Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press June 26, 2014 Volume 156, Number 40 - $1.00
Recycling Issue
Family Farms
Let Freedom Ring
Illegal dumping could spell the end of a popular recycling program. B2
Farms are still in the same family after more than a century. Inside
A full schedule of events are in store for visitors at a Mt. Morris festival. A10-A12
Firefighter retires after 54 years By Vinde Wells Editor
A veteran firefighter stepped down last week after more than a century of volunteering with the Polo Fire Protection District. Robert Karrow, 77, retired from the district’s board of trustees June 16 because he has moved to Mt. Morris, ending a volunteer career that started 54 years ago. Fire board president Bob Cassens expressed appreciation for Karrow’s years of service. “Nobody has put more thought into this than Bob,� Cassens said. “He will be missed.� Karrow joined the fire department as a firefighter in 1960. He became fire chief in 1975 and served in that position until 1994. After his tenure as chief, his fellow firefighters voted him an honorary member of the department. A black bear looks down on the crowd that had formed He was elected to the fire after he climbed a tree southwest of Mt. Morris last board in 2006 and has served week. Photo by Earleen Hinton there ever since. Karrow joined the department because a friend encouraged him to. “A friend [Larry Wagner] who was in the process of joining said ‘why don’t you join, too?’ Things just kept expanding from there,� h3OME TIME AROUND Karrow said. IN THE MORNING He said he enjoyed the camaraderie with other
Bear visited Mt. Morris June 18 Sightings were also reported in Carroll County By Vinde Wells Editor Mt. Morris’ wild visitor is apparently still on the move. Although the last confirmed sighting was southwest of Mt. Morris last week, Robert Frazier, Acting Regional Commander for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday that the black bear has reportedly been seen in Carroll County as recently as Monday. However, he said that sighting is unconfirmed. The 200-pound male bear spent several hours in and near Mt. Morris on June 18, spending several hours in an oak tree a mile or so out of town, and then lumbering off through a cornfield to the west in the early evening. According to Mt. Morris Police Chief Jason White, the bear sightings started early in the morning. “Some time around 6:30 in the morning we got calls about a bear seen in the subdivision east of Dillehay Park,� he said. Before that, the bear had been spotted in Chana on June 15. “I feel the bear just took the railroad tracks across the river and to Mt. Morris,� he said. “That would have kept him away from people.� Somewhere around 6:30 a.m., a Mt. Morris resident, who didn’t want to be identified, saw the bear at the railroad tracks on Ill. 64 at
WE GOT CALLS ABOUT a bear seen in the subdivision east of Dillehay Park,�
— Mt. Morris Police Chief Jason White the east edge of town. The bear ran west and was near the medical clinic when he last saw it. From there the bear apparently made his way west across backyards. He was caught on a surveillance camera at Trinity Lutheran Church running through yards on the other side of Brayton Road. Church secretary Barb Diehl checked the tape that morning when she got to work. “He ran from behind LaBashes toward Garrisons [a half block west],� she said. After that several people leaving an exercise session at Dillehay Park saw the bear as he crossed Ogle Avenue. By then, word had spread around the community about the bear’s arrival and a crowd was gathering to catch a glimpse or snap a photo. White said he and another Mt. Morris officer, Fire Chief Rob Hough, and Ogle County Deputy Brian Ketter chased the bear out of town after it was seen in the 400 block of South McKendrie Avenue. “We just kind of herded him south out of town,� White said. “We wanted to get him away from people.� Turn to A7
In This Week’s Edition...
Robert Karrow, front row center, stepped down from the Polo Fire Protection District Board of Trustees June 16 after more than 50 years of service with the fire department. Also pictured in the front row are: Fire Board President Bob Cassens, left, and Polo Fire Chief Tony Karrow, Robert’s son. In the back row are: Trustee Charlie Clothier, Assistant Fire Chief Jim Ports, Trustee Mark Bergstrom, and Trustee Randy Wagner. Photo by Vinde Wells
fire department members, the excitement of going on fire calls, and helping the residents of the community. “I liked everything about it,� Karrow said. “It meant everything. It was part of my life.� He credited his late wife Sharon for supporting his dedication and efforts. “She always backed me up in everything I did,� he said. Over the years, technology has brought changes and improvements to every
aspect of firefighting, Karrow said, from gear, equipment, and vehicles to training and procedures. “It’s completely changed. There’s more ruled and regulations that you have to go by today,� he said. “More training is required.� Years ago firefighters were alerted to fires when the siren at the station was activated and by “fire phones� at their homes. A call to the fire department triggered a special ring on
firefighters’ phones. Without 911, telecommunicators, pagers, and cell phones, calling other fire departments for help had to be done on landlines. “I think the changes are all for the better,� Karrow said. He has passed along a legacy of service and dedication. His son Tony Karrow is presently the Polo Fire Chief, and his grandson Chad Karrow serves as a firefighter.
Concealed carry policy approved By Chris Johnson Reporter Bringing county policy in line with Illinois law caused a stir during the Ogle County Board meeting last week. The discussion over concealed carry required two votes to approve. “Can we go to private
session and hash this over?� said Lee Meyers, Byron, June 17. “This can not be discussed in closed session,� said board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron. “We are bringing our personnel policy in line with Illinois legislation.� “It makes them (county employees) sitting ducks,�
said Pat Saunders, Polo. “It bothers me that we adopt something written by Democrats in Chicago. Can we make changes to this?� Board member Skip Kenney, Rochelle, had the same concerns. “I think we are better than that,� he said. “We can develop one for Ogle
County.� “This is state law,� said Bill Welty, Chana. “I am not sure you can change this.� A roll call vote on the motion to approve the policy was requested by Zach Oltmanns, Stillman Valley. Turn to A3
Neighboring departments help out By Vinde Wells Editor Just over a week after its privately-owned ambulance service closed down, Oregon’s ambulance calls continue to be answered by neighboring fire departments. Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller said Monday that for the time being ambulances from other communities will answer ambulance calls in the Oregon Fire District. “I won’t have anymore information until after our meeting on July 9,� Heller said. “I won’t have anything more to say about the ambulance until after that.� The Oregon Fire Protection District Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. at the administration building at 106 S. First St., Oregon. The meeting is
Agriculture, A7 Birth, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 Entertainment, A6
4HE AMBULANCE DISTRICT HAS BEEN DIVIDED UP IN SEGMENTS WITH EACH NEIGHBORING FIRE DEPARTMENT COVERING THE AREA CLOSEST TO IT open to the public. One of the topics that will likely be discussed is holding a referendum that would allow the fire district to tax district residents for an ambulance service run by the fire department. Heller said the earliest that could appear in the ballot would be the Nov. 4 election. The deadline for filing referendum documents is in August. The privately-owned Oregon Ambulance Service Inc. closed its doors at 6 a.m. on June 17 with little warning. Betty Ferris, who comanages the service with her husband Jim, told the fire board about the plans to close on June 11.
Fines, B6 Marriage Licenses, A4 Polo Police, A2 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B6
She later said the reasons were financial. Heller immediately began enlisting help from neighboring fire departments, which have tax-supported ambulance services. The district, which is 120 square miles and bordered by 10 other fire districts, includes all of Oregon-Nashua Township and portions of Pine Creek, Pine Rock, White Rock, Rockvale, Marion, Grand Detour, and Taylor Townships. Heller said the district has been divided up in segments with each neighboring fire department covering the area closest to it. Mt. Morris and Byron have been designated to
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B5 Weather, A3
handle calls within the City of Oregon. Oregon is the only fire department in the area without an ambulance service funded by property taxes. The Oregon Fire District was formed in 1977 after a referendum was passed in 1976. Prior to that the fire department was owned by the City or Oregon. Because it was cityowned, rural residents were required to pay for calls. According to the fire department website, in 1975 the charge for rural fires was $150 for the first hour and $100 an hour thereafter, usually paid by insurance. Problems arose as some rural residents did not pay and city deficits increased. The Oregon Ambulance Service
Deaths, B3 Hughling A. Blumeyer, Jessie B. Hinkle, Wayne W. Koeller
0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM
Turn to A3