May 14, 2015

STILLMAN VALLEY - On April 30, the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) and the Bilingual/ESL teachers held the annual “Day of the Children, Day of the Books” celebration which took place at Meridian Junior High School. All the elementary children from the Bilingual/ESL Program and their families participated in this special night to celebrate bilingual literacy and “El Día de los Niños.” High school Spanish students presented bilingual storytelling for the younger students. There was also a craft station, where the students made paper flowers and decorated potted plants for their mothers for Mother’s Day. The students then played games supervised by the fathers at different stations in the gym. The culminating dinner consisted of traditional Mexican food. On their way out, the students all received a gift, which is also a tradition on this special Children’s Day.

Thank you to all the bilingual parents and high school student volunteers who helped make the night a success. The committee and teachers look forward to continuing the tradition in years to come.

May 14, 2015

BYRON - The students in Mr. Trygg’s Horticulture classes at Byron HS have been busy planting in the greenhouse. There will be a wide selection of spring bedding plants available, for purchase May 14 from 8a.m – 4:30 p.m.. The location is in the high school greenhouse, which is right across from the football stadium entrance.

Plant selection includes: perennials for $8. Perennial selection includes: Coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans, Columbines, Bellflowers, Delphiniums, Phlox, and many more. Annuals ranging from .75 cents to $5 including Impatience, Wave Petunias, Gerbera Daisies, Pansies, Dusty Miller, Begonias, Celosia, and many more.

There are many types of hanging baskets available for $20. For your vegetable garden we have Tomatoes for $1 each including Grape, Cherry, Roma, Big Boy, and Beefsteak. Peppers for $1each including Bell, Banana, Jalapeno, and Habanero. All the plants were grown in larger than normal pots. This leads to a better root system for transplanting.

All plants were grown and maintained by students at Byron High School. Come early to guarantee what you want. Many varieties sold out last year. Please be aware that it may be too early to plant them outside wit out protection from the wind and lower temps. All plants should be hardened-off before putting them in the ground.

May 7, 2015

STILLMAN VALLEY – On Tuesday, April 28, Mr. Phil Bratta was recognized by Illinois Education Region 22 and the Stillman Valley Education for his continued contribution to the success of Meridian CUSD223 (Stillman Valley) students. Phil was nominated by Todd Hall, a former student of Phil’s and a current teacher for Meridian. Though Mr. Bratta has been retired for several years he still makes an impact in the Meridian CUSD223 and community. He still coaches chess and academic teams for the district, and he attends as many extra-curricular activities as possible. Mr. Bratta is also readily available to serve as a substitute teacher. He is actively involved with the U of I Extension as a master gardener, and he hosts computer education courses for adults.

Mr. Hall remembers Mr. Bratta as a teacher who really wanted to make a difference in his students’ lives. Not only was Mr. Bratta concerned about the content being taught, he was also very concerned about his students’ well being. He was always asking about what the students wanted to do when they got older, helped them to overcome normal struggles of being a teenage, and always encouraged the students to do well in school.

“The positive difference Mr. Bratta has made in my life is a major reason why I chose the teaching profession as a career,” Mr. Hall states. 

May 7, 2015

BYRON - An awe-inspiring amount of donations came in from the Byron community recently to help the victims of the tornados that swept through Northern Illinois. Led by Tracie Duffield, Kari Ebens, the Byron CUSD 226 Transportation Dept., and the HS Student Council, volunteers manned the busses on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12 collecting everything from basic necessities to clothing.

Volunteers were busy, as they collected and stuffed 3 busses with supplies for the community of Fairdale and surrounding areas. Another busload of clothing was collected along with almost $4000 in cash and gift card donations.

Volunteers also accompanied the busses to Kirkland to assist in the unloading process and get a first-hand look at the outpouring of support for this devastated area. It was a heartbreaking experience to see even a small part of the damage and need that this area is experiencing. I think that all of those involved were moved by Byron’s outpouring of donations, the district’s willingness to transport/support the donation process, and the volunteers who stayed to the end to make sure that the donations go into the hands of those that need it most.

April 30, 2015

By Doug Schroder

Editor

STILLMAN VALLEY - For the past few weeks, the 7th grade Science classes at Meridian Junior High have been trying to solve the mock crime scene of the murder of Paul Dudden (based off of an Agatha Christie Story). The school received a crime scene kit purchased by Stillman's PTO to make this project happen. The students had to analyze the crime scene, collect evidence, perform multiple experiments, analyze their data, and finally create their theory of who or whom murdered Paul Dudden. The students, split into six different groups, sketched the crime scene. Then they did analysis of the soil, handwriting, fingerprints, hair and drugs. The students used higher level thinking skills to create a PowerPoint presentation to present their case based on their findings and evidence.

For this project multiple outside community members/parents volunteered their time to help the students learn more about Crime Scene Investigation. The first visitor was Mr. Motisi, a private investigator with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He was there to help the students decide how they were going to analyze the crime scene. Even one school board member showed up just to observe the class.

Another classroom visitor came on Thursday, April 23, who provided more information to the students about what they do in their jobs as current Crime Scene Investigators. Illinois State Policemen, John Willis, helped set up a visit by Angela Mathew, who is an Illinois Crime Scene Investigator for the Illinois State Police. Officer Mathew used a Power Point presentation during her visit to show the students about her job. Illinois has the third largest crime lab system in the world, and the second largest in the USA. There are six labs statewide.

Officer Mathew also went over the different divisions of crime scene investigation, which are artist and diagram, bloodstain analysis, entomology and bullet trajectory. She showed the classes how to see footprints on the floor by shining a flashlight at an oblique angle and she also did a demonstration on how to get fingerprints.

 Officer Mathew also explained the CSI Effect. The CSI Effect stems from TV shows leading people to expect things that can't happen. It also includes criminals trying to clean up or stage crimes based off of TV show. What happens in TV and real life are totally different.

April 23, 2015

STATELINE - Candice Miller, a University of Illinois Extension Horticulture educator serving, Boone, DeKalb, Ogle, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties was recently awarded a State Communications Award for her Social Media Flyer by the Illinois Extension Agricultural Association. Miller reaches out to her program participants through various social media outlets, like Facebook and Twitter. This piece will now go on and be judged for a potential national award. Last year, Miller won this award for a factsheet she created on Plants That Cause Skin Irritation.

Through her position as Horticulture educator, Miller provides programming on a variety of home horticultural topics. Whether your interest is growing your own vegetables or if growing flowers is more your gardening style, U of I Extension has programs to fit your needs. The goal of our Horticulture programming is to educate and inspire members of the community.

Remember to "Like" Miller's social media sites to stay up-to-date on programs in your area, as well as local gardening news.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northwestillinoishorticulture

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NWILExtHort

Hort in the Home Landscape Blog: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw/eb284/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nwilexthort/

April 23, 2015

By Doug Schroder

Editor

STILLMAN VALLEY - Last fall Stillman Valley Boy Scout Marcus Franke, of Troop 40, got an idea for his Eagle Scout project from Dean Insko of the Stillman Valley Public Works Department. Dean suggested the fire hydrants needed painting. From this Marcus got the idea to paint the town red. More specifically, he got the idea to re-paint all 80 of the village fire hydrants, which are painted red. He kicked the idea around for a while, and then in early winter he started moving forward with the project. He got a map of the village that showed where all 80 hydrants were. From that he divided the village into sections and then organized three different groups of scouts to cover assigned areas.

Before Marcus could do anything he had to seek approval of the project by the Blackhawk Area Council. The Council approved the project on Tuesday, April 7. On Saturday, April 11 Marcus set his plan in motion with paint and supplies provided by the Village. Marcus arrived at the predetermined meeting spot at 9:30 a.m. to prepare for the day. The other scouts arrived a little later and the project commenced at 10:30 a.m. On Marcus' map he had the names of everyone involved in the project. Listed were Mr. Brada, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Trent, Mr. Enright, Andrew Pearce, Sal, Morgan, Mr. Havloick, Chris Oltmans, Drew Markham, Demetrius Markham, Matther Frank, Mr. Ruston, Julia Heckman, Cindy Franke and Harriet Markham.

In his organizing, Marcus made sure to include lunch for the volunteers in his project. Scout moms Julia Heckman, Cindy Franke and Harriet Markham served the lunch up.

All 80 fire hydrants in Stillman Valley were painted by the end of the day that day. It had been 15 years since the hydrants were last painted. It was done as an Eagle Scout project then, also.

St. Edwards Church, located on 11th Street in Rockford, sponsors Troop 40. The troop meets there every Tuesday night.

April 16, 2015

Submitted By

Byron Middle School Staff

BYRON - Sixth grader Montana Larson, seventh graders Ava Ebersohl, Alivia Bradford, Cade Roschi, Kyle Baker, and eigth graders Evan Walters and Connor Harn, students at Byron Middle School, have been selected for the 2015 Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. They will perform in Carnegie Hall with the Honors Junior Choir. Participation in one of the three Honors Ensembles is limited to the highest rated middle school performers from across the North America and select schools internationally.

The students auditioned this fall for the Honors Performance Series and were accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements demonstrated in their application and audition recording. They will join other performers from 49 United States, several provinces in Canada, and several foreign countries for a special performance at world-famous Carnegie Hall, a venue that marks the pinnacle of musical achievement.

According to Nancy Richardson, Program Director, "Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each Junior Finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing. We process thousands of nominations annually, selecting only the most talented performers. Working with these conductors and performing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in -a lifetime experience that these student musicians never forget.
The Junior Finalists are all part of the Byron Middle School choirs, and also are participants in the Middle School Show Choir. Many of them have been selected for the District Choir, Western Honor Choir, and have participated in RT 72 solo and ensemble contest.

Junior Finalists will come together for five days in June 2015 in New York City to have the opportunity to learn from Greg Gilpin, work with other Junior Finalist, and get a taste of New York City. The Saturday, June 27, performance is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased beginning 60 days prior to the performance through the Carnegie Hall box office.

The Honors Performance Series was created to showcase accomplished individual high school and middle school performers on an international level by allowing them to study under master conductors and perform in the celebrated venue, Carnegie Hall. The Honors Performance Series is proudly present by WorldStrides, the nation's leading educational travel organization. Learn more by visiting www.honrosperformance.org.

April 9, 2015

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON - The new tower being built at Byron Dragway has been a total community effort by all of those involved. The need to rebuild the tower have been long over due, as volunteers found out while tearing down the old tower. With the old tower the roof had rotted badly and was ready to fall apart, as volunteers found out when renovations began on the first Tuesday this March.

Stillman Valley's Rick Roberson headed up the all-volunteer effort and he had almost 40 others join in the effort to rebuild one of the original structures of the Dragway. Not only did individuals volunteer their time for the effort, many area businesses volunteered their services and/or equipment also. All materials for the project were bought locally. Businesses from across Ogle County became involved, as well as one from Rockford also. Contractors and tradesman from across Ogle County and beyond came together on the project, too. Mark Langfoss, who hails from East Dundee, IL, was there on Saturday working on the tower. He first became involved with the dragway as a spectator when he was 13 years old in 1971. Since then he has gone on to become a participant in the races and can be found at the dragway nearly every weekend during racing season.

The original tower was built during the initial construction phase of Byron Dragway, which started in 1963 and continued until the opening of on July 4, 1964.

The season was supposed to start this past weekend but poor weather prohibited that from happening. The new season will start this weekend instead.

Work on the tower was delayed on Saturday due to high winds. Finishing the roof, overhang and siding would have to wait until another day.

When work is finished on the tower it will be really nice. The new tower will feature two levels, one for the announcer and timer, while the top level will be a luxury suite.

Track owner BJ Vangsness was there on Saturday overseeing the project. He's looking forward to the new season.

"We already have 500 people signed up for the Metal Meltdown Drags this year. That event has become the largest of its kind in the world," stated Vangsness.

While the tower won't be complete for opening this weekend, it should be finished by the following week.

April 2, 2015

BYRON – The Byron School Board approved modest staff reductions at its March meeting to address declining enrollment and a $27 million reduction in the value of the Exelon nuclear facility. The Board retained the Academically Talented program, of which the District has always been proud; art and Speaking, Listening, Performing at the middle school were also retained, in response to strong community support.

With attrition, as well as new positions created to accommodate curriculum adjustments, the net number of teacher positions eliminated is six – all were honorable dismissals. Even with these reductions, Byron class sizes will remain among the smallest in the region.

“We understand that staff reductions are difficult, but they are necessary,” School Board President Doug Floski said. “Byron had an Education Fund deficit in five of the last six years; enrollment has been declining for 13 years; the District will lose $800,000 annually due to a reduction in the value of the nuclear facility. Our employee health insurance costs are projected to rise 30 percent and our teacher salaries are the highest in the region. We simply have to reduce operating costs. We are grateful that Dr. Hammack and administrators presented a plan that will lower costs while maintaining excellent opportunities for all students.”

Since 2003, the District’s enrollment has dropped by 275 students; through 2020, that number will reach 462 students – more than the population of the District’s middle school. However, since 2009, employment costs have increased by $4 million, due to excessive hiring and retirement benefits afforded teachers via collective bargaining which may total in excess of $50,000 per teacher.

Teaching staff reductions approved Thursday by the Board include: one District counselor – from a counselor/psychologist/social worker staff of eight; one teacher at Mary Morgan Elementary School, one position at the middle school and three positions at the high school, where class size had shrunk to fewer than 12 students in more than 50 classes. The reductions were made following more than 300 man hours of research and study by the superintendent, administrators and Board members, and following 10 meetings/hearings where public comment was heard.

With these reductions, Byron will employ nearly the same number of certified staff employed when enrollment was at its peak. And, Byron will remain among the top community unit school districts in the state, and the top district in the region, in terms of per-pupil spending.

Byron is not alone in the challenges it faces: Enrollment is declining in more than half of the 868 public school districts in Illinois, in part because the children of the youngest members of the “Baby Boom” are aging out of the system. (The Oregon School Board recently reduced staff in response to declining enrollment. The Ashton-Franklin Center School Board, facing a 10-year enrollment decline, will close that District’s middle school next year.)

What makes Byron unique however, are average teacher salaries of $69,214, which does not include benefits or District contributions to the teachers’ retirement program. Byron has 132 teachers, 59 of them earn $70,000 or more a year in salary alone; 16 earn $90,000 or more in salary alone. Those salaries were enhanced under the previous superintendent to include a 6 percent increase in each of a teacher’s final four years of service, plus a one-time bonus of $30,000.

“Our teachers work hard. We don’t begrudge them a good salary,” Floski said. “However, when financial cuts are necessary due to declining enrollment and a drop in tax base, those high salaries and end-of-career packages make the Board’s job more difficult. We cannot reduce salaries, we are contractually obligated to pay them. Therefore, if we need to reduce our employment costs, we have to cut staff.”

Some have asked the Board to move monies from other funds to the Education Fund in order to save the six jobs that were reduced. Board members said such moves are not possible.

“School Districts are restricted in how they spend tax dollars,” Bill Craig, Finance Committee chair, said. “We cannot levy for monies in one fund and spend them on something else. It’s dishonest and it doesn’t represent sound fiscal practices."

“Even if we could, it would be wrong to rob other funds to pay for staff that is not crucial to student success, especially during a period of financial challenge,” Craig said. “Small classes are expensive, and Byron has an excessive number of small high school classes.”

The Board also rejected the suggestion to use precious reserve funds to pay for teacher salaries. Floski said Byron’s reserve funds are lower than auditors and the Illinois State Board recommend. Regardless, the $9 million the District has in reserves would only fund the District for three to four months. Depleting those reserves is not a solution to the District’s financial challenges, according to an independent third-party analysis conducted by PMA Associates.

Board members noted that the District is not putting the entire financial burden on staff members. The District has reduced its legal fees; cost controls have been imposed on all accounts, and purchasing costs have been significantly reduced. Board members said the superintendent and other administrators will continue to search for ways to cut costs without impacting student achievement.

Floski said the Board and Dr. Hammack share a commitment to excellence for all students that remains absolute, despite staff reductions. Test scores are on the rise in Byron after a multi-year period of stagnation. The District is, once again, ranking high on data based surveys of top districts in the state.

“We aren’t going to do anything to jeopardize the progress our students have made these last three years,” Floski said.

Board member Carol Nauman, herself a retired teacher, said the Board sympathizes with employees who will lose their jobs.

“There’s just nothing worse, as a Board member, than letting talented people go,” Nauman said. “We give these professionals full credit for their hard work and we very much appreciate everything they have done for our students.”

March 26, 2015

By Wanda Cacciatore

Byron Women's Club

BYRON - The awarding of our Women's Empowerment Scholarship is a special focus for the BWC. We will be awarding two $500 Scholarships to graduating female high school students or a women 18 years or older residing in the Byron area who wish to further their education in college, a GED, or Vocational/Professional Training. Byron Women's Club has over 100 years
 of service to Byron and the surrounding area and feels strongly that educating women increases their capacity to strengthen themselves, their families and their community. This years awarding of two $500 scholarships is one of the best investments we can make. Applications and further information may be picked up at the Byron High School guidance office.

A major fundraising luncheon fashion show will be held in September to raise funds for the scholarship fund and the many charitable organization the club supports. Watch for the date and details and plan to attend this worthwhile event.

The 2014-15 season for the Byron Women's Club is drawing to a close with the last two luncheon/meetings to be held in April and May. The April luncheon meeting will be held April 21 at noon at the United Church of Byron. Come join Chris Beem and Marian Grace as they take us on a "Trip Through Russia" on tours including the magnificent White Palace and the incomparable Hermitage Museum. This April meeting features our annual salad/dessert luncheon. Members bring their favorites to share. Always a fun and interesting Leap into Spring. Chairman is Ruth Mossom (815-406-5064) assisted by Helen Metoyera, Kathy Rudy and Wanda Cacciatore.

Barnacopia, the newest and most interesting venue for weddings, receptions, meetings, and formal balls is the location of our "Come Taste the Wine" to be held on May 19 at noon. You will have the opportunity to enjoy sampling wines while viewing and relaxing in the unique setting housing the personal collection of Gary and Judy Bocker. The amazing three-story barn has a museum consisting of antique tractors and cars. Also of interest are the theater, chapel, soda fountain and a wonderful bed and breakfast area.

Wine Vendors will be present and sharing information current favorites in the World of Wine. Costas of Byron will provide an array of satisfying appetizers for our enjoyment also. Chairman is Diann Frison (815-234-8476) assisted by Gail Barton, Kathy Johnson and Jean Wolfe.

Guests and prospective members are encouraged to join us at any Luncheon/Meetings for fellowship, an interesting program and lunch by making reservations with the Chairman of the Event, Kathy Johnson, BWC President 815-234-8476, or Kathy Edwards, Program Coordinator 815-234-2164.

March 19, 2015

SPRINGFIELD – Several hundred members of A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education (A.B.A.T.E.) from across Illinois gathered at the State Capitol March 4 as part of their motorcycle rights lobby day. A.B.A.T.E. leaders from the Thunder Rock Chapter, which covers Ogle County and part of Winnebago County, stopped by to talk with State Sen. Tim Bivins (R-Dixon).

March 12, 2015

OGLE COUNTY - Elias and Betty Sotelo and their two children Maya, 8, and Kiana, 5 will receive a home in Mt. Morris at 408 West Front Street. The family currently resides in Mt. Morris. The family selection committee spent hours talking with families before selecting the Sotelo's for this year's build.

"This family is very deserving. They are committed to working with Habitat to complete the home and sweat equity requirements," said Sue Benesh of the Family Selection Committee.

Habitat for Humanity requires a new homeowner to put sweat equity in the home. These hours building the home allow the family to experience the entire home building process. The Sotelo's will put in these sweat equity hours throughout the building process. The completed home will also have an interest-free mortgage. The new homeowner will make payments that include the loan, insurance, and taxes. 

Numerous volunteers and businesses will also help throughout the process.

"Volunteers are the backbone of our builds," said Bob Van Stedum, Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County President. "We could not accomplish what we do without them. We are currently in need of a general contractor or contractors for this project. "

Volunteers are given the opportunity to learn new skills and to utilize their special talents. Please consider joining Habitat for Humanity in its new build. Among other volunteers, a general contractor is needed to oversee the project. 

Since it was founded in 2002, Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County has completed ten houses. So far volunteers have built homes in Byron, Forreston, Mt. Morris, Oregon, and Polo.

Habitat for Humanity International is comprised of volunteers, that welcomes all people dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than a million people.

Future homeowners help build their homes and then buy them through affordable, no-profit mortgages; their payments go into a Fund for Humanity to build additional homes.

The basic selection criteria are:

• Owners have a need for adequate housing and do not currently own a home

• They are willing to help build a home – 200 hours of “sweat equity” required per adult family member

• They meet the income guidelines based on family size and show the ability to pay the monthly mortgage.

Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County continually seeks funds, donations, and volunteers to help keep the final mortgage as low as possible. 

Current Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County Board members are Bob Van Stedum, president; Don Schier, vice president; Katie Van Stedum, secretary; Dave Starke, vice president; Shellie Knox, treasurer; Lori Wagner, Randy Wagner, Dirk Meminger, Lorna Snapp, Gail Tuttle, Tom Hughes, Virgil Rocke, Doug Knodle, Wayne Bearman, and Brion Brooks.

For more information or to volunteer call Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County at 815-732-6855.

Donations of any amount to help with this build can be sent to: Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County, P.O. Box 628, Oregon, IL 61061.

March 12, 2015

BYRON - The Man in Black is in town once again in Byron Civic Theatre’s RING OF FIRE – THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH. The man, the legacy, the legend is celebrated in a high-octane tribute to Johnny Cash. This is no impersonation. This is the joyous and heart wrenching story of his life told in the songs he made famous. A tuneful, foot-stomping celebration of America’s legendary singer-songwriter as told through the songs he composed and recorded. Though he is never impersonated, his remarkable life story is told through his music, performed by gifted singers and instrumentalists.

The cast and crew of BCT’s RING OF FIRE is busy preparing for another production of the award winning show. “Back in October, BCT won the American Association of Community Theatre’s (AACT) State Festival competition in Springfield,” said BCT President, Dan Danielowski. “The next step in the competition cycle is to compete at the Regional competition in Michigan on April 18.” AACT Region 3 includes winning theatres from Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.  

At the State Community Theatre Festival, BCT competed against other community theatres from around the State. At the end of the weekend, BCT brought home several awards. Cast members Jill Marciniec and Doug Rappa won “Outstanding Performance” awards, Dan Danielowski won “Outstanding Set Design” and the entire cast won the “Outstanding Musicianship” award in addition to being named “State Champion” for the 2015 AACT Festival Cycle.

At the competition in Michigan, RING OF FIRE will follow the same rules.

“We have to cut the show to under 60 minutes,” explained Director Steve Bartscher. “Plus be able to set up the staging, instruments, and sound system in 10 minutes.”

To accomplish this, BCT designers have developed a system where most of the needed equipment is preset on rolling platforms with two cables that connect the instruments to the main house system.

“We can actually set up the entire show in 6 minutes,” said Bartscher.

RING OF FIRE invites the public to a “send off” performance on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. A donation will be taken to help defray the costs associated with taking RING OF FIRE to the Regional Festival.

For more information please visit our website at www.bctmagic.com. Please address any questions to info@bctmagic.com.

March 5, 2015

MONROE CENTER - Five teachers from Monroe Center School had the opportunity to continue their education by enrolling in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Train the Trainer program offered through the Barat Education Foundation this past summer. Through this class, each of these teachers became a trainer as well. This fall, these five teachers offered professional development to their colleagues in Meridian CUSD 223. Primary sources, documents or actual objects created during the time under study, help to provide students a window into the past. Through this program, educators and students have access to the Library of Congress primary sources.  The Library of Congress has more than 15 million digitized primary sources. Some of the advantages to using primary sources in the classroom include increased student engagement, construction of new knowledge, along with supporting the development of the collaboration, communication and critical thinking skills required by the Common Core State Standards/New Illinois Learning Standards.

Mrs. Metzger confirms the connection with CCSS by explaining, “Through analyzing sources the students are truly developing critical thinking skills which is exactly what the Common Core Standards are asking of them, not to mention developing fantastic speaking and listening skills.”

Five teachers from Monroe Center School took the TPS class this summer and offered professional development to their colleagues in Meridian CUSD 223. Mrs. Deana Simpson and Mrs. Amy Metzger were approached this winter by their TPS trainer, Mrs. Nancy Ryan (Barat Education Foundation) to present with her at a workshop at Highland Community College on Feb. 17, 2015. Simpson and Metzger presented, along with Ryan and Pam McGreer, to a group of approximately 51 teachers affiliated with ROE8. Simpson and Metzger shared how they are using TPS within their classrooms on a daily basis.

Mrs. Simpson shared, “Teaching with primary sources is such a natural fit for students and teachers. You can't go wrong when you see all students in your classroom thriving during a lesson.”

For more information regarding Teaching with Primary Sources through the Barat Education Foundation, please contact Nancy Ryan (@nryan@thebaratfoundation.org or 815-988-4191) or visit http://primarysourcenexus.org/tps-professional-development/.

March 5, 2015

DIXON - Top of FormAdd a “spring” to your step at the 2015 Ready… Set…Grow gardening workshop, on Saturday, March 14 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon. Join the Master Gardeners of Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside counties in cooperation with Sauk Valley Community College for this one-day event offering information about various aspects of home gardening.

Fifteen different workshops ranging from square foot gardening to creating stepping stones are offered to participants. During three different sessions, participants can choose to attend workshops about many different topics.

The fee for this program is $40, and registrations will be accepted until March 10.

The symposium includes:

* Choice of 15 different workshops

* Exhibit Hall with unique gardening items for purchase

* Master Gardener Q&A Help Desk

* Continental breakfast and buffet lunch

* Door prizes

* Keynote Address: "Four-Star Plants" by Richard Hawke, Chicago Botanic Garden

* Demonstrations during breaks between sessions

Richard Hawke is the plant evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and is responsible for the comparative evaluation of over 1200 taxa of perennials, vines, shrubs, and small trees, including the oversight of a 16,000 sq. ft. green roof trial.

He is the author of Plant Evaluation Notes, writes for numerous horticulture publications, is a contributing editor for Fine Gardening, and teaches and lectures frequently. Richard received the Perennial Plant Association’s Academic Award for teaching excellence in 2005. The Garden’s Plant Evaluation Program has been recommending superior garden plants to home gardeners and the green industry since 1989. Richard will present a variety of four-star plants, including new selections and old favorites, from over 25 years of comparative trials.

Sessions will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Extension reserves the right to refuse registrations received at any time if numbers exceed room capacity. For more information about Ready . . . Set . . . Grow… and other Master Gardener programs, please call the Ogle County Extension office at 815-732-2191.

Register online at: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=11579 or call the Ogle County Extension office at 815-732-2191.

Feb. 19, 2015

BYRON - The Byron Chamber of Commerce held a Ribbon Cutting and Open House on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at Ogle County Chiropractic Center, Inc. located at 137 N Walnut St., Suite 5/PO Box 969 Byron, IL 61010.

Dr. Amanda Jennings has been a chiropractor since 2010. She graduated from National University of Health Science with a doctorate of chiropractic degree in 2010. Prior to that she was a dental hygienist for 10 years. She graduated from Parkland College in 1998 with an AS in dental hygiene, and in 2003, obtained a BS in Health Arts from University of St. Francis.

“The majority of my patients come in for pain management. Neck and back pain, headaches, hip pain and shoulder pain are some common ailments that I see on a daily basis.”

Dr. Jennings strives to help her patients get involved in their own care. She believes that even making small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. She implements rehab exercises with the majority of her patients to help them heal faster and stay that way. Dr. Jennings also uses acupuncture for pain management and to promote healing. Olivia Steingraber and Diane Swiderski are the two massage therapists that are available help patients.

“I don’t want my patients to see me for ‘3 times a week for the rest of their lives’. I really try to get people feeling better and give them tools to stay that way. If a new injury happens, or and old injury reoccurs, I am here to help the healing process again.” She strives to keep up on current information to give her patients the best care based on the evidence that’s out there.

Feb. 19, 2015

Submitted By Wanda Cacciatore

Byron Women's Club

BYRON - In planning the program subjects for the nine Luncheon/Meetings for the Byron Women’s Club each season, an attempt is made to include a program pertaining to healthy lifestyle. This year’s Boot Scootin’ Seniors through the auspices of the Rock River Center provided an activity that was not only entertaining, but also promoted an exercise appropriate for all ages.

The Boot Scootin’ Seniors are members of Rock River Center, the Ogle County Senior Service Center. This line-dancing group was organized as an alternative to traditional exercise classes in l992. They demonstrate, dance and then invite members of the audience to join them in learning a rousing dance routine. The group makes appearances at schools, nursing and retirement homes, Fundraisers, Relay for Life, and other Senior Centers. Their popularity led to appearances at several Illinois State Fairs and dancing on TV at the popular Nashville Wild Horse Saloon program. Those attending the luncheon were encouraged to don their best western garb, including cowboy hats and boots. Adding to the theme for the luncheon were centerpieces comprised of mini hay bales, tin cans of pistachios and sugarless candies and wild sunflowers in Mason jars on a red cowboy bandana. A gourmet heart healthy chuck wagon lunch of baked lemon parsley chicken breast, squash casserole, and tossed salad prepared by Marcia Heurer and her staff was also a part of the program emphasizing how to eat and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Wanda Cacciatore was Chairman for the event assisted by Betty Klink, and Sharon Tamanauska. For information regarding attending the BWC luncheon, held the third Tuesday of each month, is available by calling club President Kathy Johnson at 815-234-5009, Vice President Diann Frison at 815-234-8476 or Program Coordinator Kathy Edwards at 815-234-2164.

Feb. 12, 2015

OGLE COUNTY - Dr. Jeffrey Cates and the Oregon Chiropractic Clinic are celebrating 30 years of service in Oregon, IL. Dr. Cates grew up in Byron, and graduated from Byron High School. He graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1983 after which he studied and practiced in Scandinavia. He returned home and established the Oregon Chiropractic Clinic in 1985. He continued his training in orthopedics and neurology at the National College of Chiropractic and obtained board certification as an orthopedist. Dr. Cates also studies at Lynn University and the Miami School of Medicine where he completed a master's degree in biomechanical trauma. Dr. Cates also has additional board certification as a chiropractic and medical consultant.

Dr. Cates is a nationally recognized contributor and author of practice guidelines and several scientific journal papers. He also is a contributing author to the Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters’ Best Practice Document. He is a member of the West Hartford Group, a prestigious think-tank consisting of some of North America's top chiropractic physicians.
 

Feb. 12, 2015

By Jean Seegers

Reporter

Abby Alton will be appearing in the Hononegah High School production “The Wizard of Oz.”  She plays a tree. She is looking forward to the March 14 production.

She is also looking forward to a visit to Hollywood, where she will vie for a spot on the national television show, “American Idol.” 

Her odyssey to Hollywood began with an “American Idol” Midwest audition in Minneapolis a few weeks ago.

Although her three to four minute appearance was cut from the television showing, she received a coveted “Golden Ticket” signifying that she qualified to move on to the next round of eliminations to be held in Hollywood.

Alton appeared before celebrity judges Harry Connick Jr., Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez. She sang the Whitney Houston song “Saving all my Love for You” and “Chandelier” by Sia.

Alton said it was an unforgettable experience and a bit intimidating. “I really didn’t know what to expect.”

“Jennifer Lopez is incredibly beautiful, really stunning, and was really nice.”

“Harry Connick said he liked my voice but said my stage presence could use some help. He offered some suggestions on how to ‘own the stage.’”

“Keith Urban was also very nice. He said he liked my technical skills and my vibrato and could hear the maturity in my voice.”

Auditions began with approximately 3,000 applicants. It dwindled down to 30 entertainers at the Minneapolis event.

Alton said she met lots of new people and enjoyed the experience.

“It was a cool atmosphere.”

For the past five years, Alton has been studying vocal music with Cori Smith. “Cori is classically trained and has been a good role model.”

Alton is a member of the HHS Jazz Choir and has appeared in several musical theater productions. She has performed with the Spot Light Youth Theater and won first place at the Winnebago County Fair Talent Show last summer.

Now that she is in her senior year at HHS, her thoughts are turned toward college and plans for her future.

“My first choice is the University of Illinois but we’ll see. I plan to minor in music, but haven’t decided on a major yet.”

She credits a lot of her success to the support of her mother Christa and father Todd Alton. “They have been willing to do anything they can to support me.”

As she prepares for the next audition level in Hollywood, Alton said she has a lot to work on.

“There is always room to improve. This is my chance of a lifetime. I’m not going to let a little hard work get in the way of my success.”

Feb. 5, 2015

OGLE COUNTY - Does your organization want to go “green” and help to keep refuse out of the landfill? The Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department (OCSWMD) is announcing the first round of Waste Reduction/ Recycling Grants for 2015. The grants of up to $2,000 are available to Ogle County businesses, schools, municipalities, churches, scout groups, and non-profit organizations wishing to establish or improve on waste reduction and recycling programs and services. Applicants must provide a 20% match of the total project cost and the deadlines for applications are March 6, May 8, July 10, or Sept. 3, 2015, while funds are available.

Based on results from the most recent county recycling survey, Ogle County recycled approximately 28% of waste generated. This is a good starting point, but more can be done to reduce waste and recycle more in Ogle County. A recycling grant can help.

The application for the grant is simple and flexible. Businesses could use grant funds to help purchase waste reduction and recycling materials and equipment, such as collection bins, carts, balers, storage containers, reusable packaging systems, sustainable food packaging, or educational materials that help promote recycling and waste reduction in the workplace.

Schools may seek funds for special projects that will further a student’s understanding of how to reduce the amount of trash sent to the landfill. The requests may be for materials and equipment, such as recycling bins/ carts, videos, books, worm bins, composters, or a dishwasher so disposable plastic ware and Styrofoam trays can be replaced with reusable silverware and plastic trays.

Municipalities seeking to improve curbside, multifamily, or commercial recycling are encouraged to apply, as well as park districts looking to provide recycling opportunities for park users.

These examples are not all inclusive and applicants are encouraged to find new and innovative ways to reduce the amount of waste and increase what is recycled. The grants may not be used for ongoing expenses, such as staffing, collection, and hauling costs. Priority will be given to new applicants.

All applications received will be reviewed by OCSWMD staff and the Ogle County Board Solid Waste Committee. Grants will be evaluated on the following criteria: management ability; project quality; project impact; realistic goals and expectations; accuracy of application; educational potential; use of recycled content product when available; potential for waste stream diversion; and future continuity of the project.

The first deadline is March 6, 2015 and applications will be reviewed, scored, and acted on by the Solid Waste Committee by mid-March.

For more information or to request an application, please contact the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department at 815-732-4020 or visit www.oglecounty.org.

Feb. 5, 2015

By Doug Schroder

Editor

WINNEBAGO - In the Dec. 25, 2014 edition of the Gazette the front page story was about three Winnebago grads (Mindy DalSanto, Dawn Monge, and Doug Schroder) reunited through the Sun Seekers Lighting Girls via the Harlem Globetrotters game on Dec. 27 (see page 10 to read article). The Lightning Girls were the dance team of the now defunct CBA basketball team, Rockford Lightning. The Globetrotters remembered the girls and had requested that they reunite to perform again during halftime of the game that day. Mindy DalSanto was the owner of Sun Seekers Tanning and coach of the Lightning Girls. She was the main spearhead in organizing the reunion. Even though the main focus of the reunion was the Lightning Girls, Mindy wanted to take the opportunity and use it to honor the Timpe family, as they were owners of the basketball team all 20 years the team was in existence. Patriarch Wayne Timpe passed away over ten years ago, but his wife Judy remained, as well as their daughters and grandchildren. Mindy arranged for a ceremony to take place during the halftime show. She didn’t inform the Timpes of the ceremony ahead of time, only requesting that the family be there. Mindy had a plaque made and presented it to Judy and her family. Even beforehand, the Timpe family thanked Mindy profusely for simply organizing the event. Mindy wasn’t sure why the family did so, until this past weekend.

On Saturday, Jan. 30, Mindy received a phone call from one of the Timpe daughters. Judy Timpe has passed away. She had had surgery for a spot on her lung earlier in the week. The spot was diagnosed months before, but the Timpe family did not reveal any of Judy’s situation to Mindy, or anyone else involved in the reunion. Doctors thought the spot was about marble sized. When she went in for surgery last week doctors found the spot was more the size of an egg and her lung was removed. Judy appeared to be recovering fine. She was up and walking around, but then she caught pneumonia. Within a day she passed away while watching television with her daughters.

The reunion was very special to the Timpe family. After their father and husband Wayne died they put all of the Lightning memorabilia away in storage. It had been years since they looked at anything. The reunion brought about the family to get together and get out all of the old Lightning stuff and reminisce about the team. Something they probably would not have done otherwise, until maybe a later time without Mindy doing what she did.

While the reunion was very special to all involved, it was amplified even more with Judy’s recent passing. What was a reunion has now become a fond farewell to Judy Timpe. She loved her family, the team and the girls.

On a side note, Stillman Valley grad Dan Godfread played for the Lightning after his college career.

Feb. 5, 2015

BYRON - The Byron Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to pay dismissed superintendent Margaret Fostiak approximately $165,000 from the District’s tort fund and approximately $35,000 to be paid by the District’s insurance carrier (for a maximum total one-time payment of $200,000.) The agreement represents considerably less than one year of Fostiak’s compensation package and it ends her $10 million-plus claim against the taxpayers of the Byron School District.

Board members called the settlement a “huge victory” for the community.

“The Byron School District acknowledges no wrong-doing in settling this lawsuit,” School Board President Doug Floski said. “No one likes to be involved in a lawsuit, but settling a $10 million-plus claim for a fraction of that amount is a huge victory for taxpayers. The Board of Education is satisfied with the outcome, and we’re pleased to put this matter to rest.”

In announcing the settlement, Board members emphasized the following:

• This one-time payment represents the only monies paid to Ms. Fostiak and it settles her entire suit against District taxpayers; there are no other agreements or payments, and no issues are pending.

• The Byron schools tort fund contains ample monies to cover the payment; no monies will be taken from any other funds.

• The District is not responsible for any of Fostiak’s legal bills; all of the District’s legal fees are covered by the District’s insurance carrier and by the tort fund.

• Neither taxes, nor the District’s insurance rates will be raised as a result.

Floski said the exact amounts that will come from the tort fund and from insurance will not be known until all of the District’s legal fees for this case have been calculated. “It might be $170,000 from the tort fund and $30,000 from insurance,” Floski said. “We won’t know for a few days. But the total, by the agreement signed by Marge Fostiak and by all Board members, will not exceed $200,000.”

Board members made it clear that budget reductions currently under consideration in the Byron schools are not connected to this settlement. Reductions under review are necessary to address declining enrollment, increasing employment costs, and a $27 million drop in the equalized assessed value of the Exelon nuclear facility, the District’s largest taxpayer.

Illinois school districts levy for a tort fund to cover lawsuits and other legal matters. (The law allows tort dollars to be transferred to other funds in some school districts; however, the Byron CUSD does not meet the legal criteria – therefore, these monies could not have been used to cover teachers’ salaries or raises, or to pay down construction debt.)

The School District’s attorneys supported the settlement, Floski said, because litigating a case, even a strong one, is not without risk.

“The School District’s attorneys estimate it would have cost $200,000 to try this case in the various courts where Ms. Fostiak filed suit,” Floski said. “What we have agreed to pay her is essentially what we would have paid in legal fees, with no guaranteed outcome. Lawyers call it ‘settling for the cost of litigation.’ It rarely happens but when it does, it’s a victory for the person being sued, in this case, the Byron taxpayer.”

Fostiak was dismissed from her position as superintendent in July of 2011.

To those who might question the settlement, Floski stated the following.

“We know many people did not want Ms. Fostiak to get a penny – we understand that sentiment,” Floski said. “But our job is to do what is best for the students of this District and for the taxpayers who fund their education. We believe that bringing this matter to a close, once and for all, is in the best interest of the District’s students and employees, as well as other members of the community.”

Board member Carol Nauman said the settlement allows the community to move forward.

“This small payment allows our students, staff, parents and volunteers to put this episode behind them,” Nauman said. “Now, we can move forward to a promising future.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS RELEASE CONTACT:

Doug Floski

Office - 815.234.5454

Home - 815.234.2231

Jan. 29, 2015

Congratulations to the following Stillman Valley High School seniors who were recently named Illinois State Scholars, recognizing their outstanding academic achievement as being in the top 10% of Illinois high school graduates of 2015. Front row, Leah Griesbach, Madelyn Freymiller, Lindsey Hickey, Nile McCammond, Jacob Hildebrand. Back row, Trevor Goley, Connor Engelkes, Matthew Lewis, IssacRuthe. Not present, Jamie Chapin, Sabrina Hendrick, Samantha Hernandez, Abigail Ogden, and Seth VanBriesen.

Jan. 29, 2015

OGLE COUNTY - The Ogle County Fair Association held its annual meeting Saturday Nov. 8, 2014 at the Ogle County Farm Bureau auditorium with many 4-H and Adult Volunteers, Fair Association members and Board members present. The Annual meeting is held each year to review the past year's Fair and elect new Directors. 
Harlan Holm, President of the Ogle County Fair Association called the 2014 Ogle County Fair an outstanding fair! In his address to the members at the Annual meeting he said the attendance at the 2014 Fair may not have been a record but it was excellent. Holm added that Volunteer labor provided by Fair Association members and directors, 4-H club and and FFA members and contributions from individuals and businesses all help make our Ogle County Fair a success. President Holm expressed his thanks to 4-H Leaders and volunteers and the all Volunteer Fair Board for their dedication and hard work to make the 2014 Fair a success.

 Holm noted there were free shows and free carnival rides were offered again this year with paid gate admission. Holm said the free on grounds shows were very well attended and enjoyed by all. He added that attendance was excellent this year due in part by having nice weather and the $8 dollar gate fee that included all on grounds shows and free rides for adults and the kids.

John Sheely Assistant Superintendent of the Ogle County Fair Association recognized Michael Timm as the Volunteer of the Year. This award is given in recognition of exceptional volunteer work. Besides assisting with Security duties during the Fair, Timm also volunteers his time during the summer months to help keep the Fairground mowed regularly.

Tom Simpson of Davis Junction, and Rita Dauphin of Polo, were re-elected to the Board for a three-year term at the meeting. Randy Anderson of Chana was elected to replace Ralph Larson of German Valley, who retired from the board after many years of faithful service.

Other continuing Board members include Harlan Holm, Stan Eden, and Carol Zellers, all of Oregon; Dave Engelbrecht of Byron, Rita Dauphin, Lyle Hopkins, John Dueth, all of Polo, Rose Donegon, Gene Price, and Brad Larson, of Mt Morris. Other Fair Officials include Dennis Alderks, Chana, Fair Superintendent; Jon Sheely, Assistant Superintendant; and Dr. Tom Hughes, Forreston, Ogle County Fair Veterinarian.
President Holm said in his report that he is looking forward to the 2015 Fair to be held July 29 to Aug. 2, to build on the success of the 2014 Fair!

He noted that funding from state allocations has become much less over the past several years. In spite of that Holm is confident that with the help of the Fair Board, Members, and Volunteers including 4-H and FFA members we will have a great Fair in 2015.

Jan. 22, 2015

By Tricia Goecks

Daily Republican Editor

BELVIDERE - On Christmas Eve, a convoy of cars, fire trucks, and police cars made its way from Belvidere North High School to the Prairie Ridge subdivision in Belvidere. Included with the procession was a pink fire truck and pink squad car from Pink Heals.

With sirens wailing, the caravan made its way towards the Re home with friends and well-wishers to lift the spirits and support Melissa Re.

In 2011, Melissa was diagnosed with a rare genetic form of lung cancer caused by an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. A neuro intensive care nurse at OSF St Anthony Medical Center and sophomore girls’ basketball coach at Harlem High School, Melissa cherished every moment that life had to offer while she battled cancer with her constant smile.

She enjoyed thrill seeking activities such as sky diving, zip lining, and taking hot air balloon rides. A scuba diver before her cancer diagnosis, she tried to continue the sport after a lung had been removed. As her dad Fran Re tells the story with a chuckle, she floated lopsidedly.

Her girls from Harlem High School called themselves the Energetic 8 and they participated each year in the Relay for Life of Winnebago County and raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society.

Through radiation, chemotherapy, medication, surgery and a positive attitude, scans indicated that she had beat cancer. For 19 months, Melissa celebrated every day of being cancer-free.

In October 2013, the cancer returned and the medication to keep the EGFR mutation in check was no longer working. In March 2014, Melissa was accepted into a clinical research trial at MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston.  Every five weeks she flew to Houston with her mom, Debbie, or her dad, Fran. By September 2014, the cancer had spread to the membrane of the abdominal cavity.

Declining health forced Melissa to step down from her role as head coach of the Lady Huskies sophomore basketball team. She loved her athletes and took the assistant coach role.

Most frustrating to Melissa was that she had to postpone a Dec. 26 trip to the Riviera Maya, Mexico with her girlfriends.

Ever the optimist, the woman who would force her vacationing friends to wake up in the pre-dawn hours to watch the sunrise planned to return to Mexico.

“I think we are going to try to go for Martin Luther King weekend. I am going whale watching,” Fran Re recalled his daughter as telling him.

Friends conspire to lift Melissa’s spirits

Todd Winnie saw a touching story about police officers who were pulling over vehicles and instead of giving tickets, they gave Christmas gifts. Motivated to do something similar, Winnie’s thoughts drifted to his childhood friend.

“She was smiling all of the time and had an infectious personality,” Winnie said. “She was willing to help anyone at any time and was a role model.”

Melissa’s childhood friend wanted to do something to lift her spirits. Hiding Melissa and her family from his Facebook feed, Winnie reached out online and was immediately overwhelmed by the positive response and the donations that came pouring in.

A firefighter with the Byron Fire Department, Winnie asked members of the Boone Country Rural Fire District #2 if they would be interested in providing an escort from Belvidere North to Melissa’s home.

Eventually, the plan grew and fire trucks from Northwest volunteer fire department, North Park Fire Department, Boone County Rural Fire District #2, and Pink Heals assembled on Christmas Eve at the high school parking lot.

Joined by members of the Fire and Iron motorcycle club and other friends, members of those assembled wrote inspirational comments and well wishes on the Pink Heals squad car and fire truck.

“You cannot meet anyone and find that there is not affected by cancer in some way or another either directly. Everyone is affected by it in some way,” Ricki Gomes from Pink Heals said. “Our goal is to help the people who are affected by it and give support.”

“The main reason why I wanted to do something like this was to get her spirits up and give her that oomph to show her that she was not fighting alone,” Winnie explained.

With four squad cars from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department that blocked the intersections between the high school and Melissa’s home, the group of at least 40 people made its way to surprise Melissa for what would turn out to be an emotional visit.

When Melissa heard the sirens outside of her home, she went outside.

“Each one of the firemen gave her a hug. It was very cool and neat,” Keith Clark, volunteer deputy from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said. “It was neat to see how many people came together. There was a very good turnout for this.”

On the truck, Melissa signed the Pink Heals fire truck and wrote “Keep it going.”

Final journey

On Jan. 8, surrounded by friends and family at home, Melissa lost her courageous battle against cancer. She was 31 years old.

“She fought and fought and fought and she smiled through the end,” Winnie said. “She would definitely be missed “.

In addition to her parents Fran and Debbie, she is survived by her siblings Matthew, Michael and Meagan.

Once again, Winnie reached out to Boone County Rural Fire District #2 and the North Park Fire Department to continue what they had started on Christmas Eve.

On Jan. 12, a fire truck from each department accompanied the funeral procession from St. James Catholic Church in Belvidere to Sunset Memorial Gardens in Machesney Park.

At the funeral, the Lady Huskies asked the Re’s if they would be at their Jan. 13 game against Jefferson. 

“The way they asked, we couldn’t refuse,” Fran Re said.

The morning after her funeral, Melissa sent a sign that she is still with them. A photograph that Winnie took of the sunrise showed a single ray of light rising from the horizon and going straight up to heaven.

Before the sophomore girls’ basketball game, each of the sophomore and varsity athletes laid a letter and an orange carnation on Melissa’s coaching seat in memory of their beloved coach. A t-shirt on her chair read “Just doing it for Re.”

Her sophomores won 61-43.

the guy who organized this is a Byron fire fighter.

I only wound up using photo with the flowers from Chris Anderson....that's why only 1 cutline.

The rest of the photos are from Todd Winnie (from Byron) they are of Melissa signing the Pink Heals fire engine. He also took a sunrise photo the morning after her funeral of a Re of light bursting through the cloud cover and reaching up to the heavens.  Winnie thought it was a message from Melissa that she was going to be ok.

Jan. 22, 2015

BYRON - Ronald R. Beem was presented with his 50-year member pin and certificate at the January meeting of Byron Lodge #274 A.F. & A.M. by Master Gerald Zeibert.

Beem was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on Dec. 22, 1964 in DeKalb Lodge #144, passed to the degree of Fellowcraft on Jan. 12, 1965, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on Jan. 29, 1965. He became a member of Byron Lodge #274 on March 12, 1968. Beem served as master of Byron Lodge in 1973, 1974, 1982 and 2009. He currently serves as secretary.

Jan. 15, 2015

State Agencies find that possible closing of nuclear plants would cost billions to the economy and add millions of tons of carbon pollution

CHICAGO —A new state report on the impacts of nuclear power on Illinois shows the industry creates enormous environmental and economic benefits to the state. The report underscores that nuclear energy helps power the Illinois economy on many fronts and is a clean, reliable source that is vital to meeting emission reduction goals.

The state report shows that premature closure of the Byron, Quad Cities and Clinton plants would cost Illinois $1.8 billion in annual economic activity, almost 8,000 jobs and increase energy costs by as much as 16% (page 125). Furthermore, the Illinois EPA finds that the societal costs of the resulting increased air pollution from closing the nuclear plants would exceed $18 billion (page 121).

The Illinois General Assembly, in 2014, passed HR 1146 which required state agencies to conduct an assessment of how the state’s nuclear plants contributed to these priority goals in our energy sector. The results are clear.

According to an analysis prepared for the Illinois Clean Energy Coalition by SIU Emeritus Professor of Economics Stanford Levin, PhD., “the report demonstrates the importance to Illinois and its environment of the six operating nuclear power plants in the state and the reasons to prevent the premature closing of any of these plants.” Professor Levin specifically cites the state’s findings that closing even one nuclear plant would decrease the reliability and increase the cost of electricity in Illinois. He also notes the Illinois EPA findings that electricity lost from nuclear plant closings, “would will need to be replaced, at least in part, by fossil fuel plants that generate carbon emissions.” This supports the findings of the Illinois Clean Energy Coalition study of 2014 that analyzed the carbon emissions saved by nuclear power (www.ilcleanenergy.org).

The Illinois Clean Energy Coalition encourages everyone interested in the twin goals of an improved environment and a growing economy, to review the findings of the state report (http://www.icc.illinois.gov/electricity/hr1146.aspx) to support the continued operation of Illinois nuclear power fleet.

Jan. 15, 2015

BYRON - We have some very exciting news to start the New Year! On Saturday, Jan 3 Governor Quinn announced that 75 park and recreation agencies throughout the State will receive a total of $26,072,000 in Open Space Land Acquisition & Development (OSLAD) grants for FY15! The Byron Park District was fortunate to be one of those agencies and in addition was also one of only three agencies that were awarded two OSLAD grant funds. The Park District can receive a total of $345,200 in OSLAD funds with $298,500 designated for the re-development of Hamas Park and $46,700 for the land acquisition of some riverfront property in Byron, which will later to be developed into a park.

The Park District recently attained Hamas Park from the City of Byron. The re-development project includes a balanced mix of passive and active elements, including an entrance plaza, playground components, re-development of the pathway for ADA accessibility and added lighting, picnic table pads along the path, parking spaces, community marque, park sign, native landscaping, tree placements, and boat docks. In addition, the park will also receive two river overlooks, two fishing stations, and shoreline restoration all to improve recreational fishing opportunities.

We are also grateful to Governor Quinn for his commitment to funding parks, recreation and open space and IDNR Director, Marc Miller for his support of the OSLAD program. OSLAD remains one of the State’s most successful grant programs due, in large part, to the significant return the State receives for its investment. In fact, the agencies awarded the grants will be matching (and in most cases exceeding) the State’s share of the funding, the State is guaranteed a 100% return or "twice the bang for its buck.”

Please contact the Park District Executive Director at 815-234-6232 if you have any questions, or visit our website at www.byronparkdistrict.com.

Jan. 8, 2015

STILLMAN VALLEY - At the December Meridian CUSD 223 Board of Education meeting the tax levy for next year was approved unanimously. Prior to the adoption of the levy, two presentations had been given at different public meetings and a voice-over PowerPoint presentation was made available to the public via the district’s Facebook page in order to increase community awareness.

“There are three major reasons for sharing the information multiple times in multiple ways. First, this directly impacts our community and their personal finances. Next, the logistics of creating a levy for a school district is a difficult concept to understand for someone without direct experience with school finance. Lastly, the mandatory posting in the paper can be confusing and misleading for our community members,” said Superintendent PJ Caposey

Caposey also mentioned that there is a desire at the Board and administrative level to continue to build trust between the community and school. In November, the Meridian CUSD community voted to approve a .70 percent referendum to increase school funding with a 57 percent majority.

Board of Education President John Smith added, “During the referendum we were very clear that the intent was not to raise taxes beyond the additional burden created by the referendum – if the assessors’ estimates are accurate we will have adhered to that assurance.”

At the BOE meeting, it was announced that if there is a 1.3 percent decrease in total EAV as expected, that the tax rate for next year from the schools will be 5.99 percent compared to 5.29 percent last year.

Jan. 8, 2015

OGLE COUNTY - Local high school Future Farmers of America groups will be volunteering their time on Saturday, Jan. 10 to collect Christmas trees. The trees will be picked up at the curb and taken to a local chipping site where they will be chipped into mulch. Trees, with all their decorations removed, must be at the curb by 8 a.m. on Jan 10.

The FFA groups that will be participating this year are: Byron High School FFA, Oregon High School FFA, Polo High School FFA, and the Forreston High School FFA. The students will be canvassing the Byron area, the cities of Oregon and Polo, and the villages of Mt. Morris, Forreston, Baileyville, German Valley, and Adeline. Please remove all decorations, lights, and stands from trees and do not place trees in plastic bags. Wreaths and garland cannot be chipped and will not be picked up.

Chipping the trees into mulch is good for the environment as the trees don’t take up valuable landfill space nor do they pollute the air if burned. The mulch will then be available at no charge for residents to use for their landscaping needs. Residents may bring a shovel and container and take home free mulch when available at the drop off sites.

“This is a great opportunity for these students to help with a program that benefits local residents by making it convenient to recycle their Christmas trees,” said Solid Waste Department Director, Steve Rypkema. “At the same time, they can earn community service hours and help the environment. We appreciate their help.”

For further information, please call the Ogle County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. at 815-732-4020.

Jan. 1, 2015

OGLE COUNTY - Eight new Master Gardener interns are on the job in Ogle County. On Nov. 21, University of Illinois Extension graduated 18 area volunteers from their Master Gardener training program.

University of Illinois Extension’s Master Gardener program is an educational volunteer training program. Volunteers attended 11 training sessions that provided information on horticulture topics including vegetables, tree and small fruits, insect and disease management, turfgrass management, annuals and perennials, soils and fertilizer, basic botany, plant pathology and more. Now that the training is complete, participants will volunteer a minimum of 60 hours over a two-year period for their local county Extension program. They may answer client questions on the seasonal Hotline, assist with plant clinics, speak to various groups, conduct workshops, work with school and community gardens, and more.

Master Gardener volunteers enable University of Illinois Extension to expand its potential to reach more people with horticulture information to improve their gardens and communities. The main qualities all our Master Gardeners have in common are the love of gardening and the desire to share their knowledge with others.

On behalf of Extension, we congratulate our new interns and welcome them to the program. We look forward to many years of working with them in this important volunteer program.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more about the Master Gardener program, please contact Lisa Hepker at the Ogle County Extension office at 815-732-2191.

Jan. 1, 2015

The Byron C.U.S.D. No. 226 Hall of Fame has two vacancies for the Hall of Fame Committee, beginning in 2015. The Hall of Fame committee is responsible for selecting Hall of Fame Inductees from nominations submitted. The committee is comprised of the Byron High School (BHS) Activities Director, four adults that are BHS Alumni, and two adult individuals that are either from the public or a staff member of Byron C.U.S.D. No. 226.

Any person interested in serving on this committee may submit his/her name to BHS Activities Director, Mr. Jeff Flater by calling 815-234-5491 ext. 225, or by email at jflater@byron226.org. The deadline for application is Friday, Feb. 6, 2015.

Jan. 1, 2015

BYRON – Stillman Bank recently held their annual  Christmas Coloring Contest for kids up to 10 years old.  This year’s picture was a gingerbread man and the winners received their very own gingerbread house kit.  Congratulations to the winners!

For ages 5 and under, the winners were:  Aubrey Emery (Byron), Kaimana Barcai (Oregon), Bennett Rasmussen (Roscoe), and Kaera Lundine (Stillman Valley)

For ages 6 through 10, the winners were:  Courtney Peters (Byron), Alexi Czochara (Oregon), Lydia Osborne (Rochelle), Bryan Garcia (Rochelle), Sutton Gaines (Rockford), Mackenzie Key (Rockford), Lauren Cazanigo (Roscoe), and Dylan Wiltfang (Stillman Valley)

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Stillman Bank to enter the coloring contest.  Nearly 100 entries were received and each child received a small prize for their participation. 

For more information on Stillman Bank, or to find out more about Stillman’s products and services, please contact visit www.stillmanbank.com.

Dec. 18, 2014

OGLE COUNTY - One hundred eighty-one Ogle County 4-Hers are being honored for their achievements during the 2014 4-H year at club programs this fall.  Eligible to compete in one of three club award areas based on their age, 4-Hers can be recognized for their work in the areas of Project Achievement, Service Achievement and Leadership Achievement.

Project Achievement winners are those individuals who are between the ages of 8 and 11 and have met project goals, completed records, attended 1/2 of their local club’s meetings, gave a talk or demonstration about their project, and exhibited at the 4-H Fair or on a local club tour.    

Service Achievement awards are given to 4-Hers, ages 12-14, who have met the criteria for project recognition, served on a club committee or as a club officer, took part in a community service or learning activity related to their project, and assisted club leaders with a special activity, tour, or program.

Leadership Achievement awards are given to 4-Hers between the ages of 15 and 18 who have met the requirements for service achievement, participated in one or more 4-H learning experiences at the county, region, or state level, provided leadership for a project, an activity, or a 4-H group, and assisted in conducting programs at the county level or beyond.  Awards build on one another.

Project Achievement Winners

Byron - Lauren Carlson, Alex Cassens, Carter Conderman, Maggie Eden, Renee Gehrke, Ben Harland,Kaitlyn Harland, Madison Harland, Natalie Ketter, Gracie Mingus,Logan Remhof, Joseph Trank

Chana - Lane Halverson

Davis Junction - Matthew Hickey, David Kennedy, Lillian Kennedy

Dixon - Julia Heller

Forreston - Carter Daws       

Lanark - Justin Heldt

Leaf River - Brooke Allen, Bryce Allen, Isaac Charbonneau, Lane Lindquist, Noah Lindquist, TaylorYordy

Lindenwood - Brayden Dale, Karyssa Dale, Jacob Hackbarth, Hannah Seaworth

Monroe Center - Aubrey Craig, Jackson Craig, Amber Ekard, Anna Hagemann, Abigail Sandine

Mt. Morris - Jacob Davis, Megan Hagemann, R G Hough, Evan Kosick, Garret Moser, Emmett Peterson, Olivia Russell, Xander Schier

Oregon - Samantha Bowers, Katelyn Bowers, Kyle Brechon, Mariah Drake, Levi Eden, Edwin Estrada, Adam Glendenning, Jared Glendenning, A J Hinrichs, Faith Marquardt, Bode Martin, Brenna Noon, Aiden Peck, Gracie Prose, Allison Sheely, Taylor Sheely, Kaedi Stark

Polo - Isaac Akins, Eli Baumann, Waylon Harris, Ty Newcomer, Travis Tarbill, Nicole Zeigler, Bekah Zeigler

Rochelle - Chloe Freier, Kian Hill, Zeke Horn, Ava McGee, Kyra Rimstidt, Heather Swope, Ariel Zuercher

Rockford - Bryce Gensler

Stillman Valley         - Blakelynn Swanson

Clinton, WI - Dalissa Moser

Service

Achievement Winners

Byron - Tommy Allen, Sara Blume, Natalie Carlson, Will Carlson, Collin Conderman, Abe Eden, Kayla Mingus

Chana - Teddy Beauchem   

Davis Junction - Justin Simpson

Freeport - Casey Besse, Tyler Besse

Forreston - Trista Cannova, Hunter Daws

Lindenwood - Matthew Drendel, Michael Drendel, Garrett Hackbarth, Eric Seaworth

Monroe Center - Terra Beckman, Hannah Ekard, Autumn Hagemann, Emily Korinke

Mount Morris - Logan Arvigo, Isabelle Bergstrom, Mallory Bergstrom, Danielle Hagemann, Rebecca Hough, Mady Russell

Oregon          - Joel Marquardt, Casey Martin, Grace Mongan, Johnathan Prose, Abbie Ring, Anna Ring

Polo - Abby Akins, Summer Linboom, Stephanie Sofolo, Valeria Viteri-Pflucker

Rochelle - Katelyn Ackland, Amanda Headon, Austin Zuercher

Stillman Valley - Sarah Henderson, Samantha Malk, Kallista McIntyre

Leadership

Achievement Winners

Byron - Jordan Mingus, Ryan Reeverts

Franklin Grove - Connor Ross

Leaf River - Kyle Hemmersbach

Malta - Katie Roush

Oregon - Jacob Ebens, Chelsea Eden, Michaela Eden, Rebecca Eden, Katrinia Lowry, Abigail Mongan

Rochelle - Callie Ackland, Carley Ackland, Megan Ackland, Nathan Keys, Athena Marshel, Jacob Myroth

Stillman Valley         - Zane Ankney, Kiirstin McIntyre

Clinton, WI - Dylan Moser

4-H is a program of University of Illinois Extension.  For more information, contact Ogle County Extension at 815/732-2191.

Dec. 18, 2014

BYRON - Ogle County Physical Therapy is pleased to announce that Bridget Johnson, PT, DPT, OCS, CKTP completed her Post-professional Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) in Musculoskeletal Management from The Evidence in Motion (EIM) Institute of Health Professions.  Bridget is a 1999 graduate of Northern Illinois University where she previously received her Bachelor of Physical Therapy degree.

Through this program, Bridget has developed a stronger knowledge of evidence-based treatment and has demonstrated the ability to integrate this knowledge into her clinical practice at Ogle County Physical Therapy. Not only will she strengthen her practice, but will also be able to improve upon the outcomes of her patients with evidence‐based treatments. With the added knowledge and experience gained from completing this post-professional DPT, Bridget will continue to provide physical therapy at a higher level to the Ogle County community.

Bridget specializes in both orthopedic and sports rehabilitation.  She is a certified ASTYM (Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization) provider for treating tendonitis type conditions and is a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner (CKTP).

Ogle County Physical Therapy is located at 404 W. Blackhawk Drive, in Byron; focusing on orthopedic, sports, and industrial rehabilitation.  Ogle County Physical Therapy is part of the Orthopedic and Sports Therapy Institute (OSTI) consisting of clinics in Belvidere, Marengo, McHenry, Poplar Grove, Roscoe, and Sterling.  With 7 clinics, 23 clinicians, and over 275 years of combined experience, the clinics of OSTI pride themselves on providing its patients with the highest quality of care.

If you suffer from a condition that requires treatment, see your doctor and have him or her write a prescription for physical therapy.

Nov. 20, 2014

BYRON - Byron Lodge #274 A.F. & A.M. installed its officers for the 2015 year at the Masonic Lodge Hall. David Bjorklund was installed as Master of the Lodge while William Michaux was installed as Senior Warden, Daniel Voss as Junior Warden, Ronald Beem as secretary, Thomas Felker as Treasurer, Michael Thomas as Senior Deacon, Steven Beltran as Junior Deacon, Keith Rundle as Senior Steward, Junior Steward Randy Koch, Josiah Hansen as Chaplain, Gary Murphy as Marshal, and Gerald Zeibert as Tyler.

Installing officers included Master Daniel Yandel, Secretary Orville Shoemaker, Marshal Dana Barlow, and Chaplain Jack Baylor.

Byron Lodge #274 will celebrate its 157th anniversary in 2015 making it the oldest continuous organization in Byron. Freemasonry in Illinois has a long-standing tradition of serving their communities with various acts of beneficence. Masons throughout the state continue this tradition through a network of charitable programs, with a primary focus advancing the welfare of others, particularly children and senior citizens. In continuing this tradition, Freemasons not only serve their communities by setting a good example as citizens, but also improve the lives of future generations and care for the elderly. 

Nov. 13, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY – Local schools, churches, businesses and community organizations are invited to sign up to participate in Stillman Valley’s third annual Tree Decorating Contest. The contest will be held in conjunction with Stillman Valley’s Cardinal Community Christmas event planned for Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014. There is no fee to enter the contest and trees will be provided. The trees will be on display outside at the corner of Main and Maple streets in downtown Stillman Valley during the holiday season for all to enjoy. Cash prizes will be awarded in four categories based on creativity/originality, best use of theme, overall appearance, and people’s choice.

Space is limited to the first 19 groups on a first-come, first served basis, so reserve your tree today and be a part of this exciting community tradition! Applications are available at the Stillman Valley Village Hall and Stillman Bank and must be returned by Friday, Nov. 14. Groups will be able to decorate from Nov. 29 – Dec. 6 and winners will be announced during the Cardinal Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 7. For more information, please contact Stillman Bank at 815-645-2266.

Nov. 13, 2014

BYRON - Byron Women's Club members and guests are invited to get out those boots, jeans and cowgirl hats and join in for a rousing time with the RRC Boot Scootin' Seniors! The group, organized in 1992 as a line dancing class, has appeared at schools, nursing and retirement homes, Relay for Life, and several Illinois State Fairs. They also appeared on TV dancing at Nashville's Wild Horse Saloon. Today the group has approximately twenty experienced and beginner members. They meet at the Center twice a week for practice and learning new routines. They are an example to older adults of the fun it is to be a part of an active group. A hearty gourmet chuck wagon lunch prepared by the 10th Street Cafe is promised for those attending.

Chairman for the luncheon is Wanda Cacciatore, assisted by Betty Klink and Sharon O'Sullivan. Members are reminded to bring non-perishable food items for People Helping People Baskets. Wrapping paper and ribbon is also being accepted for the Police Department’s Operation Santa. Reservations for the Nov. 18, Noon Luncheon may be made by calling Kathy Johnson, 815-234-5009, Diann Frison, 815-234-8476, or Wanda Cacciatore, 815-234-4291.

Nov. 6, 2014

Courtesy photo

Nov. 6, 2014

By Wanda Cacciatore

 Byron Women’s Club

BYRON - Area Women's Clubs in the 13th District of the General Federation of Women's Club will be converging on Byron for the first meeting of the 2014 - 2015 Club season. The eight clubs within the Northwestern part of the state comprising the 13th District are Byron, Chadwick, Franklin Grove, Oregon, Polo, Rochelle, Savanna and Thomson.

District 13, organized April 22, 1899 is affiliated with the Illinois Federation and the General Federation of Women's Clubs. The District meetings are scheduled to follow the State meetings so information presented there may be shared at the District meetings. Detailed reports of the individual clubs' activities are judged by District Chairmen. Awards are given at the spring meeting then sent to State and National Chairmen for consideration. Awards for outstanding service are then presented at the 120th State Convention to be held May 14 - 16, 2015, in Naperville, IL.

The Fall Board Meeting of the 13th District will be held Wednesday, Nov. 12 at the Sunrise Family Restaurant, Byron. Registration is at 9:30 a.m., coffee and rolls will be served at that time. Call to Order is at 10:15 followed by a welcome by Kathy Johnson, BWC President. Welcome and introductions by Jan Bates, 13th District Co-President, followed by Reports and State Board Meeting Report and Information by Fran Strouse, 13th District Co-President. Lunch will be served at noon and the meeting will reconvene at 1 p.m.

Members and guests are welcome to attend the meeting and luncheon or the luncheon only. Take this opportunity to see your club in action and visit old and make new friends. Please make reservations with Diann Frison - 815-234-8476. Deadline for reservations is Monday, Nov. 10.

Oct. 30, 2014

BYRON — Operators returned Byron Generating Station Unit 2 to full power Sunday, marking the end of the unit’s scheduled refueling outage that began Sept. 29. 

Byron’s two nuclear units along with the other nine operating Exelon reactors in Illinois combine to provide 48% of Illinois’ total electricity. Exelon’s nuclear units provide 90% of the state’s carbon-free electricity.

More than 2,000 Exelon employees and contractors performed thousands of activities during the outage that will ensure the facility’s ability to provide reliable, clean and safe electricity through the unit’s next 18-month operating cycle. Among the activities performed include safety inspections and equipment tests, plant refurbishments and operating improvements.

"Our unit’s consistent full-time operation is due in part to the great work performed by our skilled employees and contract partners,” said Site Vice President Russ Kearney, the station’s senior executive. “Our two units are ready for another cold winter. We’ll be online when our customers need us.”

Byron Station is located in Ogle County, about 25 miles southwest of Rockford. With both units at full power, the site produces enough electricity for about 2.3 million homes.

To learn more about the vital role nuclear plays in supplying electricity to Illinois and the tremendous benefits it provides to families and communities visit www.nuclearpowersillinois.com

Oct. 30, 2014

By Brett Miller

Reporter

BYRON – The Board of Education was given a presentation on the results of the Spring 2014 ACT results at the regular Board meeting Thursday night.

The School District’s superintendent, Dr. James Hammack, reported the data with much enthusiasm.

The results were presented along with the previous 10 years of Byron’s ACT scores. Out of those 11 years, this year held some of the most impressive scores.

Hammack stated the 2014 results are not the product of chance, but of the work done by the teachers and administrators in helping students with Common Core standards.

The ACT tests students in English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. These benchmarks – in combination with a student’s high school GPA – determine a student’s readiness and chances for success in college and beyond.

“The ACT is not just any test,” said Hammack. “It is by far the best measurement that our kids get in terms of the quality of the academic program at our high school, and actually the quality of the academic program throughout our school district.”

The superintendent also addressed common statements on the impact income gaps have on a student’s success. He believes the ACT shows such ideas are mythical; students can do well if they reach the ACT benchmarks.

“Income gaps really are only relevant if you don’t provide a rigorous academic curriculum,” said Hammack.

“This research is saying you can reduce and eliminate income gaps, and any kid from any household can be successful post-secondary.”

Once, only students planning to go to college were given the ACT. Now, every 11th grade student takes the test.

The 2014 ACT results for the District (average scores) are: 22.5 in English (Illinois average is 20), 21.4 in Math, 23.0 in Reading, 21.6 in Science, and a composite average of 22.3.

The Math and Science averages were the third highest over the past 11 years. The English, Reading, and composite scores were the top averages going back to 2004.

The results also show the percentage of students who will succeed in each area. Hammack noted the standards are not the same for each category, some are more difficult than others.

The College and Career readiness percentages for 2014 are: 75% in English, 50% in Math, 59% in Reading, 46% in Science, and 36% of students met all four areas.

While Math had the third highest percentage over the past 11 years, the other four percentages were higher than they’ve ever been in that same time period.

“I think this says loud and clear that we are on the right track with the strategic work that we’ve been doing with our school district,” said Hammack.

The Board also discussed expanding the District’s pandemic policy, which currently focuses primarily on flu outbreaks.

With the continued coverage on the spreading of Ebola, community and staff members alike have been looking to address health concerns in the District. However, Ebola is not the main concern here.

“Ebola gets all the headlines, but it’s far more likely in a school setting that we’ll have concerns about Enterovirus D68,” said Board Member Bill Craig.

Craig reminded those present that while Ebola has just breached the US, D68 has already spread through the country and is in full swing.

In response to concerns with these viruses, the Board requested the superintendent to meet with the District nurses in regards to current Center for Disease Control guidelines.

Hammack will be assisting the nurses in bringing them up to speed with what is needed for preparation, how to inform parents and isolate students, and how to distinguish between the similar flu-like symptoms of these viruses.

Hammack said the district will soon receive CDC information from the Illinois State Board of Education on D68. Once this information comes in, it will immediately be distributed to the community.

The Board also provided an update on the search for an architectural firm to work with the District.

Initially, 17 firms were interested in working with the District long-term. After selecting four firms to interview, one was selected for recommendation to the Board.

While approval of the firm was scheduled for Thursday’s meeting, it was decided that more time should be taken to perform additional checks. The subject will be brought before the Board again in future meetings.

Oct. 30, 2014

By Randy Stuckenberg

Reporter

BYRON - The possibility of combine fires is always in the back of farmers' minds during harvest. Unfortunately for Keith Willing, that became a reality Sunday, Oct. 26 as he finished up a soybean field north of Byron on Tower Road late that afternoon. He had parked the combine and was starting to unload when he noticed smoke on the right side of the combine.

"I smelled it as soon as I opened the door," he said.

He grabbed the fire extinguisher and ran around the back of the combine and tried to extinguish the fire but was unable to completely put it out, so he called for help. The flames spread quickly and the combine was fully involved by the time the fire department arrived. The tires were exploding when Chief Galen Bennett, who was off duty at the time, arrived. The plume of black smoke could be seen for miles and drew onlookers to the scene. Fortunately, the fire was contained to the combine and did not spread to the field.

Firefighters are called to combine fires occasionally, usually one or two every year or so. Since the fires usually occur far from town, there is little they can do to save the expensive machines once they arrive on scene.

The combine driven by Willing is owned by Scott Burkhart of Seward. The combine was a total loss, although they were able to save a record book that was in the cab of the combine during the fire.

Oct. 23, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - The Stillman Valley Fall Festival Steering Committee would like to announce the winners from this year’s Fall Festival events. Congratulations to all of the winners!

The Stillman Valley Fall Festival Parade Committee would like to thank everyone that participated in the parade. In the Business Category, the winner is: 1st place –Stillman Bank.The winner in the Religious category is: 1st place – First Baptist Church of Byron. The winners in the Community Organizations category are: 1st place – Julia Hull District Library, 2nd place – Nebashone Snowmobile Club. The winners in the Youth in School category are: 1st place – SVHS Student Council, 2nd place – SVHS FFA Chapter.The winners in the Youth in Community category are: 1st place –Cub Scout Troop #315, 2nd place – Mighty Clovers 4-H Club, 3rd place – Ogle Jolly 4-H Club. The Best in Show award goes toJulia Hull District Library.

The Car Show awarded trophies to over 100 winners. The “Best Of” winners included: Village President’s Choice – Gary Grafelman; Longest Ownership – Dennis Gaylord; Longest Distance – Bill Busse; Above and Beyond – Jim Becker; 24th Entry – Darlene Harmon; Del “Tootie” Hall Memorial – Michael Zimmerman; EveretteMcNames Memorial – Everett Lane; Jim Newcomer Memorial – Louie Barker; Ronald Eller Memorial – Burt Laird; Exelon’s Choice – Brad Hedges; SVFF Chairman’s Choice – Chery Savage; Best Paint – Joe & Denise Lawrence; Best Interior – T.J. Gwizdala; Best Engine – Mark & Sandy Heckman; Best Ford – Danny Thiessen; Best Pontiac – Gary Firch; Best Mopar – Bill Steinborn; Best GM – Arnie Dyer; Best Rat Rod – Dan Kunce; Best Truck – Andy Powells; Best Custom – Mingo Lara; Best Orphan – Bill Powers; Best Corvette – Lynda Lawson; Best Under Construction – Rich Whitney; Best Street Rod – George & Norma Buss; Best Special Interest – Brian Kester; Best Street Machine – Terry Olson; Best Import – Tom & Judy Cunningham; Best Original Restored – Dave & Cindy Anderson; Best Motorcycle – Ryan Huber; and Best of Show – Darrel Burnett. Trophies were also awarded to the Top 60 entries receiving the most votes and to winners of the car show games.

Planning for the 2015 festival will begin soon. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available, so if you’re interested in filling any role, suggesting new ideas, or have a desire to personally get involved in any area of the festival, please contact the Steering Committee at info@stillmanvalleyfallfestival.com or by visiting www.stillmanvalleyfallfestival.com.

Oct. 23, 2014

BYRON - Mike Rock was installed as president of the Kiwanis Club of Byron for the 2014-15 year by Kiwanis Division 13 Lt. Governor Dick Cox. Also installed were secretary Ronald Beem, treasurer Christine Beem, and Director Kevin Carr.

Rock will serve as Byron club president on the worldwide Kiwanis leadership team with Kiwanis International President Dr. John Button of Ontario, Canada, and Illinois-Eastern Iowa District Governor Jim Dooley of Peoria. The International Kiwanis motto is Serving the Children of the World, and the service focus is Young Children: Priority One which emphasizes support for children from birth to five years of age. Kiwanis members can be found involved in service projects to improve the quality of lives of children and families in 96 nations worldwide.

Byron Kiwanis supports community programs such as Adopt-A-Highway, American Cancer Society, Byron Chamber of Commerce, Byron Education Foundation, ByronFest Kiddie Korral, Byron Key Club, Byron Builders Club, Young Children Priority One, College Scholarships, ELIMINATE Project (elimination of neo-natal tetanus worldwide), Key Club Homeless Sleepout, HOPE, Layperson of the Year, Maple Syrup Festival, Miracle on 2nd Street, Festival of Trees, Ogle County Hospice, Operation Santa Claus, People Helping People, Prayer Breakfast, Rockford Rescue Mission, Spastic Paralysis Research, Special Olympics, Village of Progress, and Youth Education Grants, among others.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis International will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2015. Last year Kiwanis Clubs donated more than $100 million and almost six million volunteer hours for community service programs. Byron Kiwanis invites interested persons to attend their meetings each Friday at Sunrise II Restaurant at 6:45 am.

Oct. 23, 2014

OREGON – Superintendents from Lee and Ogle County met last week with Illinois State Representative Tom Demmer and Illinois State Senator Tim Bivins in an effort to strengthen the relationship between schools and state level government.

The Superintendents hope that this will lead to a stronger relationship with local officials whose recent political and budgetary decisions have been widely publicized. Yesterday’s initial meeting was held to discuss the purpose, share beliefs between the two state legislators and area superintendents and outline the structure of the partnership between the two groups.

PJ Caposey, Superintendent of Schools for Meridian CUSD, an area district that has had significant financial issues noted, “This is a start – we are not expecting our two representatives to be able to change all of the dynamics that exist at the state level, but the least we can do as a Superintendent for our districts is to make sure that we have a clear line of communication with our representatives.”

Tom Mahoney, Superintendent of Oregon Community Unit School District added, “We want a voice and we want to make sure we publicly acknowledge our representatives when they stay current with what is happening in our schools and allow us to stay current with what is happening in Springfield. We want this to be a true partnership.”

Local superintendents hope for future involvement from public officials, including regular in-person and phone communication with local legislators, contact before all educational legislation is voted upon and proactive discussions about policy that would benefit education in the region. In return for this effort, superintendents will publish a report card noting the performance of their local State Senator and State Representatives in order to promote the partnership.

“It was a great meeting. We are excited to work with our local school leaders in an organized and structured manner to best serve the students of our community,” commented Representative Demmer about this new form of a partnership.

Oct. 16, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON - The Byron Chamber of Commerce was pleased with the turnout for the 5th Annual ChiliFest held on Saturday, Oct. 4, an event presented by RE/MAX Professional Advantage. The event was held at the Byron Forest Preserve Heritage Farm (7993 N. River Road) in Byron, with cooking beginning at 10 a.m., and the gates opening at noon. Live music started at 1 p.m., with judging at 2 p.m. and then awards were presented at 3 p.m. There was a bit of a chill in the air as it had snowed early that morning, with the snow melting before the 10 a.m. start.

The variety of chilis was good. Some run of the mill, others were hot and spicy, some made with chicken, one made with filet mignon and Guiness beer, while another one was made with no tomatoes. If attendees weren’t full by the time they left, it was their own fault.

Berger Law Firm of Byron ended up taking the Judge’s Choice award for the day.

Oct. 16, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - Stillman Valley native Bruce Roe will take home a $300 prize for winning the “I Love CUB” Photo Contest, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) announced Friday, Oct. 10.

CUB hosted the photo contest to give Illinois consumers the opportunity to show off their homes and communities in honor of the watchdog organization’s 30th Anniversary.

“The contest was CUB’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to our supporters from Cairo to Chicago,” CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said.  “Roe’s photograph truly captures CUB’s spirit and mission to spread energy efficiency awareness across Illinois, and help consumers cut their utility bills.”

The winning photograph shows Roe standing in front of his self-installed solar panel installation in his yard with a handmade “I Love CUB” sign post.  The 71-year-old retired engineer said he has been using his solar panels for power generation for more than a year, and his residence was recently included on a tour of energy-efficient homes hosted by the Illinois Renewable Energy Association.

Roe said he entered the contest because of his long-standing support for the work CUB does to keep the big utility companies in line.

“Every year, I used less gas—because of conservation—but every year I paid more. I became more and more aware that the utilities weren’t playing fair anymore,” he said.  “We need guys like you to watch out.”

CUB also awarded two runner-up prizes of $100 each to Noelya Ramos of Mundelein, Illinois and Gordon Walek of Chicago, IL.

CUB, Illinois’ leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary.  Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has saved consumers more than $10 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds over the years. For more information, call CUB’s Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit CUB’s award-winning website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

Oct. 16, 2014

Editor’s Note: This is the second report in a series gleaned from an NEI report concerning the possible closure of the Byron Nuclear Plant in 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NEI used the REMI PI+ model to analyze economic and expenditure data provided by the plants to develop estimates of their economic benefits. The economic impacts of the Braidwood, Byron, Clinton, Dresden, LaSalle and Quad Cities facilities as well as Exelon’s headquarters consist of direct and secondary impacts. The main variables used to analyze these impacts are:

Output

The direct output is the value of power produced by the Exelon facilities. The secondary output is the result of how the direct output alters subsequent outputs among industries and how those employed at the facilities influence the demand for goods and services within the community.

Labor Income

The direct labor income is the workers’ earnings at the Exelon facilities. The secondary labor income is the workers’ earnings in the other industries as a result of Exelon’s facilities.

Employment

The direct employment is the number of jobs at the Exelon facilities. Secondary employment is the number of jobs in the other industries as a result of Exelon’s facilities.

Gross State Product

Gross state product is the value of goods and services produced by labor and property at the Exelon facilities—e.g., sales minus intermediate goods. In the REMI model, electricity is the final good from a nuclear plant. Intermediate goods are the components purchased to make that electricity.

Substantial Economic Drivers

The direct output in 2015 of the Exelon facilities is estimated to total $5.4 billion (the value of the electricity produced at the plants and the cost to run Exelon’s nuclear headquarters), with a total economic output on the state of $8.9 billion. In other words, for every dollar of output, the state economy produced $1.65. By 2030, the total economic output is estimated to increase to $11.4 billion.

In 2015, Exelon’s nuclear output in Illinois is estimated to contribute $6.0 billion to Illinois’ gross state product (GSP) and, by 2030, the GSP increases to $7.8 billion.

The eleven reactors’ largest impacts are on the utilities sector. Their next greatest impact in Illinois is on the construction sector followed by the professional, scientific and technical sector, due to the volume of specialized services required to operate and maintain a nuclear power plant. Other sectors that benefit from the plants’ operations in Illinois include manufacturing, finance and insurance, health care, retail trade, and managing companies and enterprises.

Job Diversity and Creation

Exelon’s output also stimulates the state’s labor income and employment. Exelon’s plants and nuclear headquarters in Warrenville, Illinois employ 5,900 people in permanent jobs. These jobs stimulate another 21,700 additional jobs in other sectors in the state.

Economic Stimulus

Through Taxes

Exelon’s nuclear headquarters and the operations of the 11 reactors resulted in a total tax impact of $1.4 billion to the local, state and federal governments. This includes the direct impact and secondary impacts, because plant expenditures increase economic activity, leading to additional income and value creation and, therefore, to additional tax revenue from other sectors.

Exelon’s impacts on the state economy are substantial. In addition to the $6.0 billion in gross state product, the company is estimated to generate nearly $300 million in taxes from the plants and their activities for Illinois and its local governments.

Large Multiplier Effects

By producing affordable, reliable electricity, Exelon’s nuclear operations are hubs of economic activity for Illinois and a boost to the national economy. The multipliers show that for every dollar of output generated, the plants and headquarters stimulate between $1.58 and $3.01 in economic output in the state.

The plants and headquarters also stimulate a tremendous quantity of jobs. For every direct job, two to five additional jobs are created.

Oct. 9, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – When Bill Hopper started his haunted house on Rt. 2, 20 years ago, it was fulfilling a life-long dream of his to have his very own haunted house. Many changes have taken place over those 20 years. For instance, when he started the haunted house was two stories tall. That wasn’t up to code with the Fire Marshall, so it became all one level. Codes and regulations have forced Bill to make many of those changes over the years. Recently Bill spent $36k in upgrades to the smoke detectors and fire alarms, along with a hardwired backup, that were installed on every corner of the walkway through the house.

Change is nothing Bill minds though, as every year brings new displays and ghoulish goodies to be seen. This year Pam Smith came up with the ideas for each room. Pam also does the make-up for each of the volunteers who man the rooms. Altogether it takes 32 people to run the house this year. Only six volunteers remain from last year, with many new faces added to the mix. The volunteers come from Loves Park, Stillman Valley, Byron and Monroe Center. Bill even arranges for rides to many of those volunteers to make it to the house.

Bill has now started to see second-generation volunteers and visitors show up as it has become a tradition for some.

Bill has made sure to make his haunted house experience an all-ages experience. While it can be a gory-scary time for those thrill seekers, when groups with young children come through, Bill makes sure that his crew know to tone it down for the little ones. If a child does get too scared, Bill and his crew have made sure to have plenty of safety hallways, where the child can be whisked away from the scary monster.

Health problems have kept Bill from operating Hopper’s Auto Service in Durand, but through the help of his son, Billy Hopper III, he has been able to keep on the tradition of Hopper’s haunted House.

Hopper’s Haunted House is located where the old Rock River Roller Palace used to be, 11576 Illinois 2, Rockford.

Oct. 9, 2014

MACHESNEY PARK – Harlem-Roscoe Fire hosted their 4th Annual Crunch Time Extrication Learning Symposium and Challenge at their training facility at Harlem-Roscoe Fire Station #3 on Sept. 26-29.

Crunch Time founder and chairman Lt. Mike Huffman said, "Teams of six firefighters from fire departments from IL and WI participated in the 3-day event.

“Friday night was classroom then Saturday consisted of hands-on-training. Teams were trained in Incident Command, stabilization, EMS, knowledge and usage of tools and most important, teamwork and communication.

“Then Sunday consisted of a TERC (Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee) Extrication Challenge.”

This is where teams are given a mock motor vehicle accident in a limited and unlimited pit for which they used the techniques from Saturday’s classes.

The limited pit consisted of all hand tools such as reciprocating saws and air chisels etc. The unlimited pit consisted of all hand tools and hydraulics.

Mike said the event was a success, but more important was the knowledge the firefighters took back to their communities.  

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Don Shoevlin said, "Thank you to all the teams that participated in last weekend’s Crunch Time.

“I can only imagine all the knowledge that was obtained by attending (it showed on Sunday) now I challenge you to bring it back and share with your peers at your departments. “To the instructors/judges thank you. It could not happen without your willingness to share your knowledge and time. Lt. Huffman, the event is an extension of you.

”The knowledge, commitment and visions that you have can been seen through this event. It would have never happened without that vision. Can't wait to see what 2015 will bring!"

Firefighters from the following fire departments participated in the event: Harlem-Roscoe Fire, North Park Fire, Byron Fire, Cherry Valley Fire, Oregon Fire, Blooming Grove Fire, Sugar Grove Fire, Deforest Fire, and Town of Madison Fire.  

Extrication Competition Awards

Ulimited Pit, 1st - Byron Fire, 2nd - Harlem-Roscoe Fire, 3rd - Blooming Grove Fire. 

Limited Pit, 1st - Blooming Grove Fire, 2nd - Harlem-Roscoe Fire, 3rd - Southern Kan Fire.

Overall, 1st - Byron Fire, 2nd - Harlem-Roscoe Fire, 3rd - Blooming Grove.

Oct. 9, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Illinois’ six nuclear energy facilities deliver enormous economic, environmental and electric reliability benefits to the state, according to a new analysis from the Nuclear Energy Institute. The benefits include nearly $9 billion of annual economic stimulus and almost 28,000 direct and secondary jobs across the state. The highly efficient power stations generated 90 percent of Illinois’ carbon-free electricity.

The NEI study is entitled “The Impact of Exelon’s Nuclear Fleet on the Illinois Economy.”

“Illinois is fortunate to have such a workhorse for the state’s economy, environment and energy reliability,” said Richard Myers, NEI’s vice president for policy development. “These nuclear assets have been delivering value to Illinois consumers for decades and they should never be taken for granted.”

The report includes an analysis of the consequences if three Illinois nuclear plants were to retire prematurely because many key attributes of the facilities are not properly valued in the electricity market. It shows that the consequences for the state’s economy and environment would be dire.

In 2016 alone, the early retirement of the Byron, Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear energy facilities would result in a loss of nearly $4 billion of direct and indirect economic output in Illinois. The losses would increase each year thereafter and reach almost $5 billion in direct and secondary output by 2030. The number of direct and secondary jobs lost increases over a five-year period, peaking in the fifth year after the plants close, to more than 13,000 jobs lost in Illinois.

“The data clearly show that taking Illinois nuclear energy facilities out of the equation amounts to a serious threat to the Illinois economy,” Myers said. “The profoundly negative impacts would not just occur in the plant communities, but across the state.”

The report comes at a time when Illinois nuclear energy facilities are facing significant economic challenges, which stem from low natural gas prices, low growth in the regional economy and electricity demand, and energy policies and market rules that do not properly value nuclear energy for its many benefits. These benefits include reliability, prevention of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions, price stability, and more.

At end of this year, the Vermont Yankee reactor will close after decades of operations, and approximately 600 employees will lose their jobs. In 2013, similar economic challenges forced the premature closure of a nuclear plant in Wisconsin, putting another 600 employees out of work.

Nuclear energy provides Illinois with nearly half of its electricity, enough to supply 7 million residents, three times the number of people living in Chicago. Nuclear power plants produce 90 percent of Illinois’ carbon-free electricity and prevents annual carbon emissions equivalent to more than 15 million passenger cars.

This past winter, nuclear energy’s reliability benefits became clear when the polar vortex struck Illinois. Nuclear energy was the predominant 24/7 electricity source available during that period because nuclear power plants have months, if not years, of fuel safely contained in the reactor and are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Other energy sources were unable to operate because the cold weather affected their operation. In a number of situations they could not obtain fuel to operate the plants.

“Illinois generates the fifth highest amount of electricity in the United States, but also ranks sixth in carbon emissions. Looking to the future, Illinois residents will need more reliable, 24/7 power, but they will also want cleaner air. With nuclear energy, they can have both,” Myers said.

Oct. 9, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - Three questions continue to loom as the Meridian referendum nears. Community members want to know what exactly will happen if the referendum passes, what will happen if it fails, and how did the District get in to this position. The Meridian Board of Education has discussed these issues at length during public meetings and Superintendent of Schools, PJ Caposey has been speaking with many different community groups to address these issues.

When asked about this Caposey stated, “My job one way or the other is to bring the BOE a balanced budget for next school year. What opportunities are provided for students within that balanced budget is entirely dependent upon what the community chooses in the election.”

The options in front of the Meridian Board of Education if the referendum fails are small in number due to the number of reductions that have already taken place in the past two years. Remaining options include raising elementary class sizes again, changing the Junior and Senior High School schedules to include fewer class periods and electives, and/or further impacting athletics and activities. Within each of these possibilities, a range of options exist.

“There are substantially different cost savings if we set our class limit at 35 instead of 30, or if we eliminate all sports compared to just Freshman sports or coaches pay. No options are good for kids or the district, but may be financially necessary,” Caposey explains.

Decrease Expenditures:

• Elementary

  • Attrition due to decreased enrollment

  • Increase class sizes

• Meridian Junior High

  • Change schedule to reduce electives or Literature, therefore reducing teachers

• Stillman Valley High School

  • Move to 6 or 7 period traditional school day

  • Eliminate offerings for students

• Athletics and Activities

  • Eliminate programming

  • Eliminate compensation for coaches

• Directors

On the flip side, if the referendum passes the District will be able to avoid such significant cuts and bring back Junior High athletics and activities. Opportunities for kids would increase instead of decrease and the district could return to a place of stability. Board of Education President John Smith explains, “Our reserves have been nearly cut in half in four years and we are approaching a level where we will need to take out loans simply to pay our bills without a balanced budget next year.” The Illinois State Board of Education calls for school districts to have 25% of their operating expenditure in reserve in order to maintain financial rating. Currently, (based on latest, unaudited numbers) Meridian has only 26% of operating funds in reserve. Meridian administration has also mentioned several times that they are significantly behind where they would like to be in terms of technology and technology infrastructure. To ‘catch-up’ a significant investment will need to take place.

The financial situation has been caused by a dramatic decrease in revenue coming in to the Meridian CUSD. Within the last five years the value of the taxable property in the district has decreased over 21 million dollars. Additionally, the state is currently funding schools at less than 90% of their obligation. Couple these items with a decrease in student enrollment and having to repay $2 million dollars in tax revenue as a result of the PTAB ruling (to the landfill) and the District is receiving over $1.5 million dollars less in revenue for this school year than it had in previous years. This is captured in numbers in the table below.

The Meridian CUSD 223 community has an enormous question to answer when they head to the polls November 4th. Additional information on these matters is available on the District website or by contacting the Meridian District Office.

Oct. 9, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – Doug and Sandy Kunce enjoyed another successful year, in this being their 24th of organizing the Stillman Valley Fall Festival Car Show. Entries were down a little bit this year with 204 entries, nevertheless it was more than enough to put on a good show.

Sixty-one trophies were awarded this year to various entries in the show. In addition to the trophies awarded, there were contests involving the creeper races, hula hoop, coloring and trivia contests.

A special appearance was made on Saturday, Sept. 27 by J.L. Willis who sang the National Anthem at noon, which was followed by a demonstration by canine officer John Taylor and his dog.

Sept. 25, 2014

By Katelyn Ackland

Club Reporter

OGLE COUNTY - Ogle County Clovers spent their last meeting playing fun games, finishing up records, and voting for our new 4-H officers. We congratulate Carley Ackland as President, Jordan Mingus as Vice-President, Kyler Dale as Sentinel, Megan Ackland as Historian, Katelyn Ackland as Reporter, Ariel Zuercher as Secretary, Callie Ackland as Recreation Chairman, and Karyssa Dale as Treasurer.

We are choosing our new 4-H projects and are excited for the upcoming year of 4-H!

The new Ogle County Clovers 4-H Club officers posed for a photo after their Sept. 11 meeting (L to R) in the back row: Katelyn Ackland, Callie Ackland, Megan Ackland, Jordan Mingus, Carley Ackland, and Karyssa Dale

Front center: Kyler Dale

Not pictured: Ariel Zuercher

Sept. 25, 2014

By Paige Adams

Stillman Valley FFA Reporter

STILLMAN VALLEY - Former Stillman Valley FFA Chapter President, Ashley Adams, won her State SAE project in the month of June. She then continued on with her record book to achieve what many FFA members can only dream of. Her SAE project was selected to compete at the 2014 National FFA Convention. In October, Ashley will compete in Louisville, KY against three other National finalists. Her proficiency award area is Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management, her project was based upon reestablishing wildlife in the Northern Illinois Region.

The Stillman Valley FFA Chapter is very proud of Ashley becoming a National Finalist.

Sept. 18, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – How appropriate it was for a very special art project to be unveiled at Byron’s Fire Station on Thursday, Sept. 11. In last week’s edition of the Tempo it was announced that Byron firefighter Josiah Henson’s project would be unveiled, and a picture was featured of his work in progress. That final version of his labor of love, that was unveiled last Thursday, turned out to be even more majestic than what that picture showed.

The whole thing started last February when Josiah was working his shift at Byron Fire Department and was assigned to do an inventory and some organizing of the Quartermaster’s closet, which included turning out expired gear to be properly disposed of. For safety purposes, firefighter’s turnout gear must be retired and cut up into small pieces so that it cannot be used again. While going about this assignment Josiah’s creative side came up with an idea. It was difficult for Josiah to see fire gear retired like this, so he decided to ask permission to “rescue” a set of outdated gear and bring the old gear new life to it through an art project Josiah decided to dress a life-sized mannequin in the old turnout gear, and inscribe, by hand, each name of the 343 fallen New York City firefighters of 9/11 on the front of the jacket.

After discussing this with Deputy Chief Tim Salo, Josiah began the process of creating a memorial to honor 343 firefighter brothers who died on Sept. 11 trying to save the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center buildings in NYC. Josiah fabricated angel wings out of cock feathers and down. The feathers were black when he got them but he spray painted white onto them, which gave the feathers an ashen look much the same as what many New Yorkers looked like after the Twin Towers came down on that day in 2001. The wings extend out from the firefighter, spanning almost 8-feet.

Josiah also contacted retired Milwaukee Fire Dept. Assistant Chief, Paul Conway, founder and owner of Paul Conway Shields and Equipment Company. Chief Conway generously donated a custom-made leather helmet shield to the project.

To honor each fallen firefighter from that day, Josiah decided to write the name, as well as the position and rank held with the FDNY, on the front of the jacket. Josiah stayed on his feet throughout the entire writing process, which took a total of 15-hours to complete. For Josiah, inscribing each name was more than a mere mechanical action; it was making a connection with brother firefighters who died, together, with honor and pride doing what they were called to do, which was saving their fellow man.

Former Stillman Valley Fire Chief Stanton Seeburg donated the ax for the project. The helmet and shoes came from Byron’s Fire Protection District, as well as the mask. Josiah hand painted the mask with the American flag to represent all of us together, one natin, under God. The flashlight affixed on the jacket was Josiah’s. The hardest thing to acquire for this project was the mannequin. Josiah called around to many stores, but none had any to donate. Purchasing a new mannequin was out of the question as new ones can cost upwards of $1,000. There was one day though where Josiah was in Rockford driving by the Kmart on East State Street. For some reason Josiah thought to give them a call. He called and asked if the store had any mannequins and described what it was for. Lo and behold, the store had just got a shipment of new mannequins that day and just so happened to have one that could be given to him.

Josiah and his father also fashioned the base on which the mannequin is attached.

This memorial art project is Josiah’s way of paying tribute to the brave men and women who serve and protect their communities each and every day, large or small.

The ultimate goal and vision for this memorial project is to inspire as many people as possible, and to encourage the families of those who were lost on 9/11 that we haven’t forgotten, nor will we ever forget, and that we will continue to honor their memory.

Sept. 18, 2014

BYRON - The Kiwanis Club of Byron has been named a Distinguished Club by Kiwanis International for the 2012-2013 year. To qualify, a club must excel in service, leadership education, and growth. In the area of service a club must fulfill it responsibilities to Service Leadership Program clubs. Byron Kiwanis supports the high school Key Club and the middle school Builders Club.

The Kiwanis club participates in a Kiwanis-branded service project such as Young Children: Priority One. Byron Kiwanis participates in Operation Santa Claus.

The Kiwanis club financially supports the Kiwanis International Foundation. In leadership Education, the Kiwanis club president and secretary participate in the Club Leadership Education (CLE) training session prior to assuming office, ensures that all new members receive the Kiwanis new member orientation, and is represented at two District or International conferences. In Growth, the Kiwanis club has a net membership gain by the end of the administrative year.

Byron president Jan Sloan was named a Distinguished President and secretary Ronald Beem was named a Distinguished Secretary by Kiwanis International.

Among the community projects Byron Kiwanis supports are Adopt-A-Highway, American Cancer Society, Byron Education Foundation, ByronFest Kiddie Korral, Byron Key Club, Byron Builders Club, Young Children Priority One, College Scholarships, Key Club Homeless Sleepout, Layperson of the Year, Maple Syrup Festival, Miracle on 2nd Street, Festival of Trees, Ogle County Hospice, Operation Santa Claus, People Helping People, Prayer Breakfast, Rockford Rescue Mission, Spastic Paralysis Research, Special Olympics, Spinoza Bear Grants, Twin Lakes Camp, Village of Progress, and Youth Education Grants among others.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Byron Kiwanis invites interested persons to attend their meetings each Friday at Sunrise II Restaurant at 6:45 a.m.

Sept. 18, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - The existence of the Stillman Valley Fall Festival is dependent upon involvement from the community. We are looking for anyone who has ideas, some extra time, and a desire to get involved! Without our volunteers, a festival of this size would not be possible. There are several areas of interest to choose from and the steering committee members are anxious to hear from you. This is the perfect time to share your comments and suggestions! During the Festival this year, you will see all of our current volunteers wearing a shirt provided by the sponsors listed on the back. The only way to get a shirt is to volunteer a couple of hours during the weekend.

All Fall Festival volunteers this year will receive free water while you work. Plus, all volunteers are invited to the Festival pizza party on Oct. 9.

For more information or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email the steering committee at info@stillmanvalleyfallfestival.com or call 815-645-2011.

When you see one of our volunteers this year in their nice new shirts, make sure you thank them for helping with the Stillman Valley Fall Festival. It could not do it with out them.

Sept. 11, 2014

OGLE COUNTY - It’s always wonderful when the community steps up and helps out when a tough time hits. That’s what was facing Lifescape Community Services recently when a freezer malfunction threatened the spoilage of hundreds of pounds of frozen food. Lifescape creates and provides home delivered meals and food to congregate sites to clients in Ogle and Lee County from its facility at 215 W. Washington St. in Oregon. With a broken freezer and the potential loss of thousands of dollars of food, Lifescape would not only have been out the cost of the food, but it would have been difficult to provide the meals for the clients.

The freezer could be repaired, but not soon enough to prevent the food spoilage. So that’s when Jim Kaufman stepped up. Kaufman owns Kaufman’s SuperValu in Oregon. He quickly offered Lifescape space in his freezer to store the frozen goods until repairs could be made.

“I’ve been in that position, too”, said Kaufman. “We had the room. It was an easy decision to make.”

Kaufman kept the food for about two weeks until the repairs to Lifescape’s freezer were finalized. Because of Jim Kaufman’s quick response and caring, Lifescape was able to continue its service to area seniors, never missing a beat in delivering meals to those who need them.

Lifescape Community Services thanks Jim Kaufman for his service to not only Lifescape but also to everyone in the Oregon region.

Sept. 11, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – When Josiah Henson began work as a Firefighter/EMT in Byron 8 years ago, he was already known in the community for his efforts in saving three children and a dog from certain injury, possibly even death, when he stopped the vehicle they were in from rolling into the way of an oncoming semi. These days Josiah is becoming more known for his art creation, which combines his passions for art and firefighting. Josiah created a tribute to the 343 Firefighters that died in the 9/11 tragedy by creating a life sized Firefighter that features angel wings and an old fire jacket and pants. Josiah has handwritten the names of every single one of the 343 fallen Firefighters that died in the events of 9/11, and their position in the New York Fire Department, directly onto the jacket, alternating between the colors of red and blue. He then hand painted an American flag on the mask of the Firefighter.

The unveiling of “Josiah’s Angel” will be held on Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. at the Byron Fire Station. Josiah’s memorial will then be on permanent display at the Byron Fire Department in Byron.

Sept. 11, 2014

By Lt. Caleb White

Navy Office

of Community Outreach

KINGS BAY, GA. – A 2007 Byron High School graduate and Byron, IL. native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of a crew working aboard one of the world’s most advanced ballistic missile submarines, the USS Alaska (SSBN 732).

Petty Officer Daniel Rambow is a machinist mate serving aboard the Kings Bay-based boat, one of 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. Measuring 560 feet long, 42 feet wide and weighing more than 16,500 tons, a nuclear-powered propulsion system helps push the ship through the water at more than 20 knots.

The Navy’s ballistic missile submarines, often referred to as “boomers,” serve as an undetectable launch platform for intercontinental ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles if directed by the President. The Ohio-class design allows the submarines to operate for 15 or more years between major overhauls. On average, the submarines spend 77 days at sea followed by 35 days in-port for maintenance.

“We demand the highest standards from Petty Officer Rambow, technically and personally,” said Rear Admiral Charles A. Richard, commander, Submarine Group Ten in Kings Bay, Ga. “His Commanding Officer, his country, and I take great pride in his willingness to raise his hand and volunteer to serve the nation. The importance of our Sailors is immeasurable; people like Petty Officer Rambow are crucial to ensuring our submarines are operating at their best and the mission is flawlessly executed. I’m so very proud he is on our team.”

Rambow is part of the boat’s Blue crew, one of the two rotating crews, which allow the ship to be deployed on missions more often without taxing one crew too much. A typical crew on this submarine is approximately 150 officers and enlisted Sailors.

Because of the stressful environment aboard submarines, personnel are accepted only after rigorous testing and observation. Submariners are some of the most highly trained and skilled people in the Navy. The training is highly technical and each crew has to be able to operate, maintain, and repair every system or piece of equipment on board. Regardless of their specialty, everyone also has to learn how everything on the ship works and how to respond in emergencies to become “qualified in submarines” and earn the right to wear the coveted gold or silver dolphins on their uniform.

“The thing I like most about working on submarines compared to the rest of the fleet is I am required to know a little bit about everything. I get to have my hands in just about all aspects of the operational readiness of the boat – planning, testing and executing the mission,” Rambow said.

Although it is difficult for most people to imagine living on a submarine, challenging submarine living conditions actually build strong fellowship among the crew. The crews are highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches, and drills.

“When I first joined the Navy, I was excited about all the initial aspects of the job, but now I get to help those under me, teaching and training the new Sailors in my division – that reward in itself motivates me to come to work every day. Both of my grandfathers and two of my uncles, as well as my twin brother, were (or are) all in Navy,” Rambow added.

As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Rambow and other USS Alaska (SSBN 732) sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.

Sept. 11, 2014

BYRON - The Byron Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce plans for a ChiliFest on Saturday, Oct. 4, presented by RE/MAX Professional Advantage. The event will be held at the Byron Forest Preserve Heritage Farm (7993 N. River Road) in Byron. Cooking will begin at 10 a.m., gates open at noon, live music begins at 1p.m., judging at 2 p.m. and awards at 3 p.m. The event will be held rain or shine.

Teams will have the opportunity to compete for trophies in two categories, Judge’s Choice and Theme/Showmanship. There is no registration fee to have a team and enter your chili. All teams must provide all of their own cooking ingredients, cooking devices, utensils, prep and serving tables, heavy duty extension cords (electricity will be available), tents, etc. All teams must make at least 5 gallons of chili.

Attendees will have the opportunity to taste any or all of the chili available. Additional food will available for purchase during the fest as well.

Registration forms and a complete set of rules and regulations are available at the Chamber office, 232 W Second Street (City Hall) in Byron. Please contact the Chamber office at 815-234-5500 or email byronchamber@gmail.com with any questions.

Sept. 4, 2014

By Brett Miller

Reporter

BYRON – The City’s Zoning Board of Appeals held a special public hearing on Thursday to discuss requests made by Casey’s General Stores, Inc. Ryan Swanson – engineer and project manager from Arc Design Resources of Loves Park, IL – made a presentation on behalf of Casey’s.

The business is looking to move down the street from their current location on the corner of Blackhawk Drive and Lincoln Street, to the corner of Blackhawk and Colfax Street, across from Sam’s Drive In.

In order to move forward with the relocation, Casey’s requested a special use permit (all gas stations are considered a special use by the City), along with zoning district changes for the three properties the business would purchase, and variances to reduce the east and rear setbacks of the new location.

If the store does move, Casey’s has offered to clean up and sell their current property themselves upon moving.

The proposed store would feature a six pump island, areas for delivery and recycling, and a larger building with a more expansive menu and a couple of tables for seating. Casey’s is looking to make the store more open and customer-friendly, and will be open 24 hours every day.

The property would also include an underground storage system for water. All drainage would lead to this system, ensuring that storm water does not leave the property. This storage system would also act as a containment system, holding any leaked gas until clean up (in the unlikely event that a gas tank leak goes unnoticed).

The store would have two access points; one on Blackhawk, one on Colfax. The new location is not expected to cause any major changes to traffic patterns.

In order to avoid obstruction of traffic on the property, the garbage, recycling, and underground gas tanks would be located on the west side of the building.

This, coupled with the all-night lighting of the property, has caused concern for neighboring property owners. These would-be neighboring residents were present at the hearing, and addressed their concerns to Swanson and the Board.

Casey’s will be installing fences and lines of shrubs along the property line to prevent the spilling of light onto neighboring properties, but the residents weren’t convinced the proposed fencing would be enough.

Board Member Jeff Fillmore stated that – considering the scope of the relocation project – enhancing the property fencing shouldn’t be much of a cost concern for Casey’s.

Swanson agreed, and said the proposed fence line could be extended, and that alternatives for the best fencing (be it fencing or shrubbery) would be looked into.

The Board unanimously voted to send Casey’s request to City Council with the recommendation for approval.

If the project receives full approval, Swanson said the business will be looking to break ground in a few months (pending approval of all permits), and that the construction takes approximately four months to complete. Depending on winter weather, the location could be up at the end of this year, or early next year.

Sept. 4, 2014

Submitted by Tina Vincent

Leader, Bits ‘N Reins 4H Club

NORTHERN ILLINOIS - Northern Illinois 4-H was very well represented again this year. Listed below you will find the 4-Her's name with their horses name and county they were from and their placings. Everybody did a great job in their huge classes again this year.

Keri Weaver and No Bucks Im Broke (Ogle County) - 1st Place - Egg and Spoon 17-18 years old, 10th Place - Hunt Seat Equitation Over 58" 17-18 years old, 1st Place - Stock Type Hunter Under Saddle Over 58" 17-18 years old, 10th Place - Western Horsemanship Over 56" 17-18 years old; Kellyn Euhus and Bubble Wrap (Winnebago County) - 1st Place - Dressage - Training Level Test 3, 3rd - Place - Hunt Seat Equitation - Under 58", 2nd Place - Hunt Seat Equitation over Fences - Under 58", 3rd Place - Hunter Conformation - Ponies under 58", 7th Place - Pony Hunter Over Fences - Under 58", 3rd Place - Pony Hunter Under Saddle, Reserve Champions Pony Hunter Division, 2nd Place - Western Pony Horsemanship - Under 56", 5th Place - Western Pony Pleasure - Under 56"; Katherine Roush and Buck N Niftys Jaci (Ogle County) - 2nd Place - Egg and Spoon - 15-16 years old, 4th Place - Reining, 7th Place - Flag Race - 15-16 years old; Logan Arvigo and My Girl Sadie (Ogle County) - Honorable Mention; Terra Beckman and Credit On Impulse (Ogle County) - 4th Place - Egg and Spoon - 13-14 years old, 7th Place - Hunt Seat Equitation - 13-14 years old, 7th Place - Hunter Showmanship - 13-14 years old, 9th Place - Conformation - Stock Horse Type 4 years and Older, Reg. Quarter Horse Geldings, 10th Place - Western Pleasure - 13-14 years old, over 56", 7th Place - Western Showmanship - 13-14 years old; Trista Cannova and Pass This On (Ogle County) - 8th Place - Egg and Spoon - 13-14 years old, 8th Place - Stock-Type Hunter Under Saddle - Over 58", 13-14 years old, 6th Place - Western Pleasure - Over 56", 13-14 years old.

Sept. 4, 2014

OGLE COUNTY - The Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department (OCSWMD), in partnership with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the Lee County Office of Solid Waste Management, will conduct a household hazardous waste collection event in Oregon on Saturday Oct. 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 pm. The entrance to this event will be the Farm Bureau parking lot at 421 West Pines Road in Oregon.

In addition to household hazardous wastes, lead acid batteries will be accepted and recycled by Behr Iron and Metals of Rochelle. Serenity Hospice and Home and the Village of Progress will be collecting useable clothing, textiles, shoes and belts for resale or recycling.

The IEPA contractor will be handling the household hazardous waste and they will properly collect and dispose of or recycle these materials. The materials accepted are as follows: oil-based paints, paint thinners, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, old gasoline, pool chemicals, cleaning products, mercury, household batteries, used motor oil, drain cleaners, lawn chemicals, solvents, antifreeze, hobby chemicals, aerosol paints and pesticides, fluorescent lamp bulbs, and old and outdated medicines and pharmaceuticals (no controlled substances).

Latex paints will not be accepted at this event. Please use left-over latex paint for another project, donate it to a school or church for their use, or it can be dried and disposed of with regular trash.

This collection event is for residential generated wastes only. No hazardous wastes from businesses, agriculture, governmental, medical institutions, industry, or schools will be accepted. The following items will NOT be accepted: explosives/ fireworks, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, needles/ sharps, medical wastes, smoke detectors, and farm machinery oil.

In addition to the above items, residents may also drop off old lead acid type batteries, such as vehicle, marine, ATV, and lawnmower batteries.

There will be a separate area for textiles collection as well. Items accepted are as follows: useable clothing in good condition and household linens. Also collected separate from the textiles will be paired shoes, (no boots or high heels) and belts and purses. These items are tax deductible through Serenity Hospice and Home. Items NOT accepted are single socks, neckties, raincoats, uniforms, cut or torn items, badly stained items, pillows, and draperies.

If you have any questions regarding this event, please call the OCSWMD at 815-732-4020 or visit www.oglecounty.org.

Aug. 28, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has notified Mackenzie Flynn that she is one of the few students (16 total) from across the state selected to serve on the Student Advisory Council (SAC), which brings student concerns to the attention of the State Board of Education. This year’s SAC members will meet in Springfield multiple times throughout the year.

“The members of the Student Advisory Council are among the best and brightest students in Illinois. We welcome them to the capital city and thank them for the valuable insight they will provide to the Board. It is essential we hear the concerns of the student population because the schoolchildren of Illinois are at the center of this agency’s mission and goals.” stated Gery Chico, Chairman of the State Board of Education.

Mackenzie Flynn is an 11th grade student at Stillman Valley High School who excels both academically and multiple student activities. Mackenzie currently has a perfect 4.0 grade point average while taking the most academically rigorous course offerings. Additionally, Mackenzie is actively involved in multiple athletic activities, multiple fine arts programs, and multiple student activities. Outside of school, Mackenzie is heavily involved in her church and other volunteer efforts in the greater-Stillman Valley area. Mackenzie’s professional aspiration is to become a biomedical engineer. As she is only a Junior at SVHS, Mackenzie is still weighing many potential college options. Mackenzie is very excited for this opportunity.

“I am really excited about the opportunities that ISBE Student Advisory Council has to offer, the leadership opportunities that it presents, and the ability to represent Meridian CUSD in a positive manner,” stated Mackenzie.

The Student Advisory Council represents a diverse group of students from across the state who have demonstrated a strong work ethic, the ability to think creatively and work well in groups. Eligibility for the Student Advisory Council, which was established in 1975, is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors attending a public high school in Illinois. The SAC members represent student concerns and can provide thoughts on ISBE’s existing and proposed programs, policies and regulations. The student members also choose a special project to research and present before the State Board of Education at the end of the school year.

Aug. 28, 2014

OGLE COUNTY - Melinda Charbonneau, Ag in the Classroom coordinator received the prestigious Illinois Leadership Council for Agriculture Education's Perry Schneider Special Award for contributions in improving and expanding Illinois Agricultural Education.  Melinda was presented the award by Robert Flider, Director of Illinois Department of Ag, and Miss Illinois County Fair, Summer Robbins at the Ag Day Luncheon held on Aug. 12 at the State Fair in Springfield.

Melinda has been an Ag in the Classroom coordinator for seven years and serves both Ogle and Carroll counties.

Agriculture in the Classroom is a program to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society.  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 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 or visit the Extension website at web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo.

Aug. 28, 2014

OREGON – The Sixth Annual Rock River Sweep will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6. This event is an effort by many groups and communities along the Rock River from the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin to the confluence with the Mississippi River in Rock Island, IL, to clean up sections of the Rock River. Volunteers are needed in the Oregon and Byron areas to help remove waste from the river.

Boaters, river land owners, Scout groups and other service organizations are needed to help pick up trash, as well as sort the waste and recyclables. Student organizations can earn community service hours by helping out.

For this year’s event, organizers are seeking more involvement from motor-boat, canoe, and kayak owners because they have better access to areas of the river which cannot be reached from the shoreline.

The Oregon Area Rock River Sweep will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon. Check-in will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of North 2nd Street and Franklin Street (Kiwanis Park) behind Conover Square. The group will clean up a seven mile stretch of the Rock between Lowden State Park and Castle Rock State Park.

With help from RockRiverSweep.org, the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department, the Oregon Park District, the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department, and American Rivers, the Oregon Area Rock River Sweep will supply a limited number of gloves, trash bags, bug spray, and T-shirts. Water and snacks will be available as well.Participants are encouraged to wear long sleeves, long pants, and old shoes, and to bring a reusable water bottle to the event which can be refilled to reduce waste.

 “The Rock River is such a beautiful asset that makes Ogle County and the Oregon area unique. We need to do what we can to protect and preserve it. The Rock River Sweep is a perfect opportunity to bring people together to do just that,” stated Mark Nehrkorn, Section Coordinator for the Oregon area.

Last year, over 40 volunteers participated in the Oregon area Sweep and collected around half a ton of waste which was sorted and recycled or disposed of properly. For more information, contact Steve Rypkema at 815-732-4020 or srypkema@oglecounty.org

The Byron Area Sweep will be coordinated by Mike Challis and supported by the Byron Forest Preserve. Volunteers for this area should meet at 10 a.m. at the park on River Road across from the Byron Forest Preserve entrance. Those with canoes will be paddling up and downstream from there. Others will be cleaning up the shores by foot. Contact Mike at gardenermike@gmail.com for more information.

Rock River Sweep.org is a grass roots, not-for-profit organization founded in 2008 by Frank Masterman, and dedicated to preserving the health and ecosystem of the Rock River and its tributaries in Wisconsin and Illinois by partnering the communities along its banks into a unified, volunteer effort of river revitalization and annual clean-ups." For more information visit www.rockriversweep.org, or on Facebook: Rock River Sweep.org.

Aug. 28, 2014

By Wanda Cacciatore

Byron Woman’s Club

BYRON - Each year the Byron Women's Club recognizes a member for outstanding service to their club and the community. This year Char Greil received the 2014 Byron GFWC Woman of the Year award not for one year only but for her years of commitment. Char and her husband Joe have made an impression since moving to Byron some years back. Following a career in teaching spanning over thirty-five years, Char married her soul mate. They are enjoying an interesting and rewarding life together traveling, theater trips, and even spent a special time of working at Wrigley Fields for their beloved Chicago Cubs. They enjoy entertaining family and friends in their spacious country home and are actively involved in their community and church.

Char helped to re-activate the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, a ministry to the needy and the poor, and serves as the Secretary. She spends countless hours each year chairing a Mardi Gras Ball fundraiser to benefit her sister's order of nuns. She made it obvious when joining the BWC that she would be an active member. Char has served two terms as Secretary and has been a valued and contributing Board Member.

"Grandma for a Day" Christmas Cookie Bake and Trade event for special needs students evolved when Char, while substituting in the class, felt it would be fun for the students to get together at Saint Mary's Catholic Church to make and decorate cookies to trade. She asked for volunteers to help in what has become a much anticipated annual event.
Many BWC members help at the event, which has also been held at the United Church of Byron. Club members were in agreement that Char (last name rhymes with smile) was a good choice for the Byron Woman's Club 2014 Woman of the Year.

Aug. 14, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - Vehicles of all ages are welcome at the 24th annual Stillman Valley Fall Festival Car Show. To be eligible to win one of the more than 80 trophies being awarded this year, bring an entry fee and your favorite ride to Highland Grade School on Saturday, Sept. 27.  Registration is open from 9 a.m. until noon with the awards presentation at 3 p.m. Participants are eligible to win door prizes and will receive a goody bag filled with items donated by our sponsors.  Spectators are admitted to this handicap accessible FREE event and asked to park in the High School parking lot located across the street from the Car Show grounds. A shuttle bus will be available for transportation to other festival activities from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

A Car Show flyer can be downloaded from our website www.stillmanvalleyfallfestival.com. For additional information call 815-645-2433 evenings and weekends or 815-645-2266 ext. 2062 Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Breakfast and lunch options will be available at the Kishwaukee Community Presbyterian Church Youth Group food booth inside the school.

Aug. 14, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

STILLMAN VALLEY – Stillman Valley Pride Day is a day where people and businesses associated with the community of Stillman Valley volunteer their time and equipment to maintain and improve the elementary, middle and high school within the Stillman Valley school district. Pride of community was overly evident as over 150 volunteers, young and old alike, showed up for Stillman Valley’s Pride Day on Thursday, Aug. 7. The number of volunteers was actually larger as many showed up to help without signing in. Not only were there volunteers from Stillman Valley, there were also a few from Rockford and Byron who showed up to work.

Businesses in the area graciously donated equipment to help on the day. Byron TruValu Hardware loaned a neat little machine called a Ditch Witch (see picture) to help with spreading the mulch. Other businesses donated seed, skid loaders, shovels, rakes, paint and mulch, plus possible other things that were not documented. Lunch was even donated by an area business, with volunteers grilling the hotdogs, to provide all those who participated the energy to make it through the day.

Work started a 8:30 a.m. and finished up around 2 p.m. Members of Stillman’s 2013 Class 2A State Championship Football Team lent a hand by picking up over 1,000 pounds of scrap metal from behind the middle school, then painting three structures on the baseball field, and after that helped to spread mulch and do landscaping around the schools.

Eleven out of 20 girls showed up from Girl Scout Troop 3171 to join in the effort.

Jon Mickle, Building and Grounds Director of Meridian School District, headed the event.

“This is a great community experiences. So many people and businesses coming together to help,” said Mickle.

While the Meridian School District is in the midst a financial crisis, it was wonderful to see just how much people of the community care about their schools and came out to put their sweat, work and effort to keep those schools in tip top shape.

Aug. 7, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – The Byron Chamber of Commerce celebrated, with a ribbon cutting, the grand re-opening of the Byron Lunchbox on Thursday, July 31, in Byron (404 W Blackhawk Drive). The restaurant is owned by Adam Dresser, and under new management by Kate Anderson, both of whom grew up and live in the Byron, Stillman Valley area.

Just before ByronFest the Byron Lunchbox closed for three weeks to re-tool the menu. Adam takes pride in the fact that the food is locally purchased and prepared in house. The pastrami, pork, chicken and bacon are all smoked in Adam's newly purchased smoker. The pizza dough and pasta noodles are both handmade daily. Their BBQ sauce and pasta sauces are all made from fresh ingredients. Cheese comes from the Decatur Dairy in Brodhead, WI and the meat is from Eickman's, located in Seward, IL. Only fresh fruit is used in the new Smoothies. The menu includes their Award Winning BBQ pork sandwich, the ever-popular Rachel and that enormous Turkey club. A few of the new food items include a pork tenderloin sandwich, four specialty pizzas and two pasta dishes. Most meals are under $10 and kids eat free on Tuesday nights from the new kids menu.

Aug. 7, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - The Meridian School District is pleased to announce that Sarah Hogan has been selected to serve as the principal of Monroe Center. Having grown up in a small town, Sarah is no stranger to the small town community and values that drive the Meridian District. Born and raised in Rochelle, Sarah and her two brothers grew up in a family of educators, so the field of education truly is like home to her. Sarah spent much of her childhood helping in her mom’s classroom and playing school with her cousins and friends.

Sarah began working at Monroe Center part time in June, and she began full time July 1. After meeting with many members of the faculty and staff, she quickly realized what a great group of people work at Monroe Center.

“After meeting with teachers and community members, I am very excited for the school year to begin so I can begin working with the students, families, faculty, and staff who call Monroe Center home,” Hogan stated.

Superintendent PJ Caposey noted that the interview and selection process was very rigorous and involved Board members, administration, teachers, and community members. Caposey noted that he is extremely excited for the future of Mrs. Hogan, the future of Monroe Center Elementary School, and the future of the Meridian District.

“Sarah Hogan is an exceptionally talented and professional administrator. It will be a great joy to watch her grow in this position over the coming years. Sarah has the talent to do wonderful things for our kids, our schools, and our community,” said Caposey.

Previously, Sarah spent 11 years as a teacher working with special education students. She taught in self-contained classrooms as well as co-taught classrooms. In 2005, Sarah earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Aurora University. In 2010, she earned her Director of Special Education Certificate through Northern Illinois University. The last six years of her career were spent up Route 72 at Forreston Junior Senior High School. Some of Sarah’s primary responsibilities as an educator have been creating and managing IEPs, providing and monitoring accommodations and modifications, overseeing State Assessments, and instructing students in self-contained classrooms and co-taught classrooms. Sarah’s passion and dedication to the students she serves is evident when you talk with her. She has always said that she isn’t necessarily passionate about a certain subject like Math or Reading, but she is incredibly passionate about the kids.

Sarah currently lives in Byron, IL with her husband and two daughters.

Aug. 7, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - At the July 24 Board of Education meeting, the Meridian CUSD Board of Education were presented a tentative budget showing a deficit of nearly $500,000. This deficit still stands after massive spending cuts over the past two years. The graphic below best summarizes the massive cuts that have taken place in spending over the past three years.

This past February the Board eliminated 29 positions, including 7 teachers in an attempt to best balance the budget. Despite the efforts of administration and Board, the deficit still persists. During the meeting Meridian Superintendent PJ Caposey noted three particular reasons for the continued deficit: an aggregate 11% decrease in property values district-wide, the state funding schools at 89% of the statutorily required amount, and a loss of over $200,000 dollars due to decreasing student enrollment.

 “We do not have a spending problem in this district – we have a revenue problem in this district. When you compare our spending to our neighboring districts it is clear that we are being fiscally responsible. It is now up to the community to decide what type of school district they want to hav,.” Caposey noted. Caposey’s last statement alludes to the upcoming November referendum. The referendum, if it passes, will bring in approximately $1 million dollars to the district for 7 years and then will immediately cease. That rate increase equates to roughly $190 for every $100,000 dollars of property owned. For those who would like to know the specific amount of rate increase please visit www.meridian223.org and click on the tab referendum calculator.

July 31, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – Back when Winnebago native Joe Coots was a youngster he wanted to be a policeman. That goal continued into his early adulthood as he earned his degree in Criminal Justice from college. But, something happened along the way to change his plans. One summer while he was attending Rock Valley College, his football coach pushed for him to work for the college’s theatre building sets for a summer job. That one thing brought about a huge change in Joe’s career path.

Joe had never acted in high school, he had no formal training, yet his natural ability for acting rose to the top, and he is now a professional actor. He became involved with, and honed his skills, at Byron Civic Theatre in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, being involved in both acting and directing. Since then he has appeared in a national Lowe’s TV commercial, plus his credits include national and regional theatre including the national tour of the Full Monty, in addition to appearing on popular television series such as Person of Interest, Inside Amy Schumer, Bones, Castle, Royal Pains, Nurse Jackie, 30 Rock, Rescue Me and White Collar. Most recently he worked with Dick Van Dyke in a PBS promotional. He has also rubbed elbows with other Hollywood elite. He has sat next to Tom Hanks at a movie premier, he’s brought Sally Strothers home for a visit in Winnebago, and he’s even met Tom Cruz.

Through it all though, Joe just wants to keep it real. That’s the biggest and best part of Joe. Even as he has risen to the top, Joe hasn’t let any of it go to his head. While at the after-show cast get-together following the performance of the Wizard of Oz at BCT this past Saturday night, I asked Joe if he ever gets star struck. He said no, they all put their pants on the same way he does, one leg at a time.

BCT’s current production of Wizard of Oz provided Joe the opportunity to get back with the local theatre. Having some time off in between acting gigs, Joe was asked to direct the play. He relished the opportunity, and did a fantastic job of adding some twists to the tale without taking away from the story.

If you get a chance, go see the Wizard of Oz this weekend. BCT does a fantastic job with the sets and acting in this play. Joe won’t be there, as he was off to New York after Saturdays’ performance to fulfill his lead role in the national tour of Pinky Boots.

As far as career goals for Joe now, he said he just wants to keep acting, for it is what he truly loves to do.

July 31, 2014

Submitted By PJ Caposey

Meridian CUSD 223 Superintendent

STILLMAN VALLEY - Cardinal Pride Day will be Aug. 7 from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. We believe our students and community deserve to return to schools that have immaculate facilities. As a result of the District-wide budget reductions there are some jobs that we need your help to complete before we begin the 2014-201 school year.

Some of the projects include:

• Flowerbed preparation at Highland, Monroe Center, Meridian Junior High and SVHS.

• Concessions stand painting at Cardinal Fields.

• Storage shed painting and door replacement at SVHS.

• Repair and painting of wooden bleachers at Cardinal Fields.

• Repairs to chain link fence at Cardinal Fields

• Field preparation and clean up at Cardinal Fields.

• Various painting projects around buildings.

• Various clean up around buildings.

We thank you in advance for your service and dedication to our district. If you will be joining our staff and students in this workday, please let us know. If you are willing to volunteer time or supplies please contact Jon Mickle at jmickle@mail.meridian223.org or call the District Office. This will help us keep track of volunteers, BUT if you forget to call – PLEASE STILL SHOW UP. Additionally, free lunch will be provided for those who dedicate their time through a generous donation from the Booster Club.

 We look forward to seeing everyone!!

Our meeting place will be

Meridian Junior High School

207 W. Main St.

Stillman Valley IL. 61084

July 31, 2014

FARGO, N.D. – Byron High School sophomore, Nolan Baker, recently placed third in the nation at USA Wrestling’s National Cadet Greco-Roman Tournament at 120 lbs. In doing so, Baker became a four-time Greco-Roman All-American. Baker is also a two-time freestyle All-American. Baker spent most of the summer training for the event and participated in several training camps including the Illinois Junior Greco-Roman Dual Camp and a weeklong All-American training session at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Greco-Roman wrestling, along with freestyle, are the two international styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. Greco-Roman wrestling prohibits wrestlers from attacking an opponent’s legs and features an aggressive style of hand fighting, positions, and big throws. Baker’s field of competition consisted of 82 of the nation’s top Greco wrestlers. Baker is a past freestyle and Greco-Roman state champion and has been a member of Illinois’ Schoolboy, Cadet, and Junior National Dual Teams and wrestles for Alpha Wrestling Academy during the off-season.

Cadet 120 - Nolan Baker

 Champ. Round 1 - Nolan Baker (Illinois) received a bye (Bye)

 Champ. Round 2 - Nolan Baker (Illinois) won by fall over David Reyes (Texas) (Fall 0:45)

 Champ. Round 3 - Nolan Baker (Illinois) won by tech fall over Peter Del Gallo (Maine) (TF 11-0)

 Champ. Round 4 - Nolan Baker (Illinois) won by tech fall over Kyle Trybus (Maryland) (TF 11-0)

 Quarterfinal - Nolan Baker (Illinois) won by fall over Ozzy Lugo (Florida) (Fall 0:48)

 Semifinal - Wilson Smith (North Carolina) won by decision over Nolan Baker (Illinois) (Dec 16-9)

 Cons. Round 10 - Nolan Baker (Illinois) won by fall over Alejandro Paulino (Connecticut) (Fall 1:28)

 3rd Place Match - Nolan Baker (Illinois) won by fall over Ryan Leisure (Iowa) (Fall 0:57)

July 24, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – The Metal Meltdown Drags held at Byron Dragway this past weekend (July 18-20) proved to be a highly successful event attracting racers and fans from all over the USA, plus fans from such countries as England, Canada, Australia and Germany. Dragway officials estimated a crowd of almost 10,000 spectators and racers attended the event on Saturday, July 19. The event was put on by Meltdown Drags, who rent out the Byron Dragway because of its age and cleanliness, as reported by one Meltdown volunteer. Many of those involved in the Meltdown Drags is a volunteer.

The funny thing about all of it is that there were no winners or trophies handed out. Meltdown Drags are held simply for the fun of vintage racers and enthusiasts who just love to show up with their vehicles, show them off, and race down the track. Over 500 cars were preregistered, with over 300 racing on Saturday.

All vehicles are of 1966 vintage or before. The drags are set up so that it would be just like what one of those 1966, or before, drags were like. It’s like what the war re-enactors do, except this is with mean muscle machines.

Drag racing legends, 79-year old Bones Balogh, and 93-year old Ed Iskendarian, were special guests at the Metal Meltdown. Bones is a Drag Racing Hall-of-Famer and Ed is the designer of the 5-cycle cam. Fans would line up to get their autographs. On the table where the two were signing was one of Ed’s half-smoked cigars with a hand written not underneath saying the cigar was for sale for $5. A fan actually purchased the cigar and took a picture of Ed holding the cigar and sign. That’s how legendary this guy is in the drag racing world.

Added to the fun was a car show and swap meet.

Also on Saturday was the Pin-up Contest. Many ladies dressed up in the style of the 1940’s and 50’s pin-up girls and walked up on stage to be asked some drag racing related question, and then pose for some shots. Area residents Kassie Gorski of Stillman Valley, and Paige Ziebert and Nancy Gerent, both of Byron, participated.

This was the fifth year for the Metal Meltdown Drags at Byron Dragway and definitely the biggest and best so far. Next year should be even better!

July 24, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – After many years of taking off from the sport to raise his family, Mike Hoffman of Stillman Valley has returned to the sport of drag racing. The Tempo was able to catch up with Mike at Byron Dragway during the Metal Meltdown, held this past weekend, and conduct a short impromptu interview with him on the track as he waited for oil to be removed before his run.

Mike purchased the Wee-Haul Express, a 1941 Willys pickup, last fall after deciding to get back into the sport since all of his kids were grown and gone.

Mike raced at Cordova earlier this year and he is now a member of the Nostalgic Gassers Racing Association.

His oldest daughter also took part in the event, participating in the Pin-up Contest. 

July 24, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – The He-Leo Two Rivers Preserve (formerly Mt. Morris Boat Club) had a Grand Opening on Saturday, July 19, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. The property was purchased last year. It adjoins a previously owned property called the He-Leo Preserve. Grilled hot dogs were served, as well as a variety of chips, soft drinks and water.

The entrance to He-Leo Two Rivers Preserve is adjacent to the Rockvale Township Buildings on Illinois Route 2 south of Byron. Since these properties are on the Rock River and the Leaf River (hence the name, Two Rivers) it offers amenities for boating traffic. There are boat slips, restrooms, a picnic shelter with grills, and sand volleyball for boaters to take a break in the shade. Please note that this property is not a boat launch area.

For more information, please visit the Byron Forest Preserve website at www.byronforestpreserve.com, or call 815-234-8535 ext. 200.

July 24, 2014

By Brett Miller

BYRON – In May, the School District’s Finance and Policy Committee began to discuss the idea of a fee for student laptops.

The fee – which would be included with all other charges at the time of registration – would be used to cover damage done to these laptops.

Since the beginning of the District’s one-to-one laptop program, the technology department has fixed several units. Keyboards and screens were the most common repairs.

With broken screens costing $40 to $60 to fix, and keyboards costing $35 to $40, the Committee felt a $75 fee would serve as a good medium to cover repairs.

As the discussion went on, members of the Committee began to question the fairness of the fee; not all students neglect caring for their equipment.

In order to cover the costs of repair and be fair to students, the Committee turned the fee into a deposit.

With this idea, students would be charged a one-time “fee” of $75. Should the student damage their laptop, that $75 would be used to cover the repairs. If the student’s unit goes undamaged, the money would be returned.

The Committee was in agreement that the idea of a deposit best fit everyone’s needs. It would cover repairs without penalizing responsible students, while simultaneously teaching others to be more responsible.

As the idea went to the full Board of Education, and was applied to registration for this coming year, several questions began to arise. Many of these questions were addressed to the Board online, as well as in person at Thursday’s meeting.

Parents in the community believed that the deposit was not publicized enough, and was moved into action too fast for most to notice.

This – combined with the fact that some families have multiple children in the District – created stress for families within the District when they noticed the additional charges.

Questions circulated the community. Should younger students have to be responsible for such technology? Why are laptops necessary? How can students protect the equipment during after school activities? How can families with multiple children be expected to afford this?

The Board addressed these concerns Thursday, starting with a restatement that the $75 is a deposit, not a fee. As long as a laptop goes undamaged, its user will see their money back.

“One part of the rationale for assessing a fee is simply for people to be more accountable,” said Dr. James Hammack, District Superintendent.

Board Member Bill Craig said the laptop deposit helps cover any damages, without penalizing the majority of students who care for their equipment.

Secondly, members of the Board discussed a cap on the deposit for multiple-child families. While most of the Board voiced an agreement on the idea of a cap, an amount was never settled on.

The Board then touched on the necessity of the laptops. Hammack and Board Member Carol Nauman explained the laptops are essential to the District’s one-to-one laptop program.

Hammack said the point of the program is to get students involved in technology, and to use it to learn the skills needed in the modern world.

The superintendent pointed out that most of today’s careers call for a deep understanding of technology.

The laptop program – coupled with the District’s low registration fees – puts Byron in a position Hammack calls “very enviable” compared to other school districts.

The superintendent listed Byron’s fees in contrast to the ones charged by surrounding districts.

The Byron School District has registration fees under $100 – elementary is $25, middle school is $40, and high school is $75 – while other local districts have registration fees over $175. Byron also has minimal supply fees, and no activity or tech fees.

Hammack understood the community’s concerns, but ultimately believed that – given the District’s low fees – the deposit was fair, especially since most families would see their money back.

As the Board members took in all the facts and community concerns, they found themselves left with more questions than answers.

Board Member Matt Meyers made a motion to have the $75 deposit resent, and keep the idea tabled until the ‘15-‘16 school year.

Some members of the Board agreed, and believed that over the next year, every factor should be taken into consideration, and all problems be looked into (laptop security, family cap, etc.).

The motion was passed in a four-to-three vote.

July 17, 2014

BYRON - The Byron Forest Preserve will be hosting free archaeology hands-on event from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 20 at the Jarrett Prairie Center at 7993 North River Road in Byron. Nationally known flinknapper, Larry Kinsella will be teaching the art of making stone tools, arrowheads and spearheads from flint during the entire event. He will provide all materials and safety equipment to teach beginning flintknapping. There will be a professional archaeologist on hand to identify points, prehistoric tools and any other items for local collectors. Other hands-on demonstrations, activities and guided prairie walks will be part of the day.  This is a beautiful time of the year to visit the Jarrett Prairie Preserve. 

For more information call the Byron Forest preserve District at 815 234-8535.

July 17, 2014

Submitted by Betty Floski

BYRON – The Byron Board of Education reduced some registration fees and eliminated other fees at its June meeting in an ongoing effort to keep costs for families as low as possible.

“It’s easy for school boards to nickel and dime parents at registration time,” Board Finance and Policy Committee Chair Bill Craig said. “The problem is, those nickels and dimes add up, particular in families with several children. The Board is committed to reducing costs for families or at the very least, holding the line on increases whenever possible.”

Specifically, the Board:

• Kept the basic registration fee at all three buildings at the same levels, for the fourth consecutive year.

• Reduced the Byron High School class fee from $100 to $50, payable in four annual installments of $12.50. The fee covers such things as prom decorations, homecoming and class trips.

• Eliminated the physical education fee for each student to have a heart monitor. Board members determined that the District should provide the monitors at no cost, because the monitors are essential to the physical education curriculum, just as the District pays for books, which are essential to other curricula.

• Considered but declined proposals to impose several new lab fees for courses including wood shop, auto shop and science labs.

• Agreed that fees for high school courses including Advanced Placement and Microsoft Office Certification will remain at current levels.

• Considered but declined a proposal for a non-refundable $75 technology fee to cover potential damage to laptop computers that are provided to all students in grades 4-12. Instead, the Board determined it is more appropriate to charge the $75 as a deposit: The deposit will be returned to families when their child’s computer is returned with no damage beyond normal wear and tear. Damage that occurs because of negligence or lack of reasonable care will be charged against the damage deposit. Administrators will gauge their expectations of “normal wear and tear” based on grade level.

“Many of these fees were perfectly legitimate, when considered independently,” Finance and Policy Board member Kathi Gehrke said. “However, had they been imposed, along with the other fees that were in place or suggested, a family with two children at BHS could have easily paid registration costs of $100 over the cost of basic registration. We have to do our best not to put parents in that position.

“We certainly can’t promise that registration fees will stay at current levels indefinitely,” Gehrke said. “But our working philosophy is that if Byron classrooms need added equipment or supplies, it is going to be the job of administrators and the Board of Ed to look for those funds within existing revenues.”

The fee reductions are part of the Board of Education’s overall commitment to fiscal responsibility. In the last four years, the Board and District administrators have made reductions District-wide in insurance costs, purchasing, legal fees and all other expenditures. In addition, the Board has approved fair but fiscally conservative contracts with the District’s employee unions.

Board President Doug Floski said the District must continually weigh increasing costs against declining revenues.

“School Districts throughout most of Illinois are finding themselves in a complicated position,” Floski said. “Costs and the desire for expanded curricula and classroom resources are going up while revenues are declining.

“It’s a balancing act that this Board reviews, quite literally, every month. We’re fortunate that Dr. Hammack and our other administrators have shown impressive skill in continuing to provide an excellent educational experience while keeping costs as low as possible.”

July 17, 2014

BYRON - The Byron Civic Theatre is excited to be celebrating 20 years of theatre with the first show of the 20th Season – The Wizard of Oz! Director Joe Coots,has set a wonderful cast to tell the classic story of The Wizard of Oz using their imagination to tell the story. Dorothy will take a journey to the Emerald City after a tornado takes her from Kansas to Munchkinland. Along the way she will meet the munchkins, Glinda, the Tinman, Scarecrow, the Lion and many more, and she attempts to get through many obstacles.

WIZARD OF OZ opens the Byron Civic Theatre 20th Season, on July 25. Performances continues on July 26, 27 and Aug. 1-3. Showtime’s are Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are now on sale! BCT Box Office is open Monday through Thursday 6-9 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-noon during productions.

2014-2015 Memberships and Contributors, including Wizard of Oz and our 20th season, also including Christmas Kaleidoscope (November 28-30), Noises Off (January 30-31 and February 1 & 6-8) and Fiddler On the Roof (April 24-26 & May 1-3) are now available!  Benefits include having the advantage to reserve seating prior to tickets going on sale to general public, merchandise discounts, visits to our member lounge before shows. Contributors will also receive advertising benefits.

For more information visit the BCT website at www.bctmagic.com and find us on Facebook!

July 17, 2014

BYRON – Byron Community Revitalization has made a $3,000 grant to Byron High School to help produce Challenge Day 2014 for all incoming freshman.

“BCR conducts an annual fundraiser – an alumni basketball game – to help raise money for Challenge Day,” BCR Board President Jamie Buck said. “This $3,000 grant, to help pay for Challenge Day 2014, represents proceeds from our 2013 alumni game.”

The $3,000 grant, presented at the Byron School District Board of Education June meeting, brings to $12,500 the total amount BCR has donated to Challenge Day in the last four years, according to BCR Executive Director Betsy Floski. Of that amount, $5,000 was in the form of grants entrusted to BCR by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois the remainder was donated from BCR’s local fundraising efforts with the assistance of many business sponsors, including “Presenting Sponsor” – Byron Bank.

“The Byron Community Revitalization board identified Challenge Day as one of the most meaningful efforts in our community to benefit youth and to help grow ethical young leaders,” Floski said. “Our partnership with the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois has helped us to provide a reasonably stable funding source for a program that, in light of local school funding challenges, might otherwise be in peril.”

Challenge Day is a two-day seminar designed to provide high school freshman with workshops that address cliques, gossip, negative judgments, harassment, intolerance and bullying. Seminar leaders work with students, staff and community volunteers to help students reject stereotypes by recognizing the commonalities they all share.

BCR is a small community-based not-for-profit that conducts a variety of annual fundraisers and uses the proceeds for community improvement projects. BCR annually sponsors the Sunshine Park Farmer’s Market, the Façade Improvement Grant Program for local businesses, and makes annual charitable gifts via its “Community Giving Fund” to People Helping People and Operation Santa.

Founded in 1953 as a public charity, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (based in Rockford) is the area’s leading provider of philanthropic services. Stewarding almost $50 million and over 400 funds, the Foundation provides a permanent and growing source of funding to non-profits throughout Northern Illinois.

 For more information on Byron Community Revitalization, “Like” their Facebook page.

July 10, 2014

By Doug Schroder

Editor

BYRON – When current Byron Dragway owner Ron Leek came to Byron as a young man in the mid-1960’s he took a job at the then new Dragway performing numerous duties. Back then, Ron said, he figured he didn’t have what it took to go to college, so he would have to work harder and longer than someone who had a college degree. Ron worked many long, hard hours from then on out. He didn’t have enough money for rent anywhere, so he slept on the gurney in the 1941 Packard ambulance/hearse that the Dragway owned.

All of those long hard hours paid off for Ron when he purchased the Dragway in 1969, He has been the owner ever since. Last Friday marked a very special occasion for Ron as the Dragway celebrated 50-years of doing business.

The evening kicked off with spectator drags featuring all sorts of different vehicles on wheels. Trucks, minivans, motorcycles, scooters, SUV’s and everyday ordinary cars lined up, along with some hopped up street rods, to wait their turn to race down the track.

As the spectator drags were taking place, Ron explained the history of the track and how it has changed over the years.

When the spectator drags finished it was time for Richard Hutchins to take his wheel standing “Chevy Rebellion” for a run down the track. Hutchins has been doing his thing for 48-years now.

“On average, guys last only 10 or 13 years in wheel standing. This is my second vehicle that I’ve used for racing. The first wore out. Forty-eight years is a very long time to be doing this,” Hutchins said after his run.

Topping off the night was the fireworks show.

During the course of the night it was learned that Ron is selling the Dragway. A deal has been made and a change in ownership will take place in two years.

Thanks for all you’ve done Ron, and here’s to Byron Dragway lasting another 50 years.

July 10, 2014

BYRON - One of Northern Illinois’ premier summer music and family festivals – ByronFest – will offer big-name entertainment and exciting activities for the entire family July 11-13.

Sponsored by the Byron Area Chamber of Commerce and presented by Byron Bank, this community carnival and music fest is staged in historic downtown Byron just one block north of scenic Illinois Route 2. From gospel to country to four decades of rock & roll, ByronFest offers something for every musical taste and entrance to every stage is free with a general admission button! Economically priced games and rides, a Taste of ByronFest that spans three blocks as well as a bags competition offer fun for the whole family!

The festival weekend kicks off July 10 with GospelFest held at Neighbors Rehabilitation Center, 811 W. Second St. The festival officially opens at 5 p.m. Friday, July 11, with a carnival midway that that will keep tots and teens busy; over 15 food vendors and entertainment on two stages.

Athletic events begin Saturday morning with a 5K run, Ultimate Fitness Challenge (NEW THIS YEAR), a bags tournament and men’s and women’s softball tournaments. The Hib Reber Memorial Class Car, Truck and Bike Show, located just off the main drag at the United Church of Byron at Second Street and Colfax, is open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Arts and Crafts show is on display Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Byron Public Library, and history buffs should not miss the judged Quilt Show, held in the Byron Museum of History, on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Festival grounds open at 11a.m. featuring more food, music and fun until midnight.

The fest begins again Sunday when the festival gates open at 11 a.m. The ByronFest Parade steps off on Third Street at 2 p.m. just one block north of the business district.

Buttons guarantee admission into the festival area, but are not required for admittance to the carnival midway, arts and crafts show, quilt show, car show, or sporting events. Advance buttons are sold at numerous Byron businesses for $6 each prior to 4 p.m. on Friday July 13. Buttons purchased at the gate are $8.00 each. Children 7 and under are admitted free! Sunday is Family Day – no button required!

For more information on this exciting destination event or for a complete schedule of activities, contact the Byron Area Chamber of Commerce office at 815-234-5500 or visit their web site at www.byronfest.org.

July 10, 2014

BYRON - We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

The Byron Civic Theatre is excited to be celebrating 20 years of theatre with the first show of the 20th Season – The Wizard of Oz! Director Joe Coots, has set a wonderful cast to tell the classic story of The Wizard of Oz using their imagination to tell the story. Dorothy will take a journey to the Emerald City after a tornado takes her from Kansas to Munckinland. Along the way she will meet the munckins, Glinda, the Tinman, Scarecrow, the Lion and many more, and she attempts to get through many obstacles

Delaney Egan (Dorothy), Grant Brooks (Scarecrow), Brian Brooks (Tinman), Jon Mickle (Lion), Kourtney Adams (Glinda), Elizabeth Curtis (Ms. Gulch, Wicked Witch of the West), Chris Palmer (Professor Marvel/ OZ), Dirk Palmer (Uncle Henry), Jen Wygant (Aunt Em), Brian Wygant (Oz Guard), Kate Barber, R. Tommy Francis IV, Savannah Giddings, Charlie Holsinger, Grant Holsinger, Shelby Krall, Regan Larson, Ben Love, Linda Lukes, Dustin McKay, Bradley Morris, Luke Primrose, Ben Thomas, Katie Triplett.

WIZARD OF OZ opens the Byron Civic Theatre 20th Season, on July 25. Performances continue on July 26, 27 and Aug. 1-3. Showtime’s are Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale July 10 for season members and contributors and July 14 for the general public. For more information visit the BCT website at www.bctmagic.com and find us on Facebook!

Memberships and Contributors are now available for the Byron Civic Theatre 20th Season! Benefits include having the advantage to reserve seating prior to tickets going on sale to general public, merchandise discounts, visits to our member lounge before shows. Contributors will also receive advertising benefits. For more information contact a BCT board member or visit us online at bctmagic.com for more information.

July 3, 2014

BYRON - At the Festival Stage on Friday, July 11 from 9 p.m. – midnight, Audio Drive is a powerful rock act brings one of the best shows in the region! This group plays a perfect music of 80’s, 90’s and today’s hits.

On the Carnival Stage Friday, July 11, from 9 p.m. – midnight, Mike & Joe will be performing. This group has four of the most solid and passionate musicians playing as one with the gift of delivering a concert experience while simultaneously compelling their audience to dance and sing along. It’s rock, it’s fun, and it’s quality, including a mix of rock-pop songs from the 90s and 2000s.

The fun continues on Saturday, July 12, at the Festival Stage, Red Woody will be performing 8:30 p.m. - midnight. Since its start in 1999, Red Woody has been redefining what a cover band is all about. The songs they cover range from Bon Jovi and Journey to Lady Gaga and Neon Trees. This group plays a diverse selection of music and they want every show to be a party.

Also on Saturday, July 12, Back Country Roads will be performing from 8:30 p.m. - midnight at the Carnival Stage. This band will be entertaining the crowd with top 40 country covers and also some original tunes. They have been playing packed venues since they started in 2009 and they are sure to please country music lovers of all ages.

Don’t miss out on all the ByronFest music and entertainment this year! There will be a variety of other bands performing starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at both the Festival and Carnival Stages and during the day on Sunday.

For more information about other ByronFest activities call the Byron Chamber of Commerce office at 815-234-5500 or visit ByronFest on the web at www.byronfest.org.

July 3, 2014

OGLE COUNTY - University of Illinois Extension Ogle County Master Gardener Sue Paulin received state recognition for the Sustained Excellence award at the 2014 Illinois Master Gardener Awards ceremony held on June 13.

The Sustained Excellence Master Gardener Award was established to honor Illinois Master Gardeners who have previously received the Outstanding Master Gardener award but have continued to demonstrate distinction in the program. Each person receiving this award is an exceptional example to Master Gardeners locally and throughout the state.

Sue Paulin is an integral part of the Ogle County Master Gardener program. Few can match her degree of leadership, volunteer service, participation, horticulture knowledge, and teaching skills. Sue is a leader and driving force in several of our youth programs including a Junior Master Gardener program and our School and Community Gardens in Rochelle. Sue has also partnered with a Rochelle Elementary teacher to create an after-school butterfly program for kids.

Last year, Sue took the initiative to gather a small group of Master Gardeners to write a mini-grant proposal that would not only create a Junior Master Gardener program for Ogle County, but she also designed, coordinated, and managed volunteers to install a butterfly & sensory garden to be used for educational purposes for JMG, 4-H, and our community at the Ogle County Fairgrounds.

Sue has continued to play a lead role with our Speaker’s Bureau. Through the years, Sue has developed an array of topics to speak on from herbs to spring wildflowers. She is a much sought after speaker and has presented to a variety of organizations throughout Ogle County. Sue has teamed with our SNAP-Ed Community Worker, Mary Beth Christen on several projects. According to Mary Beth, “Sue shines when she shares her passion for gardening. She is successful because she especially loves sharing her knowledge with kids. ”

Sue embodies what it means to be a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. Sue’s love of learning is apparent to those around her. Even though she is a highly knowledgeable Master Gardener, one can regularly find Sue at various educational offerings. In the past year, Sue has earned her advanced ecology certificate and pin and is well on her way to earning others. Despite her vast volunteer hours, Sue also places a strong emphasis on her own continuing education. She is a well-rounded Master Gardener who knows the importance of volunteerism and continuing education.

In all of these key roles, Sue brings a passionate, inclusive leadership style which encourages others to participate in education and projects. Her enthusiasm is contagious and her love of gardening, people, and the Master Gardener program is evident in the number of hours she shares. Sue Paulin is a highly motivated and well respected Master Gardener. She is a self-starter, role model, respected leader, skilled teacher, and is always willing to go the extra mile.

University of Illinois Extension congratulates Sue Paulin and appreciates the thousands of hours Master Gardener volunteers contribute to our community. The service the Master Gardeners share positively impacts communities and individuals throughout Illinois.

If you have been helped by Master Gardeners and would like to serve your community through this unique horticultural education program, now is your chance. In 2014, Master Gardener training will be held in Ogle County at the University of Illinois Extension office in Oregon. The training will be on Fridays beginning Sept. 5 and runs through Nov. 21.

If you are interested in learning more about the Master Gardener program or would like to register for the training, please contact Extension program coordinator, Lisa Valle at 815-732-2191, lkvalle@illinois.edu or visit our website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo/.

July 3, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - Stillman Valley High School will begin destroying the temporary student records for the Class of 2007 and 2008 on July 16, pursuant to the Illinois School Students Records Act. These records include family background information, intelligence and aptitude test scores, reports of psychological evaluations, elementary and secondary achievement test results, participation in extracurricular activities, honors and awards received, and other verified information of clear relevance to the education of the student. Students’ permanent records are kept for 60 years and include student and parent/guardian names, addresses, birth date, attendance, transcript, college entrance exam scores, and health records.

Class of 2007 and 2008 alumni and their parents/guardians can pick up their respective student records beginning June 23, running through July 16, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Parents/guardians must have a signed statement of consent from the graduate, which includes the graduate’s current address and phone number, allowing the school to release the record to the student’s parent/guardian. Upon release of the student records, parents/guardians must provide valid proof of identification. Records are available at the high school Counseling Office. Please contact the Counseling Office at 815-645-2291 ext. 4147 if you have any questions.

July 3, 2014

BYRON - Byron resident, Mark Schwendau, visited Nashville in June to finalize plans for promotion of several country music songs he has written over the past year as well as see local Cherry Valley artist Mo Pitney debut at the Grand Ole Opry.  Schwendau said he was so proud of Mo’s performance and the standing ovation he received.

Schwendau will have a number of his songs pitched up and down Nashville’s music row this summer with the hope that one or more of them lands a recording contract with a major artist.

“The agency to represent me plans to pitch my premier song, ‘Glide Ride’, as well as ‘A Perfect Stranger’ and a third song yet to be determined,” said Schwendau. “My biggest thrill was meeting famous Nashville country songwriters George Hamilton IV and Joe Hunter.  Mr. Hamilton is best known for his song ‘Abilene’ and Mr. Hunter is best known for his recent Gold Record hit by Reba, ‘Bad for My Own Good’, a personal favorite of mine.”

Mark Schwendau’s music is at www.MusicHitsTheMark.com.

June 26, 2014

June 26, 2014

MT. MORRIS - National touring and recording artists, Wayland, will be returning to perform at the second annual Wounded Warrior Benefit Show in Mount Morris on Saturday, June 28. Wayland played the first annual Wounded Warrior Benefit in 2013. Returning this year to open for Wayland are Audio Abduction, a young energetic band out of South Beloit, and The Merkins, an award winning original rock band out of Mt. Morris. Joining these great bands this year is Desolation Row, a high energy, hard working classic and original rock band out of Stillman Valley and Winnebago.

"We are proud to be sharing the stage with these talented bands, especially Wayland. We are happy to be a part of this show to benefit Wounded Warriors," said Jared Hoey, Desolation Row's drummer.

The show takes place Saturday, June 28, with Desolation Row kicking off the event, at 5 p.m. followed by Audio Abduction, The Merkins, and finally Wayland! Wayland is one of the hardest working touring and recording bands in the US, with shows virtually every night of the week. Their music can be heard on any rock radio station in the world.

Bill Cook, Entertainment Coordinator of the Wounded Warrior Project Benefit, says this of Wayland’s participation in this benefit.

"Following the success of last year's benefit, the growth Wayland has enjoyed in the area, and the way they connect to the people of Mt. Morris, having come from a familiar small town themselves, it made sense to honor their request to come back and headline this year's event."

A massive stage will set up on the corner of Main and Wesley in downtown Mount Morris and will be accompanied by multiple food and drink booths to suit every taste. This will be an all ages event with a family friendly atmosphere. A Harley Davidson will be raffled off with the proceeds going to Wounded Warriors. Tickets are available by calling 815-734-6808, or can be purchased at Sharky's Sports Bar and Grill in Mount Morris. A free show featuring Going Postal starts the weekend off Friday night at Sharky's at 7 p.m. All tips will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. Tickets to Saturdays show for all four bands can be purchased at the gate. Last years Wounded Warrior Benefit show in Mount Morris was a huge success and this year’s show promises to be even bigger and better.

Dozens of people have donated their time and many area businesses have sponsored this event. The money raised from this benefit will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. The goal of the coordinators is to make this a permanent annual event with more bands, and more attractions in years to come.

June 26, 2014

Submitted by Curt Freeberg

STILLMAN VALLEY - The Phantom Regiment practiced at Stillman High School during the week of June 9 and then performed a dress rehearsal with an encore on Sunday, June 15. They were to leave on Monday evening for Indianapolis to begin their 12,000 mile journey around the country.

June 19, 2014

OGLE COUNTY – Stillman Trust & Asset Management is pleased to announce the winners of the Eickman Scholarship, an annual scholarship awarded to four area high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine. The 2014 recipients are: Cassandra Nason, Byron High School; Sarah Zuniga, Oregon High School; Payton Collins, Rochelle Township High School; and Sydney Gatz, Stillman Valley High School. Each student received a $1,500 scholarship.

Now in its 19th year, the scholarship fund was established by former Stillman Bank President, William E. Eickman as a way to give back to the Ogle County community. “He was always grateful to the people of Ogle County for their support, recognizing that they were the reason for the bank’s success since 1882,” recalled Kirk Hosler, Stillman Bank Senior Vice President and Trust Officer.

The scholarship is available to high school seniors attending school in Byron, Oregon, Rochelle and Stillman Valley. The fund is designed to award a scholarship, not less than $1,500, to one recipient from each of these four communities. Each year, committees review all of the applications that are submitted, and from this process finalists from each school are selected for personal interviews with the review committees.

Seniors that may apply for the Eickman Scholarship are those intending to further their education in a medical-related field.

 “We strongly encourage interested college-bound students to apply for this scholarship if they plan to study medicine,” said Hosler. “This is a great opportunity for high school students that can help in attaining their secondary education.”

Any high school senior at Byron, Oregon, Rochelle, or Stillman Valley High Schools who is interested in applying for the Eickman Scholarship is encouraged to inquire with their guidance counselor. Application forms are available from each school’s respective counseling office, and must be submitted by the assigned deadline. A copy of the student’s high school transcript and proof of acceptance at an accredited college or university must be attached to the application.

Stillman Bank is pleased to be able to offer this scholarship, which has gone to a number of deserving young men and women over the last 19 years. For more information about Stillman Bank, please visit www.stillmanbank.com.

June 19, 2014

OGLE COUNTY – Superintendents from several local school districts including Oregon, Rochelle and Meridian have come together in a collective effort to urge state legislators for more funding after years of dwindling support from the state.

The member schools of the Ogle County Educational Cooperative (OCEC) sent a letter to state legislators outlining the case for increased state funding. OCEC’s concerns were fueled by the fact that the State of Illinois is taking in more tax revenue than ever before yet has slashed funds for public education. The districts of OCEC have seen a $10 million dollar decline in general state aide in recent years, while property taxes and housing values continue to decline.

The joint letter also states that while funding from the state has decreased, mandates have not. Illinois has actually increased requirements for public education standards while providing districts with fewer resources to accomplish those mandates. The Superintendents of OCEC claim that the actions of state legislators do not put kids and education first and have led to programs cuts in several districts, including career tech programs, visual and performing arts programs and many other student activities.

OCEC leaders have urged state legislators to increase funding to meet the increasing demands on area school districts. “We ask that the legislature develop a plan to provide school districts with adequate and stable funding to not only address minimum needs and mandates, but to allow schools to truly progress and become innovative environments that best meet the needs of our students,” the letter states.

OCEC is a service agency focused on providing educational support for all students, educators and parents throughout Ogle County and the surrounding regions. The organization is committed to providing innovative and effective support services for students, parents and school staff in order to help students achieve their full potential in school and in life.

Districts included in sending the letter are Amboy, Ashton-Franklin, AFC School District, Creston, Estwood, Forrestville, Kings, Meridian, Oregon, Polo, Rochelle, Steward and St. Paul.

June 19, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY – See what’s happening at Julia Hull District Library schedule different events and classes that can appeal to each generation of the family, separately or together! Some require advance registration and payment. Call ahead for details.

PreSchool Storytime - Develop your child’s reading skills with thematically related stories, crafts and fun! Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Ages 3-6.

Babies & Books - Prepare your child to read with songs, games, stories and play! Join us Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Ages 0-24 Months.

Terrific Ts! - We’re excited to announce that Terrific Twos is now Terrific Ts! Terrific Ts is a storytime for children ages 2 and 3 years old and their caregivers. Bring your Terrific T to the library for stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts. We meet every Friday morning at 10 a.m.

Reading Gives You Superpowers! - Have a super summer at your local library! Our theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program is “Reading Gives You Superpowers!” Summer Storytime meets Wednesdays at 1 p.m. (Ages 4-9) and Fridays at 10 a.m. (Ages 2-3). Newcomers are welcome!

Stargazing for Everyone - The night sky contains countless wonders for us to enjoy. All you need to begin as an amateur astronomer is a clear night and a basic understanding of the night sky. In this class, you'll learn how the night sky works, how the planets and moon progress through the solar system, and how to identify constellations. Monday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. Registration required: 815-645-8611.

Vegetable Pest & Disease Management - Various pest and disease problems are common in a vegetable garden yearly. Come to the library Tuesday, June 24 at 6 p.m. and learn how to identify the most common vegetable pests and diseases and hear how to manage them using a variety of cultural, non-chemical, or chemical controls. Participants are welcome to bring samples from their gardens to get help with. Registration required: 815-645-8611.

Superhero Training Camp! - Calling all future superheroes! Report to training at the library on Friday, June 27 at 1 p.m. when we’ll create our own names, powers, shields, and of course, train our superhero poses! Ages 7-9. Registration required: 815-645-8611.

Super Scientists - Come explore the wonderful world of science, Saturday, June 28 at 10 a.m. We’ll do hands-on experiments and activities that are sure to please the youngest scientists! Ages 4-6. Registration required: 815-645-8611.

Superhero BINGO - Pop! Bang! Pow! Wear your best superhero mask, t-shirt or costume to this special edition of BINGO, Monday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m.! All ages welcome.

Library Meeting Dates - The regular meetings of the Board of Trustees for the fiscal year 2014-2015 will be held at the Julia Hull District Library Building, 100 Library Lane, Stillman Valley, Illinois beginning at 6:30 p.m. on the following dates: July 14; Aug. 18; Sept. 15; Oct. 20; Nov. 17; Dec. 15; Jan. 19; Feb. 16; March 16; April 20; May 18; and June 15.

June 12, 2014

BYRON - Evalene Palmer celebrated her 101st Birthday on June 6 at Neighbors Rehabilitation Center, Byron, with family and friends. Evalene is the mother of 5 children, has 14 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and numerous great-great grandchildren. She loves to be outside enjoying the sunshine, loves gardening, flowers and watching butterflies, humming birds and red birds (cardinals).

Evalene and her late husband Hank, lived and worked on a farm on Town Line Road near Indian Village their entire life. She had a huge garden and canned all her own fruits and vegetables. Made the best dill pickles ever! Hank had a small butcher shop and processed all their own meat (pork and beef) for family and neighbors. Every once in a while on a Sunday, Evalene would make donuts and sweet rolls for the entire family. (Made over 150 donuts and 5 or 6 pans of sweet rolls.) These were better than Krispy Kreme. We all looked forward to ‘donut day’ at Gramma Palmer’s house.

June 12, 2014

Max Meyer, Age 9 of Michigan City, Indiana takes a handoff from Sean Considine, Byron, during the Sean Considine Football Camp held Sunday, June 8 in Byron. Considine holds the camp every year to emphasize the fun and fundamentals of football to 1st through 6th graders. Meyer's grandmother lives in Byron. Considine was a member of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

June 5, 2014

BYRON - Lt. Brian Fortune, of the Byron Fire Protection District announced his retirement! Brian served the Fire District for the past 30+ years. Please join us in honoring him for his exceptional dedication on Saturday, June 7 from 2 - 4 p.m. at District Headquarters, 123 N. Franklin St., Byron. A presentation will be made at 3 p.m.

Lt. Brian Fortune joined the Byron Ambulance Service as a volunteer in the summer of 1978 and became an E.M.T. shortly thereafter. He joined the Byron Fire Department in 1979 but due to job conflicts quit for a year or so. He started again as a paid on call firefighter in September of 1981, tested for fulltime and was hired as a fulltime firefighter May 2, 1982. He was certified as a paramedic in 1986; he holds many fire service certifications and along with D/C Orin Snodgrass they were the first Byron Firefighters to be certified in high angle recues. In 1994 with some help from a convincing D/C Chris Millard he formed the Byron Fire Extrication Team, and it was a highlight of his 30 plus year career to be one-sixth of a team of the best auto extrication experts in northern Illinois. They competed nationally and internationally for 16 years!

Residents of the Byron Community are encouraged to stop by and wish him well. Refreshments will be served.

June 5, 2014

MACHESNEY PARK – The Senior Follies performers will present “Show Biz!” a musical revue with singing, dancing and comedy on June 11-12 at Harlem High School.

Show times at 2 and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11, and 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 12.

The show will feature United Way CEO Paul Logli as Master of Ceremonies. Local celebrity performers include Dr. Kris Tumilowicz, Mike Robinson, Patte Lune, and Pauline Cultra. Aaron Wilson will recite the poem “Why I love America.”

At least three members of the cast are from Pecatonica.

The doors of the auditorium will open one hour before show times. The East Bank Commanders, a senior big band, will play pre-show at 1 p.m.. The Dixieland Docs, a senior jazz group, will play at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Director of the Senior Follies is Angie Fellows, a 2014 recipient of the RAMI (Rockford Area Music Industry) Community Service Award.

Tickets in advance are $12 and at the door are $15. Call Lifescpe at 815-963-1609 for tickets or pick them up at any Alpine Bank branch. Seating is open with no reserved seats. Group seating can be arranged with Lifescape.

Senior Follies is a fundraiser for Lifescap.

June 5, 2014

BYRON - Byron Community Revitalization, Inc., in cooperation with local volunteers, is inviting vendors to participate in the annual Sunshine Park Farmer’s Market.

The market’s opening day this year will be Saturday June 21. It will be held again at Sunshine Park every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon through mid-October. Vendors interested in selling their own garden produce, plants and floral, artwork or hand-made crafts, and those interested in providing entertainment, are welcome. (The market is not open to commercial produce sellers nor to used-goods sellers; those selling homemade food must have a permit from the Ogle County Health Department in Oregon) There is no charge for vendors to participate; vendors may participate for the entire season or on a week-to-week basis.

Every year the market brings more vendors and more visitors to Byron on Saturday mornings, according to Betsy Floski, Executive Director of Byron Community Revitalization. The desire of many people to eat local and to eat fresh and organic has been a boon to produce markets.

Our volunteers expect this to be a big year for people seeking an inexpensive source of fresh produce.

Sunshine Park is located in Byron northeast of the Rock River on Il Rte 2. Ample parking and a playground for children are available.

Byron Community Revitalization, Inc. is a 15-year-old not-for-profit that conducts annual fundraisers and then donates the proceeds to worthy projects. For more information about the market, BCR or its projects or programming, contact Floski at 815.871.0859.

May 29, 2014

 BYRON - To kick off the Byron Forest Preserve District’s annual free Summer Concert series, a special showing of Old River Tales will be held inside the Jarrett Prairie Center on Sunday, June 1 starting at 7 p.m. Old River Tales is an original musical play about life around Rockford and the Rock River Valley from the frontier beginnings in the 1830’s up until 1900 as it was settled by many different ethnic groups. The play includes famous characters such as Abraham Lincoln, the warrior Black Hawk, Albert Spalding and Jane Addams.

There are also lesser known, yet fascinating, local historical figures such as Jennie Hodgers, a young woman who fought as a Civil War soldier by pretending to be a man, and Jacob Schweinfurth, an infamous religious cult leader. The play is packed with dates and facts, yet is full of humor to deliver the information in an interesting and entertaining format. Additional characters, the Irish, the Swedes and emancipated African American slaves represent the many diverse populations who, while risking everything, fled to the Rockford area for a better life.

The three-person cast includes Carolyn Cadigan, David Causey and Andrew Harth with narration by Sue Crandall and Jenniel Wright. The performance is brimming with lively music, with the accomplished Betsy Kaske on a variety of instruments. The end result is a celebration of the Rockford areas’ rich and diverse history.

The play runs for two hours with one intermission. Between and during dramatic scenes, the performers will sing 15 well-known 19th century songs such as “Down by the Riverside”, “Rock of Ages” and “Swing Low Sweet Chariot.” The audience will always be encouraged to sing along with the performers. Old River Tales was written and directed by Rockford’s Sue Crandall and Rufus Cadigan and has been performed at Midway Village Museum, Rockford University and other Rockford area locations.

This program is sponsored by Byron Bank and admission is free. For more information for Old River Tales and the other Byron Forest Preserve District’s Summer Concert Series call the Jarrett Prairie Center at 815 234-8535.

May 29, 2014

 By Brett Miller

Reporter

BYRON – At Monday night’s meeting, the School District’s Finance and Policy Committee reviewed a few changes to next year’s student handbooks.

While Mary Morgan Elementary won’t see too many significant changes to its handbook, the high school and middle school have a few significant notes to be included in theirs.

In the past, Byron High School has tried to restrict the use of water bottles within the school. In the next year, these restrictions will be lifted.

Byron High School Principal Peter Verona noted that an increasing number of students have been carrying water bottles for medical needs.

Verona said that as long as students do not abuse the allowing of water bottles, there shouldn’t be a reason to battle them.

High school students will also see a change in the amount of vacation time allowed during the school year.

Verona said the current language on vacation time has caused confusion among parents as to what is and is not considered a vacation.

To eliminate the confusion, the high school will now be adopting the state’s language on the subject, which basically allows students to have five percent of their school year off.

Students participating in after school activities will have to be aware of the upcoming changes to the activity participation time.

Currently, high school students are allowed to participate in after school activities, as long as they’re in class by 11 a.m.

Verona’s goal is to move the participation time back, so students must be present the full day to take part in their activities.

The high school handbook will also include altered language on the lowered guest age for school dances. Verona said the current language caused a stir in the community, and hopes the changes will be found more acceptable.

Middle school students and parents will see changes in the areas of excused and unexcused absences.

Byron Middle School Principal Steve Herkert said that there are times when a student is absent where the parent is not able to call the school that morning.

While immediate contact is still the preferred option, parents will have the option of sending a note with their child upon their return to school.

On a related note, unexcused absences in the middle school will no longer result in zeroes for missed work.

Instead, the student may face potential extra class time – either after school or on a Saturday – to make up for their lost class time.

Dr. James Hammack, the District’s superintendent, was pleased about this change, as he sees academic damage to be a poor consequence for misbehavior.

“I hope that all of our handbooks are expressing this idea that if a student is unexcused, that the response is not to get a zero,” said Hammack.

Alterations were made to the middle school’s policy on cheating and plagiarism for the same reasons.

In the event that a student is caught cheating, they will not receive a zero, but they will have a replacement assignment to complete (in addition to receiving a referral and/or a detention).

“There’s pretty significant legal precedent that [giving a zero is] not allowable,” said Hammack. “There needs to be a clear distinction between a student’s behavior…and their academic performance.”

Principal Herkert is also rebooting the middle school’s war on yoga pants.

Herkert informed the Committee that the middle school attempted to ban yoga pants two years ago, but was unsuccessful at doing so.

This failure caused a passive attitude towards the clothing this year, but the allowance was something middle school faculty came to regret.

In an effort to find a better approach to the subject, Herkert and his subcommittee looked to other school districts to see what they were doing about yoga pants.

The new middle school handbook will include language borrowed from these other districts, which prohibits tight, form-fitting clothing.

The Committee will be taking all handbook alterations to the full School Board at the next board meeting.

The Committee discussed some potential changes to fees for next year students, including one to cover damages to laptops.

When the District issues students their laptops, they do so with the hope that the student will be responsible in caring for the equipment.

However, District laptops are in constant need of repair. Most of these damages are done to either the screens or keyboards.

It usually costs the District $40 to $60 to replace a broken screen, and $35 to $40 to repair keyboards.

Members of the Committee were in agreement that they don’t believe students are intentionally damaging the units, but they do believe that the students should be more responsible.

As a response, the Committee discussed charging a $75 deposit for the laptops.

If a student’s laptop is in good condition (nothing but simple wear-and-tear) at the end of the year, their parents will get the deposit back. If the unit is damaged, the deposit will be used for the repair.

Principal Verona noted that students should be able to prevent most accidents, especially as they get older.

“We expect you [the student] to think this through,” said Verona.

The Committee discussed potentially putting a cap on the deposit for families with multiple children, and possibly charging additional amounts to students with missing or more severely damaged units.

The laptop deposit idea will come back to the Committee again next month, once the details are hammered out.

Additionally, School Board President Doug Floski and Board Member Bill Craig were in agreement that classes without textbooks (such as physical education, and wood and auto shop) should not charge equipment fees. The two felt that providing the equipment would be similar to providing textbooks.

The Committee will be discussing possible alterations to class fees in June.

May 22, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - After an extensive search to locate the next Principal of Stillman Valley High School it became clear that the best choice was already inside the District. This February the process of reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates, selecting finalists, and bringing them before the community and teaching staff commenced. After this process was complete, a clear choice emerged – Leslie Showers. Leslie had not applied for the position, but after the interviews concluded District Administration began conversations with Leslie to convince her to move from the Principal of Monroe Center to the Principal of Stillman Valley High School. A few short weeks later, Leslie accepted the position and was named SVHS principal.

Next year, PJ Caposey assumes the Superintendent position next Fall and led the interview process for this position. When discussing Ms. Showers he stated, “In looking for leaders to serve our students I want someone with great work ethic, deep knowledge of educational best practices, capacity to continue to improve, and a fit for the needs of our students, staff, and community. Using those criteria, putting Leslie in to this position is an absolute slam dunk. She will be great.”

Ms. Showers is as much of an internal candidate as you could possibly be. She graduated from Stillman Valley High School in 1990, and has spent 18 of her 19 years in education in Meridian CUSD 223. Leslie was a successful classroom teacher at SVHS in the past and has always been extremely involved within the community and schools. Caposey added in his description of Ms. Showers, “I do not think a single person living in Stillman Valley could not pick Ms. Showers out of a line-up – she is a fixture in the community and in our schools.”

Ms. Showers has had opportunities to leave Stillman Valley in the past as her track record as a leader and successful principal has become well-known, but stays for many reasons including: her love of the community, proximity to family, and Cardinal Pride. Ms. Showers also noted that she is fortunate to work in a District with excellent students, community support, and to be able to send her own children to such a wonderful District is a definitive bonus.

May 22, 2014

BYRON - The Kiwanis Club of Byron will hold an evening meeting Thursday, May 22 at 6 p.m., at Leombruni’s Restaurant in Byron. The speaker will be Elaine Carrow, coordinator for Ogle County’s Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) programs. All interested residents are invited to attend.

 Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis clubs, located in 80 nations, help their communities in countless ways but their primary objective lies in the betterment of the lives of children. Each community’s needs are different—so each Kiwanis club is different. By working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. When you give a child the chance to learn, experience, dream, grow, succeed and thrive, great things happen. Kiwanians annually give more than 12 million hours and more than $107 million to help change the world and their local communities for the better.

 With The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. This deadly disease steals the lives of nearly 60,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year. The effects of the disease are excruciating — tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch. The project will reach the poorest, most neglected mothers and babies with additional lifesaving health care. 

 If you would like to find out more about this child-centered, community building organization, please attend the May 22 meeting.

May 15, 2014

BYRON - National Emergency Medical Services Week pairs together local communities and the medical personnel that service those communities to put safety at the forefront of the countries conversation. In 1973 the United States Congress passed the Emergency Medical Services System Act leading the way for what now is the United States EMS system. In 1974 President Gerald Ford proclaimed a week in November every year would be dedicated to emergency medicine. In the early 1980’s the American College of Emergency Physicians took over organizing EMS week and moved it to third week in May. This year the theme for EMS week will be "EMS: Dedicated. For Life." 

EMS week is also a week of dedication and thanks for those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services to their communities. Even though public education and safety programs occur year round, during the week of May 19 information on these topics will be stressed with extra emphasis and enthusiasm throughout the United States. To help show our communities the wide array of medical professionals and services that our available to them in Byron and the surrounding area, the Byron Fire Protection District will be putting on our semi-annual EMS Open House from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 19. Our open house brings together many of the area’s medical professionals such as paramedics, nurses, chiropractor, and physical therapist; and allows the community members to come ask questions and get educated about the different types of medical options available to them. Additionally, informational booths will be set up to cover topics such as Autism, Boating Safety, 9-1-1, Bicycle Safety and becoming a Blood Donor. Moreover, you can learn more about the IL Department of Natural Resources, Ogle County Solid Waste, Illinois State Police, and Firefighter Wellness. This year you can take part in a CPR Demo and watch a live Extrication Demo!

Please take the time to stop by the firehouse on May 19 to spend some time communicating, becoming more educated and thanking those individuals that keep us healthy year round. Refreshment will be served and door prizes will be won, kids don’t miss your chance to win a bike, brought to you in part by Kegel’s Bicycle Store in Rockford! You won’t want to miss this informative family fun evening.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact D/C Tim Salo at 815-234-4911.

May 15, 2014

By PJ Caposey

SVHS Principal

STILLMAN VALLEY - On May 5, Stillman Valley High School and Meridian CUSD 223 community gathered to recognize the academic excellence of their students. Over 125 students were recognized for their outstanding efforts in academia highlighted by the recognitions outlined below. In Principal PJ Caposey’s opening he noted that the hard work and effort of this Senior class had led to the following recognitions: highest standardized assessment scores in six years, highest ever standardized assessment score in Reading, tied for 2nd in a four-county area in being recognized as College and Career Ready, in the top 3 for Meets and Exceeds percentage on the PSAE, and the students achieve all of that while the District spends less to educate each student as measured by Instructional Expenditure per student when compared to nearly all local unit Districts.

“The students have done a wonderful job and deserve congratulations – as do the teachers who have taught them and the families that have supported them,” Caposey stated.

National Honor Society: Kristen Acton, Samantha Ballard, Christopher Brauns, Nicholas Dippne, Lauren Fischer, Sarah Flygare, Sydney Gatz, Trevor Gerig, Alyson Lentz, Anna Nicholson, Kassandra Paul, Micah Robert, Jassity Seangdara, Keaton Weber.

Excellence in Math Award: Micah Robert

ICTM Math Award: Sydney Gatz, Jessica Tackes

Music Career Service Award: Forrest Winstead

Outstanding Choral Musician Award: Myles Maiman

John PhilipSousa Band Award: Sarah Flygare

Marine Corp Distinguished Athlete Award: Keaton Weber

Marine Corp Scholastic Excellence Award: Christopher Brauns

Marine Corp Semper Fidelis Musical Service Award: Micah Robert

Daughters of the American Revolution: Kristen Acton

Sons of the American Revolution: Keaton Weber

All-State Honors Chorus: Sarah Flygare

FFA State Degree Recipients: Ashley Adams, Samantha Ballard

Illinois State Scholars: Christopher Brauns, Nicholas Dippner, Karissa Dobson, Taren Elder, Sarah Flygare, Kaylie Flynn, Sydney Gatz, Alyson Lentz, Kyle Mast, Anna Nicholson, Kassandra Paul, Orion Peterson, Micah Robert, Jessica Tackes, Tyler Vaughan, Shannan Warnken                 

Latin Honors Cum Altus Factum: Kristen Acton,   Samantha Ballard, Austin Blassage, Christopher Brauns, Nicholas Dippner, Karissa Dobson, Taren Elder, Sarah Flygare, Kaylie Flynn, Lindsay Freymiller,            Sydney Gatz, Trevor Gerig, Alyson Lentz, Kyle Mast, Nathan Myers, Anna Nicholson, Kassandra Paul, Orion Peterson, Micah Robert, Jessica Tackes, Steig Theden, Shannan Warnken, Keaton Weber, Haley Wenberg, Victoria Kucharczyk, Elizabeth Wilson

Latin Honors CumTotus Factum: Brandie Brooks, Zachary Crowell, Tristan Elliott, Lauren Fischer, Carley Frost,    Bryce Hagemann, Zachary Hare, Kendall Hess, Jacob Hoey, Lucia Jaimes, Zachary Kaczmarzyk, Kyle Lookingland, Connor McNames, Eric Moriarty, Amy Scarboroughm, Jassity Seangdara, Ricki Seyster, Janelle Tanaglia, Jordan Watson, Forrest Winstead

AWARDS/MONETARY SCHOLARSHIPS

Craig Welsh Memorial Scholarship:Aly Lentz

SV Firefighter’s Association Scholarship:Kristen Acton

William Eickman Scholarship:Sydney Gatz

Meridian Sun Lodge Scholarship: Taren Elder

Meridian Education Foundation Scholarship:Kristen Acton, Sydney Gatz

Lions Club Service Award Scholarship:Kristen Acton, Micah Robert

Benjamin and Ann Loyd Teacher Education Scholarship:Anna Nicholson
Gibbs Family Scholarship: Kristen Acton

Colin T. Smith Memorial Scholarship: Kassandra Paul

Jerry McCammond Memorial Scholarship: Kristen Acton

Tammy Wetzel Memorial Scholarship: Keaton Weber

Charles L. Hamberg Math Award: Micah Robert

Stillman Valley Snowmobile Club Scholarship: Kyle Lookingland

Larry D. Wesley Memorial Scholarship : Bryce Hagemann

Exelon/Byron Generating Station Scholarship: Sydney Gatz, Christopher Brauns

Gridiron Leadership Scholarship: Keaton Weber

FFA Alumni Scholarship: Samantha Ballard, Ashley Adams

Alec Catherwood Memorial Scholarship: Kristen Acton, Keaton Weber

Monroe Township Fire Dept. Scholarship: Kristen Acton

May 8, 2014

BYRON - Mom is very special. So what better way to show your love and start Mothers’ Day than to attend Byron Lodge #274 A.F. & A.M.’s 43rd Annual Mothers Day Breakfast Sunday, May 11 from 7-11 am at the Masonic Temple on north Route 2 and Ashelford Drive. Byron Lodge #274 A.F. & A.M. The Masons will serve pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and beverages. Tickets may be purchased from any Mason or at the door. Proceeds will go toward the Lodge’s philanthropic endeavors including donations to organizations in the Byron area. Byron Masonic Lodge is the oldest continuous organization in Byron having been formally constituted Oct. 21, 1858. The Lodge is celebrating its’ 156th anniversary this year. The Byron Lodge supports the community through donations to such organizations as Masonic Homes Endowment Fund, Byron High School Academic Bowl, Ogle County Hospice, People Helping People (Byron Food Pantry), Operation Santa Claus, Village of Progress, and Focus House, among others. Thus, the members of Byron Lodge #274 not only serve the community by setting a good example as citizens, but also improve the lives of future generations and care for the elderly.

May 8, 2014

 BYRON - The students in Mr. Trygg’s Horticulture classes at Byron HS have been busy planting in the greenhouse. There will be a wide selection of spring bedding plants available, for purchase May 9 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., May 10 from10 a.m. – 1p.m. and May 12 – May 14 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The location is in the high school greenhouse, which is right across from the football stadium entrance. Plant selection includes: Perennial (Coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans, Columbines, Bellflowers, Delphiniums, Phlox, and many more), Annuals (Impatience, Wave Petunias, Gerbera Daisies, Pansies, Dusty Miller, Begonias, Celosia, and many more). There are many types of hanging baskets available. For your vegetable garden we have Tomatoes (Grape, Cherry, Roma, Big Boy, and Beefsteak, Peppers (Bell, Banana, Jalapeno, and Habanero). All the plants were grown in larger than normal pots. This leads to a better root system for transplanting. All plants were grown and maintained by students at Byron High School. Come early to guarantee what you want. Many varieties sold out last year. Please be aware that it may be too early to plant them outside with out protection from the wind and lower temps. All plants should be hardened-off before putting them in the ground.

May 8, 2014

BYRON - Crossroads Blues Society is moving their annual festival that is held on the Saturday before Labor Day weekend from downtown Byron to Lyran Park in Winnebago County just south of Rockford. Lyran Park, located on 4781 S. Bend Road, Rockford, IL 61109 (just south of Rockford Airport, off Kishwaukee Road). Partnering with the Lyran Society, the two non-profit groups are working together to provide a quality event in an outstanding setting. Nestled in a park environment along the banks of Kilbuck Creek and the Kishwaukee River, Lyran Park offers a very bucolic setting with lots of shade and a spectacular view.The gates will open at 10 a.m. with ample parking provided in the park. Camping can be arranged for both Friday and Saturday nights Aug. 22 and/or 23. No water or electrical hookups are available; primitive camping sites are available in limited quantity. Call 815-964-0511 for reservations or to inquire about the campsites. Reservations are recommended, as sites are limited.Opening the festival at noon will be a unique act from Sydney, Australia! Storm Cellar brings their blend of blues, country and rock to the big stage. They call their music Ozicana; we call it a lot of fun! At 2 p.m. Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames take the stage. Their burning hot blues feature Dave on guitar and vocals, Monica on vocals, Abb Locke on tenor sax, Jeff Taylor on drums and vocals and Brother Dave Kaye on bass and vocals. They have toured the world and are working on their second Delmark Record release, which will be out soon! At 4 p.m. the incomparable Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys will take the stage. The Rev is a swinging cool cat who puts on a great show! Featuring Danny Moore on keys, P.T. Pedersen on bass, and Bobby Lee Sellers on drums, they will also have the great Westside Andy Linderman sitting in on harp.At 6 p.m. the Westside Andy/Mel Ford Band takes the stage and they will feature the ever great and popular Barrelhouse Chuck on the keyboards! Chuck learned at the feet of the masters like Sunnyland Slim and Little Brother Montgomery and sings like few can. Andy and Mel bring their swinging dance party style of blues to the park and it will be a superb time! At 8 p.m. we will have a surprise headline act that we are sure will knock your socks off!Advanced tickets can be purchased at the Lyran Society Club at 1115 4th Avenue in Rockford (and other locations to be announced soon) or on line at http://crossroadsbluesfestival.blogspot.com. Call 779-537-4006 for tickets and information. Crossroads Blues Society is a 501c3 non-profit incorporated in Illinois since 1994. They produce a bi-monthly newsletter with music reviews and other articles. Their main focus is to raise money to support their Blues in the Schools Program, BITS. These programs educate students in area schools on the blues as the roots of all American popular music. They have sent artists who are educators into state line area schools 129 times in the past twelve years and 40,000 students have learned about and heard the blues due to their efforts. The Lyran Society is also a non-profit organization that has been in existence since 1893. Founded as a Swedish Singing Club, they serve the Rockford community and raise funds for a number of charitable causes each year.

May 1, 2014

BYRON - Kealie Wilcox, of Byron, has been chosen as a State Finalist in the National American Miss Illinois Pageant, held Aug. 3 and 4 at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL. The National American Miss pageants are held for girls ages 4-18, and have five different divisions. Kealie, 10-years old, will be participating in the Miss Illinois Preteen age division, along with other outstanding young ladies from across the state.Kealie’s activities include dance, gymnastics, soccer and Girl Scouts. She also enjoys her time with family and friends and is a volunteer for Operation Santa Claus,Kealie is sponsored by her family and friends.

May 1, 2014

BYRON – Byron Area Chamber of Commerce presented its annual awards on Saturday, April 13 at PrairieView Golf Club. This event celebrated our annual awards recipients and provided our chamber members with an evening that included hors d'oeuvre catered by Costa’s Ristoranate, both a live and silent auction, and a leadership message from our featured speaker; David Schertz, Chief Executive Officer, OSF Healthcare-Northern Region.The following annual awards were presented: 2014 Annual Award Winners Citizen the YearBrent BakerLoving, devoted, dedicated, energetic, informative, committed, always going above and beyond the call of duty to help a customer or another individual, hard-working, gives 100% of his all, no matter what he is involved in. Brent is always encouraging others and greets everyone with a genuine smile on his face!The time, dedication and commitment that Brent gives have had a great impact on the entire community and are truly commendable. Brent joined this community about 10 years ago and, in that time, he has integrated himself into just about every aspect of this town.From being a HS freshman basketball coach, to an assistant basketball coach, coaching co-ed basketball and coaching soccer and baseball to being a part of several committees and boards for various things ranging from Byron School District Strategic Planning, financial council of his local church.Brent is a husband, a brother, a son, a father of three young boys, and has a full time job!Last but not least, he is a big part of the Byron Chamber of Commerce. He has no problem rolling up his sleeves and jumping in to help from putting up and taking down garland in town for Miracle (in freezing cold weather), to putting up tents and tearing down tents, among any other job that needs to be done! No job is too big, too small, too nasty or too hard!He is involved with ByronFest, for the last 10 years in several different capacities, from Steering Committee member, to running all weekend long, to loaning their own motor home to the bands.He is also the current Byron Chamber of Commerce Board President!Business of the YearByron Insurance Agency, Carol GodmanByron Insurance Agency was bought from the bank in September 1991 and since then has made significant contributions to promoting the general welfare of the Byron community through many different avenues. Since 1991 they have grown due to the great service given to their clients and competitive companies they represent. Peace of mind is what you receive with this “A” rated company!Each year Byron Insurance Agency is dedicated to giving in any way, shape or form needed. They have made monetary donations to numerous city events, local charities, and clubs. Not only have monetary donations been made but the most precious of resources has been given also, that precious resource: time! Time spent volunteering in Byron with several different organizations: Kiwanis Club, People Helping People food bank, the Bike Path, Cemetery clean up, American Legion and that doesn’t even touch the tip of the iceberg.Last year was the first year in ages that this business did not participate in our towns Miracle on 2nd Street celebration, and it just wasn’t the same without them.Outstanding Achievement Chet Kobel, Bill Krall, Jerry Jackson, and Gary McDanel otherwise known as the "Cemetery Gang"These four members of our community do not belong to a service club such as Kiwanis or Lions or Rotary. They just saw a need in the community and without any hesitation, felt they could help. These individuals have gone on for many years making an impact on the community without seeking any recognition or compensation for the wonderful work they have done! I would say, that what these individuals have and will continue doing, is one of our towns best kept secrets.According to one of our many sources, our recipients tonight, “have worked consistently for the betterment of the Byron community, on their own, without being asked, just saw something needed to be done and jumped in with both feet!” and with a few monetary donations (Byron Rotary $200, Byron Cemetery Association $400) 100 gallons of fuel donated, these individuals have spent more than $1,200 out of their own pockets.This journey began on July 8, 2006 with a few business owners and lifelong community members deciding to get together because of an off handed comment made while marching in the Memorial Day Parade in 2006. That parade went all the way to the cemetery, where it was noted that the headstones were in disrepair.At the first meeting, two individuals met, and what a sight it must have been to see, this “GANG” with their cement, shovels and saws, for that first time. Over the next several years they, along with several volunteers (from 2006-current), who usually met six times a year, have managed to power wash and straightened out most of the headstones, and trimmed countless scrub trees.In 2013 another local business owner saw a blurb in the paper and said he’d like to help-and help he did! He brought the heavy equipment, which was needed to do the work that could not be done by hand. He also recruited another few members of the “gang”, who cut down more than 30 truckloads of trees. The city and township donated trucks to haul them to a local farm for a bonfire.These four individuals who were dubbed the “Cemetery Gang” and “dug right in” when the need arose are: Chet Kobel, a two time proud owner of not only a Citizen of the Year award (1972), but also an Achievement award (1991), a former owner of Kobels Plumbing & Heating, and former American Legion Commander.Bill Krall, owner of Golden Auto Sales for the past 35 years.Jerry Jackson, & his son are long time Byron residents, & own Jackson Landscaping & farm.Gary McDanel, long time Byron resident.Green Award Richard D. Berkeley, Berkeley Electric. Richard Berkeley walked away from a 21-year career to venture out on his own and start up his own business. During these past 14 years, he focused on providing professional, quality work in new installation, trouble-shooting and up-grading and expanding electrical services for individuals and businesses. His customer base grew simply with word-of-mouth advertising. To this day, he enjoys valued relationships with commercial clients, local home builders, contractors, area business owners and farmers, as well as many individual customers in the Byron area and throughout a wide radius. Richard was the driving force and VERY active in facilitating ComEd’s Smart Ideas energy efficiency programs in our local community, as well as surrounding communities. With the help of Steiner Electric Company, Berkeley Electric offered lighting fixtures and solutions for businesses that would qualify as “energy efficient” and then be reimbursed under the ComEd’s Smart Ideas program. Richard helped many businesses save money on electrical costs and assist with helping their building become more energy efficient. He worked with Caldwell Company in Rockford, Joseph Behr Iron & Metal in Rockford and South Beloit, City of Byron, Byron School District, Culligan Pure Water, Spectrum Brand Meats and Tri-Star Metal in Freeport to name just a few of the projects. To find out more about the benefits of Chamber of Commerce membership, contact the Chamber office at 234-5500.

May 1, 2014

BYRON -The community weight loss contest, The Byron Area Battle of the Bulge, has come to an end. Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach and owner of Curves of Byron, Jamie Buck, challenged 77 participants in the Byron area to eat clean, improve their fitness level, and improve their health by losing weight and gaining strength.The challenge ran for 12 weeks beginning Jan. 9 and ended April 5 with a 5K Race. Winners were determined based on percentage of weight lost. Each participant received a t-shirt, weighed in weekly, attended hour-long workouts twice per week as well as weekly nutritional coaching.Weekly health/fitness tips were also provided via email and Facebook. Congratulations to Male Winner, Bill Trail for losing 10.4% of his body weight and to Female Winner, Kathy Snodgrass for losing 11.5% of her body weight!Congratulations also go to Terry Remhof on winning the 5K with a time of 24:47! All participants should pat themselves on the back.“It was quite an honor for me to be surrounded by this hard working, dedicated group of people. You are all healthier and stronger now than you were 3 months ago. I couldn’t be more proud of a group of individuals! The severe winter weather certainly didn’t cooperate with us this round and we had to reschedule 5 workouts which made it tough to stick to routine and difficult to remain consistent. It would have been very easy for many to quit early on in the contest, but these 77 people not only showed up---they brought 100% effort, encouragement and inspiration to the group! This group in particular had to deal with additional adversity and STILL did a remarkable job,” said Buck“The Battle of the Bulge contest is special in a way that is difficult to describe. It offers a respite for 2 hours per week from all the things that can clutter our everyday lives. Regardless of who we are, our occupation, how much money we have, whether we are single or married, whether we go to church or not, whether we are overweight or too thin---for 2 hours per week we are all the same and on the same team! We can very plainly appreciate others and focus on our common goal. We can pull energy from others around us if we simply aren’t ‘feeling it’,” said Jamie Buck. “So often, we get caught up in numbers and spreadsheets to measure worth and accomplishment. It can be discouraging when the numbers don’t reflect the work and effort. In my book, all of these people are winners. If we could measure heart, work ethic, spirit, passion and competitive fire, there would have been far more than 2 winners. I hope all participants remember that some things don’t fit in a spreadsheet, but they carry immeasurable power and meaning.”The following businesses sponsored and/or donated prizes for the event: Curves of Byron, the Shirt Depot (t-shirts), Rock Valley Publishing (Tempo Newspaper), Byron Park District, Aspiring Health Chiropractic, and Mary McNight of Purium Health Products.The two winners of the contest each won $200 cash. The overall winner received over $200 in Purium Health Products. The 5K Winner received a $50 Gift Card for Purium Health Products.The next Byron Area Battle of the Bulge Contest will begin Aug. 21. You may contact Jamie Buck at jbuck8860@yahoo.com for more information.

April 24, 2014

URBANA - Ashley Adams of Stillman Valley, a member of the Stillman Valley FFA Chapter, won the State Environmental Science and Natural Resource Award at the State FFA Proficiency Awards Day held April 5, at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.Ashley is the daughter of John and Janell of Stillman Valley. Her agriculture education instructors at Stillman Valley High School are Jay Williams and Lauren Schabacker.The Environmental Science and Natural Resource Award is one of 52 State FFA Proficiency Awards. Five finalists in each award area advanced through chapter, section and district competition. Ashley will receive the award during the Illinois FFA State Convention, June 10-12, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, Illinois. The 2014 Theme is “Planting Your Potential.” Ashley will be recognized for planting her potential in the agricultural, food and fiber industry.Selection of the state award winners is based on a personal interview, size and growth of the FFA member's Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) and their knowledge of the subject area and career pathway. These awards honor FFA members who have developed specialized skills they can apply to their future careers. SAE awards have three categories: entrepreneurship, placement and research/experimentation.Entrepreneurship awards are given to students whose SAE involves ownership of an agricultural production or an agribusiness enterprise. Placement awards go to those with SAEs related to employment, apprenticeship or internship at an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Research awards are given to students whose SAEs relate to utilizing and understanding scientific methods and discovery. SAEs are an integral part of quality agricultural education programs throughout Illinois.Ashley’s project would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship and donations from the following organizations and individuals. Smeja Family Foundation and Indian Hill Farm and Manor, Meridian #223 Board of Education, Administration, Faculty and Staff, Big R of Rochelle, Mike and Jamie Adams, and her parents John and Janell Adams.Ashley will now have the opportunity to apply to represent the State of Illinois at the National level in the area of Environmental Science and Natural Resources at the National FFA Convention in October. The Stillman Valley FFA Chapter is extremely proud of Ashley’s accomplishments. Ashley is also the President of the Stillman Valley FFA Chapter, and has been an excellent leader and role model for all of her fellow members and agriculture students.

April 17, 2014

BYRON - For the Byron Civic Theatre’s production of Monty Python’s Spamalot which is a lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and The Holy Grail, the cast is comprised of performers near and far, a situation that sets the stage for a great production. As the cast and crew prepare for opening night, April 25, one thing is certain…the Byron Civic Theatre is thrilled to have individuals performing from all over the Stateline area, with individuals coming from Byron, Rockford, Roscoe, Loves Park and Rochelle, just to name a few. The major benefit to having individuals coming from so many different backgrounds is the number of different experiences that they have had over the years, that come together from so many different places to put together a performance that they all can be proud of. It also provides opportunities to learn from others. “It gives me a chance to learn from other people. Different methods were shared. Meeting new people has expanded my friendship circle,” said Tessa Castaneda, who is from Loves Park (Lady of the Lake)Productions as Spamalot also open up to the opportunities of different ages, and different levels of performing experiences. R. Douglas (Sir Robin) with over 30 years of theatre experiences puts it best, “Theatre itself is the most collaborative of all the arts – so the more people with different experiences – the stronger the creation. It’s fun to see people at different levels of experience come together and help each other create a show.

April 17, 2014

PECATONICA - Two injured immature bald eagles, brought to Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, 10813 Cleveland Road, Durand, Courage on Sept. 16, 2013 and Valor on Oct. 29, 2013, will be released back into the wild at a special event at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the Learning Center on the grounds of the Torstenson Youth Conservation Education Center, 13735 Cook Road, Pecatonica.The eagles will be released by Karen and Steve Herdklotz, owners and directors of Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, along with volunteers from the center. The public is invited to attend this momentous event and to join in the celebration!Courage was brought to Hoo Haven after it was found in a field on the Hines Farm near Stillman Valley, weak from being covered and weighted down with mud, unable to sustain flight and malnourished. Courage was estimated to be about 6 months old at the time.Valor was rescued by a pair of fishermen on the Mississippi River after they saw Valor fly into high power lines from the Cordova Nuclear Power Plant and fall stunned and injured into the water. The fishermen turned Valor over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and they brought the young eagle, estimated to be about 7 months old at the time, to Hoo Haven.Karen is quick to acknowledge and thank the people who helped rehabilitate the raptors back to health, from the excellent veterinary care they received to the dedicated and caring volunteers at Hoo Haven, who took care of the daily dietary needs and physical therapy for Courage and Valor.Again, the public is invited to attend the release and celebration!

April 10, 2013

BYRON - Students from Byron Middle School and Byron High School choirs were selected to be part of Western Illinois University Honor Choir Festival held on March 21. The students began the process by sending in an audition CD, which they had to prepare a solo and record skills, and then from the CD’s students were selected to be part of an honor choir event. The students were expected to learn the music before they attended the honor choir so the directors just had to perfect the choir’s singing. There were 33 students chosen from the Byron’s choir, 19 from the middle school and 14 from the high school. They rehearsed all day on March 21 and then held a concert. The grand finale of the concert was a combined number with the middle school honor choir, high school honor choir, and the Western Illinois Singers. Many parents from Byron drove to Western Illinois University to listen to the concert. The students were prepared for this event by their director Amy Harn.

April 03, 2014

BYRON - Spring is finally here and the Byron Police Department officers are starting their own spring cleaning. The following is a common list of complaints we receive from residents who want to see their neighborhood cleaned up. All vehicles parked outside must have valid registration and be operable. All vehicles including trailers must be parked on a paved surface and not on any lawn or yard. It is unlawful to park any vehicle upon any street for the purpose of displaying it for sale. It is unlawful to park any recreational vehicle, recreational trailer, camper, construction trailer, semi tractor trailer or any other trailer upon any street or alley within the city. Burning of yard waste is allowed from April 15 to May 31 and will begin again October 15 to November 30 from 6 a.m. till 6 p.m. Also, no burning is allowed within 200 feet of any business. It is unlawful for any growth of weeds or grasses to exceed a height greater than eight inches. It is unlawful to store, place, keep or leave building materials, appliances, furniture, machinery, equipment, or other similar personal property or fixtures outside a dwelling so as to impair the residential character and /or property value of the surrounding lots or neighborhood. This is just a short list of common issues the Byron Police Department is currently working on. If your property has any of the above listed violations please take the initiative to resolve the issues prior to police coming to your door to enforce these ordinances and possibly issuing a complaint requiring you to appear in court.Questions or complaints can be made to the Byron Police Department by calling 815 234-5000.

March 27, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - The Stillman Valley Scholastic Bowl Team started the season off strong with Senior Micah Robert placing in the top 10 individuals at the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches Association Kickoff tournament. The team stayed strong throughout the year and finished at the top of their playoff bracket at New Trier’s MENTALIST tournament. Junior Seth VanBriesen finished overall 4th scorer and was instrumental in the team’s final placement.Seth VanBriesen would once again power through the competition at Loyola Academy’s Ultima. He finished as the 11th scorer overall and led the team to a place in the top bracket where they would unfortunately take several losses. The team's last tournament was for the Conference Championship. This tournament would serve to culminate a long season and pit them against regional powerhouses Winnebago and Byron. Micah Robert and Seth VanBriesen supported by Seniors Orion Peterson, Scott Brown, and Nicholas Dippner would fight all the way to the championship game where they would face Rock Falls, a team that they had lost to earlier in the year. Rock Falls fought hard, but Stillman Valley won out winning 330-230. In the end Senior Micah Robert won all-conference and Stillman Valley took home the trophy.

March 20, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - Stillman Valley High School principal (Meridian Superintendent for 2014-2015), PJ Caposey, has been selected to speak twice at the ASCD National Conference. The conference, which draws more superintendents and assistant or associate superintendents, and more principals and assistant principals than any other single education conference takes place March 15-17 with pre-conference activities on March 14. Caposey’s role within ASCD has grown since being named an Honoree in their national search for the top educator in the nation under 40 years of age at last year’s national conference. Caposey now serves in a leadership cadre denoted as ASCD’s Emerging Leaders in which he is provided experiences to better learn about ASCD and given opportunities to help shape the organization. Within this role, Caposey’s first point of emphasis was trying to engage ASCD in leveraging their message through social media and attempting to engage with their massive membership. At the conference, Caposey has three major events scheduled. First, on Friday he will be part of a roundtable with many influential stakeholders discussing what schools really are doing and what they can be doing in order to truly have students leave high school, college or career ready. Sunday, Caposey will be leading a session on Response to Intervention at the Secondary level and then completing a book signing later that morning. Caposey stated that being selected to present at this conference was an honor and that he was excited to represent Meridian CUSD on a national stage.“So many great things are going on in our District that often goes unnoticed or understated. I happy to represent our District at a national conference and, hopefully, bring forward positive attention,” said Caposey.

March 13, 2014

BYRON - The Byron High School Choir has accepted a generous donation from the Megan Clift Memorial Fund, sponsored by the Community Foundation. With the receipt of these funds 15 students were able to participate in a barbershop workshop sponsored by the Rock River Barbershop Society out of Rock Falls and Sterling. The choir students attend an all day workshop, with professional barbershop directors, and then present a public concert in the evening. The barbershop style of music is in four-part harmony. The unusual aspect of this is that the choirs are either all men or all women. The choir members sing bass, tenor, alto, or soprano in their respective choirs. Exposing the students to this style of music helps the students learn aspects of music history and culture that are not always taught in the choir classroom. The Megan Clift Foundation’s donation has also been put towards the Byron High School tour in California. Scholarships and travel expenses are lessened because of the donation from the Foundation. The choir will be performing at a Veteran’s Hospital, hold a workshop with a college director and also perform at a Sound Studio at Disneyland where they will record a sound track that will be put to a movie or cartoon track. “The generous donation from the Megan Clift Foundation, and the Clift families’ continued support of the Byron High School Choir, gives my students a worldly experience, exposing the students to many aspects outside of the music classroom that are difficult to teach in the four walls of the classroom,” says Byron High School Director Amy Harn.Please support the Megan Clift Foundation by attending the annual Shining Star Showcase on April 5, at 7 p.m., in the middle school theater. Tickets can be purchased at the Byron or Stillman Bank.

March 13, 2014

By Doug Schroder Editor

BYRON - Sean Considine helped students at Mary Morgan Elementary to celebrate Read Across America on Monday, March 3, by reading Dr. Seuss books to the K-2 students. Dr. Seuss' birthday, and Read Across America is an annual reading event, sponsored by the NEA, and celebrated in schools across the country!Throughout the morning, Sean met with each of the K-2 grade-level groups in Mrs. Bucey's music room, commonly referred to as the band room. Before reading to the students, Sean explained how important reading has been in his life, and how it has contributed to his many successes along the way. During each session, he read a different Dr. Seuss book, tailoring the book in an age appropriate way according to the class. To each class, Sean stressed to the students the importance of buying into the leadership of the people who are trying to teach them. He said that the many great teachers he had in Byron had contributed to his success. He also told the classes about his years in the NFL, and specifically, his time with the Baltimore Ravens, and the 2013 Super Bowl!“Whether it was playing for Coach Stine at Byron, or as a walk-on at Iowa, or for any of the five NFL teams I was on, I always bought in to what the coaches were teaching,” Sean stated in a telephone interview. “(Coach) John Harbaugh got the team to buy into his system, which was, everyone was there to get better. It made for a great environment.”Sean also brought in his super bowl ring for everyone to see, and allowed it to be passed throughout the room so everyone could hold it, look at it, and even try it on if they wanted. Wow! To commemorate the occasion, Sean also autographed a Dr. Seuss bookmark for each of the students.“It was a highlight to be there with my son at the school. I could tell [Caden] really liked having me there and was excited to be able to introduce me to his classmates. I was at his class earlier in the year, but the focus then was on show-and-tell with the four escape artist pygmy goats we own. We call them escape artists because no matter what we do they always seem to find a way to get loose. So if anyone is heading out of Byron heading north on Tower Road, no need to call the Considine’s. We know they are out,” stated Sean.The students had a great time with Sean being at the school for Read Across America. From interviewing Sean, I would say he had just as great of a time being with the students.This article was also written with information provided by Mary Morgan Elementary.

March 06, 2014

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Retired Brig. Gen. Steven P. Huber of Byron, received the Legion of Merit award, Feb. 23 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield. The Legion of Merit award is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements and is given to very few service members.Huber enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 1979 and commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1981. In 2004, he deployed to Iraq as the deputy chief of staff for Multi-National Division – Central, South. In 2008, he led the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Urbana, IL., to Afghanistan as the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VIII. This was the largest deployment of Illinois National Guard troops since World War II. He also served as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations for the First Army Division East.

Ferbruary 27, 2014

By Brett Miller

BYRON – At Wednesday night’s meeting, the City Council was informed that the city’s electric aggregation contract will end this July.As the subject was discussed, Alderman Daniel Reilly informed the Council that certain solicitors are taking advantage of the approaching end date.Alderman Reilly said he was visited by these solicitors, and has received phone calls from residents who have also received visits.These solicitors have been approaching residents and offering them better electrical services. The solicitor also asks the resident for a copy of their electrical bill.Residents are urged not to give these solicitors the information they request, because they may use it to switch your service provider, whether you want them to or not.“If they can look at your bill, they can grab that number, and then they can automatically try to change you, without you even approving it,” said Mayor Christopher Millard.Alderwoman Christy Hanlin noted that she was once had a similar experience with a solicitor.Alderwoman Hanlin said the solicitor in her situation even claimed to be hired by the City Council. Residents should not simply trust the word of these visitors.If a resident is approached by one of these solicitors, the resident should request to see a city permit. The permit will soon have updated requirements to help solve this problem.“The city will soon be issuing an orange, lanyard-style permit,” said Building, Zoning and Development Director Larry Hewitt. “[The permit] is required to be worn and displayed during any authorized solicitation.”If the solicitor does not have a city permit, the resident should contact the police department so they may resolve the issue.The City Council was also informed of the rough conditions of North Barker Road.The road has been in rough shape for a while, and although patchwork has been done to improve the road’s condition, the recent freezing weather has managed to make matters worse.It was assured that Barker Road will be fixed, but there’s not much that can be done right now.Maintenance of the road will begin once it firms up, and blacktop plants open.The Council also heard an update from the Community Services Committee on the upcoming Sunshine Park project.Dave Diamond, president of Walter Wayne Development, gave the committee a presentation on the project at a special meeting earlier that same night.Diamond has been attempting to buy the properties east of Market Street so the land can be cleared for new businesses, including a grocery store, pet supply store, and hardware store.The planned establishments are expected to generate 200 to 250 jobs, and potentially increase business at other local retailers.The new businesses are also projected to bring in roughly $25 million to $28 million in annual sales, raise sales tax revenue, and increase property tax and value for the area.Right now, Diamond says he has made deals with 10 property owners in the area, and that these residents will be well taken care of.Diamond stated that he was hoping to have everything locked up for $750,000, but the amount will be double what he wished once everything in the area is torn down and built up.Additional work on the land may be needed in the future, because the ground slopes down towards the river, and sits below Route 2.Since most businesses would want to sit level with the road, the land may need to be built up in the future to fulfill this wish. Diamond says this could cost another $250,000.However, Diamond said once the three planned retailers are moved in, there won’t be much space left in Sunshine Park for more businesses, unless the project were to expand across Market Street.Diamond told the committee that Council needs to begin to get the ball rolling on the project. The committee agreed that the project needs to move forward.The Sunshine Park project is to come before the committee and Council each month, and action will be taken step-by-step.

February 27, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - On Friday, Jan. 31 the Stillman Valley High School class Child and Learning Service Occupations once again hosted a Special Olympics basketball game. The Ogle County Allstars played against the Sedom Center Panthers. There were many students involved in the event. The band, chorus, and cheerleaders all performed. The girl’s basketball team assisted the players in the game and served lunch to everyone afterwards. The student referees were Abby Timm and Andrew Mandzen who assisted the other referee. The student publication staff provided a photographer for the event. The announcer and scorekeeper were staff volunteers from the high school. We had classes from the high school, elementary school and returning students to come watch the game. The class had a fundraiser during red ribbon week to provide the lunch for the players. The lunch was provided by Moscato’s Pizza and the Athletic Boosters. The game was very exciting for the players and audience who were watching the game. No matter the score, everyone played their hearts out and they were all winners who supported each other.

February 20, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - Meridian School District # 223 students have been busy reading… reading… READING! Students in grades K – 8 have been reading books and taking quizzes in the Accelerated Reader program which tracks how many words have been read by each student. So far Meridian students have already read over 270 million words for the 2013-2014 school year. The district-wide goal for grades K-8 is for students to read 370 million words by May 16, 2014.Each building in the district has its own school-wide WORDS reading goal. Highland Elementary School, which houses grades Pre-K through 2nd grade, has a school-wide goal of 20 million words. In general, children begin to read well enough to take A.R. quizzes around mid-year of first grade, so even though their goal is 20 million, students at that building are actually reading beyond that with their teachers and their parents. On average, Stillman’s youngest readers check out over 30 thousand books per school year. We are so proud of our beginning readers!Monroe Center students (Grades 3 – 5) have a school-wide reading goal of 150 million words. These students are transitioning from picture books to chapter books and doing a fantastic job of becoming more advanced readers. As an additional incentive for both Highland and Monroe Center schools, the principals of those buildings have agreed to perform an Egyptian dance (Walk Like an Egyptian) wearing full Egyptian gear at the last school assembly of the year if the students in those buildings meet their reading goal. (The library theme this year is Egypt.)Meridian Jr. High students (Grades 6 – 8) are well on their way to becoming adult life-long readers. These older students hold the biggest challenge on their shoulders with an expectation of reading 200 million words by the end of the school year. Using their natural competitiveness as an incentive, students in this building are given weekly updates by their reading teachers as to how many words each grade level has read and how many words each class period within their grade has read. Each grade level has their own individual target for how much they should be contributing based on the age of their students and how many students are in that grade. 8th grade has a target of 75 million words, 7th grade has a target of 65 million words, and 6th grade has a target of 60 million words. There will be a celebration event for Jr. High students if they reach their building words goal.“The Jr. High students have been reading like crazy. I think our biggest problem is going to be that the Jr. High will meet its building words goal EARLY and we will looking for a new incentive for the remainder of the year. That is an AWESOME problem to have,” stated Dana Brooks, District Librarian.With less than 100 million words to go for students K-8 to reach their district-wide reading goal, students continue to read and close in on 370 million words. Community members can see running totals of words read on the school website library pages (www.meridian223.org) by looking at the “Reading Widget” for each school. Parents who would like to see how many words their student(s) have contributed so far to the goal can go to the HOME CONNECT link (also located on the library pages of the school website) and log in to their student’s account. (Ask your student for their A.R. login)

February 13, 2014

BYRON – Customers may have been surprised to find the local Burger King had recently locked its doors for the last time. The establishment’s unannounced closing was the forced result of mere speculation.Burger King’s business was hurt when McDonald’s opened down the street, but the owner intended to keep the establishment open until the end of this year (at least).However, last year, a rumor began to spread through the city that Burger King would be closing down to make room for a Taco Bell.While this rumor was false, employees and residents perceived it as truth, and the accusation spread by word-of-mouth and social media alike.Building, Zoning and Development Director Larry Hewitt says social media played the lead role in the spreading of the rumor.Burger King employees became frustrated at the thought of losing their jobs. Some of them quit and found new jobs, while the ones who remained gave out free food and vandalized the building.“Ultimately, the owner was forced to close because he could not keep employees, and the vandalism and lack of commitment to their jobs were the final straw,” said Hewitt.“[The] owner was forced to lock the doors without notice this week in fear of continued stealing and vandalism if he gave them notice of closure.”The land Burger King sits on is owned by an out-of-state investor. The operator of Burger King is currently in a lease with this owner, and there are three years left in the agreement.While Building and Zoning helps to shop for a new business to move in, the current operator will continue to make payments on the lease until the property owner agrees to a lease buyout or sublease.Some residents may have also noticed the recent collapse of a streetlight on the Union Street Bridge.The condition of the bridge’s lights have drawn attention from the Illinois Department of Transportation, which has issued a letter stating intent to condemn the lights.IDOT noted that the lights are structurally unsafe, and rest within the driving right-of-way.Any replacement lights will have to rest on the exterior of the bridge’s wall, since the wall’s interior is too close to drivers, and leaves the lights open for collision.Mayor Christopher Millard began to discuss solution options immediately after Wednesday’s City Council meeting.At the meeting, the City Council also discussed a letter of intent from the Park District in regards to the ownership and maintenance of Byron’s parks.Last month, the Park District Board approached City Council with interest in owning the properties. They also requested help in maintaining the parks, due to a lack of sufficient funds.City Council told the Park District to begin brainstorming and send a letter of intent to begin negotiations.City Council has accepted the letter, and says it acts as a beginning of discussions.“This is basically the invitation to begin a discussion with them, and to invite them to present a proposal about how to take over the land, and if we’ll have an intergovernmental agreement, or whether other governmental bodies will also participate in that,” said Alderman John Rickard.“It’s just the beginning of a conversation.”City Council also looked over a list of days on which local bar owners wish to have an additional hour of operation.The Council approved the additional hour for Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, two days of ByronFest, two days of the Turkey Testicle Festival, the Halloween Pub Crawl, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl in December.The requested days that were not approved included the rest of the Super Bowl weekend, the Saturday before Easter, Father’s Day, and Labor Day.

February 13, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - The Meridian CUSD Board of Education and Administration met during an open meeting Wednesday, Feb. 5 to discuss the state of the Meridian CUSD budget. The meeting was called to discuss the next steps resulting from the sale of working cash bonds being halted due to a petition challenge. PJ Caposey, Meridian CUSD’s Assistant Superintendent/High School principal, led a presentation on the state of budget explaining an exhaustive list of potential cuts and introducing a list of revenue-increasing measures. The list of potential cuts were described as ‘sacrifices’ and reductions that will definitively have an impact on the education of our students by Caposey. The format of the presentation explained the potential cuts in every MCUSD department or job classification from administration, to teachers, to all athletics and activities.After the completion of the presentation, administration asked the Board of Education to provide a desired dollar amount of cuts and next steps moving forward to seek additional revenue. Board of Education President John Smith was first to contribute noting that he believes that his responsibility to the taxpayers is not to spend beyond our means and therefore the District needs $1,000,000 in cuts. Smith added that per the presentation this could equate to over 30 faculty and staff losing their positions. After all present Board members weighed in, administration was given the goal number of coming back to the Board with $966,000 in recommended cuts.In terms of seeking additional revenue, Finance Committee Chairman, Kevin Glendenning stated, “We need to give our community another chance to let us know what type of school system they want our community have.” This comment prompted the discussion of whether or not the District needs to attempt another referendum. At the conclusion of the meeting, the BOE directed administration to create a resolution to take the sale of working cash bonds off of the ballot in November and to start investigating the timelines for seeking a referendum during the November election. Additionally, the Board of Education asked administration to investigate the potential sale of acreage the district owns which is adjacent to the high school. While this issue is to be investigated – all people around the table concluded that sale of this land would simply not solve the problem of a revenue shortfall in the District.The next special BOE meeting to tackle these issues is Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.

Februaury 06, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY – When the Meridian CUSD School Board in Stillman Valley meets Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm for a special School Board meeting, they are expected to name P.J. Caposey as the next Superintendent. If approved, Caposey will take over as Superintendent on July 1, 2014. The meeting will take place at Meridian Junior High School, 207 West Main Street, Stillman Valley, Illinois.

“P.J. Caposey is an excellent educator and administrator and will do an outstanding job for the Meridian School District," pointed out Dr. Bob Willis, Meridian’s Interim Superintendent. "We're fortunate to have someone with his character and expertise ready to lead the Meridian School District as it moves into a brighter future."

Caposey was named Stillman Valley High School Principal and Assistant Superintendent of the Meridian School District on July 1st, 2013. He has both a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Eastern Illinois University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from National Lewis University. He previously served as Oregon High School’s principal since 2009, leading the school to a host of accolades including being named one of America’s Top High Schools in 2012 by U.S. News, and one of the top 2,000 high schools in America by Newsweek magazine. Caposey also was named an Emerging Leader by the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development as well as being honored by the Illinois State Board of Education.

During his time as Assistant Superintendent and Principal at Stillman Valley High School at Meridian CUSD, Caposey accomplished several important goals including:

* Increased number of AP course offerings by 75% in one year

* Increased communication with parents and community via Facebook and Twitter

* Began process of implementing comprehensive community service program

* Helped reduce student instructional costs to the lowest level in the Ogle County area

* Helped increase overall student readiness for college and careers

The Meridian School District in Stillman Valley is located in Northern Illinois, southeast of Rockford. Its 4 schools and approximately 250 teachers and staff strive to provide the highest quality of PK – 12 education, resulting in a 95% graduation rate. The student to teacher ratio is approximately 19 to 1.

January 30, 2014

The Super Bowl was all business for Byron native Sean Considine

By Doug Schroder

Editor

Editor’s Note: In light of the Super Bowl happening this Sunday the Gazzette is running this story which was originally published last year.

BYRON – When Baltimore Ravens special teams player Sean Considine returned my call last Thursday, after gathering myself, the first thing I had to ask him was what is it like for him right now, what were his thoughts about being there and playing in the Super Bowl?

“I try to stay even keel. Stay calm and collected. It’s been my role in the locker room to keep people focused and consistent. Other guys on the team are there for the emotion. Certain guys fill certain roles, while everyone on this team believes in each other and works as a team” replied Sean from Baltimore, where he arrived last Wednesday to be with the team.

Up to this point in Considine’s football career, winning the state football championship with Byron High back in 1999 was his favorite football memory. From the time he was a kid he had played football with his friends, and even at that young age it was their dream and goal to win state when they got to high school. The bonds he forged with his teammates and coaches over the years remain to this day.

When Considine made the team as a walk-on at the University of Iowa, during his playing years there he never though he’d make it in the NFL.

“I have to pinch myself now, I feel very fortunate” said Considine.

Considine has made it for 7 seasons in the NFL. Having played for the Eagles, Jaguars, Panthers, Cardinals, and now the Ravens. This is his first Super Bowl. I wondered what he’s doing to prepare for this game.

“Developing a routine is important. We are in Baltimore until Monday, then there’s the big news conference in New Orleans on Tuesday. It’s all business. There won’t be any sightseeing for me. I’m focusing on winning and maintaining a high level work ethic. As a team we go over the game plan and watch game film” replied Considine.

Having played football in high school I remember how I used to daydream about making plays in a game. Does Considine do that sort of thing?

“Oh yes. Visualizing the game is something the coaches encourage us to do. Daydreaming is a part of that. Guys will go off by themselves and think and see what they want to do in the game” Considine said.

Ravens All Pro, future Hall of Famer, linebacker Ray Lewis is retiring after this year. The guy has been a monster on the field throughout his career. What’s he like off the field?

“Ray is a great guy. One of the most upstanding individuals I’ve met. He’s very Christian. You should see what he’s like around kids, the disabled, and those who are sick. The looks on their faces being around him. He does a nice job of lifting people up” was Considine’s reply.

Football is a game of brute force. Which player so far has delivered the hardest hit Sean has ever taken.

“Duece McCallister of New Orleans” said Considine.

On the flip side, which player took the best shot where Sean just knocked the snot out of him?

“Tiki Barber of the Giants” was Sean’s reply.

Lastly, is there anything Sean wanted to say to the people back home?

“I appreciate everyone’s support”, said a gracious Considine.

For this game, I’m a Ravens fan for sure.

January 30, 2014

STILLMAN VALLEY - PJ Caposey has been named Principal of the Year for the Northwest Region of the state by the Illinois Principal’s Association. This award serves as a nomination from our region of the state for the overall Illinois Principal of the Year. From this final grouping one honoree will be selected and honored in October at the IPA state conference.

PJ currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent and High School principal for Meridian CUSD 223. Previously, PJ served as principal at Oregon High School for four years and was an administrator in Rockford previously. Before coming to the Rock River region PJ taught at Percy Julian High School in the inner city of Chicago.

PJ’s career highlights include leading Oregon High School to being recognized as one of the nation’s best high school by US News and World report in Spring of 2012 and Newsweek in 2013. Additionally, Caposey has become an influence on the greater educational community as well through his writing and presenting. His efforts have led him to be recognized at both the state and national level. Caposey has been recognized by IPA as the Horace Mann Partners in Education award winner and by the Illinois State Board of Education through the Those Who Excel program. On the national level Caposey has been named an Emerging Leader by ASCD and recognized as one of the top educators under 40 years of age nationally through the ASCD Outstanding Young Educator Program. PJ has also published two books on school improvement and teacher improvement and has had blogs posted on sites such as the Huffington Post and Edutopia. Furthermore, PJ has spoken throughout the nation on various topics, highlighted by speaking twice this coming March at the nation’s largest education conference.

Caposey said of the honor, “I would like to thank IPA Northwest for this recognition. IPA is a wonderful organization that not only does great work to support their members, but also to advance educational issues throughout the state (and nation) that need attention.”

January 23, 2014

BYRON - The Byron Forest Preserve District’s Keller Education Center has received Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) in Washington, D.C.

The certification, announced in December by the USGBC, recognizes the Byron Forest Preserve District’s strong commitment to the environment and its leadership in sustainability from start to finish in construction of the Keller Education Center building.

“We are pleased and proud to be recognized for the District’s long term commitment to energy sustainability and the environment and are thrilled to receive a Platinum award for this project,” said Todd Tucker, Executive Director for the Byron Forest Preserve District.

An internationally recognized green building program, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

The Keller Education Center houses the District’s preschool education classes, summer children’s education programs and itself can be used as a teaching tool regarding green building technology. The Platinum Award is the highest possible rating given by the USGBC and recognizes the building’s many energy-efficient and green-design features.

Some of these include: the use of renewable energy solar panels and a wind turbine; geothermal ground source heat pump; recycled rubber floor tiles, glass and concrete  countertops, and plastic restroom partitions; use of natural light and interior lighting control systems; use of Forest Stewardship Council-certified sustainable wood products; improved indoor air quality through the use of low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints; reflective metal roofing; low flow water closets and faucets; and preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles.

The Keller Education Center is one of 46 Platinum LEED-certified commercial building projects that are publicly identified in Illinois and one of only three Platinum LEED-certified education buildings in Illinois. The building is also the first Platinum LEED- certified building in Ogle County.

In honor of the distinction, Tucker said the District will be receiving a plaque from the USGBC for display at the Keller Education Center.

The District and its Green LEED team have been working for several years to meet and in many cases exceed, standards required for LEED certification.  Team members include Joy Bliton, LEED Accredited Professional; Dave Kafer, Principle Architect; Rockford Structures; and the Byron Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners and staff.

The Byron Forest Preserve District’s mission is to provide for the Preservation of open space/natural resources, to provide Education concerning our natural environment/heritage and to provide Recreation opportunities and enterprise operations that are consistent with the District’s goals.  The District oversees over 2,000 acres of prairie, savanna, woodlands and riverfront land and manages the Jarrett Prairie Center, Keller Education Center, Weiskopf Observatory, Heritage Farm Museum and Prairie View Golf Club.

January 16, 2014

BYRON – Sponsorships and business marketing opportunities are now available for Byron Community Revitalization’s annual “Pot of Gold” draw-down fundraiser, to be held Saturday March 1 at PrairieView Golf Pavilion. The event once again features a $3,000 Grand Prize!

“This has always been a much-anticipated community event,” BCR Executive Director Betsy Floski said. “It’s also an important fundraiser for BCR’s community-improvement projects. Proceeds from last year’s Pot of Gold allowed BCR to give a $1,000 high school scholarship and helped provide numerous façade improvement grants to Byron-area businesses.”

There are two ways business may use Pot of Gold to get their name out: Sponsorships of $100, $300 and $500 will allow a business to sponsor special prizes, black jack games, or to help sponsor the signature $3,000 grand prize. Or, business may give prizes to the event – items or gift cards that have a minimum $10 value.

“Businesses will receive credit for their sponsorships in all publicity surrounding the event, daily on Facebook and throughout the evening the night of the event,” Floski said. “This is a wonderful way for businesses to be recognized and, at the same time, help support a great cause.”

This year’s Pot of Gold event will include a cash bar and complementary beer, a heavy hors d’oeuvre buffet and live music! In the draw down, every ticket wins a prize, every 10th ticket wins $100 cash and the grand prize winner will leave with $3,000. Side raffles will include opportunities to bid on valuable items including a wide-screen TV.

Tickets to the event cost $100, and admit two with one chance at the $3,000 grand prize. They are on sale now at Curves of Byron (Jamie Buck), Stillman Bank in Byron (Bryan Markham), ReMAX Professional Advantage (Ed Clift), Dickerson-Nieman Realty in Byron (Alisa Patterson), Berger Law Firm in (Maria Berger), Byron Bank (Rachel Oracki) and The Cave (Matt Pendergrass).

Businesses interested in donating a prize or securing a sponsorship may contact Floski at 815-871-0859 or Buck 815-985-9391.

“Grand prize ticket sales are limited to 200, so, as draw downs go, the odds are pretty good,” Ticket Committee Chairman Ed Clift said.

Corey Buck of Mt. Morris will emcee the event this year; he will be joined by celebrity dealers at the blackjack tables. The party starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday March 1 at PrairieView Golf Pavilion.

BCR is a volunteer-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing people together to develop and carry out community improvement projects. BCR raises funds for a variety of community projects, and annually sponsors the Sunshine Park Farmer’s Market.

December 19, 2013

The Mastny’s of Oregon pose in front of Byron’s community Christmas tree on Friday, Dec. 6 during the Byron holiday celebration. From left is mom, Renee, and children Shelby, Penelope, and Jimmy.

December 19, 2013

BYRON - The Kiwanis Club of Byron sponsored its Fourth Annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the American Legion Hall as part of Byron’s Miracle on Second Street. Children and their parents were welcomed by Byron Kiwanians and Byron Key Club members to a free pancake breakfast with Santa Claus, while children had keepsake pictures taken with Santa at no charge. Participants were asked to donate an unwrapped toy or give a donation all of which was donated to Byron’s Operation Santa Claus.

December 12, 2013

Ogle County’s top 4-H members and clubs were honored for outstanding achievement at a special program held November 17 in the Byron Jr High School Theatre.

Top county honors went to 4-H teens Jacob Ebens, Oregon and Jordan Mingus, Byron. Ebens and Mingus were the recipients of the Co-op Watch Awards sponsored by Ogle County Farm Bureau and its affiliates. Watches are awarded each year to the two 4-Hers with the most impressive records of long-term leadership and service at the club level and beyond.

Jordan Mingus, Byron, was also the recipient of a $50 cash award sponsored by the Ogle County 4-H Foundation. The Foundation Award is presented annually to a single 4-Her who has shown leadership skill, a willingness to help with 4-H activities, and has served as a positive example to younger members.

Four youth were challenged to greater leadership and service as recipients of the “I Dare You” Leadership Award. New owners of William Danforth’s inspiring book, “I Dare You”, these youth were selected based on their previous leadership, citizenship, and project work. Winners included: Ryan Reeverts, Byron; Abby Mongan, Oregon; Kelly Stranberg, Oregon; and Carley Ackland, Rochelle.

4-H Fair Animal Exhibit Traveling Trophies are awarded each year to clubs that maintained the most impressive stall exhibits at the 4-H Fair. The second place trophy, sponsored by Oregon Rotary, went to By-Y-Badgers 4-H Club, Byron. The first place trophy, sponsored by Pomona Grange, went to Carefree 4-H Club, Oregon.

Other special award winners included:

Outstanding Club Presidents

Carley Ackland, Rochelle

Katie Roush, Malta

Outstanding Club Vice-president

Katelyn Ackland, Rochelle

Abigail Mongan, Oregon

Outstanding Club Secretaries           

Chelsea Eden, Oregon

Heather Stranberg, Oregon

Outstanding Club Treasurers

Curtis Hollowell, German Valley

Nathan Keys, Rochelle

Outstanding Club Reporters

Samantha Bowers, Mount Morris

Gracie Mingus, Bryon

Outstanding Club Historians

Mahalia and Chloe Freier, Rochelle

Madalin Russell, Mount Morris

Outstanding Club Recreation           

Kayla Mingus, Byron

Isaac Charbonneau, Leaf River

Bits ‘N Reins Traveling Horse Trophy

Amanda Headon, Rochelle

Nine 4-Hers were selected to represent Ogle County 4-H in the state 4-H records competition in January, 2014. They are: Megan Ackland, Rochelle; Jacob Ebens, Oregon; Chelsea Eden, Oregon; Michalea Eden, Oregon; Kendal Kuelling, Forreston; Jordan Mingus, Byron; Dylan Moser, Clinton, WI; Katie Roush, Malta; and Heather Stranberg, Oregon.

A number of awards were distributed to community clubs throughout the county in recognition of outstanding community service, educational programming, and promotional efforts. Additionally, one club’s leaders were recognized for their outstanding efforts to work together to effectively meet the needs of and coordinate the work of their club. Congratulations go to all of the following club winners:

Top Educational Club Programming Efforts in Various Areas of Study

• Agriculture – Bits ‘N Reins 4-H Club of Ogle County

• Environment & Natural Resources – Mighty Clovers 4-H Club, Monroe Center

• Personal Development – Ogle County Clovers 4-H Club, Rochelle

• Mechanics & Technology – Hub Hickory Nuts 4-H Club, Rochelle

• 4-H Honor Clubs

Bits ‘N Reins 4-H Club of Ogle County

Blackhawk Crossing 4-H Club, Mt. Morris

By-Y-Badgers 4-H Club, Byron

Carefree 4-H Club, Oregon

Grand Detour Greens 4-H Club

Hub Hickory Nuts 4-H Club, Rochelle

Leaf River Busy Beavers 4-H Club

Mighty Clovers 4-H Club, Monroe Center

Ogle County Clovers 4-H Club, Rochelle

Ogle Jolly 4-H Club, Stillman Valley

Pine Creek Valley 4-H Club, Polo

Summerhill Huskies 4-H Club, Forreston

Club State Award Winner

Ogle County Clovers 4-H Club, Rochelle in Personal Development

Fall Club Promotion Award

1^st Place – Ogle County Clovers 4-H Club, Rochelle

Window Display Promotion Award

1^st Place— Blackhawk Crossing 4-H Club, Mt. Morris

2^nd Place – Ogle County Clovers 4-H Club, Rochelle

3^rd Place – Hub Hickory Nuts 4-H Club, Rochelle

Ogle County 4-H Club-of-the-Year

Ogle Jolly 4-H Club, Stillman Valley 4-H Club

Top Leader Team Award

Carefree 4-H Club Leaders—Annette Martin, Oregon; and Karen Wolber, Oregon

The 2013 awards program followed a red carpet theme that was brought to life by the members of the Ogle County 4-H youth Federation.

4-H is an informal youth education program of University of Illinois Extension. For more information or to get involved, call 815-732-2191 or visit us online at

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo/.  This is the best time of year to join!

December 05, 2013

BYRON - The Byron Forest Preserve District is pleased to announce that Mark Herman has been hired as their new Superintendent of Education to oversee the District’s Education Department.

He brings over 20 years of experience in public programming, environmental education, history, outdoor recreation and special events management from several local organizations.  Most recently, Herman spent seven years as the Curator of Education with Midway Village Museum in Rockford where he won state and national awards for excellence in innovative educational programming.  He has also served as the Superintendent of Recreation with the Oregon Park District and is a member of the board of directors for the Chana School Museum in Oregon.

Herman earned a Master of Science in Education degree in Recreation Resources Administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee.

The Byron Forest Preserve District’s mission is to provide for the Preservation of open space/natural resources, to provide Education concerning our natural environment/heritage and to provide Recreation opportunities and enterprise operations that are consistent with the District’s goals. The District oversees over 2,000 acres of prairie, savanna, woodlands and riverfront land and manages the Jarrett Prairie Center Museum, Keller Education Center, Weiskopf Observatory and Heritage Farm Museum.

November 21, 2013

BYRON - On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Neighbors Rehab in Byron hosted a Veterans Pinning Ceremony sponsored by Hospice Care of America. The following residents and staff served in the U.S. Armed Forces: Russell Logsdon, Homer Snyder, Jim Meissen, Jim Collins, Bill Dickinson, Roger Arends, Paul Fenoglio, John Grogan, Dallas Hodge, Fred Redmann, James Gooding, "Bud" Kopp, John Venovic, "Pete" Asche, Allen Moore, Dewain Whitehorn, Ray Jasker, Gene Hufford.

It was a great way to honor our Veterans! And we hope to make this our annual event.

November 14, 2013

OGE COUNTY - Sheriff Michael Harn recently participated in a public forum in Rochelle regarding the new concealed carry opportunity for Illinois residents. The Sheriff discussed various aspects of the new law, such as the permitting process as set forth by the Illinois State Police.

Citizens must complete 16 hours of training, which will include a credit of four hours for previous CCW training/permit from certain approved States such as Utah. Citizens can garner an additional credit for up to 4 more hours of additional training for previous completion of the Illinois Hunter Safety Course. The maximum credit towards the 16 hours of required training is 8 hours. An applicant must submit their fingerprints, and pass a background check. Cost for a resident concealed carry permit will be $150, non-residents will pay $300 with either permit being valid for a 5 year period.

Sheriff Harn also discussed the biggest issue people should consider before carrying a concealed weapon…are you prepared in your heart to use the weapon you are carrying to protect yourself or others? You can watch a video of Sheriff Harn elaborating on this critical point during a public discussion recently held in Rochelle on the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office facebook page.

For complete details of the new CCW law, the Sheriff recommends interested citizens visit the Illinois State Police website at http://www.isp.state.il.us/firearms/ccw/ccw-index.cfm.

November 07, 2013

STILLMAN VALLEY - On Friday, Nov. 8, Meridian Junior High School will celebrate Veteran's Day. The day will conclude with an assembly in the gym.  The assembly starts at 10 a.m. The assembly will conclude at 11 a.m. MJHS would like to cordially invite any Veteran to our assembly. Please RSVP at kgale@mail.meridian223.org or 815-645-2277, ext 4342.

November 07, 2013

BYRON – A memorial to long-time Byron teacher and curriculum innovator Mary Van Wormer will be dedicated Sunday, Nov. 10 at Mary Morgan Elementary School in Byron.

Many people recall VanWormer as a kindergarten teacher at Mary Morgan. However, her 40 years in public education began when she was hired in 1970, fresh out of Illinois State University, to teach physical education. She spent 19 years teaching health and PE in Byron before accepting the challenge to teach kindergarten, where she continued her career until her retirement in 2004.

VanWormer was not only a lifelong educator she was a lifelong student, as well. She received her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University and used what she learned to develop in Byron the region’s first pre-kindergarten program.

VanWormer was proud of the fact that virtually every child, no matter their skill level when they started kindergarten, was able to read at grade level when they left her classroom. Her family and friends will honor that strong commitment to fundamentals by dedicating a Character Tree bookshelf in her memory in the school library.

VanWormer was named Byron’s Teacher of the Year before retiring after 34 years in the classroom. In retirement, she worked as a supervisor for student teachers at Northern Illinois University. She spent nearly six years helping to train the next generation of teachers, all the while battling ovarian cancer. She worked up until the week before her death, in January 2010, concluding a 40-year career in education.

The memorial character shelve will be installed in her honor in the Mary Morgan library, with the dedication held Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. Light refreshments will be served following the brief ceremony. The public is welcome to attend.

October 31, 2013

By Brett Miller

STILLMAN VALLEY – At the school board meeting Monday night, a couple of high school students addressed a unique issue: they are capable of receiving detention for being tardy to just sit.

Each day, the students have a seminar period first thing in the morning from 7:50 to 8:15.

During this time, students may freely go to whichever classroom they would like to in order to meet with their teachers for help with classwork.

However, on Tuesday mornings, the staff uses this time for meetings.

This leaves the students to sit out in the halls for 25 minutes until class begins at 8:15.

“The way our current practice is set up, students can legitimately be tardy to do nothing,” said PJ Caposey, the high school’s principal. “So, if they get there at 7:50, they’re tardy, but there’s no programming for them to experience until 8:15.”

Caposey explained that the time is necessary for the staff, and that instructional aides monitor the students during this time.

However, Caposey feels this is inadequate, as there are only five or six aides, and around 600 students.

One of the options the students proposed was to allow students to come in closer to 8:15 when class begins.

The students and principal proposed that students who take the bus to school could sit in rooms until class began. Caposey estimates they would then only need to monitor around 200 students during this time, instead of the full student body.

“Literally, kids are getting detentions for being tardy to school if they arrive at 7:52, to go sit in the hallway for 20 [or] 25 minutes,” said Caposey. “That’s hard to swallow.”

The staff and students will discuss more options, and bring them to the board at a later time.

The school board has also approved the financial committee’s recommendation to lease five buses for the district’s fleet.

This will be the first step in starting a regular replacement cycle to work out the current fleet.

At this point, the current buses cost more to repair than it would cost to buy new buses entirely.

Unfortunately, the district cannot afford to do this either, as new buses cost around $90,000, which the district just does not have right now.

The lease plan was considered to be the most fiscally responsible course of action, and it will still bring the district the transportation reimbursement from the state, as it will be looked at as a transportation purchase.

October 31, 2013

BYRON - Notice is hereby given that the meeting of the Finance & Policy Committee of the Byron Board of Education of Byron CUSD #226 has been changed to the below date and time.

Finance & Policy Committee meeting, Nov. 12, 4 p.m.

All meetings will be held in the Board of Education Meeting Room at Byron High School, 696 N. Colfax Street, Byron, Illinois.

October 24, 2013

OGLE COUNTY - An electronic recycling event is coming up for residents to recycle their old or broken electronics in a safe and responsible way.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov 2, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 894 Shop Road, Dixon. Entrance to the event will be at East River Road (IL Rt. 2) and Shop Road by the Dixon Moose Lodge. This event is sponsored by the Lee County Office of Solid Waste Management and the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department. Materials collected at this event will be processed and recycled by Secure Recycling Services of Dixon, Illinois.

The recycling event will be accepting only residential electronic equipment such as answering machines, calculators, cameras, cell phones, CD Rom drives, computers, cables, cable receivers, copy machines, credit card machines, digital converter boxes, digital music players, CDs and DVDs, fax machines, floppy disk drives, keyboards, laptops, modems, monitors, mice (electronic), pagers, phone systems, printers, postage machines, power tools, projection TVs, projectors, scanners, servers, shredders, software, stereo equipment, tablets, iPads, tape drives, tape recorders, telephones, typewriters, TVs, VCR, DVD players, video/audio tapes, video cameras, video game players, satellite receivers.

Business and institutional electronics will not be accepted at this event, however they may contact any of the sponsors for other recycling options.

There will be a $10 fee for microwave ovens, but all other residential items listed above will be taken at no cost to the consumers. TVs with broken glass tubes will not be accepted.

In addition to electronics, the following items will be accepted for recycling: aluminum cans, electric motors, electric wire, rechargeable batteries (no alkaline), and prescription bottles with medication and labels removed.

As of January 2012, a new law banned Illinois residents and businesses from disposing of computers and other electronics with their regular garbage collection service. Instead, these devices must be taken to a registered recycling dealer. This law keeps toxins and reusable materials out of local landfills while conserving natural resources and creating jobs in the recycling industry.

Secure Recycling Services is a registered processor of electronic waste in Illinois. They refurbish or recycle the materials in a secure and environmentally responsible manner. Secure Recycling Services recently acquired independent R2 Certification (Responsible Recycling) to verify their recycling procedures.

Trucking of the electronics collected will be provided by Appelquist Farms & Trucking, Inc. The site will be provided by Raynor Garage Doors.

For more information, contact the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department at
815-732-4020 or www.oglecounty.org, the Lee County Office of Solid Waste Management at 815-857-4141, or Secure Recycling Services at 815-288-1602.

October 17, 2013

BYRON – Byron High School grad and 2013 Super Bowl Champion Sean Considine is still playing ball – basketball, that is – and local youth who come out to watch him play may win a private pizza party with him!

Considine and his sister, basketball star Megan Considine, will face off as team captains of this year’s “Alumni Challenge Basketball Event” Saturday Oct. 26 at Byron High School. The event is a fundraiser for “Challenge Day,” the anti-bullying, self-esteem program presented annually to all freshmen at BHS. Alumni Challenge is being presented by Byron Bank and Byron Community Revitalization.

“We always have a lot of great activities for kids at this event,” BCR Board Secretary Ed Clift said. “This year, the most exiting event will certainly be the Basketball Toss.

“Our Alumni Cheerleaders will toss out 100 mini basketballs to the crowd. Ten of them will be signed by Sean. The kids who catch a signed ball can bring four of their friends to a pizza party with Sean.”

The party for Sean and 50 lucky young people is being donated by Costa’s Ristorante.

The lineup for the Sat. Oct. 26 event includes four games: Mary Morgan Elementary students vs. teachers; two teams of Byron Middle School girls will face off; then, BHS students will take on their teachers.

The premiere game will feature two teams of Byron’s best basketball alumni, coached by Sean and Megan Considine. The evening will include a 50-50 raffle and other special events.

“We’re thrilled to have so many Byron alumni donate their time to this event,” BCR Executive Director Betsy Floski said. “All three Considine siblings will play, which is a wonderful gift from their family. Some of our players, including Jordan Auker and Ryan Considine, will be playing for the fourth year.

“Challenge Day is critical to the social education of BHS students and it’s even more meaningful when students who came before them help raise the funds for it. We’re very appreciative of Byron grads who’ve chosen to pay it forward like this.”

In addition to Presenting Sponsor Byron Bank, sponsors include: Whitt Law, Felker-Snyder Grocery and Pharmacy, Curves of Byron, 5th Alarm Firehouse Pub, OSF St. Anthony, Stillman Bank, Labels and Decals International, ReMAX Professional Advantage, Berger Law Firm, Woods Sporting Goods, Custom Concrete, Dickerson & Nieman Realtors of Byron, McDonalds of Byron, Floski Law Office, LLC, Nancy Gall Investments, Robbins Schwartz Law Firm, Virtus Capital Partners, Ogle County Physical Therapy, Costa’s Ristorante, Costa’s Catering, Subway of Byron, the CAVE and Hollywood Limo.

Tickets are now available at Byron Bank, Curves of Byron, and the Byron High School Athletic office. Tickets will be available at the door. Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults. Children four and under will be admitted free. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. Sat. Oct. 26. Tip off is at 6 p.m.

Challenge Day is a two-day seminar for freshman that addresses cliques, gossip, negative judgments, harassment, intolerance and bullying. Seminar leaders work with students, staff and volunteers to help students reject stereotypes; Challenge Day graduates are invited to “Be the Change” by attending smaller events throughout the year and by carrying the message of Challenge Day with them throughout their high school careers, to college and into the world.

For more information on Alumni Challenge, contact: Betsy Floski at 815-871-0859.

October 10, 2013

OGLE COUNTY - The Ogle County Services Network is sponsoring their annual Wellness & Resource Fair for adults on Friday, Oct. 25 from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Rock River Center, 810 South 10th St. in Oregon. Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines will be available by the Ogle County Health Department.

Schedule of Free Events:

Medicine Disposal will be provided by the Oregon Police Department from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Individuals must bring in all pills in a sealed plastic bag for drop off.

Educational Workshops:

8:30 a.m. – Shingles with Dr. Thomas Michelson

9 a.m. – Vital Signs: Know Your Numbers with Marilyn Csernus, U of I Extension nutrition and wellness educator

10 a.m. – Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace with Ogle County Health Department

1 p.m. – Estate Planning with Attorney Dave Smith

Screenings:

Vision by Lions Club

Spinal by Dr. Tracy Woods, Aspiring Health Chiropractic Clinic

Blood Pressure & Glucose by Rochelle Community Hospital

Bone Density by OSF Women’s Center

Cooking Demonstration

11:30 a.m. Cooking Savory Soups with U of I Extension nutrition & wellness educators Marilyn Csernus & Natalie Rodakowski

Pampering:

Massages by Tonya LaPage

Hand & Lip Pampering by Mary Kay representative Jamie Revelle

Mini-manicures/Hand massages by Educators of Beauty, College of Cosmetology

In addition to the free events, there will be many Exhibitor booths to visit offering information and samples. Also, participants can register to win one of several gift cards for gas, groceries or other items.

If you have questions or would like more information about the Wellness & Resource Fair, call University of Illinois Extension at 815-732-2191 or visit us online at web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo or call the Rock River Center at 815-732-3252.

Exhibitor registrations are still being accepted. If interested, please contact Lisa Valle at University of Illinois Extension at 815/732-2191 or lkvalle@illinois.edu.

October 03, 2013

BYRON - The American Legion was marching to the Byron Cemetery, on Memorial Day 2006, with Bill Busser calling cadence. Chet Kobel, the leader of the Memorial Day Service, came up along side us and said how poorly the headstones looked in the older part of the cemetery. He asked if we would be willing to work to repair the stones and clean the cemetery of weeds and overgrown trees. We agreed it was a job that needed to be done, and on July 8, 2006 we met at the cemetery. Chet had purchased a few bags of cement and we brought shovels and saws.

Early members of the gang were Jon King, Bob Godman, Bill Busser, Dan Reilly, The Ram Boys, Meg Franklin, Chet and Shirley Kobel, and some others. An early high point was the discovery of the headstone of Lucius Reed, one of the founders of Byron. The stone was beyond repair so we donated it to the Byron Museum. They in turn displayed it and gave us a new stone to put in its place in the cemetery. From July 8 2006 through October 2006 we rehabbed 36 headstones and trimmed many weeds and tree limbs.

From that beginning we continued to meet and in the years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 we restored approximately 50 headstones per year. All of this was donated labor and Chet Kobel purchasing the cement for the project at the rate of $30 for each meeting. Joy Scrub and Mary Behling also contributed to the cost of the cement. We usually met 6 times during the summer. New workers were the Headly’s, Ken Lapp, Tom Norris, Bruce Armstrong, Sean Wilson, Mabel Ashelford, Kay King, and others.

In 2011 and 2012 we continued working and have about 400 head stones completed.

Wow, what a year 2013 has been for progress. Bill Krall saw a blurb in the paper about what we were doing at the cemetery and came out to see what was happening. He said he is retired and would like to help. Did he ever, he brought more cement and some old tools to lift the heavy stones which we could not do by hand. Bill Krall and Jerry Jackson with chain saws took down trees along the fence line we could not do by hand. They then cut the trees down along the railroad tracks. They hauled out 30 truckloads of brush and limbs to Jerry Jackson’s burn pile. Byron Township supplied a truck and helped. Bill and Gary McDaniels got their pressure washers and as of September of this year had cleaned 2,000 headstones. Bill Krall and Jerry Jackson go to the cemetery and continue working even when the “gang” isn’t scheduled to work.

More help or donations are always welcome.

Bob Godman

September 26, 2013

STILLMAN VALLEY -. Desolation Row is coming off an unbelievable year in 2012, which included winning multiple statewide Battle of the Band competitions. They placed in the top five statewide (out of 130 bands competing) for the Illinois Battle of the Bands Competition. In addition to playing dozens of shows, the guys played at several additional festivals, including Algonquin Founders Days and the Illinois State Fair. Desolation Row was also chosen to open for several national touring acts such as Caroline’s Spine, and Traci Guns of Guns and Roses and LA Guns.

This year has been incredibly busy with the band playing shows virtually every weekend, along with working on new original material for recording in 2014. They are expanding their playing area every week and are reaching out to new audiences throughout northern Illinois and beyond.

This year has also seen some changes in the band lineup. Alex Spors, the bands original frontman is attending Trinity International University, and has stepped aside to concentrate on his professional sports public relations internships. Jumping in for Alex is none other than Stillman Valley’s own, JJ Whaley. JJ is fresh off his Statewide wrestling championship for Stillman Valley High School, and is now attacking the role of singer and guitarist for Desolation Row with same intensity he used to win his wrestling championships. Jacob Hoey, the original bassist has also stepped aside to concentrate on playing sports at Stillman valley High and stepping in for Jacob is Bob Sanner out from Winnebago. Veteran drummer, Jared Hoey is back with his chest thumping beats, and he is even taking on more vocals, just to prove drummers can do more than one thing. Also back is Jarrett Finley with his blistering guitar solos and unmistakable unique vocals. Desolation Row provides an awesome show that includes rock songs from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, as well as fantastic, crowdpleasing originals. Info can be found on their website, www.desolationrow.net or on facebook under Desolation Row musician/band.

September 19, 2013

BYRON - First Baptist Church of Byron is again opening their Corn Maze located at the corner of Tower and Lynn Road just north of Byron to the public. Come experience 5 acres of the "Warrior for Christ" Corn Maze. It is a great value, is in a convenient location, and it supports a good cause as all of the money goes right to local teenagers as they earn money for service trips and camps. 

The Youth Group of First Baptist has been trained as Corn Cops and is stationed throughout the maze as those traveling through attempt to find clues in the Maze! The Corn Maze is open every Saturday in October from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sundays from 1-8 p.m. through Oct. 27. Want to bring a group through? Are you having a birthday party? The Corn Maze offers great opportunities for your groups. Please contact the church at 815-234-8737 to schedule a group. Kids 4 and under are free! Come enjoy our Chili/Soup Cook-Off on Oct. 20th from 2-3 p.m. If you want to enter a chili or a soup please call 815-234-8737. Concessions are also available so come on out and get your pumpkin bars or taffy apples and challenge your ability to find the clues hidden within the Corn Maze!

August 29, 2013

SPRINGFIELD - Ogle County 4-H was represented by six 4-H’ers at the Junior State 4-H Horse Show. The show was held July 23-28 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The following are Ogle County 4-H members who participated and where they placed.

Brenna Euhus with Lexus: Placed:  1st – Hunt Seat Equitation over fences; 2nd – Hunter over fences; 10th – Pattern Riding; 3rd – English Showmanship; 7th – Dressage Training Level Test 3; 5th – English Pleasure; 7th – Reining; Versatility; 5th – Horsemanship; 8th – Pattern Riding; 6th – Stock Type Hunter Under Saddle

Katie Roush with Jaci; Placed:  4th Place – Egg and Spoon; 3rd Place – Trail; 5th Place – Reining; 6th Place – Barrel Racing; 10th Place – Flag Race; 10th Place – Pole Bending; 10th Place – Hunt Seat Equitation on the Flat; 7th Place – Western Horsemanship; 5th Place – Western Showmanship

Logan Arvigo with Baso; Placed:  10th Place - Egg and Spoon

Sara Blume with Kat; Placed: 2nd place - Stock Type Hunter Under Saddle; 8th Place - Conformation Stock Horse Mares 4+

Teddi Beauchem with Butterfly; Placed:  10th Place - Hunter Showmanship; 9th Place - Western Pony Horsemanship; 6th Place - Western Pony Pleasure

Kellyn Euhus with Bubblewrap; Placed: 7th – Pony Hunter over fences; 4th – Hunt Seat Equitation over fences; 3rd – English Pony halter; 7th – English Pony Equitation; 6th – English Pony Pleasure; 3rd – Dressage Training Level 3; 6th - Pony Horsemanship; 5th – Pony Western Pleasure; Reserve Hunter Pony

In addition to the above placings, Brenna Euhus and Lexus was the Reserve English Horse and Katie Roush and Jaci was the Reserve Western Horse.

August 29, 2013

By Brett Miller

BYRON – With the start of the school year comes the start of athletic programs.

While the various games and activities bring fun for the participants and the community, they also bring injuries.

One of the more serious, yet overlooked injuries are head injuries.

According to state and national federation rules, if an athlete is suspected to have a head injury, they are to report to the on-field physician or certified athletic trainer.

If the player is confirmed to have a head injury and is removed from play, it’s not uncommon for them to be back in time for the next game.

However, while the player may seem to be free of symptoms such as headaches, they may still have hidden symptoms of a head injury.

In order to avoid such mistakes, the Byron Board of Education was presented with an extension to the state’s rules in the form of a return-to-play policy.

If a student athlete is confirmed by the on-field certified athletic trainer, the athlete will then have to visit their own physician for examination.

If the student brings the school’s athletic trainer a signed doctor’s note stating they may return to play, the athlete must then undergo six more steps before returning to the game.

The first step will be a standard secondary baseline test, performed by the athletic trainer.

Should the student meet their original baseline test score, they may proceed to the second step, which includes 30 minutes of aerobic activity with no contact.

Each step must be passed without any sign of head injury symptoms. There must also be 24 hours between each step of the process.

This means that if an athlete suffers a head injury, it will be at least six days (from the day they return with a physician’s note) before they will play again.

This protocol was an effort made by the athletic trainers at Ogle County Physical Therapy, and reflects national federation suggestions.

The return-to-play policy will be put in place for all extracurricular athletic programs within the district.

 The board also had a split discussion on the educational visioning work for Byron High School.

Each school within the district has been updated with new additions and sophisticated technology, except the high school.

The high school has received upgrades in the science labs and mathematics department, and those are in working condition, but the rest of the building is 35 years old.

“We have to look real purposefully and very specifically, and ask ourselves: does that high school facility have the ability to deliver the outcomes that we believe are appropriate for our kids?” said Dr. James Hammack, the district’s superintendent.

In order to answer this question, Dr. Hammack suggested the board hire an official to examine the building, as well as the district’s data on the building and students, and determine what upgrades would be needed.

Some board members believed this proposal goes hand-in-hand with the district’s strategic plan for upgrading all of the facilities.

Other members argued that while it was necessary, now may not be the time for such upgrades. They suggested that the board should invest more effort not into the building, but instead the learning and teaching, and enrollment aspects of the high school.

Dr. Hammack argued that the board would not be making decisions on changing the high school until the plan is done, but the plan needs to be made.

“I believe you have to know what the high school should look like to deliver the kind of results you want,” he said. “It informs the process.”

More information will come on the development of this high school plan in future meetings.

The board received an update on the latest bid package for the strategic plan.

The package includes cooling units for the break rooms and activity rooms in the Physical Education Center, repairs to the building’s curtain and curtain operating system, and motion sensors for the hallways of Mary Morgan.

This bid package will be ready to go out in a week, and the bids are due on Sept. 12.

August 22, 2013

OREGON  — Woods Equipment Company, a division of Blount International, Inc., (NYSE: BLT) and a leading full-line manufacturer of high-quality attachments and implements, announced on Wednesday, Aug. 14, a supplier partnership with Cabela’s Incorporated, the World’s Foremost Outfitter® of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear. Through the new partnership, Woods will supply implements to complement Cabela’s new “Wildlife and Land Management (WLM)” product category. In the initial phase, Cabela’s and Woods are conducting a test market at the Cabela’s store in Sidney, Nebraska. Later in 2013, the test will roll out in additional markets, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas.

“Both companies carry a reputation for innovation, quality, value and service,” said Jerry Johnson, President Woods Equipment Company. “In exploring a new product category, Cabela’s wanted to ensure that the attachment offering was consistent with their brand image and the products would meet their end-customers’ expectations. Cabela’s contacted Woods as their first choice in attachment suppliers and at that time, we were preparing to launch our new precision seeder and other land management attachments into the hunting and conservation market. The alignment with Cabela’s became a natural fit.”

Partnering with Cabela’s marks Woods’ entry into the retail distribution channel. “The Cabela’s team is focused on quality and service and has a strong desire to help their core customer base manage their land with products and services well-beyond attachments,” said Johnson. “We feel their market strategy complements our existing distribution channels and will increase brand value and awareness to the benefit of our dealer network.”

Woods Equipment Company, a division of Blount International, Inc. (NYSE: BLT) is headquartered in Oregon, Ill. A leading full-line manufacturer of high-quality attachments and implements, as well as distributor of aftermarket parts, Woods serves a dealer network of agricultural, landscape, and construction professionals with products marketed under the brand names Woods®, Alitec®, Central Fabricators®, Gannon®, Wain-Roy®, WoodsCare™, and TISCO®. With a reputation for durability and reliability, Woods’ attachments are manufactured to American Welding Society standards, tested in rigorous real-life conditions, and comply with recommended industry safety standards.

August 22, 2013

BYRON – Reed Street Productions, creators of the original zombie-infested 5K obstacle race, Run for Your Lives, has doubled its races in 2013 – expanding to 21 locations, including Byron, Ill. on Sept. 21. The race will take place at the Byron Motosports Park. New this year, participants can expect to encounter increasingly challenging obstacles and an enhanced Apocalypse Party experience.

"Run For Your Lives is a one-of-a-kind experience that challenges participants to think on their feet and push their fitness capabilities," said Ryan Hogan, managing director of Reed Street Productions and co-creator of Run For Your Lives. "Zombies are at the forefront of pop culture, and our race in Illinois lets everyone from zombie enthusiasts to fitness fanatics and first-time runners live out their greatest survival fantasies. We hope participants are prepared to run for their lives on Sept. 21."

Run for Your Lives invites participants to climb, crawl and sprint their way through a series of 10 mystery obstacles over a 5K course – all while being chased by hundreds of professionally made up zombies. Racers begin the course wearing a flag football-like belt with three hanging flags, which members of the undead attempt to remove throughout the run. Survivors and newly created zombies – those who reach the finish line without flags – are able to celebrate the end of the world at the Apocalypse Party, which features live music, entertainment, local vendors, national sponsors and food and beverage. Participants can sign up as a runner, zombie or both, or choose to stand on the sidelines as a spectator and watch participants run for their lives.

Registration packages for participants include a race shirt, admission to the Apocalypse Party, a medal signifying your survival or zombie transformation, and advanced training for the zombie apocalypse. If you're not brave enough to face the zombies, spectator passes are available. The Kennedy Krieger Institute and Project Sole are the official charitable partners of Run For Your Lives for 2013. Athletic apparel company, Warwear is the title sponsor for Run For Your Lives, and Subaru of America has signed on as a presenting sponsor for the second year in a row.

To register for Run For Your Lives or for more information regarding how the race works, please visit: www.runforyourlives.com.

August 15, 2013

WINNEBAGO — The BenInspired Foundation announces the Third Annual “Walk for Ben: Steps for a Cure” at Winnebago High School athletic stadium from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. This event is sponsored in part by German American State Bank. It is being held in conjunction with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and it is close to Ben’s birthday.

The BenInspired Foundation was founded in September 2010 in honor of Ben Johnson who passed away after battling Neuroblastoma. The foundation’s mission is to build awareness, understanding, and support for childhood cancer through the Make-a-Wish Foundation and childhood cancer research at the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Make-a-Wish Trip brought a huge smile to Ben’s face and he participated in Neuroblastoma research in both his quest for life and his desire to help other cancer inflicted children.

Registration forms are now available at Cuppa Java, Winnebago High School, Winnebago Middle School, Jen McNair Elementary, Simon Elementary, and all German American State Bank branches. Registration forms can also be downloaded from the BenInspired Foundation’s Facebook page at www.tinyurl.com/battleforben. Participants can register as individuals, a family, or student. Included with registration is admission into the event, free Walk for Ben t-shirt, free food voucher, free popcorn and cotton candy, and a free raffle ticket for each lap completed between 4 and 6 p.m.

At 6 p.m. there will be a special dedication, memory lap and balloon release. In addition to the walk, there will be fun games for all ages. Participants can register for a chance in the German American State Bank’s Money Machine. Top raffle prizes include Beats Headphones, a Google Chrome Book, flatscreen TV and more! Raffle drawings will take place immediately following the memory lap.

July 25, 2013

BYRON — The Byron Civic Theatre is thrilled to be producing HAIRSPRAY for its first show of the 2013-2014 – 19th Season, running July 26, 27, 28, August 2, 3, and 4. HAIRSPRAY is set in 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire -- to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network, all without denting her 'do. This is a BCT don’t miss production.

HAIRSPRAY opens July 26 and kicks off the all new 19th Season of Shows. Performances continue July 27 and 28, and August 2, 3 and 4. Showtime’s are Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m. BCT Box Office is open starting Monday thru Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-Noon. For more information visit the BCT website at www.bctmagic.com or call 815-312-3000. You may also find information about membership and contributor options by visiting by www.bctmagic.com.

July 25, 2013

URBANA — Summer and the growing season have finally arrived! Did you know that Illinois ranks third in the nation for the number of farmers markets?

“Shopping at the farmers market is one sure way to buy fresh locally grown and in-season produce,” said Drusilla Banks, a University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator.

Banks offers the following tips for making the most of your local farmers market.

Dress appropriately

When headed to your local farmers market, dress comfortably and travel light. Check the weather report before you leave home and dress accordingly. The farmers market will be open come rain or come shine. A hooded jacket is better for a rainy day than trying to maneuver through the crowds with an umbrella and all your purchases. Wear clothes with lots of pockets, and on sunny days, wear sunscreen and sunglasses.

Know the season

Don’t go to the farmers market in July expecting to find pumpkins. If they are there, ask where they came from because they were not grown in Illinois. Do not expect uniform size in the produce selections either. Sizing is a supermarket tactic, but it is not the way things grow. You can print a beautifully illustrated chart of “What’s in Season” free from the Illinois Department of Agriculture at: http://www.agr.state.il.us/markets/farmers.

Be bold and try something new. You will find heirloom varieties that you may not have tasted before. Farmers can also tell you what they will be bringing to future markets as the season progresses. Be prepared by making a shopping list but also allow for spontaneity.

Go early or go late

If you arrive early, the market will be less crowded and availability will be good. On the other hand, you may find bargains and reduced prices at the end of the market day. Most farmers do not want to take their goods back home.

How will you pay?

Although some markets are ready to take senior coupons and WIC coupons and many have an EBT machine for accepting Illinois LINK, bringing cash is your best bet. Carry small bills and change in a pocket-size change purse. Some vendors are equipped and ready to take credit cards, but cash is ideal. Leave your larger purse at home or in your trunk.

Tour the entire market first

Stroll around and check out what produce and prices are available. Most prices are uniform, but the varieties and quality may not be as consistent. Decide which vendor you will purchase from.

Meet the farmers and ask questions

Shake hands and offer praise for the beautifully grown selections on display. Most farmers and family members like to talk to their customers. They are willing to talk about the variety of produce they have grown, how it was grown, how to store it, how to ripen it, and even how to cook it. They have a wealth of information.

You can even make arrangements to buy large quantities if you are planning an event. Buying in bulk can be a huge savings if you are planning to do some canning, freezing, or drying. You may need to pay in advance. If you are looking for organic produce, ask the farmer how things were grown.

Take your own bags and containers

Berries get crushed so take a ridged container or basket. If you plan to buy fresh-cut flowers, they should be placed in water for the trip home. Although some farmers market vendors have bags, very few have boxes. It is easier if you bring your own containers and reusable bags with handles. Make sure that they are clean. You are contributing to the most basic recycling cause by using your own cloth bags.

Consider a small cart or cooler on wheels

Even small bags can get mighty heavy as you walk through the farmers market. Places to sit and rest may be limited. Place a cooler or two in the car. Pack it with some ice or cold-packs to keep things at peak freshness. If you buy meat or eggs, they must be kept separated from produce and cool until you get home. Many types of produce, such as melons, corn, and apples, will not need immediate cooling. If you use a cart, be considerate of other shoppers. There are lots of open-toed shoes out there! 

“Don’t overpurchase,” Banks suggested. “Eat the food while it is fresh and return next week for more. Do some mental meal planning, even if you do not write it down. Don’t buy more than you can eat in a week”.

Source: Drusilla M. Banks, 815-933-8337, dbanks@illinois.edu

News writer: Phyllis Picklesimer, 217-244-2827, p-pickle@illinois.edu

July 25, 2013

Submitted by Gracie Mingus

Club Reporter

OGLE COUNTY — Before the business meeting, Carley Ackland, Megan Ackland and Gracie Mingus gave a presentation about their Walk In My Shoes project. Their activities showed members what it might be like to be elderly.

During the meeting the club talked about our June is Dairy Month promotion that took place at the Oregon Farmer's Market on June 29. The club gave out milk and cookies, and information about 4-H and dairy products.

The club also voted to participate in this year's Harvest Time Parade during the Autumn on Parade festival.

The Cloverbuds went outside and rode bicycles for their Bicycle Safety project. They are making a poster about it to show at the fair.

After the meeting, each member presented a project that they will be showing at the Ogle County Fair. Jamie Query also gave a talk about the Century of Progress.

Junior Leader Megan Ackland gave a special program about bacteria and living healthy. She showed members how to collect germs in petri dishes to grow bacteria.

The club ended the evening by working on their club banner to display at the fairgrounds and practicing the play they wrote for their group theatre arts project.

The club will perform the play Saturday, Aug. 3 at 1:30 p.m. on the Exhibit Building stage at the Ogle County fairgrounds.

The next regular meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Byron Public Library. For more information contact club leader Jeannette Mingus at 815-501-8186 or jdmingus@gmail.com.