Spring is lamb season

Jacob and Leanne Terpstra are pictured bottle feeding some of the 43 lambs that were born at their farm south of Baldwin this spring. Of the 21 ewes at the Terpstra farm, 17 lambed, including three sets of quadruplets.
The sheep at the Darryl and Julie Terpstra farm are a hobby that also produces some extra income, according to Darryl. The Terpstras have about 43 head of milk cows at the farm, also.
About eight of the lambs born this spring need to be bottle fed, said Darryl. One breed of sheep that the Terpstras have is polypay and many of the ewes have triplets. When the lambs are born they average weight is six to 13 pounds. They often double their body weight in the first week and are then fed to reach 130 to 140 pounds by August or September.
One of the Terpstras’ ewes that weighed between 200 and 250 pounds produced 42 pounds of lambs—quadruplets with two that weighed 11 pounds each and two more that weighed 10 pounds each.

Arbitrator’s award contested in Supreme Court

The principle that an arbitrator should apply the terms of a contract and not substitute his or her own idea of what’s fair or equitable was the issue that Baldwin-Woodville School District attorney Steve Weld of the firm of Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci, S.C. argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday in Madison.
Weld said the contract between the district and employees is clear, the arbitration process is created in the contract and the arbitrator’s job is to interpret and apply the language of the contract and not substitute his or her version of fairness.
In the case argued Thursday before the Supreme Court, a teacher in the Baldwin-Woodville District started full-time in the 2002-03 school year. At the time of her initial employment in August 2002 she was placed in the compensation schedule which reflected her graduate level education credits. After a new contract was negotiated her salary was reduced $660 per year because she was mistakenly placed in the wrong category. Through the next two years the teacher was unaware of the change and did not inquire about or challenge it.
In August of 2005 the teacher submitted a form titled “Request to Change Lanes for the 2005-06 School Year.” At that time the district verified the teacher’s graduate credits and her contract was placed in the higher pay lane for the upcoming school year, but she was not compensated for the past years’ pay mistakes. The teacher and the West Central Education - Baldwin-Woodville Unit’s association (WCEA-B-W) president met with the B-W District Superintendent and the matter was brought before the B-W Board of Education. In June of 2006 the B-W Board rejected the teacher’s request for back pay.
The WCEA filed a grievance with the Superintendent on the teacher’s behalf, alleging violations of the collective bargaining agreement. The grievance was denied in a letter from the B-W District’s counsel, which said in part that the grievance was untimely. A subsequent grievance was addressed to the B-W Board and was also denied. The dispute went to binding arbitration before a Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission arbitrator who rejected the district’s contention that the grievance was untimely because it was not filed within 15 days of when the teacher became aware of not being compensated in the appropriate category.
The B-W District moved to vacate the arbitrator’s award, arguing that the award exceeded the arbitrator’s powers and authority and manifestly disregarded the law. The circuit court denied the B-W District’s motion but on appeal the Court of Appeals reversed and remanded, concluding the grievance was not timely and therefore under the terms of the contract should not be upheld.
Before the Supreme Court the WCEA said even if the Court of Appeals made the wrong determination Wisconsin law is clear that a court may not vacate an arbitration award for errors of law or fact.
Anthony Stitt, a teacher at B-W and the head negotiator for the B-W Unit of the WCEA said “contractually we have agreed to settle disputes through arbitration and our belief is that [the arbitrator] reached a decision and it should be binding. What good is our contract if the arbitration provision isn’t binding?”
The arbitrator “used equity to made a decision,” said Weld, determining whether the outcome was fair or not in his opinion. “He exceeded his authority.” The principles in the case are increasingly significant, Weld continued, as the arbitration process is used more often. “We need to have arbitrators do what the contract says,” he said, and not what they consider fair. He added that the Appeals Court agreed with the B-W District under the “plain and unambiguous language of the contract.”
Weld said he believes the principle is so important that he has taken the case with the provision that his firm will not charge the District if the District loses the case. “So it’s a kind of warranty,” he noted.

BAMC hosts rural resident with local ties

Baldwin Area Medical Center is hosting Heidi E. Helgeson, M. D. as the second resident physician in their Rural Residency Rotation for 2009. Dr. Marvin Klingler is acting as her supervising physician. Heidi will be here through the end of April. She is the daughter of Gary Helgeson from Woodville, She spent most of her youth in Plymouth, Minnesota, and has extensive family ties to the Baldwin / Woodville area including: Grandfather George Helgeson, Uncles Wayne, Warren and Paul Helgeson as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Dr. Helgeson is Chief Resident and will complete her Family Medicine specialty training in the Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program in June 2009. She is a graduate Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado Medical School and earned her undergraduate degree from Hamline University in Theology and Biology. She is a National Health Scholar and has achieved clinical honors in Neurology, Dermatology, Hospice and Palliative Care, Infectious Disease, Family Medicine and Human Behavior.
Dr. Helgeson has expressed an interest in rural medicine and has accepted a National Health Service Corps assignment in a health professional shortage area in Colorado. When she completes her residency training, she will begin her practice as a Family Physician in a Rural Health Clinic, located in Del Norte, Colorado.
Dr. Helgeson is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and American Medical Association. She was licensed in the state of Colorado in 2007. She enjoys hiking, skiing, reading, writing, cooking, dancing and ranching.
Alison Page, the Medical Center Chief Executive Officer, complemented Dr. Klingler who has been one of the primary motivating forces to create and maintain a rural residency program at the Medical Center. “Not many facilities our size can provide this kind of opportunity. Dr. Klingler loves to pass on what he has learned to new family doctors,” she noted.
Dr. Klingler responded that “It has been a real pleasure working with Dr Helgeson. I believe she will make an excellent Family Physician. She has that special spark it takes to be an exceptional Family Doctor in a rural setting. We certainly wish her our best.”

New board members take oath of office

Three board members took the oath of office during the regular meeting of the Baldwin-Woodville School Board Monday night. Jeff Campbell, who was re-elected, along with newcomers Ann Hilmanowske and Jody Lindquist, took the oath of office.
Prior to the swearing in, Superintendent Rusty Helland presented certificates of appreciation to out-going board members Tom Schumacher and Deb Rasmussen on behalf of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Helland recognized them for their years of service, 15 years and 14 years, respectively, on the Baldwin-Woodville board.
"You have both served the district for the most important reason: you were in it for what was best for kids. Thank you," said Helland.
Supt. Helland announced that a 14-member interview committee will interview five candidates for the Middle School Principal position next week. He said there were 49 applicants for the position, which is an excellent pool from which to choose. The position is available due the retirement of Principal Hank Dupuis at the end of this school year.
The third grade teaching team of Jackie Benson, Jeremy Nygaard, Matt Schommer and Lisa Skorseth gave a presentation on the Balanced Literacy program at Greenfield Elementary.
"This is a change in our reading program," Benson said. "We used to use a basal reader with an anthology of stories, read them one at a time and then work on reading skills by using the accompanying workbook."
"Now we have a variety of books at different levels in each classroom library," added Skorseth. Each child has his or her own book bin and chooses books from the class library at his or her "just right" level instead of all kids reading the same stories . The teacher then works with students in small groups, rather than the whole class at one time, she said.
The teachers assess each student to determine the "just right" level where the student starts, according to Nygaard. "The students read to the teacher one-on-one and then take comprehension tests," he said. "This determines where they start." The individual testing can take up to ten hours, but it makes teachers more aware of individual student needs, Nygaard said.
The program gradually releases students from the teacher modeling reading and thinking aloud with small groups, to guided practice, to independent reading.
"For independent reading, students will read for up to 30 minutes at a time and later take an assessment test," said Schommer. "We also have individual conferences with students," he said.
"How and why did this change come about?" asked board member Schumacher.
District reading specialist Randi Hoffman explained that the past 30 years of research has shown that students who spend the most time actually reading learn better. Too much time has been spent doing worksheets. The goal of Balanced Literacy is to have students reading at their level and comprehending more, she said.
"This has been our transition year," Hoffman said, "so some teachers are still using the basal readers. We've had a lot of teacher training this year, and next year the entire school will be involved in the program."
Board member John Hinz asked how the teachers keep students at different levels motivated to read.
"This program offers a lot of flexibilty for different levels of readers, which helps keep students motivated," said Skorseth, and the increased individual attention.
During the announcements, High School Principal Eric Russell noted that Athletic Director Wade Labecki was recently named District Athletic Director of the Year.
Viking Principal Dupuis announced that the results from the WKCE exams showed the eighth grade class improved in all five categories. He also said that 284 students slots have been filled for 17 summer school offerings. Two hundred ten summer band slots are filled as well, he said.
Director of Pupil Services Patti Phillipps reported that 95 students at Viking and 27 at the High School were vaccinated at school last week. She said school nurse Anita Justin and Tammi Hovde did a terrific job of contacting students in need of vaccinations and bringing the district into compliance with state regulations.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
        Surrounding Communities

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL (GRANTSBURG): SIREN—Is it the route of last resort or isn't it? That was the question when Voyager Village property owners Merri Middleton and John Sweetnam attended last week's Burnett County natural resources committee. The couple purchased the property on Deer Path Road in October 2004 and, even though there is a steep driveway already in existence, requested and were granted a temporary land use agreement for one-year to access the site via a logging road, which has a gentler slope, on county forest land to build their cabin. Earlier this year, forestry administrator Jake Nichols discovered the couple was still using the logging road as a main access to their cabin and tried to address the issue. "I am asking that you access your property from the town road and stop using the county forest trail," Nichols wrote in a letter to the couple. Middleton and Sweetnam then requested permanent access via that logging road, even though the existing driveway is from a town road, specifically from a cul-de-sac on Deer Path Road. "I have a heart condition and we feel the road in (logging road) is the route of last resort," Sweetnam told the committee. The couple invited Town of Jackson Fire Chief Dave Formanek and North Ambulance to inspect the property. "He described it as a very hazardous route," Sweetnam said of the existing driveway. "The ambulance couldn't guarantee they could get out once they came down," Middleton added.
But the county's comprehensive land use plan says it (access request) needs to be a route of last resort to qualify for access. Clearly, that is not the case in this situation. "Is it Burnett County's responsibility to help them find a way into their property after they bought the land," Nichols asked rhetorically. "I don't think so." "I'm just not sure we have reached the last resort yet," Olson added. "I'm not sure all the possibilities have been looked at." "Have you exhausted all the ideas to improve their existing access to make it acceptable to emergency vehicles," assistant forestry administrator Mark Diesen queried. "Maybe we could give them a temporary use permit to check other possibilities," Olson suggested. In the end, that was the decision the committee reached.

OSCEOLA SUN: A nursing home is in Osceola’s future. That’s the statement put out by representatives of the Osceola Medical Center and Christian Community Homes and Services, Inc., last week, as they announced that the two organizations have come to an agreement to build a new $6.2 million, 56-bed nursing care facility on the hospital’s campus south of downtown Osceola. “We’re excited that Christian Community Homes will be coming to our health care campus,” said Jeff Meyer, the hospital’s CEO in a prepared statement. “This fantastic organization will help us reach our vision of providing excellent health and wellness opportunities to our senior community.” Though the two organizations have been working toward an agreement continuously since the closing of the L.O. Simenstad Nursing Care Unit last year, the announcement last week was predicated on the fact that Christian Community Homes’ board of directors voted to approve the project April 6, after a lengthy internal examination of its finances and other factors. The new facility will take advantage of the 40-bed nursing care license formerly used to operate L.O. Simenstad, which was essentially “parked” when that facility closed. The additional 16 beds will be for memory care patients. Dan C. Goodier, administrator of Christian Community Homes, said the organization needed about 50 beds to “provide us with the scale to be successful.”

AMERY FREE PRESS: A sign at the top of the Arlington Drive hill in Amery announces, "Beware of Bears" that come out to feed during midday hours. Bird feeders in that neighbor hood have been targeted by bruins emerging from their winter sleep and are hungry. And now residents of Pondhurst alongside of Amery Golf Course have bears knocking down bird feeders. "We'd recommend residents remove the food sources for the bears," Amery Police Chief Tom Marson said. He suggested taking down bird feeders and securing garbage cans to eliminate the easy source of food. "We don't have any reports of injury to pets," Marson said. Marson has been in contact with the DNR, Animal Damage Division and suggested people call that department. "You will get tips on avoiding more damage and if they get enough calls and deem the bear (bears) a nuisance they will be trapped and relocated," Marson said.

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): In a feat that's only been accomplished by one other school of Boyceville's comparatively small size, the Boyceville Science Olympiad Team A placed in the top three in the state competition held April 4 in Madison. Taking third and earning a trophy not only did the Boyceville A team beat out much larger schools, but they also medaled in 11 of their 20 events with medals given to first through sixth place finishers. In the last 20 years only ten schools have ever finished in the top three at the state tournament. Many larger schools with strong Science Olympiad programs like Marshfield and Madison Memorial have never finished in the top three, said Hamm. Boyceville was, by far the smallest school among the top ten teams at the state tournament. The Boyceville A team's top ten finish last year was considered a tremendous feat for a small school, but Hamm said his students decided to set the bar even higher this year. "We had a special group of students this year on the Science Olympiad team who set high expectations for themselves and their teammates, and our success is a direct by-product of their hard work and dedication to the team" said Hamm. Hamm took over as the Science Olympiad advisor when he came to the district two years ago and since that time the program has strengthened under his direction growing to 44 students and three teams.

Phoenix Bar and Grill readied for May 1 opening

Owners Quinn and Susie Johnson are pictured in the soon-to-open Phoenix Bar and Grill located in the Baldwin Plaza development at the southwest quadrant of the I-94/USH 63 interchange.

Quinn Johnson said he grew up in the food business and “I miss it.” So he and his wife Susie are getting back into the restaurant business and hope to open the Phoenix Bar and Grill on May 1.
“We called it the ‘Phoenix’ because Susie and I are both rising up from the ashes,” said Quinn. “We gave up our careers to go into the restaurant business.”
Quinn and Susie said their bar and grill will be something new to Baldwin, and they want people to be comfortable there. “We’re trying to bring Baldwin something that it’s never had. We’ll have great food at a great price that a family can afford,” Quinn said. “We’re going to have fresh food. And people will feel comfortable here in jeans or shorts or dressed up.”
The Phoenix Bar and Grill is located in the Baldwin Plaza development on the southwest quadrant of the I-94/USH 63 interchange. The interior has been completely gutted and remodeling is nearly complete.
The Phoenix will feature an English pub look. There will be a corner bar and high seating area as well as tables and booths in the eating area. The plan is to have seating for 85 indoors and another 30 outside on the patio. The restaurant inside will be no smoking, Susie said.
Already some bartenders, cooks and waitresses have been hired, but more are needed. The Johnsons plan to be open from 11 until 11 during the week. On the weekends they hope to serve breakfast so will be open earlier and perhaps staying open later.
“You can get everything from ribs to ahi tuna here,” said Quinn. He said the menu will feature sandwiches, wraps, full dinners and grilled pizzas. The Johnsons also plan to offer curb service.
A full bar will have eight beer taps with Leinenkugel’s featured but also some different beers featured weekly.
Although the Johnsons tentatively plan to open for business on May 1, they are also planning a grand opening celebration for later in the month.

Two incumbent B-W board members defeated

The biggest surprise locally in the spring election held last Tuesday was that two incumbent Baldwin-Woodville Board of Education members were defeated. Deb Rasmussen and Tom Schumacher both lost their bids for re-election to newcomers Jody Lindquist and Ann Hilmanowske. The other incumbent B-W Board member standing for re-election was Jeff Campbell who was the top vote getter with 659 votes.
The two newly elected members Hilmanowske and Lindquist received 633 and 613 votes, respectively. Rasmussen received 523 votes and Schumacher received 512.
For the St. Croix Central Board of Education the three incumbents were re-elected. Scott DeGross received 557 votes, Kay Zwald received 496 votes and Howard Kruschke received 486 votes. Challenger Dana S. Cottrell received 376 votes.
For the Village of Baldwin, the three incumbents were re-elected to their posts. Re-elected were Trustees Douglas Newton with 219 votes, Duane Russett with 218 votes and Kevin Brathol with 192 votes.
For the Village of Hammond, incumbent Village President Vince Trudell received 103 votes to turn back the challenge by former Village President Tom Kinney who received 63 votes. For trustee five candidates were on the ballot for three open positions and formerly appointed Trustee Tony Bibeau was the top vote-getter with 120. He was followed by new-comer Erin McComb with 92 votes and incumbent Eric Arthur with 88 votes. Incumbent Mary Rivard failed in her re-election bid with 70 votes and the second newcomer Jack Herbert received 49 votes.
In the Village of Woodville the only race was for President where the incumbent Tom Vandenberg won re-election with 105 votes over challenger and present trustee Barry Ketchum who received 94 votes.
In the Village of Wilson incumbent President Craig Grandahl withstood a challenge from present trustee Paul Timmerman and came out the victor 47-43. For Trustee Douglas Ray outpolled Jeff Hintz 52-40.
In the Town of Hammond where all positions were challenged, all incumbents held on to their positions. For Chairman incumbent Ken Peterson received 227 votes compared to challenger Tessa Boury with 58 votes. For supervisor, incumbents Lory Hawkins with 208 votes and Greg Gillis with 168 votes were returned to office over challengers Kirk Hodenfield with 77 votes and Dave Jahns with 69 votes.
For Town of Hammond Clerk, incumbent Linda Hawkins retained her office with 229 votes over challenger Theresa Wallace who received 47 votes. For Treasurer, incumbent Kathy Guski received 250 votes compared to 34 votes for challenger Marilee Spinks.
In the Town of Baldwin, Joe Hurtgen won re-election as Chairman with 127 votes. Challenger Ken Graf received 36 votes. For Supervisor incumbents Don L. Johnson with 114 votes and Barbara Zimmerman with 104 votes were re-elected over challenger David Sander with 80 votes. Winning as Treasurer was Cheryl Puppe with 86 votes over Lori Graf with 59 votes. For Clerk, Barbara Gerhardt won with 134 votes.
In the Town of Eau Galle, two new candidates were running for chairman and James Lund won the office with 166 votes compared to 80 for Joel Kraemer. For Supervisor one incumbent, David North, won re-election with 136 votes. The other Supervisor elected was Barry Serier with 120 votes. Other candidates for Supervisor were Dennis Duckworth who received 115 votes and Jackie Mathison who received 79 votes.

Dog waste becoming nuisance in parks

Baldwin Public Works Director John Traxler told members of the Baldwin Village Board at their regular monthly meeting last Wednesday night that pet feces in village parks that is not picked up by their owners has become a “health issue,” especially in the playground area at Mill Pond Park.
“We have a real big issue with dogs in our parks,” said Traxler. “It’s a health issue now because they’re into the playground.”
He said signs in the park tell dog owners that they must clean up after their dogs, but apparently some do not. He said one solution would be to prohibit dogs from being in the park, but that seems like a drastic step.
He asked board members to help come up with a solution to the problem.
In other action at the board meeting, the annual committee appointments were made.
-Spring Clean-up was set for Friday, April 24 from 4 to 7 and Saturday, April 25 from 8 to 3.
-The board discussed whether the village ordinances should be amended to require that a garage be built with every home. The consensus was that should be the case and the board passed a motion to require at least a 20x20 garage with every home. The measure now needs to be published and then adopted as an ordinance.
The board spent considerable time dealing with the village’s sign ordinance, specifically as it relates to Dan’s Auto Center. Board members will review the ordinance and it will be put on the agenda for a future meeting.
-The board also spent considerable time dealing with a request by Scott Plourde to rezone a lot of his in the Creekview Meadow development from R-2 to R-4. The rezoning would allow a six unit apartment to be built.
Plourde said that when he started the development the lot was planned for four unit zoning, so the increase is really from four units to six. He said a six unit apartment would not be out of proportion for the lot. Each unit would be two or three bedrooms with two baths. He noted that other six unit apartments are nearby.
“The people who live [in that area] are adamantly opposed” to the rezoning request, said Trustee Claire Stein. He added that he was against other four-plexes in the area before and he’s opposed to them at present.
A motion to deny the request to rezone the parcel was carried on a voice vote.
-The board voted to provide $500 to the Botany Belles and Beaus for flower planting.
-The board discussed some way of having the lawns at vacant properties mowed. There is a problem with notification of owners and in some cases even determining who the owner is. A plan will be prepared to be presented at the May meeting.
-Baldwin’s Arbor Day celebration was set for April 24 and a proclamation was adopted.
-The property at 705 Main Street (Doug Thompson’s) was discussed with the hope that it could be taken by the village in a “friendly” condemnation. Also discussed was letting United Fire and Rescue use the property for search and rescue training. Board members expressed no objection after the village acquires the property.
-The board voted to donate $350 to the Viking Middle School Syttende Mai run.
-The board discussed a sidewalk on the west side of USH 63 (10th Avenue) between Franklin and Lokhorst Streets. Holding a hearing on the proposal at the May meeting carried on a 4-3 vote.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
        Surrounding Communities

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL (GRANTSBURG): "All we need now is some warmer temperatures and dry weather," new general manager Mark Kamish said as he surveyed the layout at Siren National golf course last week. "The course came through winter in great shape and it could be played now except it's still wet in places," he continued. "We should be open for play April 15 give or take a week." Kamish was named the new general manager after River Bank-Osceola took ownership of the course when former owner Bob Schmidt went into foreclosure. "The initial foreclosure was scheduled for Dec. 15 last year but kept getting postponed," River Bank president Doug Wynveen said. "The sheriff's sale was last month and that's when we got the course." Wynveen said the bank is "actively marketing the property." "The bank has assured me they'll keep the course open for play until they find a new owner," Kamish noted. As far as the land around Siren National being developed into a resort area with cabins and amenities, Kamish said all of that is on hold. Even though he has been named g.m., the bulk of his work will center around the upkeep of the course. "With Dave Edaburn coming back to pretty much run the clubhouse side, I'm planning to spend about 75 percent of my time working on the course," he pointed out.

OSCEOLA SUN: Last Friday, when a group of Osceola High School students were driving tractors down Chieftain Street, Matt Miller ended up being more than just a spectator. When Makenzie Shira’s Ford 9N tractor plowed into the back of another tractor and flipped completely over, pinning her leg and trapping her underneath, Miller sprinted to the tractor and lifted the implement off the 17-year-old, as another girl pulled her from underneath it. Seconds after the incident, the tractor burst into flames. Miller, 23, who had been helping his father re-roof a nearby apartment building, had stopped for a quick break from what he was doing to watch the tractors pass. In a brief interview shortly after the incident, Miller said the accident happened very quickly. “It rode up on the back of the other one and just went over,” Miller said. Miller doesn’t remember thinking about what to do, or even if the tractor felt heavy. “I don’t know,” Miller said. “I was pretty pumped. … The fire almost got us.” Osceola police officer Eric Lehman said it was very lucky that Miller had been taking a break at that moment. “He’s a freakin’ hero,” Lehman said, noting that Miller probably didn’t even fully realize what he’d done. “He was just going ‘geez there was a lot of adrenaline going back there.'" Lehman chalked the accident up to inexperience; Shira’s tractor was in the wrong gear and she panicked when it jerked into motion, he said. Shira, who had attended the school’s Take Your Tractor To School Day, suffered several bruises, a swollen knee and some small burns, but was otherwise unhurt in the incident.

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: James Jensen, 56, former owner of the Outpost Bar & Grill near Star Prairie and former New Richmond area resident, has been charged with theft and obtaining property by deception in Belize. Jensen most recently has been operating a business, the Coyote Ugly bar in Belize. Jensen and his wife, Janis, moved to the Central American region after selling their local establishment in 2007. Jan died since that time. On March 23, James Jensen was arrested by Belize police. According to arrest records, an investor named Robert Martin reported that on Dec. 11, 2008 he sent by wire transfer $50,000 to Jensen for the purchase of land in Punta Gorda. According to the report, Jensen allegedly acknowledged receiving the money, but presented no proof of the land purchase. Jensen had also allegedly promised to give back the money to Martin but has not done so. Jensen, who is a Canadian national, was arrested and remanded to Hattieville Prison until his next court hearing, which is scheduled for April 24. The charges are indictable and no plea was taken during Jensen’s first court appearance, according to a story in the San Pedro newspaper.

PIERCE COUNTY HERALD: A former Maiden Rock woman was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to four months prison for wire fraud. Melissa Christiansen, 31, now of Red Wing, was originally indicted last August on 16 counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that, between June 2003 and Nov. 2006, Christensen contacted individuals in Texas, Arkansas, Virginia and Ohio, saying she was having a baby and wanted to put the child up for adoption, only to say the babies never existed. Federal District Judge Barbara Crabb ordered the prison term to be served concurrently. She also placed Christiansen on two years probation and to pay restitution of $1,990. She will start her sentence June 3. "She didn’t commit her crime out of greed or financial motive," Christensen’s attorney Michael Lieberman said in documents filed in court. "Nor did she do it with the goal of hurting anybody, although she freely acknowledges the pain she unfortunately caused her victims."

Forensic Talent Night April 14

Pictured in the front row from left to right are John Wallesverd, Seth Kersten, Lindsay Hurtgen, Sam Basques, Jasmine Merz, Abby Gadbois and Danielle Mundt. In the second row are Emily Veenstra, Megan Smith, Rachel Hanson, Ross Jennings, alt., Tori Liston, Kathrin Hobrecht and Stephanie Larson. Row three: Phillip Hopkins, Forrester Smith, Jenny Rang, Elisa Folden, Jennifer Holle, Kya Grafenstein, Dan Ramberg, alt., and Andrew Ring. Missing from picture are Mark Serier, Becca Warner, Tiffany Loftus, Jordan Lorenz, Rachelle Veenstra, Shauna Basques, Jacob Grafenstein, Elsie Kersten, Kayla Wagner, Amber Jacobson, Ali Ottum, Bridget Fisher, John Rumpel, Derek Boldt, Tanis Klingler, Justin Morrissey and Ian Schoenke.

Thirty-seven B-W students began their preparation for the state high school forensic competition after the March 28 district festival. Although students were tired after their spring break (many of the team were on the New York choir trip) and preparation for the district solo and ensemble festival (twenty-seven members of the team were active participants in that competition), the team fared well. All twenty-five possible entries made it through the screening for the state festival.
It has been many years since our school has taken a full team to state, so coaches Roxi Wakeen and Angie Schmoker are thrilled with Saturday’s results. The day was tiring but very rewarding.
If you would like to see this year’s awesome team, join us on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at the Baldwin-Woodville High School when each member of the team will present their selection for state. We have a great team. The event is free, so please support our team.

Three area Boy Scouts receive highest honor

On Sunday, April 5, Boy Scout Troop 110 of Baldwin and Woodville presented the Eagle Scout award to three area Scouts.
Reid Anderson, Neil Ranals and Jonathon Willert have earned the rank of Eagle, Boy Scouting's highest award. Each Scout enters at the rank of Scout and progresses through the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and finally Eagle.
A variety of requirements must be fulfilled including 21 Merit Badges which provide more in depth study in a variety of skill and interest areas. Each Scout also provides service to the Community, learns outdoor camping, cooking and survival skills, studies citizenship and strives to work together in leadership building activities.
Service projects for the community have included: highway cleanup, Baldwin American Legion Chicken dinners, set-up for community Christmas and Halloween parties, area park clean-up, and purchasing Christmas gifts for needy families.
A major portion of the Eagle award involves coordinating a project that benefits the community. The Scout needs to develop the plan, arrange for needed funding, and coordinate volunteer workers to complete the project.
Reid Anderson's Eagle project was to replace deteriorating tables for Zion Lutheran church park. Neil Ranal's Eagle project was to landscape and paint the Rush River Town Hall. Jonathon Willert's Eagle project was to plan and create a walking/running/cross-country ski trail at Viking Middle School and build benches along the trail.
Cave Dahl American Legion Post 240 in Baldwin charters Troop 110.

Village of Baldwin wastewater utility receives state award

The Wisconsin Rural Water Association (WRWA) recently held its Annual Technical Conference in Green Bay, where nearly 1,200 water and wastewater industry personnel met for four days exchanging ideas and technology through technical sessions and exhibits.
At the WRWA conference, the Baldwin Wastewater Treatment Plant received the Association's prestigious 2009 Wastewater System of the Year Award. This award is presented each year to one system in the state of Wisconsin that demonstrates excellence in the field of wastewater operation.
"The role of water and wastewater systems and their operators has become increasingly difficult as state and federal regulatory agencies have imposed tougher standards for utilities," said Ken M. Blomberg, WRWA Executive Director. "The Baldwin Wastewater Treatment Plant has been recognized by their peers as deserving of WRWA's highest award for their dedication and service. The Village of Baldwin can be proud of its dedicated utility."

County Treasurer Cheryl Slind announces resignation

A letter sent to this newspapers and others in St. Croix County last week by St. Croix County Treasurer Cheryl Slind announced her resignation from that office. Her last day of work for the county will be Friday, May 29.
Over the telephone, Slind said she has received an offer of employment that she couldn’t turn down. “I was presented with an opportunity to work for Workhorse Software,” she said. The Wausau, Wis. company produces software used by municipalities. “It is used by the Village of Baldwin, I believe,” she said.
Slind will provide customer service and training for the software, she said. She said at present she will work out of her home three days a week and then be on the road for probably two days a week, mostly within a 150 mile radius.
“We started talking last fall,” with the software provider, said Slind, “and I came to the conclusion that it would be good fit.” She said she will start in the new job on June 1.
Slind said she wasn’t sure what process would be used by the county to find her replacement. She noted that the County Board’s finance committee meets Friday when the process could begin. She said it’s likely that the county will take applications for the position, then interview and appoint a successor.
In her letter announcing her resignation, Slind wrote: “It has truly been a pleasure serving the people of this great county the past six years. I have been grateful for the trust that was given to me in the past three elections to re-elect me in this position, it’s a trust that I have never taken lightly.”

Tyler and Hauschild honored by SBA

Mark Tyler, left, and Jim Hauschild were named 2009 Wisconsin Small Business Persons of the Year Honorable Mention award winners by the Wisconsin SBA.

Craig Faust, President and CEO of HGI Company, LLC in Burlington has been named the Wisconsin Small Business Person of the Year for 2009 by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
HGI Company is comprised of four operating divisions, Hi-Liter Graphics, LLC, Inland Graphics, Plus Digital Print and All American Graphics. The first of the four divisions, Hi-Liter Graphics, was a family owned and operated web printing and finishing business founded in 1952. They specialized in the production of books, catalogs and directories.
Faust is among 53 top small business persons-one from each state, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands, and Guam-who will be honored at SBA’s National Small Business Week events May 18-20, in Washington, D.C. As the winner of the Wisconsin Small Business Person of the Year Award, Craig could be named National Small Business Person of the Year during the national event.
The 2009 Wisconsin Small Business Persons of the Year Honorable Mention award winners are S. Mark Tyler, President and Jim Hauschild, Vice President of OEM Fabricators in Woodville. Three hundred twenty team members of OEM Fabricators fabricate, machine, weld, finish and assemble products for over twenty industries. The “team” also assists in engineering, supply and management, developing test equipment and design and construction of research facilities for academic institutions.
Tyler, a data analyst/tool designer and Hauschild, a welder by trade, began employment together in 1977 working at American Hoist and Derrick in Minneapolis. Eventually, the pair found the opportunity to take the entrepreneurial leap and formed OEM Fabricators, Inc. in 1986. A major achievement of OEM was an expansion in 2007 to a second manufacturing facility in Neillsville. Over 200 employees had lost their jobs in Neillsville when a major employer closed its doors. OEM specifically chose this community as the site to access this pool of skilled talent and re-hired many of the displaced workers. OEM’s employment jumped from 192 in 2006 to 290 in 2007 following the expansion. This expansion project included funding from SBA along with several other funding sources and the rural community in Clark County was profoundly impacted.
The Wisconsin SBA celebration of our Small Business winners will be June 5 at SBA and SCORE’s Awards Presentation Breakfast at Country Springs Inn and Resort in Waukesha.
The Small Business Administration congratulates and thanks Faust of HGI Company and Tyler and Hauschild of OEM Fabricators for their continued commitment and contributions to Wisconsin’s small business communities.

Mike Findlay promoted to Major

Major Mike Findlay, formerly from Baldwin, was promoted March 1, 2009 to the rank of Major, US Army.
Major Findlay and his wife CPT Kathleen Findlay, MD, US Army are posted at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Mike works with the Ft. Sill PRA research sector, creating mathematical models for the Army. Katie presently is the Medical Officer in Charge for the Ft. Sill Medical Clinic, and is slated for a tour of duty in Baghdad, Iraq this August 2009.
Mike graduated from St. Croix Central in 1995. Katie (Usiak) Findlay graduated from St. Croix Central in 1996. Mike and Katie reside with their two children in rural Cache, Oklahoma.
Mike’s parents are Ann and Bill Findlay of Baldwin. Katie’s parents are Bob and Helen Usiak of Hudson.

Bill Gilles died unexpectedly March 17

Shock, disbelief and sorrow spread through these communities after the news of the unexpected death of Baldwin-Woodville ag teacher Bill Gilles was related last Wednesday.
Gilles, 48, died Tuesday, March 17 at United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Gilles had been the ag teacher and FFA advisor at B-W since the 1984-85 school year. Last fall he was seriously injured in a head-on traffic accident with a semi truck and had only returned to work in the past few weeks.
In addition to teaching and advisor as FFA, Gilles was involved in civic activities. He was a former member of the Pierce County Board of Supervisors and had been the Chairman of the Town of Martell.
Mr. Gilles is survived by his wife Amy and three children as well as other relatives and a host of friends, co-workers and present and former students. Visitation was held on Sunday, March 22. Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Plum City on Monday.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
        Surrounding Communities

MONDOVI HERALD NEWS: A criminal charge has been filed against a Strum woman after police say she posted a profile of her former boyfriend on Craigslist under "Casual Encounters" without his knowledge or consent. Kari Heath, 20, was charged last week in Eau Claire County Court with causing harm through identity theft. According to police, the ad on Craigslist indicated the man wanted other men to call him at work and "talk dirty to him." According to the criminal complaint, the former boyfriend received a call at work from an unknown male saying he was calling in reference to the ad on Craigslist. When the former boyfriend said he didn't know what the caller was talking about, the caller hung up. The former boyfriend called Altoona police, and then went online and found the profile that included several photos of him. The former boyfriend didn't know who would have those photos besides Heath. He said Heath later sent him a text message in which she admitted to posting the ad on Craigslist. Heath told police that she placed the ad after getting into an argument with her former boyfriend on Feb. 2. If convicted, Heath could face up to three years in prison.

AMERY FREE PRESS: Opened only since June, the Wound Healing Center at Amery Regional Medical Center is already becoming a leader in care and has been awarded the New Center of the Year Award by National Healing Corporation (NHC), a leader in disease management accounting for more than 30 percent of the nation's managed and outsourced wound healing centers. The Wound Healing Center specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions and offers hospital-based outpatient wound care as well as disease management and diabetes care. Likely candidates for treatment are those suffering from diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections, compromised skin grafts and flaps, and wounds that haven't healed within 30 days. One of the highly specialized treatments offered at the center is hyperbaric oxygen therapy which works by surrounding the patient with 100 percent oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure to increase the amount of oxygen in the patient's blood and promote healing from the inside out.

THE SUN (Osceola): An 18-year-old Hudson man perhaps learned a valuable lesson last Saturday night: drinking alcohol and playing with knives shouldn't mix. According to police Benjamin Yuengst suffered a 3-centimeter deep stab wound to his buttocks while he and two friends had been drinking in a Village of Osceola residence. In a brief e-mail about the incident, Polk County Sheriff Tim Moore said that Nicholas Knoll, 19, of Hudson had jokingly poked Yuengst in the buttocks with a knife, but the "knife penetrated deeper than either male had anticipated" and they noticed blood on the floor, coming from Yuengst's leg. Thinking that bringing Yuengst to the Osceola Medical Center would be too suspicious and would likely raise questions about underage drinking, Yuengst, Knoll and Christopher Crawford, 18, also of Hudson, made a make-shift bandage out of a towel and duct tape, and then drove Yuengst to the hospital and dropped him off. "It does not appear that there is any criminal intent in this matter," wrote Moore. The three men were charged with underage consumption.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: Many details are still to be worked out, but local civic and church leaders say they're determined to open a River Falls shelter for the homeless at the start of next year. "I'm thankful for the response. It's been wonderful," said the Rev. Jerry Harris of St. Bridget Catholic Church. "We've run into a few bumps but will handle them If we're going to do this, we need to do it right. Our focus is simple: to have a clean, safe place to stay the night and to provide food." A core group of 35 people has been meeting to set up a traveling homeless shelter among the city's larger churches. "We're still doing the research, but another possibility we're toying with is finding some kind of house that could be used instead," Harris said. More than 20 mattresses were donated by the university to St. Bridget's to use for the shelter.

B-W Class of 2009 honor students

Honor students at Baldwin-Woodville High School in the class of 2009 have been announced and are pictured above. In the front row, from left to right, are: Derek Boldt, Valedictorian Alexander Buechter, Hunter Campbell, Jessica Curtis, William Doornink, Briana Fleming, Elisa Folden, Kya Grafenstein, Trevor Hadley, Ellen Hawley, Jordan Hampton and Jennifer Holle. In the third row are, from left: Marin Holle, Logan Jacobson, Seth Kersten, Tyler Klund, Stephanie Larson, Amy Lund, Bryce Lunzer, Christopher Lynum, Kylee Momchilovich, Daniel Peterson and Daniel Ramberg. In the third row, from left, are: Jesse Rose, Wade Schlichting, Ian Schoenke, Jordan Simons, Karlyn Sturtevant, Leanne Terpstra, Brett Tiffany, Lucas Trickle, Kayla Wagner and Kelsey. Missing from the picture are: Alexandra Dumond, Jessica Johnson, Jamie Knotz, Shaunna Veenendall and Salutatorian RachelleVeenstra.

The Baldwin-Woodville High School recently announced the Class of 2009 honor students. Alexander Buechter, son of Gerard and Sheryl Buechter, was named Valedictorian. He plans to attend UW-Madison this fall. Salutatorian was Rachelle Veenstra, daughter of Anson and Sylvia Veenstra.
Other honor students include (in alphabetical order) Derek Boldt, son of Gary and Sherry Boldt, who plans to attend UW-Eau Claire; Hunter Campbell, son of Jeff and Wendy Campbell, St. Cloud; Jessica Curtis, daughter of Michael and Tammie Curtis, Northwestern Technical Institute; William Doornink, son of Phil and Joan Doornink, North Dakota State; Alexandra Dumond, daughter of Heidi and Greg Dumond, University of Minnesota; Briana Fleming, daughter of Bruce and Julie Fleming, St. Cloud State; Elisa Folden, daughter of Bob and Kim Hei and Mike Folden, UW-Madison.
Kya Grafenstein, daughter of Jay and Marna Grafenstein, plans to attend the University of St. Thomas; Trevor Hadley, son of Craig and Lori Hadley, Dakota County Technical College; Ellen Hawley, daughter of Tom and Rita Hawley, St. Olaf College; Jordan Hampton, son of Jim Hampton, is undecided; Jennifer Holle, daughter of Steven and Janet Holle, UW-Madison; Marin Holle, daughter of Dan and Julie Holle, UW-Eau Claire; Logan Jacobson, son of Greg and Mary Jacobson, UW-Stout; Jessica Johnson, daughter of Bob and Nancy Johnson, is undecided.
Seth Kersten, son of Brian Kersten and Karen Hollabaugh, plans to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; Tyler Klund, son of Darcy and Jamie Klund, UW-Eau Claire; Jamie Knotz, daughter of Daniel and Katie Knotz, UW-Stevens Point; Stephanie Larson, daughter of Kevin and Barbara Larson, Carthage College; Amy Lund, daughter of Art and Lynette Lund, UW-Stout; Bryce Lunzer, son of Barry and Mary Lunzer, UW-Stout.
Christopher Lynum, son of Toby and Marla Lynum, plans to attend UW-LaCrosse; Kylee Momchilovich, daughter of Paul and Annette Momchilovich, WITC; Daniel Peterson, son of Karen Peterson and Larry Peterson, UW-Madison; Daniel Ramberg, son of Tim and Jody Ramberg, Wisconsin Lutheran; Jesse Rose, son of Pam and Jerry Rose, UW-Eau Claire; Wade Schlichting, son of Pete and Sue Schlichting, UW-River Falls; Ian Schoenke, son of Richard and Lori Schoenke, UW-Milwaukee.
Jordan Simons, son of Lisa Bowman and Jeff Simons, UM - Duluth; Karlyn Sturtevant, daughter of Mark and Linda Sturtevant, St. Benedict; Leanne Terpstra, daughter of Darryl and Julie Terpstra, UW-River Falls; Brett Tiffany, son of Scott and Jelaine Tiffany, UW-Stout; Lucas Trickle, son of Barb Lindstrom and Jim Trickle, Minnesota State Moorhead; Shaunna Veenendall, daughter of Jerry and Deanna Veendall, WITC; Kayla Wagner, daughter of Mike and Linda Wagner, University of Minnesota; and Kelsey Wahlquist, daughter of Bill and Bonnie Wahlquist, UW-Eau Claire.

Candidates sound off

Candidates for various offices in the surrounding communities responded to the following questions:
1. Name, age (if willing to provide it), address.
2. Position sought.
3. Education or experience that you believe will help you in the position.
3. What do you believe are your strengths that would help you fulfill your duties in the position?
4. What are the primary issues facing the municipality or entity for which you are seeking a position? Do you have some potential solutions?

Village of Baldwin

Trustee (3)

1. Duane Russett, age 56, Baldwin
2. Trustee Village of Baldwin
Education, Associates Degree from CVTC plus classes in Real Estate (Licensed Sales Person) Supervision Management and other miscellaneous college credits which gives me a broad knowledge on many different issues.
3. Experience - currently serving on the Public Safety/Personnel and Water Sewer Committees as a village Trustee. My wife and I both work in the Village of Baldwin which gives me a closer connection to our local issues.
What are my strengths - I believe I am a good listener. I may not agree but will try and understand the concerns others may have. I will admit if I was wrong and work toward resolving problems.
4. What are the primary issues facing the Village of Baldwin - Fiscal responsibility is a major concern I believe we need to take advantage of grants when applicable and make use of other resources when or if available. I support the expansion and promotion of our Industrial Parks which the Village is currently involved with. I am concerned about safety along US 63 through the Village and supported the installation of the two lighted crosswalks installed last summer during the road construction. I would also like to see radar speed signs on both ends of town and additional sidewalks. The Village of Baldwin will have many challenging issues facing us in the next couple of years and it will take a Village Board with members who can work together and listen to each other to be successful. I believe I can fulfill those needs.

1. Doug Newton, 52, 1170 9th Ave., Baldwin.
2. Village of Baldwin Trustee
3. 12 years experience on the Baldwin Village Board as a Village Trustee. Some strengths that I possess are leadership and communication skills and the ability to be creative.
4. One primary issue that the Village of Baldwin is facing are the continuous budget cuts. I think we should continue being conservative on how we spend our money.

1. Kevin Brathol, 43, 990 11th Ave., Baldwin.
2. Re-election as Village Trustee
3. I am just completing my 12th year as a trustee and seeking re-election for two more years. I believe there can be no better experience for the position of Village Trustee than having had served on the Board for that length of time. Experience is the strength and bond that makes us the board we are. The current Village board has many years of experience and works together very well. We have a lot of projects and tasks started that I’d like to help see completed, such as the new Industrial Park, Sewer plant expansion, re-construction of Main Street, to name a few. I have lived in the Baldwin area my entire life. I am very familiar with the surroundings and the people.
4. We have a lot of issues as does every Village. Budget has been an expected problem with the state taking big cuts in state aid. It is looking at least for now that the aid from the state will not be cut as bad as predicted. The numbers the state is saying is less than a two percent decrease or just over $4,000. This could have been a huge problem at the local level had the numbers been where they first thought they would be.
The economy is a concern for everyone now, and the area growth has slowed a lot. Jobs are being cut everywhere, and we all are feeling it. We have tried to maintain as little budget increases as possible. We also did not want to let things like street maintenance slide either. Taxes at the village level have had very little increase in the last decade due to budget increases. We did have a revaluation increases and a school bond issue that we all noticed on our taxes in recent years, but remember the village portion of your taxes is about 38 percent of the total amount you pay.
Business and industrial growth should benefit Baldwin greatly. The benefit of forming of a T.I.F. district for the new Industrial park is huge. We can work with and offer benefits to buyers that a private owners could never do. This is a win, win situation for the village and the buyer. The location of Baldwin with I-94, US 63, and our close proximity to the Twin Cities should make this area very attactable.

1. Todd Daniel Welch, 27, 1050 Curtis St., Baldwin, WI 54002. 2. Baldwin Village Board Trustee.
3. I currently have two associate degrees and one bachelors degree in the Information Technologies field, using my education and experience I am co-owner of TC-TEKS Computes LLC (www.TCTEKS.com) in Eau Claire, which has been in business since July, 2006. Running my own business has given me the experience of balancing a budget and not spending more than we bring in. It has also given me the leadership experience that I will need when helping to run the Village of Baldwin in the most efficient and effective way possible. I believe that government needs to be run more like a private business, taking every dollar into account and making sure that they are stretched as far as possible. By doing this we can make sure that the citizens of Baldwin will be able to keep as much of their money in their pockets as possible.
4. I am very ambitious and motivated, when I set my mind to something I make sure that I see it through to the end. Because of this when I have a goal, or a task, or whatever it may be, I do everything that is necessary to accomplish it. My ambition and motivation in addition to being a leader in business will allow me to help run the Village of Baldwin as efficiently as possible. Government has forgotten over the years that the money they are spending is not their money. The money comes from hard working citizens and it should be spent in the most effective way possible.
Currently the Baldwin Village board enforces a $3 mandatory permit fee on all fireworks sales in the Village of Baldwin which took nearly $40,000 out of the local economy last year. They also mandated that such businesses come before the board each year to beg that they be allowed to stay in business. Businesses should not have to fear that they may not be allowed to continue to operate each year; employees should not have to worry during the holidays that they may not have a job each year; and citizens should not have unnecessary dollars taken out of their pockets every year. I will work to eliminate unnecessary fees as tax programs in the village so more money can stay in the citizens pockets and the local economy.
Also, currently the Village of Baldwin owns property called the Oak Ridge Tech Park- part of the Industrial Park. This property is to be sold for $50,000/acre for businesses to develop and create jobs. Instead of trying to profit on this land, the Village of Baldwin should sell this land at cost or even a loss. The goal is to get businesses to develop the land and create employment here in the village. Any barrier preventing that should be lifted, especially in this economic downturn. The Village of Baldwin would make its return when businesses purchase the land and start paying property taxes. In the long run it would be a major win-win for the Village.
For more information on the issues I feel are important for the Village of Baldwin please visit www.ToddWelch2009.com.

VILLAGE OF WOODVILLE

President

1. Tom Vandeberg, 66 years old, 116 Division St. S., Woodville.
2. Village of Woodville President.
3. Have been on the Village Board about ten years. Have been Village President four years, attended the Ehlers Public Finance Seminar; was Church Council president.
4. The primary issue before the Village is not just the village’s but is everyones and that is the economy. The hard part is for the village board to stay within the budget and still be able to provide the best service possible.

1. Barry Ketchum, 29, 400 Birch St., Woodville.
2. Village President - Woodville
3. My education and experience for this position are that I have been a Village Trustee for the last three years and I have chaired committees such as Parks, Public Safety and Buildings and Equipment. I had also spent the last year on Budget and Finance learning where the money comes in and where it goes out for the village.
I also feel my youth, being 29 years old, provides a different look at things, than perhaps traditionally in the past. I have a great sense of responsibility which I have achieved from being active on the Baldwin EMS as and EMT in Woodville as well as a firefighter.
4. Some issues that face Woodville are future budget concerns. I think we should lean back spending as much as very possible until times are better to do the extras! And also times are not that much better for the residents so I also would like to see all fees and charges that the village uses to be reviewed to see if they serve a purpose as well as if the charges are necessary or not. I also want to review our building permit system to see if we require them for right situation and also to see if we require them for the not so necessary situations - let’s do things that make sense.

Town of Eau Galle

Chairman

1. James Lund, age 49, 390 Co. Rd. BB, Woodville.
2. Chairman, Town of Eau Galle
3. I have just served two terms as a supervisor. I am a lifelong township resident, and have owned my business for 30 years. I am a graduate of WITC-New Richmond and Baldwin-Woodville High School.
4. I will listen to residents and property owners, and seek answers to their questions and concerns, within the limits of the ordinances and laws of our township, county, and state.
5. Some issues we’re facing include: 1) exploring any and all alternatives to the high costs of maintaining town roads, and 2) increasing the knowledge basis of all board members regarding existing ordinances and laws, so that when questions arise, correct answers can be given promptly.

1. Name: Joel Kraemer, age 48, 131 Hwy 63, Baldwin.
2. Chairperson of Eau Galle Township.
3. Education: UW – River Falls, Agricultural Economics Degree. Employment History: Current - Office manager/Controller at Albrightson Excavating, Inc.; Previous - Multi-line Lender and Office Manager with Citizens State Bank – Woodville
Governmental Experience: Chairperson of the White Ash Lake Rehabilitation District in Polk County. Community Involvement: St. Croix County Representative Board Member of 9 County Regional Loan Fund; Past Board Member and President of St. Croix Economic Development Corp.; Board Member of Woodville Economic Development Corp.; Member of Woodville Visions Committee, Past Trustee and Chairperson at Peace Lutheran Church; Member of Local Snowmobile, ATV and Trail Grooming Associations; Woodville Lions Club – Membership Chairperson, Past President and Treasurer; Youth Mentor for Viking Middle School Mentor Program. Strengths: My community involvement and employment paths have allowed me to create a diverse background and demonstrate leadership skills. I have a strong financial background and understanding of local, county and regional needs. I have had the opportunity to be on committees that plan toward the future.
4. A current and ongoing issue with all governmental entities is the budget. It is the responsibility of the town board to make fiscally responsible decisions based upon the needs of the township constituents and melding them with the needs of the township as it relates to, County and State regulations. As the Township Chairperson, I believe, I have the ability to develop short-term and long-term solutions by gathering information at all levels, while keeping an unbiased opinion; to meet the overall needs of the township.

Supervisor (2)

1. David North, age 61 years, address: 504-233rd St., Baldwin WI.
2. I am seeking reelection to the position of Supervisor in the Town of Eau Galle. I have held this position for the past six years and have resided in the Town of Eau Galle for over 35 years.
3. I received a Bachelors and Masters degree in Technology Education from the University of Wisconsin Stout. I moved to the Baldwin area in 1970 to teach Metals, Small Engines, Auto Mechanics, Drafting and Design (shop classes) at the Baldwin-Woodville High School. After 32 years, I retired from teaching. This has given me the time necessary to effectively serve on the Town Board.
4. My roots began while growing up on a 200-acre dairy farm in northern Chippewa County. As well as farming, my dad owned an excavating business both of which I helped operate for many years. We had the normal equipment: dump trucks, bulldozers, road grader, backhoe, and rock crusher. We did a lot of road repair work for the Town of Sampson.
5. I feel the variety of experiences I received in the Baldwin-Woodville educational system working with students, parents, staff, administration, and community people has provided me with a realization that people have a wide variety of opinions. An elected official must listen to different viewpoints to be able to make an informed decision.
The major expenditures in a Town are for roads. With rising costs, it has been a challenge to maintain and rebuild our roads while keeping the Towns share of the resident’s taxes the same. I believe keeping taxes “in check” is extremely important and worth the challenge.
The choices made by the Town Board now will have an impact on what our Town looks like long after I am gone. My desire is to keep the Town of Eau Galle a great place to live.
I would appreciate your vote on April 7.

1. Dennis Duckworth, age 59, 2428 32nd Ave., Woodville.
2. Supervisor, Town of Eau Galle.
3. Majoring in Foreign Service required studying economics, government and history. That education is helpful if used along with commons sense and experience. My experience includes 31 years of road and bridge work, 22 years on a small farm in Eau Galle, and work on the Eau Galle Land Use Plan.
4. The ability to research issues, listen and respond to concerns of others and offer logical persuasion or compromises are my strengths. Also I’m familiar with the duties of the Town Board.
5. The major issues immediately facing the Town Board are the coexistence of in place and expanding farming and residential development and the need to provide road maintenance and other services without increased taxes. The best potential solutions require citizen input, following county and state laws and applying fair and equal treatment to all residents.
My name is Barry Serier, and I am seeking a position as Supervisor for the Town of Eau Galle.
I have been a lifelong resident of the Town of Eau Galle, and I currently reside at 2150 33rd Avenue.
As a land owner, employer and partner in a dairy/crop operation, and member of Professional Nutrient Applicators of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Custom Operators, I have been involved in groups that address responsible land use and management, D.O.T issues, road, and township concerns across the state. The issues that are addressed within these organizations have given me experience that would be beneficial in my role as a township supervisor.
In our township, our primary issues will involve keeping the items that are brought before the board focused on what is best for the entire township and its citizens, and keeping taxes to a minimum during this very tough economy.

1. Jackie Mathison, 388 County Road B, Woodville,WI 54028.
2. I am seeking an Eau Galle town board supervisor position in the April 7, 2009 election. I am a thoughtful, fair minded individual, and my ability to see both sides of issues are my strengths and will be useful tools if elected to that position
3. I have worked in the medical profession as a Radiologic Technologist for 35 years and for the past 20 years I have worked at the Hudson Hospital and Clinics in the Imaging Center as Lead Mammographer. This work experience gives me daily opportunities to deal with patients and department issues that take careful consideration and require thoughtful resolve. If I am elected; this work experience will be useful, in my approach to issues that may arise in our township.
My husband Doug and I have lived in Eau Galle township for 35 years on the family farm that was homesteaded by Doug’s grandfather in the late 1800’s and we continue to farm it still. Eau Galle township has seen a large increase in residents in those 35 years and with that growth comes issues and concerns. I will, if elected be fair, sensitive, thoughtful, and open minded in my response to issues that will come before the Eau Galle town board; so equitable solutions can be reached .
Again April 7th is election day and I would appreciate your consideration of me for; Eau Galle town board supervisor.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
        Surrounding Communities

AMERY FREE PRESS: Jeremiah Paquin, 22, formerly of Amery and Baldwin, was sentenced to five years in prison for second degree sexual assault in Barron county. Five other counts of sexual assault involving two Turtle Lake girls were dropped. Also involved in the case was Jeremy D. Falz, 20, New Richmond. On May 31, 2008, the two threw pine cones and sticks at the window of a home in Turtle Lake. A 12-year-old girl recognized the men and went outside. She and Paquin had sex in a playhouse. Later the two men entered the home and engaged in sex with the girl and a 14-year-old girl.

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: A resident on the 600 block of Ron Drive was hit with a surprise when he answered his door early in the morning on March 6. According to the police report, James Stauffacher was struck in the face with a pipe at approximately 4:50 a.m. on March 6 after opening his door when the bell rang. The attempted robber, who was wearing a ski mask, tried to push past Stauffacher to gain entry into the home after striking him, but Stauffacher was able to shove him away, according to the police report. New Richmond police officers were able to get footprints from the snow. The suspect ran to a waiting older, dark colored, beat up car. According to the report, Stauffacher suffered injuries to his face and jaw. Nothing like this has happened to him or in the neighborhood, he said. Additionally, he’s not positive what the robbers were after, Stauffacher said.

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL: Two days before a 32 year-old Minneapolis firefighter was to go on trial for second degree intentional homicide in the shooting death of John Peach in Janunary 2008, defense attorney Craig Mastantuono filed a motion to dismiss the entire case against his client. Kyle L. Huggett allegedly shot and killed John Peach after Peach attempted to confront Huggett over the content of some text messages the two had exchanged over the previous week, including the day of the shooting. The motion was made on the grounds law enforcement personnel investigating the incident failed to preserve evidence possessing exculpatory value thereby violating Huggett's Constitutional rights. The exact basis for the motion is a cell phone call Huggett received from the decedent the night of the incident. Huggett has described that message as "threatening and screaming." "The primary issue in this case is whether Huggett acted as a reasonably prudent person would have under the circumstances he faced at the time," Mastantuono wrote in his motion. For the purpose of establishing self-defense, the defense may present evidence concerning specific conduct of the decedent within the defendant's knowledge in order to demonstrate the defendant's state of mind.

HUDSON STAR-OBSERVER: It’s fortunate that stray voltage from a downtown Hudson electrical junction box didn't cause any more injury than it did. A 13-year-old Hudson girl also got a shock at the corner of Second and Locust streets while watching the Hudson Hot Air Affair parade on the night of Feb. 6. Roger Parenteau said his daughter Anna was standing on the sidewalk next to Wells Fargo Bank when her legs went numb and felt as if they were frozen in place. Later the same evening, a dog sustained serious injuries as it was crossing Second Street with its owner following the parade. The city hired B & B Electric to do an inspection of all of the in-ground electrical junction boxes on Second Street in the downtown after the Feb. 6 stray voltage incidents. An electrician from B & B was seen pulling wires from a junction box near the corner of Walnut and Second streets on Tuesday, March 3. He told a reporter that some of the junction boxes weren’t properly grounded and that he was putting in new ones that were.

Fusion bring home state title

The St. Croix Valley Fusion gathered after Hailey Rock scored the winning goal in double overtime against Mosinee the WIAA state semifinal game on Friday. The Fusion went on to beat Fond du Lac 10-4 in the title game on Saturday to win the title and end the season with an undefeated record.

The St. Croix Valley Fusion, a cooperative of Baldwin-Woodville, River Falls, St. Croix Central and Spring Valley, set out on a mission at the beginning of the hockey season. And that mission was accomplished last weekend at the WIAA state girls hockey tournament in Madison.
The Fusion had been eliminated in the sectional final the last three seasons. This year their goal was to not only get to the state tournament, but to bring home the title. They did just that by beating Mosinee (Central Wisconsin Storm) 2-1 in double overtime in the state semifinal and Fond du Lac 10-4 in the state championship.
And they are the first team in Wisconsin girls hockey to go through the entire season without a loss. There only blemish was a 3-3 tie with North St. Paul the fourth game into the season.
“I had no idea we were the first team to do that,” said Coach Matt Cranston. “You can’t go a whole year without having a bad game, so that’s a credit to (assistant coaches) Karl Erickson and and Ann Rock.”
Cranston said another key to the season was “everyone on the team has respect for each other.”
At the state tournament, Cranston said one of the biggest obstacles was the “hot” rink.
“We’re used a cold rink with hard ice,” Cranston explained. “We did a skate around in the morning to get used to bounces and everything, but the heat was something we had to deal with.”
The Fusion also had to deal with the Storm. “We knew they were the returning state champions,” Cranstonsaid. “They have one of the best goalies in the entire WIAA. But we knew if we kept pounding, one would go in. We dominated the third period and overtimes.”
The Fusion got on a the scoreboard first when Tara Frey slid the puck under Mosinee’s Hillary Drake six and a half minutes into the game while the Fusion were on the power play. Frey was assisted by Tori Klingler and Hailey Rock.
That ended the scoring until just over four minutes into the third period when the Storm also scored on a power play.
No goals were scored for the remainder of regulation or in the first overtime, although the Fusion had plenty of good opportunities.
The Fusion out shot the Storm 18-9 in third period and overtimes, but couldn’t get the puck past Drake until Rock carried the puck in on the right side and shot the puck on the ice through five hole, catching the far post, all while being pulled to the ice.
“That was the championship game for us,” Cranston noted. “We changed the way we conditioned this year and I think it worked. We out-lasted both teams.”
Although the championship game turned out to be a rout, it didn’t start that way. Fond du Lac scored first, just a minute and half into the game, on a power play. The Fusion tied the score four minutes later on a goal by Frey, assisted by Rock to end the first period scoring.
The Fusion took the lead just 32 seconds into the second period on a power play goal by Lily Cranston, assisted by Nikki Plunkett. But Fondy came back less than a minute later to tie the score 2-2.
“I don’t know why we started out so slow,” Cranston said. “We didn’t change anything and then we settled down and got back into our game.”
Then the flood gates opened.
The Fusion scored the next seven goals to take a 9-2 lead before Fond du Lac answered with a couple of meaningless goals.
Adding goals in the second period were Karlyn Sturtevant on a power play, assisted by Tanis Klingler; Lily Cranston got the next two goals to complete her hat trick, assisted by Plunkett (2) and Tanis Klingler; and Rock closed out the scoring by going top shelf after taking outlet pass from Tanis Klinger while the team played short handed.
In the third period Frey had her second goal of the game, with assists from Klingler and Alice Cranston. Alice got the next two goals, assisted by Rock and Tori Klingler on the first and Tanis Klingler on the second, which was the fifth assist of the game for Klingler.
Rock closed out the scoring for the Fusion after picking off a pass while forechecking and again going upstairs.
“We set a bunch of scoring records in the tournament,” Cranston noted.
The Fusion will be losing four seniors to graduation, Cranston noted. “We’re going to miss the seniors. They are all on the honor and all made it a lot of fun.”
The seniors on the team are Karlyn Sturtevant, Erin Thornton, Gail Popelka and Devin Roen.
As a final note, Cranston said the team wishes to thank the First Bank of Baldwin for the donation making the charter bus to and from Madison possible.

Karen Niccum, R.N. retires from BAMC after over 42 years of service

It was with mixed emotions that Karen Niccum retired last week from her position as a nurse at the Baldwin Area Medical Center. "It feels really strange," states Niccum. "Nursing has been such a large part of my life, I can't imagine what it will be like not taking care of patients on a regular basis anymore."
Niccum started working as a nursing assistant at BAMC when she was a senior in high school. She attended Lutheran Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing, graduated in 1968 and began her career as a Registered Nurse at BAMC that same year. She began working as a nurse on the medical floor and within six months became the supervisor of the operating room, a new department that was forming at the hospital. She held that position until just three years ago, when she felt it was time to start orienting someone else to the position. During her time as OR Supervisor, she worked concurrently as Director of Nursing for three years. "I've always loved working in the OR. There is so much satisfaction in seeing people through the surgical process. I have found great joy in witnessing the improvement in people's lives after surgery." Over the years, Niccum has had the opportunity to work with many long-time, dedicated doctors, physician's assistants, nurses and ancillary staff members from the community.
There have been many changes at the hospital in the over 40 years that Niccum has been employed there. "I have been a part of three building projects, observed changes in patient care and witnessed countless medical advancements."
BAMC has played an important role in the personal life of Niccum as well. In 1968, she was caring for a patient named David Niccum who was hospitalized for several days. Before he was discharged David gathered the courage to ask her for a date. Six months later they were saying their wedding vows and will celebrate 40 wonderful years of marriage this April. BAMC was also the birth place of not only Karen, but of her children and grandchildren as well.
"I am grateful that God has blessed me with a meaningful career of caring for my family, friends and community all of these years. I think I will always be a nurse in some way. It is just part of who I am," states Niccum.
The Niccums invite their family, friends and community to an open house at the Coachman Supper to help celebrate Karen's retirement and David and Karen's 40th Wedding Anniversary on March 29 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Rev. Janet Ruark is Interim Pastor at Presbyterian Church

Rev. Janet Ruark has accepted the position of Interim Pastor at First United Presbyterian Church in Baldwin. Pastor Ruark started in the position March 1.
Pastor Ruark said that as an interim pastor, she sees herself as helping the church's session and congregation form a plan for the future of the church and what they need for a pastor and what type of skills are needed. She said that an interim pastor, she is "working yourself out of a job by helping the congregation prepare for a new person."
Other than that, Pastor Ruark said she will have the normal pastoral duties, including holding the Sunday service, attending meetings, visitation and teaching. She will be engaged in her duties on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and of course on Sundays.
Pastor Ruark grew up in Sioux City, Iowa where her father was a biology professor at Morningside College. She attended Marquette for one year before enrolling in seminary at Louisville, Kentucky, where she met her husband who was also attending seminary. She and her husband Chaz graduated in 1982. Since then they have served churches in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. They have always served separate churches.
The Ruarks have two children: Mike who is studying architecture at the University of Oklahoma and will graduate in May; and daughter Courtney who attends the University of Central Oklahoma studying political science and hopes to teach. She was married last May and her husband Phil is a graduate student studying chemical engineering and is interested in medical research.
Since last October Pastor Ruark and her husband have been in Minneapolis where Chaz is Executive Presbyter of the Twin Cities Area Presbytery. Pastor Ruark explained his job is like a district superintendent in an administrative and supervisory role and he also serves as pastor of the pastors.
After Chaz secured the Executive Presbyter job, Janet looked for a job and interviewed for the Baldwin position, for which she then received a call.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
         Surrounding Communities

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): Charges have been filed against Michael C. Graff of West Fargo, North Dakota for shooting a 700-pound black bear in its den on the morning of November 25. Graff has been charged with hunting bear during a closed season, shooting or harming a hibernating bear, and shooting a bear without a license. Though the charges are misdemeanors, Graff could face up to 27 months in jail and $30,000 in fines. But Graff has stirred up a mess that goes beyond his poaching attempt. Graff left the bear in the field and a day and a half later, the monster bear was struck by Neil Schlough in the evening while combining the field. Believing the collision killed the bear at the time with darkness concealing the bear's stature, a game warden sold the Schloughs a possession tag. After discovering the bear had been shot, DNR authorities confiscated the bear. The Schloughs contend that the combine dealt the final deathblow to the bear and that the bear was legally sold to them while DNR authorities are certain the bear died from the gunshots and prefer to have the bear remain in the possession of the state and be displayed locally. What will happen to the remains of the bear has yet to be determined and will have to wait until the case has been closed. Graff is due in court March 22.

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): More than a year ago, teacher Abby Brown envisioned a classroom full of activity, where instead of fidgeting in uncomfortable desks and chairs, students can stand, stretch and wiggle and move about while they learn. With the help of some grant monies and a little innovation from a company based in nearby Centuria, Brown has not only seen that vision come to fruition, she's seen it on display in newspapers and television stations across the nation. "The word is out now," said Brown excitedly during an interview last week. Brown, a sixth grade teacher at Marine on St. Croix (Minn.) Elementary School, has, in the past year been interviewed by ABC News, the New York Times and most of the major Twin Cities media outlets about her "Standing Up for Learning" project. The project is simple and logical, really. Instead of possibly encouraging a sedentary lifestyle by having children sit in one spot all day, let the students choose between sitting on a stool, or leaning or standing at a waist-high desk, to keep their bodies active, and, hopefully, their minds engaged.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: A state commissioner was justified in denying parole to a man who shot his wife to death 22 years ago, ruled Pierce County Judge Robert Wing last week. In May 1987, Wing sentenced Richard John Kusch, now 65, to life in prison. A jury had found Kusch guilty of first-degree murder for shooting his wife in front of their son and an employee of Turningpoint for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Abuse. In a single-page ruling filed Feb. 24, Wing affirmed the state commission decision that delayed any further parole consideration for 18 months. Last June Kusch, a prisoner at Racine Correctional Institution, Sturtevant, filed a civil complaint, claiming his conduct during two decades as an inmate has been exemplary and that parole would be appropriate. In his ruling, Wing says Parole Commissioner Steven Landreman's decision was neither arbitrary nor capricious. "Kusch planned and committed the murder, the murder was committed in the presence of a social worker and one of Kusch's children and he shot his wife multiple times," summarized Wing. Based on those facts, wrote the judge, the commissioner was justified in finding that Kusch hasn't served enough prison time. Kusch claimed Landreman's decision was "nebulous" because it says "more time is warranted" and suggests "eventual transition through reduced security" but doesn't give guidance or explain what those phrases mean.

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: Charges have been dismissed against a New Richmond School bus driver who allegedly had alcohol in her bloodstream at the time of a minor accident December 11. A motion and order to dismiss charges against Billie Jeanne O'Keefe of New Richmond was signed Feb. 25 by St. Croix County Court officials. According to police reports, preliminary breath tests indicated O'Keefe recorded a .046 blood alcohol level at the time of the accident. O'Keefe allegedly told officers she was out celebrating her birthday the night before. A test conducted later on O'Keefe registered a .026 alcohol level. The bus driver, who was placed on administrative leave, eventually pleaded not guilty to the charge that she was operating a commercial vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration of .04 or more. "Upon further testing and clarifying, she did not have a prohibited concentration (of alcohol in her blood)," said O'Keefe's attorney Shirlene Perrin. "Clearly the PBT (portable breath test) was inaccurate. Perrin said it's important for the public to know that charges have been dismissed in the case. "There has been a lot of on-line discussion about this case and Ms. O'Keefe has been judged by some," she said. "Now we can see she is innocent." New Richmond school District Administrator Morrie Veilleux said O'Keefe has apparently returned to work as a bus monitor. She has not been driving a bus since the incident. Veilleux said the district will invoke a portion of its bus contract that allows the school to ask the contractor, New Richmond Bus Service to replace any school bus drivers who maybe "detrimental to the best interest" of the district and its students. "We're going to insist that this person not be allowed to operate a bus," Veilluex said.

Orchard Restaurant & Banquet facility taking shape

Richard Pearson, owner of the Orchard Restaurant and Banquet Facility, stands before the huge fireplace at the former New Leaf Nursery, flanked by Dave Lunde, left, owner of Valley Custom Homes, Inc. which is doing the remodeling work at the facility, and Dave Johnson, the foreman/job supervisor.

Richard Pearson, owner of the Orchard Restaurant & Banquet facility, says he wants to do the make-over of the former New Leaf Nursery into a restaurant/bar/banquet facility the right way. There's no doubt he's accomplishing his goal with the complete transformation of the facility into a new use.
Mr. Pearson says he hopes the new establishment can be opened in July of this year but already the outlines of the new rooms in the business are clear.
"We want to do it right," said Mr. Pearson. "We won't open until we're ready for a first class professional operation. We expect to be reasonably priced—for banquets and the restaurant—so families can bring their children in here to eat and not be gouged."
The general contractor for the project is Dave Lunde of Valley Custom Homes, Inc. "This has been one of the most unique projects we've worked on," said Lunde. "Remodels are challenges and older buildings pose unique challenges" with wiring and water lines and still keeping the character of the building.
The new restaurant and banquet facility will keep the great character that is given to it by the massive beams in the former display/showroom, the huge fireplace and silo that was incorporated into the structure.
Simply, the new business will have three main public areas: the restaurant in the former display room featuring the large stone fireplace and a circular bar around the silo; a bar and game room located in the leanto on the northeast side of the facility (bar) and original barn (game room); and banquet facility in existing and new space on the west side of the building.
A new entry way from the south has been constructed. Upon entering the building, the banquet facility will be to the left, or west, with the main dining room to the right.
The former display room of the New Leaf, dominated by the silo and huge fireplace, will be the main dining room.
The banquet room on the west side of the building, which includes some new space, will have a separate covered entry to the west. A small stage will be on the north end of the large room, with a gigantic TV for projecting pictures at events held there.
The banquet space will be adjacent to a "bride's changing room." Restrooms will be between the banquet facility and restaurant.
The barn and leanto have been completely insulated and resided. There will be a new, separate entrance to the bar from the east. New, large windows will allow natural lighting in the bar. The circular stairway in the silo will be used to reach the loft in the barn which will be part of the game room.
Between the banquet area and restaurant, on the north side of the building, will be the new kitchen as well as an office for the manager of the business, who Mr. Pearson has already hired, has 25 years experience in the hospitality industry and is consulting on the remodeling project. A 34 foot long by 12 foot wide walk-in cooler/freezer combination built by Nor-Lake will be placed by a crane on a foundation that has been constructed on the north side of the building.
According to Lunde, after the construction of the building is finished sometime in May, the interior build-out will take place, which will take four or five weeks and involves placing all the tables, chairs, cash registers, kitchen equipment and other furnishings in the building.
Outside, the grounds need to be landscaped, the parking lot completed and lighting installed. Mr. Pearson said the pond will remain. Eventually, the possibility exists for volleyball courts.
In addition, said Mr. Pearson, a wedding chapel will be built on the grounds and with the extensive grounds he owns around the facility, the possibility exists for a bride and groom to take a carriage ride around the property as part of their wedding festivities and their entire celebration can be on-site.

Village receives grant to level building

The Village of Baldwin's application to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for a Brownfield Site Assessment Grant to raze the Thompson building on Main Street has been approved for $56,600. The Thompson building is located at 705 Main Street, which is at the corner of Seventh Avenue.
According to a letter sent to Village President Don McGee, Baldwin's application scored 97 points and all applications receiving more than 55 points were funded.
The building has been purchased by the village at a price of $20,000. The $56,600 grant received from the DNR is for two phases: Phase I for assessment of the site; and Phase II for further assessment, demolishing of the building and asbestos abatement.
Following the demolishing on the building and clean-up of the site, the lot will probably be put up for sale by the village, in which case some or perhaps all of the village's cost to purchase the property could be recouped.

Baldwin man charged with sex offender registry violation

A 28-year-old Baldwin man has been charged with felony sex offender registry violation.
Timothy J. Denzine is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, March 17.
According to the criminal complaint, Denzine failed to return a confirmation letter confirming his registry status and address. He is also accused of failing to notify the registry of an address change within 10 days and did not report for a photo to be taken in August.
He was convicted in August 2001 in Dunn County of third-degree sexual assault.

St. Croix County records 1st traffic fatality of 2009

On Wednesday, February 18 at 4:42 p.m. the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office responded to a two-vehicle crash on STH 29 one tenth of a mile east of STH 128 in the Town of Cady.
The report said Carrie A. Lehmann, age 24, of Menomonie was traveling eastbound on STH 29 in a 2007 Ford Taurus when she lost control going around a curve on the snow covered road. The car slid sideways into the westbound lane and was struck by a 1999 Isuzu truck driven by Ricky DeMotts, age 45, Woodville. DeMotts was driving a truck owned by Advanced Dairy Systems Inc. of Spring Valley. Ms. Lehmann was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner. Mr. DeMotts was transported to Baldwin Hospital following the crash, his condition remains unknown.
Both Mr. DeMotts and Ms. Lehman were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash. Spring Valley Fire and Ambulance assisted at the scene.
This is the first traffic fatality of 2009. The crash remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office.

From the Exchanges
    Interesting News Items from
        Surrounding Communities

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS (Hammond): Incumbent Hammond Village President Vince Trudell and his predecessor, Tom Kinney, won spots on the April 7 ballot when they came out as the top two vote-getters in Tuesday's primary. Unofficial results showed Trudell with 42 votes and Kinney with 30 versus incumbent first-term trustee Eric Arthur's 13. Two years ago, Kinney announced he would not be seeking re-election as president at the end of his third term, but shortly before the 2007 April election declared himself as a write-in candidate. Trudell overwhelmingly won the election. Arthur will appear on the April ballot seeking one of three trustee spots, along with incumbents, Mary Rivard and Tony Bibeau (who was recently appointed to fill out the term of the seat resigned by Mike Artiaga) and newcomers Erin McComb and Jack Herbert. The top three vote getters on April 7 will sit on the board. The Village of Roberts voters will be in a situation similar to Hammond's former Roberts Village President Willard Moeri is running against Eric Fisher for the seat he lost two years ago. Peter Tharp will be on the ballot challenging incumbent trustees Chuck Pizzi, Kathy Kapaun and Scott Gehardt.

PIERCE COUNTY HERALD (Ellsworth): After reviewing policy language and a timeline, a judge found a Pierce County house destroyed by fire after being hit by a pickup was not insured. St. Croix County Judge Scott Neeham ruled Randall and Sue Hendrickson's house insurance had legitimately been canceled nearly two months before the home was hit by a GMC Sierra driven by Lisa Villigan, 39. The accident occurred Feb. 17, 2007. The vehicle Villigan was driving struck the Hendricksons' house and hit a gas meter, triggering a natural gas explosion. Villigan died in the incident. Prescott Police Officer Ben Henrich was injured as he attempted to help the woman and was thrown an estimated 15 feet by the explosion. Villigan's pickup and the Hendricksons' house were destroyed. In an order signed Feb. 3, Needham denied the Hendricksons' motion for a summary judgment against Foremost Insurance Company. According to background in the decision, the Hendricksons bought an insurance policy for their property at 1010 Pearl St., Prescott, in October 2006. On Dec. 8, 2006, Foremost sent a notice of cancellation saying coverage would expire Dec. 22, 2006. The reason given for the cancellation was missing and damaged shingles on the house's roof increased the likelihood of loss. According to court records, Randall Hendrickson signed and cashed the refund check Dec. 18, 2006. Although the judge found the cancellation language to be ambiguous and read a 30-day notice of cancellation in favor of the Hendricksons, he determined the fire occurred 71 days after the couple received the cancellation notice.

HUDSON STAR OBSERVER: It has been nearly 16 years since William S. “Junior” Clapp was killed in his rural Roberts home, and while the case has gone cold it is not closed. “We have two investigators, Cary Rose or Jim Mikla, assigned to it. When anything comes up in connection to the case, they look into it. The case remains open,” said Sheriff Dennis Hillstead. Clapp, 76, was found with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, slumped over the kitchen table in his Roberts farmhouse late on April 25, 1993. The case is one of four and possibly five unsolved homicides that occurred in the county. “There is at least one person out there, and possibly two, who know what really happened,” Hillstead said. “It’s a long time to keep a secret.” Star-Observer reports in the April 29, 1993, edition said Clapp called the home of Jack Larsen, his neighbor, the night of the homicide. He got Larsen’s mother on the phone and asked for her son. When Jack got to the phone the line was dead. Larsen said he phoned Clapp back three times, but couldn’t get through. It took him about 10 minutes to get to his neighbor’s house. He found Clapp semi-conscious at the kitchen table bleeding from a head wound. Larsen tried to talk to him but Clapp couldn’t communicate – all he could do was moan, the reports said. The St. Croix County medical examiner said Clapp died at the scene from a single gunshot wound.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: A 25-year-old Town of Troy woman was charged with locking her three-year-old son in a room so that he couldn't eat or go to the bathroom and instead had to use a diaper. Danielle K. Quinn, 533 County Road M. #39 in the Hilltop trailer court was charged with a felony for child neglect resulting in bodily harm. If convicted, maximum sentence for this crime is six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A child protection social worker was tipped off about the case because Quinn's older son attends Westside Elementary School. The boy often missed classes and reportedly said he had to feed and get himself ready for school. He also mentioned the situation at home with his younger brother. A St. Croix County Sheriff's deputy and the social worker finally went to the boy's trailer home at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4. According to the criminal complaint, the older boy answered the door. The mother was in bed but woke up. The three-year old was heard screaming and kicking a wall in another room. At one point the boy shouted, "Mom, let me out of here." The room was locked from the outside by a latch hook. It was later found that this boy had been confined in the room for over 14 hours with nothing to eat or drink. Though either totally or partially potty trained, he was wearing a soiled diaper that left him with a "very bad rash." Quinn's 55-year-old mother also lived in the home. She was not charged. In the complaint Quinn's mother said her daughter was very depressed, didn't take care of her kids and wouldn't get help for her problems. The grandmother added that the door locks were first used to keep the cats from getting into rooms. Quinn's mother said Quinn has no job, but expects her to care for and feed the children when she gets home from work. The grandmother also said that Quinn asked her to watch the children in 2006 for a weekend visit. Quinn then disappeared for several months before returning home.

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL (Grantsburg): When the votes were finally tallied Tuesday night the referendum the Siren School District was asking its voters to approve was narrowly defeated by 167-156 margin. The district was asking its taxpayers to again support a 5-year non-recurring exemption to the revenue limit, a move which would bring the district an additional $250,000 for each year for the next five. "I'm obviously disappointed," district administrator Scott Johnson said after the votes were returned Tuesday night. "What it means to me is the school board will be talking to people to see if there's a way we can come back at this thing in April," he said. I don't want to give up on this thing," he continued. Another vote in April would mean trying to rally public support for that vote. "I believe most people in this community support public education - we just need to get them to the polls," Johnson added. He said the poor attendance at the district sponsored informational meetings about the referendum was reflected in the low turnout for Tuesday's vote. "I think it's a shame," he declared. "The school is the heart and soul of the community." "I have a difficult time believing people of our community want us to cut our programs," Johnson added.

OSCEOLA SUN: An impartial third party will evaluate the operational components of Osceola’s wastewater treatment plant to try to determine why the three-and-a-half-year-old facility has performed poorly during winter months. The Osceola Village Board last week authorized spending up to $5,500 for MSA Professional Services to conduct an operational review. “What we propose here is to first come in, meet with the operators, get some of your existing data (and) look at how the plant is being operated,” an MSA wastewater engineer explained. “. . . We’ve designed similar plants, so we have experience with these kind of wastewater treatment plants.” For the past two winters the treatment plant’s effluent has exceeded Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources standards for several substances, including phosphorus. As a result, the DNR has placed a moratorium on the extension of the village’s sewer system. Village administrator Neil Soltis said there is some question as to whether the problem is operational in nature or a flaw in the plant design. According to Soltis, though, 79 treatment plants in Wisconsin use the same system, and the 78 others are running fine.