Arbor Day Celebrated in Baldwin

St. Croix County Forester Dahn Borh, left, and Baldwin Village President Don McGee, second from left, displayed the plaque that designates Baldwin as a Tree City USA at a presentation at Mill Pond Park Friday for Arbor Day. Also pictured are Village Trustee Claire Stein, center, Director of Public Works John Traxler, second from right; and Village Engineer Mike Stoffel. Stein, Traxler and Stoffel also serve on the village's Urban Forestry Committee.

According to Traxler, two of the lindens were donated to the village by St. Croix Tree Service. A third was donated by Ackley Tree Service and the fourth was purchased by the Village.

According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, there are 174 Wisconsin cities that are Tree Cities USA, giving the state the third largest total in the US.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. The many benefits of a Tree City USA designation include creating a framework for action, education, a positive public image and citizen pride.

To qualify for Tree City USA status, a village or city must meet four standards. They are: a tree board or department; a tree care ordinance; a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita; and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Tree caused power outage Saturday

A large spruce tree caused a power outage of more than two hours Saturday, starting just after noon, when it snapped off near its base due to the wind and lodged against power lines. The tree was located on the lot northwest of the intersection of USH 63 and Franklin Street.

According to Gary Newton, Chief of the Baldwin Station of United Fire and Rescue, Excel Energy crews first cut power and then removed the tree from the line. The power outage extended throughout the village.

After the tree was removed from the line, members of the Baldwin Department of Public Works removed the tree while United Fire and law enforcement personnel re-routed traffic from USH 63 and around the downed tree. Power was restored to the village shortly after 2:00 p.m. Public Works employees stayed on the scene until about 3:00 cleaning up the tree.

King and Queen crowned at B-W Prom

Alice Stone was crowned Queen and Brett Tiffany as King at the B-W Junior Prom Grand March Saturday afternoon at B-W High School.

Woodville woman killed in Minnesota crash

Lucille I. Helgeson of Woodville was killed in a car crash Thursday afternoon, April 24 on Rivercrest Road in Lakeland, Minnesota near Highway 95, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

According to the State Patrol, Mrs. Helgeson, 86, was a passenger in a Pontiac Bonneville going west on Rivercrest Road when it was broadsided by another car driven by Madeline D. Johnson, 55, of Hudson, driving a Dodge Nitro, going south on Minnesota 95. The Bonneville was being driven by Mrs. Helgeson's husband, George W. Helgeson, 89, who was taken to Regions Hospital for his injuries that were determined to be not life-threatening.

Johnson was taken to Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater with injuries caused by the air bag which were also determined to be not life-threatening, the State Patrol said.

The State Patrol said the roads were wet at the time of the accident which was about 3:00 p.m.

Village Board Approves Paramedic Training for EMS Service

Patient care will be enhanced with additional training that will allow Baldwin Area EMS Service to offer paramedic care to patients. The move to paramedic care by the Baldwin Area EMS was approved by the Baldwin village board at a special meeting held last Wednesday, April 23.

According to Baldwin Area EMS Service Director Craig Nelson, the additional training and move to paramedic status will allow the Service to provide "people with the best patient care possible." He said the level of care will increase both for 9-1-1 calls and transport calls.

Nelson said current plans call for between eight and 12 people to receive paramedic training. He noted that the Service is also looking at hiring some outside paramedics if necessary. Primarily, the paramedic training provides for advanced care in the areas of cardiac care and allows some additional medications.

The move will also have financial implications, said Nelson. He said rules at the federal level have also added incentive for the change.

Village Administrator Cindy Deringer said the upgrade will make the village eligible for some federal funding and will put Baldwin Area EMS Service ahead of national standards. She added that the main cost of the upgrade is additional training expenses, but the EMS Service has always incurred training expenses.

Deringer noted that there was concern that paramedics trained at village expense would leave for other services and so some contract language is being explored that would compensate the village for those expenses in some circumstances.

In other action at the meeting the board:

Passed an emergency Operations Plan and a resolution identifying a line of succession in the event of an emergency. The line of success includes the village president and then trustees. Both Municipal Court Judge Howard Ott and Secretary Shelley Lansing have announced their resignation from their posts. After discussion, the board passed a motion to ask Tammy Hovde, who ran for the position in the spring election but was defeated by incumbent Judge Ott, if she is still interested in the position. There is a training session for municipal judges in early May. The board also discussion a temporary replacement judge for the next couple court sessions.