We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
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In many ways, covering the Stephenson County Board was a refreshing break from the idiocy found at Freeport City Council meetings. But, admittedly, in many ways the County Board still has its’ own issues to deal with as agendas – that aren’t hidden very well at all – repeatedly come to the surface. Case in point, Bill Hadley and Jim Hart got back on their, “We need to do an RFP for an Insurance Broker,” soapbox again. Now, when you hear them speak, on the surface, it sounds credible – after all...
Accident With Injuries At about 3:32 pm on July 12th, the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center received a 911 report of a single vehicle crash with injuries at 604 North Blackjack Road in rural Galena. Investigating officers learned that a vehicle driven by Dylan G. Dupree, 28 of Galena, was traveling south on Blackjack Road in a vehicle occupied by four passengers. A construction truck and trailer had pulled out of 604 North Blackjack Road as Dupree was approaching the area. Due to Dupree’s speed at the time of the crash, Dup...
Meet Maya! Age: 8 months old Gender: Female Breed: Pit Mix Background: County Stray About Me: Hi there! I'm Maya, an 8-month-old pit mix with a heart full of love and a playful spirit. I was found as a stray, but now I'm looking for my forever home where I can share my sweetness and joy. Appearance: I'm a striking beauty with a white coat adorned with tan and black spots. My unique look turns heads wherever I go! Personality: Friendly and Sweet: I'm known for my friendly nature and sweet disposi...
Anyone who has been following the Freeport City Council knows – they have some serious issues. At the last Committee of the Whole meeting, the ordinance they had been "discussing" for two months came up once again. Specifically, the Police Department was having a serious issue with people who would be caught driving on a suspended license for the third time in a month, that they were powerless to stop. As a remedy, the proposal was made to allow the Police Department to impound a vehicle that wa...
State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) is seeking input from residents of the 45th Senate District at a town hall-style meeting he is hosting in Savanna on Wednesday, July 31. The event will be co-hosted by Savanna Mayor Val Gunnarsson. “I have been hosting Community Connections meetings throughout my legislative district, and I am very much looking forward to talking with those who live in and around Savanna,” said Chesney. “Their opinions and ideas are valuable and help ensure I am representing the priorities of those who send me to Sprin...
There is a big difference between the national political races we follow on television, and the small town elected officials we put into office. As one politician put it, "There are no Republicans or Democrats on a Village Board. It's all public service, permits, road repairs and putting on festivals." But, as we all know, and many of you are following with our coverage of the Freeport City Council – there are good Village Governments, and bad ones as well. The one point I have found apparent i...
Junior exhibitors take top honors at the 2024 National Junior Shorthorn Show and Youth Conference in Timonium, MD. Overall, a total of 782 animals were entered and 372 junior exhibitors traveled across the nation from 29 states to compete for the National Champion top honors from June 15 - June 22. Judging the Purebred Shorthorn Prospect, Market Steer and Bred and Owned show was Taylor Frank. In the prospect division, Frank selected Dry Jim L1 LL to be Grand Champion Shorthorn Prospect Steer, as well as Grand Champion Bred and Owned Shorthorn...
Single Vehicle Accident On 06/30/24 at approximately 8:39 pm, Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to E. Stagecoach Trail approximately ½ mile east of N. Canyon Park Rd. for a single vehicle rollover accident with injuries. Upon arrival it was discovered that a juvenile from Arlington Heights, IL was operating a motor vehicle westbound on E. Stagecoach Trail at a high rate of speed. The vehicle lost control and hit a steep embankment to the south. The vehicle was airborne and came to rest in a field south of the road. The dr...
Meet Blake! Age: 2 years old Gender: Male (Neutered) Background: City Stray Color: Black About Me: Hi there, I'm Blake! I'm a 2-year-old cat who used to roam the city streets, but now I'm ready to find a cozy forever home where I can share my love and playful spirit. Medical Status: Current on all vaccinations and medical care FIV/FELV free Interests: Sweet Treats: I have a bit of a sweet tooth and love indulging in tasty cat treats. Mouse Toys: Playtime is my favorite, especially when it...
Join University of Illinois Extension Program Coordinator Nikki Keltner for a Flower Preservation Workshop. This program is being held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 22 at the Jo Daviess County Extension Office, 204 N. Vine Street, Elizabeth, IL 61028. There is a $10 fee to attend the class and pre-registration is required. As part of the workshop, participants will used preserved flowers to make a pressed flower bookmark and sachet to take home with them. To register or for more information visit us online at go.illinois.edu/jsw or call the...
Yes, the agenda was light, and it was the Monday before the Fourth of July. But every Freeport City Council member was in attendance, so when the meeting actually evolved into a productive, and rather smooth, outcome … nobody was more shocked than I was. Admittedly, a big reason was that Larry Sanders never said anything until the very end. So, there were no lengthy incoherent ramblings, and no moronic questions … well, okay, there was one, but still – he spent almost the entire meeting playi...
Grab the kids, call your friends, and tie the dog up under a tree with a bowl of water because this Thursday is the biggest gathering of the summer. Lanark's Old Settlers' Days, and Fun Days in Scales Mound, and even Pumpkin Fest in Warren are very special celebrations, but for the most part they are locally based. The whole town of Lanark was on hand to enjoy Old Settler's Days last weekend, which was a ton of fun to see, and the same can be said for all of the local town festivals. But the...
Stephenson County Sheriff, Steve Stovall, stood in front of the County Board and asked them to fund a new CSU (Crime Suppression Unit) that he wanted to form. "All too often, our officers are simply reacting to crime – answering calls when they come in," Stovall explained. "We want to set up a unit that is proactive, and looks to take the fight against crime right to them." The vote was approved to begin a special four officer unit, but as it opened up operations, the County only had two d...
As Independence Day approaches, the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up for increased traffic enforcement to ensure the safety of all residents and motorists. From June 27 through the early-morning hours of July 8, our officers will be working tirelessly to keep impaired drivers off the road and ticketing unbuckled motorists. “It’s a straightforward message: If you're behind the wheel, stay sober. Don’t drink, use marijuana, or consume any other impairing substances before or when driving,” said Sheriff Steve Stovall. “Our depu...
Let me ask you something, if you had been told before you decided to run for office, that if you won it would mean doing work on Saturdays in order to prepare for the Monday meetings, would you have the intestinal fortitude to complain about it, and try to change the entire system? During last week’s Freeport City COW (Committee of the Whole) meeting, Alderman Cecelia Stacy and Rachel Simmons put forth a discussion that asked for the Agenda for the Monday meetings to come out before late F...
The Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation (JDCF) is pleased to announce that the Home Farm Section of the Big Sky Nature Reserve is now open to the public for pedestrian use of 15 miles of hiking trails! Seasonal horseback access will run from August 1-31 this year as JDCF works out the logistics of having horse trails on one of its preserves for the first time. The new 488-acre Home Farm Section site has joined with the adjacent Valley of Eden Bird Sanctuary to create a now 900-acre natural area...
Most readers who follow the adventure that is known as the Freeport City Council knows that I filed a FOIA (Freedom of Information Request) regarding the text messages being sent during the meeting by Freeport Councilman, Larry Sanders and Cecelia Stacey. Specifically, there were two incidents – the first being when Sanders said over Zoom for all to hear, “Have Councilman Stacey text me back”, and the second when we took a picture of him plugging away on his phone during a meeting. Anywa...
Meet Shiloh! Age: 2 years old Breed: Labrador Retriever - Great Dane mix (medium build 50-60 lbs) Gender: Male (neutered) Shiloh's journey hasn't been easy, but this resilient pup is ready to find his forever home! When Shiloh was found as a stray, he was very skinny and in need of some TLC. Since then, he's been working hard on gaining weight and is well on his way to becoming a healthy, happy boy. At first, Shiloh can be a bit shy, but don't let that fool you! He quickly warms up to people...
VOICES of Stephenson County will showcase five gardens and offer a variety of activities when it sponsors Garden Walk 2024 on June 22. Organizers say the event should appeal to a broad audience. “The gardens and activities represent a little bit of everything,” said Beth Maskell, VOICES of Stephenson County executive director. “Two gardens have touches of history, another is rural and expansive, one is more compact, one is set at a school and another is designed to heal. The gardens truly are stunning, each in their own way.” Garden Walk 20...
Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) is requesting funding for 15 local projects that will benefit Illinois families as Congress works to fund the government. Included within the list of 15 projects throughout the state, is Freeport, Illinois. “We have such a special way of life here in Central and Northwestern Illinois,” said Sorensen. “And if we want to make our region sustainable for future generations, we need to make investments now that will support our region’s growth. These fifteen local projects that I am requesting funding for from Congr...
The circus side show, otherwise known as the Freeport City Council meeting, took place last Monday night, with very few things on the agenda … but that didn’t mean it didn’t last more than three hours. It all started with a report from the Albertus Airport Manager, Angie Janssen, who explained the issues the airport was facing. Currently, there are 53 hangers occupied, with 12 still vacant, but all of them – according to Janssen – were in need of some form of repair. Apparently one hanger has be...
Accident With Injuries On 05/13/24 at approximately 4:14 p.m., Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to U.S. Rt 20 approximately ½ mile west of W. Headquarters Rd., for a two-vehicle accident with injuries. Upon arrival it was discovered a vehicle being operated by Eva D. Simpson, 45 of Savanna, was traveling east on U.S. Rt 20 when she came upon on a slower moving vehicle. Simpson applied the brakes and slowed for the vehicle ahead of her. A vehicle driven by Michael L. Herrick, 58 of Elizabeth, was following Simpson and fa...
Summer is just around the corner, and while travel plans may vary, one thing remains constant: the need to wear your seat belt. With this in mind, the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office today announced that now through Memorial Day weekend it is stepping up enforcement efforts to remind motorists to “Click It or Ticket.” “Whether you’re driving around the corner or across the nation, remember to buckle up every time,” said Sheriff Steve Stovall. “The ‘Click It or Ticket’ effort is about preserving lives. We want seat belt use to be second natu...
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie is seeking input from northwest Illinois residents on Chronic Wasting Disease and the efforts by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to combat it. CDW has affected areas within Leader McCombie's 89th Legislative District, which includes all of Carroll and Jo Daviess, portions of: Boone, DeKalb, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties. After hearing from constituents and their concerns about DNR's policies to address CWD, Leader McCombie is asking...
The Lena Lions Club is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year! On Wednesday, June 12th the community is invited to a reception and program at the Lena Community Center from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Finger food will be served, memorabilia from the past 75 years will be on display and Past Internal Director Bob Block will be the speaker. Come for the evening or just drop in for a few minutes to join the celebration! The Lena Lions Club was chartered on June 22, 1949, and sponsored by the Stockton Lions Club. Over the years the Lena Lions Club built...
