.

Brockman’s dash cam recorded the entire incident.

While Brockman was waiting for state police to arrive, Jackson and