Fedie and Johnson advance to the state meet

The St. Croix Central golf team will be represented by two golfers at the WIAA state tournament on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

Brad Fedie was the low score of individuals not on a qualifying team with an 81 and Austin Johnson tied for second place with an 82. Eric Christensen of Amery is the third qualifier from the Somerset Sectional.

"The kids are excited," said Coach Lindy Johnson. "They played very well."

Fedie had a 43 on the front nine at Bristol Ridge Tuesday, but came back with a 38 on the back nine. Johnson's round was just the opposite with a 38 on the front and 44 on the back.

The Panthers missed qualifying the whole team by just two strokes. Rice Lake won the sectional title with 329 and Mosinee was second at 342. The Panthers were just two strokes back at 344.

"We would have liked going to sudden death," Johnson said about a playoff for the second qualifying spot. "We had two solid rounds with a 342 at regionals and 344 at sectionals."

Other Panther scores were Jesse Krizan 90, Colin Bruesewitz 91 and Nick Revoir 101.

The Panther golfers began state tournament play at University Ridge near Madison with 18 holes on Monday. Both Central golfers shot an 87. Fedie shot 44-43 and Johnson shot 4740. Eric Christensen leads Division 2 after a first round 69. Play continues with 18 holes on Tuesday.

"The key at University Ridge is to hit the ball straight," Johnson said. "The course plays long, but both kids can play the long ball."

Howard wins two matches at state

Tyler Howard, Baldwin-Woodville's best tennis player ever, won his first two matches at the WIAA Division 2 state tournament before falling to the defending state champion and then losing in a consolation match to the number three seed in the tournament.

"Tyler had a very good tournament," said B-W Coach Jim Rumpel. "He definitely had some tough draws along the way and still did everything we asked of him."

B-W's top doubles team of Nathan Zacharias and Ed Rumpel also "did very well against a very good team," said Coach Rumpel. Playing their first match against the team that went on to lose to the team that went on to finish third in the doubles tournament, they lost 6-2, 6-3.

Coach Rumpel said in his opinion, Howard played "one of the two toughest players he could have drawn" out of the 20 possibilities in first round competition, Matthew Bellio, a sophomore of Saint Mary's Springs with an 18-3 record, and won 6-3, 7-5. In the second round he beat the player who beat the Altoona foreign exchange student whom Howard had beaten twice during the year. By beating the Altoona player, Jimmy Leschke, a senior of Oshkosh Lourdes with a 14-7 record, "obviously was a good player," said Coach Rumpel, and Howard beat him 6-3, 6-0 and "played very solid tennis.

In the third round Howard faced the defending state champion Michael Koval of Notre Dame, with a 26-1 record, who until the final round didn't lose a game at the tournament. "Sometimes people who don't understand the game will look at a score of 6-0, 6-0 and think there's a huge difference, but it's not always a huge difference," said Coach Rumpel. "Sometimes a shot here or a shot there makes the difference."

In the consolation bracket for fifth place, "probably the biggest thing affecting Tyler was the number three seed upset" so Tyler had to play him in the first round of the consolation. "So by the luck of the draw, his consolation match was against the toughest kid he could have faced and in a tough match in which he kept fighting back, he lost 6-4, 7-6.

"Just to show how tough that player was, he went on to win fifth place match and had a much easier time than he did against Tyler," said Coach Rumpel.

Wagner second in 3200m race

Baldwin-Woodville's premier distance runner Kayla Wagner powered to a second place finish in near record-setting time in the 3200m run in Division 2 action at the WIAA state track meet Friday night in LaCrosse.

Wagner's time of 10:38.44, more than 20 seconds off her previous best, was less than two seconds shy of the previous Division 2 state record of 10:36.88 set in 1984 by Lori Wolter of Sauk Prairie. Winning the event this year, and no doubt pushed by Wagner, was Ashley Beutler of Belleville/New Glarus who set the new state record of 10:33.43.

The record-setting race was late Friday night after an one and one-half hour delay at the WIAA state track meet at LaCrosse due to a strong band of storms that caused evacuation of the stadium and grounds.

"Kayla felt a little disappointed in Saturday's finish," said B-W Coach Darren Peterson. "But she did extremely well and should be proud of running with and pushing one of the state's premier distance runners. Friday's 3200m run was extremely impressive and from where she was three or four weeks ago she has decreased her time exponentially."

Coach Peterson said Wagner has been taking 20 or so seconds off her time almost every week which is a phenomenal achievement. "The longer a race goes, the stronger she gets."

The results were not quite what Wagner wanted in the 1600m run on Saturday. She finished in seventh place, just one place from being on the podium, with a time of 5:14.25, which is not her best time of the year. "The thing that hurt Kayla, and a lot of other runners who did both the 3200m and 1600m back to back, was the short turn-around time," said Coach Peterson. The rain delay of Friday night that amounted to about two hours, pushed the 3200m run to nearly 10:00 and the 1600m run was early Saturday afternoon.

Coach Peterson noted that the Division 2 times in both the 3200m and 1600m runs were faster than the Division 1 times.

In addition to a short recovery time, Wagner was boxed in by the pack almost immediately in the 1600m run. "The start hurt," said Coach Peterson. "When you have a poor start in a shorter race you have less time to make up for it."

Coach Peterson said that Wagner and Beutler running together helped them both. He added that six of last year's place winners in the 1600m run were returning to the race this year. "Kayla learned how to compete and run in a very competitive race. She competed against elite runners and she held her own very well. It definitely puts her in the top echelon again for next
year."

Coach Peterson's notion that Wagner and Beutler helped each other in the 3200m run is borne out by each of the runners. Beutler is quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal as saying "I was just trying to beat the girl behind me, not set the record. That girl was amazing."

Wagner said she felt good during the 3200m run "except at the end when I felt like my body was breaking because I was trying to go too fast." After the race had ended "Ashley told me I better break the record next year," said Wagner. "She was really nice. It was great to run with her."
She agreed that she pushed Beutler and Beutler pulled her.

At the awards ceremony it was former New Richmond stand-out distance runner Ayla Mitchell who congratulated Wagner and put the medal around her neck. "Ayla talked to me afterwards too. It was exciting and she was so nice," said Wagner.

For the 1600m run, "I was exhausted," said Wagner. "My legs obviously didn't feel as good as they should. During the race my arms and my legs hurt. The beginning was difficult because I got boxed in. I tried to get around people but the anxiety caused me not to run as well as I could. I was a little disappointed but I was happy to be there and happy to run a good race the night before."

Man arrested after knife attack

A man was arrested on Sunday, May 18 in Woodville at his parents' home after a Hudson man was stabbed eight times in the upper torso.

According to River Falls police, Robert D. Close, 23, formerly of River Falls, was arrested Sunday evening after a stabbing that happened about 2:00 a.m. in River Falls. The man who was knifed was Ronald J. Drexl, 27, of Hudson.

According to River Falls police, Drexl was with other people celebrating a birthday and had an argument with Close at The Library Bar in River Falls. After Drexl and others left the bar and walked to a park, they again met Close and began fighting. When it was over Close ran off.

Drexl was initially unaware he'd been stabbed and walked with the other people to their car. He started having trouble breathing and discovered he was bleeding. Ambulance personnel were called and Drexl was immediately taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for emergency surgery.

At Close's parents' home in Woodville, River Falls and Woodville police and a St. Croix County Sheriff's deputy arrested Close Sunday evening.

Close has recently been released on parole from state prison where he was serving a sentence for second degree sexual assault of a child and drug possession with intent to deliver. He was convicted in Pierce County. The stabbing incident violates his parole in several specifics.

River Falls police said that besides the people with Drexl, no other people witnessed the attack. However, using surveillance video from the bar, police said they were able to identify Close as the knifing suspect.

The knife used in the stabbing has not been recovered but has been described as a hunting knife with a four or five inch blade.

Sandee Blakeley retires after 34 years

When Sandee Blakeley first began her teaching career at Baldwin-Woodville in 1977, she was hired as a half-time reading teacher at Greenfield Elementary. She had four years of teaching experience in southern Wisconsin after earning her degree from University of Wisconsin - Whitewater in 1972. Sandee eventually taught kindergarten, third grade and will end her career at fourth grade this spring.

"I guess I really enjoy the fourth graders the most," Blakeley said, "you can talk to them more like an adult, and they're much more independent than the younger ones."

Blakeley was married in 1976 to the business director for the River Falls School District, so when a position became available in Baldwin in 1977, she took it.

"One of my favorite memories in teaching is the April Fool's joke we played on the fourth graders," Blakeley said. "We told them they all needed to have spring fever shots." The school nurse was in on the prank, so when the students were lined up for their "shots" the nurse presented the biggest syringe she could find.

"I don't think my mom wants me to have this shot," said several of the wide-eyed students. But the teachers assured them that the proper papers were signed and they all needed the shots.

"April Fool's!" said the teachers, much the relief of the students.

Blakeley has a lifelong interest in the arts, which she plans to actively pursue in retirement, she said. "I plan to be involved in the River Falls Theater group and I would like to take painting lessons." She is interested in pursuing work doing voice-overs for film or radio and also recording books-on-tape.

"I think I'll volunteer at the library for story-times, too," she said.

Blakeley also said she is considering working as a medical transcriptionist. "I received some training in the medical field before I got my teaching degree, so the interest has always been there."

"Of course, my husband and I will try to travel more, maybe even spending part of the year in Mexico," Blakeley said. Her husband retired six years ago from 3M.

The Blakeleys have two daughters, one of whom is being married this October and is a nurse at Children's Hospital. Their other daughter is pursuing a career as a school counselor.

Durrence and Angell win first place for third year

Hunter Angell, left, and Brandon Durrence, B-W seniors, received their third first place award for their Animation Trilogy-Park 3 "Day of Ultimatum" at the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association Media Fair.

Two Baldwin-Woodville seniors have achieved a remarkable feat.

They have received a first place award in the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association's annual Media Fair for "computer generated" video for three years in a row.

Hunter Angell and Brandon Durrence's submission this year was titled "Day of Ultimatum" and was part 3 of an Animation Trilogy.

"I think it's safe to say it's a Star Wars inspired animation," said B-W High School Media Specialist Jim Perkins. The third part of the trilogy by Durrence and Angell is about 20 minutes long, he added. The slides in the power point presentation pass quickly and give the effect of animation, said Perkins.

The pair of B-W seniors used about 2,000 slides in the program to create their work.

The Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association is an independent professional association made up of library media specialists, technology professionals and others who work in the areas of school-related informational media and technology. This year Wisconsin students entered about 200 informational media and technology-related projects in the areas of photography, computer-generated media, illustrated books, pop-up books, radio plays, webpage design and video.

Tennis team sends two entries to state Howard is seeded; Zacharias and Rumpel make first trip

Tyler Howard, Baldwin-Woodville's best ever tennis player and four time Middle Border Conference champion, is making his fourth trip to the WIAA Division 2 state tennis tournament.

Howard's record moved to 16-0 as he cruised through sub-sectional and sectional competitors on Monday-Tuesday and Thursday of last week. The sectional win for Howard was his second consecutive year of capturing the championship.

Nathan Zacharias and Ed Rumpel, B-W's number one doubles team, needed just one victory at sectional competition to advance to state, and they did better than that by winning two of their three matches.

B-W Coach Jim Rumpel said a lot of the credit for doubles play goes to Adam Bassak. "I try not to get too involved in doubles matches so Adam handles the coaching and does an excellent job," he said.

According to Coach Rumpel, in every round Howard "faced good, tough competition. And in every round he faced moments when he had to step up his game and he did. He has facets of his game he doesn't always have to tap into but when he had to Thursday he more than did."

Derrek Pedersen qualifies for state

St. Croix Central junior Derrek Pedersen qualified for the WIAA state track meet with a fourth place finish in the 800 meter run at the Division 2 sectional last Thursday at Medford.

Pedersen had finished in third place at the Amery Regional on Monday with a time of 2:05.14. On Thursday he lowered his personal best time to 2:03.15 for the fourth place finish.

Pedersen will run in Division 2 800 on Friday afternoon at the Veterans Memorial Sports Complex at UW-LaCrosse.

Wagner qualifies for state in 1600m and 3200m

Baldwin-Woodville's record setting track star Kayla Wagner continued her string of school records while finishing first in both the 3200m and 1600m runs at the sectional meet last Thursday at Medford.

Wagner will compete at the WIAA state track meet at LaCrosse in both events, on Friday in the 3200m run and on Saturday in the 1600m run.

Unfortunately, none of the other B-W sectional competitors finished in fourth place or better to advance to the state event.

Wagner has the top time going into the state event in the 3200m run and stands in second position in the 1600m run. In both races her chief competitor is Ashley Beutler of Belleville/New Glarus, with the second fastest time in the 1600m run and the top time in the 3200m run. Beutler won the division 2 cross country race last fall in Black River Falls in which Wagner finished in seventh place.

"They were impressive races by Kayla at sectional," said B-W Coach Darren Peterson. "She's sitting pretty good. I think she can do really well at state."

Wagner's time in the 3200m run was her first time under 11 minutes at 10:59.65 and 10 seconds faster than her regional time of 11:09.74. Needless to say, both times were school and individual records for Wagner. Beutler comes into the state meet with a time of 11:00.92.

In the 1600m run at sectional, Wagner's time of 5:08.69 bested her regional time of 5:14.84. Beutler's time at sectional was 5:06.27.

BAMC recognized during National Hospital Week

Having a hospital in a small community such as Baldwin provides more benefits than the obvious one of immediate access to medical care.

The benefits also include employment opportunities and a huge payroll which adds vitality to the local economy.

This week, May 11 through May 17, is National Hospital Week, and upon reflection, the benefits of having a local hospital become apparent.

Julie Herman, Chair of BAMC's Board of Trustees said the hospital is "vitally important to the community and surrounding service area." She complimented the "dedicated and loyal employees" for their personal approach to patient care.

Baldwin Village President Don McGee, who also serves on BAMC's Board of Trustees said a hospital is a major factor in business recruitment. "Businesses look at whether there's a hospital, at the schools and at the parks," he said. "So the hospital is very important" to the community in ways other than the medical care it provides to area residents.

"Our goal is that Baldwin Area Medical Center is well thought of by people in the area as providing high quality, friendly health and wellness services," said BAMC CEO Greg Burns. "What probably comes to mind less often for people is the large stimulus the Medical Center generates for the local economy. As one of the largest employers in the area, and a major purchaser of goods and services, the Medical Center's contribution to the economic vitality of the area is very significant."

The local economy is a beneficiary of having a hospital. The salaries paid to BAMC employees last year amounted to $9,970,000. The employment opportunities span a range of categories, including CNAs, RNs, MAs and LPNs.

For the first six months of this fiscal year, there have been 600 admissions to BAMC, and the average daily census is 8.6.

In addition to hospital and clinic services, BAMC provides important adjunct services and activities. Physical therapy and cardiac rehab are provided in BAMC's Wellness Center. An exercise area-the Fitness Center-open to the general public, along with a therapeutic pool, is also
part of the Wellness Center.

Pastor and Mrs. Draayer to head for retirement in California

An aspect of growing up that was denied to his children is a primary motivation for the early retirement of Rev. Leon Draayer as pastor of The First Reformed Church of Baldwin and as a "minister of word and sacrament" in the Reformed Church in America.

"I would have liked to stay longer [at The First Reformed Church]," said Pastor Draayer, "except for the age factor and the family factor having stayed back in California. I could have easily served until I was 65 except I have two grandchildren and I need to be the grandparent to my grandchildren that my grandparents were to me." He added that because of the five different churches he served during his ministry and the moving that entailed, his children never had the experience of growing up with their grandparents nearby.

"My main reason for quitting and going back [to California] is to be a grandpa to my grandkids," said Pastor Draayer.

Pastor Draayer and his wife, Marion, will load up a truck on May 23 and make the journey to Mira Loma, California, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles. Their last Sunday at First Reformed Church is May 18.

The Draayers are moving to Country Village, a 115 acre complex with 96 units. Each unit has four apartments on a single level.

The best feature of Country Village is its location just a few miles from each of the Draayers' daughters, Heidi, Andrea and Leah-and their grandkids.

"We're basically going back to where we came from," said Pastor Draayer, adding that they won't be able to attend the church he served there because it no longer exists. Instead, he said, the couple will probably attend a Presbyterian church in Riverside, which has a bell choir. Marion has been a member of Zion Lutheran's bell choir for the last six years and would like to continue that activity.

The Draayers' daughter, Andrea, is getting married soon after they return to California. Pastor Draayer said he will think about getting a job, perhaps with Forest Lawn Mortuaries helping people plan their services. "I feel that's somewhere within my experience and giftedness."

Pastor Draayer said that some things stand out in his mind about his service in Baldwin. "God blessed me with a great and loving congregation and I am thankful for the six and one-half years here."

As everyone who knows Pastor Draayer is aware, he is not a fan of winter. "I won't miss the cold weather and salt," he noted.

But he will fondly remember his time in Baldwin, he said. Several events stand out for him. First, the 100th year anniversary of the First Reformed Church during which the congregation met the goal of giving $100,000 over-and-above the church's budget, and it was all given away to a variety of causes. "I didn't believe it was possible, even though it was my idea," said Pastor Draayer, "but we gave $103,000-that was just amazing.

"I think what I've appreciated about this congregation is they love the preaching of the Word, and I love to preach it. They are very attentive people. I always thought they were listening and they simply love the Word. I believe that they accepted Marion and me. We have felt loved, we'll leave a lot of good friends. We'll miss them."

Pastor Draayer also noted the church's family night suppers, especially the home cooking, and the fact ("something I had nothing to do with") that First Reformed has sent 16 people into the pastoral ministry and one into mission service. "Which for a church of this size, I think is pretty amazing."

Pastor Draayer's successor has already been chosen and he will be coming into a good congregation. "For my successor this will be a great place to start and to learn how to do ministry."

Pastor Draayer said he has enjoyed his floor level, center court seat at B-W basketball games with Carley Lokken and Pete Vrieze. He enjoyed his membership in the "Table of Knowledge" men's coffee group. Also, he said, the local pastoral group is a strength. Not all churches belong, he said, "but of the six that do, there is a real sense of Christian brotherhood and collegiality. I've been a part of a ministerial association before but never to this degree where we can really work together. The pastors genuinely have a good time together. We like each other and we support each other. It's pretty special."

He also said that he has some regrets from his time in Baldwin. "I wish I could have grown the church more than what I did." He added another regret was that he did not become more involved in community events sooner and he did not volunteer for more things.

Forensics team wins excellence award

An "Excellence in Speech Award" was presented last week to Baldwin-Woodville forensics coaches Roxi Wakeen, second from left, and Angela Schmoker, second from right. The award was presented by B-W's Wade Labecki, left, who serves as District three chair on the board of the Wisconsin High School Forensic Association. Also in the picture is B-W High School Principal Eric Russell.

The "Excellence in Speech Award" is given to the top five percent scoring schools that compete at the state speech festival at UW-Madison. Only 18 schools state-wide qualify for the award.

Over 4,000 students competed in Madison, representing 364 school districts. The award commendation said that Coaches Schmoker and Wakeen "have compiled enough points to be recognized as an outstanding speech program."

The B-W forensics program was also recognized as the top one in this district.

This is the fourth "Excellence in Speech Award" that has been won by the B-W program while Mrs. Wakeen has been coaching forensics.

Hovde appointed Municipal Judge

At a special Baldwin Village Board meeting last Monday, May 5, trustees named Tamora Hovde as the new municipal judge for the village.

She attended training sessions for municipal judges last week, said Village Presdent Don McGee. While she is training, municipal court sessions for Baldwin have been delayed.

It's Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere!

Road construction, that is. On Monday crews started the USH 63 upgrade project through Baldwin with the work of realigning the lanes of traffic through Baldwin.

Pam Donahue Retires This Year

Pam Donahue, a physical education, adaptive phy-ed and health teacher at Viking Middle School, will retire from her position this year. But she'll likely end her teaching career the way she started it.

Right out of college-UW-River Falls-Mrs. Donahue started her teaching career by substitute teaching, first at Somerset and later mostly at St. Croix Central, B-W and Glenwood City.

After she retires, Mrs. Donahue plans to continue teaching, at least occasionally, as a substitute teacher.

But she said that "I have other things to do also." She noted that she probably can't read any more than she does now, and plans to continue that. "I'll maybe see the grandchildren more and visit my folks" who are in Illinois.

She also plans to offer her services as a volunteer.

Pam Kruse was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended grammar school at St. Norbert's in Northbrook, Illinois. While in High School she was on the synchronized swimming club and participated in the synchronized swimming nationals at UW-River Falls. "I decided it was a nice, small school that was good in physical education which was what I was interested in," and that's what brought her to this area.

Her senior year she married Dan Donahue and they lived in Roberts where they were the caretakers at the Division Street Apartments. Later they built their house in which they still reside in the Town of Erin Prairie.

After substitute teaching, Mrs. Donahue was first hired as a long-term substitute at B-W in 1987-88. She was hired part-time in 1989 and from then until 1993 she worked between Greenfield and the High School where she taught health and phy-ed.

In 1993 Pam was hired full time and worked in all three B-W schools. In 1999 she worked only at Viking and Greenfield until 2001 and from then until this year she has only been at Viking Middle School.

In addition to her teaching duties, Mrs. Donahue coached volleyball for 19 years-three at seventh grade and 16 as JV coach. She was assistant track coach for 16 years.

The Donahues have two children. Alison lives in Verona, is married, has a son Max who is a freshman at UW-Milwaukee and is co-owner of Siren Fitness.

Darren is married and has three boys, ages four, two and two months. They live in Wasilla, Alaska and Darren is a pilot for Northern Air Cargo.

Over the years Mrs. Donahue said she has had many interesting experiences. One was this year when a pie throwing contest was about to be held and Mrs. Donahue told a girl with whom she did not see exactly eye-to-eye that the girl better get her pie to throw at me [Mrs. Donahue.] No, the girl replied, I've got a pie for "Mr. [So-and-so] because I hate him more than I hate you."

When Mrs. Donahue taught first grade PE there was a unit about folk dancing. The school used a record player with 78 rpm records. One time when Mrs. Donahue took out the record one little student blurted out "'Wow, that's a big CD.' That shows that technology and times have changed," said Mrs. Donahue.

Mrs. Donahue has gone on several Spanish Club trips over the years and has enjoyed the experiences. This summer she will join the Club on a trip to Spain.

During her years at B-W Mrs. Donahue sponsored the fundraiser that raised money for the roller blades that the school district now owns. She has been involved in a fundraiser for the food pantry. She sponsored a club at Viking that made fleece blankets that have been donated to Grace Place and St. Croix Valley Family Resource Center. Mrs. Donahue led the drive for donations that purchased the climbing wall at Viking without expense to the district. And she has held Friday Family Fun night which is held six Fridays, usually in January and February when the gym is opened to families for various activities.

Mrs. Donahue has also participated in Movin' Schools; Governor's Falls Challenge, Shape Up Wisconsin Kids and a yearly eight to 10 week Staff Wellness program as a member of the district's Wellness Policy Committee.

Mission Group Visited Kenya

A group of local people, including a native of Kenya, spent from 10 days to two weeks in March and April on a mission trip to Kenya.

Members of the group are pictured above at the equator, from left: Pastor John Hanson; James Arati, a Kenyan and employee of Baldwin Dairy; John Vrieze a dairyman and entrepreneur; Joy Grognet; Lori Hetfeld; and Nancy Rowe, who was on her third mission trip to Kenya.

The group traveled to a town called Maseno, which is about 30 miles from Kusomo, and stayed at a compound with two doctors. There is also a small college there and James has family there.

According to Hetfeld, the weather was pleasant, with the temperature in the low 80s during the day and dropping to the upper 60s at night. She said the compound where they stayed was modern and had electricity and water. She also noted that although there has recently been
violence in Kenya stemming from elections which were alleged to be fraudulent, there were no flare-ups while the group was there.

According to an article that was published in a Kenyan newspaper while the group was there, the goal of the group was to help orphans at Esivalu Primary School. They assisted the children with food, school uniforms and books. In addition, they are assisting the village with a water project.

Pastor Hanson also took solar ovens on the trip, which can be operated without wood used as fuel. They are manufactured in the Twin Cities.

Attorney Ordered to Pay Woodville

The Kevin Sheridan saga in the Village of Woodville may well be over with a St. Croix County Circuit Court Judge's decision ordering Sheridan's attorney, Harry Hertel, and his law firm, Hertel & Gibbs, S.C., in his lawsuit against the Woodville Police Review Board to pay $3,262.57 to the Village of Woodville in compensation for defending what the judge determined was a frivolous claim.

Sheridan was the former Police Chief of Woodville who was terminated by the Police Review Board for misconduct in September 2006 after an evidentiary hearing.

The decision by Judge Edward F. Vlack was reached on December 21 of last year.

In his "Memorandum Decision and Order" Judge Vlack noted that "when imposing sanctions, the court shall describe the conduct determined to constitute a violation of this rule and the basis for the sanction imposed.ŠFirst, the Court finds that Mr. Hertel failed to conduct a reasonable inquiry into the facts of the claims." And that the claim that Sheridan's constitutional right of free speech was violated is frivolous.

Second of the reasons given for awarding Woodville damages from the law firm is "Mr. Hertel knew or should have known that there was no basis in the law to support his claims."

And as the third reason, "Mr. Hertel had the opportunity to withdraw or dismiss once he realized there may have been no basis in the law or facts to support his contention."

Finally, wrote Judge Vlack "[m]ost importantly, Mr. Hertel was given another opportunity to withdraw or dismiss [in January 2007] when the board's attorney served Mr. Hertel with a copy of the motion for frivolous claim and indicated that pursuant to statute, she would wait the necessary 21 days before filing the motion. In this 21-day period, Mr. Hertel did not respond to the Board's attorney, nor did he make a motion to withdraw, supply law that supported his argument or anything else that would seem reasonable, but instead stated that during this period he relied on his client alone."

Judge Vlack wrote that "Mr. Hertel's actions here rise to the level of imposing sanctions against him in the form of attorneys fees for the Board in having to defend against this frivolous claim."

According to the decision, the facts of the case include the findings by the Police Review Board that "Sheridan's removal was required and his employment must be terminated because Mr. Sheridan refused to wear a uniform on duty; his action of hand-marking the village police car in violation of department practice was police misconductŠ; Mr. Sheridan violated policies and the Village Personnel Manual by refusing to obey Village Board orders, intimidating Village Board members, and being publicly disrespectful to superior officers while on duty; Mr. Sheridan violated Village OrdinanceŠby smoking in the office of the Woodville Police Department; he violated policies and procedures by using the Woodville squad car for personal use; and he wrote "Woodville Police Department" with window wax on the village squad car.

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.