St. Croix County Seniors top in Wisconsin State 4-H judging contest

Pictured left to right are Bob Zwald, Jill Cowles, Jacob Kruschke, Tom Zwald, Chuck Kruschke and Kendra Mitchell.

The St. Croix County Senior Dairy Judging Team took top honors at the State 4-H Senior Dairy Judging Contest at the Polk County Fair in St. Croix Falls on July 25.

Senior contestants placed ten classes and delivered four sets of oral reasons. St. Croix County's team members and their parents are: Kenra Mitchell, Jackie and Dennis Mitchell, New Richmond; Jill Cowles, Dave and Cheryl Cowles, Roberts; Tom Zwald, Bob and Kay Zwald, Hammond; and Jacob Kruschke, Chuck and Mary Kruschke, New Richmond. The team coaches are Bob Zwald and Chuck Kruschke.

"These four kids have been judging dairy cows since they were nine years old in the 4-H dairy project," said Bob Zwald. "This is the result of nine or ten years of hard work."

Zwald noted that every year about Easter St. Croix County dairy judging practice starts. The kids compete to represent St. Croix County at the northwest district in the middle of June. Practices are held once a week from April until the contest in June.

This invovles about 200 kids from 18 counties in northwest Wisconsin. The winning teams then represent their county at the state contest which was held at St. Croix Falls this year.

In all, over 800 4-Hers compete for this title. From the state contest, the winning team represents Wisconsin at the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest held at the World Dairy Expo in Madison on September 29 this year. Contestants from about 40 other states will compete in the
contest.

The winning team at Expo will get an educational trip to represent USA at Edinburgh, Scotland next summer. This year the state of Wisconsin will be represented by St. Croix County. The contest at World Dairy Expo will be preceded by a three day tour of some of the best dairy herds, where practices will be held along with educational tours of Hoards Dairynan Magazine, Nasco Farm Supply, and the Dairy Shrine Museum at Fort Atkinson.

"We are very proud of the dedication and accomplishments of these outstanding youth," Zwald commented.

FCCLA and CO2 receive community service award

Pictured are: Jordan Lorenz, Angela Schmoker, Zac Humphrey, Mark Serier and Caleb Larson. Not in the picture are: Sara Donahoe, Bailey Larson and Jon Willert.

The Lions Club Foundation of Wisconsin awarded a first place plaque and a check for $500.00 to the Baldwin-Woodville High School FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) and independent student band "CO2" for their community service project entitled, "Band for Benefit."

On Saturday, September 13, members of the "Band for Benefit" project attended the State Lions Club Foundation Camp and Open house in Rosholt, Wisconsin. Students Jordan Lorenz, Mark Serier, Zac Humphrey and Caleb Larson were in attendance along with advisor Angela Schmoker and Frederick, as chaperones. While at the camp, students were able to tour the 440 acre facility, which allows blind, deaf or hard of hearing and cognitive disabled children to attend camp, view the eyeglass recycling center and participate in the awards ceremony. The plaque and check was awarded to the FCCLA and "CO2" based on their written essay that was previously submitted.

The community service project had taken place during the 2007-2008 school year. FCCLA members and "CO2" were contacted about a local family that was in need. The students put a plan into action to play at local establishments and churches, took up a free will donation and raised enough funds to meet the needs of the family. After hours of practice, several performances and a fundraiser concert with the band "Lightswitch," the students raised over $1500.00. The money was used to pay a family's mortgage payment, fuel, groceries, household necessities and Christmas gifts.

"The FCCLA and "CO2" feel honored to have done this project for their community and look forward to continuing their efforts where needed," said Mrs. Schmoker "Thank you to all thelocal Lion's Club members for this award. It was truly a tribute to the amazing work the Lion's Club does for the state of Wisconsin."

Veenstra is National Merit semifinalist

Rachelle Jayne Veenstra, daughter of Anson and Sylvia Veenstra, has been honored in the National Merit Scholarship Program as a Semifinalist.

About 1,600 high-scoring participants in each year's National Achievement Scholarship Program are designated Semifinalists. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring program participants in the states that constitute each region.

Application materials are sent to Semifinalists through their high schools. Before being considered for a National Achievement Scholarship, a Semifinalist must advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and other requirements.

I-94 crash early Sunday kills one

The driver of an east-bound vehicle that crashed and rolled over early Sunday morning on I-94 in Hudson was ejected from the vehicle and killed, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.

The crash that killed the 25-year-old male driver from Minneapolis happened about 2:20 a.m. Sunday, September 14.

A female 25-year-old passenger was also ejected from the vehicle and was severely injured. She was taken to Hudson Hospital and then transferred by air ambulance to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. The State Patrol said she was from Hudson.

Neither name had been released as of mid-Monday afternoon, pending notification of relatives, the State Patrol said.

Both the man and woman were under the influence of alcohol, the State Patrol said in its news release. Neither were wearing their seat belts. The crash remains under investigation.

Board makes offer on industrial land

The Baldwin Village Board put together the final touches on an offer for 160 acres of industrial land in the Alreich Properties/Baldwin Business Park development southeast of the USH 63/I-94 interchange during their regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, September 10.

And according to Village President Don McGee, the terms offered by the village appeared to be agreeable to owner Jim Reich, when he was asked whether the offer would be accepted. "I think so. It sounds like they're favorable to it."

The terms of the offer are that the village will pay $1,940,000 for 160 acres, of which 20 acres is the maximum amount of wetlands. That price is considerably more favorable to the village than a previous agreement, which fell through, which called for a price of $2,250,000 for 140 acres.

McGee said First Bank of Baldwin has offered favorable, below market interest rates to the village to pay for the land. The funds from the purchase price will be paid into an escrow account from which the payments for a road and utilities to serve the property would come.

In addition to the details of the offer to purchase, the board worked out questions about easements in the land that may have to be moved, said McGee. Those terms will be part of the developer's agreement with Alreich which McGee hopes will be finalized at the October village meeting, along with the offer to purchase.

McGee also noted that an updated wetland map for the property has been approved by the Wisconsin DNR but still needs approval by the Army Corps of Engineers.

In other action at the meeting:
-The board approved a conditional use permit for the Orchard Restaurant and Banquet Facility. The zoning of the property-the former New Leaf Nursery-has been changed from agriculture to highway commercial, but a conditional use permit is still required for operation of a bar.
-The board considered an offer on a narrow parcel of land adjacent to Nilssen's Super Valu. The offer is for $1,500 which is the value assigned the property by an appraisal. However, the offer was not accepted until contingencies are included for utilities and a standard form is used
for the offer.
-The board approved installation of a sign at the Baldwin Industrial Park that will list the names of all the entities within the park. The sign cost of about $15,000 will be paid for by the village from TIF district funds. A base for the sign will be paid for by the Chamber of
Commerce. The sign will be located on St. Croix County land at the south east intersection of USH 63 and Fern Drive.
-The board approved issuing a class "A" beer license to Amwest, Inc, doing business as Bob and Steve's BP. Eggen's Supermarket will surrender their license prior to the new one going to Bob and Steve's.
-The board approved issuing an alcohol beverage license to Quinn Johnson and QS Enterprises, LLC, doing business as The Phoenix Grill at Baldwin Retail on Gracie Drive (on the southwest of the I-94/USH 63 interchange).

B-W schools having technical difficulties

If parents have been sending e-mails to Viking Middle School and not getting a response, there's a reason. Similarly, for anyone trying to telephone the high school since last Friday and not getting through, there's a reason for that too.

"Our server crashed the first day of in-service for teachers," Viking Principal Hank Dupuis informed school board members at Monday night's meeting, "and we've been struggling with it ever since.

"We're probably getting e-mails from parents that aren't being answered," he continued. Some of the e-mail accounts are now working Dupuis explained, but not all. Additionally, some folders, when retrieved, have lost bits of information, he said.

"Bryan Jones (Network Administrator and Technician) has been working hard on the problem and we hope to have it resolved soon," said Dupuis.

At the High School, the telephone hard drive crashed last Friday, according to Principal Eric Russell.

"BTI (Baldwin Telecom, Inc.) has been working with us," said Russell, "and we expect the new system to be working tomorrow."

During the open forum portion of the meeting, district resident and employee Kim Paul addressed the board on behalf of the Four-year-old Kindergarten Advisory Board. She explained the advisory board is studying the possibility of offering such a program at Baldwin-Woodville. The board would like to communicate with the community and will report to the school board on a regular basis. The Vision Statement of the advisory board is to provide all four-year-olds access to developmentally appropriate learning experiences through partnerships with communities and families.

Teachers Jackie Bensen and Jen Schommer gave a Smart Board presentation during the meeting. Bensen, a third grade teacher at Greenfield, explained that last school year, the district's Technology Committee made the decision to purchase Smart Boards for each building:
five at Greenfield, one at each grade level; four at Viking, one at each grade level and one portable; and three mounted and one portable at the High School.

"At Greenfield, teachers wrote proposals for the Smart Boards and we decided from there which classrooms would get them," said Principal Gary Hoffmann.

Smart Boards are connected to the teacher's computer and project from there. Students and teachers can then write or touch and move data around on the Smart Board screen. Notes can be taken and saved and it's easy to incorporate the Internet into lessons, according to Bensen. Lesson templates are provided through the software that comes with the boards.

Bensen said some teachers received training in operating the Smart Boards and then they trained other teachers in the district.

Using this new teaching tool benefits a variety of learning styles, according to Bensen. Visual learners as well as kinesthetic learners, who learn through physically interacting and touching the board benefit from the Smart Board. "It gets students involved in the lesson," she said.

High School Spanish teacher Jen Schommer invited board members to interact with the Smart Board. Board members then took turns writing on the board. Schommer and Bensen each demonstrated various lessons they have used with the Smart Board.

"The ways that we deliver information to students is constantly changing," commented Superintendent Rusty Helland.

During committee reports, board member Mike Bondarenko reported that since the No Child Left Behind legislation, national graduation rates are up two percent for a 74 percent graduation rate. He said two-thirds of schools have achieved the standards.

Transportation Director Wade Labecki informed the board that next week is Bus Safety Week and students will be practicing safety procedures.

Supt. Helland noted that Labecki (also B-W Athletic Director) is on the ballot for the WIAA Advisory Board.

Harvest Festival this Saturday

Jim Daddies Harvest Festival will be held this Saturday on the east end of the 700 block of Main Street in Baldwin.

The festival, sponsored by Jim Daddies BBQ Sauce and BBQ UniverCity, will be from noon until 6:00 p.m. rain or shine. It will feature the music of Howard Luedtke and Patchouli with a reunion of members from the Onyx/Second Wind/Bottom Line bands.

The cost of admission is $10 (or half price with a non-perishable food shelf donation). The proceeds will be divided between the Baldwin Parks fund and Tapestries of Life Mexican Orphanage. In addition, the ticket will enter you in a drawing for a grill and other prizes.

The Festival is the brainchild of former Baldwin resident Robert Dull, who currently works for Pearlygate Network, which assists artists in production.

Tapestries of Life is a U.S. based organization that takes seriously the Christian mandate to take care of widows and orphans. In order to accomplish this mandate, Tapestries of Life is focusing on two large initiatives.

The first vision is to build an orphanage in Guadalupe Mexico, which will be the largest orphanage in all of Latin America. When completed the orphanage will house over 400 children and the government promised to fill it within 24 hours of when it's doors open with a small percentage of the over 7000 children that are living on the street in that area alone. This orphanage is being built by churches in America, Canada, Scotland and all over the world.

"Lisa (Dull) Seaman and her husband Quinn are working on the orphange," Dull noted. "They hope to be open in about a year."

The second part of the vision is meeting the immediate daily needs of today by providing much needed food to the poor of Mexico. Many of these items are provided by donations specifically for this ministry or by the work teams involved in the distribution.

The festival opens with Howard "Guitar" Luedtke, a versatile musician who performs regularly at rock, blues and jazz festivals all over Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Bruce Hecksel and Julie Patchouli recorded their first jam session together on January 6, 1993 in a church in Chicago. With Bruce playing an acoustic guitar and Julie on a 5 gallon pail they discovered their desire to create music together out of anything and everything around them. That desire fueled their relationship as it grew out of this musical love they shared and keeps them grounded in the music they create still to this day.

The song Patchouli was the first instrumental piece they wrote together.

Bruce attended college and grad school for music and theology. Julie studied ethnobotany (the study of cultures and plants) and environmental science. Together they blend the idea of cultures, music, environment and theology into the positive vibrations of Patchouli music.

Patchouli's deeply rooted musical base combined with advanced studies in yoga, meditation and other healing disciplines work together to make music with a remarkable capacity to inspire and uplift the human spirit.

New flooring store in Baldwin

Colleen Smith, picctured above, and her husband Dean own Baldwin Design & Full Specctrum Flooring, a new store at Baldwin Retail.

Colleen Smith, who along with her husband Dean owns Baldwin Design & Full Spectrum Flooring, admits that the housing slow-down has probably affected their business. But she added that their store, at Baldwin Retail on Gracie Drive in the mall on the southwest quadrant of the I-94/USH 63 interchange, has been staying busy with remodelings and commercial and church work in the area.

The new store opened in February and it carries hundreds and hundreds of floor covering products in tile, hardwood, carpet, laminates and vinyl from a variety of companies, said Colleen. Colleen is the store manager and Dean, a Glenwood City native, is the chief installer.

Colleen said that what sets their store apart is that their installers are in-house. We follow the product "from beginning to end," she explained.

Dean has 25 years experience in installing floor coverings, most out of the Twin Cities. Colleen manages the store and has previous managerial experience. They employ a salesman, Matt Multhauf, also a Glenwood City native, who has been selling in the Twin Cities for the past
10 years.

The Smiths decided to start a local store, near where they live. Their home is almost equal distance from Hammond, River Falls, Spring Valley and Baldwin.

Serious crash sends two to hospital

A t-bone crash between two vehicles at the intersection of CTHs BB and N southeast of Baldwin early Friday evening resulted in the occupants of the two vehicles being sent to the hospital, including one in critical condition.

According to rescue workers on the scene, the occupant of one of the vehicles was taken to Baldwin Area Medical Center with critical injuries and then flown by air ambulance to Regions Medical Center in St. Paul. That individual remains in critical condition.

The individual in the other vehicle was taken to BAMC and from there was sent by ground ambulance to Regions for further treatment of injuries. That person is in stable condition.

Agencies responding to the scene in addition to Baldwin Area EMS were Baldwin Police Department, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department and United Fire and Rescue.

Lowered speed limits approved; Main Street will be done by school start

New speed limits for a road bordering Baldwin's southeast side were approved by the Baldwin Village Board at last Wednesday's regular monthly meeting.

In addition, Village Engineer Mike Stoffel of Ayres Associates told Board members that the Main Street utility and repaving project is going well. When questioned whether the work will be finished by the start of school, Stoffel said "they should be pretty well completed by then." A pay
request for $141,519 to Albrightson Excavating was approved by the board.

At the recommendation of Village Police Chief Jim Widiker, the Board set new speed limits on 220th Avenue, on Baldwin's east side, south of Maple Street (70th Avenue). From Maple Street south to Cedar Street, the new speed limit will be 25 miles per hour. From Cedar Street south to 55th Avenue the speed limit will be 45 miles an hour. Chief Widiker said the amount of traffic has greatly increased on 220th Street with the opening of Cedar Street to it. Traffic has also increased on 220th due to the construction on USH 63.

Skydiver falls to his death

A Chippewa Falls man fell to his death Friday, August 8 after his skydiving chute made "an abrupt turn" just prior to landing, according to the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, and the man landed at a 45 degree angle.

Todd Jacobson, 39, was skydiving at Skydive Twin Cities in the afternoon, just west of Baldwin on CTH J. According to the Sheriff's Department, "witnesses at the scene stated that Mr. Jacobson was skydiving with a group. His chute deployed normally, but just prior to landing his chute made an abrupt turn in the air so that Mr. Jacobson was at a 45 degree angle to the ground," causing him to land on his head. The Sheriff's Department release said it is unknown why the abrupt turn was made.

The Sheriff's Department was notified at 2:18 p.m. of an injured person at the scene. Upon arrival, deputies performed CPR on Jacobson. He was then transported to Baldwin Area Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 3:07 p.m.

The Sheriff's Department news release said Jacobson was identified as an experienced skydiver with several thousand jumps to his credit.

According to the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Jacobson was a safety and training advisor and videographer for the Skydive Wissota Indianhead Sport Parachute Club. According to that Club's webside, Jacobson had successfully completed 5,200 jumps since 1991.

The St. Croix County Sheriff's Department news release said the death of Jacobson remains under investigation by his office.

Gold Finch Farm provides cut flowers to retailers

If you make the commute between Baldwin and Woodville on Highway 12, you've probably noticed the transformation which has occurred at the former Francis and Ruby Dees farm.

For the last four years Harold Wilkins and Bryan Gjevre have transformed the former dairy farm in a huge flower and shrub garden the partners grow to sell to retail floral shops, such as Hermes Floral, for floral arrangements.

"We are wholesale only," Harold stressed.

Wilkins is retired from a career of Professor of Horticulture, which included 25 years at the University of Minnesota and two years filling an endowed chair at Ohio State University. Gjevre was a student of horticulture, attended the U of M and met Harold while both were working on a project at Berkeley in California. Because the flower business is seasonal, Gjevre said he is attending a CNA program and hopes to work at Park View in Woodville during the winter m
months.

Currently the partners have about three of the five acres at Gold Finch Farm under production. The top annuals include zinnias, sunflowers, amaranthus, celosia, dill, broom corn, sage and trachelium.

The broom corn can grow up to 15 feet in height, Wilkins noted. "A local farmer stopped in the first year we were here because he was amazed at how tall it was and no cob."

Perennials growing at Gold Finch Farm include artemesia, sedum, a variety of lilies, hostas, phlox, echinops, yarrow, Siberian Iris, allium, dahlia, Chinese Lantern, three species of milkweed, astilbe, campanula, foxgloves and callas.

"Bryan is in charge of research and development," Wilkins noted. Gjevre admitted some of his plantings do not work, mostly because they don't last in a bouquet. Only two varieties of foxglove survive the winter.

Eriogron is a flower they tried, but no one wanted to buy," Gjevre said.

Sweet pea flowers was another experiment that didn't work. "We ordered a variety from Britain, but couldn't sell a one," Wilkins said. "But we also had a variety from a test seed organization blooming when we got a call from a Hudson florist. A woman had passed on who loved sweet pea
flowers and the family wanted them for a funeral bouquet. So we sold $5.00 worth."

"Harold has the contacts (for wholesale), including the Baldwin Greenhouse," Gjevre commented. They also have an arrangement with Baldwin Greenhouse to use the walk-in cooler to store cut flowers before delivery.

Other local contacts include the three workers the business employs. Logan Veenendall and Justin Morrissey are high school students working seasonal full time at Gold Finch Farm, while Diane Hudson works part time weeding flower beds and Byron Jelen provides mechanical services

"We found the local workers are excellent," Wilkins said.

Harold also has arrangement with Jon-De Farms to have manure delivered to be used at mulch and fertilizer.

Gjevre said woody shrubs have also been planted, "but is takes three to five years for them to be ready." The shrubs are not grown for replanting, but are instead the branches are cut to be used in floral arrangements.

The next time you travel from Baldwin to Woodville, or vice versa, watch for Gold Finch Farm located on the north side of the highway on the curve and you'll see what's growing. You'll most likely see Bryan, Harold or one or more of the employees weeding the flower beds.

Area residents invited to Open House at Contour Plastics

Contour Plastics, Inc. invites members of the public to the expanded facility in Baldwin's Industrial Park on Friday The facility now contains 91,000 square feet of floor space.

To celebrate the completion of a multi-million dollar addition to their manufacturing facility in Baldwin, Contour Plastics is hosting an open house on Friday, August 15 from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The company is located at 660 VandeBerg Road in the Baldwin Industrial Park in Baldwin.

The Contour addition project began in May of 2007. The addition nearly doubled the facility to 91,000 square feet. The project includes a two story structure that added a mezzanine level, offices, training, production and clean rooms that regulate air flow, pressure, temperature and filtration. Frisbie Architects of River Falls served as architect for the project and Gavic Construction of Hudson was the general contractor.

In recognition of the job opportunities and contributions to the community, Governor Jim Doyle announced on June 8, 2007 that Contour Plastics would receive up to $250,000 in Technology Zone credits as part of the facility expansion.

Contour Plastics specializes in the manufacture of precision injected molded plastic production parts and assemblies, principally for the medical, electronics and communication industries. Growing demand by these industries for specialized services, including class 10,000 and 100,000 clean rooms, were some of the pivotal reasons for this expansion. Customers choose Contour Plastics for the quality of its people, the speed of performance and its technical excellence.

Contour was established in 1990. In 1994 the company was honored as the Wisconsin Emerging Business of the Year by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. St. Croix Economic Development Corporation named Contour Plastics as the 2000 Business of the Year (medium category) in St. Croix County. Currently, the company has more than 200 employees.

The public is invited to the open house.

For more information about Contour Plastics go to www.contour-plastics.com.

Hayley Hawkins is "Miss Hammond"

Hayley Hawkins was crowned "Miss Hammond" at the Hammond Heartland Days pageant last Thursday evening. Joining her on the Heartland Days court are princesses: Kelsey Criego, Tiffany Rogers and Kayla Forrest. Kelsey Criego was also chosen as Miss Congeniality.

Man dies after fall from bridge

A Hudson man was killed Sunday night, August 3 when he either jumped or fell off a bridge onto westbound I-94 and then was hit by three vehicles.

According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Andreas Karl-Hubert Schoene, 34, of Hudson, fell or jumped from the 11th Street overpass. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy on Schoene's body is being conducted in an effort to determine whether he died as a result of the fall or from being hit by the three vehicles. The fall or jump and resulting death required re-routing vehicles in the westbound lane for about an hour and one-half.

The State Patrol said no one in the three vehicles was injured. The call to the State Patrol was received at 10:42 p.m.

Two accidents near Woodville sent five to hospitals

Two accidents near Woodville last week sent five people to hospitals, with one injured person suffering possible life threatening injuries.

According to emergency personnel who responded to the accidents, one was a T-bone accident on USH 12 near 260th Street on Woodville's northeast side. One individual was unresponsive with possible life-threatening injuries and was transported to Regions Medical Center in St. Paul. Three others in the accident were transported to Baldwin Area Medical Center with lesser injuries.

Another accident was at the intersection of CTHs B and N south of Woodville. Again, a vehicle was T-boned by another in the accident. Two persons from one of the vehicles in the accident were transported to Baldwin Area Medical Center for treatment with non-life threatening injuries. The occupant of the other vehicle refused treatment.

Agencies responding to the scene of both accidents were Woodville Police, Baldwin EMT Department and United Fire and Rescue.

Paulette Anderson's organizational skills a benefit to Hammond

Paulette Anderson admits she's good at organizing and that has proved beneficial to the Hammond area in several ways. Years ago she took a grant writing course at UW-River Falls and as part of the course applied for a grant for a fictional organization called the Hammond Arts Alliance. Her business is gardening, at one time operating Paulette's Gardens and now as a gardener for others, and her skills with plants have resulted in more beauty at the Hammond Hall.

For those activities and others that have benefited the community, Paulette has been recognized by the Hammond Heartland Parade Committee as Grand Marshal. Paulette will be walking in the parade perhaps accompanied by two-person llama costumes designed to publicize the upcoming premier of a documentary film "Running of the Llamas" by local filmmaker Heidi Freier.

Anderson is a native of Amery, or more specifically, Range, where her family had a turkey farm. She spent a couple years in college and then traveled and worked as a waitress for 20 years. Then she started her gardening business, which she has now been involved in for 20 years. She
had a retail operation for six or seven years, "Paulette's Gardens," but now is out of retail and does flower garden maintenance. At one time she had many clients, but at present has just a few.

Paulette admitts that gardening is a passion for her. She said for many years she tried to find a job she could do and have summers off so she could garden and now she is able to garden all the time. She volunteers her gardening expertise at Adoray Gardens and the container gardens at the Hammond Library and Hammond Post Office. About gardening she said: "I like it. I'm a part of it."

The Hammond Arts Alliance story is interesting. "Thirteen years ago I took a grant writing workshop," said Anderson. It was a day-long workshop at UW-RF. She said that afterwards she was excited about the prospects and was talking to the late Fred Kraemer and he said Bruce Foster would probably allow Foster Hall to be used for a gallery. A 501(c) organization was formed and that's how the Hammond Arts Alliance and Foster Hall got their start. "I like making things happen," she said. The Hammond Arts Alliance is now in its 12th year. Foster Hall is no longer the venue for the Alliance, and instead upstairs at the Hammond Hotel is used as well as
some remote locations.

Anderson said that over the years she's had many employees who were artists and so has a network of artists she knows. "I'm kind of a social person," she said, and knows art students, art teachers and everyone in between. She also said Hammond is an interesting place in which to have an art gallery.

Friday Paulette said she will be at the new farmers market, next to Hammond Hall. She will be selling flowers, be available to answer gardening questions and to talk about one of her new projects-establishing community education. Another of her current projects is to renovate the upstairs of Hammond Hall so it is usable year-round.

In addition to her organizing and gardening activities, Paulette has found time during the past eight years to serve as a trustee on the Town of Hammond Board.

Paulette and her husband Joe live just north of Hammond in a prairie style home filled and surrounded by plants and works of art.

The preview screening of the documentary "Running of the Llamas" will be on Thursday, September 11 at 6:00 p.m., which is just before this year's llama race which is at 7:00 p.m. The film will be shown in the Hammond Hall above the library. Next door, above the Hammond Hotel in the Kraemer Loft Gallery, will be a show of award-winning items made from llama fiber by members of the St. Croix County 4-H/FFA.

BAMC and Smestad team up to give students insights

Kit Smestad, left, B-W High School guidance counselor, took a course through WITC over the summer familiarizing herself with many aspects of the medical field at Baldwin Area Medical Center. Trudy Achterhof is BAMC's Human Resource Director.

A credit class through WITC taken over the summer by B-W High School guidance counselor Kit Smestad at Baldwin Area Medical Center has given her insight into medically related fields which will help her advise kids about them.

Smestad spent time over the summer in 16 separate areas at BAMC to gain knowledge about each of the areas and the qualifications needed for each.

"Now I have a better idea how to advise kids and can make them aware of different opportunities in the medical field," said Smestad. "It's not to tell them what to do but to give them information so they can decide what to do."

Smestad worked with BAMC Human Resources Director Trudy Achterhof to set up the course. Over the summer Smestad was able to spent time in departments or areas including: surgery, risk management, infection control, diabetes control; respiratory therapy, clinic, social services, lab, radiology, ER, OB and scheduling and registration.

Achterhof said that because BAMC is a smaller facility Smestad was better able to see the whole of the operation, rather than at a large medical facility which has thousands of employees spread across hundreds of areas. She added that the 16 areas visited by Smestad were probably three-quarters of the areas at BAMC. "It made it more manageable for Kit," said Achterhof.

Smestad said the course, practically speaking, involved spending time in each of the departments, speaking to the people in them "and finding out what they do." She also discussed schools that educate students in their areas. The connections she made with employees also provides Smestad with a contact person for a student if they have questions in that area.

"The great thing about health care is there are many options and the training varies from on-the-job to being a doctor," said Smestad.

"That's the message we try to send when we go to schools," added Achterhof, "there are many options." She said BAMC puts lots of energy into recruiting and working on partnerships with schools because of the shortage of health care workers. "We try to make ourselves available to their school programs and to be speakers and participate in their school programs and in interview days as a way of saying we care about students who want to advance themselves and help them achieve their goals in health care." Achterhof said

BAMC has between 20 and 25 students yearly from WITC and CVTC who do clinical rotations. She said that provides a pool of resources from which the hospital may recruit in the future. "Many people prefer to be in a small [hospital] environment," said Achterhof. BAMC also offers multiple rotations, she added, with nursing a great example. A nurse can be trained in four or five areas at BAMC, while at a large facility a nurse would work in only one area. "People who come here want the diversity and variety they get."

BAMC also offers a program called "Me and my shadow" for high school students to shadow a health care practitioner in an area of their interest, said Achterhof. "In surgery, for example, a student may get achance to be in surgery."

Eggen's Supermarket now closed

Eggen's Supermarket in Baldwin is now closed for good.

A Bob & Steve's BP Convenience store will continue to offer BP products and the usual convenience store items from a portion of the Eggen's building.

Jon Eggen will remain at the store as a Bob & Steve's employee to manage the convenience store. Bob & Steve's BP has 28 stores, including locations in Hammond, Baldwin, Woodville, Knapp and Boyceville. The company is headquartered in Menomonie, said co-owner Steve Jerlow. Steve Eggen said he has no immediate plans.

Jon Eggen said that options for the remaining space in the building are being explored.

Eggen's was started 60 years ago by Jon and Steve's grandfather Lloyd and his brother Bob. It was then operated by Lloyd's son and Jon and Steve's father, Don. It moved to the present location in 1981 from what is now the westernmost portion of Baldwin Telecom. Jon and Steve came into the business in 1997. They have had as many as 25 to 30 employees over the years.

Preschool "Catch the Reading Bug"

The Preschool "Catch the Reading Bug" summer reading program at the Baldwin Public Library enjoyed listening to the Book Diary of a Worm and eating Bar-b-qued mealy worms and gummi worms.