SEPTEMBER 2026
2026 LAKE CARROLL LADIES
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Also inside ...
Selling antiques is shop owners’ favorite past/time Colossal creatures invite you to check out their family tree Dessert is like icing on the cake for theater-lovers The Mill Wheel keeps on turning at an area bar and restaurant
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The annual Ladies Club golf championship continues to evolve and give golfers different ways to compete, win and come back for more / p. 4
8/23/2026 10:41:11 AM
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SEPTEMBER 2026
CONTACT INFO
PUBLISHER Jennifer Heintzelman EDITING & PAGE DESIGN Rusty Schrader PUBLISHED BY Sauk Valley Media, 113 S. Peoria Ave. , Dixon, IL 61021 STORY IDEA FOR LAKE LIFESTYLE? E-mail rschrader@saukvalley.com FOR ADVERTISING Contact Jill Reyna at 815-631-8774 or jreyna@ saukvalley.com ADDRESS CHANGE FOR LAKE LIFESTYLE? E-mail info@golakecarroll.com
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4 14 18 26 36
Winning equations The
Ladies Club golf championship continues to evolve and give golfers different ways to enjoy the game.
Their favorite past/time
Shop owners love the antique business, but they also enjoy something else: meeting people who’ve graced them with their friendship.
Mill wheel keeps on turning Bar owners enjoy
making their business a place the whole community can enjoy.
Troll brothers Colossal creatures in an Iowa town want you to come check out their family tree. Finding their sweet spot
For theater lovers, a good stage show is a treat — but when you add dessert? That’s like icing on the cake.
Real Estate Listings PAGES 46-51
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2026 LAKE CARROLL LADIES
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
by
CODY CUTTER
sauk valley media
With a longtime champion extending her reign and a first-time winner claiming another title, the annual Ladies Club golf championship at Lake Carroll continues to evolve and give golfers different ways to compete, win and come back for more
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W
Winning a golf event can mean more than just finishing with the fewest strokes on the scorecard. For some golfers, they’ve already won before they’ve even taken their first swing. That’s because they simply enjoy just getting out on the greens for a game of golf, meeting up with old friends, rising to the challenge, and taking part in a familiar event. For many, that’s what Lake Carroll’s Ladies Club Championship is all about. This year’s event on Aug. 8 and 9 saw one winner add to her string of victories, and another achieve a win for the first time. Deb Scheidegger was the event’s gross score champion for the third year in a row, shooting back-to-back days of 84 and 87. Sandy Sorensen added her name to the list of champions for the first time, with net scores of 70 and 77. One’s gross score is the total number of actual strokes shot. Net score adjusts the gross total by subtracting the player’s handicap, giving Sorenson the largest scoring adjustment in the field. “I’ve never won before, and this is my first time actually competing well,” Sorenson said. “I feel really good. I played well [Saturday], then I played well on the front nine, so three-quarters of the thing was okay. I’ve been here forever and I don’t play a lot of these since I don’t like competition, but this was fun to win.” CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d to page 6
LEFT: Seven golfers competed Aug. 8-9 at the Ladies Club Championship at Lake Carroll Golf Course. Deb Scheidegger (front row, left) won for best gross score, and Sandy Sorensen (front row, right) won for best net score. Also competing were (top , from left) Jamie Melville, Dorothy Schrems, Angie Thompson, Tracey DeCrane and Sheri Moutrey. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
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Deb Scheidegger tees off from Hole No. 1 on Aug. 9, during the Ladies Club Championship at Lake Carroll.
CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d from page 5 Concentration worked well for Sorensen’s game. “If I could just concentrate, and stay out of trouble,” she said. Scheidegger’s numbers weren’t necessarily spectacular, she said, but they were enough to keep her ahead of the field once again. “It was steady,” Scheidegger said. “It wasn’t my best game, but still it was good enough. We all just have fun playing with each other and having a good time.” Last year’s event lasted only one day due to inclement weather during the second day, and it threatened to do the same again this year. Rain almost truncated this year’s second day, but the droplets held off until the lead group reached the 16th hole, about a half-hour before the event’s conclusion. Both champions from last year, Scheidegger and DeCrane, improved this year upon last year’s scores. CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d to page 7
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CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d from page 6 Sorenson had the best one-day net score among the field with a 70 in her first day. She wasn’t entirely happy with shooting seven more on day two, and admitted she was waiting for the day to be over quickly, depending on the weather. “I was praying for rain,” Sorenson said. “I did so well yesterday.” Tracey DeCrane took runner-up in both scoring categories with days of 94 and 95 gross and 75 and 76 net. Dorothy Schrems had the biggest improvement among golfers on her first day, improving from a first day score of 105 gross and 83 net to 95 gross and 73 net, and placed third in both categories. Also competing were Sheri Moutrey (210 gross, 164 net along two days), Angie Thompson (202, 164) and Jamie Melville (205, 171), who was the only other competitor aside from Schrems to improve upon her first-day scores. CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d to page 9
Sheri Moutrey tees off from Hole No. 1 on Aug. 9 during the Ladies Club Championship.
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Jamie Melville tees off from Hole No. 1 on Aug. 9, during the Ladies Club Championship.
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CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d from page 7
Tracy DeCrane tees off from Hole No. 1 on Aug. 9, during the Ladies Club Championship.
The Ladies event had long been held on the same day as the annual Mens event. That changed in 2024 when the longtime Women’s Lincoln Highway event, which several of the women also compete in, was moved and conflicted with the usual Club Championship weekend. As a result, the Ladies event was moved to its own weekend after the Lincoln Highway. The switch to its own weekend also came with the change in how winners were awarded. Previously, net scoring determined the Ladies club champion. Some of the women wished to make the distinction of the Club Champion similar to that of the men, who use gross scoring. “[Deb] is a true Club Champion,” Sorensen said. CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d to page 13
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Angie Thompson tees off from Hole No. 1 during the Ladies Club Championship on Aug. 9.
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CLUB CHAMPION, GROSS SCORE: • Deb Scheidegger 84-78–162 (73-76–149 net)
Lake Carroll pro shop employee Logan Rohr tracks scores during the Ladies Club Championship on Aug. 9.
results
CLUB CHAMPION, NET SCORE: • Sandy Sorensen 70-77–147 (94-101–195 gross) OTHER SCORES (key: gross | net) • Tracey DeCrane 94-95–189 | 75-76–151 • Dorothy Schrems 105-95–200 | 83-73–156 • Sheri Moutrey 94-106–200 | 76-88–164 • Angie Thompson 100-102–202 | 81-83–164 • Jamie Melville 103-102–205 | 86-85–171
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Sandy Sorensen tees off from Hole No. 1 during the Ladies Club Championship on Aug. 9.
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Dorothy Schrems tees off from Hole No. 1 on Aug. 9 during the Ladies Club Championship.
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CHAMPIONSHIP cont’d from page 12 The weekend saw seven women compete, filling a threesome and a foursome ahead of the course’s usual business. Scheidegger still misses the camaraderie of when the women’s event was held alongside the men’s, she said, when the women could finish early and watch the men come in, including some of their husbands. “I wish we could do it the same week as the men because it’s so fun,” Scheidegger said. “I liked it better because we would tee off first and watch the guys come in.” The separate weekend, though, has given the women their own championship and a format that rewards both low gross and low net scores. “I wish more people would play in it,” Scheidegger said. “I like that they’ve changed it now to having a low gross and a low net. It makes it competitive for both groups.” “More people will play as long as it’s gross and net,” Sorenson said. “With the net, most people will have a chance.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
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Shop owners love the antique business, but they also enjoy something else: meeting people who’ve graced them with their friendship and filled their store with stories by
n Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media
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Les and Ann Wilson, owners of Victorian Grace Antiques and Accents in Prophetstown, turned nearly 50 years of collecting antiques and collectibles into a business that has become known as much for the friendships they’ve built with customers as the treasures displayed throughout their 1898 Victorian home.
“I like meeting people,” Ann said. “We’ve met a lot of people, we’ve made friendships through this store.” CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@ SHAWMEDIA.COM
For nearly 50 years, Les and Ann Wilson have shared a hobby of collecting antiques and collectibles. Along the way, they discovered something else they enjoyed just as much: meeting fellow collectors and antique-lovers. Those friendships are now as much a part of Victorian Grace Antiques and Accents as the merchandise that fills the shop, a two-story Victorian house built in 1898. Original woodwork, floral wallpaper and sunlit rooms surround antique furniture, crocks, clocks and carefully arranged displays. The business next door to the Wilsons’ residence grew out of a lifetime of collecting. After years of filling their home with antiques, an empty house next door inspired a new idea. “We had this empty house, and he suggested that we make an antique store,” Ann said. “It’s handy, living next door. I can come over here whenever I want. We can sit on our porch and see people come.” And it all started with an accident and a magic lamp. The Wilsons’ interest in antiques began with an accident involving an Aladdin kerosene lamp. “The Aladdin kerosene lamps kind of got us started in antiques,” Les said. “There was a lamp that her mother had. I broke it when I was cleaning the chimney on it. I went to an auction and there was another one, and I ended up buying that, just to get the shape. That got us started looking for lamps, and that got us started with other antiques.” VICTORIAN cont’d to page 16
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One man’s trunk is another man’s treasure, and you can find that treasure at Victorian Grace, along with hens, local collectibles, and more. CODY CUTTER/ CCUTTER@ SHAWMEDIA.COM
VICTORIAN cont’d from page 15 The Wilsons’ collection steadily expanded through nearly five decades of marriage, eventually becoming large enough to justify opening a business. “We’ve been collecting for years and had oodles of stuff,” Les said. “We needed to get rid of some of this, so we started our own antique store.” The store’s name combines the Victorian home with Ann’s longtime nickname for her mother, “Grace.” Presentation is almost as important as the merchandise itself, Ann said, and grouping related items sometimes encourages customers to buy an entire display. “We try to display things that go together and look nice together,” Ann said. “We like to have it so that people can view them easily, and that makes it aesthetically look good in here. That’s a big part of it. We get complimented on it.” These days, much of the store’s inventory comes from people who contact the Wilsons after downsizing or settling a family member’s estate. Ann enjoys finding pieces she believes someone else will appreciate. “I like meeting people,” Ann said. “We’ve met a lot of people, we’ve made friendships through this store. I’m able to purchase things and not have them accumulate, I can purchase things that I think people will like. We buy mostly from people who come to us now to sell us things from people who’ve passed away, or are just selling Mom’s things, or are downsizing. It’s fun to buy things that you think people will like.” VICTORIAN cont’d to page 17
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VICTORIAN cont’d from page 16 Many visitors arrive simply to browse, but the experience often becomes more personal than expected. Familiar dishes, lamps and household items frequently remind customers of grandparents, childhood homes or earlier chapters of their own lives. Ann enjoys hearing those memories. Whether shoppers leave with a collectible, a seasonal decoration or a piece of local history, the Wilsons hope they also leave with a pleasant memory of their visit. Les, who has played guitar since he was 7 years old and also performs with a group at local nursing homes, is happy to pick up a guitar in the store when visitors ask. “What makes this place unique is that they often get entertained by him singing and playing the guitar,” Ann said. The Wilsons’ antiques may bring people through the front door, but the friendships they’ve built over the years are what keeps them coming back, and those relationships have extended well beyond Prophetstown. Les recalled a couple from Minnesota who visited the store and ended up renting a trailer in Rock Falls to haul furniture they bought. They later bought their own trailer and returned for another shopping trip, becoming close friends along the way. Customers have also visited from as far away as Japan. They measure the store’s success less by what leaves the shelves than by the relationships that have grown because of it. “We’ve made friends all over the country,” Les said. “It’s a destination for some people.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
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wheel keeps n
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It ’s th e sa m e ol d pl ac e w it h br an d w fa ce s BY . CODY CUT TER . SAUK VALLEY MEDIA ne w ow ne rs , an d th e ne g co m in be hi nd th e ba r en jo y w el de of th e ba r, ne w fa ce s to th e ot he r si into a small-town bar often enough, and the m ad e th ei r faces alk e ’v ho w rs la gu re ith w around you start to become familiar. al on g y it un m m co a They’re the kinds of places where some customers ss ne si bu M ill ed ge vi lle have come to for years. Others are newer to town and ey ca n gr ab stopped by because they’ve heard about the place, while ga th er in g sp ot w he re th a h tc ca , ew some were just passing by and decided to drop in. a bi te , en jo y a br Regardless of why they stop by, it doesn’t ga m e, or th ro w a pa rt y take long for new faces to become familiar ones
at a Milledgeville tavern. For Scott and Tracey Nobis, it’s one of the things that makes their business special to them. The Nobises own The Mill Wheel Tavern in Milledgeville, keeping a longtime watering hole going after buying it from Curt and Pam Eubanks on Sept. 1, 2025. While they have kept much of what the Eubankses built up, the Nobises have changed the menu a bit and put their own personality into the place. Scott, who was born and raised in Milledgeville, knew the tavern as a gathering spot long before he became one of its owners. “Being born and raised in Milledgeville, and knowing the people, it’s the spot where all of the locals hang out,” Scott said. “Being a people person, I like to chat with customers. The people who come here make it special.” MILL WHEEL cont’d to page 20
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MILL WHEEL cont’d from page 19 Scott is a hands-on owner, splitting his time between bartending, working in the kitchen and helping run the business alongside his staff. Tracey is a co-owner, although she doesn’t work regular shifts at the tavern. Making the place their own has involved changes that customers can taste as much as see. About 90 percent of the food is made by hand rather than coming from frozen products, they said, and the menu was simplified into a single page. The menu still offers familiar tavern fare, including the Mill Wheel Burger, Mill Wheel Chicken (bite-sized chunks), pork tenderloin, chicken sandwiches and wings. The menu also includes house-made pretzels, cheese curds, onion rings and the Cajun potato salad, and customers can choose from several salads Scott and wraps. The fries are hand-cut, while the burger is and Tracey processed at Johnson’s Processing Plant in Chadwick. The Nobis are the latest Nobises also brought smashburgers to the menu, though owners of The Mill Wheel Tracey said their patties are thicker than a typical Tavern, a downtown Milledsmashburger. geville gathering place that “Our burgers are what I think are really good, and has passed through several the smashburgers have been a popular item,” Scott names and ownership said. “The Cajun potato salad is a menu item that isn’t chapters over the seen a whole lot around the area, and it’s pretty popular.” years. MILL WHEEL cont’d to page 21 CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
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MILL WHEEL cont’d from page 20 The daily specials are another way to get folks in to pull up a chair. Taco Tuesday is followed by General Tso chicken on Wednesdays; Thursdays bring pizza and wings, Fridays feature a fish fry and Saturdays offer 12-ounce ribeye steaks with a baked potato bar. Thursday through Saturday also leave room for additional specials, including a popular shaved prime rib sandwich. “I try to do a barbecue-theme lunch special when possible,” Scott said. “The shaved prime rib sandwich has been real popular, and we run that every couple of weeks. We’ve done burnt ends and burnt end mac and cheese. We’ve run some rib specials. We try to change it up and have a variety of choices.” While much of the menu is their own doing, the Nobises have also found a way to let customers have a hand in what’s on the menu. The Nobi Burger is The Mill Wheel’s “burger of the month” special. Inspired by Scott’s nickname, “Nobi,” the special has become a catch-call for various specialty burgers that come and go, some of which have been suggested by customers. Recent Nobi Burgers have included a chili cheeseburger, a Bologna Au Cheval (a burger with bologna and egg), pizza burger, black and blue burger, bourbon bacon burger, and an avocado burger. MILL WHEEL cont’d to page 22
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MILL WHEEL cont’d from page 21 One of those, the bourbon bacon burger, was a hot enough seller than the Nobises made it a regular menu item. Another one — July’s burger —came directly from a patron. “We’ve had customers come up with them,” Tracey said. “This month, a customer, Corey Adolph, came up with the avocado burger with lettuce and tomato. The whole thing’s about community. Scott’s been here since he was born, they call him ‘Mr. Milledgeville.’ We joke about how a group of guys we have here are the ‘advisory committee’ for the bar. If there’s not something right going for the bar, or if there’s something that should be added, then they’ll give their two cents and we’ll do something.” The community connection was part of what drew the Nobises to the tavern in the first place, though owning a bar wasn’t something they had ever really planned on. The opportunity came somewhat unexpectedly. Scott and Tracey were at a family function when Scott heard Curt Eubanks was looking to sell the business. Tracey encouraged him to ask about it.
“Scott was looking for a change anyway,” Tracey said. “Curt put a lot of love into this place, and we didn’t want to change anything about it. It wasn’t something that we wanted to do for years and years, but it was an opportunity that presented itself.” When the Nobises took over, it added yet another chapter to the tavern’s history, which has included several names and owners. The building had previously been known as Martin House, E.T., and J.J.’s Come Back Inn before becoming The Mill Wheel Tavern. Eubanks purchased J.J.’s Come Back Inn from Jerry Spencer in February 2017 after working part time as a bartender for Spencer. Eubanks gradually made changes to the building while maintaining the welcoming, rustic atmosphere that’s made the place a comfortable go-to spot for regulars. His family was part of the operation, too, with wife Pam and sons Collin and Connor helping alongside bartenders, servers and cooks. Under the Nobises’ ownership, the building still offers several ways for people to gather. There’s the bar, dining tables and a dining room, along with a banquet room that has been used by social clubs and school groups. Gambling machines are also available for those wishing to try their luck. They’ve also added entertainment to the mix, bringing in something different each month, including music and karaoke. It’s an effort they hope will continue to grow, particularly as they look for ways to bring younger customers through the doors. MILL WHEEL cont’d to page 23
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MILL WHEEL cont’d from page 22 “It brings people in, especially some of the younger crowd,” Scott said, which is important “because maybe 70 percent of our customers are older generation farmers or older folks from who come for dinner a lot. We’re trying to get a younger wave of people in later at night. In general, I think younger people don’t go to bars as much as they used to, back when we were 20, 21 years old.” Sports provide another draw. The tavern shows live streams of Milledgeville Missiles football games, including road games for people who can’t make the trip. “There’s so many that can’t travel, so they’ll want to go somewhere to watch it,” Tracey said.
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Pro sports also have a place in the tavern, with the Nobises’ own loyalties occasionally adding some friendly competition. Customers got a taste of that dynamic not long after the Nobises took over, when the tavern opened for its first Monday Night Football game of the 2025 season. The Vikings were playing the Bears, and Tracey is a Vikings fan while Scott roots for Chicago. There was a little extra incentive surrounding the game: Scott made a wager with Tom Neubauer, another Vikings fan in town, and Neubauer brought a Vikings light to hang beside the tavern’s Bears light. The Vikings won, and Scott ended up taking the Vikings neon sign home to hang in the Nobises’ house. MILL WHEEL cont’d to page 25
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When it came to the menu, the Nobises decided not to reinvent the Wheel after taking over the business, but rather make some changes here are there, offering daily specials, and even getting ideas from customers. “We try to change it up and have a variety of choices.” Scott said.
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MILL WHEEL cont’d from page 23 “I loved it,” Tracey said. “That was a pretty good night.” Scott’s allegiance to Chicago sports is easy to spot, and the tavern’s sports-bar side fits alongside its family-restaurant feel. Cubs fans gather more than White Sox or Cardinals fans, and a “W” flag at the top of the bar is a telling sign. “If the Cubs have a good season and get into a playoff run, that helps bring in people — and if the Bears have a good year, too,” Scott said. “It’s a family restaurant vibe, but also it’s a sports bar. I’m a Cubs and Bears fan.” For Tracey, though, the tavern’s appeal goes beyond what is on the menu, playing on the televisions or happening on a particular night. Tracey said folks that have just happened to drop by “tend to make it their place and come back. We have people from Timber Lake Playhouse and hunters who tend to come back quite a bit. It’s a small town and everybody kind of knows each other, and if they don’t know you, they will soon.” And for Scott, providing a place for those moments is one of the best parts of owning it. “I like seeing people enjoy themselves,” Scott said. “We had a surprise birthday party [recently] and getting all of these people together and having a good time, being able to have a place to give them a good time was a nice feeling. I like seeing people enjoy life and being happy.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Where there’s a Mill ...
The Mill Wheel Tavern is located at 337 N. Main Ave. in downtown Milledgeville. Bar hours are 10 a.m.noon Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-10 p.m. Sunday. Kitchen hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook, go to themillwheeltavern.com or call 815-225-7714 for carryout orders or for more information.
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PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@ SAUKVALLEYMEDIA.COM
Helmut, one of Clinton’s “Tree Thieves,” looks like he’s making off with a tree, but the art installation actually incorporates a tree planted in the ground that makes its way up one of Helmut’s legs and through a pot that he’s carrying.
TROLLS cont’d to page 28
ood has long been ingrained in Clinton’s history. There was a time in the late 1800s when the Iowa town lived up to its title as “Lumber Capital of the World” as countless trees floated down the Mississippi River from up North on their way to lumber mills that had become ubiquitous with the riverside city. Today, the town might well be known as the “Troll Capital of Iowa.” After all, where else are you going to find the biggest trolls you’ve probably ever seen? In a day and age when a lot of people think of trolls as those pests who make social media a lot less sociable, Clinton has welcomed some that are a lot more fun to be around. These trolls are friendly, forest-born fellows — and while they may be known as Thieves, the only thing they’re stealing is people’s attention. Three giant wooden trolls made by Danish artist Thomas Dambo from reclaimed wood have stood watch over different parts of town since May, inviting visitors to explore the city while uncovering a story rooted in its lumber heritage. The trio of trolls, collectively known as The Tree Thieves, can be found at Bickelhaupt Arboretum, the former Canadian Pacific Kansas City freight house downtown and near The Sawmill Museum. Next to each troll is a plaque that tells their stories.
While he’s sawing logs, Marvin the troll dreams of a scene from Clinton’s riverfront, back in the day when his ancestors were brought down from up north to feed the city’s hungry lumber mills.
TROLLS cont’d from page 27 Two blocks north of The Sawmill Museum, one of the brothers, Helmut, stands nearly 14 feet tall, appearing to be carrying a potted tree in mid-stride. Unlike a traditional statue on a pedestal, Helmut looks as though he’s part of Clinton’s landscape. A tree that was on the property became part of the sculpture, with the lower portion incorporated into his leg and the upper section protruding from the pot he carries. At Bickelhaupt Arboretum, Marvin reclines among the trees while blending into the natural surroundings, and elsewhere Warren offers perhaps the most unexpected reveal. Inside a former freight house downtown, visitors follow a winding path through Warren’s collection of treasures before turning a corner and suddenly discovering the massive troll waiting inside. The trolls are both oversized and interactive, encouraging visitors to move through a landscape rather than simply just look at them. Up close, thousands of reclaimed wood pieces reveal a patchwork of colors and textures, giving each sculpture a handcrafted character impossible to appreciate in photographs alone. Helmut gently cradles a potted tree, Marvin seems perfectly at home beneath the arboretum’s leafy canopy, and Warren nearly fills the former freight house. TROLLS cont’d to page 29
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TROLLS cont’d from page 28 Matt Parbs, vice president of economic and community development at Grow Clinton and former executive director of The Sawmill Museum, helped bring the project to Clinton and watched the sculptures take shape from concept to completion. No matter how many photographs someone sees beforehand, Parbs said nothing replaces standing face to face with them; it’s part of what Dambo hopes to create with his work. “It’s the amount of life that they have when you’re there in person, and the visual tricks they play with your mind, and the way they’re staged and doing things,” Parbs said. “When you see them with children, you can tell they’re having fun. You can tell them, ‘Did you see Helmut move?’ or ‘Did Parbs you see Marvin move?’” Known internationally for his giant wooden trolls built from reclaimed materials, Dambo has installed dozens of sculptures across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Every installation follows a philosophy of creating whimsical public art using recycled wood while encouraging people to reconnect with nature, explore places they might otherwise overlook and consider the value of reuse. TROLLS cont’d to page 30
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TROLLS cont’d from page 29
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Rather than simply placing sculptures in a landscape, Dambo develops an original story for every installation. He researches each community’s history, looking for themes that can become part of the artwork itself. In Clinton, Dambo found inspiration in the city’s lumber past. He transformed the story of logs floated down the Mississippi into the tale of the Tree Thieves, connecting the city’s industrial history with his own environmental philosophy of reuse and conservation. Parbs had a front-row seat to Dambo’s creative process for Clinton’s trolls. “Being with the Dambo team and seeing the light bulb go off to show Clinton’s lumber story and legacy, with his own artist ethos, it was really neat when he made all of the connections to create the story and the weave-ins,” Parbs said. “That’s why they’re called The Tree Thieves, as 130 years ago, we took trees from Wisconsin and Minnesota, floated them down the river and cut them into lumber. That did a lot of good things at the time, but they never got replanted.”
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HELMUT: Harding Street and Main Avenue in Clinton’s Lyons downtown district, two blocks north of The Sawmill Museum; the structure, which is outdoors, is available to view at any time. Go WARREN: Canadian Pacific–Kansas to growCity Railway freight house, 40 Fourth clinton.com/ Ave. South; the troll, inside the dambo to learn building, is available to view from more about the dawn to dusk. trolls. MARVIN: Bickelhaupt Arboretum, 340 S. 14th St.; the troll, on the arboretum grounds, is available to view from dawn to dusk.
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Perched along the Mississippi River, Clinton, Iowa has long been shaped by transportation and industry. The river fueled a booming lumber economy in the late 1800s, when the city briefly claimed more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America. Visitors can still see reminders of that prosperous era while enjoying riverfront recreation, local history and dining. Milling history comes alive at the Sawmill Museum, which tells the story of Clinton’s rise as the “Lumber Capital of the World.” Interactive exhibits, vintage machinery and hands-on displays explain how the Mississippi River and the lumber industry helped build both the city and much of the nation. The George M. Curtis Mansion offers a glimpse into Clinton’s gilded age and serves as a living portfolio of the city’s industrial
heritage. Built in 1883 for the lumber baron, the restored Victorian home showcases remarkable craftsmanship, including stained glass windows, intricate woodwork and fireplaces. Each room highlights a different wood species. Families can spend an afternoon at the Felix Adler Children’s Discovery Center, where more than 20 interactive exhibits encourage children to explore science, art and imagination through hands-on play. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy Eagle Point Park, one of eastern Iowa’s most scenic riverfront parks. Overlooking the Mississippi, it features winding roads, walking trails, a limestone footbridge, a stone
observation tower and sweeping river views. During the summer, baseball fans can catch a game with the Clinton LumberKings, whose name honors the city’s lumber legacy, while theatergoers can enjoy productions aboard the historic Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, a former 1935 paddleboat converted into a floating performance venue. One of Clinton’s most unique dining experiences is 7 Hills South, where a former Gothic-style Episcopal church has been transformed into a brewpub. The restaurant pairs its distinctive setting with craft beers, wood-fired pizzas and an upscale pub menu, making it a popular stop for both visitors and locals. Online: If you’re visiting Clinton, you’ll likely want to grab a bite to eat, and there’s no shortage of places to do it. Go to clintonia.com/list/ql/restaurants-food-beverages-22 for a list of restaurants. Go to clintoniowatourism.com for more tourism information. — Cody Cutter, Sauk Valley Media The Hopkins Family Clients since 2005
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TROLLS cont’d from page 30 The sculptures’ faces, hands and feet were handcrafted in Denmark before being shipped to Clinton. While Dambo designs each troll, the rest of the assembly work was done by community volunteers, who collected reclaimed wood from throughout the city to complete the structures. Tree limbs supplied by Clinton’s Street Department became part of the sculptures, while logs from demonstrations at The Sawmill Museum’s vintage sawmill and former planks from Eagle Point Park Lodge — still bearing the stamp of the town’s former Joyce Lumber Co. — found new life inside the trolls. Each sculpture has its own personality. The trio tells the story of three bachelor farm brothers from Clinton who lived together
and became familiar figures in the community. Their personalities and connection to the land made them a natural fit for Dambo’s storytelling approach. “A lot of the people who knew them say it’s fitting that they’re trolls,” Parbs said. “They’re three farmers that everyone kind of knew in town.” The adventure doesn’t end with the three brothers. Each troll’s necklace contains clues that, when tracked on an interactive map at Trollmap.com, guides visitors toward a hidden fourth Dambo creation somewhere at one of Clinton’s parks. The map also helps visitors find more trolls throughout the nation and world.
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TROLLS cont’d from page 34 While the finished sculptures were completed during the first weekend of May, their journey to Clinton began much earlier. A visit to Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, in 2024 planted the seed for Clinton’s Tree Thieves. After seeing Dambo’s giant wooden trolls there, Ari Lewerenz, president of The Sawmill Museum’s board of directors, wondered whether one could find a home in Clinton. In February 2025, she, Parbs and Dambo explored where to build the troll. The project initially called for a single troll, but the concept grew into a three-sculpture installation after organizers raised $750,000 in private donations. Clinton has long been active in redeveloping properties in town through teardowns or reuse (its population has declined 30 percent since 1970), and seeing the city’s commitment to revitalize made Dambo more interested to help out. “He was really impressed with Clinton’s attempt to clean up the town through the demolition of vacant properties,” Parbs said. “He’s also about reuse, and all that, and he talked about bringing awareness to that.” Early plans called for trolls near the Sawmill
Museum, at Bickelhaupt Arboretum and inside Suehl’s small frame farmhouse northwest of town. When the farmhouse location proved unworkable, the Canadian Pacific–Kansas City Railway stepped in and offered its former downtown freight house as the third site. For Clinton, the trolls have become a boon to tourism and business, Parbs said. Within their first three months, organizers tracked roughly 70,000 visitors through QR code scans — not counting those who haven’t scanned them. Tour buses regularly arrive carrying large groups, restaurants have seen increased business, and The Sawmill Museum’s revenue has tripled. “For us, the tours are off the chart,” Parbs said. “Every single day, we’re getting calls for group tours. They come in buses. Large groups of around 150 people have come to see them.” But Parbs hopes visitors don’t stop with the trolls. The sculptures are intended to introduce people to Clinton itself — its museums, parks, downtown businesses, outdoor artwork and its Mississippi River riverfront — and encourage return trips. “For me, personally, it’s about community pride and the storytelling,” Parbs said. “It’s hard not to fall in love with any river town. Everyone from out of town who gets their picture taken with these trolls hops up on the riverfront and takes the same pictures we take for our marketing. It’s just really cool.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
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In some theaters, 75 audience members wouldn’t even come close to filling all the seats. In Orangeville, that many people is a packed house. But no matter how many people fill the house, there’s still room for dessert. It’s a good thing, too, because without that sweet treat, a local theater would need to change its name. The Mighty Richland Players Dessert Theater is a volunteer-run community performing arts venue that brings shows to the stage and desserts to the tables for audiences who find the combination of talent and treats the perfect pairing. For a quarter century, the theater has provided a welcoming place for first-time performers, seasoned actors and patrons of the performing arts, while giving audiences a chance to experience live theater in one of northwest Illinois’ smallest performance venues. It typically does four shows a year, board president Katie Eliasson said, gathering talent of all ages and experience levels who perform plays, musicals and other productions. The theater’s intimate setting has become as much of a distinctive part of the experience as the desserts. Audiences aren’t far from the actors bringing stories to life on stage, and an intermission gives them an opportunity to do more than just stretch their legs, but enjoy a dessert before the curtain rises again.
Mighty Richland Players Desser t Theater board president
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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
Originally established as a dinner theater, the organization eventually transitioned to desserts, a move that helped keep productions affordable while still creating an experience that extends beyond the stage. “One of the things we want to do is keep community theater affordable, especially in a rural area,” Eliasson said. “Dessert theater is more feasible and more doable.” Rather than treating dessert as simply something to eat during intermission, organizers often use it as another way to connect audiences with the production. Sometimes patrons know what’s on the menu before arriving. Other times, the dessert remains a surprise until intermission. Either way, it’s prepared by a caterer from town, and dietary restricBoard president Katie Eliasson tions can be accommodated helps guide the Mighty Richland with advance notice. Players Dessert Theater, which has THEATER cont’d to page 39 entertained audiences in Orangeville for 25 seasons with plays, musicals and themed desserts.
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When the theater presented “Tuck Everlasting,” set during autumn in New England, audiences enjoyed apple crisp topped with caramel and vanilla ice cream. During last year’s Christmas production, “The Heart of Christmas,” the dessert was part of the performance itself. “There was an opportunity in the show, just before the intermission, for one of the characters to eat a cupcake on stage,” Eliasson said. “She was eating the same thing they were going to be served five minutes later.” Even this year’s comedy, “Four Old Broads,” performed in April, featured a layered chocolate pudding dessert known as “Better Than Sex,” chosen to match the show’s cheeky humor. THEATER cont’d to page 40
SUBMITTED PHOTO
THEATER cont’d from page 38
The Mighty Richland Dessert Theater presented “Winnie The Pooh” for its October 2024 play.
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Left: This year’s Mighty Richland Players Valentine’s Day “Red Event” featured Broadway favorites performed during an evening of live music, dinner and dessert. Right: The group regularly presents locally written productions, including 2025’s holiday show, “The Heart of Christmas.”
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
THEATER cont’d from page 39 “’Four Old Broads’ is an adult show, like if ‘Steel Magnolias’ met ‘The Golden Girls,’” Eliasson said. “It’s a sassy show with some language and a lot of sexual references. It’s set in a retirement community. The idea was to have the dessert go along with the innuendo, so the dessert was ‘Better Than Sex’ cake, which the audiences enjoyed.” The theater was established by a local nonprofit organization formed to enhance the community in conjunction with Orangeville’s sesquicentennial celebration. Throughout the season, its board of directors works to select productions that appeal to a wide variety of performers and audiences. THEATER cont’d to page 42
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SUBMITTED PHOTOS
The International Order of Odd Fellows' J.R. Scruggs Lodge 372 in Orangeville, where the Mighty Richland Players Dessert Theater is located, was built in 1877. It was originally owned by the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 687, with the Odd Fellows renting its space. The Masons sold the building to the Odd Fellows in 1893, and both organizations continue to meet there. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
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THEATER cont’d from page 40 “We try to do a variety of styles of shows,” Eliasson said, from musicals to comedies to kids shows. “We try to do a kids show every year. We have a lot of talent and a lot of kids in this area who do our shows. We try to do a show that involves older actors. We also keep in mind the accessibility of the building, and what our audience have in mind. We do new shows from local playwrights, but also classic shows as well. We can’t do large-scale musicals, but we’ve done shows such as ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and ‘Tuck Everlasting.’” Original works by local playwrights also are showcased. Its final production of 2026, “The Santa Letters,” was written by board member Stephen Eliasson and will be presented as a
1940s-style radio show complete with live sound effects and locally sponsored jingles. Show dates and ticket information will be announced at a later date. Because the production is designed as a radio play, where the characters read their lines from a script, like old radio plays, memorizing lines won’t be as intimidating for performers. “It will be a radio style Christmas show,” Eliasson said. “It’ll be set in the late ’40s, and we’re hoping to do jingles for local businesses who want to sponsor us, and they’ll have a jingle performed in the show.” The annual Valentine’s Day “Red Event” has also become one of the theater’s signature productions. Presented as a concert and revue-style evening rather than a traditional play, the event features songs from
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well-known musicals paired with a full dinner and dessert. This year’s performance included selections from “Anastasia,” “Cinderella,” “Hamilton” and “Waitress,” allowing performers to tackle big musical numbers that wouldn’t otherwise fit on the theater’s intimate stage. “There are so many big musicals that we just can’t do here,” Eliasson said. “Since the ‘Red Event’ is always a concert-style event, and usually pretty posh and dressy, we thought, let’s do songs that we could never do.” In the meantime, the theater’s next production will be back-to-back oneact plays — “The Dread Pirate Sadie” and “We Open Tomorrow Night?!” — during performances Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18. THEATER cont’d to page 43
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THEATER cont’d from page 42 The first play tells the story of a feared pirate who would rather trade swashbuckling adventures for a life in the theater. The second one is about a final dress rehearsal for a high school talent show where things begins to unravel. Tickets for these shows are available online or by calling the theater (see page 44 for information). Though the theater always manages to find people to answer the casting call, finding performers remains one of its biggest challenges. Older actors and male performers are especially difficult to recruit, a trend Eliasson said is seen nationwide. “Shows just aren’t getting the men they need during auditions,” Eliasson
said. “A lot of community theaters have been looking toward shows with fewer males, or gender-swapping within the rights of the show. Any board of any theater has to bear in mind: What can we cast? What kind shows would we be interested in?” Fortunately, performers continue coming from throughout the region. “Orangeville is 15 minutes from everywhere, and we have actors and crew members come from Mount Carroll, Freeport, Monroe, Lena, Orangeville, Davis — all over the place,” Eliasson said. “It gives adults and kids plenty of opportunities, and there’s a lot of community theater in this area, and that’s a lot of talent.” Entire families sometimes become involved together — it’s not uncommon for parents and children to appear in the same production or help behind the scenes, Eliasson said. Sometimes, audience mem-
bers have even decided to join the cast or crew after attending a production. The theater strives to create a positive environment, Eliasson said. Performers of every age and experience level benefit from working together, with newcomers learning from veterans while experienced actors get a chance to mentor the next generation. For young performers especially, the theater’s size makes taking the stage less overwhelming. “It’s a great theater to cut your teeth in,” Eliasson said. “Our audiences top off at about 40. For kids shows, we’ll get up to 75 or so. It’s not an overwhelming amount of people, especially for kids, because it’s small. It’s a great place to get a start.” THEATER cont’d to page 44
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More info Tickets are available for the Mighty Richland Players Dessert Theater’s October shows – back-to-back one-act plays “The Dread Pirate Sadie” and “We Open Tomorrow Night?!” – at mightyrichlandplayers.com or by calling the theater at 815-819-1310. Ticket sales conclude on the Wednesdays of opening night each week. Dates and ticket information for the theater’s Christmas show, “The Santa Letters,” will be announced at a later date. Find it on Facebook or go to its website for more information.
THEATER cont’d from page 43 Its intimate setting is partly a product of the historic building it calls home. It operates inside the International Order of Odd Fellows’ J.R. Scruggs Lodge 372 building, a frame structure built in 1877 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally owned by the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 687, the Odd Fellows rented the space before purchasing the building in 1893. Both organizations continue meeting there today, and the building also hosts weddings, graduations and other community events throughout the year. The Richland name comes from the creek that runs through Orangeville. It’s a small but Mighty theater with a crew that creates an experience that keeps people coming back, whether they’re sitting in the audience for the first time or stepping onto the stage themselves. “They get to see them tell stories and bring characters to life,” Eliasson said. “There’s entertainment, but we also strive to do shows that have a thought-provoking element to them; our Christmas shows are very tender and heartwarming. We want to move people, and have our audience feel things. We want them to be a part of the experience. Being smaller, it’s a cozier kind of feel, but when you enjoy live theater, you’re watching people work so hard doing what they love. It’s an experience you can only get at a live theater.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
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12-211 ROSEWOOD LANE, LAKE CARROLL RANCH STYLE ON 1+ ACRE CORNER LOT 3 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | Call Amy Barnes 1.23 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | $285,000
Doug Moll Managing Broker 815-238-3626
17-152 Edgewater Dr | $10 16-27 Elmhurst Ct | $10 22-6 Lakewood Ct | $1,000 19-27 Hidden Valley Dr | $1,000 4-4 Grandview Drive | $1,000 4-8 Grandview Drive | $1,000 13-102 Quail Hollow Dr. | $2,000 12-245 Birchbark Ct. | $3,900 17-91 Whitewater Drive | $5,000 4-209 Beachcomber Lane | $10,000 31-65 Wakonda Dr. | $25,000
SOLD 17-90 WHITEWATER DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL WARMTH, FUNCTIONALITY, & ATTENTION TO DETAIL
SOLD 25-14 COUNTRY HILL COURT, LAKE CARROLL EXPOSED RANCH WITH DEEDED BOAT SLIP 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | Call Margaret 1.72 Acre Lot | 3 Car Garage | $495,000
Aime Heldt Broker 815-291-8256
Trish Oppold Broker 815-541-7138
Margaret Rominski Broker 815-291-5269
4 Bedroom | 3 Baths | Call Amy Barnes 0.53 Acre Lot | 3 Car Garage | $499,000
PRICE REDUCED
16168 SCENIC RIDGE ROAD
79 ACRES IN CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM 2-3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | Call Amy Barnes Wooded | 8 Car Garage | $1,100,000
Gary Ludwig Broker 815-541-5959
24490 Payne Rd, Shannon, IL 50 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | September 2026
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REAL R EA AL ES ESTATE STATEE M MADE AD A D M MOD MODERN ODEERN RN R N
123 N Galena Avenue, Freeport, IL
Text/Call:
815.541.5557
Kimberly Taylor Broker/Owner
www.nexthomefirstclass.com
Residential · Commercial · Land · Farms - Closed over $48M in 2025
SOLD:
Access Lot Access Lot
23633 Carroll Road $295,000
5-124 Sunrise Ct $765,000
24-100 Shenandoah 26-4 Wynwood Ct $5,000
$435,000
27-20 Norwood Dr $2,500
Agent Owned
5-143 Chadbourne Dr $1
10489 Maple Grove Rd $225,000
520 N Burns St $140,000
204 W Pearl St
UNDER CONTRACT:
FOR SALE:
Access Lot
309 S Linn Street
$194,900
$185,000
All the Updates!
Brand New Roof
She Shed
New Exterior Doors
Huge Yard
Many NEW Windows
24-134 Hidden Ranch Dr
13 E Market Shannon
$338,500
$77,500 Horse Property 5 Acres Full Basement 2 Garages
Commercial + Apartment Rent $640/Month
31-76 Country
19-34 Hidden
13-145
Club Court
Valley Drive
Newberry Ct
$21,000
$15,000
$10
Deeded Boat Slip
Buildable Lot
1.7 Acres
2.6 Acres
-Licensed d over 20 Y Years ears - Lake Carroll H Home ome Owner Each E ach office off o ffffiice ce is independently independen pend denttly ly owned ow and nd operated. operate
A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | September 2026 | 51
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HUGE SALE ON IN-STOCK PONTOONS & FISHING BOATS! Professional Fall Services Let us winterize your Outboards
Crest Caribbean 230 SLS
Inboards Stern Drives PWC’s Ballast Tanks/Boat Heaters
Falcon F20 Predator
Shoreline Dock & Lift Removal Boat Bottom Cleaning Detailing Pickup & Delivery Storage
Monday-Friday 7am-4pm Saturday 7am-Noon
www.millersport.com
Crestliner 1750 Pro Tiller
Bait & Tackle in stock
7,000 sq. ft. Showroom Competitive Prices • Dedicated Staff Largest Accessory Dept. in the Area Quality Service from Factory Trained Technicians On Water Service • Indoor Storage • Dock & Lift
SM-ST2344096
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