Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO Solid Performance Polo took to the field and put up 41 first half points on their way to a win Oct. 30. B1
Tri-County Press November 5, 2015 Volume 158, Number 7 - $1.00
New Game
Scam Alert
A Polo native created a new Christmas themed game. A9
Consumers should be on the lookout for new credit card scams. B3
Employee surprise had
one small glitch Monday By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A scheme to surprise a city employee with a service award went off at Monday’s Polo City Council meeting — but not quite as planned. City Clerk Susie Corbitt planned to present Deputy Clerk Sue Waszak with a watch for her 25 years of employment with the city. Since Corbitt wanted the award to come as a surprise, she enlisted the help Mayor Doug Knapp in a little friendly deception. She asked Waszak to fill in for her and take the minutes at the council meeting, using the excuse that she couldn’t attend because it was her birthday. According to plan, Corbitt slipped into the city hall shortly after the meeting started and hid out of sight in the utility room. The utility room has two doors, one in the entry area and the other in the council’s meeting room. Knapp was supposed to open the second door at just the right time for Corbitt to step into the meeting room to make the presentation. That’s where the plan went awry. When Corbitt closed the
“Sue is the most dependable, one of the best employees this city has ever had” — Susie Corbitt Polo City Clerk first door behind her to slip Her tenure has spanned five into the utility room, air mayors — Bud Davis, Butch pressure caused the meeting Hunt, Jeff Van Oosten, Mark room door to open. Scholl, and Knapp. Alderman Troy Boothe, Waszak said she never oblivious to the plan, tried to expected the job to be so close the door only to have it longterm when she began it on pop open again — and again. Nov. 1 or 2, 1990. He finally slammed it shut — “I was hired temporarily but good. to work for three months for It was stuck and by the someone who had just had a time Knapp wrestled it open, baby,” she said with a laugh. Corbitt has made her entrance At that time Noralee Gray by the other door. was the city clerk and all the “It was dark back there!” water and sewer bills were she said after emerging. done by hand. After a hearty laugh, Corbitt By her third year, Waszak made the presentation to a said the office got computers very surprised and slightly to do those bills. emotional Waszak. And by way, Monday really “Sue is the most dependable, was Corbitt’s birthday. one of the best employees this city has ever had,” Corbitt said. “We’ve worked together for 23 years. It’s been a delight By Vinde Wells to work with her. We’re a very vwells@oglecounty good team.” news.com “I’m touched,” Waszak said as she unwrapped her watch. A long-standing drainage She said she has enjoys problem for a Polo business working with Corbitt and may be solved thanks to looks forward to her job every action taken by city council day. Monday night.
Polo City Clerk Susie Corbitt, right, presents Deputy Clerk Sue Waszak with a watch in appreciation of her 25 years with the city at Monday night’s city council meeting. Photo by Vinde Wells
Council approves alley repairs The council approved a bid from O’Brien Civil Works, Inc., Polo, not to exceed $19,360 to repair the alley behind the Mason Family Restaurant, 118 W. Mason St. Alderman David Ackeberg said water goes into the
restaurant after every heavy rain because of the slope of the alley. “We’ve tried some things to alleviate the problem,” he said. “We’ve put a Band-Aid on it. The only fix is to take it out and do it right.” Water from the nearby car
wash and laundromat has made the problem worse, he said. To keep the cost down, Ackeberg said city street employees will remove the pavement from behind the restaurant to Ill. 26. Turn to A2
Fundraising begins on Lowden statue By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Fundraising has begun for a marble statue honoring for Illinois Gov. Frank O. Lowden on the Ogle County Courthouse lawn. Stacy Flanagan, chairman of the Governor Lowden Memorial Committee, said Monday that committee members plan to raise at least $200,000 to cover the cost and installation of the statue, which will be situated on the northeast side of the courthouse lawn facing Ill. 2. The statue will be sculpted by Stillman Valley native Cody Janes, who currently lives in Volo. Janes said the statue will be slightly larger than life and be mounted on a marble base. “It will commemorate everything Lowden did for Oregon and Ogle County,” he said. Once the funds are raised, Janes estimated that the work to complete the statue will take about two years. “It takes some time to carve a statue from stone,” he said. “The process is not as fast as casting it in bronze.” The county board gave its approval in June of 2013 to locate the statue on the courthouse lawn.
Marcos Football The football field was the place to be in Polo Oct. 30. Above, Polo cheerleader Brenner Bushman carries the flag as he runs onto the field with the football team Friday night. At right, Polo fan Bill Pruitt cheers on the Marcos. He brings offense and defense signs and helps to get the crowd into the game. Photos by Chris Johnson
In This Week’s Edition...
Birth, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B6
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B3 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3
Social News, A4, A7 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A2
Lowden, who served as the 25th Illinois Governor from 1917-1921, sponsored picnics each July 4 for several years on the courthouse lawn. Lowden and his wife Florence Pullman Lowden purchased land in Ogle County in 1899, which they developed into Sinnissippi Farms, southeast of Oregon. They lived there for many years. Besides serving as Governor, Lowden served as a U.S. Congressman and was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois National Guard. He was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge as a member of the Memorial Commission for the Mt. Rushmore National Park in South Dakota. Lowden was also law professor at Northwestern University, Evanston. Several local areas are named for him, including Lowden State Park, LowdenMiller State Forest, and Boy Scouts of America Camp Lowden. Flanagan said the statue project will be funded by private donations. The committee recently received its 501c3, not-forprofit designation and can now begin the fundraising phase of the project. “The committee will be Turn to A2
Deaths, B4 Mary C. Fox, Lois L. Hagemann, Cindy A. Walker
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com