Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press January 29, 2015 Volume 157, Number 19 - $1.00
Marcos Win
Internal Audit
February Finds
Polo won a back and forth game against Freeport Aquin Tuesday night 52-51. B1
The Sheriff’s Dept. is doing an internal audit of the Tow Fund. B8
Antiques and collectibles will be among the treasures Feb. 7 at February Finds. A6
Board reverses transfer of Tow Fund money Was scheduled to be deposited into General Fund By Vinde Wells Editor
The Ogle County Board last week reversed a decision made three months earlier to transfer more than $60,000 from the county’s Tow Fund to the General Fund. When it met Jan. 20, the board rescinded its Oct. 20 motion to transfer $61,713 improperly deposited into the Tow Fund to the General Fund where it rightfully belonged. County board chairman Kim Gouker said after last week’s meeting that the October action was taken to empty the Tow Fund and ensure that former sheriff Michael Harn, whose term was up Nov. 30, could not spend any more money from it. “We were trying to protect the funds from a lame duck sheriff,” Gouker said. “It was the only check and balance we had over that fund. We didn’t want to see it spent at the 11th hour for something that might not be appropriate. And we don’t want to hogtie the new sheriff.” Present sheriff Brian VanVickle took over the post Dec. 1 after being elected Nov. 4. He defeated Harn in the March Republican primary election.
The October action came the same night the board heard the results of a forensic examination of the Tow Fund. James Sullivan, director of dispute advisory for Sikich LLD, Naperville, told the board Oct. 20 that his firm’s forensic examination revealed that more than $10,000 is unaccounted for and that $61,713 was deposited into the Tow Fund that was meant for the General Fund. Sullivan said some of the $61,713 was $10,000 of a $12,920 check from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency which Students at Centennial should have gone into the Elementary learned General Fund. about dental health He said the other $2,920 of Tuesday morning from the check was unaccounted the Dental Wizard. for. Above, the Dental The IEMA check to help Wizard unveils a set of cover overtime paid to teeth before showing deputies for working during the students how to a blizzard. brush. At right, second The resolution to rescind grader Jeffrey Donaldson the October motion read in helps the Dental Wizard part, “…upon further review demonstrate how to it has been determined that keep his tongue clean. collection and accounting Photos by Chris Johnson processes for those fees have been sufficiently revised to assure proper records are being kept…” Before the Jan. 20 vote, county board member Pat Saunders, Polo, asked if the money from the IEMA grant would be returned to the By Vinde Wells General Fund. Editor “We’ll look into it,” Gouker replied. “If we need Ogle County Sheriff’s to transfer it, we will.” Police are still seeking
Dental Health
Bicyclist injured in hit and run
OCEC takes on VOP at annual basketball game By Chris Johnson Reporter A group of all stars visited the Blackhawk Center Friday morning for an annual tradition. The Ogle County All Stars were taking on the Village of Progress All Stars in a game of basketball. From the moment these athletes stepped onto the court Friday morning they were treated like all stars by the faculty and staff of Oregon High School who filled the bleachers to cheer on the competitors. Music from the pep band filled the air and prepared the crowd for the game. As the clock ticked past 10 a.m. the festivities began when each of the athletes was introduced to standing ovations and loud cheers. The Ogle County Educational Cooperative (OCEC) team and the Village of Progress team got together Turn to B2
information about a semi tractor trailer that struck and seriously injured an elderly Mt. Morris man as he rode his bicycle last week on Ill. 64. Michael Chizzo, 81, remained in serious condition Monday at St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford, where he was taken after the hit-and-run accident on Jan. 21 on Ill. 64 east of the Mt. Morris village limits. Ogle County Sheriff Brian
VanVickle said the incident occurred at 5:55 a.m. and weather may have been a factor. Chizzo was taken by Mt. Morris ambulance to KSB Hospital, Dixon, and later transferred to St. Anthony. Medical helicopters were called but could not fly due to the snowy conditions at the time. VanVickle said the semi driver may not be aware that his truck struck someone.
A witness told police that the truck driver slowed his vehicle after striking Chizzo and then proceeded west. The semi was described as a tractor with a sleeper and a box trailer, both of unknown color. It may have minor damage to the passenger side front bumper. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office at 815-7326666.
Vehicles burglarized at Stillman-Oregon game By Vinde Wells Editor
Village of Progress All Star Matt Otten, left, and OCEC All Star JJ Slaton go for a rebound Friday morning during the annual game between the two teams played at OHS. Photo by Chris Johnson
In This Week’s Edition...
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B9-B14 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B8
Several vehicles were burglarized Saturday night while their owners were watching a high school basketball game in Stillman Valley. Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said thieves smashed the windows of seven vehicles and took items from inside them on Jan. 24 while the vehicles were parked in the Stillman Valley High School parking lot during a boys basketball game versus Oregon. Sheriff’s police determined the burglaries occurred between 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.
Library News, A8 Marriage Licenses, A4 Polo Police, A2 Pine Creek News, A3 Public Voice, A8
when deputies were called. Superintendent PJ Caposey said some of the purses and bags stolen from the vehicles had been left in plain sight. He said an Ogle County deputy was on duty at the ball game, but was stationed inside the school. Forreston Police Chief Mike Boomgarden said a similar incident occurred in early December during a basketball game at Forreston High School when thieves broke the windows of four vehicles and took items from inside. No one has been arrested in that incident, Boomgarden said Monday, but some of
Property Transfers, B6 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B6
the purses and other property taken were later recovered along Ill. 72 between Forreston and Byron. A credit card taken from one of the purses was used at a store in Byron that night, he said. Oregon Police Chief Darin DeHaan said three locked vehicles parked in the Oregon Elementary School lot more than a year ago were broken into and burglarized. That vehicle burglary occurred on Nov. 22, 2013 during the Thanksgiving tournament hosted by the Oregon High School girls basketball team.
Deaths, B3 Dean Fletcher Montes “Polly” L. Ford Lucile G. Wyatt
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
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