Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Fusion repeat at WIAA girls state hockey champions


Kalli Armagost is surrounded by teammates as she hoists the 2010 girls state championship trophy following the 5-2 win over Green Bay co-op last Saturday in Madison. It is the second consecutive state championship for the team made up off girls from Baldwin-Woodville, St. Croix Central, River Falls and Spring Valley. On Friday the Fusion beat University School co-op 2-0 in the seminfinal game.
In addition, Baldwin-Woodville senior Tanis Klingler, a Fusion defenseman, was named the 2009-10 Ms. Hockey of Wisconsin at a banquet on Thursday in Madison. Ms. Hockey is voted on by the Girls Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association members.
Another highpoint in local sports action was the Baldwin-Woodville boys basketball team advancing to sectional play with a 65-64 overtime win over Rice Lake in the regional final last Saturday.


Kohl Educational Foundation Scholarship recipients announced

The selection committee for the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship Program has announced the recipients of the 2010 Herb Kohl Foundation awards for students and teachers. The $1,000 awards are being made to 100 teachers, their schools, and 200 graduating high school students.
Letters notifying recipients of the award were mailed by the Herb Kohl Foundation on February 26. Regional recognition luncheons honoring the recipients will be held in a few weeks. Senator Kohl will attend all luncheons and present awards to recipients. Included on the list of Initiative Scholars were: Edward Rumpel of Baldwin and April Finke of Spring Valley.
Initiative Scholarship recipients, chosen by their schools, have demonstrated exceptional initiative in the classroom and have shown strong promise for succeeding in college and beyond, but have not yet received other academic-based scholarships. “I think it is significant that Wisconsin students, teachers and schools are recognized for their devotion to education and learning,” said Michael Lancaster, WCRIS president.
The Kohl Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship program was established by U.S. Senator Herb Kohl in 1990. To date the foundation has awarded $7.1 million to Wisconsin educators, students and schools. “Education is the key to the future of Wisconsin and our nation. I am very proud of the accomplishments of these students and teachers and look forward to the great contributions they will make in the future,” Kohl said.

Andrew Ring selected to perform with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps

Andrew Ring of Baldwin has been selected to perform as a member of the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps of Dubuque, Iowa. Approximately 350 young people audition for one of the 150 positions.
Andrew is the son of Ralph and Kathleen Ring of Baldwin and is a junior at Baldwin-Woodville High School and is a member of the high school band.
The Colts are named “Iowa’s Ambassadors of Music” by the Governor of Iowa and are an elite competitive drum and bugle corps, currently ranked in the top 14 in world class competition.
He will be a member of the tuba section in the Colts. Members are selected through a competitive audition process. Young people from 33 states and overseas have auditioned this year.
This is Andrew’s first year with the Colts.
The Colts membership experience is an intensive, challenging and high achievement environment where life and leadership skills are taught. The Colts attract highly successful young people. The average GPA in the Colts is over 3.5 and more than 95% of members in an average year are in college or college bound, compared to the national average of college attendance after high school of 43%. Members of the Colts are between the ages of 16 and 21 years old, and the average age is approximately 19.
The Colts travel and perform throughout the summer, beginning Memorial Day weekend, and concluding the second weekend of August. The group will tour more than 65 days and perform over 40 times for an audience estimated to number over 200,000 people. The group lives ‘on the road’ the entire time, sleeping in gymnasiums and eating meals prepared in a semi-turned kitchen truck.
The Drum Corps International finals will be held at the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana August 12-14, 2010. The 2010 Colts will compete in major shows in Denver, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Allentown, PA, among many other locations.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting Items from
Surrounding Communities


NEW RICHMOND NEWS: New Richmond High School’s new gymnasium didn’t meet expectations and it cracked under the pressure - literally. “They were unloading pallets of wood for the floor and actually broke through the concrete,” said Morrie Veilleux, district administrator. “Well, they didn’t actually break through…it cracked and crumbled.” It turns out the concrete slab that was supposed to be anywhere from four to six inches was 1-1/2 inches thick in some areas. “It wasn’t poured to specs so they’re going to have to take it out and replace it,” Veilleux said. According to specs, the 19,000 square-foot concrete floor was supposed to be six inches thick under the bleachers and four inches thick on the playing floor. After testing, engineers found the floor was actually five inches thick under the bleachers and 1-2/3 inches thick on the playing floor. “We’re sure not happy by any means,” Veilleux said. “But they’re going to make it right. If anything we still have some of their money from the contract and we have their bonds. That’s why you have that sort of thing.” While replacing the floor is certainly a hiccup in the construction of the new gymnasium, it won’t push the project behind, Veilleux said. “They’re going to use a special mix…it’s actually the same concrete mix they used at Williams Arena (University of Minnesota) when that floor was replaced,” Veilleux said. “It should be dry and ready to go in 30,31,32 days.” The gym floors must be completed by July 2, he said.

MONDOVI HERALD-NEWS: A civil lawsuit has been filed by a rural Eleva couple in connection with the death of their daughter who died after exiting a moving vehicle in 2007. Roger and Claudia Wampole filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Eau Claire County Court last week against Brian J. Kelly, who was driving the car in which his girlfriend, Nancy L. Wampole, was a passenger on June 27, 2007. Authorities say Wampole was dropped off at the Sacred Heart Hospital emergency room in Eau Claire that night with life-threatening injuries. An investigation showed Wampole was injured after exiting a motor vehicle while traveling at highway speeds in Dunn County. The manner in which she left the vehicle was unknown. Kelly told authorities that Wampole fell from his moving vehicle on 810th St. in Dunn county. He drove Wampole to the hospital, dropped her off at about 2:45 a.m. and left. Wampole was unconscious when she was left at the hospital and did not have her purse or any identification with her. The police were later contacted by hospital workers who had noted the license plate of the vehicle that left her.

AMERY FREE PRESS: Codie Erickson, 18, Amery, was arrested by Amery police last week accused of bullying. According to the report, an Amery high school female discovered a problem with her vehicle when she could not stop it at an intersection and another student had to come to her aid. The discovery was made that the gas line, brake lines and tires had been cut. The student then drove the truck to the Amery police department, where she was asked if she had any idea who the suspect could be. The student indicated she had been having problems with Erickson and his girlfriend for a few months. Erickson and his mother were interviewed by police and Codie was arrested and charged with first degree reckless endangering safety.

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): If a committee formed last week agrees, the Osceola School District could ask voters to approve a multi-million dollar referendum that would fund energy conservation improvements and renewable energy generation in the district. During its February 24 meeting, the Osceola School Board voted to appoint a ten-member citizens committee to study the feasibility of a list of energy projects identified recently by the Osceola Energy Independence Team. The committee is tasked to make a recommendation to the full school board by early September as to which projects to pursue, so that the board could organize a referendum for the November mid-term election. District Administrator Roger Kumlien noted that the energy team’s list of projects was so extensive that examining all the potential costs and paybacks will be a sizable chore for the committee.