120 years of service by Newtons

Three members of the Newton family of Baldwin have a combined total of 120 years of service on United Fire and Rescue Department and before that the Baldwin Fire Department.
Verlyn Newton, at right above, has been a Fire Department member for 57 years. During his tenure he served as a captain for many years. He remains active with the Department.
His sons Doug, left, and Gary, center, are also members of United Fire. Doug has been a member for 34 years and served as chief for a time and also as assistant chief. Gary, who is presently Baldwin Station Chief, has been a Fire Department member for 29 years.

B-W students perform in WI State Honor Choirs

Baldwin-Woodville students Jordan Lehman, Brandon Serier and Marah Kittelson were accepted into the Wisconsin Middle Level State Honors Choir. This choir is comprised of 100 seventh, eighth and ninth grade students from across the state. Marah is an eighth grader at Viking Middle School and Brandon and Jordan are 9th graders at Baldwin-Woodville High School.
These students auditioned in April and were invited to be a part of this choir in the summer. They will traveled to Madison on Friday, October 30 to rehearse and then perform in concert on Saturday, October 31 at the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Music Conference. More than 1200 students auditioned for the Middle Level State Honors Music Project. Three hundred-sixteen students were selected for the three ensembles – choir, band and orchestra.
Heather Aune was accepted into the Wisconsin High School State Honors Treble Choir. This 100 voice choir is comprised of students in grades ten, eleven and twelve. Heather is a senior at B-W High School. She auditioned last February and was notified in April that she was selected. In June she attended a three day music camp held on the UW-Green Bay campus.
Heather was in Madison on October 28 to rehearse with the choir and put the finishing touches on their music. The WI State High School Honors Choir Concert was Thursday, October 29 at the Overture Center in Madison as part of the WI State Music Conference. Over 1800 students auditioned for the High School State Honors Music Project. Four hundred-thirty students from across the state were selected for the five ensembles – mixed choir, treble choir, jazz ensemble, orchestra, and concert band.

Village budget seeks to hold the line

With the present economic times, members of the Baldwin Village Board were intent on holding the line on spending and not raising taxes for the 2010 budget. According to Village Administrator Cindy Deringer “based on the best assessment we have” of state figures regarding aids and property values, the village board will present a village budget for 2010 that keeps the same mill rate and the same dollar amounts as this year’s budget.
“The board, during these times, did not want to have any increases,” said Deringer about the meeting that was held last Wednesday, October 28.
This year’s budget has a mill rate of $7.98 per $1,000 of valuation and that same rate will be in effect for the coming budget “with some assumptions about how the state sets the assessment ratio,” said Deringer. “Our intent is that it’s the same.”
To accomplish the goal of holding spending to the same level, there were a couple of cut backs said Deringer. There are not as many street projects as in past years. The budget for the Baldwin Public Library was only half of the increase that was requested.
There was money put in the budget to pave the Baldwin EMS parking lot, with most of the money coming from a sinking fund that had been established for that purpose and an additional amount to cover the expected cost over the amount in the sinking fun.
There were some changes in parks outlay, said Deringer, including removing a pickup truck and some irrigation costs from the budget. For law enforcement, a new patrol car will not come from the budget but will be taken out of a sinking fund.
One increase in the budget was for new carpet for the Baldwin Library and Senior Center, said Deringer. In addition, there is money in the budget for park pathways paving.

News From the Exchanges
  Interesting items from
    Surrounding communities

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: The Hudson-River Falls Area Rail Group invites all residents to a public meeting “Bringing Trains to River Falls” 7 to 8 .m. Wednesday, November 4 at the public library in the ground floor meeting room. Group member and rail enthusiast William “Bill” Draves said the meeting will be a chance for people to learn the importance of trains for UW-River Falls, the top ten reasons to support train travel and the plans and options for passenger rail access for Hudson and River Falls. “It’s very exciting and important,” Draves said about area rail development. In the next four to six months, according to Draves, Wisconsin will submit funding proposals to the U.S. Department of Transportation for high-speed rail that would link to the Twin Cities and to many parts of Wisconsin. He says most of the local group’s interest focuses on the lines that would connect to the Twin Cities. The most immediate plan is for a line connecting Milwaukee to Madison; Draves said nearly everyone agrees it is needed. That will be the first line running. The second part of that route could be a Madison to Twin Cities line. While the exact route is not yet determined, it’s proposed to run along the river and through Winona stopping in Red Wing, Minn.

AMERY FREE PRESS: An employee at Super America on US 8 near St. Croix Falls saw three suspicious briefcases. The person called the Polk County Sheriff’s Department at 10:25 a.m. on Monday, September 26. The briefcases were located at two sites near the building. Sheriff’s deputies found four more cases across US 8 in the parking area of Wayne’s Café. All the cases were sealed with tape and left in plain view. St. Croix Fire Department was also called to the scene. Both businesses were evacuated. A request for assistance was made for the Marathon (Wausau) County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad. The unit arrived in the evening hours. The bomb squad utilized a robotic device to move the cases away from the building and opened them at a safe distance. All three cases were empty. A bomb squad member then suited up in protective gear and opened the remaining cases in Wayne’s Café parking lot. Those cases were also empty. The incident took over nine hours to resolve and included assistance from the St. Croix Falls Police Department. “This call was costly in terms of lost revenue to local businesses and law enforcement and fire department personnel, as well as the anticipated costs of the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office assistance,” said Polk Sheriff Tim Moore. “I am confident that we took all precautions to insure the public’s safety as our primary interest,” he said. The matter was concluded about 7:30.

HUDSON STAR-OBSERVER: As of Tuesday afternoon, Daniel Craig Christenson, 43, 1321 St. Croix Heights, remains in critical condition in an induced coma at Regions Hospital in St. Paul after being shot by police outside his house at the end of a seven-hour stand off on October 18. Nate Livermore, 15, of Hudson who was one of four teenagers who escaped the house after Christenson began shooting inside at around 5 p.m. on October 17 is recovering from surgery after being bitten by a police dog as he ran from the house. Livermore and Christenson’s son Zachary, 19, broke a basement window and helped a 13-year-old girl and another 15-year-old boy escape through the window before running to safety themselves. As Livermore ran from the house, he was set upon by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department police dog that latched onto his arm. The boy was treated for the dog bite at Hudson Hospital on the night of the incident but by Monday had developed a serious infection and was rushed to Regions Hospital for treatment. He underwent surgery on October 20 to replace a damaged artery in his left arm. He came home from the hospital on Friday.

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): For the fifth time in the last few months and for the fourth time in the past few weeks, another bank in this area was robbed. Bremer Bank in Elk Mound was the target of a robbery at around 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 21. According to a news release from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department, a lone person entered the bank at 116 W. Menomonie Street (U.S. Highway 12) in Elk Mound, demanded money from bank employees and threatened that he had a gun. The news release also notes that bank employees did not actually see a weapon. The bank robber was described as a white male, approximately 30 years old, with a thin build and between 5’6” and 5’8” tall, wearing black-framed sunglasses with possibly a blue strip on the bows. He also was wearing a dark-colored baseball cap, green camouflage jacket with a hood up over the baseball cap, dark pants and dark shoes or boots.

WOODVILLE LEADER: The congregation of the First Baptist Church of Woodville held their regular service Sunday morning, but the message from Pastor Dennis Tapp held a special significance because Sunday was their much anticipated ground-breaking day for a new church. First Baptist was founded in 1885 and the original section of the church building was erected ten years later in 1895. That section with several additions still stands to day and has become a cramped space for the active congregation of 100 faithful parishioners. The architect and general contractor for the project have been selected with the work to begin as soon as possible to allow for winter construction and completion to occur in late spring or early summer. The old church will be offered for sale, the new church site is just south of Viking Middle School.

“Clear Lake, WI” showing in Menomonie

Dustin Booth, left, and Brian Ide, attended a question and answer session at Baldwin-Woodville High School for media classes last Friday. Booth was the executive producer and lead actor in Clear Lake, WI. Ide directed the movie and was the “featured dead guy.”

Due to overwhelming response from audiences – gaining it the top weekend moving billing, the Midwest special screening of the feature film titled “Clear Lake, WI” has been extended to additional cities.
The film stars Clear Lake, Wisconsin native Dustin Booth, Michael Madsen, as well as accomplished actors Paul Ben-Victor and Audrey Wasilewski.
The premiere at the Hudson 12 theater on October 9 was sold out and all week long the film was the number one box office draw beating out “Couples Retreat,” “Zombieland,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and “Toy Story 3D.”
Continuing on its amazing journey through Wisconsin, it will run at the Stadium 7 Theatre, 2521 Highway 25 North in Menomonie from October 23 with multiple showings a day through October 29. Call 715-232-8844 for show times.
The film is set in 1993 when residents of the small town of Clear Lake fell victim to a strange and horrible disease. As fear spread through the town, an influential local preacher called the outbreak a supernatural punishment for the sins of the people and promised a way to stop the spread of the disease. The story picks up fifteen years later when a Minneapolis documentarian traced down four surviving students to tell their story and dig up the past

Seussical the Musical Creating Connections with Kids: Reading at the library on November 3

Seussical the Musical is welcoming all children to join in on the fun this year! The musical, presented by the B-W High School, is a great activity for children of all ages. The cast and crew have created many special projects for kids of all ages in order to get the children of the community involved and excited for the musical this year.
To kick off the creative spirit of Dr. Seuss, students at Greenfield participated in a creative coloring challenge. The elementary classes received coloring sheets to create their own Seussical creations. Another way that the children are getting excited for the musical is through their art classes. I heard from a certain Whovillian that there are crafts being created! These creations, lead by Greenfield art teacher Erin Johansen, as well as the coloring challenge creatures, will be on display in the lobby during the show.
Children of all ages can join cast members at the Baldwin Public Library for a special Dr. Seuss story time November 3, from 6:30-7:15. As Dr. Seuss once said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Come with your favorite child and expand your minds.
All these connections culminate when children from the elementary and middle schools attend a matinee on November 4. The cast of Seussical the Musical is ready to create smiles and laughs, so get ready for all the fun that is happening right now with Seussical the Musical!
Performances are November 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7 p.m. and November 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students, and $2 for children and can be purchased by calling our box office at 715-684-3321, ext. 118.

Tudahl sentenced for traffic death

Steven D. Tudahl, 26, the man found guilty of several counts relating to causing a death and injuring others while driving a vehicle, has been sentenced to six and one-half years in prison as well as seven years of extended supervision following his release.
Tudahl, formerly of Glenwood City but now of Woodville, was found guilty of the felonies of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and reckless driving that cause great bodily harm as well as a misdemeanor of reckless driving that caused bodily harm as the result of a traffic crash in March. According to the criminal complaint, on March 27 of this year Tudahl was driving a Ford Explorer going about 80 miles per hour that crossed the centerline of USH 63 about eight miles north of Baldwin in the town of Cylon and struck a 1998 Buick LeSabre head on.
Killed in the crash was Tudahl’s passenger, Larissa Christenson, 27, of Glenwood City. The driver of the Buick, Amy Dwyer, 26, of Clear Lake and her two children Noah, three, and Jaydin were injured. Noah suffered a severed spine resulting in permanent paralysis and had an intenstinal injury that had to be repaired by surgery. Jaydin suffered a broken leg and many bruises, especially to her face.
Tudahl had earlier been found guilty of the two felonies and one misdemeanor. After his prison sentence, Tudahl will be under seven years of extended supervision. He was also ordered to pay restitution and participate in eight hours of community service at a non-profit or charitable organization on the anniversary of the crash each year while on extended supervision.
According to the complaint in the case, when a tow truck driver arrived at the scene he heard a man yelling from the Explorer that was in the ditch. When deputies got to the truck there was no one inside. A Sheriff’s patrol dog tracked Tudahl from the crash site and he was captured among the buildings at Precision Agriculture.
Tudahl’s blood alcohol level was at 0.04 percent, under the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

From the exchanges

   News from surrounding communities

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: School officials in New Richmond are all smiles after being awarded a $111,650 grant to help plan a charter school in town. New Richmond was one of 11 districts to receive a planning grant. The state distributed about $2 million total for planning. “We’re pretty happy to have the funding to help us explore the option of a charter school,” said Morrie Veilleux, district administrator. New Richmond’s proposed charter school would offer different instructional strategies and a focus on the hands-on learner. Charter schools are still required to meet academic standards and must employ licensed teachers, involve parents, administer statewide tests and comply with federal regulations that govern all public schools. Now that the grant has been awarded, the next step is to visit some of the communities with successful charter schools Veilleux said. For the 2009-10 school year there are 206 charter schools opening in Wisconsin serving close to 35,000 students.

AMERY FREE PRESS: Three more defendants were sentenced Thursday, October 13 in the St. Croix Tribal drug investigation. U.S. District Judge James t. Moody, a visiting judge from the northern district of Indiana, sentenced the following for their role in distributing crack-cocaine on St. Croix Tribal lands from about January 2001 through September 2008. Judge Moody imposed the following sentences: Diana Martin, 44, Webster, nine years without parole; Margrette Cobb, 28, Cumberland, 13 years and four months without parole; Andrew Sonnenberg, 26, Red Lake, Minn., 17.5 years without parole. In his sentencing statement Moody stated this very serious crime was exacerbated because the defendants sold “poison” to members of their own, close knit community in northwest Wisconsin. Eleven defendants have now been sentenced as a result of this investigation into drug dealing on St. Croix Tribal lands. The three defendants sentenced on October 13 along with other members of the conspiracy, worked together to obtain and distribute crack cocaine on St. Croix Tribal lands. Each of the members at various times, traveled with Jean Sonnenberg to obtain crack cocaine from her sources in the Twin Cities area. The drugs were then sold to customers in Northwest Wisconsin.

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): An archery deer hunt with-in the Osceola village limits could be offered for the first time late this fall if a proposed ordinance is approved next month. Last week, the Osceola Village Board approved, in concept, an ordinance that would allow bow hunting on Village parklands and on private property with landowner permission. The Village’s ordinance committee will develop an ordinance for the program at its next meeting. During the board’s October 13 meeting. Osceola Police Department Chief Tim Lauridsen said that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has noted a “severe over-population” of deer within the Village limits. The quantity of deer is directly correlated to the number of vehicle-versus-deer accidents in the Village, Lauridsen said. The ordinance would allow licensed deer hunters to obtain a special kill tag from the police department. Existing Village ordinances don’t allow the discharge of a firearm or bow-and-arrow within Village limits.

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS (HAMMOND AND ROBERTS): The former Haunted House of Hammond begun seven years ago as a fundraising project for a local Girl Scout Troop has found a new home as the Town of Tormented Souls in the Town of Warren on Hwy. 65 south of I-94. Last year, founder Tim Kraus was told just before their opening night in 2008 the project that took up nearly two-thirds of his home every fall had grown too big for him to run on his lot, which is zoned ag-residential in the Pheasant Hills development of the Town of Hammond. After a couple locations fell through, Kraus met up with Jim Zeller, who hopes to develop the former Country Store property into an events farm. Work to turn one of the barns on the property into the Town of Tormented Souls began in June with Kraus and two others doing the majority of it and many family members and friends pitching in. Doors opened on October 2. “It’s been pretty slow, but the closer to Halloween it gets the more people we have,” said Kraus’ second-in-command, Tony Klingler. The communities have been pretty supportive so far. There’s not much around here for families to do together. We’ve had a lot of people compare us to other haunted houses and say we’re by far the best around Minnesota and Wisconsin.

B-W Marching Blackhawks finished third in WSMA band championship

The B-W band won the best percussion trophy in their class. Accepting the trophy from Tim Wurgler was Drum Major Mallory Precht. She is pictured with Maggie Gadbois, left, Kristin Bauer, behind Wurgler and Tori Liston, right.

The Baldwin-Woodville Marching Blackhawks finished third with a score of 75.65 points in Class A in the Wisconsin School Music Association’s Marching Band Championships held Saturday at UW-Whitewater. The Blackhawks were less than a point behind second place Columbus High School, with a point total of 76.35. First place finisher Cumberland, which had in recent years competed a division “up”, finished in first place with 78.55 points.
“All three [of the top bands] were within three points of each other,” noted Baldwin-Woodville Band Director Adam Bassak. He said Class A was the most competitive of the four classes at the state competition.
The closeness of the competition “is great,” said Bassak. “It pushes all three bands.”
The B-W performance was “by far our best show of the year,” continued Mr. Bassak. “It’s the first time since I’ve been here that every kid came off the field knowing they had a good show.”
B-W won the trophy for the top percussion section. “Obviously, taking the top percussion trophy is a cool thing,” said Mr. Bassak. “Our senior percussionists have put in lots of extra time which paid off for the third year in a row by winning a state drum line trophy.”
This year’s program “definitely took a step up as far as the difficulty of marching and music,” said Mr. Bassak. “We continue to go forward.”

School Board: bring pool up to code or close it down?

For the second month in a row the Baldwin-Woodville Board of Education postponed deciding the fate of the district’s swimming pool.
At issue is a proposal to budget an additional $25,000 for design and installation of new drain gates and sump pumps in order for the district to be in compliance with a new federal law. The law was enacted in response to the tragic death of a young girl who died after the suction from a spa drain entrapped her and she drowned. The district must be in compliance with the law in order to open the pool next summer.
At last month’s meeting, board members requested information about pool usage and history. “The pool was built in 1953 according to school records,” said Superintendent Rusty Helland. “In 1976 the district spent $183,347 on remodeling and renovation of the pool,” he continued, “and more remodeling was completed in 1982 at a cost of $9,345.”
“In 1995 a community-led fund drive raised $90,000 for pool repairs, which cost a total of $105,000,” said Helland, “and the community raised another $26,363 for more repairs in 2007. That project ended up costing a total of $101,229, and the district paid the balance.”
As for pool usage, the past three years have had over 400 students for swimming lessons, said Helland. In 2008 the pool was open 73 days with an average attendance of 123 and in 2009 the pool was open for 64 days with an average attendance of 103.
“Each year we budget $25,000 for the pool, which is mostly used for salaries,” said Helland, “and the district receives over $14,000 for state aid for swimming lessons,” He added.
“Is the value of the pool to the community a worthwhile service?” Helland asked board members. He said that the board needs to make a decision by December for the work to be completed in time for the pool to open next summer.
“We need to know if the community supports this and by how much,” commented board member John Hinz. “I think the community benefits, but I don’t think people realize the maintenance costs involved.”
Board member Jody Lindquist said that her child benefits from the pool and so does the extended community.
“I think it’s a dead horse,” stated board member Ann Hilmanowske “We just keep throwing money down the hole. If the community wants it, the community needs to do some big fund raising.”
Board member Mike Bondarenko said a new pool would be a tough sell. “I think it would be a disservice to the community to close the pool. We’re stuck with it, so I say we fix it, he said.”
High School Principal Eric Russell commented that as a parent, he believes the pool is an important asset to the community. “Where will all those kids go during the summer if the pool is closed?” he asked.
“There are a couple of ways to pay for this work on the pool,” said Helland. “The district can levy the additional $25,000 which would have a tax impact of $8.25 of $200,000 value, or we can pay for it at the end of the year with underexpended funds, if for example, fuel costs less than anticipated,” he said.
“The pool serves an educational purpose,” said board president Jeff Campbell. “We need to keep it going for now, and we also need to start a committee to plan for the future of the pool. The costs are not out of hand this time,” he added.
District bookkeeper Pam Rose pointed out that the pool account presently has $10,000 after the 2009 season.
“Keep in mind the impact of $25,000 on the entire budget,” said Helland. The budget for the 2009-2120 school year is $17,231,887 according to information presented at the meeting.
The board decided to put the fate of the pool on the November agenda.

Village board compromises on huge trees

After hearing of a conflict of opinion regarding large cottonwoods—perhaps the largest trees in the village—the village board accepted an alternative to removing all the trees along the boulevard at the Summers’ residence at 880 12th Avenue in the village.
The board had been alerted at an earlier meeting that the eight large cottonwoods along the sidewalk, on private property, were in danger of losing large limbs and posed a danger to the public. At the September village board meeting, Village Public Works Director John Traxler relayed the opinion of St. Croix Tree Service that the trees were a danger and should be taken down. The cost to remove the eight trees was pegged at approximately $9,000.
However, the owners of the trees, the Summers family, had a new opinion about the trees from Ackley Tree Service that one of the large trees was dangerous and should be taken down, another would possibly need to come down and a third should be further checked out. The others could be trimmed of dead limbs and were not a danger. They said they got the opinion before the issue of the trees was raised at the September meeting.
Orin Summers said that the trees mean a great deal to him and they have been there for 100 years and that with some trimming work could be there for another 100 years other than the one that should come down and possibly a second.
In support of Summers was Jim Mondor who said he has been in the landscape design field for years and recommended that two trees and maybe a third should come down and the others should be pruned.
“I’m for letting them take care of it,” said Village Trustee Duane Russett.
In the end, the board agreed that one tree should be removed this fall and another should be checked out and may need to come down, too. A third should be trimmed and if there is no new growth in the spring it, too, should come down. All the trees should be pruned and have the deadwood cut out.
In other action at the meeting:
-Mike O’Keefe, probation and parole agent for St. Croix County of the Department of Corrections, talked about the Impact Recovery program briefly. He said at first there was a minor problem because some individuals from other counties were referred there without notifying the Department of Corrections but that has been corrected.
O’Keefe also noted that he has worked with North Hudson in developing a sex offender ordinance and said he would help with that for Baldwin too.
Baldwin Police Chief Jim Widiker expressed concern that some people who have been through the Impact Recovery program are “landing here,” when they are finished with the program.
Pastor Steve Olson, director of the Impact Recovery noted that there are no sex offenders in his program. He said there are three individuals who have been through the Impact Recovery program and now live in the other side of the building on the east end of Main Street. He said those three people are from the area and came in looking for help and are not probation referrals. “We want to be a service to the community, not a hindrance,” he said.
“At this point there’s not much we can do except keep checking,” said Village President Don McGee. Pastor Olson invited board members to come in and visit and see how the program works.

Jet buzzed Woodville Tuesday

A low-flying business-type jet caused quite a stir, at least initially, when it buzzed Woodville at a low height perhaps three times last Tuesday, October 13.
According to many people, the small jet flew north, then south, seemingly along Main Street, then flew north, again seemingly along Main Street. Several witnesses reported that the jet had its flaps down and perhaps had its landing gear down. The time of the fly-overs was about 1:50 p.m.
Woodville Police Chief Lori Hetfeld was among those who saw the jet pass over Woodville. She said she informed St. Croix County Emergency Communications Center of the low-flying jet and the persons at the Center were able to see the jet on the radar they have there. The Emergency Communications Center also gave Chief Hetfeld the number of the Federal Aviation Administration’s “unsafe flying” tip line and she called that number to report the jet. However, as of Monday this week she had not received a return phone call from the FAA.

From the Exchanges
   Interesting News Items from
      Surrounding Communities

PIERCE COUNTY HEARLD (ELLSWORTH): After almost seven months a body of a missing Prescott man has been found. Robert More, 53, apparently drowned after slipping off his houseboat in March. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department was notified at 10:40 a.m. Sunday the human remains were found on an island south of Red Wing along the backwaters of the Mississippi River. Investigators traveled by boat about a mile down-stream from the Back Channel Bridge in the Town of Trenton to recover the remains. A Minnesota driver’s license and other identifying items were found on the body. Dental records later confirmed it was More. Pierce County Investigator Doug Ducklow said a search of the area revealed that More’s body had become lodged in debris on the island, Pierce County officers and medical examiners determined there was no foul play said Ducklow. More disappeared March 28 after apparently slipping off his houseboat, which was docked at Mr. Sippi’s in Hagar City. Ducklow said search efforts didn’t provide details into the man’s disappearance and searches throughout the months revealed no new clues. Funeral arrangements are pending. The Goodhue County Water Patrol was also on scene with Medical Examiner’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department.

HUDSON STAR OBSERVER: Hudson police are looking for a man who robbed the Associated Bank, 2200 Crest View Drive, at approximately 1 p.m. Friday (October 9). Police are looking for a lone white male who entered the bank, approached a teller and demanded money. He was armed with a handgun which appeared to be wrapped in a small towel. The robber is described as being 6 feet to 6 feet-2 inches, average build having short brown hair, wearing a brown baseball cap, blue sweatshirt blue jeans and a blue handkerchief across his face. He left the bank with an undisclosed about of money in his hand and was seen leaving the area on foot. He was last seen running toward Wal-Mart and Wendy’s. Hudson Police Department Detective Shawn Pettee said the area was searched extensively by members of the Hudson Police Department, St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol. “We shut down the entrances to Wal-Mart and kept people in the store for a short time while we checked all the vehicles,” Pettee said. “We did the same thing at Wendy’s.” Wal-Mart security cameras were also reviewed for any possible leads. The parking lot and camera searches, however, did not result in any arrests and the search for the robber continues.

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL: Confronted with a $28,000 operating loss from the 2009 swimming season and mandated safety changes that will add $11,000 to the 2010 swimming pool budget, the Grantsburg Village Board will ask the public for suggestions and, it hopes, donations. Before the swimming pool opens for the 2010 season, changes must be made to the pool’s gates and filtration system to bring the pool into compliance with the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act. The changes are intended to prevent severe or fatal injuries or drowning when swimmers become attached to a pool’s filtration system. ABC News estimates more than 30 children and several adults have died in suction-related swimming pool deaths since the 1980s including Abbey Taylor of Edina, Minn. in 2007. The facilities wading pool also needs repairs before it opens next year, as it has been losing water through leakage, which added expense last summer for additional water, heating and chemicals.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: Just a month after closing, cars and trucks are being sold and repaired again at the site of Roen Ford, 660 N. Main St. The difference? The business is being operated by Bernard’s of River Falls, which moved there over the weekend from its frontage-road location at 151 Hwy. 35 N. Bernard’s general manager, Pete Lubich said Bernard’s has inked a three-year lease with the local Roen family for the site. “We’ll definitely have a lot more room now, and yes, we were a little off the beaten path, so this location gives us more visibility,” Lubich said. After operating in River Falls for 42 years, Roen Ford closed Sept. 1 following a buyout by the Ford Motor company. Local sales were down and Ford, like other major auto dealers has struggled in the recession to produce popular, fuel efficient cars. Local Bernard’s is a branch of New Richmond-based Bernard’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership. Bernard’s opened a used-car/repair shop in River Falls in 2001 on North Main Street across from Burger King. Five years ago, when the property on that leased site was sold, Bernard’s relocated and has been leasing space at Jackelen Auto. That lease expires in January. “The point I’d like to make for our customers and for customers of Roen Ford is that we can handle both and plan to offer them the same great service,” Lubich said. Toward that end, four full-time Roen Ford employees have been retained.

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: A lawsuit by a former Somerset School District teacher against the district has been allowed to continue, following a ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals last week. Renae Ekstrand served as an elementary teacher in the Somerset School District from 2000-2005. Ekstrand’s grounds for the lawsuit is that she was forced to leave the school district because she suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder. She was teaching in a room without windows. When she asked to be transferred to a classroom with windows her request was refused on several occasions, she alleges. The Court of Appeals reversed an earlier judgment supporting the school district by District Court Judge Barbara Crabb. Ekstrand is suing the school district under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Crash at intersection results in fatality

A two vehicle collision at the intersection of 220th Avenue and 170th Avenue last Wednesday morning resulted in the death of Larry W. Scheel and serious injury to his passenger, John M. Bazille.

On October 7 St. Croix County recorded its 12th traffic fatality of the year. At approximately 10:50 a.m. Larry W. Scheel, 65, of rural New Richmond, was traveling northbound on 220th St. in a 2000 Ford F250 Super Duty pickup, while Roger W. Fisher, 48 of Emerald was traveling westbound on 170th Ave. in a 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup.
Scheel failed to stop at the sign and was struck by Fisher. Scheel’s vehicle overturned in the northwest ditch, Fisher’s vehicle came to rest in the field northwest of the intersection.
Fisher was transported to the Baldwin Area Medical Center by Baldwin EMS with non-threatening injuries. A passenger in the Scheel vehicle, John M. Bazille, 54, of Emerald was transported by Baldwin EMS to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with serious injuries. Larry Scheel was pronounced dead at the scene by a St. Croix County Deputy Medical Examiner.
Units from United Fire in Baldwin and Woodville as well as Wisconsin State Patrol assisted the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department with the crash.
None of the occupants in either vehicle were wearing seatbelts. The crash is still under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department.

Keefer receives scholarship offer from Badgers

When Baldwin-Woodville junior football standout Jake Keefer received a telephone call Tuesday morning, October 6 he wasn’t expecting Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema on the line. But that’s who it was. And Bielema offered Keefer a full scholarship in two years to join the Wisconsin Badgers as a linebacker.
Keefer said he was thinking that Bielema maybe would call him on Junior Day in February, so the call last week was a surprise. But Bielema said he saw two game films of Keefer playing “and saw no need to wait.”
Keefer is a standout player for the Baldwin-Woodville team this season. Just last Thursday against Prescott, for example, Keefer rushed for 61 yards and caught passes for an additional 71 yards and scored two touchdowns when they were needed by his team. On defense he had nine tackles.
The offer of the scholarship “is really exciting,” said Keefer. “I still can’t believe it. It’s awesome.”
But at the same time, although Wisconsin is at present Keefer’s first choice, he won’t definitely say that’s where he is going to play college ball. “I love it there at Wisconsin. I’m very interested. I can definitely see myself playing there.”
But, there have been other schools that have showed an interest: “LSU has been sending a lot of letters,” he said, for example. “But probably the Big 10 is where I’m leaning toward.”

Kindergartners receive visit from Deputies

            Pictured from left to right are Deputy Justin Johnson and his K-9 partner “Cash” and Deputy Jessica Zupfer.

             Barking and squeals could be heard coming from the lunchroom at Greenfield on Monday, October 5. Deputy Jessica Zupfer, Deputy Justin Johnson and his K-9 partner “Cash” visited the kindergartners at Greenfield Elementary in Baldwin.

            Officer Zupfer’s presentation included information on 911, strangers in the neighborhood, playing with matches, wearing bike helmets and seatbelts, and saying “no” to drugs and alcohol. She also explained the duties of a police officer and their uniforms.

            Deputy Johnson introduced his partner “Cash” and demonstrated some dog obedience behaviors. The children were thrilled! Petting working animals was discussed, and the students were told that it is not okay to pet a dog if he is “working” for a blind person. Although Cash is a working dog, he was not working today, just visiting, and so everyone got to pet his head as they left the room to go back to the classrooms.

            The Kindergarten unit at Greenfield Elementary is very appreciative of the County offering this opportunity to early educate our students to “Be Safe,” which is one of our four primary rules at Greenfield.

 Changes mean improvements at Baldwin Care Center

           Changes in the way Medicare funding works combined with evolving expectations by residents and their families regarding care at nursing homes, and what that care entails, have resulted in changes already made and more expected in the future for care of residents.

            According to Baldwin Care Center Administrator Eileen LaFavor, “what’s at issue right now in the federal budget is Medicare funding. They are looking at cuts now that will affect our funding.”

            At the same time, LaFavor said, more than half of the residents at Baldwin Care Center are no longer long-term but instead are there for a rehabilitative stay, usually short term.

            “We now send more people home and more than half of our residents come for a one to sixty day stay,” said LaFavor. She gave the example of someone who has fallen, suffered a broken bone and spends three days in a hospital and then 20 to up to 60 days at Baldwin Care Center for rehabilitation. The change in the status of residents has been a “progression that has occurred over a number of years,” she added.

            “It’s much different than when I came here,” explained LaFavor. “Then people came here and decided to stay for the rest of their lives. But now people come for either short-term rehabilitative stays or ‘end-of-life’ stays in conjunction with hospice. We have some very acutely ill people coming here.”

            So, with the new emphasis, Baldwin Care Center has made two dramatic changes. First, effective October 1, the Care Center reduced the number of licensed beds at the facility to 55 from the previous number of 65. That in turn allows the Care Center to more than double the number of private rooms available to residents, to 15 from the previous seven.

            Double rooms, explained Administrator LaFavor, are “difficult to live in and difficult for our staff to provide care in with the equipment needs some people have and there simply isn’t room in a double occupancy room to do that.”

            In addition, said LaFavor, “gone are the days when we looked at residents as a group of people.” Now instead, each resident is seen as an individual and care is “patient-centered.” That has combined with consumer preference changes—not only by residents but also their family members—for a “different set of expectations when it comes to long-term care.”

            That benefits Baldwin Care Center because of its small town setting and all that includes, including low employee turnover compared to the national level and staff who have family members at the Care Center. “I think we are somewhat special,” because of those considerations, said LaFavor.

            So, in addition to providing more single rooms, the therapy area at the Care Center has been expanded from what was one converted resident room to three resident rooms. “We see such a demand for that area,” said LaFavor.

            Along with the expansion of the therapy area, the company that provides therapy to residents has changed. The new company, called “People First Rehabilitation Services,” has started at Baldwin Care Center to rave reviews. “What this company does is hire local people as a full-time team to provide services for each facility” they work at. While the previous company that provided therapy had four people who split their time between four facilities. With the switch to the new company and full-time people at Baldwin Care Center “we have seen dramatic gains in the residents here,” said LaFavor.

            “Previously the residents who got the most services were the short-term residents,” said LaFavor. “But now we have every resident in the Care Center involved and we have started in new areas that you wouldn’t think of as therapy.” Some of those new areas include: urinary/incontinentence and a wound program; in addition another program has led to a decrease in falls by residents.

            Another area the new therapy regime is tackling is pain management. “And they’re really assisting us with that,” said LaFavor. “They use a treatment called diathermy and we’re seeing dramatic results in the area of pain management.”

            The new team of therapists includes six people: an occupational therapist; a certified occupational therapist assistant; a physical therapist; a physical therapist assistant; a speech therapist and a rehabilitation aide.

            The therapy bill for Baldwin Care Center, as you might expect, has doubled, but the services are reimbursable by Medicare and “the residents here are seeing the services they’re entitled to.”

            Mrs. LaFavor said the Board of Directors at Baldwin Care Center are looking at “what we would like to do with this campus to promote the culture change” of being patient-centered and looking at each resident as an individual. “What does this campus need to become? What additional services do we need to provide?”

            The president of Baldwin Care Center is Dorothy Schneider. Vice President is Jon Mentink. Marcia Graf is Treasurer.

 

From the Exchanges

  Interesting News Items from

    Surrounding Communities

PIERCE COUNTY HEARLD (ELLSWORTH): A former UW-River Falls student was sentenced to eight years prison Wednesday in Pierce County Circuit Court. Andrews Moreno-Richey, 22, received terms of five and three years for third degree sexual assault and burglary, respectively. Pierce County Circuit Court Judge Robert Wing ordered those terms to be consecutive. Wing also ordered Moreno-Richey to be on extended supervision for nine years after he is released. Wing stated that, with no explanation given for what he did, Moreno-Richey is a “great likelihood to re-offend” and the need to protect the public is high. Moreno-Richey was charged with third degree sexual assault relating to an incident in August 2008. The burglary charge resulted from an incident last January. He was also sentenced to nine months in jail for fourth degree sexual assault. That term will run concurrent to his prison sentence. The criminal complaint stated that, in the August incident, Moreno-Richey went to the home of a “pretty girl” whom he’d seen in a local bar and knew from classes at UW-River Falls. This occurred at Broadway Street in River Falls. Finding the one he after not home, Moreno-Richey snuck into the bedroom next to her and sexually assaulted the woman in that room. The complaint continues he described the girl to a friend as “incapacitated” by crack or cocaine. Moreno-Richey went to that friend’s house after the assault and told her about it. He described the incident saying he’d wanted “to see what he could get away with.” He declared he had not enjoyed the sex, but thought the victim had. The friend told Moreno-Richey what he described was rape because the victim had been incapacitated and unable to consent. The friend reported the crime to police and questioned Moreno-Richey’s mental capacity saying at least once he’s “out of his mind.”

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): With her credibility eroded, Polk County Finance Director Tonya Weinert resigned Monday evening at the request of the county board’s five-member Finance Committee. Since last spring Weinert had projected that Polk county faced a 2010 budget shortfall of at least $3 million. Late last week, however, other county officials who scrutinized the budget numbers, including two certified public accountants who served on the Finance Committee, concluded that the projected shortfall was more in the neighborhood of $780,000. “This position requires a level of trust from Polk County employees, supervisors, department heads, the county board and the general public,” Weinert wrote in her resignation letter. “Recent actions have caused me to question that level of trust, which diminishes my effectiveness.” Finance Committee chairman Gary Bergstrom announced Weinert’s resignation by reading a short press release after the committee returned to open session after being in closed session for two-and-a-half hours.

HUDSON STAR OBSERVER: After a decline last year, enrollment in the Hudson School District is back on the rise. According to the official enrollment count required by the Department of Public Instruction on the third Friday of September, the district has 5,365 a net increase of 94 students over last year. There are 53 more students this year at the elementary level. That number includes 411 kindergarten students and 2,496 children in grades 1-5. Hudson Middle School enrollment increased by 46 which puts that building over its capacity by 86 students. Hudson High School had a net loss of five students but saw an increase of 31 in grades 9 and 10. There are 37 children in this year’s Early Childhood program at River Crest Elementary.

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL: I’m growing weary of this – it isn’t fun doing this job anymore when I have to come to meetings,” Burnett County Sheriff Dean Roland declared at last week’s public safety committee meeting. At issue was the sheriff’s budget and Roland having to defend himself. “There’s $250,000 in the budget for out-of-county housing for jail inmates and we might spend about $110,000 this year,” Roland said. “Some have questioned whether I pad my budget because there’s such an excess. Yes, we are under budget in that line-item, but were it not for drug court and other programs, I’d be $160,000 over,” the sheriff said. “I have 34 years of experience, I know how to do this job,” a clearly agitated Roland continued. “My budget has been under budget every year I’ve been sheriff – yet I’m called on every little thing.” “From my perspective, I’m seeing a little animosity toward the sheriff’s department,” committee member Gene Olson pointed out. “I think as a committee, we need to investigate the source of that animosity. I think our sheriff’s department is doing an outstanding job,” Olson continued. “And here we are asking them to do more with less. We’ve made promises we haven’t kept and if there’s a personality problem, we owe it to our sheriff to resolve it,” he said. “I appreciate that,” Roland said to Olson. “The budgets are what they are but I’m very passionate about keeping people safe.” Roland pointed out, “When it comes to communication, I don’t like being blind-sided.” Olson agreed.

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS (HAMMOND AND ROBERTS): Kids pedal tractor pulling has become a family affair for the Iversons of Hammond. Seven-year-old Alyssa, the oldest of three children and only girl, last month qualified for the International Competition that will be held next summer, most likely in Iowa. This year marked the fourth year Alyssa qualified for the national competition, held at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, by first placing in the top three at Wisconsin State Competition. At this year’s national competition Alyssa took first place. She was one of six Wisconsin competitors to advance. Alyssa’s 5-year-old brother, Brett, qualified for state competition in both Wisconsin and Minnesota this year as well.

THE COURIER-WEDGE: Approval of a bid from Freier’s Electric and Heating of Ellsworth for purchase and installation of a wood pellet boiler this fall was the highlight of the regular Pepin Board of Education meeting on Monday, September 28. District Administrator Bruce Quinton presented the board with the bid from Freier’s. Quinton stated that after three years of research and investigation into alternative heating sources, the Building and Grounds Committee was ready to move forward with its recommendation to approve the wood pellet boiler project. Earlier in the meeting, Building and Grounds Committee member Reisgraf reported that they had had two meetings this past month to make final preparations to being the wood pellet boiler bid to the board for approval. The goal, Quinton said, was to have the new system installed before the start of this heating season. The system will also give the district the future flexibility in the type of fuel that is used including corn, coal, grass pellets or other multi-fuel pellets, that could come out in the future. This project would ensure the district and its taxpayers would have flexibility in fuel usage and better control over volatile fuel markets.

Mabis and Larson are king and queen at homecoming

Bailey Larson was crowned queen and Taylor Mabis king at homecoming festivities at Baldwin-Woodville High School on Friday night after B-W beat Ellsworth 22-14.

Jessie Peterson leased the Wildwood

Jessie Peterson has leased the Wildwood Bar and Grill from owners Mitch and LaVonne Johnson. The agreement is for one year to see how the business goes, said Peterson and “so far the bar and restaurant are going well,” she said.
Peterson graduated from B-W HS and then attended Chippewa Valley Technical College at Eau Claire where she earned a police science degree. She worked for the Ellsworth Police Department for seven years but was looking for a career change when the Wildwood opportunity arose.
Peterson has extensive bar and restaurant experience in both high school, when she worked at the Hammond Hotel and the Doll House, and in college. “I know how to bartend and waitress but now I’m learning the financial part and ordering.” She also said she does some cooking.
Her sisters Bethany, Summer and Krystal all are employed at the Wildwood also.

Alertnow is in use to provide information

If the Baldwin-Woodville School District needs to cancel school, alert parents on upcoming parent-teacher meetings or notify parents of other information, a new tool can be used by the District.
A phone message system that utilizes the internet has been put in use. The program is called Alertnow and will be used to send phone messages to every parent in the district.
According to District Superintendent Rusty Helland, the system can be accessed by members of the District’s administrative team which includes building principals as well as Transportation Director JR Dachel and Director of Pupil Services Patti Phillipps.
According to Superintendent Helland, the program uses the internet to call every phone number entered in it. The phone messages to parents will be made in a matter of minutes. If the phone isn’t answered a message will be left.
“It is a way to provide immediate communication and hopefully it will work well,” said Helland. The system can be used for select groups other than the total list of phone numbers, he added.
The program is produced by a Raleigh, North Carolina based company that is one of the fastest growing communication companies in the country, said Helland. The cost for the system was reasonable, too, about $2 per student at B-W.
The training for the system was given to members of the administrative team in August.
A test of the system resulted in a 89% success rate—meaning that the call was answered or a message was left on 89% of the 1,741 phone numbers contacted.
Helland said other methods of communicating school news will be continued: the phone hotline and over TV and radio for school closings.
Parents who want their phone listings updated or to add a cell phone that should be called with messages would best use their Family Access site. If that isn’t available, the child’s school should be contacted.

From the Exchanges
   Interesting News Items from
      Surrounding Communities

HUDSON STAR OBSERVER: A man armed with a knife surprised employees at Taco John’s Restaurant early on Saturday by ordering more than breakfast. According to police, the man, described as white, between 30 and 40-years-old, around 6 feet tall and heavy set, came into the restaurant at the corner of 11th Street and Coulee Road at 6 a.m. He told a supervisor and another employee that he wanted money and that no one would get hurt if they did as they were told. The man, who was wearing a short, fiber-filled jacket, got away with an undisclosed amount of cash from a safe and fled on foot. The incident was over in minutes according to the victims. Police are investigating but have no leads at present. Anyone who may have been in the area at the time of the robbery and saw something or who has any information about the crime is asked to contact the Hudson Police Department at (715)386-4771.

PIERCE COUNTY HERALD (ELLSWORTH): A Prescott teenager was charged Tuesday in Pierce County Circuit Court with strangulation and suffocation. John P. Lubich, 19, 190 Flora St. S., was also charged with alleged misdemeanor intimidation of a victim and disorderly conduct along with the felony. The charges stem back to an Aug. 14 incident in the city of Prescott when the female victim called 911 according to the criminal complaint. Prescott Police Officer Mark Schultz noted in his report that the victim told Pierce County Dispatch that things were fine and that a male voice got on the phone, sounded angry then hung up. Schultz went to 190 Flora St. and first talked to the male, identified as Lubich. He said everything was fine between him and the victim. The victim then gave Schultz her side of the story. The two were drinking and it reached a point where the victim wanted her car keys so she could go to sleep. Lubich told her no and the pair began to argue. While they were arguing, he grabbed her and pushed her to the ground, where he choked her. She guessed she couldn’t breathe for about two to three seconds. She then ran into the house and called 911 with Lubich right behind her. Schultz noted the victim had scratches on her arm and shoulder, dirt on her back and clothing along with a “larger red mark on her neck area that appeared to be consistent with being grabbed and squeezed by the neck.” Schultz then interviewed Lubich, who denied touching her again. Lubich later admitted to grabbing the victim.

AMERY FREE PRESS: Amery Mayor Harvey Stower died Tuesday morning September 29 at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. He had been a patient at the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Friday. Stower, and ordained Methodist minister, had a varied career, including teaching English, serving as a State Representative in the Wisconsin Legislature and as an assistant to the Wisconsin Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs. One of Stower’s crowning legislative achievements was securing funding for the Polk County Information Center in St. Croix Falls.

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): The Dunn County shooting range in Boyceville run by the Northwest Rod and gun Club is finishing up some structural components to insure top-notch safety to users and the surrounding community. While the range has been around for more than 30 years, safety issues cropped up in 2006 when housing was developed directly behind the range. Projectiles have been found over the hill and there was a fear of potential injury coming from a stray bullet. At this time the range had no supervision, few structural safety features and anyone could come at any time, said long-time active club member Mark Smith. Even so, only one minor injury has occurred and it wasn’t due to mishandling a firearm. The first plan of attack was having range supervisors present during the hours of operation and having a gate to prevent access after the hours of operation. Supervisors must be certified annually, said Bauder. Currently the club has approximately 50 certified supervisors. The next step was keeping projectiles from going over the hill. Physical barriers have been put in place on the rifle range to prevent bullets from going over the hill. The new baffles were made possible with a state grant from County Conservation Aids with the county also matching those funds. All the fill of the baffles is from recycled material coming from Mattison Construction out of Knapp. This would have all ended up in a landfill, said Bauder. Also helping out, Dunn Energy brought in the poles, drilled the holes and set them. While the baffles aren’t aesthetically pleasing, they fit the bill.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: The Journal’s front page story last week, “Who’s the mystery owner?” struck pay dirt. A 58-year-old town of River Falls man called police and accurately described the engraved wedding rings that he and his wife wore only to church, plus other mostly jewelry heirlooms, such as necklaces and watches, that belonged to his parents. The collection had gathered dust in the police evidence room until investigator John Wilson decided to put out a public plea. Wilson said the rural River Falls man’s house was burglarized in April 2006. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department took the complaint. The case remained unsolved. Wilson described the man’s reaction to his recovered keepsake property as “choked up, shaken and excited,” adding that, “He had pretty much given up hope that they’d ever be found.” Wilson is now working with sheriff’s investigators on possible criminal charges against a local River Falls man. The suspect claimed the items were given to him by a female hitchhiker he picked up and later dropped off at a Hudson motel. Wilson said last week’s Journal story generated a half-dozen calls from people claiming they lost jewelry in the past from a theft or burglary.

Homecoming being celebrated at B-W

The culmination of homecoming week at Baldwin-Woodville High School will be the crowning of new royalty on Friday night after the football game.
B-W takes to the field against Ellsworth in the football game.
Pictured above are the senior candidates for homecoming King and Queen, from left: Amy Jo Bakke and Taylor Mabis; Tana Mabis and Luke Vanasse; Rachel Paulson and Jon Willert; Bailey Larson and Logan LaFavor; and Ashley Robole and Ben Simons.

Baldwin man killed in accident

On Friday, September 25 at 8:36 a.m. the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single car crash on 100th Ave., approximately one-half mile east of STH 128 in the Town of Springfield.
A 1999 GMC pickup, driven by Joseph J. Anderson, age 34, of Baldwin was traveling eastbound on 100th Ave. when it left the road and rolled, striking some trees. Anderson was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner.
Mr. Anderson was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. This is the 11th traffic fatality of 2009. The crash remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office.

BAMC rate increase is an attempt to “even out” increases

The notice in this issue of a rate increase for Baldwin Area Medical Center (BAMC) is part of a process to even out increases as part of the annual budget process for the hospital. The process was instituted last year.
According to BAMC Chief Financial Officer Karen Traynor, in Wisconsin “hospitals are seeing decreases in patients” and at the same time seeing “increases in non-compensated care” or for patients who qualify for discounted or free care, which the Hospital characterizes as “Community Care.”
Traynor said the Hospital has about $2.8 million in uncompensated care on gross revenues of approximately $25 million, or about 7%.
Chief Executive Officer Alison Page said the hospital is approaching the decrease in patients and increase in uncompensated care in several ways. First, she said, the hospital is “trying to control our costs. This place runs very lean.” In addition, the Hospital attempts to connect people to coverage if possible.
So, said Page, the Hospital is doing more than just raising prices.
The hospital in a prepared statement said “The Board of Trustees, administration and medical staff of Baldwin Area Medical Center are committed to maintaining high quality, cost effective health care services for residents of the communities served by the Medical Center. In fulfilling its obligation to maintain the financial health of the organization, Baldwin Area Medical Center monitors the need for rate adjustments and periodically implements changes.
“Through a comprehensive budget forecasting process, Baldwin Area Medical Center has determined that a rate increase is necessary at this time. The increase will be effective November 1, 2009 and will increase gross patient revenues by 9.0% on an annualized basis. The Medical Center last implemented a 9.5% increase on October 3, 2008.
A question and answer format follows:
Q. Why is there a need for BAMC to implement a rate increase at this time?
A. A rate increase is necessary at this time to ensure that the Medical Center is able to maintain its highly qualified staff, to secure current technologies and resources, and as a means to meet the increasing costs of providing care. In addition, the rate increase will, in part, provide the revenues that are necessary to offset the high level of unpaid health care claims (bad debt) and the continued shortfalls in payments from government health programs (Medicare and Medicaid); shortfalls that are indicative of payments that fall below the actual cost of care for the service provided. Rates paid for Medicare and Medicaid patients are prescribed by the Federal and State governments. While the Medical Center’s classifications a Critical Access Hospital in 2004 resulted in improved Medicare and Medicaid program reimbursement, that reimbursement still falls short of true (total) costs for the care delivered.
Economic times have been challenging in all industries. The Wisconsin Hospital Association has begun a quarterly survey process of State hospitals to capture real-time data regarding the market’s impact on health care. The most recent findings were published in April 2009 and are available from a link at the following WHA website: http://www.wha.org/toolkit/recession.pdf.
Among other information, the report cites:
“As the national economic downturn tightens its grip upon the state, Wisconsin hospitals continue to see margins drop, charity care increase at an alarming pace, and bad debt climb as patients are unable to pay their bills.
“It is a situation that is causing a great deal of anxiety not only among hospital executives, but also among community leaders. As some of the largest employers in the state, hospitals are an integral part of the community’s health network, but they also are responsible for a large portion of its economic health. A healthy hospital fosters a healthy community.
“The health of Wisconsin hospitals is on the decline.”
Q. What has Baldwin Area Medical Center experienced in regard to uncompensated health care?
Q. So if “the health of Wisconsin hospitals is on the decline” as measured by recent hospital fiscal performance indicators and cited by the WHA, what does that mean for the quality of the care that patients are receiving in the state of Wisconsin?
A. We are pleased to cite another publication from the Wisconsin Hospital Association, a new release dated June 26, 2009 in which it is reported that a “Federal Agency Ranks Wisconsin #1 in Health Care Quality” as measured and released by the Federal Agency for Health care Research and Quality. In fact, Wisconsin has been in either the #1 or #2 position since 2006 and is cited as a potential model for national and state health reform programs. The press release is available directly from http://www.wha.org/newsCenter/pdf/nr6-26-09ahrq.pdf.
Q. WHA identifies a hospital as a vital part of a community. What economic value does Baldwin Area Medical Center bring to the community?
A. This is information we’ve been pleased to make available to the community within the past year. The Wisconsin Hospital Association has provided hospitals with a standardized tool that can be used to calculate the economic value of a rural community hospital. We bring 245 direct jobs to the community, one small part of the total 435 jobs that are derived from the operation of the Medical Center within our community.
Q. What does it mean for the Medical Center to implement a 9% rate increase?
A. The rate increase means that the Medical Center’s gross patient revenues will increase by 9% on an annualized basis. “Gross Revenue” means the total charges generated by the Medical Center from inpatients and outpatients for services provided regardless of the amount the Medical Center expects to collect.
In fact, there are multiple payers, including Medicare, Medicaid and a number of commercial payers, for which the rate increase will result in no additional revenue to the Medical Center.
By way of illustration, for every $1.00 of additional inpatient revenue generated by the rate increase, the Medical Center estimates it will collect approximately 20¢ prior to adjustment for bad debt and Community Care program discounts.
Q. What does the rate increase mean for the typical patient who utilizes hospital services or sees a provider at the Baldwin Clinic?
A. It depends on the health insurance coverage the patient has, if any, and the specific services used by the patient. The individual’s medical provider will make a determination about the type of service that is appropriate based upon the patient’s presenting medical condition. The health insurance policy is an agreement that exists between the patient and his or her insurance plan. The health insurance policy defines the costs for which the patient is responsible.
For those patients without insurance—approximately 6% of the Medical Center’s business—the Medical Center offers financial assistance that includes opportunity to qualify for a discount or to establish an interest free payment plan. In addition, the Community Care program provides free or discounted care based upon financial need.
An individual or family may qualify for a discount under the Community Care program if their personal income falls below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines as published annually in the Federal Register. Eligibility for Community Care is based upon a combination of family size and income in combination with documentation that no other health insurance is available to the applicant. Discounts are offered on a sliding scale and range from 10% to 100%. This is not an insurance plan and there is no ability on the part of the Medical Center to recover Community Care discounts.
It is also important for uninsured members of the community to look into the state of Wisconsin’s programs that provide access to health insurance for low income residents via BadgerCare (in addition to traditional Medicaid program offerings).

From the Exchanges

  Interesting News Items from

    Surrounding Communities

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: a burst of progress toward developing the River Falls-based homeless shelter, Our Neighbors’ Place , means the project takes its first big step Oct. 5. It opens a day center at 109 Riverwalk in the downtown. Key organizers gave a presentation at a monthly St. Croix Valley United Way meeting in August. “We went there to tell them we existed…we presented our mission,” said Carole Mottaz, who along with Sue Watters and Mary Jo Sutton have helped a larger group organize and plan a comprehensive three-part shelter. Mottaz said after the United Way meeting, things started happening fast as different groups came forward to say, “We can help with that.” Among the significant developments was the West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency (West Cap) offer to provide two social workers immediately, one specialized in homelessness issues and the other in literacy. But the two needed a place out of which to work. The pair will be West Cap employees and federal stimulus money will pay their salaries for the first two years. Mottaz says Sutton found the Riverwalk space, which is owned by Joe Boles, and was previously occupied by Global M.A.D.E. The 2,200-square-foot space is not donated, so a top priority is to pay rent for the first year. That can be hard for a charity Mottaz is asking for 100 people to donate $10 a month for a year.

SUN-ARGUS (ELMWOOD): The Elmwood School District approved a Resolution on Thursday, September 10 authorizing the issuance and sale of $500,000 general obligation qualified school construction promissory notes (tax credit). The bonds issued by the District are qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and carry a zero percent interest rate. The deal is the fourth of its kind to be completed in Wisconsin and only the 19th to be completed within the U.S. since the stimulus plan was enacted in February.

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS (HAMMOND): Hammond Village Board trustees say they know they have some tough budgetary decisions coming up and they are turning to village residents to help them make those. This week, every village residence received a “hard copy” of the survey in the mail – along with instructions directing them to the village’s website where they can either complete the survey online or download it and drop it off at the village office or mail it. The introduction of the survey reads: “The new budget cycle is here, the Village would like to ask its citizens to weigh in and tell us what services you find most valuable. In these financially challenging times, we are all being asked to look closely at our budgets and find opportunities to “tighten the belt,” and the Village of Hammond is no different. We will use the results of the survey as input into deciding what to keep, what to trim, and how much to trim.” Completed surveys are due by September 30 and the results will be published online November 9. “I’d rather know that the citizens would prefer to lose the flowers on the main street vs. the brush pickup,” said trustee Erin McComb, who is also the chair of the Personnel & Finance Committee that recommended the survey. “At the end of the day I’d rather get an earful…then (residents) can’t say we didn’t ask them.”

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): Chief Dan Wellumson reported to the village board Monday night that he had some bad news and good news. “We have yet to solve the break-ins at the library and St. Luke’s,” he told the board. But the good news is that ten reported thefts have been solved. Wellumson said that they interviewed three juveniles about items being taken from parked cars within the village. The police department has recovered some of the stolen property. But he told the board that one of the juveniles interviewed indicated that $500 was taken from a car parked in front of an establishment in the village. “We have no victim,” he told the board. Apparently no one ever reported the money missing. Wellumson noted that after this item appears in the paper, someone may come forward.

Labecki presents sportsmanship award

Deputy Director Wade Labecki of the WIAA, third from left, returned to B-W for a presentation on Friday night. He presented the sportsmanship award from the WIAA to the Fusion girls hockey team that won the state title last winter. The Fusion is a co-op team with members predominantly from River Falls and B-W. Also pictured, from left, are JR Dachel, who occupies Labecki’s former place as Dean of Students, Athletic Director and Transportation Director; High School Principal Eric Russell; Labecki, Fusion Coach Matt Cranston; players Tanis Klingler and Tori Klingler; and Assistant Fusion Coach Karl Erickson.

Pilot project to test beneficial reuse of combustion byproduct

The state Department of Natural Resources intends to issue a grant of exemption to Xcel Energy and its project manager, Beneficial Reuse Management, to use spray dryer absorber (SDA) material in an equipment storage pad.
SDA material is generated by the combustion of coal and the injection of lime into stack gases, removing sulfur dioxide from air emissions and converting it to calcium sulfite. The material also contains fly ash. The purpose of this pilot project is to determine if SDA material can be used safely in the environment and function as a geotechnical fill, as in the construction of a storage pad.
The Xcel Energy A.S. King Power Plant in Stillwater, Minnesota, is the generator of the SDA material. The proposed pilot project is located at Blackhawk Nutrients, 645 270th St, in the Town of Springfield, St. Croix County.
Monitoring and sampling devices will be placed below the 160 by 270 foot pad to determine the quality of rainwater or melt water that filters through the compressed material. Engineers will also be evaluating the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the material’s stability.
The proposed action is not anticipated to result in significant adverse environmental effects. The DNR has made a preliminary determination that neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement will be required for this action.
Public comments on the proposed pilot project are welcome and will be received through Oct. 7. Comments can be directed by mail to Michael Miller, DNR, 4732 Griffith Ave, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494; by phone to Miller at (715) 421-7821; or by e-mail to michael.miller@wi.gov.

B-W students receive AP Scholar Awards

Nine students at Baldwin-Woodville High School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on last May’s AP exams.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school. These students may earn college credit, advanced placement, or both at the college or university of their choice. Only about 18% of the nearly 1.7 million students worldwide who took AP exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.
At B-W, Elisa Folden qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average of at least 3.5 out of 5 on five or more AP exams. Jordan Hampton-Hayes qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning a 3 out of 5 on four or more exams.
Seven B-W students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more exams with grades of 3 out of 5 or higher. These AP Scholars are Josie Gheen, Ellen Hawley, Seth Kersten, Daniel Peterson, Dan Ramberg, Jordan Simons, and Rachelle Veenstra.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
        Surrounding Communities

HUDSON STAR-OBSERVER: Two Hudson men face felony drug charges for something that came in the mail. Hudson police arrested the two in a parking lot of the Hudson post office last Friday afternoon just after they picked up two packages, each containing three pounds of marijuana . According to Det. Sgt., Eric Atkinson, a postal employee became suspicious because of the smell emanating from the boxes and the U.S. postal inspectors were called in. The inspectors searched the packages and allegedly found two carry-on size suitcases, each filled with three plastic bags with about a pound of marijuana in each. On Thursday, the inspectors notified Hudson police and a plan was set in motion. The post office contacted the two men Friday and told them their packages were available for pick up. Police were waiting in the parking lot. The men arrived at the post office around 2 p.m. One of them went in and retrieved both packages. As the man was putting the boxes in the trunk of his car, police moved in and arrested them both. One man was taken to jail and questioned. The second man was taken to his residence and interrogated there. The men’s names will not be released until charges are filed.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: Wisconsin State Troop Inspector Kirk Danielson of River Falls was honored for courageous conduct last week in Madison. He got a Meritorious Service Award from State Patrol Superintendent David Collins in the Governor’s Conference Room at the state Capitol. Danielson was one of 21 state troopers to be recognized for exemplary service at the ceremony. The daring rescue took less than a minute but inhaling smoke and dodging the shooting flames made it seem endlessly long. Danielson was trying to pull an unconscious man from the cab of a burning pickup truck. An eastbound pickup had veered off I-94 just inside Dunn County and crashed into a ravine some 100 feet below against a rocky culvert. For Danielson the scene triggered memories of a similar rescue attempt three years before. He and a St. Croix Sheriff’s deputy tried pulling a motorist from his burning car after a head-on crash with another driver who was drunk on Co. Rd. A near Hwy. 12. While the victim was probably dead, the two officers failed to get him out before his small car was engulfed by flames. “I wasn’t going to let another guy burn up. That was going through my head,” Danielson said about the I-94 rescue on a late afternoon last April. One motorist tried unsuccessfully with a fire extinguisher to douse the flames of the smoking pickup. Danielson cut the seatbelt and dragged the driver out but the man’s foot caught on the four-wheel drive shift lever. Besides smoke, flames were now flowing from the cab vents. Danielson crawled back a second time to reach in and free the man’s foot. Danielson started CPR on the driver, including chest compressions. Several minutes later Menomonie fire and ambulance paramedics arrived to take over. Despite the valiant rescue, the victim was pronounced dead.

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): More charges were filed Monday against Blake Charles Nelson, 19, of Stacy, Minn., stemming from a September 11 armed robbery of the Riverview Conoco station in Taylors Falls. Nelson was charged with aggravated robbery in the first degree, two counts of assault in the second degree and transporting a pistol by an ineligible person. According to the criminal complaint, Nelson came into the Riverview Conoco about 8:40 p.m. wearing an orange ski mask and carrying a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. He then clambered a round, threw a bag at the cashier and demanded all the money. He pointed the gun at the cashier and a patron, and, after receiving the money, fled the store. Nelson stashed the gun, mask and money under a tree near the Taylors Falls Community Center where the police found it. The police then staked out the area and apprehended Nelson later when he came back to retrieve the items.