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POLO
Tri-County Press November 17, 2016 Volume 159, Number 9 - $1.00
Season Preview
Polo Theater
Elkhorn Creek
The Polo Lady Marcos are ready to begin the 2016-2017 basketball season. B1
“It’s A Wonderful Life” will be performed on Dec. 2, 3 in Polo. A6
The Audubon Society will host a field trip Saturday to learn about biodiversity. A6
Community celebrates veterans By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com Polo students, staff, veterans and family members all came together on Veteran’s Day for the annual lunch and program. Patriotic flags adorned the entryway to Centennial Elementary on Friday; a welcome to the Veteran’s Day Lunch and Program Mike Bowman gives a heart-felt speech, expressing festivities. appreciation for veterans, community service, and the The day began at 11 a.m., pride and patriotism that people show every day, even when students, veterans, without realizing it. Photo by Zach Arbogast.
and their family members enjoyed a hamburger lunch together. Kindergartners started the meal with fifth graders finishing off the staggered lunch period by 12:25 p.m. After lunch, students left to prepare for their part in the program, while adults were welcomed to visit in the community room with coffee, games, and sweets. The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Color Guard kicked off the Veteran’s Day Program in the
Centennial gymnasium with a presentation of the flags. The students all played enormous roles in the program; the Polo Cub Scouts pack 337 led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance, and all
of the students performed the “Star Spangled Banner,” as well as individual musical numbers. Led by Julie Lennon, Turn to A3
Officials oppose railroad project By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Following the lead of other affected counties, the Ogle County Board came out in opposition Tuesday to the proposed Great Lakes Basin Railroad. The board approved a resolution, by a vote of 23 to 1, that says members believe “the purported gains in efficiency from the proposed rail line would be far outweighed by the negative environmental impact.” The decision was applauded by a large group of people in the audience who are opposed to the rail line. Board member Ron Colson, Mt. Morris, cast the only negative vote.
“We really don’t know what we’re dealing with,” Colson said. “There’s already been two plans; there could be four or five.” “I can’t really see any benefit to our county of this railroad,” said board member Bill Welty, Chana. The rail system would be funded by private investors led by Frank Patton, Crete, a former software developer. If approved by the Surface Transportation Board of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the rail line will extend from Milton, Wisconsin, to La Porte, Indiana, passing through Scott, White Rock, Lynnville, Dement, and Flagg Townships on the east side of Ogle County. Tom Smith, Kings, who was elected to the county
board Nov. 8, spoke in behalf of residents opposed to the project. He said information about the proposal has been sketchy. “There’s so many unknowns they’re not telling us,” he said. “It’s not fair to us.” Smith said school buses, emergency services, and law enforcement will all be slowed or re-routed by the trains that pass through on the new tracks. Davis Junction Village Trustee William Luchsinger said the GLB tracks will pass through the heart of the village and has already put business and residential development plans on hold until a decision is made. He said an estimated 85
to 100 trains per day of 100 cars each would use the new tracks. “That’s a train every 13 minutes,” Luchsinger said. “It’s detrimental to our village.” James Milligan, Kings, said the track will intersect his beef operation, causing him to travel five miles just to feed his cattle. “There’s an awful lot of good farmland that’s going to be covered up,” he said. Smith said it appears that the railroad will pay less taxes than current property owners do. “The farmers and their families live here, work here, go to school here, go to church here,” he said. “Are Turn to A8
Preferred location for jail approved By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com South Sixth Street in Oregon is the preferred location for the proposed Ogle County Jail. The Ogle County Board approved a resolution Tuesday evening for the concept design of the new jail located in the 100 block of South Sixth
Street across the street from the judicial center. Jeff Goodale, Director of Justice at HOK, a Chicago architectural and planning firm, presented a design which was fine-tuned from the one he bought to the board last month. HOK was hired a year ago to do a jail needs assessment. Like last month’s the
drawing shows South Sixth Street closed to traffic with a sally port across what is now the street connecting the new detention center to the judicial center. Oregon Mayor Ken Williams said Tuesday that the city council has not yet discussed whether or not to close South Sixth Street between Washington and
Jefferson Streets. However, he has received a formal request from Ogle County Board Chairman Kim Gouker asking the city to vacate the street. “We’re doing an engineering study,” Williams said. “Once we have the results of the study, it will go to the Planning Commission and then to the city council.”
Fire stands made for Candlelight Walk y Earleen Hinton B ehinton@oglecounty news.com Visitors to this year’s Candlelight Walk will want to give a nod to the employees of an Oregon manufacturing company while they warm up by one of the brand new fire stands on Candy Cane Lane. Workers from E.D. Etnyre & Co, located on S. Daysville Road, designed and then created the metal fire stands last week, just in time for the annual Nov. 26 event in Oregon. “The Oregon Chamber of Commerce and The Candlelight Walk Committee are so excited and extremely grateful for this generous contribution from the E. D. Here are some of the E.D. Etnyre employees who worked on the fire stands for Etnyre crew,” said Debbie Candlelight Walk. Pictured left to right, are: Kathy Taylor, Sarah Cahill, Shawn Dickson, executive director Schwartzrock, Nate Linboom, Joshua Hawkins, Doug Heilemeier, Kurt Vail, and Jesse Mazanec. Employees Al Jensen, Bryan Geiger, and Byron Hogan were not present of the Oregon Chamber of Turn to A7 when the photo was taken. Photo by Earleen Hinton
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B5-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4 Marriage Licenses, A4
Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B3 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3
Centennial Elementary School’s lawn and entrance were adorned with flags to honor both the Veterans who could make it to the day’s events, as well as those who could not. Photo by Zach Arbogast.
Former sheriff enters not guilty plea on Nov. 10 By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Former Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn pleaded not guilty in Ogle County Court Nov. 10 to charges that he used county funds for his own use while he was in office. Carroll County Judge Val Gunnarsson, who is presiding over the case, set Harn’s bond at $10,000 on his own recognizance. Under the bond conditions, Harn is prohibited from possessing firearms. Gunnarsson set Harn’s next court appearance for Dec. 19. Harn, 54, was charged Oct. 12 with two counts of felony theft. According to court documents, he is accused of buying numerous items with county funds, including electronic equipment, boat equipment, radio-controlled toys, party tents, coolers, weapons, hunting guns, Harley-Davidson clothing and accessories, adult novelty items, and outdoor fountains. The list goes on to include auto maintenance for his personal vehicles, Apple iTunes products, and radio advertising. The total cost of the items falls between $500 and $10,000. Harn’s attorney John Nocita, West Chester, told Gunnarsson that Harn wished to waive a preliminary hearing and proceed to arraignment. At the request of Special Prosecutor Dave Neal, of the Illinois Office of State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, Gunnarsson ordered Harn to report to the Illinois State Police District 1
Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A3
headquarters at Sterling to be fingerprinted. The state police investigated the case. Neal said Thursday he could not yet say the exact amount Harn is accusing of taking. “I can’t give you an exact amount because we’re working out an agreement,” he said. “It won’t be more than $10,000 on each count.” Neal said he expects both sides to be ready for trial by January or February depending on the court schedule. The charges against Harn resulted from a two-year state police investigation that began shortly after an internal audit of the office in December 2014 and January 2015. The thefts are said to have occurred between June 1, 2011, and Dec. 2, 2014. The felonies each carry a sentence of 3 to 7 years in prison. “It’s never a good thing when we have to file criminal charges against anyone,” Neal said. “It’s particularly distressing when that person has public trust.” Harn served as Ogle County sheriff from 2010 to 2014 before being defeated by current sheriff Brian VanVickle in the 2014 Republican Primary. His salary was $87,000. Prior to being elected sheriff, Harn was an Ogle County deputy for several years. While in office, Harn stewarded a fund containing administrative tow fees and other money that was not included in the county’s budget. Sauk Valley Media began reporting Harn’s questionable spending Turn to A2
Deaths, B4 George D. Chester, Rosa Ditto, Theodore (Ted) M. Gapinski
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com