Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press May 22, 2014 Volume 156, Number 35 - $1.00
NUIC Win
Ranger
Building Status
The Polo-Forreston boys track team won the NUIC conference meet May 19. B1
Read about tourism activities throughout Ogle County. Inside
The new storage building at the Ogle County Highway Dept. will move forward. A8
Apology given
by a tow owner By Vinde Wells Editor A Polo tow truck owner publicly apologized to Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn Tuesday at the county board meeting for comments made at last month’s meeting. Greg Wagner was one of three tow truck owners who attended the county board meeting April 15 to voice their concern about being taken off the sheriff’s tow rotation list. Wagner said that since that meeting he has been called by the sheriff’s department for tow service after traffic accidents. He said he spoke to Harn, who told him he had Three people were transported to area hospitals Monday afternoon after a semi and car collided at the intersection no knowledge of Wagner of U.S. 52 and Freeport Road west of Polo. Photo by Vinde Wells purposely not being called. “I want to apologize to the sheriff and the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department,� Wagner said. By Vinde Wells transported to KSB Hospital, Traffic at the intersection a front seat passenger in his Editor Dixon. is controlled by stop signs on car, and Pottenbaum were “The injuries did not appear Freeport Road. Vehicles on taken to the hospital by Polo Three people were injured to be life-threatening,� he U.S. 52 are not required to and Mt. Morris ambulances. By Vinde Wells Monday afternoon in a car said. stop. All were wearing seat Editor versus semi crash west of Harn said a car driven by The semi, which was loaded belts, and the car’s air bags Polo. James Morgan, 89, Rockton, with sand, came to rest on its deployed. The report of an attempted Ogle County Sheriff was northbound on Freeport side an estimated 150 to 200 The Polo Police Department child abduction in Polo Michael Harn, who was on Road, stopped at the stop sign, feet west of the intersection, and Polo Fire Department Tuesday afternoon turned the scene at the intersection and then pulled out in front of partially in a field. The crash assisted at the scene. of U.S. 52 and Freeport the westbound semi, driven occurred around 1:30 p.m. Morgan was ticketed for out to be unfounded, but a Road, said both drivers and by Robert Pottenbaum, 70, Morgan and his wife failure to stop or yield at an Polo man was arrested on other charges in the ensuing a passenger in the car were Manchester, Iowa. Deloras Morgan, 84, Rockton, intersection. investigation. Andrew J. Swift, 27, was arrested on three outstanding Ogle County warrants and on a charge of possession for By Chris Johnson “We are getting more drug paraphernalia. Reporter tractors every year at this He was transported to the jamboree,� said Hinrichs. Ogle County Jail. Three or four colors readily “It was a fabulous turnout “It was determined that the come to mind when you think today.� attempted child abduction was about garden tractors. Some of the tractors on a misunderstanding, and it was However, a rainbow of display included MTDs, unfounded by investigating hues, including white, blue, Case, Wheel Horse, Red E’s, officers,� Police Chief Dennis green, and every combination White, John Deere, Ford, Christen said in a press release imaginable, were on Morris, and Springfields. issued Tuesday evening. display last weekend along “I think we are getting The incident began around Columbian Road. 300 tractors this year,� said 4:40 p.m. when Polo police More than 300 of these Hinrichs. officers went to the corner of garden tractors were on The day was filled with display May 17 during the activities to keep everyone in fifth annual AJ’s Garden attendance busy. Tractor Jamboree. Tractors lined up down the The Pennsylvania Panzer is driveway to participate in the a bright blue garden tractor. opening tractor parade where All veterans who live in One of these classics was more than 40 participants rode and around Polo as well as brought to the show by Don around the festival grounds. the surrounding communities Joy, Lombard. Other events included are invited to participate in “The paint on these tractors garden tractor plowing, the annual Memorial Day was a 1957 Chevy Robin Egg games, rope making, and a celebration on Monday, blue,� he said. “These tractors poker run. May 26 after the parade at were made in the 1960’s and Weather turned out to be no Fairmount Cemetery. this one is one of the last issue for the jamboree. A low-boy trailer will be models.� “We were worried Friday available with seating for Joy was displaying a 1969 with the snow,� said Hinrichs. those veterans that cannot or example. “When I woke up to set up “The unique thing is it has a today there was frost on the belt drive shifter,� he said. “It ground.� also has a Chrysler rear end When the sun rose, with brakes.� temperatures followed suit. He said the brakes can be A sunny sky with few clouds applied separately to aid in in sight warmed the air to the turning. low 60s throughout the day. The Polo Council of As Joy was explaining the Walking around the Churches invites the PCHS features of his tractor it was jamboree small groups were graduating class of 2014, apparent that he loved garden gathered around different their families, friends, and the tractors. tractors. The people were Polo community to a Sending Event organizer Andy sharing stories of why they and Baccalaureate service on Hinrichs owns a collection like certain brands of garden Saturday, May 24 at 2 p.m. in of garden tractors and created tractors and the fun they have the PCHS gymnasium. the event to bring fans of with owning and sharing their Emily Bolens, Polo, rides a tractor Saturday morning. This year’s speaker will garden tractors together. tractors with others. Behind her is her sister Nicole. Photo by Chris Johnson be 2012 PCHS graduate,
Three injured in Monday crash
Harn did not attend either county board meeting. At the April meeting, tow truck owner Doug Aken, Oregon, spoke for himself, Wagner, and Stan Ubben, Mt. Morris. Aken told the board all three have been on the rotation list for many years but found themselves being called less frequently under Harn’s administration. Then on March 20, Aken said he received a letter from Harn informing him he was no longer on the list. The letter gave no reason. However, Aken said he believes it was because he supported another candidate in the March 18 Republican primary. Harn was defeated in his bid for a second term in the three-way race. Aken said Harn removed Ubben from the tow list in May of 2012.
Report unfounded
Tractor jamboree draws a crowd
Prairie Avenue and Buffalo Street to take the report of what sounded like an attempted child abduction. The officers learned that two youngsters were on the sidewalk in front of their house playing when a pick-up truck stopped in the roadway and the male driver asked the two if they wanted some candy. The incident was witnessed by a neighbor. Christen issued an alert, and officers began searching for the pick-up truck. According to the press release, officers stopped the truck at 6:08 p.m. and determined Swift had been the driver. They also determined that the incident was not a child abduction attempt as previously thought, Christen said.
Memorial Day will begin with a parade do not wish to walk in the parade. The parade will form on Mason Street between Green and Jefferson streets at 9 a.m. with the start of the parade between 9:15 and 9:30 a.m. The parade will continue west on Mason to Division street (Ill. 26) then north on Division to the cemetery.
Baccalaureate will be held on Saturday
In This Week’s Edition...
Births, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6
Fines, B6 Marriage Licenses, A4 Polo Police, A2 Property Transfers, B5
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, A11, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
Stephanie Merlak, who is currently a student at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn. Commencement exercises will be held on Sunday, May 25 at 2 p.m. in the PCHS gymnasium. The public is invited to attend.
Deaths, B4 Richard H. Adams, John L. Brockwell, Rhonda K. Comer, Annabel Cunningham, Lois M. Cunningham, Harriet M. Fletcher, Jeannette H. Joiner, Judie Lamia, Harry R. Noble, Doris J. Sandvik
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