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POLO Sports Previews The golf and volleyball teams have practiced and are now ready for the season. B2
Muddy Fun
Tri-County Press August 18, 2016 Volume 158, Number 48 - $1.00
Farm Heritage
The annual mud bogs were held Sunday afternoon. B1
East Jordan Church will host an annual farm heritage event on Aug. 27. B6
Repair costs are high for county By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com A building recently purchased by the Ogle County Board is turning out to be more expensive than anticipated. Architect Greg Rewerts of Rewerts Design Group, Rockford, told the board Tuesday evening that his preliminary examination of former Rochelle Clinic shows that renovating it for county offices will cost an estimated $877,000. Previously, county board chairman Kim Gouker had estimated the renovations at just over half that. Rewerts said the “biggest hurdle” and expense will be updating the mechanicals Hayden Roos, age 4, Oregon, looks over Dick Curry’s diorama of model cars that was displayed at the Polo Chamber system and bringing into compliance with the Illinois of Commerce’s Cart Show on Aug. 13. Photo by Earleen Hinton Energy Code. His estimate put that cost at $175,000.
Skies clear for annual car show By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
The skies cleared just in time for the Polo Chamber of Commerce’s Car Show on Saturday. Fords, Chevys, and Chryslers from across the years were lined up alongside Nashes and Oldsmobiles on Mason Street in the heart of the downtown. Chamber treasurer Susie Corbitt said the cloudy weather had event organizers a little concerned early in the day. “It sprinkled off and on and looked threatening until 10,” she said. “I was afraid we would get very few cars.” However, 117 entries were on display for the annual event. “It really went well,” Corbitt said. “This is a nice show,” said Dean Apple, Dixon, as he Joe Lawrence, of Janesville, Wisconsin, polishes one of the wheels of his 1969 checked out a 1930 Chevy Oldsmobile 442 at the Polo Chamber of Commerce’s Cart Show on Aug. 13. Photo by Turn to A2 Earleen Hinton
The county purchased the clinic building, previously a bank, and its two large parking lots in downtown Rochelle last fall for $180,000 from Rochelle Community Hospital. The county had already been renting the basement for its Emergency Operations Center when hospital officials put the building on the market late last summer. The plan is to locate the Rochelle offices of the Ogle County Health Department and Ogle County Probation Department in the building. The two departments currently rent spaces in Rochelle for almost $50,000 per year. Rewerts said Tuesday that the heating and airconditioning system is noncompliant with state energy codes because it doesn’t bring outside air into the building. Turn to A3
Courthouse is 125 years old By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com An Ogle County landmark will celebrate its 125th anniversary later this week. The Ogle County Board approved a resolution Tuesday evening commemorating the dedication of the Ogle County Courthouse on Aug. 20, 1891. The stately three-story brick building with its tall cupola is situated in the heart of downtown Oregon and is the county’s third courthouse. Chicago architect George O. Garnsey designed the structure in Romanesque Revival style. Built at a cost of $107,000 in 1890-91, it is made of red brick and detailed with
Naperville and Ashton limestone. Rough cut limestone arches decorate its two entrances on the east and the west, along with Corinthian pilasters. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The first courthouse was completed in 1841 but was never used. The new courthouse was destroyed by arson on March 21, 1841, the night before court was to have convened there for the first time. The Prairie Banditti, band of outlaws who operated in Ogle County and the surrounding area at the time, were blamed for the fire. Turn to A2
Grobe appointed and sworn in to Polo City Council By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Polo’s Ward I has a new alderman to represent its citizens on the Polo City Council. Justin Grobe was sworn in Monday evening after the city council approved his appointment by a unanimous vote. The council also accepted the resignation of alderman David Ackeberg, who Grobe replaces on the council. The four-year term will expire in April. Ackeberg submitted his letter of resignation Aug. 1, citing personal reasons. He was charged Aug. 1 with theft and forgery from his former employer Birkey’s Farm Store, Polo.
The council also appointed Reed Mitchell to the Park Board to replace Tom Suits, who retired recently after serving for 37 years. In another matter, the council approved spending more than $12,000 for sidewalk and curb replacement. The council accepted an estimate from O’Brien Civil Works, Inc., Polo, to replace 61 feet of curb and gutter at 607 Mason St. at a cost of $4,270, and to replace 164 square feet of sidewalk, 22 square yards of driveway, and 48 feet of curb and gutter at 108 Congress Ave. for $8,105. Street Supervisor Kendall Kyker said the work was budgeted. He said tree roots raised the curb on Congress Avenue
In This Week’s Edition...
about six inches and cracked the adjoining sidewalk and driveways. The tree has already been removed, Kyker said. Alderman Jim Busser said the work needs to be done. “I went by those projects today, and they definitely have to be done,” he said. The council also authorized Police Chief Dennis Christen to get prices on a new police vehicle. Alderman Troy Boothe said one of the vehicles, which is six years old, has required numerous expensive repairs. “It’s basically costing the city a lot of money to keep that vehicle on the road,” he said. Polo City Clerk Susie Corbitt administers the oath of office to newly appointed alderman Ordinarily police vehicles Justin Grobe at Monday’s city council meeting. Grobe replaces Dave Ackeberg, who are kept for eight years resigned two weeks ago. Photo by Vinde Wells before being replaced.
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B4 Polo Police, A3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B4
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, A10, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
Deaths, B4 Elva J. Buser, James D. Garber, Les Jones, Richard A. Personette, Jill D. Rogers
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com