Tuesday, January 29, 2008

B-W High School to Host FBLA Conference

Baldwin-Woodville High School can be a busy place on more than weekdays and week nights.

On Saturday the school, and the B-W Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of American, will host over 400 participants from 22 northwest Wisconsin school districts in the Region 1 FBLA Leadership Conference. The theme of this year's conference is "Leadership in Action!"

Also on Saturday, B-W High School will be the site of the Middle Border Conference wrestling tournament.

The FBLA leadership conference will open at 9:00 a.m. with a call to order by Kalena Doffing of B-W who also serves as Region 1 FBLA vice president. Also participating in the opening ceremony will be B-W students Tiffany Loftus and Mallory Precht and B-W High School Principal Eric Russell.

Event competitions will begin at 9:45 with two sessions in more than 40 categories. The competitions will be held in rooms throughout the High School. Local area business people, B-W teachers and parents of B-W FBLA students will all be helping at the competition sessions.

State Representative John Murtha will present the keynote speech to the Conference at 1:00. Following will be election of Region I vice president and presentation of awards.

This is the third FBLA Regional Conference that B-W has hosted. The last one was in 2004.

The participating schools in addition to B-W include: Augusta, Barron, Birchwood, Boyceville, Cadott, Cameron, Chetek, Colfax, Eau Claire Memorial, Fall Creek, Glenwood City, Hayward, Menomonie, New Richmond, Northwestern, Osceola, Rice Lake, River Falls, Somerset, Stanley-Boyd and Superior Senior.

DayAway Benefits Both Caregivers and Those Suffering from Memory Loss

Gina Evenson, center, is pictured with two DayAway participants at the Woodville Senior Center where they meet Fridays. Evenson is the DayAway manager of both the Woodville and New Richmond sites. She is pictured with Virgil Larson and Zella Schlegel, two individuals who make use of the DayAway program.

According to Gina Evenson, DayAway manager of both the Woodville and New Richmond sites, DayAway is primarily intended as a respite program for caregivers of people who suffer from diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's or other memory problems, but in some cases other debilitating problems will also be accepted for the program. In addition to giving caregivers a respite from the care required for patients with memory problems, the participants enjoy games, treats, exercise, lunch and sometimes field trips.

Evenson said the program is sponsored by the St. Croix County Office on Aging. The program is held four times a week: in Hudson on Monday and Thursday; in New Richmond on Tuesday and in Woodville on Friday. The program lasts usually for about six hours.

People from other counties in addition to St. Croix are welcome in the program, said Evenson. She added that volunteers are available to provide transportation to participants.

Gloria Fern Honored for 16 years Leading CROP Walk


Gloria Fern of Baldwin was honored last week by members of the current Mid-St. Croix CROP Walk for Hunger Committee for leading the effort for 16 years. Fern, second from right, received a certificate for her work. She is pictured with current CROP Walk Committee members Gerard Buechter, left, Don Johnson, second from left, and Susie Beedle, right.

Burglary Investigation Recovers Hundreds of Suspected Stolen Items

A joint burglary investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, City of Bayport Police Department and Washington County Sheriff's Department have recovered hundreds of suspected stolen items. Items range from power hand tools to home interior items believed to come from model homes.

The suspects have been involved in burglarious activities for well over a year and may have committed burglaries as far back as 2001. Targeted areas are mainly in the east metro and western Wisconsin. Confirmed burglaries committed by the suspects are from model homes, storage units, construction sites and general residential and business burglaries.

Photographs of the seized property can be located on the St. Croix County website at: www.co.saint-croix.wi.us/ follow the link for burglary investigation.

A showing of the seized property is planned for Thursday, February 7 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Bayport Police Department and St. Croix County Sheriff's Department. Victims are requested to contact the agency the burglary was reported, the investigating officer and obtain a case report
or a detailed list of stolen items.

Anyone who has been a victim of a burglary and wishes to view the property please contact Investigator Jim Mikla, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, 715-381-4319, jimm@co.saint-croix.wi.us. Victims from Minnesota should contact Chief Laura Eastman, Bayport Police Department,
651-275-4412, leastman@ci.bayport.mn.us.

Amery Man Killed Friday in Car-Truck Crash

The scene looking north of a fatal accident north of Baldwin on USH 63 is pictured above. The semi-truck with a propane tank was north bound when it struck a southbound 1999 Olds Alero that drifted over the center line, according to the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department. The two
vehicles crashed head-on. The semi-tanker ended up partly in the west ditch, at the intersection with Spruce Road. A large tow truck was necessary to pull the semi truck out of the ditch. A United Fire and Rescue truck stood by while the operation took place.

A man from Amery headed to work in Baldwin was killed north of Baldwin on USH 63 early Friday morning, January 25, when his car collided with a semi-truck with a full load of propane.

According to the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, Paul Thiel, 46, of rural Amery was driving a 1999 Olds Alero southbound on USH 63 when his car drifted left over the center line into the northbound lane of traffic. It collided with the semi-truck driven by Gary Hutter, 48, of Maiden Rock. The accident took place just north of 110th Avenue in the Town of Baldwin. The semi-truck came to rest in the west ditch of 63 at its intersection with Spruce Road.

Thiel was transported to Baldwin Area Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Hutter was treated and released at Baldwin Area Medical Center.

Removing the semi-truck with the load of propane proved to be a difficult and time-consuming chore. While that was being accomplished, traffic was detoured on Spruce Drive and 210th Avenue. The truck was finally removed from the scene about 11:00 a.m. Staying on the scene during the removal of the truck were personnel from the Wisconsin State Patrol, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, United Fire and Rescue as well as the St. Croix County Highway Department who helped set up and man the detour.

According to emergency workers on the scene, the semi-truck's tank contained about 9,100 gallons of propane.

Thiel was the first traffic fatality of 2008 in St. Croix County. The Sheriff's Department release said the accident remains under investigation by the State Patrol and Sheriff's Department.