TCP_09042014

Page 1

Serving the Polo Area Since 1857

POLO

Tri-County Press September 4, 2014 Volume 156, Number 50 - $1.00

Marcos Win Opener

River Sweep

Time for Entries!

Polo blows out East Dubuque 40-14 in the first game of the 2014 season. B1

Volunteer to help clean up the Rock River on Sept. 6. A10

Sept. 15 is the deadline for entries for Autumn on Parade’s Harvest Time Parade. B3

Family retakes picture

Abandoned car’s owner is located Deputies searched all day

By Vinde Wells Editor Ten cousins took a trip back in time Aug. 31 when they visited what used to be their grandparents’ house in Polo. “I don’t see the milk bottle sitting out here,� quipped Dave Webster, Polo, as he and nine of his siblings and cousins walked up on the porch of the stately Victorian home at 101 N. Cherry Ave. The 10 came back to re-enact a photo taken 52 years ago on the oak staircase on Easter Sunday at the home of McKinley and Anna Anderson. Fourteen youngsters lined up for a picture that day in 1962. Wearing their Sunday best, they ranged from toddlers to teenagers then. Three weren’t able to come this Sunday for the re-enactment, and one is no longer living. Current homeowner Eric Koenen said he was glad to open his home to the cousins and invited them to come back any

By Vinde Wells Editor

James Ireland, Susan Ireland Colbert, Neita Webster, Tim Webster, Linda Ireland Olejar, Diane (Joni) Ireland Wampler, Stan Webster, Phil Johnson, and Dave Webster pose for a photo in front of what once was their grandparents’ home at 101 N. Cherry Ave., Polo. Photo by Vinde Wells

time. Koenen and his wife Shiovahn and their two children now live in the house. The Andersons were the parents of five children, Jim, Frances, Helen, Mary, and Peg. All but one married and had children of their own. Jim and his wife Maud were the parents of Jim, Barbara and

Bill, none of whom could attend the gathering. Frances married Harold Johnson and had a son Phil. Helen married Paul Webster and they were the parents of Neita, Steve, Stan, Dave and Tim. Mary never married. Peg married Bill Ireland and they had Linda, Diane, William,

James and Susan. Koenen invited the cousins to take a look around, and as they did a flood of pleasant memories were shared. Tim Webster remembered visiting his grandparents often. His parents lived on a farm a few miles west of Polo. “Mom came to town to do the Turn to A2

The owner of an abandoned car, who was the subject of an all-day search Tuesday, was located in a Chicago hospital. “We verified that he’s a patient in the VA hospital in Chicago,� Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn said around 5 p.m. Tuesday. He said the search had been called off, but he does not yet know if the car’s owner or someone else was driving it, or how it happened to be abandoned in a field along Ridge Road about three miles south of Pines Road. He said deputies searched the surrounding area on foot and by helicopter after a resident reported the abandoned car Tuesday morning. Harn said he did not know what time the car was found, how long it had been there, or who deputies were searching for. “We’re trying to find the driver. It looks like someone went for a walk,� Harn said in the midafternoon. “No one has reported anyone missing. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. Until we figure out who was driving the car, we don’t know who we’re looking for.� He said a cell phone was found in the black Volkswagen. No sign of foul play was found in or near the car, Harn said.

Rock River Trail offers scenery and history By Chris Johnson Reporter From the marshes of Wisconsin, a winding river flows through 11 counties on its way to the Mississippi River. For the past 40 years Frank Schier has been canoeing the Rock River and recently started the Rock River Trail Initiative. Schier was one of the presenters during the Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair Aug. 24. “In 1972 I started exploring the river,� he said. “I started canoeing and looking at the beauty.� Not wanting to keep this to himself, Schier began looking at turning the river into an organized trail. This led Schier to look at making the river a National Trail in 2010. “I started talking to officials and Rockford and Winnebago County agreed to spend $20,000 to map the river,� said Schier. “I then went to the National Park Service to start discussions.� These discussions led to a meeting with all 11 counties and 37 municipalities that are along the Rock River. The meeting was held in August 2010. “Winnebago County is the founding county for the trail,� said Schier. “We are lucky to have the support of the Rockford Park District.� This collaboration has led to the forming of urban camp sites along the Rock River in Rockford.

“It is a unique experience to camp in an urban area,� Schier said. These campsites are only part of what the final trail could look like. “The river starts at the Horicon Marsh which is 14,000 acres of beautiful land,� said Schier. “We are trying to set up campsites along the entire river.� A goal of a campsite every eight hours for canoers along with several portages is the first step. “I started doing the costs of campsites and portages,� said Schier. “Currently campsites are lean along the river.� There are also 23 dams on the river and portages would be built to make it safe to paddle down the river, he said. In Oregon, a portage currently exists at Oregon Park East. Signs on the river direct paddlers to the east shore to use the portage to get around the dam. “We also want information kiosks along the river at each community to provide local information for the canoers,� said Schier. “They could also advise the paddlers which channel of the river to use.� All of these upgrades cost money. The estimated costs are an average of $2,500 per site for camping and $250,000 for a portage. Schier said these costs go down if existing services are in place that could be utilized for camping and portages. “There are challenges to the project and we are working to overcome them,� said Schier. With dams along the river,

In This Week’s Edition...

The Rock River Trail has been designated a National Water Trail. Pictured is one of the signs. Photo by Chris Johnson

safety was a major goal for the trail. “In Oregon there are signs warning of the dam,� said Schier. “The first is a sign 5,050 feet from the dam to advise boaters to stay to the left [east shore].� A second sign is 500 feet from the dam advising canoers that there is a dam ahead and a portage available on the east shore. Finally at Oregon Park East the park district has a portage sign marking a safe location to exit the river. “We are working on installing signs along the entire river with uniform markings, “ said Schier. One aspect of creating the trail system was making the river the cleanest tributary to the Mississippi River. “Our goal is to make it the cleanest tributary,� said Schier. “We are working on it.� To accomplish this the Rock River Sweep is helping with the cause. “I have been participating in the Rock River Sweep with Frank Masterman,�

Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 Entertainment, A6 Marriage Licenses, A4

Rock River Trail founder Frank Schier explains a document created to rate the Rock River. This page shows how difficult the section of river is for boaters and canoers. Photo by Chris Johnson

said Schier. “The fifth formal Rock River Sweep is Saturday, Sept. 6. We need to address pollution on the river.� During the sweep volunteers go out and clean the entire length of the river. The worst pollution spill in recent memory occurred in 2009 when a train derailed in Rockford. “This caused the worst fish kill in Illinois history,� said Schier. He said the combination of ethanol from the derailment along with runoff from farm fields that were just fertilized contributed to the fish kill. To monitor the condition of the river Schier would like to see civilian monitoring stations every five miles along the river.

Oregon Police, B3 Property Transfers, B6 Public Voice, A8 Sheriff’s Arrests, B7

Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5 Zoning Permits, B6

“You could have school kids do basic PH tests for science class,� he said. The derailment along with the fish kill made communities aware of the river in ways they may not have known before 2009, said Schier. “We are doing this because of ecotourism and staycations,� said Schier. “We want to encourage people to explore the Rock River. No one wants to fish or water ski in dirty water.� He said there is more tourism along the Rock River than people realize and forming the trail is one way to spread the word about tourism. Each spring 10,000 trees are donated to plant along the river.

“The trees have been planted for the past four years and we have 40,000 trees planted so far,� said Schier. Each county along the river receives 910 trees each year with half going to the public sector and half going to private residents within the watershed. Thirty-seven waterways flow into the Rock River along with numerous creeks. The first priority is to plant trees along the Rock River but depending on the need these trees could go to a resident along one of the 37 waterways that flow into the river. The Rock River Trail Initiative council met in November of 2011 and Turn to A3

Deaths, B5 Edward B. Bryant, Yvonne S. James, Arlene F. Kness, Evelyn J. Pederson

0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.