Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO Determination Polo-Forreston wrestler Noah Paul is determined to win state at 106 pounds B1
Happy 2016
Tri-County Press December 31, 2015 Volume 158, Number 15 - $1.00
Tree Recycling
Be smart during holiday celebrations while ringing in the New Year.
With the new year approaching, it is time to think about recycling the Christmas tree. A6
Accelerants not found on Skridla By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com Lab tests done earlier this year on the remains of a 1948 murder victim show no signs of an accelerant. Winnebago County Deputy Coroner Bill Hintz said Monday that results of testing done on scrapings taken from the skull of Stanley Skridla came back negative. “Scrapings from the skull were sent to the Joliet crime lab to test for accelerant and came back negative,” he said. Skridla was exhumed May 28 from his grave at Calvary Cemetery, west of Rockford. Winnebago County officials ordered the exhumation, requested by Skidla’s nephew, Stephan Skridla,Rockford, in an effort to solve the murders of Stanley Skridla, then 28, and his date, Mary Jane Reed, then 17, on a lover’s lane just outside of Oregon. Stephan Skridla was assisted in his efforts by former Oregon Mayor Michael Arians. Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia said after the exhumation that because of the Skridla family’s concern that his body had been burned with acid, scrapings were taken from the skull. She said the scrapings would be analyzed to determine the presence of acid or an accelerant, such as gasoline. The test results recently became available. Two .32 bullets were also removed from Skridla’s casket during the exhumation and sent to the crime lab for testing, along with a .32 gun turned over to Arians, who gave it to Turn to A2
Flames engulf the Stukenberg family’s century and a half-old barn in Leaf River Dec. 28. Photo by Vinde Wells
Leaf River barn destroyed Monday By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com
flames were blowing so far over the roof of that house when he arrived on the scene just before 3 p.m. that he thought it was already on fire. “When we pulled up I thought the house was on fire, too,” he said. “The barn was fully engulfed when we got there. I thought we would lose that house, too. I’m very happy with the save.” Besides the winds, firefighters from 10 area departments battled slippery conditions and deep slush from a winter storm that delivered sleet, snow, and freezing rain across the county all day Monday. Because one of the two village wells was out of service for maintenance, tanker trucks were sent to Forreston to fill up with water and bring it back to the fire, Shelton said. “We didn’t want to run the
Weather conditions hampered firefighters Monday afternoon as they battled a fire that destroyed a Leaf River landmark. Leaf River Fire Chief Steve Shelton said the Stukenberg family’s century and a half-old barn on the southeast corner of Ill. 72 and Main Street is a total loss, but praised firefighters for saving other nearby buildings, including two houses. “The firemen worked hard to save the houses. They did an outstanding job,” he said. “The wind made things very challenging.” By Vinde Wells A strong east wind drove the vwells@oglecountynews.com flames from the barn toward After a mostly mild December with record- all the buildings, but especially setting high temperatures, Old Man Winter threatened the closest house. In fact, Shelton said the showed his true colors Monday with a postChristmas punch. A major winter storm swept into northern Illinois late Sunday night bringing high winds By Chris Johnson and a wintry mix of slushy precipitation that cxjohnson@oglecountynews.com lasted into late Monday night. Although Christmas was green with A Christmas gathering continues temperatures in the high 40s, area residents to promote fellowship and love every woke up Monday morning to a layer of sleet year. and snow covering the ground. From the moment guests arrived Lt. Greg Kunce of the Ogle County Sheriff’s at the Forreston Reformed Church Department said slushy road conditions led Dec. 25, they were greeted by smiling numerous accidents, while the ice and wind faces and wished Merry Christmas. caused power outages. Robert Dillavou was the first face “We had a multitude of vehicles in ditches, visitors saw when they arrived for several wrecks, agency assists, power poles Christmas brunch. He was opening snapped, wires down, and trees down,” he said the door and welcoming everyone to Tuesday. “It was a long day.” the church. Conditions deteriorated as the day wore on, Downstairs Dave and Cindy Giesen Kunce said, with a mixture of sleet, snow, and were hard at work serving food and freezing rain making roads treacherous all talking to visitors. across the county. These three were working with Broken power poles and downed wires led to everyone in the congregation to make power outages with almost 900 people reported the annual brunch memorable. out of electricity at one point. Pastor Scott Ralston said the The sheriff’s department also assisted with a congregation deserves the credit fire that destroyed a large barn in Leaf River in for running the event on Christmas the mid-afternoon. Ogle County Highway Department morning. “It is a blessing,” said Ralston. “We snowplow drivers started spreading salt at have new people come every year and 4 a.m. Monday and were on the job plowing they get to share in our fellowship.” roads for 13 hours. The brunch is a time to gather and “The big problem was how slushy everything meet with friends and family, Ralson was,” said county engineer Curtis Cook. “ We said. It is also a time to meet new Turn to A2 friends. “It is a real joy to bring the church
Ice and sleet made roads hazardous
well out of water,” he said. No cause for the fire had yet been determined Tuesday but Shelton expected to meet with the state fire marshal that afternoon. Nancy Stukenberg, who lives at the farm, watched in the steady cold rain as flames engulfed the large barn that had been owned by her family for generations. “It was built in 1844,” she said. “We just put a new roof on it last summer.” She was relieved that her three horses, usually stabled in the barn, had been outside in a nearby feedlot when the fire started. “The horses are fine. Everything else can be replaced,” she said. Stukenberg said hay and feed were stored in the barn, as well as lawn mowers and other
equipment. Shelton said no one was injured in the fire. Family members were at home when the fire broke out, he said, and one was taken to the hospital by ambulance for a preexisting medical condition. Shelton said he had not yet confirmed reports of explosions from the barn as it burned. “There were no explosions while we were on the scene,” he said. “I’m looking into that.” Firefighters remained on the scene until almost 7:30 p.m. Fire departments that responded to calls for mutual aid included Mt. Morris, Oregon, Forreston, Polo, German Valley, Byron, Stillman Valley, Pecatonica, and LynnScott-Rock. The Ogle County Sheriff ’s Department also assisted at the scene.
Annual Christmas tradition held in Forreston
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
together and bring the community together,” he said. “On Christmas day, what better place is there to be then church to share that Christmas spirit with friends and family.” The brunch was a free, but donations were accepted and the generosity showed which people placing money in the basket for the New Life Community Food Pantry in Forreston. “To have the opportunity to give back to the community is great. The donations today are going to the food pantry and they will put it back into the community to feed people,” said Ralston. “Man I tell you what. There is nothing better in life then coming together in life and taking care of the people you care about and then seeing that in the community is awesome.” Every chair was taken and smiles and laughter were seen and heard throughout the brunch. Ralston said the turnout was the highest since he became pastor at the church. The congregation has been running the annual brunch for more than 15 years. When they began serving brunch it was a continuation of a previous community brunch that was held for decades.
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, A7 Public Voice, A6 Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3
Social News, A4 Sports, B1 State’s Attorney, B3 Weather, A3
Cindy Giesen, Pecatonica, prepares to serve an egg and ham casserole Friday morning during the annual Christmas brunch at Faith Lutheran Church in Forreston. Photo by Chris Johnson
Deaths, B4 Kraig H. Avey, I. Deborah Barnhart, Laura N. Behan, Mary Ellen Ridenour
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com