Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press June 7, 2018 Volume 160, Number 6 - $1.00
Commanding Victory
LR Parade
Polo Car Show
Polo’s Senior Division softball team hammers out a 17-2 victory over Forreston 2. B2
The Leaf River Daze Parade marches though another successful year. B1
Gateway to the Pines Car Show runs in conjunction with Town & Country Days. A2
Five are arrested on drug charges after event at bar Police say charges stem from gathering at Polo Room By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
The head of the Black Hawk statue is slowly revealed Friday morning by workers from Quality Restorations Inc, of Wood Dale, pull off the black plastic tarp that has covered it for the last 18 months. Photo by Vinde Wells
Unwrapping reveals more damage By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com The unwrapping of the Black Hawk statue June 1revealed that the beloved landmark has deteriorated in the last 18 months. “Under the left elbow it’s worse. And the front where the leg is — that’s in dire condition,” said Karly Spell, a member of the Oregon Together Black Hawk Restoration Team. She also pointed out cracks near the head of the statue and on the left shoulder that weren’t apparent before. Oregon Mayor Ken Williams agreed. “The right shoulder looks worse, too,” he said. Keith Niles, the supervisor
of the crew from Quality Restorations Inc., of Wood Dale, said the tarps and the padding underneath did their job by keeping moisture away from the statue. “It’s nice and dry under there,” he said, shortly after the wraps came off. Sculptor Lorado Taft created the 48-foot concrete statue as a tribute to Native Americans in 1910. It was unveiled and dedicated in 1911. Taft called his statue the Eternal Indian, but it has been known as Black Hawk from the start, for the Sauk and Fox medicine man whose people frequented the area. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2009, the concrete statue needs repairs due to the
ravages of weather and time. Over the years, despite numerous repair efforts, parts of the statue have crumbled and fallen off. Winter weather has been especially devastating. An examination in 2014 revealed that the most damaged areas are the folded arms of the statue, especially the elbows and underneath the arms; the middle of the robe; and the vertical fold in the robe from armpit to toe. Black Hawk was named to the state’s list of Most Endangered Historic Places in 2015 by Landmarks Illinois. The Black Hawk Restoration Team was formed several months ago to continue previous fundraising efforts to pay for the statue’s repairs. A estimated $500,000 is
needed to complete the repair process started in 2014 by the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue. A long-promised $350,000 state grant finally approved last week by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday will help. Black Hawk Restoration Team Chairman Jan Stilson said fundraising efforts should continue, even with the approval of the grant, which was originally promised in 2009. Repairs may cost more than anticipated, she said, “and then there’s maintenance.” Checks can be sent to Oregon Together Black Hawk Team, PO Box 574, Oregon, IL 61061.
City council wants tall grass mowed Property owner has until June 7 to cut lawn By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com Polo aldermen want something done about the tall grass growing in a yard along Ill. 26. Alderman Phil Peterson told the city council Monday that the grass at 601 S. Division Ave. (Ill. 26) has not yet been mowed this year and exceeds the eight-inch limit stipulated in city ordinances. He said he has received complaints from other residents. City clerk Sydney Bartelt
said property owner Ahmad Farraj, of Rock Falls, has been sent a letter advising him that he has 10 days to cut the grass. The 10 days is up on June 7. Alderman Randy Schoon wasn’t satisfied. “I want him ticketed,” he said. “He knows the yard needs to be mowed.” No one is currently living in the house on the property. City attorney Tom Suits said that according the city code, property owners must be notified by letter when their grass is too long, and they have 10 days to comply. After that, the city will hire someone to cut the grass and bill to the property owner or put a lien on the property. Alderman Justin Grobe said he believes the 10 days should be shortened to five days. Suits said the ordinance can be changed and that he
In This Week’s Edition...
would study the state statutes to determine if the city must notify property owners before taking action. In another matter, Steve Frano, owner of the Polo Room, 712 S. Division Ave., addressed the board about recent drug arrests made following an event at his business. “I’m here to set the record straight,” he said. “This has nothing to do with us and it never has.” He said any illegal activities took place outside the bar. He said he has his own security inside the bar and plans to hire off-duty police officers to provide more security when the bar is hosting large events. In other business, Park Superintendent Vern Shetler raised a question over recent raises given to city employees.
Chamber Chatter, A3 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B6
He asked how the amount given was determined. “I think I got left out,” he said. Mayor Doug Knapp said the council would discuss the matter in closed session. Following the closed session, the council took no action. Knapp said Tuesday that two other Parks Department employees got $1 an hour raises, while Shetler got 50 cents. “In theory, it probably should have been straight across the board,” he said. “We’re very pleased with the work Vern does.” He said the two other employees who received the larger raises make less per hour than Shetler.
Library News, A3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Pine Creek News, A3 Polo Police, B5 Public Voice, A7
Spencer J. DeCrane
Five area residents were arrested last week on drug charges after a three-month investigation involving several law enforcement agencies into an event held at a Polo bar. Ogle County Sheriff ’s Police arrested Spencer J. DeCrane, 21, of Polo, and Dixon residents Trevor C. Crawford, 24, Emma C. Lantz, 22, Nicholas D. Durham, 30, Nathaniel C. Mason, 20, all on charges of delivery of a controlled substance. Crawford and Lantz are charged with delivery of LSD, while DeCrane, Durham, and Mason are charged with delivery of cocaine. Sheriff Brian VanVickle said Tuesday that the arrests stemmed from an event that drew a large crowd on Feb. 17 at the Polo Room, 712 N. Division Ave., Polo. “Multiple undercover officers were in the bar and purchased drugs from the suspects and also witnessed unaccompanied minors in the bar and open drug use,” VanVickle said. The Ogle County Sheriff ’s Department was assisted by the Polo Police Department, Dixon Police Department, and the Stateline Area Narcotics Team (SLANT), which consists of officers from the Ogle County Sheriff ’s Department, Loves Park Police Department, Rockford Police Department, Illinois State Police, and the Monroe, Wisconsin Police Department.
Trevor C. Crawford
Emma C. Lantz
Nathaniel C. Mason
Nicholas D. Durham
Publication date is changing to Friday Due to a change in printing schedules, the Oregon Republican Reporter, Mt. Morris Times, Tri-County Press, and Forreston Journal will now publish on Fridays rather than Thursdays, effective with the June 15 editions. Papers will be distributed to each town’s respective post office on Thursday morning. Newsstand copies will be
Property Transfers, B4 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B2 State’s Attorney, B6
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
distributed on Thursday to retail outlets and news boxes. “Content and our commitment to the communities we serve will not change,” said Sauk Valley Media General Manager Jennifer Heintzelman. Ogle County Newspapers is a division of Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling, and Shaw Media.
Deaths, B6 Jerry Reinders Gerald L. Zellers