Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press September 14, 2017 Volume 159, Number 40 - $1.00
Marcos Win Big
West Nile
Fall Festival
Marcos roll over Metro East Lutheran 55-6 in non-conference action Friday night. B1
West Nile virus detected in mosquito pool in Mt. Morris. B3
Nachusa Grasslands will host Autumn on the Prairie on Saturday. A6
Women gather at the range for a day of shooting By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com More than 100 women from around Illinois congregated in Polo Saturday for firearms, food, and friendly faces. The Well-Armed Woman Illinois chapters held their first annual state shoot at the Tri-County Gun Club, 3441 S. Brookville Rd., Polo, and women came from all over the state to shoot the breeze and the targets together. As far as an official event goes, around 20 sponsors came to demonstrate their products and conduct controlled tests on the ranges, such as Springfield Armory showing off guns new and old and Crimson Trace offering trials of their laser sights. Anyone familiar with firearms knows that safety is the first and final word when
it comes to shooting, and all of the active ranges featured a team of range safety officers and TWAW chapter leaders and instructors keeping things firing properly. Away from the ranges, there was a relaxing, laidback vibe to the event; just a place to get together and enjoy one another’s company. “This event is a great chance for our spread-out chapters to congregate together,” said Lori Sanner, co-state leader from Christian County. “It’s a great chance to meet new people.” When Sanner says spreadout, she isn’t kidding; with 24 TWAW chapters ranging from Williamson County to Lake County, Illinois sports the most of any state. The skill levels of the members varies from seasoned veterans to brand new faces, and Bev Pace, Ogle County chapter member, says that’s part of
what makes it all great. “We’re all at different levels, and we all try to help one another,” said Pace. “It’s constantly a learning experience, and we’re a big family together.” Sanner echoed the mission statement established by Carrie Lightfoot, founder of TWAW, in saying that above all else, the group provides women with a chance to educated, equipped, and empowered. Lightfoot created the group in 2012, when her own experienced in exploring firearm education led to bad experiences. She wanted a place where women could feel comfortable and get what they needed out of gun safety and education. “It’s a chance for us to learn shooting sports, defensive, and target shooting, a group and setting that isn’t intimidating or condescending,” said Sanner.
Front to back: Anna Garcia, Cindy Haas, Jennifer Cooper, and Catherine Down fire down the range, testing out laser sights from Crimson Trace, one of the many sponsors on-site at the first annual Well-Armed Woman Illinois State Shoot. Photo by Zach Arbogast.
“We’re always taking on new women looking to learn, and we make sure that’s exactly what they do,” said Ogle County chapter leader
Strolling on the Farms...
Barb Graham. “By the time we’re finished, my women can take apart and put a gun back together blindfolded.” TWAW of Ogle County
Corbitt will represent Polo By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
A hayrack of visitors is pulled across one of the grazing fields at Dietrich Ranch during the first Farm Stroll in Ogle County on Sunday. Photo by Earleen Hinton
Unique farms welcomed 100+ visitors By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Raising rare Russian chickens and growing grapes are the focus at Irish Lady Farm on Oregon Trail Road west of Oregon, one of seven stops on Sunday’s first-ever Ogle County Farm Stroll. Owner Will Major, a retired attorney who now runs a detective agency in DuPage County, and his wife Pat Fennell, who still practices law also in DuPage County, bought the 50-acre farm 17 years ago with the intention of growing grapes for their own winery. They eventually scrapped the winery plan but continue to raise and sell concord, marechal foch, and villiard
grapes. Major’s real passion is raising Russian Orloff chickens, a critically endangered and ancient breed. He estimated his flock at 2,000 birds including roosters, laying hens, and young birds from newly hatched to nearly mature. Orloffs are a dual purpose breed, raised both for meat and the brown eggs they lay, Major said. Because of their flat combs and lack of wattles, Orloffs are especially winter-hardy. Major said he selectively mates his chickens to bring back purity to the breed. “They were crossed with other breeds over the years, and very few of them were pure Orloffs,” he said. “I cull the roosters to get the breed back to where it should be.” “I hatch all my own eggs - I hatch them in my living room,” he said with a grin. That living room is in the
In This Week’s Edition...
Dan Dietrich of the Dietrich Ranch talks about his grass fed beef at his family’s farm on Leaf River Road.
175-year-old brick home that Major and Fennell have renovated. During the renovations, they found a coin dated 1842 left in the wall by the brick masons.
Chamber Chatter, A3 Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B5-B8 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
The couple has kept the original flavor of the house as much as possible, including keeping the old floors and woodwork, as well as the kitchen cupboards, Turn to A7
Library News, A8 Marriage Licenses, A4 Polo Police, A2 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B3
started in October of 2013. They meet the second Sunday of every month at the Tri-County Gun Club, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Polo’s recently retired city clerk has a new role with the city. The city council appointed Susie Corbitt Sept. 5 to serve as the city’s representative to the Ogle County Economic Development Program. As the point of contact, Corbitt, a long-time member of the Polo Economic Development Corp., will attend meetings with the county group and report back to the city council on a bimonthly basis. Polo is one of seven Ogle County communities that have agreed to participate with the county board in an economic development services contract with Hopkins-Manheim Solutions, Inc. The Ogle County Board hired the firm June 20 to map a plan for the county and its municipalities at a maximum cost of $4,000 per month. The terms of the contract required that at least three municipalities also join to share the cost and benefits. Besides Polo, so far Stillman Valley, Mt. Morris, Oregon, Davis Junction, Forreston, and Rochelle have also joined the effort. Businesses will also be invited to join in the contract. Hopkins-Manheim Solutions will advise local officials how to put plans in place to attract industries. Corbitt told the council members they will need to put together an economic development plan before meeting with the firm’s officials.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B4 Weather, A3
In another matter, the council hired Marla Buskohl, of Polo, to temporarily replace city clerk Sydney Bartelt while she is on maternity leave later this year. Buskohl, a retired administrative assistant for Polo schools, will work three days a week for approximately 10 weeks and will be paid $15 per hour. In other business, the council voted 5-1 to give $50,000 to the Polo School District toward repairing the tennis courts at the high school. The project is expected to cost approximately $100,000. All six aldermen voiced their support in April to having an intergovernmental agreement drawn up between the city and the school district that would allow the city to contribute $25,000 from the TIF Fund. The other $25,000 is budgeted to come from the city’s sanitation fund. The courts are available to the public when not in use for physical education classes. Alderman Jim Busser cast the only no vote. “I just don’t think we should be giving the school district money,” he said. “Taking it from the TIF Fund was one thing, but I don’t think we should take it from our money.” Alderman Randy Schoon told Busser he agrees with him in principle but believes everyone needs to pull together to keep the school district intact, especially in light of the declining enrollment and dwindling school revenues. “I think we need to do everything we can to help them,” he said.
Deaths, B4 Lola J. Duncan, Roger L. Etnyre, Dolores I. Lohmer
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com