Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press December 19, 2013 Volume 156, Number 13 - $1.00
Hawks Grounded
Dear Santa
Spending Questions
The Polo Marcos had the 3-point shot working as they defeated the Hawks Dec. 16. B1
Area children send their Christmas lists to St. Nick. Special Section
Ogle County Sheriff ’s credit card spending is called into question. A7
Staff learn about active shooter situations By Chris Johnson Reporter Blanks were fired, books were thrown and police officers were wrestled to the ground during an exercise Dec. 11 at the Polo High School. “Shootings can happen anywhere,� said Rock Valley College police chief Joe Drought. “We need to develop plans on how to respond.� Knowing what to do during an active shooter event can help reduce the loss of life, he said. Faculty, staff, and school officials in the Polo School District participated in the active shooter drill. “I applaud Polo for wanting to do this training,� Drought said. While direct confrontation with a shooter is not preferred, Drought said it may be necessary to prevent further loss of life. “Fighting back is an option to help save lives,� said Drought. “Since Sandy Hook there is more interest in learning how to deal with these situations.� One year ago a lone gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown Conn. and killed 20 students and six adult staff members. Since that tragedy, school districts across the United States have been taking measures to prevent a similar incident from occurring. “During the class, the teachers and faculty will learn practical measures they can take during an active shooter
situation,� said Drought. They include how to barricade a classroom, the best ways to flee the school, and how to fight back if needed. Drought said Rock Valley College has been offering these classes for five years. The course, titled Practical Responses to Active Shooters, required everyone to learn about active shooters and to get hands on demonstrations during the drill. “Our primary objective is to survive,� said Drought. “We are going to be firing blanks today because people ask what a gun sounds like. Blanks are as close as we can simulate to a real shooting without real bullets.� The training instructs participants on how to a defend themselves or the life of another including the use of deadly force, Drought said. “You need to ask yourself ‘what if,’� said Drought. “You need to prepare mentally.� Drought said part of preparing is getting rid of any thoughts that an incident “can not happen here.� “It can happen here, but hopefully we can prevent it,� said Drought. Two days after the class was held in Polo there was another school shooting in Colorado on Dec. 13. “The purpose of this class Ellie Dyer throws a book at a target while Joe Drought and Gene Schmidt watch on. Photo by Chris Johnson is to build a database or plans. If we are prepared we can find ourselves acting instead of panicking,� he said.
City approves $18,685 contract
Turn to A8
By Chris Johnson Reporter
Members of the Polo City Council did not think it would be right to bid out a project for a new pool filter building. After a brief discussion Monday night, the board unanimously approved an $18,685 quote from Ebert Engineers to construct the building. “Mark Ebert knows the project,� said pool committee member Mark Scholl. “He is on the committee and is A classroom at Polo High School is barricaded during comfortable with you bidding the active shooter drill Dec. 11. Photo by Chris Johnson
this out.� “We should accept it,� said alderperson Louise Hall. “It would be a slap in the face to not let him do it,� said alderman Randy Schoon. The quote includes $11,040 for materials and labor to contract a building on the existing foundation. Another $6,480 in materials and labor will finish the interior with insulation, sheeting, and moldings. An aluminum floor door will add $1,265 to the project. In other business the board approved a committee to
look into ordinances and make suggestions on how to improve them. This came up mayor Doug Knapp said, because an ordinance is on the books that prevents homes with 60 percent or more damage from being rebuilt on a parcel with less than 10,000 feet. “We are currently changing the ordinance to accommodate this,� said Knapp. He said a committee should be formed to look into all the building ordinances in Polo. Knapp recommended
having local contractors, bankers, and level-headed minds on the committee. His recommendation for the committee was to have Bryon Bowers, Karen Bumsted, Jim Busser, Wade Corbitt, and Mark Ebert on the committee. This committee would have different duties that the zoning board of appeals. “I think it is a good idea,� said Polo resident Richard Jacks. “Some lots do not conform and we need to help Turn to A2
County board approves $99,500 home purchase By Vinde Wells Editor Ogle County will soon own another piece of property near its judicial center. The county board voted 20-4 Tuesday to authorize board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, to sign documents to purchase the house at 102 S. Fifth St., Oregon, for $99,500, and to enter into a three-year lease with the current occupant. The purchase of the house has been a long time in the making. “It’s a piece of property we’ve looked at ever since we built the judicial center,� Gouker said.
The judicial center, which is next door to the house to the south, was completed in 2005. The county board purchased the property north of the house, where Jackass BBQ is located at 501 W. Washington St. (Ill. 64), last June from John Spoor for $150,000. The county leases that property to restaurant owner Andy Riegel. The board will purchase the house from Scott and Barb Spoor, and lease it to Robert Lowe, who currently has a law practice there. Lowe has a contract to buy the house from the Spoors for $89,500 but is willing
In This Week’s Edition...
to forego the purchase if he can rent it from the county, Gouker said. Lowe will pay the county $300 a month rent for the property, pay the real estate taxes, and take care of maintenance, Gouker said. Gouker said an appraiser hired by the county valued the house at $89,500. Board member Lyle Hopkins, Polo, voiced his opposition to the purchase price. “If it was appraised at $89,500, I don’t think we should offer one penny Emily Sherrick, Polo, loads up a box of canned goods for the Polo Lifeline Food Pantry more,� he said. Board member Greg Dec. 12 at Crossroads Community Church. The food was collected during the Polo
Births, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5
Food Donation
Council of Churches annual drive for Christmas food baskets. The food left after the
Turn to A2 baskets were packed was taken to the food pantry. Photo by Vinde Wells
Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 Weather, A3 Zoning Permits, B5
Deaths, B3 Hortense Ludwig, Michael McPherson, Joan B. Mock, Frederic A. Yoder
0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM