Serving Ogle County since 1851
OREGON Republican Reporter
July 20, 2018 Volume 168, Number 32 - $1.00
Concert in Park
Tandem Time
Butterfly Festival
The Oregon Park District’s final Concert in the Park is July 24 and includes fireworks! A2
The Village of Progress has a unique new bike club. B2
The Elkhorn Creek Butterfly Festival is Saturday, July 28. A6
Board approves jail design despite cost concerns Estimated cost is now $26.7 million By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecountynews.com Despite concerns over the cost, the Ogle County Board approved the schematic design Tuesday evening for the new jail with an estimated price tag of $26.7 million. The board approved the plan presented by Thomas Leonard, of Gilbane Building Company, by a vote
of 21-1 with Lee Meyers, of Byron, casting the only no vote. Board members Nic Bolin, of Holcomb, and Garrett Williams, of Rochelle, did not attend the meeting. The board hired Gilbane in February for the design and construction of the facility. The firm is based in Providence, Rhode Island, and has offices in numerous locations around the world, including Chicago, They are working with Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc., Chicago, the firm hired last year to do the
architectural and engineering design. Gilbane and HOK have collaborated on several projects, including the DeKalb County Jail expansion, which is now completed. Leonard showed a drawing of the exterior of the jail, which has been scaled back from the preliminary plan presented last year. To save money, he said, the jail plan has been downsized from three stories to one and a half stories, from 70,000 square feet to 50,796 square feet, and from 180 to 200 beds to 152 beds with the capacity to go to 176.
The total cost was estimated initially at $25 to 28 million. On Tuesday, Leonard said the first numbers he was given for the larger facility put the cost at $28 to 30 million, which makes the current estimate, $26.7 million, reasonable. Board member Skip Kenney, of Rochelle, had questions. “At first, the jail was larger and looked different, but now it’s more expensive,” he said. Kenney also objected to the flat roof. “In my experience, flat roofs in
northern Illinois are problematic,” he said. Leonard said the roof will have a taper to promote drainage. Sheriff Brian VanVickle said the flat roof is necessary to allow for numerous skylights that are required by federal jail standards. Board member Marty Typer, of Stillman Valley, asked if the cost can be further reduced. HOK project manager Larry Hlavacek said the costs have been already been reduced as much as is Turn to A2
Final prep begins for the 165th Ogle County Fair By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com From the queen pageant to the livestock shows, the 165th Ogle County Fair set for Aug. 1-5 will offer non-stop family entertainment at an affordable cost. “We’re praying for nice weather,” said Harlan Holm, fair board president. The fair begins with the crowning the 2018 fair queen on Wednesday, Aug. 1 and features the traditional grand stand shows — truck and tractor pulls on Wednesday and Thursday, Big Hat Rodeo on Friday, and the demolition derby on Saturday.
Holm urged the public to take a look at the projects done by local 4-H club members, as well as other youth. “Come to the fair and support the youth,” he said. “They do a lot of work hard work on their projects all year. That’s why we’re here.” Their efforts will be on display throughout the fair. The project shows cover a wide array of topics from traditional livestock, foods, and clothing to electricity, woodworking, and computer science. Daily entertainment includes Woody’s Menagerie with animals from around the world, and a chain saw artist. The Magic of Brian Holt Turn to A2
Loves Park man dies in rollover on Ill. 72
Festival Fun ByronFest provided plenty of fun for young and old. Above, Brennan Rutlin, 6, of Byron, rides the Baja Buggy carnival ride on Sunday. At right, seven-month-old Adrian Fritz, of Chana, peeks out of the large bumblebee as his mom, Krystal, rides along. Below, Alana Swanson of the By-Y- Badgers 4-H Club walks her dog Winston alongside the club’s float during the parade. Photos by Earleen Hinton
By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
A Loves Park man died in a one-vehicle crash Monday morning near Davis Junction. Stephon Pratt, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 14,200 block of East Ill. 72. Ogle County Sheriff’s Police said a vehicle driven by Pratt was westbound on Ill. 72 just east of the intersection with Ill. 251 and failed to negotiate a
curve. The vehicle then traveled off the north edge of the roadway, went through a ditch, and overturned. The crash occurred at 8:11 a.m. Police said Pratt, the only occupant of the vehicle, was not wearing a seatbelt. The Ogle County Coroner, Lynn-Scott-Rock EMS, Stillman EMS, New Milford EMS, and the Illinois Department of Transportation assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Artworks vandalized while on loan to Polo By Vinde Wells vwells@oglecounty news.com
A Polo man has been charged for vandalizing straw sculptures that were on loan to Polo. Kaleb D. Sheffield, 20, was charged with criminal damage to property, a misdemeanor, in connection with the incident which took place in the early morning hours of June 23. The Polo Police Department investigated the vandalism to
In This Week’s Edition...
Byron Library, A7 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B5-B8 Entertainment, A6
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Library, A6 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7
Property Transfers, B3 Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 State’s Attorney, B2
Published every Friday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
two straw sculptures, which were on loan from ENCORE! Mt. Morris and displayed during Polo’s Town and County Days’ festival. They were part of the U.S. National Straw Sculpting Competition to be held in Mt. Morris Aug. 10-26. Sheffield was taken into custody by the Dixon Police Department on July 15 on the Polo Police Department’s outstanding warrant. He was released after posting $3,000 bond.
Deaths, B4 Irvin H. Bolthouse, Dorothy M. Modler, Donald L. Smith