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POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS VOLUME 163 NO. 14 • SERVING THE POLO AREA SINCE 1857

Friday, June 18, 2021 • $1.00

LOCAL NEWS

Mutual Aid

Ogle fire departments helped battle the massive Chemtool fire. / 4

SPORTS

HURDLE MISCUE

State Champion

Oregon’s Brenna Noon wins the 1A shot put at the state meet. / 17

Infinity Run Family and friends

of Maggie & Amos take part in an annual fundraiser in Chana. / 7 One section • 24 pages

INDEX Ag Pages.............11-15 Betty’s Column ...... 10 Colbert Column ..... 10

Classifieds ........ 22-24 Fatal Accident........20 Oregon Police.........20

Otto’s Column .......... 9 PorchFest.................. 8 Sports................. 16-19

DEATHS Published every Friday

by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Byron’s Leo Adami (right) hits the final hurdle in the 100M hurdles as Forreston-Polo’s Bennett Soltow goes on to win the race at the 1A sectional in Winnebago. Forreston-Polo’s Matthew Beltran, pictured behind Adami, also qualified for the state meet this week. Story on page 17.

Melvin Dennis Burr, Edwin Strauss, Page 16

POLO TRI-COUNTY SPECIAL PRESS EVENT POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS TRI-COUNTY PRESS

Tri-County Press / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

TRI-COUNTY BEAT

2

oglecountynews.com ShawLocal.com OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 (815) 732-6166 ext. 2592 Fax: (815) 284-2078 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday SUBSCRIPTIONS $39 in Ogle County, and $52 outside Ogle County.

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Copyright 2021

Town & Country Days is June 16-20 Carnival, parade and beer garden all part of this year’s activities

Polo’s Town & Country Days will be held June 16-20 with a carnival, parade, and plenty of kids events.

Polo Town & Country Days was first organized in 1966 by the Polo Jaycees as a way to raise money for the construction of a city pool.

The first festival was a three day celebration which included such events as a carnival, kiddie parade, drum and bugle corps exhibition, and a large community parade to finish out the weekend.

“Now, 53 years later, the festival has expanded into a four-day event that is

kicked off with one of the most amazing fireworks display in the area!,” said Joey Kochsmeier. “The annual parade still closes out the celebration, and sandwiched in between are four days filled with fun for young and old.”

Mega Passes will be available until noon

on June 17. They are good for the entire weekend and cost $40. They can be purchased in Polo at Knies, First State Bank, and Blackhawk Area Credit Union.

The registration deadline to receive a shirt for the 5K is June 13. The race is Saturday June 19.

32nd Annual Car Show: Aug. 14. Call the Polo Chamber at 815-946-3131 to sponsor, register your car, truck or motorcycle. There will be a craft and Vendor Show in Quick Park call to register for your spot. 50/50 raffle ticket will be on sale soon.

Business after Hours: If you are interested and would like to host a Business after Hours or Breakfast before Business call the Chamber at 815-946-3131.

Certificates of Recognition: The Polo Chamber of Commerce would like to issue Certificates of

Recognition to any Polo Chamber of Commerce business members who are celebrating five years of being in business, or those with five-year increments of being in business in Polo.

Contact us so that we can announce your special business celebration during our Annual Dinner.

Get the Word Out: Contact The Polo Chamber of Commerce at 815-946-3131, polochamber@ gmail.com, or mail to P.O. Box 116, Polo, IL 61064 if you would like to publicize your even

date comes closer.

This past Wednesday evening, I traveled to Sterling to meet with a small group of coworkers. Our friend, Colin, is moving to Normal, Illinois. We had a wonderful evening visiting with each other.

On Friday, I met another past coworker, Rebecca, in Sterling, for lunch. It has been several years since we have shared stories of family, work, and life events. Sharing a meal and conversation with a friend is time well spent.

As we were leaving the restaurant, two other coworkers from a different previous job called me to their table. With many previous employers, I have a very large group of friends that I used to work with.

It has happened again. We are nearing the summer season and once again, I am way behind on yard work and cleaning up the out-of-control weeds. At first, I blamed it on the fact that I was working and going to school, so I did not have time.

Now, I am only working part-time and still, I can find several excuses not to work in the yard. When we face a task we don’t want to do, we can find many reasons not

to do it. It is easy to do the fun jobs and so difficult to do the hard work.

I have heard many excuses not to be in church on Sunday morning. Maybe, we are too busy to pray or give thanks for our many blessings. Now, letting the weeds grow isn’t doing too much damage but the yard doesn’t look very nice.

My rose bush is being robbed of the precious ground water because of the weeds.

A little bit of work now would bring me quite a bit of joy over the summer season.

Taking a small amount of time to attend church may be the start of many new friendships that will bring a lifetime of joy.

Taking a few moments to thank God for the blessings we have already received will bring into a closer relationship with God. The joy we receive in a relationship with God far outweighs the work to get there.

Starting next week, our church service will move to 10 a.m.

We hope you can join us for our regular service in person or on our Facebook page.

Come and worship with us. We welcome you and your family to our little church in the country.

CHAMBER CHATTER Farmer’s Market: 3 to 6 p.m. Starting Thursday, June 17 and then every Thursday.

Movies in the Park: at the Louise Quick Park.

June 25 will be Sonic the Hedgehog; July 9, The Goonies; July 30, Detective Pikachu; and August 13 (showing at the Polo Pool), Muppet Treasure Island. Bring your family and enjoy the show and the free popcorn.

Coffee with a Cop: Visit the Polo Public Library for Coffee with a Cop at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday’s.

Enjoy a cup of coffee and a nice chat with a Cop.

PINE CREEK NEWS

BY KAREN MERLAK After a very warm week, it was great to have some relief. It would be easy to worry about the lack of rainfall so far this year.

We know that we are in God’s hands. The Creator of this earth, the sun, the moon, and the rain is with us. We are grateful for all the ways He takes care of us.

This morning in church, we were greeted by James and Nancy Hopkins. Pastor Charlotte shared her message of the morning in person and on Facebook Live.

Charlotte continues to share her mid-day, midweek message on our Facebook page.

After the church service, our congregation held our regular board meeting. Now that restrictions are starting to lift, we are making plans to get back to some of our regular get-togethers.

In the afternoon, Charlotte and I met for a movie in Sterling. We shared our love of musical theater and watched “In the Heights.” After the movie, we went for dinner and a nice, long visit. I am realizing our time together is limited as her retirement

OREGON NEWS

BY EARLEEN HINTON

ehinton@shawmedia.com Thirsty Oregonites are another step closer to being able to whet their whistles at the city’s historic, and recently restored, water fountain.

Mike Bowers, project manager for the relocation effort directed and watched early Tuesday morning as Dale Beesing and Ed Rowland, of Beesing Welding, Oregon, unloaded the 800pound, cast iron Iron Mike from the back of a Beesing truck and placed it on its new digs on the northeast corner of the Ogle County Courthouse Square in downtown Oregon.

Bowers, the former Superintendent of Streets for the City of Oregon, helped line the fountain up in the center of a new plaza that features antique Purington pavers that were salvaged from the once-brick street by Conover Square.

City and county officials decided to move the 1901 free-flowing fountain after a wayward car almost hit it a few years ago.

Its new location is a few yards south of its former location at the intersection of Illinois 64 and Illinois 2.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Mike Bowers, project manager for the relocation of Iron Mike helps and Marty Bush, of Ehmen’s, place the new benches on the fountain’s new plaza on the Ogle County Courthouse Square in Oregon. The free-flowing fountain was scheduled to be turned back on this week.

It will be re-dedicated on Thursday, June 24 at 5 p.m.

Bowers said it was scheduled to be turned on this week.

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The fountain was cleaned, sandblasted and repainted by the E.D. Etnyre Co., at its Oregon facility and then stored at the street department.

Iron Mike has three drinking levels, one for dogs, one for horses and one for people and was endorsed by the Illinois Humane Society when it was forged.

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

Historic water fountain reinstalled at new spot

3

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

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REGIONAL NEWS

Local departments help at massive Rockton fire

BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@shawmedia.com

When a major disaster like the Chemtool fire in Rockton happens in the region, cooperation is key to getting and keeping things under control.

Fire and other emergency departments call that mutual aid, and there’s a statewide system in place to ensure everyone gets the help they need – the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS. As part of MABAS, Byron, Oregon, Mt. Morris, Polo, Stillman Valley, and Forreston departments in Ogle County all responded in one way or another, to neighboring Winnebago County.

So did other departments in the region. Some still are helping out.

In fact, more than 80 fire departments responded to the Chemtool fire, Rockton fire Chief Kirk Wilson said at a news conference this morning.

Ogle County fire department personnel who responded Monday spent the day in Rockton and were back in their stations Monday night, Mt. Morris Fire Chief Rob Hough IV said.

See MUTUAL AID, Page 6

RG Hough/For Shaw Media

The ladder truck crew from the Mt. Morris Fire Department was one of several fire crews that responded to the structure fire at Chemtool on Prairie Hill Road in Rockton Monday as part of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS.

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CHEMTOOL FIRE

BY RACHEL RODGERS

rrodgers@shawmedia.com The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is installing special barriers in the Rock River to prevent the spread of contaminants from the massive Chemtool plant fire.

Crews installed “booms” in the river to protect from runoff at the site, which also allowed for firefighters to suppress the fire with foam including the U.S. Fire Pump industrial firefighting company from Louisiana specializing in oil rig fires.

The Rock River is located about 500

• MUTUAL AID

Continued from page 5

STRONGER TOGETHER

An Ogle County ambulance was sent back to the scene Tuesday night just in case it was needed.

In Whiteside County, Rock Falls, Morrison, Prophetstown and Tampico sent four water tenders, a command vehicle and firefighters, while Sterling sent a chief. They were there to work

yards from the fire site. The Fire departments stopped using water because of environmental concerns for the river and potential groundwater contamination. The paddling distance between the fire site and the Oregon is about 32 miles.

The importance of the river to area tourism can’t be underestimated.

Blackhawk Waterways Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that in 2019, the year for which the most recent numbers are available, tourism near the Rock River generated $190.53 million in travel expenditures and $4.57 across Ogle, Lee, Carroll and

Whiteside counties.

Ogle County saw $44.17 million in travel expenditures and $1.04 million in local tax revenues in 2019, while $14.12 million was paid in payroll wages to employees serving travelers, and 560 jobs were supported by tourism. About $6.4 million in state travel tax receipts were generated.

At the request of IEPA, the U.S. EPA is also providing air monitoring and air sampling support. Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson said during a news conference that those air moni-

from midnight to 8 Tuesday morning, to help spell those who worked the fire during the day.

“They bring in assets from other areas so the local assets are not overtaxed and they can regenerate,” Hough said.

Sharing equipment, like ambulances, water tenders and ladder trucks, also is part of the MABAS pact, but “when you get to an incident of

this magnitude, a lot of specialized equipment comes in from outside contractors,” Hough said.

Most of the fire departments in Ogle County are staffed with volunteers and still have to respond to local calls that happen in each of their fire districts.

“Yesterday was a long day for our crews. Our ladder truck went to Rockton’s Chemtool Fire and crews ran

See CHEMTOOL FIRE, Page 7

Oregon was one of the departments that provided mutal aid on Monday.

multiple other calls back in Oregon.

We are keeping the crews up there working today in our thoughts as they continue to contain the massive fire,” the Oregon fire department posted on Facebook.

“That’s the way the mutual aid system works. We’re each sending a little bit, so we can handle our everyday calls,” Hough said. “That’s the beauty of the system.”

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I would like to thank everyone for the cards and phone calls on my recent 80th birthday.

My heartfelt thanks to family and friends for thinking of me on this special day.

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

EPA installs river barriers to prevent contamination

5

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

6

• CHEMTOOL FIRE

Continued from page 6 toring devices were set up throughout the community, and no contaminants were detected in ground air quality.

Wilson said the firefighters also dug trenches to the west of the plant to prevent any residual toxic material from leaking into the river.

Alicia Tate-Nadeau, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said some chemicals they are monitoring for include lead, antifreeze, sulfuric acid and nitrogen, as half a million gallons of oils burn at the plant.

The explosion at the Chemtool grease plant at 1165 Prairie Hill Road was reported around 7 a.m. Monday.

Smoke from the fire in nearby Winnebago County was covering the eastern third of Ogle County, and the sheriff’s department advised residents east of Meridian Road to close their windows and doors.

The city of Dixon posted an alert that there were no safety threats to the city and no concerns about air quality.

Rockton ordered an evacuation of everyone within a mile of the facility, about 1,000 people, and for those to wear masks within three miles.

As of 2 p.m. on June 15, there were four U.S. EPA responders on-site, supported by eight contractors. They had

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Smoke from the massive Chemtool on Prairie Hill Road in Rockton Monday morning could be seen from miles around. This photo was taken at the Byron Forest Preserve around 10:30 a.m. after the Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle issued a statement alerting county residents that the smoke was entering eastern Ogle County, specically east of Meridian Road. set up a network of fixed and roaming air monitors at the site and downwind.

As the wind direction changes, the roaming monitors are moved to follow the plume and to provide real-time data to the responders. The air monitoring network looks for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxygen

(O2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), lower explosive limit (LEL), and particulates in coordination with the Illinois Civil Support Team. U.S. EPA is currently evaluating the data received.

Current data have not shown levels above Agency for Toxic Substances

and Disease Registry and Illinois Department of Public Health thresholds.

The IEPA has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s office against Chemtool, Inc. for violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and Illinois Pollution Control Board Regulations related to chemical fire and release of pollutants to the atmosphere.

Additional violations may be added as information is available regarding the fire.

The referral asks the Attorney General to pursue legal action and require Chemtool to immediately stop the release and provide documentation to the Illinois EPA including the cause of the fire, and an estimate of the nature and amount of any emissions of sulfuric acid mist, particulate matter, and other air contaminants emitted as a result of the fire.

The company will be asked to develop and implement a work plan to remove any hazardous material from the site and address other compliance issues related to the incident.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker also activated the State Emergency Operation Center to respond to the incident. Personnel from multiple state and local agencies and organizations are responding to the emergency. U.S. EPA has established area monitors to monitor for volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, and lead.

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SPECIAL EVENT

BY EARLEEN HINTON

ehinton@oglecountynews.com

Perfect weather greeted participants at the Chana Educational Center on Sunday as they arrived to pay tribute to a former teacher and her son.

The 2021 Infinity Run, held as a fundraiser for the Maggie & Amos Foundation, included a 1-mile fun run, 5K, kids activities, a silent auction, and food.

Maggie and Amos perished after an October 2016 fire in their home.

The fire was later determined to be an arson and Maggie’s ex-husband and Amos’ father, Duane Meyer, 38, was charged in 2019 with four counts of first degree homicide, two counts of aggravated arson and one count of concealment of a homicidal death.

Maggie, 31, was a teacher for the Chana Education Center at the time of her death. She was found dead on a couch on the first floor of her burning home and Amos was pronounced dead a short time later at Rockford Memorial Hospital.

The case is still pending in Ogle

See INFINITY RUN, Page 21

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Kids start the 1-mile fun run at the 2021 Infinity Run in Chana on Sunday. The event is held as a fundraiser for the Maggie & Amos Myer who died in a house fire in Byron in 2016. More photos on page 21.

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

Kids, adults run in memory of teacher and her son

7

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

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SPECIAL EVENT

Mt. Morris porches become venues for live music Food trucks also were part of the activities at PorchFest 2021

Mother Nature did her part on Saturday for the Fourth Annual PorchFest in Mt. Morris on June 13.

“The weather was warm, but there was a nice breeze,” said Jeff Bold, Encore! Mt. Morris Chairman.

“PorchFest is the ultimate grassroots community music festival and featured 18 musical groups, duets and solo performers on porches throughout the community. The audience picked their choices and moved from location to location, enjoying the community and four hours of freely given music.”

2021 marked the first year back for the event after last year’s event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was great having PorchFest back this year after it was scheduled and canceled twice in 2020,” Bold said.

See PORCHFEST 2021, page 9

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Dennis and Mary Cheatwood of Mt. Morris enjoy an aronia berry slushie from BerryView Orchard food truck during PorchFest on Saturday.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY

Gigantic Fundraiser Sale in Leaf River

There will be a fundraiser sale and ice cream social to benefit the Leaf River Museu Museum & Historical Society June 25, 26 and 27.

SALE 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday, June 25 HOURS: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, June 26 & 27

Keep mercury out of the environment by safely disposing of your old mercury thermostat.

To find a recycling location, visit:

thermostat-recycle.org/zipsearch

The Ice Cream Social will be from 1 – 4 p.m., June 27, There will be a variety of books, furniture, hundreds of DVs, kitchen items, glassware/ dishes, lamps, linens and blankets, Christmas items, tools, toys, some antiques and much more. There will be something for everyone.

SM-ST1892340

The sale will be located in the old firehouse, next to the Bertolet Building on West 2nd Street in Leaf River.

We are thankful to all the supporters for this fundraiser.

Remember to bring your wallet!

SM-ST1892964

LOCAL HISTORY

Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written.

BY OTTO DICK Come in and see the rarest Grand Piano in the world.

That was headline from a brochure published by the Schiller Piano Company of Oregon, Illinois. What follows is more information from the brochure.

“Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity. It costs nothing to look at this exquisite Schiller Grand manufactured by the Schiller Piano Company.

It is veneered with the lovely, roll-figured veneer from the only log ever purchased from the Henry Clay estate.

Step in and see this extraordinary grand piano now.

“Henry Clay, the great American statesman who said, ‘I would rather be right than be president’, was born on April, 1777 in Hanover County, Virginia. He rose from that humble place as a mill boy, (political opponents in later years dubbed him, The Mill Boy of the Slashes)” to a seat among the mightiest political figures in the history of the United States.

“He often said that the only place of quiet and peace was his home at his

beautiful Kentucky estate. That estate has now become a national shrine. For a century his Kentucky estate remained practically intact.

“Valued at, $15,000,000 among its assets was a group of the finest and oldest walnut tree in the world. Up until this year, nobody had ever been able to purchase any of these trees. A short time ago, to make room for a new home which was to be constructed on adjacent property recently purchased from the Clay estate one of these wonderful old walnut trees, which had stood like a rock against the elements for centuries, had to be removed.”

“This tree was bought by the lumber house of McClain and Foster of Rockford, Illinois and the log was purchased from them by the Schiller Piano Company of Oregon, Illinois, the greatest manufacturers in America of fine grand pianos.

“The Schiller Piano Company veneered a limited number of the grand pianos with the exquisite , roll figured, century old walnut stripped from this rare log off the Henry Clay Estate. One of the few grands on the face of the earth veneered with this walnut is inside, awaiting your inspection.

“Come in and see it now, try it, listen to it. There is no other piano in existence like this extraordinary Schiller. You owe it to yourself to inspect it, you owe it to your children

Images provided by Otto Dick

ABOVE: Henry Clay n 1832 AT RIGHT: This is an advertisement in an old newspaper.

to let them inspect it if only for its historical value. Whether you have a piano or haven’t, don ‘t miss this opportunity for a life-time to see and hear the most beautifully toned grand piano ever made, veneered with the liveliest walnut ever seen, taken from a centuries-old tree which once graced the Henry Clay estate in Kentucky.”

“Henry Clay born (1777-1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representa-

• PORCHFEST 2021 Continued from page 8

“Crowd favorites from past years along with a few new musicians didn’t miss a beat as everyone enjoyed the day. Food was great too with a shout out to Hazels Café, Berry View Orchard, Jen’s Artisan Bread, Nelson

tives. He was the seventh House Speaker as well as the ninth Secretary of State. He helped found the National Republican Party and the Whig Party.”

Adams, Clay and Webster streets are located in South Oregon. Now when I drive on Clay Street I remember the connection between the Henry Clay Walnut Tree and the Oregon Schiller Piano Company.

Family Farms and Let Freedom Ring, for helping keep people fed and refreshed.”

Encore PorchFest Mt. Morris is scheduled the 2nd Saturday in June each year, which is June 11 in 2022.

Visit EncoreMtMorris.com for additional information and to learn more about Encore! Mt. Morris. Also on Facebook as Encore Mt Morris.

WATCH FOR

MUMS

COMING IN SEPTEMBER.

We still have beautiful vegetables and flowers available.

First Come, First Serve.

Saturday, June 19 will be our last day for the season.

We want to thank every customer for making it a great season.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

The lawn of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Mt. Morris was one of the venues for PorchFest.

2810 W. IL Route 64, Oregon 920-229-9787

SM-ST1893609

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

The Henry Clay Walnut Tree and Schiller Piano

9

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

10 LOCAL HISTORY

Early education in Polo housed in new building in 1867

P

olo education was set for a while with the building of the blue limestone, mansard roof school in 1867.

It accommodated 500 students and had both high school and grade school. During those early years the school would be scrutinized closely on their modern methods and oral instruction.

Polo was an up and coming school. Debates and public examinations went on and even with that citizens grumbled about the salaries of the teachers.

Mr. J. H. Freeman, who had been a captain in the Civil War, became Superintendent of this building.

Miss Anna Parmelee, in an article in the Tri-County Press of May 1948, said “excellent instruction in Latin, Mathematics, History, and Literature” took place in that new building.

She went on to say there “was no instruction in music except that for an hour each week Miss Lucy Webster came ‘upstairs’ to teach us to read notes and to direct us in chorus singing”.

She commented on the song book they used called “The Silver Lute” which contained many patriotic songs. One I was familiar with was “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.”

On Friday afternoons it was a “terrifying” time when they had to get up on the podium and recite pieces. With “shaking knees,” “faltering voices,” and “failing memory” they had to speak!

They were allowed to use the same piece over and over so perhaps that helped. They gained knowledge of English literature and the new American literature.

They learned patriotism of our country and felt like they were riding with Paul Revere. Maybe we need to go back to some of that.

COMMENTARY Betty Obendorf

Polo Historical Society On graduation day they were escorted by the Polo band, mayor of the town, and the board of education as they march next door to the Presbyterian Church for graduation.

The girls wore white dresses with wide silk sashes which were mostly blue. I have some of those dresses at Aplington House and one has a pink sash.

Flowers were not given to the graduates but at the end of all the orations and essays, garden flowers were thrown toward the stage. When the new Lutheran Church was built, graduation was held in that facility.

For 37 years this school served the community and the Presbyterian Church which stood next door operated as an overflow for students. 329 alumni graduated from this building. It evidently was a beautiful structure because the builders of the Lutheran Church chose to use the blue limestone when the church was built in1872.

But eventually the school became crowed and once more students were housed in homes and the Presbyterian Church. By 1890 the need for a new school became evident.

The blue limestone building had poor ventilation and was simply not large enough. In May the building

The blue limestone building was the first public school Polo had and served as a high school and grade school. The front was to the west and the Presbyterian Church can be seen in the background. The years for this school were 1867 - 1899.

Then this building was torn down to make way for the new school that was called Congress School. was torn down to make way for a new school building in its place.

That building is what we call Congress School today. There were people who complained about the tearing down of this old school.

On Nov. 20, 1899 the new school opened. Eighth grade and high school were on the top floor.

There was no money for furnishings and private citizens loaned what was necessary to the school which was later purchased by the school. Time marches on.

SPORTS VIEW

Sectional action and a state track champ for OHS

I

t was quite the festive atmosphere at Oregon Park West last Thursday, with softball fans from both Oregon and Port Byron Riverdale ringing the field for a 2A sectional final.

Especially compared to a year ago when sporting fields in Illinois sat dormant.

Sure, it would have been nice for a Hawk victory, but to make this far in the post season far surpassed expectations for this team. It reminded me a bit of the magical run made by the baseball team in 2013.

With the extensive playing time by sophomores and juniors, look for Oregon to at the top of area softball again.

Softball is so much about the pitcher and the Riverdale win was a prime example of this. She was unhittable.

My question is why baseball has a pitch-count rule, but softball doesn’t? Could you imagine the difference in coaching strategy and game outcomes if there was one.

It’s not too often a school as small as Oregon can claim regional titles in girls soccer and softball and an individual state championship in track and field.

That was the case this spring for a school with an enrollment of 430.

Besides shot putter Brenna Noon joining 2004 pole vaulter Ashley Harvey as a girls state champ in

COMMENTARY Andy Colbert

track and field for Oregon, it was neat to see throwing guru Doug Engle get his first state titlist after coaching nearly 100 state qualifiers.

A guru really is a more apt moniker than coach.

Anyone can be called a coach, but it is a rare breed that knows an event that way Doug has over the last 30 years.

There is a lot of bad technique being taught in high-school track because of so few committed, quality coaches. Here’s hoping Doug continues to stay on with the Hawks, at least for a couple more years.

Jenae Bothe also made a splash in the throws by being a double-medalist. That’s a huge deal and she even has one more year left.

The other girls state qualifier was Lydia Cermak.

In terms of leadership and consistency, she has contributed more than anyone the last four years.

Downstate, medals are given out for the top 9

places. Lydia hit a season best in the long jump, was ended up in 10 th place. This may sound corny, but hat girl is still a winner.

Forreston-Polo’s boys track and field has a good chance to pile some points up at the state meet. They’ve Brenna Noon and coach been on a roll for several years Doug Engle and have a good mix of athletes from both towns.

Oregon looks to continue its 20-year steak of having at least one state placer, but with only three qualifiers that is somewhat precarious.

Don’t forget about the wrestlers. Though the IHSA is not sanctioning a post season for them, they are putting on their own event culminating with a state meet at Springfield.

A lot of physical changes are taking place at Oregon. Using part of 12 millions dollars in life-safety money, the 25-year old BlackHawk Center is getting new flooring and a new roof. Work is also being done on the old gym and locker rooms.

The visitor’s press box at the football stadium has come down and will be replaced, along with resurfacing of the track.

Ogle County farmers are busy throughout the year, either planting, harvesting or taking care of livestock. Inside we offer a glimpse of what’s happening with local agriculture.

Photos by Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

FARMING 2021

11

Ag markets to be driven by 7 factors

BY ASHLEY RICE FarmWeek

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

This pasture was the perfect place for these cattle on a farm southeast of Forreston during recent days of temperatures in the 90s.

Where is trade policy under the Biden administration headed? What will influence markets?

Daniel Whitley, acting administrator at the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, outlined seven critical factors that will influence U.S. and global agricultural markets during the next decade. They include: • Growth in the middle class around the world; • How China will decide to interact with the rest of the world; • The role of the U.S. dollar in commodity prices; • The role of trade liberalization, or the removal of tariff and other barriers in trade; • Agriculture’s role in addressing climate change around the world; • The role of biofuels; and • New products in agriculture such

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He said China, trade liberalization and climate change will have the largest impact of the seven.

“I view China as being a fork in the road,” Whitley said during a Council on Food, Agriculture, and Resource Economics webinar. “Whether or not they’re going to embrace their leadership responsibilities, embrace their economic power or whether

they’re going to choose a path of isolation, one with not many allies. So, I think China and how they interact with the rest of the world, particularly with the United States, will be key to the global ag markets.”

Then there’s the question of whether retaliatory tariffs are here to stay or if a switch will be made to trade liberalization.

“Just seven or eight years ago I would have never imagined that governments and countries would use tariffs as a tool to impact policy to address policy concerns,” Whitley said. “Is that the

new norm?”

Whitley also sees the agriculture industry as a major player in addressing climate change.

“I think the world as a whole is taking climate change seriously,” said Whitley. “I think agriculture will be a major, major industry that helps address climate change issues. I think that’s going to lead to changes in ag trade specifically.”

This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association.

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

Above are some old farming photos that our readers submitted for past editions. LEFT: Avis Gatz Poole getting ready to go disk - note the dress! Photo supplied by David Poole.

RIGHT: George LeFevre combines oats on his farm on Oregon Trail Road west of Oregon in 1954. Photo supplied by Joyce Tremble.

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

14 SPECIAL EVENT

Historic Farm Days to feature 150 vendors July 8-11

Myriad vendors will be featured at Historic Farm Days July 8-11 in Penfield.

“We’re probably going to have at least 150 vendors. It seems like you see something different every time you walk through there,” said Barry Maury, one of the vendor coordinators.

A wide variety of antique parts vendors, a flea market area with a little bit of everything, and several toy vendors is just a small sample set of the wide range of booths that will be featured this year.

Maury said the number of vendors is about the same as in previous years.

“I have a few that aren’t coming that got out of the business because there weren’t any shows last year and I have a few new ones coming,” Maury noted.

Many vendors have been regulars since the I&I Antique Tractor & Gas Engine Club’s show began.

“I would say that two-thirds of the vendors we got have been to just about every show,” Maury said.

This year’s Historic Farm Days will feature Massey, Minneapolis-Moline, and B.F. Avery tractors.

The event is held at the I&I Antique Tractor & Gas Engine Club Showgrounds, 309 Busey St.., in Penfield, Illinois. Admission is $10 per person and $25 for a multi-day pass. There is no admission charge for children 10 and younger There is a $25 Golf Cart/Gator Registration Fee for the 4-day event.

A large variety of farm-related items, ranging

Step back into time at the McCormick-Deering International store at the I&I Farm Museum during the Historic Farm Days. from hand tools to implements, fill two floors of the building that once was a place for learning for students from the Penfield area.

“Glenn brings a selection of toy models to display in the cabinets in the museum,” Berbaum said. “The toys are fantastic, and his wife, Mary, helps with our household exhibit.”

Most of the items in the museum have been donated, and some are on loan from members of the I&I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club.

“Sometimes items appear and I may not even know what they are or who donated it,” Berbaum said. “So, then I do a little Sherlock Holmes work.”

Occasionally, Berbaum will hold up an item at an I&I club meeting to ask members if they can identify an item or how it was used.

“It is a never-ending process for our museum workers to catalog the items that come in to document who was the owner and a little information about the piece,” Berbaum said.

Visitors have the opportunity to see two very special items in the museum that are on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.

“The first one we got is the 1961 International Harvester HT-341 Turbine Tractor,” Berbaum said.

“The next year, we got the 1903 Hart-Parr tractor.”

In addition to the two tractors, the former gym features a couple of additional tractors, as well as larger items such as a sheller, hay equipment and a couple of buggies.

“The stairway to the second floor goes to the small farming items,” Berbaum said. “We display tools that might have been used for farming from the 1920s to ’50s.”

The four former classrooms on the main level of the school have been transformed into exhibit areas by the club members.

For more information about the Historic Farm Days, go to www.historicfarmdays.com, or call 217595-5000.

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

TOP LEFT: Neighbors work together on a threshing machine at the Cavanaugh farm at Cavanaugh Corner south of Polo in the early 1920s. Will Cavanaugh is on the upper right. The threshing machine was owned by all the neighbors and would do runs between their farms. Photo supplied by John Cavanaugh. BOTTOM LEFT: Fred Cox sits on his first tractor. ABOVE: A farmer picks corn in a field east of Polo in 2020.

BELOW: A field north of Chana was being irrigated last week due to a lack of rain.

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

16 WRESTLING ROUNDUP

Regional action Nine Oregon wrestlers traveled to Sandwich on a sweaty Sunday, June 13 to compete in the IWCOA Super Regional and six finished in the medal mix to qualify for the sectional on Saturday, June 19, also in Sandwich.

Andrew Herbst took first at 145 pounds, pinning twice in the first period on his way to the title match. Facing top ranked Simon Rille of Lena-Winslow-Stockton, Herbst was tied when he snapped Rille to his back at the final buzzer to take a 6-4 win.

Finishing second at 113 pounds, Edwin Estrada had a pin and a 3-0 win over 8th ranked Luke Moen of Orion on his way to the first place mat where he was pinned by fifth ranked Brady Grennan of Newman. Gabe Eckerd placed third, giving second ranked Jason Hermann of Lena all he could handle in a 6-1 loss and defeating 10th ranked David Dierckx of Rock Island Alleman 5-1 in the 160 pound medal match.

Grant Stender at 120 and Seth Stevens at

138 finished fourth. Top ranked Phoenix Blakely of Dakota pinned Stender in the semifinal and he had a second period pin to reach the medal match where he lost a 13-4 major decision to Wyatt Doty of West Carroll. Stevens lost in overtime to Kadin Rednour of Kewanee in the quarterfinal and pinned twice on the way to the medal match. The second pin was over 4th ranked Colton Linke of Morrison as time expired in the second period. The third place match was against Rednour, where he lost a late takedown to go down 8-5.

Lane Halvorson finished fifth at 126 pounds. He had two pins before 9th ranked Matthew Harris of Princeton defeated him 13-5 in the semifinal. Halvorson lost 8-5 in his next match to drop to the fifth place match where he hooked up a double chicken wing in the first period.

Anthony Bauer, 132 pounds, Ethan George, 152 pounds, and Jonathon Alaniz, 220 pounds, also represented the Hawks. Bauer and George both won by falls in the first

round of consolation and dropped out in the next round. Alaniz pinned in his opener and in the second round of wrestlebacks.

Oregon finished tied for third place in team points with Sandwich with 120. Dakota was second with 146, and Lena-Winslow-Stockton scored 195.5 to take first.

Head Coach Kip Crandall was happy with his team. “We won some tough matches,” he

said. “Some of these kids wrestled the best they have all year.” Assistant Coach Steve Stender agreed. “We came to compete today.”

Wrestlers convened in Sandwich for the IWCOA Regionals, the first step toward a state championship, the running of which was taken over for this year by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.

In a normal year, the winter calendar would be littered with weekend tournaments, but for many wrestlers, this regional is the first taste of anything other than duals.

“I feel pretty good. I could be in a little bit more shape for my cardio, but everything feels pretty good,” Oregon’s Andrew Herbst said. “Instead of wrestling one or two matches in a day, you have to wrestle four or five, so you’ve got to be mentally prepared for those long matches.”

Polo’s Wyatt Queckboerner and pinned Sandwich’s Connor Holly to get to the final. and Devon Rucker took sixth at 195.

after she and a couple of her girlfriends stole his new 1953 Pontiac Catalina and took it joyriding. This move really got his attention and so their courtship began.

He would work at the cheese factory during the day and then help Joan with her family farm at night. Edwin and Joan married on Oct. 2, 1954, at her parent’s farm in Polo. Ed began to farm full time with Joan and would freely admit that, “Joan taught me everything that I needed to know about farming.”

As newlyweds, Ed and Joan lived in the converted schoolhouse located on the north east corner of the farm until they purchased their current homestead just across the road in Ogle County.

Ed loved the farm, working the land, and raising livestock with his best friend Joan.

He had interesting views on life and would sometimes “preach a sermon” to the livestock that he was attempting to corral.

Ed enjoyed playing cards with friends and family and would take special joy in beating his grandchildren in Euchre. He loved Gorilla tape and used it to fix anything from clothing to a hydraulic reservoir on the John Deere mower (it worked!).

Because he had a tendency to disregard the safety warnings affixed to any power tool or ladder, these items had to be moved to undisclosed locations. Of special importance were the extended visits from his #1 daughter who would accompany him to the casinos.

A consummate farmer and life-long

learner, Ed read the WSJ daily but he didn’t miss an episode of “Ancient Aliens.” (Is the moon real or just an alien spaceship?) A bit of a mad scientist, one of his many “experiments” included placing twine around the laundry basket to make wearable handles.

(Ingenious!) Twine or bailing wire often played a pivotal role in his farmer fixes.

Although he also swore he didn’t like chocolate and sweets that much, his dentist might offer a different opinion.

Most Friday nights, Ed could be found dining at the Pinecricker with his family.

He always had a positive attitude and would put a smile on the faces of anyone that knew him. He was a loving father, devoted husband, and will be missed dearly.

Survivors include two children, Susan (Jerry Love) of Gilbert, Arizona; Steve (Janet Henning Strauss) of Polo; five grandchildren, Kailey, Jacob, Curtiss, Lauren, and Kate as well as some rather special nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Joan, his father Lee, mother Hazel, sister Audrey McPherson and grandson Mason Love.

A visitation will be Thursday, June 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Polo Family Funeral Home, 110 E Dixon St, Polo. A private graveside service will be held where he will be laid to rest next to his wife Joan in Fairmount Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be dedicated in Ed’s name to the Shriners Hospital for Children.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Oregon’s Gabe Eckerd battles Polo-Forreston’s Braydon Altherr during a recent match.

OBITUARIES MELVIN DENNIS BURR

MT. MORRIS – Melvin Dennis Burr, 66, of Mt. Morris, passed away on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at Serenity Hospice & Home in Oregon, after a long illness.

Melvin was born March 1, 1955 in Newcastle, Wyoming, to Darlene (Roberts) Burr and Kenneth Burr, and grew up in Upton, Wyoming.

He moved to Arizona and built large mining equipment in his early years. He loved music and riding motorcycles, and met his future wife Linda Baker in Mesa, Arizona.

He married Linda (Baker) Burr on March 30, 1986. They gave birth to their first child, Brando and moved back to Illinois to be with their family.

They gave birth to their second child, Shannon in Hoffman Estates.

He worked in logistics as a mechanic for the rest of his life, and worked as a warranty technician, traveling the country for Maxon.

His passions were tinkering with things (his nickname was Melgyver), spending time with his family, and listening to music.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda (Baker) Burr; his parents, Darlene Roberts and Kenneth Burr; and his brother, Edward Burr.

He is survived by his children, Brandon Burr of Chicago, and Shannon (Burr) Cochran (Luke Cochran) of Hebron, Connecticut; his grandchildren, Marceline and Fiona Cochran; his brothers and sisters, Cristy Lee (Gary)

Ludemann of Springview, Nebraska and Cathy Jo (Bill) Tibbs of Douglas, Wyoming; stepfather, Larry Foster of Gillete, Wyoming; and mother-in-law, Uldine Baker of Mt. Morris.

A celebration of life services will be held in the summer of 2021 at a place and time to be determined.

EDWIN STRAUSS

POLO – Edwin Lee Strauss died peacefully on Sunday, June 13, 2021. He was born on Oct. 9, 1927 in Monroe, Wisconsin to Lee and Hazel (Williams) Strauss.

His family moved to Polo, when Ed was in 8th grade, and he was a proud graduate of Polo Community High School.

Ed was drafted into the army straight out of high school in the spring of 1945 where he specialized in Russian cryptology and would joke that, “there were a lot more letters in the Russian alphabet.”

He was stationed in Virginia at a base that was disguised as a dairy farm and later at a base in California disguised as a sheep farm. Little did he know this would foreshadow what was later to come.

After his service ended, Ed returned to Polo and began to work at the White Pines (aka Lingg) Cheese Factory making Swiss cheese among other things with his Uncle Vincent and father Lee Strauss.

Ed met his future wife Joan McCleary

TRACK & FIELD

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN

bweidman@shawmedia.com A little pressure brought out the best in Brenna Noon.

The Oregon senior faced a stiff challenge in the shot put at the Class 1A State Track & Field finals on June 10, but she was able to rise to the challenge. The result was a first-ever throws championship for an OHS female.

The previous best was a runner-up finish by Tabitha Smith in 2007. Noon was fifth in the shot 2 years ago, then the 2020 state meet was canceled due to COVID-19.

“It was crazy at first,” Noon said. “I didn’t know if it was going to happen, but I did it when I needed to. My coach [Doug Engle] always says it only takes one, and he was right, it does only take one.”

Noon began the day with a throw of 11.79 meters, an effort that held up through the first two rounds of four. In

the third round, however, Liberty’s Julia Hahn uncorked a throw of 12.09 meters. It drew oohs and aahs from the crowd, but Noon wasn’t rattled.

When it was her turn, she unleashed a 12.30-meter heave, or 40 feet, 4 1/4 inches.

“It really was then, like, ‘I need to do this now,’” Noon said. “[Hahn] really pushed me further into making sure I got my spot. It was helpful for me.”

Hahn scratched on her final throw.

Noon had it wrapped up by then, and her final throw was 11.93 meters.

Noon noted she made a slight adjustment on her winning throw.

“I had to make sure my right foot got underneath me, and my left foot still got to the toe board,” Noon said.

“Then I used all the power I had.”

It’s the first state title for a thrower coached by Engle, a hall of famer who has had nearly 100 state qualifiers – both boys and girls – in his nearly 30-year career.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw media

Oregon’s Brenna Noon throws the shot put in last week’s sectional. Noon won the state title with a toss of 12.30 meters.

Forreston-Polo rules the 1A roost again at ‘Bago’

BY ANDY COLBERT After a COVID-shortened season, there were a lot of uncertainties going into the postseason. However, one thing remained true: Forreston-Polo continuing its stranglehold over smallschool track & field in northwest Illinois.

With Bennett Soltow and Jordan Neuschwander leading the way, the co-op won its third 1A sectional title in the past four seasons on June 11.

In the 4x100-meter relay, Neuschwander gave the team an early spark by taking the baton 10 meters behind two other anchors and sprinting to a win, as F-P clocked a 43.88.

“That’s fastest I’ve ever run,” Neuschwander said. “Once I got the first guy, I thought I could win.”

That’s all he did all night, placing first in the long jump with a leap of 6.32 meters and in the 100 at 11.22 seconds.

He likely would have won the 200, but opted out due to hamstring issues in races longer than 100 meters.

Soltow, who placed downstate in the hurdles as a sophomore, looks to bring back more hardware next week.

He posted the state’s third-best times in both the 110 highs (14.92) and 300 intermediates (39.29). In the 110s, he trailed Leo Adami of Byron until the last hurdle, where Adami took a fall.

Adami had come into the meet with a better seed (14.95) than Soltow, but

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Byron’s Leo Adami (right) hits the final hurdle in the 100M hurdles as Forreston-Polo’s Bennett Soltow goes on to win the race at the 1A sectional in Winnebago. missed out on qualifying. The pair had split wins earlier. Another beneficiary of Adami’s mishap was Matthew Beltran of F-P, who grabbed the second-place spot.

“I felt bad beating him like that, but happy to run a PR,” said Soltow, who came in at 15.19.

Adami was able to advance the 300 hurdles, taking second to Soltow.

Soltow also ran on the winning

4x100 relay with his younger brother Brock and Avery Grenoble. Beltran went 6-3 in the high jump for another second, and Brock Soltow was second in the 400.

“Going into this week, I was kind of nervous,” Beltran said. “I was hoping to get at least second or make qualifying (6-1), and I did both.”

With only 10 combined runners and jumpers, F-P got mileage out of every-

one. Ethan Cain won the 800 in a disappointing time for him of 2:11, overtaking Ryan Hussung of Oregon on a kick.

“Ethan was upset with his time, but this isn’t about time. It’s about qualifying,” F-P coach Tony Hardin said.

“The first lap was slow (1:09) and that played into his hands. He’s a kicker.”

Carson Jones took second in the 1,600 for F-P, making it nine individual and one relay state qualifications.

Hussung was just happy to survive a collision at the finish line with Chris Kellogg of Rockford Lutheran. The pair was only separated by .10.

“It’s a relief finally going to state,” said Hussung, who joins older brother and state-placer Ian as an 800 qualifier. “It might be the happiest I’ve been.”

Hussung was Oregon’s lone qualifier on the track, keeping alive a decades-long streak. In the field events, the Hawks won two events.

Riley Benton needed a third attempt clearance to stay alive in the pole vault, eventually clearing 12-2 for the title. It wasn’t the only adversity he faced.

On Tuesday, he broke his pole in practice and suffered an arm injury.

On late notice, Winnebago loaned him a similar-sized pole, just as they had done for state runner-up Jake Mennen two years ago.

See BOYS TRACK, page 18

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

Oregon’s Brenna Noon wins state title in shot put

17

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

18

• BOYS TRACK

Continued from page 17 “My heart was insane and wouldn’t stop beating,” Benton said. “I was more worried about breaking a pole than being down to me third attempt.”

He did have three good tries at 13 feet and will be a darkhorse medalist candidate at Charleston. Senior Nathan Schone would have also been one of the top vaulters downstate, but missed the sectional for a band trip to Florida.

Junior Daniel Dominguez won the discus with a throw of 144 feet and took second in the shot put at 45 feet for Oregon.

“Every meet you see the same throwers and makes you feel comfortable,” Dominguez said.

The Hawks finished in a tie for fifth with Byron, both scoring 59 points. Colton Manser missed qualifying by one spot in the shot pout, and Joey Gelander by only two centimeters in the triple jump.

“I was very disappointed for Joey for how close that was,” Oregon coach Jim Spratt said.

“Occasionally, when it is that close, the person measuring will give you the benefit of the doubt.”

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

LEFT: Forreston-Polo’s Bennett Soltow hands the baton to Brock Soltow in the 4x100 relay. ABOVE: Oregon’s Ryan Hussung (center) and Forreston-Polo’s Ethan Cain run the first lap of the 800 meters.

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SM-ST1892979

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OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

LEFT: Forreston-Polo’s Jordan Neuschwander placed first in the long jump with a leap of 6.32 meters long jump at the 1A sectional in Winnebago. He also qualified in the 100M dash..

ABOVE: Oregon’s Daniel Dominguez throws the shot. He won the event at the sectional..

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

20 TRAFFIC FATALITY

Motorcyclist killed, wife critically injured in collision

An Oregon motorcyclist was killed and his passenger critically injured June 10 in a collision with a van at the intersection of East Washington Street and River Road.

Shamika Mathis, 27, of Delavan, Wisconsin, was on River Road around 4 p.m. when she pulled into the path of the westbound three-wheeled motorcycle, driven by James Ross, 75, Oregon police said in a news release this

morning.

Ross and his wife, Linda Ross, 73, were thrown from the bike; he died at the scene and she was taken to Mercy Health in Rockford, where she was listed in critical condition, the release said.

Mathis and her passengers were evaluated and the scene and released.

The crash is under investigation, the release said.

OREGON POLICE Oregon Police Chief Shawn Melville reports the following police activity.

June 4 At 4:50 p.m., police investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash at the intersection of S. 4th and Washington Streets involving a 2005 Pontiac driven by Cassandra L. Nyderek, 17, of Oregon, and a 2019 Chrysler driven by Angela S. Villareal, 40, of Mt. Morris. No citations were issued.

At 6:38 p.m., Oregon Police arrested Randy W. Reinhold, 29, of Oregon, was arrested at 6:38 p.m. on an outstanding Lee County warrant for contempt of court. Reinhold was transported to the Ogle County Jail.

June 7 Melissa A. Lamb, 49, of Strawberry, Arizona, was arrested at 10:21 a.m. on an outstanding Ogle County warrant for failure to appear.

Lamb was transported to the Ogle County Jail.

June 8 Michelle S. Goodrum, 45, of Oregon, was issued a citation at 7:06 p.m. for failure to wear a seat belt as a driver. This violation occurred in the 100 block of S. 4th Street.

Marie K. Richardson, 48, of Mt. Morris, was arrested at 7:29 p.m. on an outstanding Lee County warrant for failure to appear.

Richardson was transported to the Ogle County Jail.

Robert M. Disch, 50, of Oregon, was arrested at 8:30 p.m. on two outstanding Ogle County warrants. One for driving while under the influence of alcohol and one for failure to appear. Disch was transported to the Ogle County Jail.

Bonnie S. Burger, 63, of Oregon, was issued a citation at 8:49 p.m. for operating an uninsured motor vehicle. This violation occurred in the 200 block of W. Washington Street.

June 9 At 3:52 p.m., police was notified reference criminal damage done to the dugouts at the Oregon High School baseball diamonds. This damage occurred at some point between

June 3 at 4:30 p.m. and June 9 at 3:50 p.m.

Anyone having any information regarding this incident, is asked to please contact the Oregon Police Department at 815-732-2162.

June 10 Kimberly M. Schweizer, 39, of Oregon, was issued a city citation at 8:15 p.m. for the violating the city ordinance of allowing two dogs to run at large. This violation occurred in the 300 block of S. 10th Street.

June 11 Zachary A. Pruitt, 21, of Sturtevant, Wisconsin, was issued a citation at 6:36 p.m. for speeding, 52 mph in a 30 mph zone. This violation occurred in the 600 block of N. 4th Street.

Joseph R. Diehl, 27, of Oregon, was arrested at 8:11 p.m. for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Diehl was also issued citations for operating a vehicle with an expired registration, no valid driver’s license, and driving while under the influence of alcohol with blood alcohol content greater than .08%. Diehl was transported to the Ogle County Jail. These violations occurred in the 200 block of S. 4th Street.

June 12 At 3:39 p.m.,police took a report of a traffic crash that had occurred at approximately 3 p.m. at the intersection of Gale and S. 5th Streets involving a 2016 GMC driven by Brenda J. Florin, 57, of Polo, and a 2014 Dodge driven by Michael R. Pierson, 66, of Sterling.

No citations were issued.

Elayna M. Felder, 17, of Sterling, was issued citations at 7:05 p.m. for speeding, 49 mph in a 30 mph zone, and violating the Graduated Driver’s License rules of having more than the allowed number of passengers. These violations occurred in the 600 block of N. 4th Street.

June 13 Theresa E. Vignola, 27, of Byron, was issued a citation at 5:35 a.m. for speeding, 45 mph in a 30 mph zone. This violation occurred in the 600 block of N. 4th Street.

19th Pound the Pavement July 3 Join the Mt. Morris community along with people from across the US for the 19th Annual Lois Nelson Memorial Walk and Fun Run this year as Pound the Pavement begins on Saturday, July 3, at 9 a.m. at Dillehay Park in Mt. Morris.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. The event has grown to over 200 walkers/runners, bikers and strollers along with 60 sponsors to support the walk.

This family friendly and now traditional 4th of July community event is also a fundraiser for Northwest Illinois Special Olympics, as Lois worked with developmentally disabled adults as her vocation and also supports the Let Freedom Ring Festival.

Pound the Pavement is a scenic walk/fun run that travels approximately 4 miles around the streets of Mt. Morris. It followed the route that Lois walked every day, in any kind of weather.

Over the past years support has exceeded $130,000 and is allocated to the above organizations.

See the registration in this paper to sign up or become a sponsor for the walk.

Sponsorships are due by June 21 for inclusion on the event shirt.

Questions? Please contact Brittany Drozd at 815-973-4939 or bnelson85@gmail.com.

Pound the Pavement The 19th Annual Lois Nelson Memorial Walk/Fun Run Saturday, July 3, 2021 Name(s): Address:

Email: Phone:

T-Shirt Size(s): AS ___ AM ___ AL ___ AXL ___ A2XL ___ No Shirt ___ **Only one registration form is needed per group; however, every person older than 17 that is participating must sign the release below.

Additional Participants Name

Registration Fees T-Shirt Size

1

Adult Participants

$15 each = _____

2

Youth Participants

3

Youth/Toddler/Baby T-Shirt

4

Additional Donation (optional)

5

Free $15 each = _____ _____ Total: _______

Details Where: Dillehay Park (Stengel Drive, Mt. Morris, IL) Check-in/Registration: 8:00-9:00 AM Run/Walk: 9:00 AM Water and Cookies Served After

T-Shirt Sizes Adult: AS, AM, AL, AXL, A2XL Youth: YS (6-8), YM (10-12), YL (14-16) Toddler and Baby: All sizes available

**T-SHIRT IS NOT GARUNTEED FOR ENTRIES RECEIVED AFTER JUNE 21ST

Event Pound the Pavement is a scenic walk that travels approximately 4 Miles around the streets of Mt. Morris. It follows the route that Lois walked every day, in any kind of weather. Dillehay Park will be the starting and ending point for the walk. All proceeds benefit Northwest Illinois Special Olympics and Let Freedom Ring Festival. There will be no prizes or times given for this event. The race is open to all ages. Those on bicycles, in strollers or in wheelchairs are also urged to participate.

Mailing/Drop Off Information Make checks payable to: Lois Nelson Memorial Fund Mail/drop off completed form and check to: Brittany Drozd 408 Bruce Lane Mt. Morris, IL 61054 Phone: 815-973-4939 Email: bnelson85@gmail.com

Release I (and on behalf of participants under the age of 17 years) hereby release “Pound the Pavement – The Lois Nelson Memorial Walk”, Let Freedom Ring, all event sponsors, all volunteers and all other persons in connection with the event of all liability incurred as a result of my participation in the walk/run, or use of any facilities provided for participants before, during, or after the event. I further attest and certify that I am physically fit and trained for participation in this event. I also grant permission to all of the aforementioned to use any photographs for legitimate purposes.

Signature

Date

Signature

Date

Signature

Date

Signature

Date

SM-ST1893462

21

• INFINITY RUN

Continued from page 7 County Circuit Court.

On Sunday, Grant Wendorf, 4, of Byron, took his time to carefully

paint his “Kindness Rock” in memory of Maggie and Amos. Grant was there in part to cheer on his grandpa, Oregon Fire Chief Michael Knoup, in the 5K. “It is cooler today,” said Knoup referring to recent 90-degree temps

as he prepped for the race.

Meanwhile, 5-year-old twins Ava and Joanna Jennings of Stillman Valley, donned their helmets and rode their pink bikes alongside mom and dad, Tyler and Cassie, in the 5K. “This is the second 5K they’ve

done with us,” said Cassie, who is a teacher at the school.

Ava and Joanna did not have much to say after the race and just nodded quietly when asked if the slight wind caused enough of a drag on their handlebar tassels to affect their time.

JUSTICE FOR MEGAN DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT COURT?

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PRECIOUS LIFE TAKEN ON 6/24/2016 IN A BOATING CRASH ON THE ROCK RIVER NEAR OREGON, IL THERE IS NO GREATER CRIME THAN TO TAKE A PRECIOUS LIFE! IT’S TIME TO REVEAL THE TRUTH SO MEGAN CAN TRULY “REST IN PEACE” WHAT WAS DONE IN THE DARK – WILL NOW BE BROUGHT INTO THE LIGHT!

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SM-ST1893446

JOURNEY - DON’T STOP BELIEVING

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Visit ilcourthelp.gov for more information.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

TOP LEFT: Twins Ava and Joanna Jennings, 5, of Stillman Valley, ride their bicycles along with their mom and dad, Tyler and Cassie, at the finish of the 2021 Infinity Run in Chana on Sunday.

Cassie is a teacher at the Chana Education Center where Maggie (Rosko) Myer was a teacher. TOP RIGHT: Grant Wendorf, 4, of Byron, concentrates on painting his “Kindness Rock.”

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

22

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City of Prophetstown is currently hiring for a full time employee in our Public Works Department.

Requirements: Must have or will obtain CDL, must have knowledge of operating and maintaining equipment, good public relations, must be 18 years or older. City offers a pension plan, health insurance coverage, holiday pay and paid vacations. Applications may be mailed, e-mailed or dropped off at Prophetstown City Hall, 339 Washington St., Prophetstown IL 61277, e-mail ptowncy@thewisp.net. applications available at prophetstownil.org.

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CASA 15th Judicial Circuit (Lee/ Carroll/Ogle Counties) is seeking volunteers in the Ogle County area to advocate for children in the Ogle County court system involved in abuse and neglect cases.

Your involvement can impact a child’s future.

Contact Trisha Morrow, Executive Director (815) 288-1901 www.casaleecar roll.com

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MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE DHS Yearbooks 1949 to 2010 $10 each.

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REAL ESTATE

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 15TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY - OREGON, ILLINOIS NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, PLAINTIFF VS. BRENT WAGNER AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE ESTATE OF EILEEN L. JOHNS , TREAVOR B. JOHNS, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF EILEEN L. JOHNS ; UNKNOWN OWNERS GENERALLY, AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS. DEFENDANTS Case No: 2020CH63 Property Address: 403 South 5th Street Oregon, IL 61061 NOTICE OF SHERIFF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is given that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above captioned matter on 05/14/2021, the Ogle County Sheriff will on Friday, July 16, 2021 at the hour of 10:00AM at the Ogle County Sheriff's Office located at 202 S 1st St, Oregon, IL 61061, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-03-303-002 COMMON ADDRESS: 403 South 5th Street, Oregon, IL 61061 Sale terms: Ten percent (10%) of the purchase price due by cash or certified funds at the time of the sale and the balance due within (2) two business days or the following Tuesday. The property offered for sale is subject to real estate taxes, special assessments or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in "as is" condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

No refunds.

The improvement on the property consists of: Vacant Property The judgment amount was at $72,899.71 The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Plaintiff's Attorney, Kluever Law Group LLC, 225 W. Washington Street, Suite 1550, Chicago, IL 60606. (312) 236-0077.

SMS000296-20FC1 June 4, 11, 18, 2021

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LEGAL NOTICES IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS In the interest of: Sebastion Campbell, a minor Case No: 2021 JA 33 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION To: James Campbell, 530 Moore St., Somonauk, IL 60552, respondent (s), and to all whom it may concern, take notice that on June 9, 2021, a petition was filed under the Juvenile Court Act by ASA Brie Simkulet in the Circuit Court of Ogle County entitled “In the interest of Sebastion Campbell, a minor”, and that in

LEGAL NOTICES , courtroom 302 at 106 South Fifth, Oregon, Illinois on June 29, 2021 at 11:00am or as soon thereafter as this cause may be heard, an adjudicatory hearing will be held upon the Petition to have the child declared to be a ward of the court and for other relief under that act. The court has authority in this proceeding to take from you the custody and guardianship of the minor.

If the Petition requests the termination of your parental rights and the appointment of a guardian with power to consent to adoption, you may lose all parental rights to the child. Unless you appear you will not be entitled to further written notices or publication of the notices proceedings in this case, including the filing of an amended petition for a motion to terminate parental rights.

Unless you appear at the hearing and show cause against the petition, the allegations of the petition may stand admitted as against you and each of you, and an order for judgment entered.

Dated this 10th day of June, 2021 Kimberly A. Stahl Clerk of the Circuit Court By: J. Grace, Deputy Clerk June 18, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE Due to the sadof dening loss Board Member Joel Ludwig, notice is given by the Forrestville Valley

LEGAL NOTICES y School District #221 that the Board of Education is seeking applicants for the position of Board member. The term of office will be from Summer 2021 until the election of April 2023.

Applicants must be a United States citizen, at least 18 years of age, a resident of Illinois and the Forrestville Valley School District for at least one year, a registered voter, and may come from any congressional township in the district, except T25N-R8E (which includes the village of Forreston). Application information can be found on the district website at www.fvdistrict221.org, at the District Office located at 601 E. Main Street, Forreston, IL 61030 or by calling the District Office at (815) 938-2036.

Application deadline is Friday, July 2, 2021.

June 18, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Oregon is proposing to borrow funds from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Public Water Supply Revolving Fund Loan Program for improvements to the City's water system. The water system improvements include the construction of new watermains on Rhoades Place and Jefferson Street from 8th Street to 10th Street; Monroe Street from 3rd Street to 4th Street; and 3rd Street from Monroe Street to Illinois Street.

The City received the

LEGAL NOTICES Project Summary and Notice of Intent to Issue a Categorical Exclusion from Detailed Environmental Review from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for the water system improvements, and the City is required to notify the public of the project in accordance with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Public Water Supply Revolving Fund Loan Program rules. The Project Summary and Notice of Intent to Issue a Categorical Exclusion from Detailed Environmental Review document will be available for inspection by the public for a period of 10 days from the date of this notice at the City Hall located at 115 N. 3rd Street, Oregon, Illinois 61061 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.

Public comments are encouraged, and the City of Oregon and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will accept written comments on the project during a 10 day comment period following the publication of this notice.

Written comments can be made to Mr. Ken Williams, Mayor, City of Oregon, 115 N. 3rd Street, Oregon, Illinois 61061 or to Mr. George Lambert, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Water, Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276.

Date:

LEGAL NOTICES June 18, 2021 Cheryl Hilton, City Clerk June 18, 2021 ASSUMED NAME PUBLICATION NOTICE Public Notice is hereby given that on June 3, 2021, a certificate was filed in the office of the County Clerk of Ogle County, Illinois, setting forth the names and post-office addresses of all of the persons owning, conducting and transacting the business known as, Kneez in the Breeze located at 215 Washington St., Oregon, IL 61061 Dated this 3rd day of June, 2021.

Laura J. Cook, Ogle County Clerk June 18, 25, July 2, 2021 MONTHLY MEETING DATES OREGON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MAY 1, 2021 THRU APRIL 30, 2022 Wednesday May 12, 2021 Wednesday June 09, 2021 Wednesday July 14, 2021 Wednesday August 11, 2021 Wednesday September 08, 2021 Wednesday October 13, 2021 Wednesday November 10, 2021 Wednesday December 08, 2021 Wednesday January 12, 2022 Wednesday February 09, 2022 Wednesday

LEGAL NOTICES y March 09, 2022 Wednesday April 13, 2022 Wednesday May 11, 2022 @ 5:30 p.m.

Meetings called to order at 6:00 P.M. Special or adjourned meetings may be called from time to time.

The Meeting of May 11, 2021 shall be held at 5:30 PM. ALL Meetings to be held in the office of the Trustees, Oregon Fire Protection Administration Building, 106 South First Street, Oregon, Illinois.

VENDORS shall by submit bills 12:00 Noon on the Thursday prior to trustee meeting to receive payment on the above dates.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, OREGON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, IN MEETING ASSEMBLED DATED May 12, 2021 Steve Carr President June 18, 2021

Advertise Your Rentals in Ogle County Classifieds

Call

625-3600 or 284-2222

LEGAL NOTICES

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 15TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OGLE COUNTY - OREGON, ILLINOIS NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, PLAINTIFF VS. BRENT WAGNER AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE ESTATE OF EILEEN L. JOHNS , TREAVOR B. JOHNS, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF EILEEN L. JOHNS ; UNKNOWN OWNERS GENERALLY, AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS. DEFENDANTS Case No: 2020CH63 Property Address: 403 South 5th Street Oregon, IL 61061 NOTICE OF SHERIFF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is given that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above captioned matter on 05/14/2021, the Ogle County Sheriff will on Friday, July 16, 2021 at the hour of 10:00AM at the Ogle County Sheriff's Office located at 202 S 1st St, Oregon, IL 61061, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: LOT 2 IN BLOCK 1 OF HILL'S FIRST ADDITION TO THE TOWN, NOW CITY OF OREGON, IN OGLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. P.I.N. 16-03-303-002 COMMON ADDRESS: 403 South 5th Street, Oregon, IL 61061 Sale terms: Ten percent (10%) of the purchase price due by cash or certified funds at the time of the sale and the balance due within (2) two business days or the following Tuesday. The property offered for sale is subject to real estate taxes, special assessments or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in "as is" condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

No refunds.

The improvement on the property consists of: Vacant Property The judgment amount was at $72,899.71 The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Plaintiff's Attorney, Kluever Law Group LLC, 225 W. Washington Street, Suite 1550, Chicago, IL 60606. (312) 236-0077.

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23 OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

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Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, Jun 18, 2021

OGLE COUNTY NEWS

24

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