Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press November 23, 2017 Volume 159, Number 48 - $1.00
Season Ends
New Flag
Christmas Star
Forreston’s football season ended Saturday with a 12-8 loss to Le-Win in the state semifinal. B1
A large stationary flag was dedicated on Nov. 11. A8
Participate in the the Christmas Star Project to make a child smile. A2
Cause of Leaf River fatal fire not yet determined By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com The cause of the Nov. 10 fatal house fire in Leaf River has not yet been determined. Firefighter Gregory Wood, 19, died in the early morning blaze, and two of his family members were seriously injured. “Officially it’s still under investigation,” Ogle County Detective Brian Ketter said Monday morning. “We’re waiting for the state fire marshal’s office to finish their investigation. At this point it’s not at all suspicious.” He said the fire started in the downstairs along the west wall of the living room. Leaf River Fire Chief Steve Shelton said Gregory’s father, Marcus, 43, and brother, Travis, 16, were recently released from the Rockford hospitals where they were treated for burns and smoke inhalation. “Marcus was released yesterday [Saturday], and Travis a couple of days ago,” Shelton said Sunday afternoon. Marcus is the deputy fire chief, and Travis is a cadet firefighter. Gregory’s mother Nicole, an EMT, was treated and released from the hospital on the day of the fire. Gregory, a 2017 graduate of Forreston High School, had recently successfully completed EMT classes. An autopsy last week determined he died from smoke inhalation. Funeral services will be
held on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. with the visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m., both at the River Valley Complex, 605 Main St., Leaf River. Shelton said the team investigating the fire included the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation, Ogle County Sheriff’s Department, and an insurance company. Shelton, who lives across the street from the Wood home, said he was awakened at about 12:40 a.m. on Nov. 10 when members of the Wood family pounded on his door for help. At that point, he said, the entire front of the two-story frame house was in flames. He said he and his son Aaron, also a firefighter, immediately went to the fire station. When they arrived back on the scene minutes later with a firetruck, the house was totally engulfed. “Basically there were flames coming from every window of the house,” he said. The Wood family rented the house from Lazette Rasmussen, of Steward. Fifteen area fire departments responded with mutual aid. Neighboring fire departments have been covering Leaf River’s fire calls and manning the station since the fire. The Leaf River Fire Department has set up a fund at German American State Bank, German Valley, to assist the Wood family.
Above: Demolition began late last week of the burned out Wood home at 209 W. Second St., in Leaf River. Gregory Wood, 19, died in the fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 10. Below: This memorial to Leaf River Firefighter Gregory Wood stands in the front yard out at his home at 209 W. Second St. in Leaf River. Wood died when the home was destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 10. Photos by Vinde Wells
Grocery store may be in the offing By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com One item on Monday night’s city council agenda was discussion and possible action about making a $30,000 loan to Tushar Patel as seed money to help him start a grocery store at 205 S. Division Ave., the site of the former Polo Super Valu. Due to early deadlines for
Thanksgiving, coverage of the meeting will appear in the Nov. 30 edition. The loan, which, if approved, would come from the city’s General Fund, and be repaid within a few years. Patel is buying the building from Ahmad Farraj, who had plans to open a grocery store there more than a year ago, but that did not materialize. The city has been without Turn to A2
Santa comes to town on Nov. 25 PACT Performs The Littlest Angel (MyKalah Martin-Presley) and the Understanding Angel (Hart DuBois) reminisce about the different things they miss from living on Earth. Polo Area Community Theatre’s production of “The Littlest Angel” opens Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., with shows Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance at Polo-Shannon Bank, the Polo Public Library, Polo Sub Stop, or at www.polotheatre. org/buytickets.html. Photo by Zach Arbogast
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B3
Marriage Licenses, A4 Polo Police, A2 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B3
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports,B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B3
The Christmas season officially begins in Polo on Saturday, Nov. 25 with several activities. Santa’s Breakfast to be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Polo Area Senior Center. The breakfast is free for local children. Children may also go shopping for their families from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with the seniors helping wrap the gifts. The annual lighting at the senior center’s Festival of Trees is set for 6:30 p.m. along with entertainment and holiday treats. The tree lighting in the Louise D. Quick Park will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive on the fire truck. Kids can line up to see the “jolly old elf ” and share their Christmas gift dreams.
Deaths, B5 Drew E. Crase, David A. Jones, Richard D. Lovelace, Lois J. Medlar, Goldie D. Reinke, Gregory J. Wood, Larry Woolcott
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com