Baldwin Retail Ready for Renters

Pictured at the new Baldwin Retail development at the southwest corner of the I-94/USH 63 interchange are, from left, Tammy Medina of Kami, Inc., the developer and owner of the project, and Stuart Schaefer and Julie DeNoyer of Commonweal Development Corporation which is marketing the property.

Baldwin Retail, an eight-unit mall at the southwest corner of the I-94/USH 63 interchange is ready for lease.

At an open house last Thursday Tammy Medina of Kami, Inc. of Woodbury, the developer of the mall, said one bay has already been rented and the other seven are available.

Medina, who with her husband Gonzalo owns Kami, Inc. and have developments throughout the Twin City area, said "we think Baldwin is a great location with lots of traffic."

Tammy Medina also said she and her husband like their development to look good and they take care of their properties and maintain them. "We consider our tenants our partners."

The south bay of the mall has been rented to Ben Grosz of Baldwin who currently owns The Daily Grind in Hudson. He is opening a coffee shop/bakery that will be called Maggie's Joe and Dough. The wholesale bakery will be called Bakery Creations and will sell to other restaurants and coffee shops. It will have a drive-up window, Grosz said. He said he hopes to be up and running by mid-November.

The eight bays at Baldwin Retail each have approximately 1,400 square feet of floor space.

In addition to the eight unit mall at the development, the Medinas are considering a gas station/convenience store, a hotel, restaurant and perhaps a small medical building on the remaining lots.

Village Board Approves Public Works Mutual Aid Agreement

The Baldwin Village Board at their regular monthly meeting Wednesday, October 10 approved a "Public Works Service Agreement" that is designed to provide a framework for sharing public works manpower and equipment in the event of an emergency.

Baldwin Ambulance Director Craig Nelson explained that the agreement is a mutual aid policy that will allow federal reimbursement for use of equipment if a municipality requests assistance from another municipality. It was proposed by the St. Croix County Emergency Management Department.

Public Works Director John Traxler said that in the event of a major situation he doesn't have objections to the policy and "hopefully it won't get a lot of use."

In other action, the Board:
-agreed to pay the St. Croix County Highway Department $3,385 as the village's share of the 80th Avenue improvements.
-approved a permit for a private well operated by Jonquist Family Kitchens.
-approved an ordinance that prohibits wood burning furnaces that are located outside of the structure that the furnace is principally intended to heat.
-approved the special assessment for 12th Avenue and Franklin Street due to the recent upgrades of the streets, curb and gutter and some utilities.
-approved a bid of $49,862 for a membrane roof system for the Ambulance building that will be done this fall. The approved bid is instead of a metal roof bid of over $100,000.
-addressed the parking situation at Panda Garden. The board agreed that the parking area must be completed within two weeks but black topping can take place in the spring as long as it's done by June 1.
-set a special meeting for work on the 2008 budget for October 24 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
-approved fireworks applications for the two fireworks sellers located at I-94/USH 63 interchange.
-approved ordering a new ambulance for delivery in the fall of 2008. The ambulance, with a cost of $122,800, will replace the Woodville ambulance and the present Woodville ambulance will be moved to Baldwin. The cost of the new ambulance has already been budgeted.
-approved a request by Police Chief Jim Wider to petition the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to slow down traffic on the north side of the village to 25 mph on the stretch where the current speed limit is 35 mph. Chief Wider cited increased traffic and the vehicles in and out of Baldwin Area Medical Center's parking lot.

Cody Olson Benefit is Thursday

Prior to Thursday's B-W football game, a benefit for Cody Olson will be held at B-W High School from 4 until 7 featuring a dinner and silent auction with many items donated by local merchants.

Cody is a 17 year old senior at B-W and the son of Roger and Jody Olson. He has a brother Tyler who is a junior at B-W.

In April Cody had a mole under his arm that turned out to be melanoma. It was removed along with lymph glands. Later another melanoma was removed from his forehead.

According to Cody's mother, the family has health insurance but has incurred additional expenses relating to Cody's treatment.

The treatment in addition to surgery has included some IV treatment in August at Region's Medical Center one day a week and at Baldwin Medical Center for four days a week. At present Cody has had self injections at home for three nights a week which will last through next July.

Cody is a former cross country runner on the B-W team and is an avid hunter and fisherman.

The benefit has been planned by members of a committee from Cody's church, Gethsemane Lutheran.

B-W Marching Blackhawks at Whitewater Saturday

Head drum major Karen Warner, center, and assistant drum majors Brittany Hetfeld, left, and Jason LaFavor, were presented with the first place trophy in Class A competition at the Chippewa Falls Marching Cardinals "Music Along the Chippewa" marching band field show Saturday evening.

The Baldwin-Woodville Marching Blackhawks will conclude a successful season of marching competition on Saturday at UW-Whitewater at the Wisconsin State Music Association's Marching Band Championships.

This is the fifth year B-W has participated in marching band competition, including the second under the direction of Adam Bassak.

The B-W band will perform at 1:15 on Saturday, October 20 in Class A competition. There are a total of 36 bands that will perform at UW-Whitewater, including seven in Class A.

B-W's program is "The Rise and Fall of Rome," an original marching band composition by Key Poulan. They have performed the piece in several previous competitions and at halftime of B-W football games. This Thursday evening, weather permitting, the band will perform the entire piece at halftime at the B-W/Somerset football game.

The State Marching Band competition at UW-Whitewater will be divided into four classes. Last year more than 8,000 people attended.

In addition to the high school bands performing at the competition, the UW-Whitewater Marching Band will perform two times-before intermission and at 10:00 p.m.

At Whitewater, as at other marching band competitions, each band has 15 minutes to set up, perform and take down. At Whitewater the bands are judged by a panel of nine judges, who evaluate each band in five areas: music performance; marching ability; general effect and audience appeal; percussion; and color guard.

Tickets for the competition at Whitewater are $11 for adults; and $6 for seniors and school children ages 6-17.

The B-W Band will leave Friday evening for southeastern Wisconsin and will return Sunday, staying two nights in an area high school.

The B-W Marching Blackhawks placed first in Class A on Saturday at the Chippewa Falls High School's competition "Music over the Chippewa."

Their point total was 65.8. They also received awards for top color guard and top percussion.

In previous competitions the Blackhawk performers have also done well. On Saturday, September 29 at Irondale High School in New Brighton, Minn. the Blackhawks marched to a second place finish. On Saturday, October 6 at DC Everest High School the Blackhawks received first place and won caption awards for top color guard, percussion, music and visual. On Sunday, October 7 the B-W Band was first with top color guard and top percussion.

Wagner Wins MBC Cross-Country Race

Kayla Wagner achieved another of her season goals at the Middle Border Conference cross country meet last Thursday at New Richmond. Wagner won the event in 15:22, or nine seconds ahead of second place finisher Morgan Place of Ellsworth.

"One of Kayla's goals was to take first place at the conference meet," said B-W Coach Jen Cimino. "It's so exciting that she was able to meet that goal. The other incredible thing about her race was that she wasn't feeling well. So to be able to put it all on the line like that shows that she is mentally tough."

For the boys team Sam Mattison led the way with a 19:26 which is his best time of the season and only his second time under 20 minutes. He was in 31st place.

Hawks Downed Prescott 26-10; are in Playoffs

The Baldwin-Woodville football team took awhile to get warmed up last Thursday at Prescott, but when the evening was over they came away with a convincing 26-10 win.

The win moves their Middle Border Conference record to 4-2 with one game remaining, assuring them of a winning record and a place in the WIAA football playoffs. The Hawks' overall record is 6-2.

Although the Hawks will advance to post-season play, their first focus must be against MBC leading Somerset at King Field Thursday night. The Spartans are undefeated in play this season, including a 26-14 win against Amery last Thursday night.