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POLO TRI-COUNTY PRESS VOLUME 162 NO. 7 • SERVING THE POLO AREA SINCE 1857

FRIDAY, April 24, 2020 • $1.00

NEW LIGHTS

COUNTY NEWS

COVID-19 Shutdown A Rochelle plant is temporarily closed down due to outbreak. / 10

COUNTY NEWS

More Cases As of Tuesday, Ogle County had 61 reported cases. / 3

On Schedule Completion of the new Ogle County Jail is ahead of schedule and under budget. / 9

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

ComEd worker Jim Wiggins, of Dixon, was busy last Saturday installing new LED lights on city street poles. Wiggins said the new LED lights were recently installed in Dixon and are now being installed in Polo, Oregon, and Mt. Morris.

One Section - 24 Pages

INDEX Betty’s Column......... 5 Business News... 11, 18 Church News............12 City Council............... 2

Classifieds......... 23-34 Extension News.......21 Library News..........7-8 Oregon Police...........17

DEATH Published every Friday

by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media

Marilyn J. Hannah, Page 19

Otto’s Column........... 6 Property Transfers...19 Sports.................. 14-16 State News...............17

Tri-County Press / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| POLO BEAT

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POLO

Tri-County Press oglecountynews.com OFFICE 113-115 Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 (815) 732-6166 ext. 2592 Fax: (815) 284-2078 SUBSCRIPTIONS $39 in Ogle County, and $52 outside Ogle County.

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Ogle County Newspapers also prints the Mt. Morris Times, Forreston Journal, and

Oregon Republican Reporter.

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Copyright 2020

YOUR GOVERNMENT

City council discusses new water plant No action taken on potential plan

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com The Polo City Council met online over Zoom for the first time on Monday and discussed the possibility of building a new water plant in the city.

No action was taken on the potential project, but it is in the budget that the city is currently preparing for the next fiscal year. The first step in the process would be paying engineering fees to find out what the cost of the project would be.

Alderman Randy Schoon said that the plan would involve a year-long process to get approved, a year of planning and permits and then a year of building. If things go according to plan, the first payment would not be until January of 2023, coinciding with when the city’s water tower would be paid off.

Schoon said possible budget constraints due to the current COVID-19 situation may set the potential project back. The timeframe does allow for possible loans with forgiveness and grants, though.

“This is something we need to do,” Schoon said. “Pretty much everyone I’ve talked to has said we need to. Especially with the consideration of getting the

60 percent forgiveness of the $800,000.

That’s pretty hard to ignore. But if we start getting chopped shorter and shorter, it might be something we have to let go.”

The city will be finalizing its next budget in its coming meetings. Council members said it will likely have to be amended at some point due to factors related to COVID-19.

“Until we figure out where we’re at and what’s going to happen with everything, what’s going to happen with the water bill revenues and everything that surrounds this, we need to pass this budget and put this on the shelf until we know what’s going on,” Schoon said of the water plant project.

Business After Hours If you are interested and would like to host a Business after Hours or Breakfast before Business call the Chamber at 815-946-3131.

Certificates of Recognition The Polo Chamber of Commerce will Certificates of Recognition to any Polo Chamber of Commerce business members who are celebrating five years of being in business, or those

with five-year increments of being in business in Polo. Call 815-946-3131.

Get the Word Out Contact The Polo Chamber of Commerce at 815-946-3131, polochanber@gmail.com, or mail to P.O. Box 116, Polo, IL 61064 if you would like to post your event on the Chamber Sign, Chamber Website polochamber.org, Chamber Face Book Page and-or the Chamber Chatter.

third grader. He and I talked about math as part of one of my assignments. We had a fun conversation about place value. He rewarded himself with Easter jelly beans afterward.

Online meetings have become very popular as we all practice keeping our physical distance from one another. Tonight, I met with my school colleague about an assignment. We visited for a large part of our time. We are determined to stay close during these times.

This past week, we mourned the loss of a dear friend and family member, Wanda Wiggins. My memories of Wanda go back many years, as they do for many of us. She will be remembered for her love of God and her love for family and friends.

Wanda wrote the Pine Creek News for a very long time before me. I will always remember Wanda’s love of writing and drawing. I, like many of us, received homemade cards with her drawings over the years. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.

This past weekend, I was determined to get caught up on the many assignments for my math and science classes. Working online takes a great amount of discipline.

My work partner, Valerie, is a great example of the kind of discipline it takes to be successful with online classes.

We met on our very first night of class during our first semester. I am clearly the oldest member of all of our classes and Val-

erie is the closest second. We have two very different approaches to the school work.

She is organized and I am not.

She makes very long lists of all the tasks that need to be done on a project. She makes symbols next to each item to organize them by priority. All of her projects have gone above and beyond the project rubric. She is going to be a great teacher.

I, on the other hand, have a hard time remembering when everything is due. I usually have to look it up on the syllabus or pour over emails from our professors to figure out the content of the latest paper. I simply fly by the seat of my pants.

I have heard lots of people say I must thrive on the pressure. I don’t, really. It gets stressful. I worry. I go without sleep to finish the five page paper that everyone else had worked on for weeks. In the end, it gets done.

When we think about the path to heaven, we are either like Valerie or like me. I know many people that live by every good rule. They love God and follow Him at every turn. Then, there’s those who have lived life with a little more abandon.

The good news is that God loves us all.

He meets us where we are. He already knows our hearts. He loves us when we are making lists and when we are burning the midnight oil. He is with us during our daily prayer time and for those unexpected nights when we cry out to Him.

CHAMBER CHATTER Cancellations Polo Public Library is closed, Coffee with a Cop is cancelled until further notice, The Polo Council of Churches “Our Table Community Meal” is cancelled until further notice, Polo Rehabilitation & Health Care has temporarily cancelled the Thursday morning Community Coffee, and the Polo Senior Center is temporarily closed.

Pine Creek News By Karen Merlak

We had one last snow to remind us of the beauty of God’s creation. The piles of white flakes were gone as quickly as they fell to the ground. We know that in a world of extremes, God is the only constant. For this and everyday, we are truly thankful.

This morning for church, Pastor Charlotte Hoppe led a service on Facebook live.

We are so happy to be joined by new people each week. Please come and join us on Sunday mornings by following Pine Creek Chrstian Church (Disciples of Christ) on Facebook.

It has been a quiet week here. My days are spent at my work in Sterling and my nights are at home working on the many assignments that are due at the end of another semester. Like the many area students, I have made several adjustments to online learning.

On Wednesday evening, I spent some time in an online meeting with Knox, a

COVID-19 UPDATE

One death in the county so far

the OCHD and the facility complied and put its employees on paid leave.

“My team has spent countless hours in collaboration with Rochelle Foods in an attempt to mitigate the virus spread,” OCHD Administrator Kyle Auman said. “Since those

BY JEFF HELFRICH efforts were unsuccessful, it is my jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com duty to order a complete closure of the facility.”

Ogle County COVID-19 cases The local health departments in jumped from 25 to 61 within the span the region continue to work with the of a week. One death has been Illinois Department of Public reported in the county so far.

Health to identify and notify Twelve new cases were those that may have been in reported on April 17. Eight close contact with the indimore were confirmed by the viduals who have tested posOgle County Health Departitive for the virus. ment on April 18. Ten more All Rochelle Foods employcame on April 19. ees were scheduled to be testPart of the spike in cases ed this week at Rochelle Comcan be attributed to an out- Kyle Auman munity Hospital and KSB break at Hormel’s Rochelle Hospital in Dixon.

Foods plant in Rochelle.

Ogle’s first COVID-19 case came As of April 17, a total of 19 Ogle on March 30. Previously, the OCHD County cases were linked to the would say an age of each individual facility. It was ordered to close by case it confirmed. That has changed.

“Due to the number of positives we now have and limited staff, moving forward we will just be announcing new totals, as all age ranges have been affected,” the OCHD wrote on

its Facebook.

(More coverage of the Rochelle Foods COVID-19 outbreak appears on page 10.)

• Oregon Republican Reporter • Mt. Morris Times •Tri-County Press • Forreston Journal

A NOTE TO OUR COMMUNITY:

We remain open, so we can provide essential services to the community!

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• Friday, April 24, 2020

Only $39 a year for subscribers living in Ogle County. Call Diana at 815-732-6166, ext. 2518 to subscribe today!

OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

COVID-19: Ogle up to 61 cases as of Tuesday

3

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| OGLE COUNTY NEWS

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ENTERTAINMENT IMPACT

COVID-19 pandemic cancels another festival Due to the uncertainty regarding the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the German Valley Days Planning Committee has decided it is advisable to cancel this year’s event which was scheduled on June 12-14.

“The committee believes, it is in the best interest of all concerned, including those who plan and present the festival, as well as the guests that might attend, that the festival be cancelled this year,” said Donna Smith, organizer. “We regret that for the first time in 47 years German Valley Days will not occur, but it was a difficult choice that had to be made.

Smith said the committee is announcing that next year, the 2021 German Valley Days is moving to a new date.

“German Valley Days 2021 is scheduled on July 16-18, 2021,” Smith said. “We will look forward to seeing all of you then.”

German Valley Days is the second area festival to be cancelled following the cancellation of Leaf River Days two weeks ago.

Little Miss and Mr. German Valley contestants pose for a picture on June 7, 2019 at the close of the pageant. Pictured left to right are: Luke Zipse, Asher Shurtleff, Connor Brown, Jaxson Schopf, Little Mr. Ryan Garnhart, Little Miss Avery Hersey, Aliyah Quenzer, Lily Pratt, Lucy Schneiderman, Bristol Julius, Evangeline Jones and 2018 Little Miss Lily Zipse and 2018 Little Mr. Kaleb Bergin.

RECREATION IMPACT

Nash Recreation Center’s closure extended into May The Oregon Park District’s Nash Recreation Center will remain closed through May 25 as a result of the Governor JB Pritzker’s order to keep school’s closed through the end of the school year.

“Nash Recreation Center provides an opportunity for groups of all sizes and ages to congregate and socialize,” said Erin Folk, park district executive director. “The facility opening prior to the school closure ending may aid in local transmission of the virus and does not promote proper social distancing.

“The safety of our patrons and staff is our first priority,” Folk said.

Patrons with facility memberships will receive an e-mail regarding their current membership and refund or extension information.

“More information will be shared as the governor and CDC release additional details pertaining to proper operation of the recreation facilities, programs and event gatherings,” Folk said.

Questions can be directed to info@oregonpark. org.

As part of the Nash Recreation Center’s required

closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic the District is offering two options to all pass holders.

All monthly pass payments have been suspended effective April 20.

Option 1: Pass Holders may request a prorated refund of their existing pass. Nash closed on March 13 and the remaining balance of prepaid memberships can be immediately refunded. To choose this option, a request form must be filled out. Those are available online atwww.oregonpark.org/covid-19pass-refund-request. One submission for family passes will cancel the entire family pass.

Option 2: Pass Holders may keep their pass in suspension status until Nash officially re-opens. All passes will then be re-activated and extended for the amount of time that Nash was closed.

For example, if Nash re-opens on May 26, your pass expiration will be extended by 74 days.

“There is no need to contact us if you wish to keep your pass in suspension status. There will be no automatic withdrawals of monthly pass payments.

The community will be notified once Nash is prepared to re-open,” Folk said.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

The Nash Recreation Center is located at 304 S. Fifth Street in Oregon.

MARRIAGE LICENSES Ogle County Clerk Laura Cook has issued the following marriage licenses.

April 3 Daniel Lee Hansen and Brenda Kay Wilson, both of Bettendorf.

April 7 Bradley Steven Bosecker and Megan Renee Walter,

April 9 Richard Allen Nelson Jr. of Genoa and Aseneth Sarai Herrera of Rochelle.

April 14 Roger Eugene Wakenight Jr. of Oregon and Amy Elizabeth Johnson of Byron.

Pedro Alberto Rodriguez and Heather Michelle Blanco Zammaroni, both of Rockford.

April 13 Zachary Jared William Hernandez and Morgan Elizabeth Grace Hopp, both of Rockford.

April 15 Paul Michael Williams of Creston and Tiffany Marie Sanders of Ashton.

both of Davis Junction.

LOCAL HISTORY

BY BETTY OBENDORF Curator, Polo Historical Society

TOP LEFT: Gladys Taber is pictured with her daughter Connie and one of her cocker spaniels. BOTTOM LEFT: Taber in her kitchen. One of her books is pictured at top and bottom right. Wikipeda photos

Together they canned food like crazy and had many experiences living in this old house back in the hills.

I loved reading about the weather, the changing seasons, and all the different kinds of food she served to her guests.

So recently, while I have been cooped up, I have read all of her books twice. Then I went to my Anne of Green Gables, Red Pepper Burns, Daddy-

Talk to your neighbors, then talk to me.

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• Friday, April 24, 2020

Our family is making masks and Kenneth and I have just received ours in case we want to leave our premises.

Perhaps the day will come when we all will be required to wear a mask as we leave our houses. If I want to go to the museum, I will need to remember my bag with all the information in it, my keys, and now I will add to it, my mask.

These days I am more inclined to just stay home until the havoc that has been created in the world is over especially since I would be one of those at risk!

I do miss running over to the store for a chicken leg or two, some mashed potatoes and gravy along with vegetables.

As a result I am cooking, cooking, and cooking which puts me on my feet quite a bit of the time.

So to get off my feet I find myself reading, reading, and reading some more.

Usually in the winter time when we would be shut in I would pull out all my Gladys Taber books. She lived in a 1690 house in Connecticut with an assortment of dogs, cats, and kids.

She cooked, grew flowers, raised Cocker Spaniels, wrote books, had a column in a magazine, and entertained constantly.

A college friend from Freeport, Illinois lived with her and that gal gardened.

Long-Legs, and reread those.

Next came the books of my grandmother’s and my father’s. I enjoy reading the books from years ago with wonderful language that does not exist in books today.

I was just coming to the end of those when I got a call from Marilyn Swartz. The museum inherited great children’s books from her mother’s library and they are at Henry School. This took place a number of years ago.

Marilyn still had books that had belonged to her mother, who had been a teacher. Did we want them at the museum?

I had her drop them off here at my house and have been going through them.

Two of them are cooking books from 1915 that would have been used in a class of perhaps home economics years ago.

I have always enjoyed the old cookbooks of years past and I imagine my grandmother with her old wood burning stove whipping up some of these recipes.

How about a lesson on preparing cream puffs in 1915?

In among the books were several murder mysteries, Arabian Nights, poems of Alfred Lord Tennyson, Pollyanna series, Silas Marner, Shakespeare’s, The Merchant of Venice, the study of poetry, and numerous others.

Obviously many were used as textbooks in school. Anyone interested in the old classics?

OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Being cooped up means more books to read

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Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| OGLE COUNTY NEWS

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LOCAL HISTORY

Oregon’s eighth grade graduation was in Coliseum Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written. Text from older newspaper articles has not been changed to represent modern techniques.

BY OTTO DICK The following is from the June 10, 1926 Ogle County Republican Newspaper.

An All Home Print Newspaper (Rural School Graduation Is Now Big Event) “The annual Eighth grade graduation exercises continue to be one of the big events of the year in Ogle County and on May 27, the Coliseum was filled to capacity with the throng which came to attend the program.

“The event has grown each year since its exception twenty years ago, when the list of graduates numbered scarcely twenty-five until the present when it reaches close to two hundred and fifty and is a gratifying evidence that parents are interested in the education of their children.

“The class which this year was successful in the Eight Grade examinations number 241 and were presented with diplomas by County Superintendent of Schools John E. Cross at the Court House prior to the exercises, after which they marched to the Coliseum.

“It is surely fortunate for Oregon that we have the fine large Coliseum with ample seating capacity for large gatherings of people. The Stillman Valley Orchestra of ten pieces gave a selection as the graduates marched in to the Coliseum where the ten front rows of seats were reserved for the seating of the class.

“Superintendent of Ogle County Schools stated that there was much curiosity among the graduates to know who had made the highest average. First honors went to District No. 165, Davis Junction, the student making the highest averages being a Mexican girl who came here from Mexico six years ago, unable to speak a word of English but regardless of this handicap in the eight subjects in examination she made 798 points out of a possible 800 points which made her an average of 99%. The young lady, Miss Antonia Media was invited to stand and was given a vigorous applause by the audience.”

“County School Supt. Cross introduced the speaker Judge Leon A.

TOP: The Oregon Coliseum is located on the corner of Franklin Street and Illinois 2 in downtown Oregon. BOTTOM: This old newspaper ad shows a new Hotpoint Electric Range for just $15 down. Photos provided by Otto Dick

ABOVE: The Pathfinder tire was available for $14. BELOW: This ad promotes Warner Bros’ 1925 silent movie The Clash of Wolves featuring Rin-Tin-Tin and June Marlowe. Photos provided by Otto Dick

Zick stating he was the youngest County Judge in Illinois, and he may well be one of the ablest.”

Judge Zick stated: “It seems to me that your chief ambition at this stage of the game should be to complete a high school education. When your parents were young it wasn’t an easy matter for a boy or girl to get a high school education. A great many of them had to stop school and go to work and help raise money to support the family; but in this day and age with the wonderful public school system there is very little excuse for any boy or girl not completing high school education.

“If you do not take advantage of the opportunities which are open to you to get a high school education you will regret it the rest of your lives.”

Judge Zick gave them advice on

their choices following High School. ”If your only motive in going away to college is to have a good time and probably round yourself out a little socially, better just forget it and plan for getting a job or getting into some line of business when you get out of high school.”

This article listed the names of each of the graduates in each of the school districts. Eight grade students in Ogle County were tested and given diplomas by the Ogle County Superintendent.

Also prior to the 1900s teachers were tested and certified by the County Superintendent of Schools.

Correction In last week’s article, an incorrect street was listed for the Sauer home.

Maurice Sauer lived at 407 S. 6th St. in Oregon, not S. 7th Street.

OREGON LIBRARY

Did You Know?

In December 1908, the new Carnegie library in Oregon was ready to be occupied.

The books and pamphlets were all dusted and packed into boxes by the librarian, then slid down the long flight of stairs at the First National Bank building, placed on wheelbarrows and wheeled over to the new building.

The library was not closed during the move and books were given out as usual all but one evening.

On Dec. 12, 1908, books were circulated from the new building for the first time.

Since we are a fine free library you will not be accruing fines for overdue materials, so don’t worry about returning your items.

Use our WiFi outside of our building by connecting to the Oregon Library Guest Access WiFi network that doesn’t need a password.

Library Closure Due to the shelter in place order the Oregon Public Library will be closed until further notice. All programs have also been cancelled. We hope to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and contribute to the health of the community.

We Now Have Overdrive for E Books!

Readers may browse OPL’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading or listening for free with a valid library card. This service is compatible with all major computers and

offline use.

To get started enjoying ebooks, audiobooks and more, visit https://omnilibraries.overdrive.com/ or download Libby today.

Seniorchat New program! Senior Chats! Are you home alone,would you like a call from your favorite library staff member? Call the Oregon Public Library 815-732-2724 and leave a message with two days of the week that work, what time of day and who you would like to speak with from the library. We don’t want anyone

feeling isolated during this unusual time and we miss our patrons!

Library Cards Do you have a library card?! Oregon Public Library is issuing library cards remotely to residents during the current closure to access our digital collection.

A library card is available to anyone who lives within the Oregon Public Library District. Please share with someone that may not have a library card!

Video Story Time While the Library is closed, we will try and post a Video Story Time to our Facebook page every Thursday. It could be just stories and suggested activities or maybe some off- site guests. So check out the Oregon Public Library Facebook page.

National Library Week - April 19-25 The theme for National Library Week, “Find your place at the library,” was chosen months ago before the emergence of a global pandemic. While most libraries have closed their physical spaces in the interest of community health and See OREGON, Page 8

Sinnissippi Centers Services during the Coronavirus outbreak

Sinnissippi Centers is continuing to provide care and offer hope to individuals with a behavioral health concern during the COVID-19 outbreak.

2 years after he was diagnosed with bipolar and are We are taking advantagedisorder, of technology Kevin attempted to take life by able to use video and phone tohisprovide most jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge of our services at this time.

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• Friday, April 24, 2020

(Information compiled from historical documents found in cupboards in the Library office)

Facebook Page Follow our Facebook for resources during this closure and updates.The Library staff will be posting updates and new virtual resources as they become available. You do not have to have a Facebook account to view the Oregon Public Library Facebook page.

devices, iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets and Chromebook™ without wait lists or holds.

Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle®”. All titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period and there are no late fees. Readers can also download titles onto Libby for

OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man. “—T.S. Eliot

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| LIBRARY NEWS

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POLO LIBRARY

FORRESTON LIBRARY

Temporary Library Building Closure In cooperation with the Governor’s Stay at Home orders, and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Polo Public Library is closed until further notice and all programs scheduled during this time have been cancelled or rescheduled.

Online Resources You are still be able to use Axis 360, OMNI/Overdrive, Libby, and Biblioboard for e-resources (books, audio books) and we will continue to share resources on our Facebook page (Facebook.com/pololibrary) to help fill the gap while you can’t use the library.

Need a Library Card?

If you are new to Polo and haven’t had a chance to get a library card, or maybe you aren’t normally a reader but would like to try ebooks during this time, we will be issuing temporary library cards for people in Buffalo Township. If you are interested in

this, please email library@pololibrary. org for more information.

Materials Renewed All currently checked out materials have been renewed until May 29.

April is Poetry Month Do you like to read and write poetry?

Polo Library is inviting you to submit an original poem now through April 30.

This is open to Grades K - 12th. We will post all appropriate submissions on Facebook.

Please follow the guidelines below: • Submit one poem

• Poem must be an original work • Poem can be about anything; pets, family, friendship, school, nature, etc.

• Poem can be any form; Haiku, Free-Verse, Rhyme, Acrostic, Limerick, etc.

You can submit your poem (along with your name, grade and if we have permission to share it with the public) be emailing library@pololibrary. org Wi-Fi Access Wi-Fi is still available outside of the library building by joining the Polo Public Library Guest Access network, you do not need a password.

Questions?

If you have any questions or comments, please let us know by calling 815-946-2713 or emailing library@ pololibrary.org.

We sincerely hope that everyone stays healthy and safe during this time.

Library Closure To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Forreston Public Library will remain closed until further notice. All programs/activities are cancelled and all due dates have been extended. You may return materials in the book drop at any time. eBooks/WiFi Even though the library is closed, you may still enjoy eBooks through Axis 360. If you would like more information on creating an account, please message us on Facebook or email forrestonpubliclibrary@gmail.com and we’ll help you get set up. You may also access the internet outside the library by connecting to our WiFi. No password is required.

Preschool Outreach If your preschooler would like to receive a story page and activity sheet through the mail, please call the library at (815)938-2624 or message us on Facebook or through email.

Facebook Please check our Facebook page regularly as we are planning to add more e-resources and virtual programs soon!

BYRON LIBRARY Byron Public Library Closed Due to the shelter in place order issued by the state of Illinois, the Byron Public Library is completely closed until further notice.

Due dates have been extended by our library system so there is no need to worry about late fees! If you need to contact the library you can send us a

message through email, Facebook, or our website, or you can leave us a message at 815-234-5107. Practice social distancing and stay safe, everyone!

Parking Lot WiFi Don’t have reliable internet at home?

The Byron Library may be closed, but there is still WiFi available! Park along our south wall and look for the WiFi

network names and passwords in the window. Available 24/7.

Library Cards Don’t have a library card to access our digital services? No problem! Just send us a selfie, a picture of your driver’s license, a picture of your utility bill, and your cellphone number, and we will email you your new library card number

and PIN number. Your actual card will be mailed out to you.

Local History Are you interested in local history?

The library has several resources to get you started in your search. Check out the library’s local history page at http:// byron.lib.il.us/services/local-history/.

Available 24/7!

• OREGON

al book club, using our ebooks (through Axis 360 or our New online catalog OMNI), virtual storytimes, virtual adult programs or any of our activities.

You just might win something for best picture! We miss all of you and look forward to when we are back in the building to serve you.

We miss seeing all of your smiling faces and chatting about books and life in general. In an effort to stay connected with all of you we thought Goodreads might be a great place to check in with each other and learn what books everyone has been reading lately.

Calling All Adults! Adult Coloring Challenge Until April 30, we will be accepting adult coloring pages for our patron contest. You can mail your colored picture to the Library or email to cbergoply@ gmail.com. Have fun! There will be prizes for the best coloring page.

Groups 18-20 years of age and 21-30 years of age and 31 and over. Prizes will be announced via Facebook on May 5.

Have fun everyone and stay safe!

You may submit as many pages as you want to send, just make sure your name, phone number or email address

is clearly stated somewhere in the email or in the mail.

Continued from Page 7 safety, Oregon Public Library is open for business online, providing virtual services and digital content our community needs now more than ever.

We have expanded our access to ebooks, movies, music, video games, virtual storytimes and activities, and so much more — all from the comfort of your home.

This year during National Library Week, let’s celebrate by showing our appreciation for the many innovative ways libraries, librarians and library workers are continuing to serve their communities during a time of crisis.

Post a picture to our National Library Week Facebook Event Page of how your are participating with us; either by virtu-

Goodreads “Anybody else miss having the libraries open? Are you looking for a place to talk about all the books you have been reading while we are stuck in quarantine or maybe even get some new recommendations?

Do you want to know what the next book club picks are so you can get a head start?

Like most libraries COVID-19 had forced us to shut our doors for a while and we really miss our patrons.

Available Resources for Your Stay at Home Online Resources: Audiobooks & eBooks are available on Axis 360 and Biblioboard.Links are available on our website: oregonpubliclibrary.com/ online-resources/TumbleBooklibrary (www.tumblebooklibrary.com) is a collection of animated talking picture books, read-alongs, ebooks, quizzes, lesson plans, and educational games which is used by thousands of schools and public libraries in over 100 countries across the world.

TumbleBooks can be accessed by our patrons from the comfort and safety of their homes! Go to the Library website, free educational resources for login procedures.

EDUCATION

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com

“We’ll be following the leads of safety officials on when a large event can be hosted again,” Mahoney said. “We’ve had conversations around hosting virtual events. That is our last resort, but we might have to do it.”

Polo Polo School District Superintendent Chris Rademacher said he saw the writing on the wall when states surrounding Illinois cancelled school for the year.

“The teachers all want to be back, but that can’t happen this year,” Rademacher said. “We expected it. It’s too bad for the seniors. But it’s happening everywhere.”

Polo hasn’t set postponement dates yet due to the fact that it usually has 4-5 senior students that leave for the military in June and wants to make sure they’re included in any celebrations.

Rademacher said the district still wants to get graduation done.

A date at the end of May was the goal, but now it’s looking less likely, he said. The idea of virtual events is being considered as well.

“We’ll do something and get it out to the community,” Rademacher said. “We’re still trying to get everyone’s availability.”

Let us know what’s happening in your hometown!

Email: news@oglecountynews.com

Rochelle Veterinary Hospital

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Work continues on the exterior of the new Ogle County Jail that is being constructed just west of the Ogle County Judicial Center.

New Ogle jail still ahead of schedule, under budget

BY KATHLEEN SCHULTZ kschultz@shawmedia.com Construction on the new Ogle County jail is humming along, and if things stay on track, the $21.5 million project will come in 6 weeks ahead of schedule and more than $600,000 under budget, its project manager said.

The new jail should be finished

by Oct. 7, Jeremy Rolling of Gilbane Building Co,. told County Board members Tuesday night.

Construction is 72% complete, and the building is 62% paid for, Roling told the board in his monthly update.

Among other things, drop ceilings are being put into place and windows installed starting Monday, he said.

The 41,700 square-foot facility will

have 152 beds for male and female inmates.

Some single cells are included in the design, but most cells will house four or eight prisoners.

The jail, officially known as the Judicial Center Annex, first was estimated at $25 million to $28 million, and the first design from the architects for a three-story building put it at $30 million, but Kim Gouker, the late board chairman, put his foot down.

“I said no, that’s not going to work.

I can’t take that back to the county board or to the public,” Gouker said.

The architects then came up with a single-story design that brought the cost down considerably.

“I hope to end up in the $22 million range,” said Gouker, who died in Sept. 10 at the age of 66.

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• Friday, April 24, 2020

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced April 17 that all schools statewide will be closed for the remainder of the school year amid ongoing concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oregon School District School Superintendent Tom Mahoney has said recently that he didn’t expect to return to school and planned online curriculums to meet those needs.

“That’s the course we took from the beginning,” Mahoney said.

“But there will be a real sadness if our staff loses the chance to say goodbye to our students. We hope to be able to make those moments a reality. We’ll see if there’s a way for us to provide some closure for staff and students.”

Last week, the school district set multiple tentative dates for end-ofyear events like graduation, promotion and prom. Mahoney hopes those dates will still work, and said he especially wants to recognize seniors.

The tentative dates for graduation are May 24, June 19 and Aug. 1. For promotion, the dates are May 22, June 18 and July 30. The dates for prom are June 6 and July 18.

9 OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Two superintendents react to school closure

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| OGLE COUNTY NEWS

10

OUTBREAK IN ROCHELLE

Rochelle plant ordered to close due to COVID-19 24 cases have been linked to the facility

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com An outbreak of COVID-19 has forced the Ogle County Health Department to order the closure of Hormel’s Rochelle Foods plant in Rochelle.

As of Friday, a total of 24 cases have been linked to the facility including 19 in Ogle County, three in Whiteside County and two in Winnebago County.

“My team has spent countless hours in collaboration with Rochelle Foods in an attempt to mitigate the virus spread,” OCHD Administrator Kyle Auman said. “Since those efforts were unsuccessful, it is my duty to order a complete closure of the facility.”

The facility will have 48 hours to comply with the order and it will be in effect for two weeks from the date of compliance.

Multiple measures were taken by the OCHD in an attempt to limit the

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Rochelle Foods processing plant has been shut down by the Ogle County Health Department after several workers tested positive for COVID-19. spread of COVID-19 including recommendations for additional testing, additional steps for employee monitoring, additional sanitation processes, isolation of positive cases, quarantine of close and household contacts and a recommendation of a voluntary two-week closure.

“Rochelle Foods was issued a notice of closure from the local health department on April 17. We are working to further understand

the closure order and are consulting with our legal counsel to understand next steps,” according to a statement from Rochelle Foods. “We have decided to voluntarily close our facility to ensure a broader understanding of COVID-19 in the Rochelle community, Ogle county and the impact on our operations.

Rochelle Foods team members will continue to be paid during the closure.”

The City of Rochelle was briefed on the need to close the plant.

“Although many essential businesses are open and operating, we will not tolerate them risking the health and safety of their employees in our community during this pandemic or any other time,” Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows said.

Rochelle City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said that the plant employs 800 people and over 900 if you count contractors. He also spoke to what will follow if the plant chooses not to comply with the closure order.

“They don’t have a choice,” Fiegenschuh said. “If they don’t comply, the county will seek a court order.”

The local health departments in the region continue to work with the Illinois Department of Public Health to identify and notify those who may have been in close contact with the individuals who have tested positive for the virus.

Rochelle Foods employees who believe they have been exposed and are symptomatic should contact their health provider for direction.

Rochelle Foods plant to test all of its 800+ workers

BY KATHLEEN SCHULTZ kschultz@shawmedia.com All 800 to 900 employees of Hormel’s Rochelle Foods plant will undergo mandatory testing for coronavirus this week, Ogle County Health Department Administrator Kyle Auman said Tuesday afternoon.

Testing tents were being erected at the plant, and the tests will be conducted by staff from Rochelle Hospital, KSB Hospital in Dixon and the health department, Auman said.

He hopes to have all employees tested by the end of the week; those who do not comply will not be allowed to return to work a week from Monday, when the plant is scheduled to reopen.

The testing will be done at no cost to the workers.

An outbreak of COVID-19 that was spreading rapidly through the ranks forced the health department to order a 2-week shutdown last Friday.

The health department had been monitoring the plant, recommending additional testing, additional steps for employee monitoring, isolating

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Peru, Utica and Spring Valley firefighters from MABAS Division 25 erect a tent at Rochelle Foods Tuesday morning. The tents will be used to test all 800 employees of the plant. and quarantining positive cases and their close and household contacts, and also a voluntary 2-week closure.

When the number of positive cases doubled daily to nearly 30 in a week’s time, Auman moved to close it down.

The workers have been quarantined at home since Friday, he said.

Hormel was given 48 hours to accomplish the closure; by Sunday, it was down to a skeletal cleaning

crew,; Auman did an inspection and signed off on the closure Monday morning. All that remains are deep-cleaning crews.

Hormel will get the word out to the employees, many of whom are Spanish-speakers, not only about the testing but also about measures to take to keep safe while under quarantine, he said.

Rochelle City Manager Jeff Fie-

genschuh has said that the plant employs 800 people, more than 900 if you count contractors.

An email to Hormel had not been answered as of Tuesday night.

Auman called the cooperation between the two competing hospitals, one in Ogle and one in Lee County, “phenomenal.”

“This impacts really our whole region,” Auman said, noting that the plant has workers from Lee, Whiteside, DeKalb, Winnebago and other surrounding counties.

“I think it speaks to the nature and the strength of our partnership that were are able to respond so quickly,” Auman said.

“Between Rochelle and KSB, I think we have the testing under control.”

Not only will untested workers not be allowed to return to work, but they also could be compelled by court order to be tested. Auman is worried it will come to that, though.

“There was a lot of concern leading up to this, a lot of the workers had concerns and many were sacred,” Auman said. “It really is for their health and safety.”

COVID-19 & BUSINESS

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com Liz Vos has never been busier.

The Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director has been looking for ways to help local small businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The federal programs for those businesses through the C.A.R.E.S. Act get updated each day.

“I can’t sleep unless I feel like I’m doing everything I can for everyone,” Vos said. “I feel like I have to do that to help the community.”

Vos and the chamber have been working on three new programs to help those impacted by COVID-19.

The first, called “Everyone is Essential!” is the chamber and the City of Oregon offering custom designed heart window clings and vehicle decals to create a COVID-19 business and community recovery fund.

The city will be covering material costs so 100 percent of the money goes into the fund. The window clings are 7.5 inches by 7.5 inches and the vehicle ones are 4.5 inches by 4.5 inches. They cost $10 each and can be bought at oregonil.com or by calling 815-732-2100.

“While the government programs are amazing,

there are some things that will fall through the cracks,” Vos said. “The community is going to need help to recover. It was inspired by the hearts people have been putting in their windows and things.”

The chamber is also working with the city on a free business help hotline.

The city has two part-time economic development workers that are currently tasked with working one-on-one with local businesses that have questions about government programs or ways to combat COVID-19 losses.

The hotline can be reached at 815-732-2100. The counseling can be done over the phone or by online conferencing.

“It’s going to be great,” Vos said. “Several have called already and scheduled an appointment.

These people know the ins and outs of every program.”

The City of Oregon is now also accepting applications for the federal CDBG Economic Development Downstate Small Business Stabilization Grant.

This grant program is aimed at businesses in rural communities. Applications will start to be accepted on Monday, April 21. Vos hopes to have several applications by April 27 and encourages those interested to call 815-732-2100.

The Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Oregon are now offering custom heart window clings and vehicle decals to create a COVID-19 business and community recovery fund. For more information call the Chamber office at 815-732-2100. Image supplied.

Let us know what’s happening in your hometown! Email: news@oglecountynews.com

• Friday, April 24, 2020

COMMUNITY NEWS

Chana Mother’s Club cancels its salad supper “We also want to remind everyone that the 150 anniversary of Chana will be in 2021. There was a celebration at 100 years in 1971 and 125 years in 1996. Possible ideas for a special dinner and celebration of 150 years would be welcome.”

Call Eckerd at 815-631-4263 for more information.

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The spring Salad Supper scheduled for Monday, May 4 which is hosted by former members, friends and neighbors of the Chana Mothers Club, is cancelled due to the COVID19 pandemic.

“We encourage the ladies to contact each other and chat and laugh about all the fun history of the Chana school,” said Lindy Eckerd.

OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Chamber working on programs to help businesses

11

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| CHURCH NEWS

12

ADELINE ZION EVANGELICAL CHURCH 9106 Cedar St. in Adeline Phone 815-541-4863

BAILEYVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH

303 W. Franklin St., Baileyville Pastor Gary Branam www.baileyvillebaptistchurch.org

BAILEYVILLE REFORMED CHURCH

400 W. Center St., Baileyville Pastor Bruce Otto 815-235-1201

BROOKVILLE & ELKHORN UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES

Brookville: 17725 W. Chamber St. in Brookville Elkorn: Corner of Wilson Mill & Brick Church Roads

CHANA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 606 Main St., Chana Pastor Matt Smith 815-732-7683 chanaumc@gmail.com

CHRIST OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH

2035 Ill. Rt. 26, Dixon 815-284-4554 Pastor David Andermann 815-632-6767

OPEN BIBLE

302 S. Franklin St., Polo Luke Schier, Pastor 815-946-2848 PoloOpenBible.org

CROSSROADS COMMUNITY CHURCH Polo Campus

EAST OREGON CHAPEL CHURCH OF GOD

107 N. Daysville Rd., Oregon Pastor John Guthrie 815-732-2960 or 815-732-6569

EBENEZER REFORMED CHURCH

FORRESTON REFORMED CHURCH

2997 N. German Church Rd. Rev. Josiah Youngquist.

815-732-6313 www.ebenezerreformed.com

EMMANUEL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 764 N. Stillman Road, Oregon (Payne’s Point) Pastor Andrew Kayes 815-732-2424

EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF MT. MORRIS 102 S. Seminary St., Mt. Morris Senior Pastor Bruce McKanna Associate Pastor Logan Murphy 815-734-4942 www.efcmm.org office@efcmm.org

FAITH DISCOVERY CHURCH 801 W. Oregon St., Polo Pastor Jeremy Heller 815-946-3588

501 Third Ave. Pastor Lyle Zumdahl 815-938-2424 lylezumdahl@gmail.com

FREEDOM LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA

Pastor Karyn Kost 815-661-6315 www.freedomlutheran.org.

GERMAN VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

FAITH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

402 Second Ave., Forreston Pastor Scott Ralston Church 815-938-3203

FAITH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 702 E. Dixon St., Polo Pastor Brian LeBaron 815-946-3212 faithumcpolo

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

DISCIPLES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

505 Hill St., Oregon Pastor David Snow 815-732-2642 www.fbcoregon.org

200 S. Fifth St., Oregon Rev. Karen Gerhard Conner 815-732-2894 www.fpcoregon.com

EAST JORDAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 402 First Ave., Forreston Pastor Sung-Eun Kim 815-938-2380

860 W. Oregon Trail Rd. Pastor Michael Hoffman 815-732-6847

OREGON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

200 S. Fourth, Oregon Rev. Megan Smick 815-732-2994 oregonumc@outlook.com

PINE CREEK CHRISTIAN CHURCH 5076 S. Lowell Park Rd. Pastor Charlotte Hoppe 815-946-3949

POLO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

GRACE VALLEY CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

PRAIRIE DELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

8210 E. Edwardsville Rd., German Valley Pastor Eric Schlukebir 815-362-6601 6941 N. Mt. Morris Rd., Leaf River Pastor Billy Hardy 815-738-2205 leafriverbc@gmail.com

ST. WENDELIN CATHOLIC CHURCH 18 S. Linn St., Shannon Rev. Michael Bolger 815-864-2548

SAUK VALLEY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

SILVER CREEK REFORMED CHURCH

609 S. 10th St., Oregon Craig Arnold, Pastor 812-236-1213

ST. BRIDE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

LIGHTHOUSE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH

10384 W. Coffman Rd., Forreston Pastor Mark Phillips Church: 815-938-2194 Pastor’s Cell: 760-550-4563

114 S. Fifth St., Oregon 815-732-2367

RIVERSTONE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

104 E. Rt. 72, Leaf River Pastor Sung-Eun Kim 815-345-3038

NORTH GROVE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH

416 Prospect St., Dixon John Lewis, Pastor 815-677-9199

LEAF RIVER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

409 W. Brayton Rd, P.O. Box 2055 Mt. Morris, IL 61054 Pastor Ginny Haney Phone: 815-734-4573

213 N. Franklin Ave., Polo Father Joseph P. Naill 815-946-2535

16032 W. Coffman Rd., Shannon 815-864-2448

1000 Ill. 64 West Oregon Rev. Eldred George 815-732-7211 www.saintbrides.org saint.bride.church@gmail.com

4938 S. Daysville Rd., Oregon Pastor Matt Smith

ST. MARY CHURCH 301 N. Fourth St., Oregon Father Joseph P. Naill Office Phone 815-732-7383 Office FAX 815-732-4742

Congress Ave. & Webster St. Pastor Leslie Lake PoloCob@risebroadband.net

MT. MORRIS CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

102 N. Maple St., Mt. Morris Pastor Julie Bunt 815-734-4853 www.disciplesumc.org

OREGON CHURCH OF GOD

Church and Main Streets Pastor Don Plock

LEAF RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH

205 N. Jefferson Ave., Polo Pastor Chris Bradshaw 815-837-5255 polo@crossroadscn.com www.crossroadscn.com

22027 Polo Rd., Sterling Jim Miller, Pastor 815-626-0104

FORRESTON GROVE CHURCH

7246 N. Freeport Rd., Forreston Presbyterian Church in America Pastor Drew Jones 815-938-3605 www.forrestongrovechurch.com

6024 N. Columbine Rd., Forreston Rev. Karyn Kost 815-661-6315 pastorofstjames1850@gmail.com

ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

201 N. Division Ave., Polo Pastor Terrie Wilder 815-946-2919

326 S. Bunker Hill Rd. German Valley Pastor Grant Mulder 815-362-2129

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 308 E. Brayton Mt. Morris Pastor Josh Ehrler 815-734-6354 trinitymmil@frontier.com www.trinitymmil.net

VAN BROCKLIN-FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3582 Bolton Rd.., Freeport Pastor Dawn Barr 815-291-0601

WEST BRANCH CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN 4014 West Branch Rd., Forreston 815-938-2586

How to submit church news Changes in church listings and articles about special church services and events can be emailed to news@oglecountynews.com.

For more information call 815-732-6166 ext. 2591.

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COMMUNITY HELP

Members of the Oregon Woman’s Club delivered more than 70 Easter greeting cards to the residents of the Oregon Living and Rehabilitation Center in Oregon. Members prepared the cards at their homes and delivered them to staff at the Center for distribution to the patients.

At right, Oregon Woman’s Club members Rosemary Underwood (left) and Sandi Chasm pose by the center’s sign after delivering Easter greetings to residents.

Photo supplied

OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Oregon Woman’s Club spreads Easter cheer

13

• Friday, April 24, 2020

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| SPORTS

14

FORRESTON BASKETBALL

Jake Groom hired to as Cards’ basketball coach

BY CODY CUTTER Shaw Media Just 12 years ago, Jake Groom was a freshman whose Forreston Cardinals were destined for success.

Now he’s in charge of the entire Cardinals boys basketball program.

Groom, who had been the Cardinals’ junior varsity coach for 4 years, moves up to the head coaching position to replace the resigned Justin Schiltz.

The 2012 Forreston High graduate becomes the Cardinals’ fourth head coach in the past 4 years, after Schlitz, Johnathan Schneiderman and Travis Ross.

Groom played for Schneiderman during the latter’s first stint as coach, where he went 41-20 as an upperclassman with two regional titles and a sectional championship his junior year.

The Cardinals finished 15-17 last year, and Groom looks to get the

“I’ll definitely have my varsity team back to its own style, but you’ll see winning ways – the same, similarities to coaches if not better than how his of the past,” Groom said. underclass teams have “We’ll run certain things fared in recent years. they’ve run in the past.”

“I’ve wanted to be a He’ll have talent such as head coach for 6 or 7 years Ethan Greenfield, a junior now, and I set my sights who is a 2-year varsity on one day doing that, but starter, and Jordan Neusdidn’t expect to come this chwander, whom Groom soon,” Groom said. “I’m Jake Groom considers a “scrapper” very excited.” with the ball. The sophGroom also helped out omores he coached last with the Cardinals’ girls team when Tim Bukoski was its year will make the move to varsity coach, and his vast number of supe- with Groom; they come from a 16-8 riors have given him plenty of influ- squad that won the NUIC South this ence to build his own varsity play- season.

Groom knows his kids well, and book: a run-and-gun offense, manto-man defense, and the occasional looks to develop consistent scorers to accompany Greenfield every zone.

He even got to learn last season game.

“Coaching is about loving your a little about the 1-2-2 ball press, a system that’s worked out well at players, and giving them every strong state programs like Lincoln opportunity possible to be the best player they can be and the best perand Nokomis.

son they can be,” Groom said. “When you do that, you allow your players to have opportunities to grow.”

Groom graduated from Rockford College in 2015 and taught third grade at Forreston Grade School for 4 years before moving to the junior high to teach social studies.

He also coached track and field and girls basketball at the junior high, and has been a huddle leader for the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes program for 5 years.

After a triumphant run last year that saw the Cardinal underclassmen win 12 out of their last 14 games, athletic director Kyle Zick looks forward to seeing Groom have the same successes on the varsity level.

“We’re excited to have coach Groom move up the coaching ranks at Forreston High School,” Zick said. “His character and integrity are exactly what we want in front of our young men on a daily basis.”

OREGON BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL

OHS hires coaches for basketball, volleyball The Oregon School District on Monday hired new head coaches to lead its high school volleyball and boys basketball programs.

Farrell Cain was hired as the new varsity volleyball head coach. She replaces Faith McNamee who resigned in February after seven seasons.

Nathan Green was hired as the new boys basketball head coach, replacing Quinn Virgil who resigned after 12 seasons.

“We are very excited to move forward with Coach Cain and Coach Green leading our volleyball and boys basketball programs,” said Oregon Athletic Director Mike Lawton. “Both of these individuals have absolutely earned this opportunity after being in lead assistant roles for successful programs for several years now. We are happy to have Coach Cain lead the program she once played for and we are thrilled to welcome Coach Green back to the Big Northern Conference and to the Oregon/Mt. Morris community.”

Cain, of Oregon, was a player on the most successful team in Oregon volleyball history, the

Faith Cain

Nathan Green

2006-07 regional and sectional champion squad that went 36-4 and still holds the school record for most wins in a season.

She went on to play volleyball at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin where she was captain her senior year in 2011.

Since then, she has served as an assistant coach in the Oregon High School program helping the Hawks claim four IHSA Regional titles and a Big

Northern Conference championship during this time.

Green, of Rockford, attended high school at Rockford Lutheran where he was three year varsity starter on three straight regional champion teams in 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09.

He played collegiately at Concordia University in Wisconsin for one year before obtaining his degree in Physical Education from Illinois State University in 2014.

He earned his master’s degree from Concordia University – Chicago in 2019.

After college, Green started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Rockford Lutheran. He then moved on to Rockford Jefferson High School where he served as a varsity assistant for five years before most recently acting as head sophomore coach at Jefferson for the past two seasons.

Green has also worked as a coaching intern at the Tom Izzo basketball camp at Michigan State University and at the University of Wisconsin camps.

STATE NEWS

IHSA cancels spring sports

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for their April meeting via a video conference call on April 21, where the Board of Directors announced its decision to cancel all IHSA spring state tournaments.

The decision to cancel the spring

state tournaments comes in conjunction with Friday’s (April 17) announcement by Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education that all Illinois high schools will complete the 2019-20 school term from home via e-learning.

“We support the decision by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education, and given the logistics, we simply felt we could not conduct state tournaments that meet the expectations of our mem-

See CANCELLED, Page 15

SPORTS COLUMN

W

ith the announcement of Milledgeville joining the ranks of 8-man football, there has to be a lot of uncertainty with NUIC. Here is latest scorecard: Started 8-man in 2019 – Polo and River Ridge.

Joining in 2021 – AFC, Amboy and Milledgeville.

Potential 8-man? – Orangeville, with around 100 enrollment.

If that holds true, that will leave the conference with 10 programs still playing 11-man. In 2016, there were 18 teams. Since then Warren has cooped with a Wisconsin school and Durand and Pecatonica combined for one team.

Unless more schools are added, maybe someone like Fulton or Morrison, a 10-team league is a distinct possibility. The big plus of a 10-man conference, like the BNC has for football, is no longer

• CANCELLED ber schools this spring, “ said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “As disappointing as it may be for students, it is the right decision for their health and safety, as well as for the health and safety of the general public, as we cope with this unprecedented pandemic.â€?

The IHSA offers state tournaments in the following sports and activities in the spring: Girls Badminton, Boys Gymnastics, Bass Fishing, Boys & Girls Track & Field, Boys & Girls Water Polo, Girls Soccer, Boys Tennis, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Boys Volleyball, Baseball, and Softball.

The Board also determined that summer contact days are suspended for this year, unless state government and medical leaders indicate such gatherings are safe.

At that time, the Board indicated a willingness to reconsider how summer contact might be conducted and whether opportunities for schools to conduct some kind of spring athletic

having to find outside games.

The negative is survival of the fittest, with the weaker programs struggling on a yearly basis.

With multiple state champs, everyone in the state realizes how dominant the NUIC has become. Among the remaining programs, will it be a case of the haves and have-nots? Without knowledge of what everyone has at their lower levels, it is hard to say.

events might occur. “Once it is determined safe to return, we will provide a detailed outline to our schools on the plan for summer contact days and possibly some kind of spring athletic events,� said Anderson. “Including if the number of days and dates that coaches can meet with athletes has been altered. At this point, though, all that is dependent upon state government and medical leaders giving the go ahead for such.� “Our thoughts right now are with all the impacted students, coaches and communities. Especially the seniors,� said Anderson. “It will be difficult for them to find a silver lining in all of this, but we stress that even if they don’t get the chance to compete again at the high school level, they are better for having been a part of their respective high school teams. “By participating in high school sports and activities, they were exposed to life lessons in teamwork, leadership, and overcoming adversity that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. The latter is applicable

­ €€ ‚ ƒ „… ƒ ƒ ƒ

 � � ��  �

Stockton and Aquin have small enrollments, but have a history of being able to compete against anyone. The coop of Durand and Pec is starting to get talent, as evidenced by last year’s playoff qualification.

Galena has been down, but has been a juggernaught. East Dubuque and West Carroll have been respectful in years past.

Throw in the usual powers Forreston, Le-Win, Dakota and EPC and it is possible it will be a dogfight week-in and week-out. Maybe there won’t be a single doormat.

Talk about the best small-school conference in the state before. This arrangement will even outdo that.

Bottom line – the shake up might prove to

now more than ever. We hope that we can band together and refocus all our efforts on supporting the doctors, nurses, first responders, and all the other essential personnel who are putting their health and safety on the line each day to keep us safe.�

The IHSA will continue to communicate with and monitor briefings from state officials, and based on

See COLBERT, Page 16

those timelines, provide updates to its member schools as it relates to potential spring participation and summer contact days. “The possibility of playing a spring sport game this summer is about closure,� said Anderson. “If we are able to offer this opportunity, no student-athlete would be restricted by having already practiced or competed with a non-school team.�

• Friday, April 24, 2020

Continued from Page 14

COMMENTARY Andy Colbert

SPORTS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Landscape for NUIC football is changing again

15

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| SPORTS

16

OREGON BASEBALL

OHS baseball coach working to finish press box Nate Girton has been doubling as the project manager

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com Instead of coaching Oregon baseball this year, Coach Nate Girton is working his old job.

With high school sports shut down due to COVID-19, Girton has put his all into finishing construction of a press box and storage shed at the school’s baseball diamond.

Girton used to own his own construction business and worked in the industry for 10 years.

“As a person and with kids coming through, it was about money,” Girton said. “It would cost a fortune to pay a construction company to do this and that’d be hard to do. The old shed, you couldn’t even walk in it. We’re trying to get baseball up to par here at the school.”

The new building will have lockers for players, a place to operate the scoreboard, storage for equipment and maintenance tools and a nice view of the field.

The process started just under two years ago. Girton has been working on it since October. He estimates that it is 80 percent done and will be completed by June. Lately, siding and lockers are being added. The school’s maintenance crew will be hooking up electricity soon.

The building is 16 feet by 20 feet. A virtual tour of the new building will be put out on social media by the school district soon.

“This project has me motivated and excited,” Girton said. “I wish

• COLBERT Continued from Page 15 be beneficial. Of all eight classes, the largest disparity has always been 1A. We see that ever year in the playoffs with all the blowouts. This will even the slate of 1A and also bolster the credibility of 8-man as more and more teams migrate that direction.

Here is some trivia: When the playoffs began in 1974, the Upstate Illini conference had Ashton, Durand, Franklin Center, Hanover, Leaf River, Milledgeville,

Michael /mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

ABOVE: A small crew works to complete the new press box at the Oregon High School baseball diamond. BELOW: Hawks baseball coach, Nate Girton, cuts a board April 16 as he works on the new press box. we’d have a season and [the players] could see the progress. It’s been a real good bonding moment for one of my assistant coaches and I. It’s gotten me out of the house and it’s given me a place to think.”

Other volunteers have been assisting in the process, including past OHS players Dalton Hermes and Jarrett Reynolds, who were on site helping Girton.

While his current seniors won’t be able to use the facility, Girton hopes it will be enjoyed for years to come

by Oregon baseball players.

“As a coach, the hardest part is not seeing seniors,” Girton said.

“They finish their schooling and don’t have the chance to play. I don’t get to see them or say goodbye.”

Mt. Carroll, Orangeville, Pearl City and Rockford Lutheran. The Northwest Illinois conference had Aquin, Dakota, Galena, Lanark, Le-Win, Stockton and Warren.

Forreston, Mt. Morris, Pec and Polo were still in the Mid Northern.

With the announcement on April 17 that schools in Illinois would be closed for the remainder of the year, it seemed only appropriate that high-school athletic fields all over the state were lit up for 20 minutes later that evening.

Sadly, that display of support for student/athletes was a self-quarantine in itself.

A person couldn’t even get out

of their vehicle, as police patrolled the parking lots ensuring no one violated this. As I looked out over Landers-Loomis Field at 8:20 pm on Friday, there was a sense of helplessness.

What have we come to as a population? To be confined to our homes is bad enough, but to not have the freedom to step outside a car into the same environment where so many sporting memories have taken place further acerbates that feeling of helplessness.

Yes, it was nice that schools did the “Be the Light” gesture and yes, the police are only doing their job.

In fact, God bless law enforcement

for all they do in these trying times.

But, it sure had to be tough on those kids and their parents.

This past Tuesday, the IHSA officially cancelled all spring sports for the rest of the year. After schools were shut down, there was no hope left to salvage spring.

In positive news, Jake Groom was recently named as new Forreston boys basketball coach. Jake comes across as a quality individual and will bring a lot of homegrown enthusiasm to the position.

Congratulations to a young man who I have had the pleasure to know over the years.

COVID-19 & EDUCATION

BY REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News Illinois

blueroomstream.com

Gov. JB Pritzker announced April 17 that the state’s schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year as Illinois continues to address the COVID-19 pandemic. curve downward,” he added.

Ezike said social distancing is working and needs to continue.

The governor said one of the difficulties in the decision was the fact that students would have fewer instructional hours, and that Illinois is an education landscape in which some districts are better able to enact remote learning than others.

But Illinois administrators and educators are “stepping up to ensure that every child in this state receives the education they deserve,” he said, even if the method varies by community.

Guidance offered by the Illinois State Board of Education includes daily check-ins on each student by the teacher and grading reflective of “the unprecedented circumstances in which students are attempting to continue their studies,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker also announced another $569 million in federal funding will

be available to Illinois schools as part of the recent federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act. Districts will receive a portion of that funding proportional to how many low-income students they teach. ISBE officials will allocate additional money to communities most in need of resources, the governor said. That funding may be spent on technology for students and teachers and meals to distribute to those youth that need them.

“Our school buildings may be closed, but the hearts and the minds of our teachers and students are wide open,” Illinois Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carmen Ayala said.

“This pandemic has altered the fabric of how we teach, how we learn and how we connect, but it has not shaken the core of what our schools do, and that is to take care of Illinois’ children and prepare them for what is next.”

She added state officials do not

OREGON POLICE Oregon Police Chief Shawn Melville reports the following police activity.

April 15 At 2:34 p.m., police investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash that had occurred in the parking lot of the Dollar General, 1050 Pines Road, involving a 2000 Chevrolet driven by Joann M. Young, 79, of Oregon, and a parked 2016 Subaru belonging to Carmen R. Kober, 50, of Chana.

No citations were issued.

April 17 Donald J. Bigham, 63, was arrested at 8:38 p.m. for criminal trespass to property. This violation occurred in the 200 block of S. 4th Street.

April 18 At 6:29 p.m., Oregon Police responded to a disturbance at 700 E. Washington Street resulting in the arrest of Taylor R.

Young, 22, of Oregon, for domestic battery. Young was transported to the Ogle County Jail.

General calls for service through dispatch April 13-19 Checking a Subject / Vehicle.......... 8 Citizen Complaints............................ 6 Animal Complaint.............................. 1 Citizen Assist / Civil Problem.......... 2 Assist EMS / Other Dept.................. 2 Disturbance / Dom Battery............. 5

911 Hang-up / Open Line.................. 5 Lockout Vehicle / Building............... 1 Alarm Response................................. 1 Traffic Stops....................................... 1 Four parking citations issued from April 13-19.

Please note: Any arrests listed are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

• Friday, April 24, 2020

Following the lead of nearby states, Gov. JB Pritzker announced on April 17 that Illinois’ public and private schools will remain shuttered for the rest of the school year.

The announcement came one month after Pritzker first announced a temporary school closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pritzker said the state’s COVID-19 curve is “flattening, not flat,” and key metrics to watch are hospitalization rate and how long it takes for the number of cases to double. Both are decreasing, but not at a level that indicates the curve is declining yet, he added.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said new case count appears so high because health care personnel are testing more people, and she and Pritzker agreed that fatality and case count increase rates have not peaked yet.

As cases were confirmed in 92 of Illinois’ 102 counties, Pritzker made the call to cancel school, public and private, for the rest of the academic year.

“Folks, I’ve said time and time again, my decisions are hard ones, but they will follow the science.

And the science says our students can’t go back to their normal routine,” Pritzker said. “... My priority remains unchanged how do we save the most lives during this very difficult time.”

In an average day, Pritzker said, 2 million K-12 students would meet in large groups in hallways, classrooms and extracurricular activities before going home.

That pattern “opens up a nearly limitless opportunity for potential COVID-19 infection in a time when our health care workers, our researchers, our scientists and our first responders need us to bend the

“expect” students to learn everything they would have this year had in-person classes continued.

On April 21, Pritzker said changes are coming to the stay-at-home order, but it was unclear what they are and when they will happen.

More information on what models the state is using to predict a peak and what changes will be made to the order is “coming in the very near future,” Pritzker said, and many options are being considered.

He faced the questioning at his daily briefing hours after telling the Washington Post that he is now anticipating a mid-May peak in the number of cases of the virus in Illinois.

He predicted that smaller, later peak and said wide compliance with his stay-at-home order is the reason for the delay to what was an initial prediction of an April peak. He said that compliance has helped save lives and limit strain on the hospital system.

“We will be making some changes to the order as it is. But it is true that it is working,” he said, adding that removing it entirely would “open everything back up to infection.”

The latest peak prediction came as the state announced 119 more deaths in the past 24 hours – more than the previous two days combined – bringing total fatalities to 1,468 in Illinois. There were also 1,551 more confirmed cases, bringing the total to 33,059.

Still, Pritzker said, there won’t be any return to “normal” until the state can adequately test and track the virus, and being able to do so is not immediately on the radar.

Ezike said there is a risk of a COVID-19 resurgence in the fall if there is still no treatment or vaccine, as is expected.

“It’s very concerning that that could be a significant second wave or a second surge,” she said.

STATE NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Schools to remain closed for rest of academic year

17

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| OGLE COUNTY NEWS

18

COVID-19 & BUSINESS

Wedding venue battling pandemic circumstances Rebecca Jones also owns cabins and roller palace

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com During the first two weeks in March, Rebecca Jones took her first vacation in years.

She figured she’d earned it. She’d spent the past year building up Pine Creek Escape, her wedding and vacation venue, and her recently-purchased White Pines Roller Skating Center.

What she returned to was the closing of her businesses due to COVID-19.

Weddings scheduled before August were rescheduled or cancelled. The rink had to shut its doors. The Pine Creek Cabins have remained open, but “98 percent” of reservations were cancelled.

“It’s definitely been a crazy time,” Jones said. “We felt like we had good traction with the roller rink and then we had to shut the doors. I came back to this. The first week was disbelief and panic. Nobody had answers. I contacted a few of my mentors. It was like, it’ll be two weeks or two months. And then we got organized logistically.”

Jones retained every one of her employees and has put them to work in recent weeks. Every wheel on every skate has been cleaned at the rink.

Every inch of the building has been touched.

On the wedding side, landscaping is in progress by Head of Maintenance Joel Wiseman. On Thursday he cleaned the pond in preparation for the next wedding. Jones has been communicating with clients and doing virtual bridal meetings with potential clients. Thirty two weddings are scheduled at Pine Creek this year during August or after.

“We haven’t had anyone cancel besides one couple,” Jones said.

“We’re hoping after August it will be normal. We’re working with them on numbers of guests and things.

We’ve rescheduled six from May and June. With virtual bridal meetings.

We show them the space and discuss pricing.”

With the still-open cabins, five local families kept their reservations. Self check-in is done by those staying.

Jones’ cabins are affiliated with Airbnb and they’ve been giving cleaning tips.

The rink was purchased at the end of 2019. Jones said she’d be more concerned about it being closed if she didn’t have money saved up and two

Michael Krabbenhoeft/Shaw Media

Rebecca Jones, owner of Pine Creek Escape in rural Oregon, stands in the canyon at the wedding venue April 16. Even through the venue’s reservations are being affected by the coronavirus, the location is still busy with activity. Work is being done to prepare the site so it is ready for weddings when restrictions are lifted. other businesses. Her lender, First State Bank in Polo, has been supportive and she recently took advantage of a payroll protection loan from the federal C.A.R.E.S. Act. “In the first year of starting out anything, cash flow and expenses are always a challenge,” Jones said. “If we only had the rink, we’d be concerned.

The hardest part was feeling like we had the momentum. It’s been more of a killer, feeling like we had just gotten it going.”

Jones said she’s unsure of a reopen date for her businesses if the state shelter in place is lifted as planned after April 30. She wants to make sure the time is right and that everyone will be safe. But she also wants to give area kids a place to go at the roller rink.

With her businesses based on the gathering of people, Jones is in a unique spot going forward.

“I think anyone would be lying if they said they weren’t nervous,” Jones said. “But I think it’s actually going to bring people together. It’s made us realize how important those interactions are. I really feel it’ll have a positive impact on my businesses.”

Michael Krabbenhoeft/Shaw Media

Joel Wiseman, head of maintenance at Pine Creek Escape, cleans up the pond at the wedding venue April 16. The venue is undergoing work to get it ready for reservations once coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

19

A pair of wood ducks swim along backwaters between Thomson and Fulton near Lock & Dam 13 along the Mississippi River last week. Spring migration is beginning for many bird species and the Rock River and Mississippi River are major flyways for the birds.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

OBITUARY MARILYN J. HANNAH

Marilyn, a town girl, married Keith and spent the next 54 years living on a farm. Most of that time was near Polo where they moved when Keith retired.

They enjoyed square dancing and attending many Farm Bureau conventions.

Family was Marilyn’s focus. She expected her children to go to college, and sacrificed to make it happen. She always enjoyed everyone coming home, and times when she could travel to visit.

She loved her time with the grandkids, especially when they could come to visit without their parents. She was known for her desserts, especially her

pies. She enjoyed playing board and card games with her family.

Marilyn was a former member of Polo United Methodist Church. For many years she was an election judge for Woosung Township.

She enjoyed cross stitch, quilting and holding garage sales. The family is very grateful for the care she received at Pinecrest Terrace.

A private family service will be held due to COVID-19 virus. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established. Cards can be sent to Kim Cassens, 6402 S. Ridge Rd., Stockton, IL 61085-9449.

Edward Herkey, 1046 Old Hunter Run, Byron, $195,000. * Michele M. Hamel to Richard T. and Katie A. Dodd, 8489 N. Craig Court, Byron, $200,000. * Ogle County Metropolitan Exposition Auditorium and Office Building Authority to City of Rochelle, two parcels at 1173 N. Seventh St. and one parcel on Tilton Manor Drive, Rochelle, $12,334.85. * LSF11Master Participation Trust, Us Bank Trust, trustee, to AJ Homes LLC, 604 S. Fourth St., Oregon, $38,00. * The late Eric L. Malaker to Elm Living Trust, Kristen Oliver, trustee, 5218 S. Skare Court, Rochelle, $0. * Bradley A. Dyer to Haywood LLC

Westwood, one parcel in Cherry Hill Subdivision, Rochelle, $25,000. * Haywood LLC Westwood to Bradley A. Dyer and Shannon L. Satti, one parcel in Westwood Subdivision, Rochelle, $13,500. * Donnie L. and Joyce A. Rogers to Troy M. and Jennifer R. Fox, 403 E. Lincoln St., Mt. Morris, $128,725. * Barbara M. and James H. Cryer and Judy K. Rogers to Marisol Lara, 325 Erickson Road, Rochelle, $105,000.

Trustee’s Deeds • Hayenga Family Trust 1, Roger W. Hayenga, trustee to Tracy, Michael S. and Lisa M. Barker, 155 N. Skare Road, Chana, $150,000. * George M. and Pauline A. Jones Revocable Trust, David R. Jones, trustee, to Chad R. and Megan K. Reiniche, one parcel on W. Seventh St., Byron, $225,000. * Michele M. Hamel to Richard T. and Katie A. Dodd, 8489 N. Craig Court, Byron, $200,000.

PROPERTY TRANSFERS Ogle County property transfers recorded the week of April 10-16.

Warranty Deeds • Charles and Beverly K. Kearns to Karen M. Ramage, 321 Pershing St., Stillman Valley, $160,000. * Jeffrey D. Engle to Michael and Coral Musso, also Michael A. and Coral M., 202 Blain St., Leaf River, $107,000. * James E. Tornow to Zachary J. Berna, 304 S. Division Ave., Polo, $82,500. * Brett L. and Cindy M. Belleque to Robert C. Richardson, 310 N. Fletcher Ave., Mt. Morris, $107,000. * Steven T. and Kim M. Kass to Chad

Quit Caim Deeds • Javier and Rosa Arreguin to Juaquin Carrasco Gomez, 1122 W. First Ave., Rochelle, $0.

Source: Ogle County Recorder’s Office

• Friday, April 24, 2020

Marilyn Joan Hannah, 88, of Polo, passed away on April 16, 2020 at Pinecrest Manor in Mt. Morris, where she resided the last two years.

Marilyn was born Dec. 20, 1931 in Peoria, to Arundale “Mac” and Mildred McFall.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Phyllis Morris.

She is survived by her loving husband of 64 years, Keith; sister, Deanne (Dee) Ruckman; sons, Steve (Marty) of Hudson, Ohio and Scott of Coon Rapids, Minnesota; daughters, Jill (Richard) Dutton, of London, England, Kim (Cory) Cassens of Stockton, and Lori (Curt)

Leppert, of Rockford; grandchildren, Keith (Brittany) Hannah and Natalie Hannah, Abby, Rachel and Ashley Cassens, and Vivian and Jack Leppert; great-grandchildren, Jackson, Amelia and Maximus Hannah; and many nieces and nephews.

Marilyn grew up in East Peoria. Music was her special interest, especially the marimba.

She spent two years at Bradley University and was a member of the Hammerettes, a marimba quartet that toured the East Coast.

Music brought her much happiness and comfort this last year. In 1955,

OGLE COUNTY NEWS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Swimming Along

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| HOME & GARDEN

20

GREENHOUSE DELIVERS

Forreston FFA gives Sterling hospital staff gifts High school students tended to the plants before delivery

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com CGH Medical Center in Sterling handed out staff appreciation gifts last week with the help of Forreston Junior Senior High School Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Kelley Parks.

CGH approached Parks and the Forreston FFA last year to start the planning for its spring time gift.

Parks ordered the 3,400 plants for CGH this summer when she ordered her normal greenhouse order.

The plants arrived in Forreston in early February and the students went to work. During class time the plant science and horticulture classes learned how to transplant, water, pinch and care for the plants while also filling the needs of their

See FFA DELIVERS, Page 21

Alex T. Paschal/Shaw Media

Forreston Ag teacher Kelley Parks (right) hands a tray of flowers to CGH HR director Sandi Baylor-Schmidt.

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Forreston first grader Caylen Kirchner, enjoys the “pig feed sack” she made with Corn Pops as part of an Ag in the Classroom program through U of I Extension. Photo supplied lowed in the mud,” Charbonneau said. “Today, most farmers keep their animals in a building that is temperature controlled so that the pigs don’t get too cold or too hot because pigs can’t sweat.

Farmers used to feed their pigs slop, a mixture of leftovers from the farmhouse. Today, farmers feed their animals a balanced mixture of corn, soybeans, vitamins, and minerals.

“They also have a constant supply of water available to them,” Charbonneau said. “The students had previously learned about corn so they were reminded of corn

See AG IN CLASSROOM, Page 22

Alex T. Paschal/Shaw Media

CGH Director of HR Sandi Baylor-Schmidt delivers a calibrachoa flower to a CGH employee last week at the Sterling hospital.

• FFA DELIVERS Continued from Page 20 customer.

“I cannot thank CGH enough for choosing a small FFA program to order their staff appreciation gifts through,” Parks said. “Not only will they be thanking their staff in a beautiful way but they also gave these students a chance to learn something along the way.”

The unforeseen COVID-19 pan-

demic put Forreston FFA and CGH in a tough spot, but both agreed that the medical staff especially needed to be thanked for all they are doing.

A drive-through flower pick up was set up. Dylan Lewis is the Forreston student in charge of the greenhouse under Parks.

“We had to keep the plants a little longer than expected due to our world condition,” Lewis said. “But we made it work in our greenhouse because we knew these workers really needed our thanks.”

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• Friday, April 24, 2020

First grade students at Forreston learned how and why pigs are raised during an Ag in the Classroom presentation before schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A month ago we weren’t talking about a possible shortage of pork products,” said Melinda Charbonneau, Ag in the Classroom Program Coordinator “It’s not because the farms have stopped raising pigs rather a shortage of workers.

It takes a lot of people at the facilities that harvest the livestock and package it for grocery stores and restaurants. COVID-19 has made working in a place with large numbers of people problematic.

“At some locations there are rapidly spreading cases of COVID-19, and at other locations workers are just not showing up because they are afraid,” Charbonneau said.

“This causes an oversupply of market animals due to plant shutdowns while we may have emptier shelves with no way to make the connection between them.

“However, farmers are still taking care of animals and crops hoping things return to normal soon.

They want to provide consumers with plenty of healthy foods,” she said.

Forreston first graders watched a 5 minute DVD called, “The Amazing Pig”.

Class discussion involved how hog production has changed over the years.

“Pigs were known for being dirty animals because they wal-

HOME & GARDEN | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

First graders learned all about pigs during Ag in the Classroom pre-COVID-19

Spring Migration

R.G. Hough of Mt. Morris took this photo of white pelicans on a sandbar in the Rock River near Carnation Park. The large white birds are making their way back north to their breeding grounds after wintering in the Gulf of Mexico. Obviously, the pelicans were not “socially distancing” but it is a sign that life goes on amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

• AG IN CLASSROOM Continued from Page 21 and were able to learn more about soybeans.”

In order to remember the balanced diet that pigs are fed, students made pig feed sacks. Students put food items that represented the pig’s diet into snack size bags.

Their feed sacks included: Corn

Pops for corn, roasted edamame for soybeans, sunflower seeds for healthy fats., and M&M’s were vitamins.

While waiting their turn to make a feed sack, students completed a pig search, a word search that included terms they had learned such as piglet, boar, and sow.

Students also learned many meat products as well as by-products come from pigs. These by-products

are then turned into things we use daily like glue, crayons, buttons, and insulin.

“Agriculture in the Classroom is a program to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society,” Charbonneau said. “Students learn that thousands of farm products are in the world around them—on their plate, in the clothes they wear, in the medicine that makes them well,

and in earth-friendly fuels and plastics.

Ag in the Classroom is offered through the University of Illinois Extension-Ogle County in partnership with Ogle County Farm Bureau, Carroll County Farm Bureau, Ogle County Soil & Water, and Carroll County Soil & Water.

For more information about the program, call the Ogle County Extension Office at 815-732-2191.

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Visit the American Kennel Club website (www.akc.org) for tips on how to avoid getting scammed and to find a responsible dog breeder.

If you have been the victim of a scam, report it to your local authorities and your local BBB (www.bbb.org)

DATED THIS 15th DAY OF April, 2020 OREGON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT Rich Rhoads, Secretary April 24, 2020

Need to place an ad?

Call us today!

815-625-3600

815-625-3600 815-284-2222

VOLUNTEERS

126

CASA 15th Judicial Circuit (Lee/ Carroll/Ogle Counties) is seeking volunteers in the Ogle County area to advocate for children in the Ogle County court system involved in abuse and neglect cases.

Your involvement can impact a child’s future.

Contact Trisha Morrow, Executive Director (815) 288-1901 www.casaleecar roll.com

BUSINESS PROPERTY

205

Building for lease: apx., 4200 sq. ft., laydown area apx 2 acres, (2) 12'x 14' OHD shop area & office.

815-626-8790

FOR SALE

BY OWNER

209

CEMETERY LOTS

226

Oak Knoll Memorial Park, Sterling IL Four Family Lots For Sale (Section D) $450 each contact Kim at 480-818-0562

ROCK FALLS EFFICIENCIES! -InclusiveClean & Quiet 815-626-8790*

MOBILE HOMES 315 FOR RENT

CHILD CARE

512

NO INDIVIDUAL, unless licensed or holding a permit as a childcare facility, may cause to be published any advertisement soliciting a child care service.* A childcare facility that is licensed or operating under a permit issued by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services may publish advertisements of the services for which it is lispecifically censed or issued a permit. Sauk Valley Media strongly urges any parent or guardian to verify the validity of the license of any facility before placing a child in it's care. *Family homes that care for no more than three (3) children under the age of twelve or which receive only children from a single household, for less than 24 hours per day, are exempt from licensure as day care homes.

The three children to whom this exemption applies includes the family's natural or adopted children and any other persons under the age of 12 whether related or unrelated to the operator of the day care home. (DCFS Rule, Part 377.3 (c))

MISCELLANEOUS 796 FOR SALE See More Online Photos, Commerce, Expanded Text ➛Look for WEB ID ➛Log on to: www.saukvalley. com classifieds ➛Enter the WEB ID in the WEB ID Box ➛View Photos, Expanded Text BUY ONLINE!! saukvalley.com CLASSIFIEDS

LIVESTOCK / SUPPLIES

840

DISABLED LIVESTOCK WANTED Top Prices Paid Call toll free 815-871-2697

SCHAAP LIVESTOCK

Advertise Your Rentals in Ogle County Classifieds

WANT TO BUY 795

FRANKLIN GROVE ★★ 2 BR ★★ F.G. 815-751-2712

ROCK FALLS 1 & 2BR Hampton Apts.

815-625-7043

STERLING Sinnissippi Townhomes Spacious 2/3BR 2 story townhomes Central air, Good location. Laundry hookup.

(815)626-1130.

Local Buyer Pays Cash 4 Gold, Silver, Coins, Estate Gold, Single Earrings, Antiques, etc. 24/7 779-245-2950

MISCELLANEOUS 796 FOR SALE Four 20” 6 Bolt Chrome GMC Wheels. 60” Dozer/Snow Blade fits Simplicity legacy

(815) 440-5978

Call

625-3600 or 284-2222

• Friday, April 24, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE IS hereby given that the TENTATIVE BUDGET - APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE OF THE FIRE OREGON PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING May 1, 2020 and ending April 30, 2021 is now on file and will be conveniently available for PUBLIC INSPECTION at the office of the Oregon trustees, Fire Protection District, 106 South First Street, Oregon, IL 61061 during office hours from and after the date of publication hereof.

Several routes available! Call for more details.

Call for available Motor Routes!

101

CLASSIFIEDS | Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com

Classified advertising

Find Crossword Answers in today’s classifieds

SUDOKU PUZZLE

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

www.oglecountynews.com

Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 24, 2020

| CLASSIFIEDS

24

A2

Astrograph Slow or impulsive actions will lead to problems this year. Consistency, sticking to the facts and putting your heart and soul into getting what you want will help you reach your objective. Walk away from situations and people that will hold you back instead of supporting your efforts.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Take control and turn an idea into something concrete.

Channel your energy into something productive instead of arguing with someone who won’t budge. Take care of your responsibilities before doing anything else.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Don’t trust someone to be straight with you. Be direct about your feelings and expectations. Walk away from unhealthy situations. Focus on personal growth.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Help others, but don’t let anyone take you for granted. Attend a reunion or reconnect with an old friend. Take advantage of an opportunity, even if it means making a lifestyle adjustment.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Promote the services you have to offer. You’ll make an impression on someone who can provide you with support and excellent suggestions.

Don’t let an emotional incident slow you down.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Make a change that will give you freedom to explore new possibilities. Make a transformation at home that will provide you with the space you need to pursue your dream.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Express your concerns and lay down rules. Refuse to let anyone walk all over you. Aim to improve your relationships by striving for equality. Romance is encouraged.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- An unfamiliar place will spark your curiosity and inspire you to try something new. Check out real estate or an investment that will push you to make a move.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Do something constructive, and don’t stop until you make progress.

Don’t neglect a problem that’s hanging over you. Altering your lifestyle may be required to make things better.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Get together with people you don’t see often. Revisit an old idea, as it may inspire you. Make choices that will contribute to your happiness.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Read the fine print.

Take charge by saying no to temptation and rejecting plans that put you at a disadvantage.

Be observant and get the facts and figures before you promise to do something.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Make sure to be fully prepared before revealing your intentions. Honesty and fair play will make a difference. If you are willing to compromise, everyone else will be as well.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- If you speak from the heart, you will get a good response. Someone close to you will offer insight into your options that will help you make an adjustment and come to a decision. ©2020 UFS