OCN-SS_03242016

A Supplement to Ogle County Newspapers• Oregon Republican Reporter • Mt. Morris Times • Forreston Journal • Tri-County Press

Growth in Our CommunitiesThursday, March 24, 2016

Arrangements are one-of-a-kind creations

By Chris [email protected]

For a local business to stay in business under one owner for more than four decades is not an easy feat. For Merlin Hagemann it has been his love and passion for plants that keeps Merlin’s Greenhouse and Flowers open.

He was working on an arrangement for a church, and it is a skilled eye for detail that determines how the final product will look.

“Everything is done by eye,” said Hagemann. “There are florists by the book, but here we see the design before we do it. It makes all the difference.”

Going back and forth to the cooler to select different cuttings and flowers, Hagemann gradually transformed the arrangement into a one-of-a-kind creation.

“We work to make everything look good and depending on the season the plants and flowers you have to work with change,” he said. “If you go by the book or just by a picture on the internet you will miss some unique flowers.”

A challenge for floral arranging is keeping current.

“We never know what the trends in design will be,” he said. “You look at what is changing and try to keep current.”

One thing that will never change is the quality of plants used in arrangements.

“We get everything delivered fresh weekly and we insist on quality,” said Hagemann. “We do cut arrangements as well as planting arrangements. Our specialty is custom designed arrangements.”

The knowledge of floral arranging has grown over the past 45 years that Hagemann has been in the business.

At the start, the training was on the job and he tried to make every arrangement look good.

“When I started working here in 1971 I was 17 years old,” he said. “The greenhouse was owned by Dick Folske who was a German Valley cattle owner. He loved to grow plants in the greenhouse.”

It was Hagemann’s job to create arrangements for customers every day after school.

“I remember my first arrangement was filled with carnations,” he said. “Shortly after starting to work for Dick he asked me if I wanted to own a greenhouse.”

With limited experience and still at Byron High School, Hagemann could not envision owning his own

business.He tried to take a college

course in floral arranging but not enough students signed up.

“Maryann Nelson offered to teach me in her basement,” Hagemann said. “I learned that floral arranging is an art form that is in you.”

In 1976 the greenhouse was officially purchased by Hagemann.

A challenge for the business is online flower shops.

“If you purchase an arrangement online the shippers may not handle the flowers with care or they will leave it outside in freezing weather,” he said. “That will kill the flowers.”

When purchasing locally, the flowers can be delivered in person.

The online websites may not always be the local flower shop.

“The past five years has seen a drastic change in how

flowers are purchased,” he said. “A lot of people shop online.”

Hagemann said many sites are third-party services that just send an order to the local florist.

“You can save money by just stopping in or calling a local florist directly,” he said. “You need to look locally and make sure you are purchasing from a local florist not a third-party. I recommend calling a florist direct.”

If a customer is needing flowers for another state, the greenhouse staff can help recommend florists.

“Your local florist has also been here for every family situation from births to deaths,” said Hagemann. “We work to know our customers.”

To visit Merlin’s Greenhouse go to 300 Mix Street in Oregon or call the store at 815-732-2969.

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On the Cover

A large walk-in cooler stores the fresh cut flowers that are used in the floral arrangements Merlin Hagemann creates. These plants are brought to the store fresh each week to ensure the best possible arrangements for customers. Photo by Chris Johnson

Merlin Hagemann works on a variety of floral arrangements each day at his business. He also does a variety of potted plant arrangements for customers looking for a splash of color in a home or business. Photo by Chris Johnson

Above is the finished floral arrangement Hagemann created. Photo by Chris Johnson

Merlin has an eye for design

Top - Merlin Hagemann of Merlin’s Greenhouse & Flowers, in Oregon, arranging flowers.

Bottom right: MightyVine Office Manager Nancy Reyes in the company’s greenhouse west of

Rochelle. Bottom left: Cherry tomatoes growing at MightyVine.

Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 24, 2016, Page C3Progress

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Greenhouse has grown over the past four decadesBy Chris [email protected]

Preparing for the summer growing season is a year-long process at a greenhouse.

“A greenhouse needs to order plants 12 to 14 months before we receive them,” said Merlin Hagemann, owner of Merlin’s Greenhouse in Oregon. “I already ordered the poinsettias for next Christmas.”

Inside the greenhouse everything is changing quickly.

All the seedlings are being planted and once they grow need to be transplanted into larger containers.

“We used to seed everything in the greenhouse but now there are different techniques to speed up the process,” said Hagemann. “For the tomato plants we use a plug tray. The seeds are actually planted using a vacuum table.”

That simple device makes it so an entire tray of 288 tomato plants can be completed in a couple minutes.

“Once the trays are filled

they are placed on a heating pad under a plastic tarp,” Hagemann said. “This ensures moisture for the plants and the heat helps the seeds grow.”

Throughout the greenhouse plants are placed depending on temperature needs. The temperature from one end of the greenhouse to the other can vary 15 degrees.

The greenhouse also receives plants as cuttings and seedlings of different sizes.

“If a customer needs a different sized plant let us know and we can get it,” said Hagemann.

Over the years the greenhouse has changed.

“It used to be a glass greenhouse, they changed to fiberglass,” he said. “The current greenhouse was built in 1989 and the front greenhouse was turned into a showroom.”

In one hail storm 600 panes of glass were destroyed. For Hagemann, switching to a more durable greenhouse made financial sense.

“I remember carrying buckets of glass out of the

greenhouse for weeks,” he said.

The business grew again in 2004 when the Other Side boutique shop was built.

“Looking back at the business, we have grown because of the staff and the community,” Hagemann said. “They are passionate about this business. We also try to be part of the community and the chamber helps all the small businesses out.”

Oregon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbie Dickson agreed that Merlin is part of the community.

“Merlin’s is a shining example of a business that invests not only in itself, but also into the community that supports them,” Dickson said. “That kind of partnership creates stronger communities for everyone - business and citizens alike.”

Dickson said the chamber invests in the community to promote and support local businesses and organizations.

“Oregon has been supportive of our business,” said Hagemann. “In order to succeed as a local business you need to offer service and quality products.

Different plants arrive at the greenhouse in different ways. These plants were clippings that have started to develop their roots. Photo by Chris Johnson

Rows and rows of flowers will soon grow to the perfect size for gardeners to transplant into their home gardens. Photo by Chris Johnson

A variety of home decor items are available for sale at Merlins. Photo by Chris Johnson

Merlin’s Greenhouse has been owned by Merlin Hagemann for 45 years at his Mix Street location. Photo by Chris Johnson


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Ogle County We’ve Got You Covered

By Andy [email protected]

You have to see it to believe it—tomatoes growing midair instead from the ground.

In a unique and innovative agriculture method, a start-up company called MightyVine is growing tomatoes hydroponically.

The company has a 7.5-acre glasshouse (greenhouse) on the western outskirts of Rochelle, where millions of pounds of the product are being produced.

Ironically, some of the nearby land was the site of seasonal housing camps for migrant

workers engaged in the back-breaking chore of picking tomatoes.

The tomatoes produced by MightyVine are also vine-ripened and much easier to pick with working conditions inside the temperature-controlled greenhouse substantially better than what the migrants endured years ago.

Instead of lugging heavy crates in the hot sun, the 40 MightyVine employees have a rail-based cart system.

In keeping with its theme of energy efficiency and minimalism, the track the carts run on is also used as a source of heat for the building.

When it comes to renewable sources, MightyVine uses recycled rain water and snow melt for growing the tomatoes.

Another advantage of greenhouse growing is that the tomatoes use about 10 percent of water that outdoor plants need.

“We even use condensation from the gutters,” office manager Nancy Reyes said. “If the plants get too much water, the excess goes into a drain and out to the (outdoor) reservoir.”

MightyVine is partnering with Royal Pride of the Netherlands for much of the greenhouse technology used. That company is known worldwide as an

Tomatoes mighty fine from year-round greenhouseAbove, MightyVine Office Manager Nancy Reyes stands in 7.5 acre greenhouse located on Ill. 38, just west of Rochelle. At bottom right, MightyVine tomatoes are boxed and ready for transport. The company produces premium tomatoes year-round, shipping the unltra-fresh produce to area stores and restaurants. Photos by Earleen Hinton.

Turn to C5


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Dutchman Nic Helderman has also been recruited as the master grower.

Each tomato plant grows to about 25 feet and has a life span of 8-10 months. A major advantage hydroponic tomatoes have is a yearlong growing season.

“Compared to tomatoes that are picked green in places like Florida and Mexico, our tomatoes are picked ripe and have a shelf life of two weeks,” Reyes said.

MightyVine sells a cherry and regular-sized tomato, both priced higher than those traditionally grown.

They supply only markets within a few hours drive of Rochelle, unlike the tasteless, green-picked varieties of winter tomatoes that travel thousands of miles.

Another interesting component at the greenhouse is the existence of bumble bees for pollination purposes.

“It is a very controlled environment,” Reyes said.

MightyVine is starting to develop fans of its product, including Richard Swanson, Oregon, a seasoned observer of industrial greenhouse operations.

For decades, the Swanson family operated Rochelle Roses, one of the world’s largest rose-producing greenhouses, located two miles directly east of Mighty Vine.

“What they are doing is

state-of-the-art,” Swanson. “It is as good of an operation as there is and the tomatoes are delicious. If the opportunity presented itself, I would consider investing in it. That’s how much I think of it.”

Swanson was one of many locals that had a chance to visit MightyVine during a recent open house.

“I personally talked to the grower (Helderman) and could tell he knew the

business,” Swanson said.

MightyVine, which completed its first harvest in October, joins a long list of companies that have set up shop in the “Hub City” in recent years.

“It’s a good location for us with the transportation and cooperation from the city,” Reyes said.

Considered an upscale product,

MightyVine tomatoes art being marketed to consumers and food service operations that value quality and are willing to pay extra for it.

Local grocers, Oregon Super Valu and Sullivan’s in Rochelle, sell MightyVine tomatoes. And two restaurants Alfanos, in Rochelle, and Ralphie and LuLus in Ashton, use them in their menu selections.

MightyVine’s primary focus, though, is providing tomatoes for larger markets in the Midwest, especially Chicago, the home base for Gary Lazarski and Jim Murphy, the company’s founders and investors.

From C4

Above, a bumblebee enters his hive. Bees are used to pollinate the plants in the greenhouse. Below, Adi Hernandez, a team leader, moves boxes of recently picked tomatoes in the greenhouse. Photos by Earleen Hinton

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By Vinde [email protected]

Economic development and community planning is on the minds of officials and residents in every local community, especially in less than perfect economic times.

In Oregon, residents will have an opportunity next month to have a voice in mapping the future of their community.

Oregon Together, a recently formed organization, will host community planning sessions from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, April 11, 18 and 25 and May 2 and 9 at the Blackhawk Center, Oregon.

Organizers hope that a large number of residents sign up to participate in the sessions, and that the ensuing discussions will reveal what they truly want for their community.

Steering committee member Terry Schuster said five upcoming community planning sessions are aimed at getting participants to share their goals and dreams for Oregon.

“There’s no agenda, no pre-conceived projects. Everyone in the group wants to make Oregon better,” he said. “My guiding principle behind this whole project is that it’s we the people of Oregon.”

Rick Ryland, also a steering committee member, said they are hoping for 60 people to participate in the planning process.

The results of a recent survey of Oregon residents will be part of the planning sessions.

The survey results will be revealed on Tuesday, April 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Oregon Coliseum.

Oregon Together has hired the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA), based at Western Illinois University, to help through its MAPPING the Future of Your Community program.

Experts from WIU will attend the planning, or

mapping, sessions to facilitate the process.Their role, Schuster said, is to help get the

ideas for projects out there, prioritize them, and then determine what is needed to make them happen.

“The people from Western have no skin in the game,” he said. “They just know how to facilitate.”

After the planning sessions the facilitators will continue to work with community members to assist with implementation, he said.

The series of five “Mapping the Future of Your Community” meetings will focus on: Where are we now?( April 11); Where do we want to be? (April 18); How are we going to get there? (April 25); How do we make it happen? (May 2) and How do we make it happen and maintain the momentum? (May 9).

This program will build on findings of the recent Oregon community survey and efforts underway by the Oregon Economic Development Committee and other community organizations.

The money for hiring IIRA is coming from donations from local businesses, Schuster said.

“No city or other government funds are being used,” he said.

The purpose is of IIRA is to assist economic development in communities with populations less than 20,000.

It is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and WIU.

Several IIRA staff members also teach in WIU’s rural affairs program.

Oregon Together started last fall when

Chris Busker, who works at Stronghold Castle, suggested hiring IIRA and its community mapping process.

Busker is familiar with IIRA from when he attended WIU.

A group of 19 interested people met Oct. 15 to learn more about the MAPPING the Future of Your Community program.

The Oregon Together Steering Committee, led by Donna Mann, was formed then.

All Oregon residents are encouraged to take part in the planning sessions, but are asked to attend all five.

“It’s a big commitment,” Schuster said.Because the meeting will be held over the

dinner hour, a full meal will be served each night.

Preregistration is required by Monday,

Above left, Rick Morningstar and Victor Passillas help direct Bob McCoy as he positions a new street light on the corner of Franklin and N. Fourth streets in Oregon on Sept. 17. At right, Utility Dynamics Corporation worker Joe Kirk lifts an old street light pole while Chad Stupec directs the base last summer. A two-block area of Ill. 2 (Fourth Street) was under construction for the installation of new street lights and sidewalks, all part of a downtown beautification project. Photos by Earleen Hinton

Oregon wants your input now to map its future “Mapping the Future of Your Community”

April 11: Where are we now? • April 18: Where do we want to be? April 25: How are we going to get there? • May 2: How do we make it happen?

May 9: How do we make it happen and maintain the momentum?

Turn to C7

Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, March 24, 2016, Page C7ProgressFH

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Oregon Together is funded by local sponsors and does not utilize any tax dollars.

This initiative, including

the meals at each session, is made possible thanks to donation from the following businesses and individuals committed to investing in the future of our community.

Financial Sponsors: Woods/Blount; E.P. Alehouse; E.D. Etnyre Co.; Harvard State Bank;

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From C6

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For a taste of real Mexican cuisine, take a trip to LaEsmerelda in downtown Polo.

Esmerelda Salenas and her husband Jesus cook up everything from tacos to burritos and enchiladas seven days a week.

“I love to cook,” Esmerelda said with a smile. “We opened because people here don’t see authentic Mexican food.”

Since opening a year ago on North Franklin Avenue, a half block north of Mason Street, the restaurant has done a brisk business.

Cheerful, bright yellow trim on the century-old brick red building makes the restaurant stand out.

Jesus formerly worked in construction, and the couple did all the remodeling and redecorating of the one-time insurance office themselves.

This is their first restaurant, Esmerelda said, and they like the business.

“It’s fun,” she said. “I love Polo and the people.”

Esmerelda and Jesus, who have lived in the Polo area for 10 years,

do all the cooking and wait on customers with some help from their family.

“Our specialty is beef burritos,” she said. “But we have much more, too.”

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Mt. Morris residents and officials will take a turn at brainstorming about economic development in early April.

The Encore Event, a three-day workshop, will be held on the topic April 7-9 at Pinecrest Grove Community Center.

Jerry Stauffer, Planning Commission Chairman and

a member of the Economic Development Group (EDG), said experts in tourism, economic development, and marketing will lead the workshop sessions.

The sessions are aimed, he said, at bringing arts and artists of all kinds to the village.

“There are two basic visions,” Stauffer said. “One is to bring the arts in all respects to Mt. Morris. The second part is to help drive bringing niche-type businesses

to the vacant buildings in the downtown.”

The idea for the workshop was introduced Feb. 9 at a village board meeting.

EDG Chairman Rob Urish told the board that Andrea (Thorngren) Burchette, who now lives in St. Charles, brought her vision about how the campus area downtown could become a destination for artists of all kinds.

He said the success of the music

venues at the bandshell could be expanded to include painters, sculptors, and other artists.

Along with that, Urish said the empty storefronts could become specialty stores for arts and crafts, coffee shops, and related businesses that would bring both artists and visitors to town.

“It’s got a lot of potential but it’s not going to happen overnight,” he said.

The board approved spending

$5,500 for expenses related to the Encore Event.

A survey recently mailed to area residents drew 250 responses, Stauffer said, and those will be discussed during the workshop.

The workshop recommendations and survey results will be used to update the village’s comprehensive plan, he said.

“It’s all supposed to tie together,” Stauffer said.

Encore Event will explore development in Mt. Morris

LaEsmerelda features authentic Mexican food. Photo by Vinde Wells

Esmerelda and Jesus Salenas opened LaEsmerelda restaurant in downtown Polo last year. Photo by Vinde Wells

LaEsmerelda offers authentic Mexican menu


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Next month will mark the beginning of a new retail business coming to Mt. Morris.

Construction is expected to begin in April on a new Casey’s General Store at the south east corner of the intersection of Ill. 64 (Hitt

Street) and MeKendrie Avenue.

Mt. Morris Planning Commission Chairman Jerry Stauffer said the new store is slated for completion in late summer or early fall.

“It’s going to provide some jobs, and it’s going to boost real estate tax income for the village,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a

positive improvement to the intersection and could lead to other businesses locating here.”

Casey’s officials have agreements to buy the five parcels of property where the new store will be located, he said.

The properties include four houses, including one owned by Stauffer, and the former Brad’s IGA Store.

Stauffer said the closings were scheduled for March 22.

Project architect Ryan Swanson, from Arc Design Resources, Loves Park, said the Mt. Morris store will be similar to the new one in Oregon, and will have have four gas pumps with eight fueling stations.

The first order of business will be to tear down the

existing properties.Casey’s is headquartered

in Ankeny, Iowa, and builds its stores in mainly in small municipalities.

The convenience store chain opened a new store in Oregon in June and another in Byron in August. Both replaced older stores in those communities.

Casey’s stores are also located in Polo, Stillman Valley, Rochelle, and Hillcrest.

Besides Casey’s, an online pharmacy is expected to open this spring in Mt. Morris.

TelePharm will stock commonly requested prescriptions at 12 W. Main St., which will be manned by pharmacy technicians.

Prescriptions can be ordered online or in person at the pharmacy.

Technicians and customers will have access to a licensed pharmacist based at another location.

A new Sullivan’s Foods store opened last year on Ill. 64.

The new modern store, which is still being completed, replaced an older store.

Christina McBride, Mt. Morris, prepares to do her laun-dry Feb. 25 at The Mat, Mt. Morris’ new laundromat. Photo by Vinde Wells

Construction to begin on new Caseys in Mt. Morris

Passport & FOID Photos

Ogle County Newspapers

121A S. Fourth St., Oregon

Call ahead815-732-6166,

Ext. 5901

By Vinde [email protected] longtime Forreston

business got a new owner last summer and a new look in the last few weeks.

Gary Koeller, owner of Koeller’s Forreston Hardware, said customer convenience and a “fresh new look” are the reasons he decided to move the store’s entrance from the west end to the center.

Instead of entering the store by going up two steps, customers now come in at sidewalk level.

“It’s easier with no steps,” Koeller said. “It also opened up a more showroom area and lets me use my big windows.”

The check-out counter also moved from the west end to the middle door.

Koeller and his wife Jane

bought the store on the corner of Ill. 72 and 26 from Monty Cotter last August.

Before that, the business was owned by the Simler family for many years.

Koeller wanted to keep the business in town and family-owned.

The hardware store is a natural fit for Gary, who is a licensed plumber and has always done his own handyman projects.

“I’m familiar with the tools and what’s needed for projects,” he said.

Since taking over the business, Koeller has reorganized where products are displayed and added some new items.

The store’s hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

For information call 815-938-2240.

Gary Koeller, owner of Koeller’s Forreston Hardware, recently relocated the main entrance and front counter of his store. Photo by Vinde Wells

Koeller’s Forreston Hardware gets new look


After two years without a laundromat, Mt. Morris residents can once again wash their clothes in town.

The Mat, owned by Matt and Noel Dusing, Mt. Morris, opened for business on Ill. 64 in mid-January and has received a warm welcome from residents.

“We’ve had lots of positive comments,” Matt Dusing said. “It’s been very encouraging.”

The opening became official last Thursday when village president Dan Elsasser and members of the Mt. Morris Economic Development Group welcomed Dusing in a brief ceremony in front of his new business.

Inside the laundromat, it was business as usual as village resident Christina McBride lugged in three large baskets full of laundry and started up a line of machines.

“It’s nice to have this back in town,” McBride said. “I was going to either Byron or Oregon, and this is a lot more convenient.”

The business, previously owned by Steve Untz, Oregon, closed it doors about two years ago, leaving village residents without a laudromat.

Dusing approached the

village board last September to let members know he had bought the business, planned to make improvements, and have it up and running around the first of this year.

True to his word, Dusing spent the last several months cleaning, — “lots of cleaning,” he said with a laugh — repairing machines, and redoing the walls and floor.

The Mat, which is open 24 hours a day, boasts 13 top loading washers, two large front loading washers, and 13 dryers.

“We’ll have at least three more large front loaders in the near future,” Dusing said.

Owning and operating the laundromat was not exactly what Dusing had in mind a year ago when he quit his job at at E.D. Etnyre, Oregon, where he had worked for nine years.

“I was going to flip houses, but that kind of fell flat,” he said. “I was looking for another opportunity. I had seen the sign at the laundromat, and then my pastor at the Evan Free Church said ‘why don’t you look at the laundromat?’ That kind of sparked my interest.”

The new operation has been going well.

After 2 years, laundromat opens


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The new Ace store in Oregon is located on N. Fourth Street. Photo by Earleen Hinton


Although the grand opening is still three weeks away, Oregon’s new hardware store is definitely open for business.

The full-service Ace Hardware store is connected to Oregon Snyder Pharmacy at 201 N. Fourth St.

“We now have a full-service hardware store, a full-fledged liquor store, and a pharmacy and gift shop,” said store manager Scott Fauster.

The grand opening is planned for April 15-17.

Store owner Tom Felker started work last year on a 75x130 foot addition on the north side of his pharmacy.

The pharmacy and gift

store moved into the addition earlier this year, while work continued on the older portion of the building to transform it into a state-of-the-art Ace store.

The drive-thru pharmacy window was relocated to the north side of the new addition.

A liquor department was added in the new part of the store.

Felker purchased a house at 206 N. Third St., northeast of the pharmacy, last year and tore it down to make room to expand his building and allow for more parking and a loading dock.

He purchased the former Bemis Ford building and parking area across the street last fall to enhance the hardware business.

Felker said Bemis property

may be used for rental equipment associated with the Ace store, as well as pallet goods, such as mulch.

Oregon had been without a hardware store since October of 2014 when Basler’s Ace Hardware on Pines Road at

the south edge of Oregon closed, and owner Jeff Basler retired.

Felker also owns a

pharmacy and grocery store in Byron, as well as pharmacies in Polo, Dixon, Winnebago, and Poplar Grove.

Ace Hardware back in Oregon

By Sarah ZunigaCorrespondent

Pet owners now have a new location in Oregon to meet their grooming needs.

A Furry AffHair – Primp Your Pet Grooming Salon opened its door on Dec. 1, and is located at 217 Washington St.

Owner Arlette Howerton, who formerly owned Primp Your Pet Grooming in Sterling, found the location in town and the Oregon area to be perfect for her business.

“I love the area,” said Howerton. Howerton has been grooming for

about 15 years. For the past two years, she has been the groomer at Polo Animal Hospital on Mondays through Wednesdays.

“I love working with dogs, and I love what I do,” said Howerton.

A Furry AffHair offers a variety of services, including nail

trimming, massage therapy, and pad therapy.

Howerton also services to cats, as well as nail trimming for rabbits.

The salon uses a standard size bathtub, certainly big enough for the largest breeds of dogs, as well as an easily accessible ramp for them to walk up and down.

Currently, the salon is only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. until the last dog has left.

Howerton said that hours are flexible. Drop-offs are preferred, and owners should usually allow about three hours for a grooming session.

Prices vary for services, but Howerton is offering $2 off discount for referrals.

To make an appointment with A Furry AffHair, call 815-677-3356.

A Furry AffHair can also be found on Facebook.

Arlette Howerton grooms a schnauzer at her shop A Furry AffHair – Primp Your Pet Grooming Salon in downtown Oregon. Photo by Sarah Zuniga

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Donna Kuntzelman, second from right, goes over wedding flower arrangements with Libby Early, Rockford, Hayley Beach, Rockford, and Kathy Rose, Leaf River, at Chatty Lady Creations. Photo by Vinde Wells


Whether its planning flowers for a wedding or creating a one-of-a-kind arrangement, Donna Kuntzelman has it covered.

When she’s not helping brides-to-be, Kuntzelman is creating floral arrangements for holidays and other special events, funerals, and sometimes just because.

Owning her own shop was a dream she nurtured for 27 years.

It came true a year and a half ago when she opened Chatty Lady Creations, a flower and unique gift shop, in the River Valley Complex in Leaf River.

“Scott and I went to Galena on our honeymoon and I saw a little shop there,” Kuntzelman, 49, said. “I said someday I’m

going to have my own shop.”After working several

years as a lab technician, Kuntzelman was ready for a change and saw a help wanted ad for County Market.

Her boss quickly recognized her natural talent and gave her a job in the flower shop — a perfect fit.

Soon she was doing orders at home and decided the time had come to fulfill her dream.

Kuntzelman opened her shop featuring flowers and much more in July of 2014.

Besides floral arrangements and plants, Kuntzelman offers balloon bouquets, candy bouquets, gift baskets, Ravens Brew coffee, gourmet chocolate boxes, gift wrapping, and her own one-of-kind gifts and customized decorating.

One of her specialties is making figures or “dolls,” as she calls them, from paper

clay.For example, for a special

order at Christmas she created a Walter Peyton figure, complete with a head band and Bears uniform.

Kuntzelman said she enjoys the challenge of designing and creating something she’s never tried before.

“I never tell anyone no. I love to make anything,” she said. “There’s nothing like seeing someone’s reaction to something you did.”

Kuntzelman said she especially likes the Edwardian era, as evidenced by the cell phone boxes she turns into vintage keepsake boxes that look to date back to the early 1900s.

The shop, in the north end of the River Valley Complex, the former Leaf River School at 605 Main St., is open Thursday, Friday, and

Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment.

In the near future, Kuntzelman plans to add a

coffee shop on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

She can be reached at 815-738-2938 or 815-222-7238.

The shop’s website will soon be up and running, and some items can currently be accessed on Etsy.

By Sarah ZunigaCorrespondent

Area residents with a yearning for tacos and other Mexican cuisine have a new restaurant in Oregon to check out.

Taco Stan’s, located on 408 E. Washington St., opened its doors in this past December, after owner Zack Stanley saw the need for a taco restaurant in the area.

“I want to see Oregon be

more diverse,” said Stanley. Stanley, who has lived in

the Oregon and Dixon area for about 20 years and is an Oregon High School graduate, was considering working in Los Angeles to work with a record company and be involved with the music industry.

Instead, he and friend Chris Garrett, the general manager of Taco Stan’s, discussed the idea of opening up a restaurant, and the idea took off.

“So far it’s been going good,” said Garrett. “We’re striving for excellence.”

Besides tacos, Taco Stan’s offers burritos, fajitas, and skillets.

Customers who dare to go bold might consider ordering the Taco Stanwich, a one pound sandwich with choice of meat between two slices of fried pita bread.

Stanley said that customer favorites so far include the

nachos supreme and chicken wings, with a selection of eight different sauces including buffalo ranch and garlic parmesan.

Taco Stan’s is open Sunday and Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to midnight.

Taco Stan’s also has a Facebook page as well as a website, www.tacostans.com.

New restaurant offers tacos, Mexican cuisine

Owner Zack Stanley, left, and general manager Chris Garrett recently opened Taco Stan’s in Oregon. Photo by Sarah Zuniga

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Serving the area for 48 years!

By Christopher Heimerman [email protected]

Chance Merrill is living proof that you can be what you want to be. For example, you don’t have to have even gone fishing, let alone be old enough to drive a boat without adult supervision, to work for a fishing company.

The 16-year-old web design wizard is a junior at Oregon High School, and an original member of Open Program alumni. The 2015-16 school year was the nontraditional learning environment’s pilot campaign. First hour, he takes Open Program Passions, the first-year, class for juniors developed by his classmate, Ellen Reckamp.

In addition to helping students set up campus visits, job-shadowing opportunities, and practice interviews, Passions also brings students to unique opportunities.

Last month, the juniors took part in an entrepreneurial convention at Rock Valley College, where they went from classroom to classroom, session to session, learning about tricks of the business trade.

In one session, Merrill and three random group members were given 10 minutes to form a plan for a theoretical app for the company fishwithme.net. It’s a web-based network that helps anglers get together to share costs, fishing trips, tips and techniques.

The other three had neither a great idea nor the gumption to get in front of the room of nearly 40 and pitch the idea Merrill conjured up.

“They were the most shy people in the world, who hated public speaking,” he said.

They won, collected prizes, and before Merrill could move on to the next room, fishwithme.net CEO Stacy McCaskill hooked him.

“He just seems like he had it going on,” McCaskill said. “He was eager and willing to learn.”

“She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me aside,” Merrill said. “She shook my hand, formally introduced herself and told me, ‘You know, my company is always hiring.’ So I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ And she explained, ‘We don’t hire on experience or knowledge. We hire on potential.’ She handed me her business card and told me to contact her.”

He reached out via email, met for coffee, and was offered an unpaid internship as an analytic engineer. Now he monitors the site, tracking impressions and how many people are opening and responding to company emails. He also works on ads and travels to shows to pitch ideas.

McCaskill said Merrill was a touch nervous at the outset of the boat and fishing shot in Madison a couple of weeks ago, “but after he hung out with us for a couple of hours, his

eagerness came through. He’s a fast learner.”She’s accustomed to using college-age

interns, so Merrill was something of an exception. She hopes to make him a paid employee once he’s trained.

“We’re putting a lot of faith in him, and a lot of resources into training him,” she said. “If I felt like I wasn’t going to get any return on my investment, we wouldn’t have him on board.”

He’s startlingly confident. The reason: the Open Program.

“It’s exceeded my expectations,” he said. “I wouldn’t have the guts for public speaking or be able to do half the things I do today.

“I have never been fishing … I’m working for this fishing company, and I’ve never been fishing.”

Challenges acceptedTwo teachers lit a fire under Merrill his

freshman year, and the blaze just grows bigger and brighter.

His honors chemistry teacher, Adam Albrecht, told his class they were dealing with problems so diverse that they couldn’t be solved by a single calculator.

“I took that as a challenge,” said Merrill, who was already into computers and writing programs. “This follows a logical course. Why couldn’t you write a program from this?”

Splashing fuel on the flame was Aaron Sitze, who presented the Open Program’s overview to his English students in the second semester of Merrill’s freshman year.

“It really inspired me,” Merrill said. “He’s a

great teacher, person and public speaker, and his pitch dragged me in. It lit a spark under me. I wanted to do it to be creative and think differently about education.”

He applied and got in and, for his second-semester project during his sophomore, pitched a stoichiometry calculator to OP faculty, including Kim Radostits, who oversees the Passions program and also helps out with the sophomores. Perhaps more importantly, she’s best buds with math teacher Danyel Larsen, who’s married to Assistant Superintendent/web guru Adam Larsen.

“They’re so close that when we’re all together, I’m the third wheel,” Larsen said.

Ms. “Rad,” as she’s affectionately called by her students, had no idea how to help with the calculator, so she asked if Adam would help out.

“Of course I said yes,” Larsen said.They’ve been meeting weekly since.

The beginning of a beautiful friendshipMerrill wanted to write the calculator’s

program in python, a language Larsen didn’t speak a word of. So he resurrected an old high school project and taught himself how to re-write it in python.

“I try to stay one step ahead of Chance,” “He came to me the next week and said, ‘Wait, you learned how to write python?’”

They not only built the computer app calculator. They keep rebuilding it.

“I feel like I come up with a product that solves all the problems it’s supposed to solve,” Merrill said. “But what if it could do this? You keep improving on it, and you’re like, ‘Whoa! What if it could do this?’”

“He reminds me of me,” Larsen said. “He’s got that same feeling of unmasking how the world works, like I felt.”

Merrill was surprised by how simple it was to write HTML code, once Larsen taught him.

“A lot of times, you don’t realize how simple seemingly complicated things are,” Larsen said. “and how you can do that stuff, if you want to.”

Merrill plans to attend the University of Illinois, and would like to work with software or engineering.

But he doesn’t have to, if he changes his mind. Remember? He didn’t even have to go fishing. Merrill can work his internship and others, over his last five-plus quarters of high school, free of cost. Come college, that’s a different story.

“He’s not locked into anything at this point,” Larsen said. “If he does some work with that and decides web design is stupid, he can change directions.”

Said the guy who works in school administration, but still finds time to nerd it up.

Web design wizard member of OHS program

Oregon junior Chance Merrill, 16, sits in from of a computer showing the home page of fishwithme.net during Open Program Passions at Oregon High School. Photo by Michael Krabbenhoeft, Sauk Valley Media

By ChristopherHeimerman [email protected]

Alyssa Theisen was bored. B-O-R-E-D, bored. Think dinner table. Mom or Dad asks, “How was school today, dear?”

“I did some math … got an A,” said Alyssa, 15, playing along before laughing a bit.

Jokes aside, she was going through the motions as a freshman at Oregon High School. Her parents were proud of her straight As. She wasn’t, necessarily. Where was the satisfaction?

“I just did my work, got it done and kept my grades up,” she said. “Get up, go to school. Done. Going through the motions got me by. But I didn’t enjoy school. I might have gotten an A on the test, but I didn’t necessarily understand it.”

Then her English teacher, Aaron Sitze, told his class about this new program the school would be launching that fall. In Open Program, students would be urged to grow at their own pace. They’d be empowered to take ownership of their education.

In the first three periods, they’d have to achieve several things: their math and English requirements, as mandated by state learning standards; and a multipronged project during second semester that would benefit the community.

Theisen jumped on the opportunity to apply, and got accepted into the pilot program.

“I wanted the opportunity to excel in areas I really enjoyed, and challenge myself in areas I didn’t excel,” she said.

Meet the teachersWhile the program was

triggered by Principal Andrew Nelson, he said he’ll proudly accept .10 of a

percent of the credit.As he looked over

the master schedule, serendipitiously, the first 3 hours opened up for four open-minded teachers: Sitze, Spanish teacher Kim Radostits, math teacher Cole Davidson, and history teacher Jesse Glim. The first three teachers joined Nelson at the helm of development, and Glim, in his third year in the district after teaching in the suburbs, helped bring it home.

“It was unbelievable to come in as a teacher, have ideas and actually see them come to life,” Glim said in OP headquarters – chemistry room 138. “This is almost like a time capsule – it’s like Mayberry.”

“Our faculty took it and ran with it,” Nelson said. “They went far beyond the expectations I had for the first year.”

Perhaps that’s because there was little pressure to succeed. Not to downplay the program’s importance, but squeezing a piece of coal and expecting diamonds flies in the face of the district’s philosophy.

“Our culture here is don’t be afraid to fail,” Nelson said. “You’ve got to try something new.”

Traditional scheduling follows a blueprint 125 years old, designed to create good workers, he said.

“There wasn’t much of a call for workers to be adaptive,” he said. “Today, college students will have to be prepared to create their own jobs.”

So they’ve erased a couple of lines in that master schedule. They’d like to erase some more. Davidson said the school boasts enough faculty with the mindset to do so, but baby steps are mandatory.

“When we actually take a step out and look at it, we realize that if it worked for every student – which, this

program isn’t necessarily for every student – it would be amazing to teach this way for an entire day,” he said. “But some students are going to have trouble with that freedom, and this format would be setting them up for a negative experience.”

Extending the ropeIn the first quarter of the

2014-15 school year, OP was run pretty traditionally. In the second quarter, they gave it a little more rope, telling students what they were expected to get done during their first 3 hours.

Second semester, the paradigm shift became palpable. Students knew what they had to do throughout the quarter, and teachers were available when needed.

“The first part of that last

year, in second semester, when they truly had their freedom, it was bizarre,” Davidson said. “It was like, ‘Anyone need anything? Any math questions? No?’”

Now, what if Sitze, who’s taught English for 12 years, gets asked a math question? Now, there’s an opportunity.

“Sometimes, I’m unable to help,” he said. “If we think about what a teacher does, traditionally, a teacher is the warehouse of information. You open their brain and pour it in. But I don’t see my job as explaining or telling kids how. It’s to facilitate, and to be a sounding board.

“It’s definitely more rewarding to see someone come up with something on their own than to replicate your opinion.”

When each teacher leaves

HQ, a log of what each student did is filled out, to keep the next teacher in the loop.

Such empowerment is invaluable for Theisen.

“When you complete a chapter in math, and you didn’t have someone teach you it, you taught it yourself, that’s kind of an awesome feeling to have,” she said.

World-class funTheisen’s community

project, “Bringing the World to OES,” is about to pick up speed. Her family is hosting a foreign exchange student from Spain, Isidoro “Izzy” Jungito-Marcos, and that inspired her to bring exchange students to the elementary school to educate kids about their native countries.

“There’s this awesome opportunity to learn more about culture and races, and I want the community to know about it,” she said.

The project is her top priority, especially because the exchange students will be visiting the school every Friday. Then comes math and English.

It’s not so hard, when you keep an open mind, she said.

“At the beginning, when they were telling us everything we need to get done by the end of the semester, it was kind of like, ‘Oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into?’ Then you get into it, and it’s not that bad.

“It shouldn’t be such a big deal for us to do these things. Every student should be able to organize these things.”


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Alyssa Theisen works on a project during Open Program on Thursday morning at Oregon High School. Photo by Michael Krabbenhoeft, Sauk Valley Media

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Dealership works to be a part of the local community


Being part of the community is something the Kunes Country Auto Group strives for.

“The companies niche is to go into the smaller markets and all of our stores are in smaller communities,” said general manager Bill Myers. “We want to be a part of the community and support our communities.”

Kunes, based in Delavan, Wisconsin, purchased several dealerships, including the one in Oregon, from Pete Harkness Auto Group last April.

The Oregon location sponsors the “Chuck a Truck” promotion at the Oregon High School basketball games throughout the winter.

This contest is a fundraiser for the Oregon Booster Club.

“Our motto is about building relationships with the community,” said Myers. “We are involved with local food pantries, churches, schools, and health clinics. We are about the community.”

Myers has been with Kunes for 11 years and just recently transferred to the Oregon location.

“Community is what we do and we enjoy making friends in the community.”

The Oregon location sells new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles.

“If you are interested in other makes of vehicles I can get it for you,” said Myers. “Our company has new dealerships with all domestic car brands and our salesman will help you find the car you want.”

The experience with the company does not end with handing the keys of a new car over to the customer.

“We did not sell you a car, we made a friend,” said Myers. “We are all about repeat customers. If we treat a customer right, and sell them quality service with friendly staff they will come back. If we do not they will leave.”

Having a customer walk out the door is always a concern but Myers hopes a customer leaves thinking a few simple things.

“I hope they leave knowing we treated them right and that when they want to purchase a car - new or used - they will return to Kunes,” said Myers.

Kunes Country Auto Groups have been recognized with several customer satisfaction awards, and the staff works

hard to maintain that level of satisfaction.

The dealership also has a full service department.

“We have a quality service department that knows how to work on vehicles to factory specifications,” Myers said. “We will service any brand, make, and model of car. Our service department is outstanding.”

The service entrance is clean with two employees ready to great the customer and a waiting room is available.

How are the prices of service and new cars?

Myers said the auto group is competitively priced and works to provide fair prices for everything the dealership offers.

“A race for the bottom is not what separates dealerships,” he said. “The customer service and quality of service separates dealerships.”

Having a customer return in two or three years to purchase their next vehicle from us, shows that we did our job, Myers said.

The new car industry has changed over the years and Myers said every employee at a dealership needs to work harder to offer quality customer service.

“Customers are more educated now because of the internet,” he said. “The price is not what makes the final determination on if they purchase a car. We need to sell ourself, sell the product lines, and sell the company. If someone leaves it means they did not fall in love with the car.”

Myers said if a customer would like to talk to a mechanic about maintenance of a new vehicle, he will make that happen.

At Kunes a salesman will never tell a customer “I do not know.” Myers said a salesman

will call a mechanic or the manager to ensure a question is answered when the customer is at the dealership.

“A dealership needs to earn the trust of the customers and at Kunes we want to earn the trust of not only the customers but the community as well,” Myers said. “Our goal is to offer the service that earns referrals.”

The showroom at Kunes Country Auto Group of Oregon is bright and has a customer waiting area for service appointments. Photo by Chris Johnson

Bill Myers is the general manager at Kunes Country Auto Group of Oregon. Photo by Chris Johnson

Participants line up to toss their foam trucks during Kunes Country’s “Chuck A Truck” at halftime of the Hawks basketball game on Feb. 19. Kunes provides the foam trucks with proceeds benefitting the Oregon Booster Club. Photo by Earleen Hinton


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It has been said to not judge a book by a cover, however, having a clean and professional look to a facility will make it more inviting for visitors.

For the Oregon Park District, the parking lot at Nash Recreation Center could be called a classic book with the parking lot being a torn cover.

The parking lot is old and in disrepair but that will change in the near future with new parking lots.

“We are excited about this project because it serves a couple needs for our facility,” said Oregon Park District Executive Director Erin Folk. “The lot will be safer and there will be additional parking. The lower lot was in need of bad repairs and reconfiguration makes sense.”

The parking lot improvements will be performed in two phases.

Phase I was scheduled to begin March 21 on the upper lot. The lot will be expanded to include 25 spaces. While the upper lot is under construction, the lower lot will remain open.

“The new spots will be beneficial during the busiest times of the day,” said Folk. “In the morning the lack of adequate handicap parking is a complaint.”

Throughout the days there are times that no parking is available. These are usually in the morning before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. until the facility closes.

“It has been tough to find parking because of all the events scheduled in the evenings including kids sporting events and the fitness classes,” said Folk. “The 20 spaces added in the upper lot will be significant.”

Construction is slated to be substantially completed by May 11 on the upper lot.

Phase II is scheduled to begin May 21 and will be

a complete removal and replacement of the existing lower parking lot.

There are three handicap spots on Fifth Street that will not be affected at the start of construction. Anyone that parks in the lower lot that needs assistance getting in the building will have access to the ramp at the northeast exist door.

“We will make accommodations for everyone during this project and doing this project in phases will minimize the impact,” said Folk. “The lower lot will not close until after the upper lot has been completed.”

Doing the upper lot in May and June will also minimize the impact to the facility.

“Our lowest attendance is in June and we will have 25 spots available in the new upper lot,” said Folk. “When the weather is warmer the parks are busier than Nash.”

Additional handicapped parking, a new digital message center, and significant lighting improvements are included in the overall project.

“There will be bumps in the road but it will be worth it in the end,” said Folk.

The $639,356.70 project was awarded to local firm, O’Brien Civil Works Inc., Polo. The parking lot project is scheduled to be complete by July 15.

“Different options were considered for the project and this design will make better use of the space,” said Folk. “Nash is a premier recreation facility in the community and this parking lot will improve the access to the building.

During the winter months, Nash has 7,000 to 8,000 visitors each month. In the summer the number may drop down to 5,000 per month.

“The overall use of Nash has increased since last year,” said Folk. “Last year

in January and February there were 13,000 visits and it was up to 15,000 this year.”

For more information on the project visit Nash Recreation Center at 304 S. Fifth St., and view the project board.

Some mornings it is hard to find parking spaces at Nash. At 10 am on a Wednesday morning there were only five spots available in their lot. In the early morning hours and evenings their is no parking available. The new lot expansion will add 26 additional stalls. Photo by Chris Johnson

Parking lot project will offer 26 additional stalls

A display board at Nash gives patrons a general overview of the parking lot project.

Brent Suter and Tyler Hagemann remove a tree in preparation of the parking lot project. Photo supplied


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Roller rink offers local family entertainmentBy Chris [email protected]

The White Pines Roller Skating Center is one of the few local places a family can go for entertainment on weekends in Ogle County.

“Roller skating is something the whole family can do,” said manager Amber Becker. “The atmosphere is for a family.”

For the younger new skaters, there is an option of renting a Skate Mate, which looks like a walker, to help with balance.

“For adults, the wall has a ledge which can help ensure balance,” she said. “The inner circle of the floor is reserved for new skaters. Everyone in the family can

skate. Just like any new activity it takes practice. Don’t give up and you will be skating.”

Entertaining the skaters throughout the night is a mix of new pop songs and classics. The music is the edited radio mixes to ensure clean language.

Becker said the family atmosphere is something current owner Dave Johnson strives to maintain.

“The rink is a local place to hang out with friends and have fun.” Becker said. “We like having a local place for kids to go and have fun.”

The rink is open every weekend year-round, and special skates are scheduled on holidays and breaks in the school calendar including Christmas break and spring break.

For Christmas 2015, the rink was open and hundreds of skaters filled the facility to enjoy an evening of fun.

The busiest night of the year was for the annual New Year’s Eve all night skate.

Becker said the rink was open all night and provided a place for kids of all ages to enjoy a New Year’s party.

“The special skates are awesome to attend,” she said. “There are extra games being run throughout the night and everyone is there to have fun.”

Other family events at the rink include birthday parties.

“We have a variety of packages for the family celebrating a birthday,” said Becker. “We even had adults celebrate birthdays at the rink.”

Another reason the rink is a family friendly is the pricing.

A night at the rink can cost a family less then going to a movie, which requires a drive to another county.

“Dave keeps the admission low, and for $4 you get in the door on a Friday night,”

Becker said.Friday night skates are 7 to

10 p.m. Other $4 admission times are Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

The Saturday evening session from 7 to 11 p.m. is $5.

“If you own your own skates the low admission is the only cost to skate,” she said. “We also have boots, speed skates, and inline skates available to rent for the night.”

For anyone that gets hooked on rolling around the rink, their is a pro-shop that has a full line of skates and accessories.

Anything can be ordered to ensure a customer has a perfect skate for their needs.

“We can help with everything from new laces and wheels, to a new pair of skates,” Becker said.

Feeling hungry after burning some calories

skating?The rink has a full snack

bar to replenish energy.“From pizza to ice cream,

candy to nachos, the snack bar has it,” said Becker.

The rink has a unique flooring that many rinks do not have.

A smooth terrazzo floor greats skaters.

Becker said many rinks have wood floors.

“The smooth floor is something our skaters have enjoyed over the years,” she said.

The rink was built in 1948 at 6929 W Pines Rd., just west of the White Pines Forest State Park.

In the late 1980s it was purchased by Johnson.

The floor has stood the test of time.

For additional information on the skating center visit their website at skatingfun.com

When owner Dave Johnson is not at the rink, manager Amber Becker has multiple hats to wear. She operates the DJ booth, watches over the entire facility, and looks for anything that might need her attention. Photo by Chris Johnson

Skates of all sizes are available to rent at the roller rink or guests can bring their own skates to the rink. Photo by Chris Johnson

Cassie Hepp fills glasses of soda at the roller rink. The rink has a concession stand filled with treats to keep skaters fueled for a full session. Photo by Chris Johnson


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