B-W FFA receives awards

The Baldwin-Woodville FFA Chapter as well as one of its members received awards at the Wisconsin FFA convention held in June in Madison at the Alliant Energy Center.
Elizabeth DeVries, daughter of Wijbe and Gooitske Dijkstra received the Three Star Leader Award. The Three Star Leader Award recognizes a selected FFA member from a local chapter for being actively involved in chapter activities in Student Development, Chapter Development and Community Development. Three Star Leaders received a pin and certificate sponsored by the Wisconsin FFA Alumni.
Other B-W FFA Chapter members who attended the State FFA convention, above, seated, left to right were Cody Zimmerman and Colette Auld. In the back, from left, are B-W FFA advisor Mrs. Kamm, Cyrus Elliott and DeVries.
The B-W Chapter was in fifth place for the Chapter Membership Recruitment Award. The first place Chapter was Adams-Friendship, followed by Lincoln-A.C.H.M., Waupaca, Badger and B-W.
B-W was also the section two winner in the Membership Award, which recognizes chapters whose membership increased from one year to the next. The top Chapter was Pulaski with an increase of 124 members. B-W’s membership increased by 42 members. That was the largest percentage increase of any Chapter with an increase of 175% and was third in the increase in numbers of members.
Finally, Baldwin-Woodville was a winner of a P.R.I.D.E. Award which is designed to increase membership participating by encouraging chapters to continually recruit and retain members in hopes that every chapter would increase by 10 members each year. P.R.I.D.E. stands for Promote, Recruit, Inspire, Develop, and Educate.
In addition to Baldwin-Woodville receiving a P.R.I.D.E. award, the following chapters also received one: Adams-Friendship, Badger, Beaver Dam, Berlin, Bloomer, Brookwood, Campellsport, Cashton, Clayton, Clinton, Clintonville, DeForest, East Troy, Elkhorn, Elk Mound, Elmwood, Fall Creek, Fort Atkinson, Freedom, Gilman, Glenwood City, Green Bay-Preble, Greenwood, Kewaunee, LaFarge, Lake Mills, Lincoln-ACHM, Lodi, Lomira, Luck, Mauston, Oconto Falls, Oregon, Parkview, Pardeeville, Pulaski, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland, Random Lake, Sevastopol, Shullsburg, Slinger, Stanley-Boyd, Unity, Waterloo, Waunakee, Waupun, Wausau and Wisconsin Dells.
The Wisconsin Association of FFA is a leading student organization due to the efforts of more than 17,000 students across the state. With a focus on premier leadership, personal growth and career success, students’ FFA activities complement agricultural classroom instruction by giving them an opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge while gaining real-world experience. These activities are dependent on donor funding through the Wisconsin FFA Foundation. For more information about Wisconsin FFA and the Wisconsin FFA Foundation, visit www.wisconsinffa.org or www.wisconsinffafoundation.org.

Local youth spends part of summer in Africa


Abby is pictured surrounded by the children at the Orphan feed. She taught them the fun of playing a guitar.

While many area young people were spending time by the pool, hanging out with friends, or in front of video games, one local pre-teen chose to join a Mission Team in Kenya, East Africa. Abby Hanson, daughter of Pastor John and Julie Hanson of Baldwin joined the local mission team from Peace Lutheran and traveled half way around the world to work with their ministry, His Arms Children’s Project in Kenya. Local residents that also made up the team were Abby’s father Pastor John Hanson, Laura Hanson, Brenda Cronk, Eunice Hop and Nancy Rowe. The team also included four women from Michigan who met up with the crew in Maseno.
While in Kenya, Abby was able to visit several schools and speak to the students about some of the differences of Kenya and Wisconsin. They were especially intrigued to hear of the four seasons we enjoy. Maseno lies on the equator, so their weather varies very little. Abby had pictures representing our seasons that helped the students better understand.
Abby also helped the team volunteer with Orphan Feeds where on a given Saturday, up to thousands of children are fed in 15 area churches. While the volunteers cooked the large pots of beans and corn, the team played games with the children, did some crafts, and basically just helped them have some fun. When it was time to eat, Abby helped distribute the food to the children. This might have been the only protein meal some of the orphans would receive for the whole week.
When Abby was asked recently about the impact of the trip, she responded, “The highlight of my trip would have to be going to that special needs school and seeing their faces light up when they got a plastic spider ring and a bandana! It truly just made me smile. I want others to know that there really are people suffering over there and that they need our help and our love. I also just wanted to say that when you’re over there you can really see God working though us with just a smile and a habari (hello).”
When Pastor John was asked about his feelings about the trip, he responded, “I
have been very impressed with the impact we have made on the community around Maseno due to the Orphan Program and our sharing resources of water, solar ovens, craft ideas, seeds, meds, and school sponsorship. To have seen the transformation of homes without any animals - to seeing goats and chickens running around was a further proof of this ministry's impact.
“I think Abby had her life changed - and - many of her friends have witnessed a change as well. Their shared experiences - in Abby's travel - and in the support given by her friends - have been the source of numerous conversations... encouraging these youth to think beyond themselves, to the care and support of others.
“I knew there would be a risk to bringing my daughter out of the country. But, not much more of a risk than if I took her into the wilderness or even some regions of our country. The energy she expended to finish her goal of ‘going to Kenya with dad’ has made her into a stronger student - even as a Christian with a stronger faith.
To this end, I am forever grateful.”
The team did visit many of the orphans that are now sponsored in the His Arms Orphan Program that Peace Lutheran volunteers help coordinate. Currently 37 children that are orphaned and in severe need in rural Maseno, Kenya are matched with sponsor in the US who change the child’s life, by sharing just $20 per month for the child’s care. The program also sees that US volunteers who wish to donate the cost of a goat for $40, a chicken for $9, a malaria net for $7, or a mattress for $25 is given out to the extreme poor as well. The team could visually see the difference in the communities these gifts were making.
The team coordinator, Nancy Rowe, said since their return, the Peace team has also set up a project to help see that the children get to go to school. A $25 one time gift can help a needy child go to primary school for a year. The team also believes that education is a key to seeing extreme poverty come to an end.
If you want to get more information about the trip, feel free to contact Peace Lutheran’s office at 684-2770. Or if you wish to sponsor a child, or donate to one of the other projects listed in this article, you may see www.hisarmskenya.org. You may also contact the church office for further information about the projects.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): Another court hearing for two 18-year-olds accused of shooting and killing three horses in Dunn County last November has been scheduled for October 29. Trenton Hollister of Dallas and Brock Flatland of Wheeler appeared in Dunn County Circuit Court August 27 for a pre-trial hearing. Dunn County District Attorney James Peterson told the Honorable Judge Rod Smeltzer that a plea agreement had not yet been reached and that the case was not resolved. Hollister and Flatland are charged with three felony counts of mistreating animals and causing death along with one misdemeanor count of intentionally mistreating animals. Flatland and Hollister also were charge with five misdemeanor counts of mistreating animals in Barron County in connection with the same incident when five cows were shot. The young men pleaded guilty in Barron County Circuit Court March 15 and were sentenced to three years of probation, 30 days in jail, and 25 hours of community service. The jail sentence is to be served ten days at a time for the next three years.

HUDSON STAR OBSERVER: Duro Bag Manufacturing Company announced last week that it will close its Hudson facility in mid-October and lay off 63 workers. But Tim Young, the parent company’s vice president of human services, said Thursday that moving won’t be a workable alternative for all the Hudson employees. He said Duro will offer assistance for those who don’t want to or can’t move. “We know that relocation is not appropriate for everybody,” said Young, “so we are also working with representatives from the state of Wisconsin and outside professional consultants to provide job search assistance to those who are not interested in transfer.” He said Duro is encouraging workers to consider a transfer and will provide relocation assistance to those who choose to move. The company is offering severance, benefit continuation and other assistance to those who stay in the Hudson area.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: River Falls voters may see a referendum question about medical marijuana on the ballot when they step into the election booth in November. City Council Member Bob Hughes filed with the city clerk’s office Wednesday, August 25, a petition for direct legislation bearing 800-plus signatures. The question petitioners want added to the ballot: Should the Wisconsin Legislature enact legislation allowing residents with debilitating medical conditions to acquire and possess marijuana for medical purposes if supported by their physician?” City Clerk Lu Ann Hecht confirmed that Hughes had submitted the petition a few days before the deadline and had the required number of signatures. She has forwarded the petition to the city attorney for interpretation. He’ll determine if it warrants a direct-legislation referendum or an advisory referendum. After that is determined, the City Council will decide whether to add the question to the ballot.

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS: There will be a Public Information Meeting next Wednesday, September 8 at 7 p.m. at the Roberts Park Building (312 N. Park Street) featuring a presentation by the Salvation Army regarding the Transitional Living Facility that will be located in Warren Township at 881 Hwy. 65, according to the Roberts Village Clerk Doreen Kruschke. At last month’s Warren Town Board meeting, the board heard from Ann Cartman, Department of Corrections, that the individuals would be electronically monitored, and sex offenders will not be placed in the facility. The Salvation Army is planning to rent 881 Highway 65 for a four-bed transition house facility. They notified local law enforcement and requested a town of Warren board member to serve on the advisory committee. Bruce Elliot offered to join the advisory board.

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: One of the nation’s best community colleges is right here in western Wisconsin. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College has again cracked the Top 10 in study by Washington Monthly magazine ranking the nation’s two-year colleges. Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire was ranked 10th, WITC’s four campuses, including New Richmond’s campus, were ranked as the seventh best two-year college in the magazine’s first study in 2007. For the 2010 ranking, the school moved up a notch. “We’re pretty proud of that fact,” said Joe Huftel, campus administrator in New Richmond. “It’s a pretty good indication of how we’re performing.” The ranking is based on a satisfaction survey filled out by students at each institution, graduate rates and other indicators. Huftel said the high ranking shows that students who attend WITC are pretty happy with the education they are receiving.

Nathan Franey Eagle project completed at Greenfield

Those who helped build a fence for Nathan Franey’s Eagle Scout project include, in the front row: Nathan, Cody Eggen and Andy Ruzicka. In back is Mike Eggen. Others not in the picture include: Nathan’s dad David, who supplied the picture, Nathan’s cousin Andy Franey and his uncle Bill Franey.

Nathan Franey has more than enough merit badges for Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts of America. And he recently completed his Eagle project to make the Eagle Court the only remaining hurdle for the achievement of that rank.
The project is a fence at Greenfield Elementary School in Baldwin along the west side of the school that keeps school children on the sidewalk and in the process helps prevent erosion and maybe an injury to a child. The fence is 70 feet long.
For the project Nathan raised $425 to purchase building materials. Money was donated to his cause by First Bank of Baldwin, WESTConsin Credit Union, O’Connell Funeral Home, Betty VanSomeren and St. Croix Electric.
Helping out with the project were Nathan’s dad David, Cody and Mike Eggen, Nathan’s cousins Andy Ruzicka and Andy Franey, his uncle Bill Franey and Dewy Ullom for supplying a power auger for drilling the holes to install the fence posts.
The project took a total of eight hours to build.
Nathan is the son of David and Lynn Franey. He is 14 years old and will be a freshman this coming year at Baldwin-Woodville High School. He is a senior patrol leader in Troop 110. His Scoutmaster is Pastor Keith Anderson.

Baldwin Area EMS head suspended

Craig Nelson, Baldwin Area Emergency Medical Services chief, has been suspended from his position for two to four weeks with pay, according to Baldwin Village President Don McGee. President McGee said the action took place at a special village board meeting held in closed session on Wednesday, August 25.
McGee said the suspension was imposed by a 7-0 vote of the village board and was “for not following instructions.” He added that the village board and Baldwin Area EMS “are looking for ways to work together better and improve the Baldwin Area EMS.”
In the absence of Nelson, Brandon Lyksett will be the acting chief of the Baldwin Area EMS.

J&C Trucking earns tax credit with relocation to Baldwin
Baldwin I-94 Business Park gets first company

Community leaders, village officials, and the general contractor joined Cindy and J.R. Haley (second and third from the left) for a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the start of construction on the J&C Trucking of Baldwin, Inc. facility in the Baldwin I-94 Business Park.

J&C Trucking will relocate to Baldwin from Forest Lake, Minnesota later this year.
The announcement came on Wednesday, August 25 during a program in Baldwin that included Aaron Olver, the state’s Secretary of Commerce. Secretary Olver awarded J&C Trucking state tax credits totaling $99,000 to assist with its relocation.
To earn the tax credits, J&C Trucking will construct a 9,100 square foot facility in the Baldwin I-94 Business Park, create 19 new positions, and transfer another 31 to Wisconsin. The total project cost is estimated at nearly $678,000. The Village of Baldwin has also offered TIF incentives to the company.
J&C Trucking was established in 1986 and Cindy Haley serves as president. She operates the business with her husband J.R. The company specializes in pneumatic tanks and hauling fly ash and cement to cement contractors. It also hauls silica sand for the natural gas drilling industry. The Haleys will incorporate their business in Wisconsin as J&C Trucking of Baldwin, Inc.
The new facility for J&C Trucking will be the first one constructed in the Baldwin I-94 Business Park. The park is owned by the Village of Baldwin and is strategically located along Interstate 94—just east of U.S. Highway 63. The park is included in a Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) district that was created by the village board. To assist J&C Trucking, the village approved the sale of a three acre lot at a discounted price. The village will collect J&C’s property tax payments, known as the tax increments, to recover the discounted sale price and the cost of improvements to the site.
Following Secretary Olver’s tax credit presentation, numerous community leaders and village officials joined the Haleys in a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the start of construction. Durand Builders Service (Durand, Wisconsin) is the general contractor. Roger Humphrey, a licensed real estate agent and a principal with Humphrey Engineering, assisted with J&C’s site search. Humphrey was the buyer’s agent.

Annual Business Showcase/Chili Cook-off is Sept. 18

The Baldwin-Woodville Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau 4th Annual Business Showcase/Chili Cook-Off will be held Saturday, September 18 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Bailey Park.
This year’s festivities include: the infamous “Chili Cook-Off” (samples of all entries and ballots will be available to the public for judging); Kids’ Hot Dog Eating Contest sponsored by WESTconsin Credit Union); Adults’ Hot Dog Eating Contest (sponsored by Nilssen’s SuperValu); and our newest competition, Team Bed Races (sponsored by BAMC).
As in the past, local businesses will staff information/vendor booths and will prepare chili entries with the hope of taking the trophy from last year’s winner, OEM. Hot dogs, beer and pop will also be available for purchase.
At 7 p.m. the Friends of the Library will host a free outdoor showing of the movie “How To Train Your Dragon.” For more information, please call the Chamber office at 715-684-2221.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): No mother would ever hope to recognize an anniversary like the one Candace Hier acknowledged last week. A year ago last Saturday, Hier’s daughter, Rose Marie Bly, then 21, of rural St. Croix Falls, disappeared unexpectedly, leaving few clues as to her whereabouts. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, on that evening Bly reportedly told her husband, Christopher Larson, that she was going to meet a cousin at a tavern in nearby Cushing, about five miles from their home. Bly never arrived and was never heard from again. Her cousin said Bly had not made plans to meet up with her and she never saw her that night. The following Wednesday, Bly’s car, a white 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, showed up in a Grantsburg municipal parking lot. No one reportedly saw how the car got there. Since that day, neither Bly’s family nor the sheriff’s department has given up the hope of finding out where Bly went, what happened to her. “We haven’t heard or seen anything,” Hier said. “They’re still working on it. We know of no promising leads.” Polk County Sheriff Tim Moore said the investigation into Bly’s disappearance has been extensive, yet inconclusive.

AMERY FREE PRESS: A Polk county sheriff’s department answered a call to a fight on 45th Ave. near Amery, on Friday, August 21. Upon arrival, several individuals met the deputy, including William A. Vierkandt, 28, Amery. There was an adult male lying on the ground, later identified as Andrew P. Butzler, 28. Vierkandt stated he had gotten into a fight with Butzler. Vierkandt had obvious cuts and scratches to his face, there was blood on his face, hands and chest and he smelled strongly of alcohol. Viekandt stated he did not know what led to the fight, stating that Butzler had hit him and he could not remember the rest. His PBT registered at .25. Witnesses stated that Butzler struck Vierkandt before the two started to fight. Butzler, who was being treated by EMS for serious facial injuries - a left eye that was swollen shut, noticeable cuts and scrapes to his face and a large mass on the left side of his face near his jaw line. Butzler was not very cooperative during questioning. He thought he was in Dresser and stated multiple times that he did not know where he was. Butzler was very intoxicated and was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries. Viekandt was arrested and charged with substantial battery.

PIERCE COUNTY HERALD: A Pierce County teenager is being investigated for animal cruelty charges after allegedly shooting a hog and four piglets August 14, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. According to the police report, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a phone call that morning from a neighbor who was running past the house stating he heard gunshots and the sounds of pigs screaming. Upon arrival, deputies found the animals’ owner along with the dead pigs on the side of the road. The animals included a 400-pound sow and four baby pigs. The report states the teenager admitted to shooting the pigs, stating he did so after the pigs were causing damage and chasing the family’s pet dog. The animals’ owner reported the pigs, missing the day before and said he attempted to tell other neighbors, including the family of the teenager. The owner also said some of the other piglets he owns appeared to be grazed by bullets, but the wounds were nothing serious. Sheriff’s Lieutenant Dennis Sorenson said last week the case will be forwarded to the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: A 32-year-old man who claimed to be living out of a van has been charged with invasion of privacy and disorderly conduct. According to a Pierce County criminal complaint, River Falls police picked up Toby A. Hoveland for peeking through an apartment window on the night of July 18 at 1071 E. Cascade Ave. Four tenants, three of them women, live at the address where Hoveland was found. The apartment building houses mostly university students. Police were called there on the night of the 18th because of a “suspicious male peeking into windows.” Officers converged quietly. One saw the suspect looking into a window with a light on inside. The officer shined a flashlight and asked what he was doing. The man, wearing a black baseball hat and black hooded sweatshirt, said he was doing nothing. He turned and walked in the opposite direction but was met by another officer and detained. The suspect was described as smelling of marijuana smoke. During a pat-down search of Hoveland, officers say they found a video camera, bottle of personal lubricant and prostate stimulator.

Woodville teen is St. Croix County’s fourth traffic fatality

On Saturday, August 21 at 12:35 a.m., the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office responded to a one-vehicle crash on 220th St. about a quarter mile north of 55th Ave., in the Town of Baldwin.
Alyssa E. Hagen, age 17, of Woodville, was traveling southbound on 220th St. in a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix when she lost control, went onto the shoulder of the southbound lane and back on the road. The car then rolled and came to rest on the roof in the east ditch. Hagen was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner. Her passenger, Benjamin Joseph Grosz, age 18, from Baldwin, had minor injuries.
Ms. Hagen was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Mr. Grosz was wearing a seatbelt. Assisting at the scene was United Fire and Rescue, Baldwin EMS, and the Baldwin, Hammond and Woodville Police Departments. The crash remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office.
This is the fourth traffic fatality in St. Croix County this year.

Marie Bosman is Baldwin’s poet laureate

After a presentation by Nancy Hable at the re-scheduled meeting of Baldwin’s Board of Trustees, the Board voted to create the postion of Poet Laureate for Baldwin and appointed Marie Bosman as the first occupant of the position.
Mrs. Bosman was featured in a story in this newspaper in June of this year. She has been a poet from a young age.
According to materials handed out by Hable, a poet laureat is “a poet recognized by a government as the official poet of a country, state or city. The term laureate is related to the laurel wreath which would crown the head of great writers or poets.” The materials noted that the position of poet laureate “first began in England dating back to 1616. In the United States a Poetry Consultant to the Library of Congress was established in 1937. The United States Congress created an official post with the creation of the Poet Laureate Consultant to the Library of Congress in 1985.
The Baldwin Poet Laureate “may contribute in the following ways,” according to the materials handed out: “compose a poem for special occasions”; “compose at least two poems relating to the community annually and to present them for publication in the Baldwin Bulletin”; and “function as Baldwin’s ‘literary ambassador’ by sharing his or her poetic celebration of the community with community service organizations”.
According to the biographical information in the handout, Mrs. Bosman is a lifelong resident and a lifelong poet. “She has volumes of poems in her library.”
Two of Mrs. Bosman’s poems were included with the information: “My First Sunday School Class—1958” and “Looking Back.”
Other action at the meeting, included:
-During the comment period of the meeting Scott Plourde requested that impact fees be lowered by the village. The request was sent to a committee for review.
-Village President Don McGee noted that Aaron Olver, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce will be in Baldwin Wednesday morning to present tax credits to J & C Trucking which is in the process of constructing a truck terminal in the new Baldwin Interstate Industrial Park.

St. Croix County Emergency Management releases preliminary flood damage report

St. Croix County Emergency Management reports the damage estimates to public infrastructure including roads and bridges to be 1.3 million from August 10 -11 eastern St. Croix County flood. All roads are now open and passable. Additionally, thus far 160 residents have reported damages to their property on the county’s flood hotline.
The American Red Cross has been on site helping numerous families, individuals including 14 families who were displaced by the flood.
As of Friday, August 20, all calls recorded on the flood line will be forwarded to the Salvation Army for assessment of needs. Anyone needing assistance should contact the Salvation Army at 715-247-2944. If affected residents have not yet reported damage they are asked to call the flood hotline at 1-888-305-3555.
The damage reports are being forwarded to the State of Wisconsin Emergency Management. St. Croix County is seeking to apply for assistance programs that may be available from the State of Wisconsin or Federal Government. These assistance programs become available based on specific damage thresholds.
At the time of this press release the reported damages have not yet met the State or Federal guidelines for disaster relief. Wisconsin Emergency Management is compiling numbers from other counties affected by the August 10 and 11 flooding.
Free water test kits and free laboratory testing are being provided for private wells that are affected by the flood. These wells should be treated and tested before resuming their use for drinking water. The test kits are available from the Land and Water Conservation at 1960 8th Ave. in Baldwin.
Electrical, natural gas, heating and cooling systems that were affected by the flood should be checked by a licensed professional before use.
Mold growth is common in buildings affected by flood waters. Mold testing is generally not necessary. If you can see and/or smell it, you have a mold problem. For complete mold cleaning guidelines, safety checklists, and flood resources visit the flood resource center at www.co.saint-croix.wi.us/floodinginfo.
For any further flood information call St. Croix County Emergency Management at 715-386-4719.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS: Paulette Anderson blames Hammond Hotel owner and fellow member of several committees she serves on, Don Fowler for all the attention she received over Hammond Heartland Days beginning on Thursday evening when a reluctant Anderson took center stage with Hammond Lions Club Jay Ditlefsen after he announced her as the 2010 Heartland Award winner. The Hammond Heartland Award is designed to recognize an individual who has been an upstanding citizen, supportive and loyal to the community, shown leadership and sportsmanship is there when needed and has been an outstanding friend or neighbor - in other words - the person with the “biggest heart.” For several weeks boxes are set around Hammond so community members can cast their vote. Anderson said she believes Fowell led the push to get votes cast for her.

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): Without question, the actions of Polk County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Stoffel were not only appropriate, but heroic. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that Deputy (Nate) Ferris or another officer would have been seriously injured or killed were it not for his actions,” Polk County Sheriff Tim Moore said. Last week a seven-member review panel convened the Use of Deadly Force Review panel and concluded that Stoffel’s use of deadly force in the August 1 shooting in St. Croix Falls was justified. The Burnett County Sheriff’s Department investigated the shooting and interviewed the five officers who were on scene during an incident in which William F. Bokenyi, 40, allegedly had armed himself with two large knives and was threatening to harm his wife and son, who had taken refuge in a locked bedroom. After Ferris and a St. Croix Falls officer forcibly entered the apartment, they confronted Bokenyi and told him to drop the knives, even deploying a stun gun to no effect. Stoffel, a 17-year veteran of the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, then fired one round from his service revolver. The bullet struck Bokenyi in the mid-torso area, and he immediately dropped the knives and fell to the floor. Medical attention was administered immediately and ultimately he was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Bokenyi is currently in a Madison area hospital and is being charged with multiple crimes by the Polk County District Attorney’s Office.

BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL: A North Central Power lineman was electrocuted Sunday, August 8 as he worked to restore power east of Winter after storms had swept through southern Sawyer County. Chuck Parker, 44, Radison, had just climbed a pole near where lines were down when, according to Mark Dahlberg, president of North-western Wisconsin Electric Company, he came in contact with an energized line. North Central Power is a subsidiary of NWEC. A co-worker attempted CPR, but was unsuccessful in reviving him. Parker was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident is under investigation by the department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

AMERY FREE PRESS: A Polk County Sheriff’s deputy executed a traffic stop for expired registration on Tuesday, July 27. Upon contract the deputy recognized the driver, Nicholas J. McPheeters, 22, St. Croix Falls, as matching the description of a subject involved in a theft at the Cushing Laundromat. In addition the deputy also recognized a passenger as the second male involved in that theft. He is identified as Eric John Peterson Christensen, 22, Sturgeon Bay. The deputy had a copy of surveillance video from the burglary which clearly showed the two individuals. When confronted with the video photos both admitted to being involved in the theft. McPheeters stated that he and Christensen were in the laundromat and noticed the change machine was open and he took money from the machine consisting of quarters and bills. McPheeters stated that Christensen retrieved a garbage can from the bathroom and the two placed the money in the garbage can before leaving. He further stated that they went back to his residence where they counted the money. McPheeters went on to state that they went to Grantsburg to finish their laundry, adding that he spent the money on laundry, gas and marijuana amounting to about $40.

Storm of epic proportions rolled through St. Croix and Pierce Counties

The county highway department was busy repairing damage to the approach and shoulders of the bridge on Highway 63 at County Road N south of Baldwin on Wednesday morning. The crews had all three bridge washouts on Highway 63 repaired by late Wednesday.


As many as 30 heifers belonging to Jon-De Farm and kept at the Mike Wiff place were swept downriver by flood water in the storm of August 17-18. As of Monday, all but two had been located.


The Woodville village crew surveyed the damaged at the bridge over the Woodville creek on Southside Drive, pictured above. The force of the water had cracked, heaved and washed away the asphalt on the west side of the bridge.

A major thunderstorm that dropped rain in epic proportions so heavy that one person who drove through it described it as a solid sheet of water, dropped as much as six or even seven or eight inches of water on portions of St. Croix and Pierce Counties late Tuesday evening, August 10 and lasting into Wednesday morning.
The storm raised creek, dry run and river levels higher than any time in living memory. Rushing water through waterways was so strong that bridges and approaches were washed away, large boulders were picked up and dropped downstream and a number of heifers were even swept away from their pasture.
In Baldwin, a number of apartment and condominiums mostly near the dry run by Fourth Avenue and the Comforts of Home also on Fourth Avenue, were all evacuated by Baldwin Police, EMS and United Fire Department personnel. Scores of homes had water in their basements from both storm water infiltration and wastewater backup. Dumpsters and cleaning company vans have been prevalent throughout the village in the aftermath of the deluge.
In Baldwin, Gary Newton, wastewater treatment plant operator, said the rain started after 10:00 p.m. and by 11:00 it was very heavy. He was summoned by an alarm at the plant about 11:30 and found high water levels. He summoned additional members of the village crew to assist with evacuations of apartments and condos in the vicinity of Fourth Avenue, Creekview Court and Willink Drive, including using the village’s loader with the basket mounted on the front.
United Fire and Rescue Department was called out and responded to two electrical transformers that were on fire, presumably because of lightning strikes, at Hillcrest and USH 63 and another at Clopay. That made the flooding worse because many people who relied on sump pumps were without power.
The Baldwin Area Emergency Medical Services had three emergency calls before the flooding problems started, and was summoned to the transformer fires.
After answering several calls for accidents resulting from flooding, just before 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, Baldwin EMS went to Comforts of Home on Fourth Avenue directly north of the dry run that had overflowed and was flooding the facility. After initially summoning two boats from Hudson and Roberts to assist in the evacuation, the water level subsided enough to get ambulances to the site and use them for the evacuation.
The Baldwin village crew and members of United Fire and Rescue assisted with the evacuation of individuals from apartments and condos located near the Fourth Avenue bridge.
People who were evacuated were taken to Baldwin Area Medical Center, to the village’s Municipal Center or to friend’s or relative’s residences.
EMS Chief Craig Nelson said that at one time all four of the Baldwin Area EMS ambulances were out on calls and in addition, two ambulances were called to assist from New Richmond, two from River Falls and one from Hudson. He noted that Spring Valley Fire and EMS was also out responding to multiple calls as was Glenwood City Fire and EMS.
One of the River Falls ambulances responded to a car crash and transported five or six injured people. New Richmond ambulances helped with evacuating Comforts of Home and also made a transfer from BAMC to United Medical Center in St. Paul.
Baldwin Police Chief Jim Widiker said he was called into Baldwin by officer Chad Gallmeier who was on duty Tuesday night. He said that he reached Baldwin sometime around 12:30 Wednesday morning and the rain has slowed to only a sprinkle. He said that on his way in, parts of both Rose Lane and 220th Avenue were under water. “Chad had already made arrangements with the village crew to bring the loader in to help with evacuations,” said Chief Widiker. “At the time Brad Boldt got the call to bring the loader, he was already on his way in the loader with the basket.”
Chief Widiker continued that both Baldwin Area EMS, United Fire and village crew members were in the vicinity of Fourth Avenue when he arrived. The bridge was completely underwater.
Later that morning about 4:40 Joe Meyer of Day and Nite Towing was traveling south on USH 63, heading home after towing several vehicles that had been washed off roads. As he went over the 63 bridge between Fern Drive and Spruce Street in his flatbed he heard a strange noise, a bump, that wasn’t there before when he crossed the bridge. “I’d been over the bridge a couple of times earlier in the night,” he said. “The water had been less than a foot from the bridge deck, earlier, maybe at midnight.” This time after hearing the “bump” he stopped to investigate and discovered the washout of the bridge’s approaches and about a three foot diameter hole in the asphalt. Behind him was his father Glenn in another tow truck and the two of them used their trucks to block the bridge while they called 9-1-1.
Prior to discovering the washed out approaches “semi trucks had gone across it,” said Glenn. “Hudson mutual aid fire trucks had gone across it.”
While they were waiting for help they could hear collapsing under the approach and more asphalt fell into the void. Baldwin Police Chief Jim Widiker arrived with another officer and they started to block the road, but while they were doing so another car went over. “To think that six inches of asphalt held a car up,” said Chief Widiker. “I could see where he bottomed out as he went across.
“I was really impressed when I was out there and worked with everyone,” said Chief Widiker. “You can train and sit down and do round table training that helps you prepare for things like this. But this has never happened before in the 22 years that I’ve been here. But everything came together and it worked well. From my standpoint, it was impressive to see how prepared everyone was for this. I’ve always been proud of fire, EMS and public works here, but to see how everything came together was impressive. I think it’s also a tribute to our smaller community. The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department and Hammond Police Department were also helping out.”
St. Croix County Highway Commissioner Tim Ramberg said an initial assessment on Wednesday found about 50 instances of roads, bridges and culverts damaged, ranging in severity from minor to complete wash-outs. By Friday afternoon he said the number had risen to 70, with some just gravel over the road but others more serious.
Commissioner Ramberg said southeast of and south Baldwin are the areas that were most affected.
Inspections of structures continues, noted Ramberg. “We’re looking at the structures and for the most part the structures are sound,” but in many instances it is the approach to the structure that has suffered the most damage. He urged people to be cautious around bridges and culverts and be alert for damage. He said grass laying down is a good indicator of a strong current.
Coincidently, this is the year of a mandatory bridge inspection for St. Croix County, said Commissioner Ramberg, so assessments will continue.
After prioritizing the damages after the storm, the problems that affected the most traveled roads were first fixed. Commissioner Ramberg said on Friday afternoon that all state and county roads were open, although many still needed blacktop. He added that most town roads were also fixed with the exception of maybe six, and he hoped they would be finished by Tuesday or Wednesday of this week at the latest.
One of the more curious and compelling images was of a number of heifers being washed down the Rush River near Martell. The heifers, about 30 of them, belonged to Jon-De Farms and were at the Mike Wiff place. As of Monday morning all but two of them had been located.
In the Village of Baldwin there is no accurate count of the numbers of residences and other structures damaged in the flooding. However, Village Administrator Patti Glockzin said that residents are encouraged to report damage. As of Monday noon about 76 reports had been received of varying degrees of damage, but mostly of basement flooding.
The storm will not qualify any of the municipalities for federal disaster aid, because the threshold for damage has not been reached. However, Administrator Glockzin said Baldwin may be eligible for Wisconsin disaster aid for reimbursement of up to 70% of its expenses. She added that thus far the estimated cost of repairing village bridges has been set at $66,000.
Baldwin Telecom Manager Larry Knegendorf said the company had 93 trouble tickets as a result of the deluge, mostly problems related to lightning strikes and washed out cables. On Friday he said “we are getting the customers back on line.”
In the Village of Baldwin dumpsters were available for residents on Thursday and Saturday for materials that got wet and weren’t salvageable. Dumpster availability may be extended.
St. Croix County Emergency Management has a hot line available for residents to phone in damage to their residences, 888-305-3555. It will be answered by a recorded message that will prompt the caller to leave a name, address, phone number and type of damage such as sewer back-up, flooded homes or washouts.
One recommendation is that materials that were soaked by the storm and are not dried within 48 hours should be discarded. In most instances drywall and carpet soaked by water will need to be removed, the area dried out and then drywall and carpet replaced.
Other information about mold, tetanus immunizations and sanitation and hygiene are available at the Municipal Center. The information also lists three web sites for reliable information. They are: www.fema.gov; http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods; and www.redcross.org.

Baldwin Area EMS timeline of events August 10 - 11

Baldwin EMS was kept very busy during the rains the evening Tuesday, August 10 and the early morning of Wednesday, August 11.
At 8:12 p.m. dispatched to a single car crash at Co. Rd. E and 250th St. One person was transported to BAMC. Cleared at 9:21 p.m.
At 9:48 p.m. dispatched to a medical call in the Village of Hammond, one person was transported to United Hospital. Cleared at 11:51 p.m.
At 11:52 p.m. dispatched to BAMC to transfer a patient to Regions Hospital. Cleared at 1:39 a.m.
At 12:02 a.m. called to a transformer fire at 10th Ave. and Hillcrest St. Cleared at 12:57 a.m.
At 12:42 dispatched to 233rd St. and 55th Ave. for a car washed off the road. Cleared at 1:12 a.m.
At 12:43 a.m. notified of a home filling with water at 304 Co. Rd. Y. Occupants were evacuated.
At 12:50 a.m. dispatched to the area of 2558 80th Ave for water over a bridge with a car in the water. One person was transported to BAMC.
At 12:53 a.m. requested to respond to Comforts of Home at 1880 4th Ave. to evacuate residents from the flooded building. 14 residents were evacuated and transported to BAMC. The last resident was removed at 3:31 a.m.
At 1:33 a.m. dispatched to Co. Rd. T at 18th Ave. for a car under water with a person hanging from a tree branch. One person was transported to BAMC.
At 1:50 a.m. dispatched to Southside Drive area in Woodville to assist in evacuating residents. Cleared at 2:34 a.m.
At 1:50 a.m. dispatched to 431 250th St. for a tipped over LP tank.
At 2:59 a.m. dispatched to 110th Ave. at 250th St. for a single vehicle rollover. Two people were transported to Regions Hospital and one to Westfields.
At 5:16 a.m. dispatched to 662 200th St. for a gas leak.
At 5:39 a.m. dispatched to a car that struck a round bale in the roadway at County Road YY near Hwy. 63. One person was transported to BAMC.
Baldwin EMS was assisted by ambulances from New Richmond and River Falls. In total eight ambulances were used during the flooding.

Jacobsons set to relinquish GM franchise

Mary and Greg Jacobson of Jacobson, Inc. have decided to relinquish their Chevrolet franchise from General Motors but will continue offering near new vehicles, previously owned vehicles and service and body work.

An ad in Saturday’s Bargain Bulletin and a letter to the editor in this issue of the Baldwin Bulletin announce that Jacobson, Inc. will relinquish their Chevrolet franchise starting in November this year.
The Jacobson family has been affiliated with General Motors for the past 38 years, starting in 1972 with a Pontiac franchise in Woodville and continuing in Baldwin when they bought the Zillmann Chevrolet and Oldsmobile dealership in 1992. In 1996 the Jacobsons moved to their new facility on Baldwin’s south side.
General Motors eliminated the Oldsmobile line in 2004. Last year General Motors cancelled the Pontiac line and also notified the Jacobsons that their Chevrolet contract was not being renewed, said owner Greg Jacobson. Since then the Jacobsons and other franchise holders have been engaged in arbitration with General Motors over the elimination of their franchises.
However, the ad and letter say “with GM’s recent history, it has become exceedingly more difficult to maintain the level of service you’ve come to expect. So rather than pursue further arbitration, with the unknown of what would actually be won, we have made the decision to stop selling and warranting New General Motors vehicles effective October, 31, 2010. We will continue to offer near new and previously owned vehicles of all makes and models to better fit with the ever changing needs and wants of our growing community.”
The decision to drop the arbitration process brings mixed emotions, Greg said. “We did pursue the arbitration for a length of time and gave it a good run. But it was expensive to do and was not looking promising.” He added that General Motors was also coming up with many new requirements for their dealers and “we weren’t sure it would be worth the value for the dollars.”
Greg said he will continue to offer the same types of vehicles as he has in the past to keep the business offering what customers have come to expect. He said the service and auto body departments won’t change but the business will have more diversity. “If the need arises, if somebody wants to buy something else, we’ll try to get what people want and there is demand for.” But mostly, said Greg, “we’ll continue to offer the service, honesty and reliability people have come to expect.”

Flood damage hot line

Area residents who suffered flood damage due to the heavy rains on August 25 are urged to call 888-305-3555. A recorded message will prompt you to leave your name, address, phone number and what type of damage occurred, such as sewer backup, flooded or damaged homes or washed out driveways.

Baldwin Telecom approved for more than $9 million from RUS Broadband Initiatives Program

The USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) recently announced Baldwin Telecom, Inc. (BTI) has been approved for a $9 million broadband project in the Town of Troy.
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, BTI will receive $4,533,949.00 in matching grant money for the development of broadband data access in the Town of Troy, St. Croix County, with the remainder in the form of a RUS loand.
Broadband data access helps rural areas take full advantage of the Internet and helpsx create jobs.
Manager Larry Knegendorf said, “These stimulus funds for broadband will help play an important part in bringing 21st century infrastructure to all residents of the Town of Troy”.
BTI has been working with Warren Vollmar, head of the Town of Troy Broadband Committee, for more than two years to find a way to provide high speed Internet to all of the town residents. Vollmar and Ray Knapp, also of the Town of Troy, have played a major role in obtaining the grant money.
The proposed project is a 100% fiber based broadband infrastructure for the unserved and underserved communities in the Town of Troy. A last-mile project, it will provide access to approximately 1,500 households, businesses and other institutions.
“The announcement demonstrates the trust RUS has in our ability to deliver quality broadband services,” said Knegendorf. “We are experienced at providing broadband in rural areas. In fact, 100% of our customers have access to our high-speed Internet service. This money gives us the opportunity to provide service to the Town of Troy.”
In 2002 BTI was recognized as the first independent telephone company in Wisconsin to deploy Fiber-To-The-Home technology in select greenfield areas. Fiber-optic technology can carry data, voice and video signals over longer distances and at higher speeds than other forms of communication.
“By using this technology BTI is able to provide faster Internet speed and offer more services. In addition, we are building a highly reliable network for the future,” said Knegendorf.
Currently BTI provides data, voice and video service in Baldwin, Woodville and the Town of Hudson. In addition BTI provides data and video service in Hammond, Roberts and Knapp. BTI has been providing telephone service since 1900 and added video services in the early 1980s. BTI was selected by the St. Croix Economic Corporation to receive the 2009 Small Business of the Year Award.
BTI looks forward to expanding broadband services in the Town of Troy. At this time Knegendorf was not able to give any details on when the construction will begin in the Town of Troy. He stated that information will be available at www.baldwin-telecom.net.
For more information contact Larry Knegendorf or Matt Sparks at 715-684-3346.

Doug Doll is Heartland Days Parade Marshal


Doug Doll has been named the Parade Marshal for Hammond’s Heartland Days parade which is Sunday, August 15 starting at 12:30 p.m. He is pictured with his dog Jack.

Doug Doll recently lost his bar and grill, a symptom of the current tough economy. But he hasn’t lost his involvement in the Hammond community.
And that’s why Doug has been named this year’s Parade Marshal.
In fact, if anything, being Parade Marshal may make Doug’s life tougher. You see, he will still pull a wagon-load of American Heritage residents to the parade route, meaning he’ll first have to ride through as Parade Marshal and then hustle back to the American Heritage wagon to go through a second time.
“Doug is one of those guys who will help with anything,” said Linda Hawkins, the co-chair of the Hammond Heartland Days Celebration Committee. “I remember asking him about seven or eight years ago if he would help us with the [residents] from the Heritage Care Center. There are a few of them who like to see the parade and he would go down there with a flat bed trailer with sides and roll all the wheel chairs on that flat bed” and take the residents to a vantage point for the parade. “I have never had to ask him again, he takes care of it every year no questions asked. This is just one of many things Doug has done as well as all the fund raisers he hosted at the Doll House. He has done a great deal for the Lions and asks for nothing in return. I guess to sum it up, he gives and gives and hopefully he feels the gratitude for all he has done for the community and we respect him for all he has done.”
“It was a shocker, though, when they asked me,” said Doug. He said he got a call from Linda asking for a meeting and figured they had a job for him to do.
Doug was born in Milwaukee and raised in the Osceola-Dresser area and had rental property there. He worked at Andersen Windows until he bought the Hammond bar in 1989, which he operated until this year. Up until three and a half or four years ago everything was going well with the Doll House, Doug said. But then the economy went sour. “I cut back employees but it was still going backwards,” he said.
Doug also served the Village of Hammond as a trustee on the Village Board for 11 years. “It takes two or three years before you know what’s going on,” he commented about village business. “The village is like a business, you have a budget and you can’t fund everything. Some things get cut. Everyone has a wish list.” Doug said the Hammond village crew has done a wonderful job of late in making Hammond look good.
After losing his bar and grill earlier this year Doug said he has been busy moving. “It took a month to get out of the bar. I’m also moving from out in the country into Hammond. I’ve also been taking care of an older fellow but I recently had to move him into the nursing home.” Doug said he still has his tent and party equipment rental business. He also did a two week stint working at Phantom Fireworks a few weeks back.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): Citing the need for more office space for the growing Hiawatha National Bank, owners Jim and Jeanene Meisser proposed that the city rent the former Citizens State Bank building on West Oak Street. At present, the city rents five office spaces in the Hiawatha building at Second and Oak Streets in Glenwood City. The city has two offices for the city clerk-treasurer and deputy and two offices for the police department and one for the municipal judge. The Meissers appeared before the city council Monday night at its regular meeting telling them that the bank was growing and that they needed the office space for the bank. “We are trying to be sensitive to the economic needs of the City,” Jeanene Meisser told the council. Late last month the Hiawatha National Bank acquired the Glenwood City branch of Citizens State Bank and will apply to the federal government for permission to close that branch office and Hiawatha would offer a low rent for the Citizens State Bank building to the city to move their offices down the street. The city rents about 1,300 square feet of space in the Hiawatha building and Meisser told the council that the former CSB building is about 1900 feet in size. At present, the city pays about $1,000 a month in rent to Hiawatha for those five office spaces and that includes utilities. The Meissers’ proposal to the city calls for a first year rent of $375 per month with a fifty dollar increase in each of the next two years. After that the city could purchase the building.

PIERCE COUNTY HERALD: A Woodbury, Minn., man died early Sunday morning after he jumped from a dock at the Harbor Bar and drowned, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Pierce County deputies present at the Hagar City bar were alerted to the incident at 2:49 a.m. by a male who told them a man had fallen into the Mississippi River. A civilian search turned up the body of Curtis Allen Golla, 44, in about 10 to 12 feet of water. Deputies attempted life-saving measures, according to a press release. Golla was later pronounced dead at Fairview Red Wing Medical Center. Investigation of the incident revealed Golla was standing on the dock near a houseboat he was visiting and jumped into the river for a swim, Pierce County Investigator Doug Ducklow said in the press release. Witnesses said Golla was seen entering the water, but never resurfacing. Golla owned a concrete construction firm in Woodbury and was a former on-call firefighter. The case remains under investigation.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: Neighbors credited three young men who happened to be driving past 1260 Sunset Lane around 12:30 p.m. Monday as being heroes of the day. Passersby Keith Romanshyn, Kevin Salmen and Morgan Gieb - who work at Sajan in Whitetail Ridge Corporate Park - were on their way to the park during their lunch hour. They noticed smoke coming from the home’s garage door and heard a dog barking inside. The men banged on the door but got no answer so they called the fire department. The three hung around long enough to see the River Falls’ volunteer firefighters arrive. One kicked in the door to rescue the dog inside. The “good Samaritans” said it was coincidental that the first firefighter on the scene was Mike Nicholson, a person they know from school. Since nobody was home at the time, neighbor Linda Uhls took the dog into her home. She said the miniature breed dog seemed scared but otherwise unharmed.

MONDOVI HERALD-NEWS: A 13-year-old Mondovi boy broke his right leg last week after grabbing a 3-year-old boy who started to run onto a road and into oncoming traffic. Koty Schulte was helping a friend baby sit two young children on Tuesday, July 27 in Mondovi. He says he and his friend were “just playing around” when the 3-year-old ventured onto the road near Mirror Lake Park. Schulte, who will be an eighth grader this fall at Mondovi Middle School, says he took off and was able to grab the child, but he tripped on the curb while doing so and heard something crack. He says he felt no pain in his broken leg until the leg was straightened out. The friend called for an ambulance and Schulte was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire. Schulte’s mother Kari Parr, says she’s just glad everyone is alright. She says Schulte’s right leg will be in a full-length cast for about three weeks and then in a smaller cast for six to eight weeks.

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): Chad A. Wyttenbach, the former manager of an area auto body business who was accused last year in connection with a series of lawn and farm equipment thefts throughout the region, is now facing federal charges for those alleged crimes. Wyttenbach, 35, of Somerset, and two other men, Eric Edward Garvey, 39, of Danbury, and Victor Ernest Trejo, 51, of Prescott, have each been charged with: six counts of interstate transportation of stolen vehicles. All together, the trio faces a maximum of 95 years imprisonment each. Garvey was also named in a related indictment on four counts of distributing methamphetamine. Garvey faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment on each charge. The indictment alleges that the three men knowingly took stolen vehicles and goods including several John Deere lawn tractors, Polaris ATVs, Ski-Doo snowmobiles, a Triton 2 Place aluminum trailer, a 2005 Chevy Silverado pick-up, and a Bobcat skidsteer and transported them throughout the region.

Contour Plastics in Baldwin sold to Nolato Group

Barry Grant, owner, President and CEO of Contour Plastics, with his wife Pam, company Controller. Contour Plastics was recenlty sold to Nolato Group of Torekov, Sweden. The Grants will remain in their management positions with Contour Plastics.


On July 26th, the Nolato Group, based in Torekov, Sweden, announced the acquisition of Baldwin-based Contour Plastics. Contour’s president Barry Grant and members of Contour’s management team will remain in their positions.
“Contour Plastics is a well-managed company, and is a good fit for our growth strategy and our ambition to provide a global offering with regional medical technology production,” said Hans Porat, President and CEO of Nolato.
“This acquisition will give us a presence in the region from Minneapolis to Chicago, one of our four key American medical technology clusters,” said Christer Wahlquist, president of Nolato Medical Business Area. “It also represents a further strengthening of our overall offering, and a foundation on which to establish production in North America.”
Contour’s customers include a number of major American medical technology companies. According to reports, an estimated 80% of Contour’s business is attributable to molding parts for medical device companies. The Nolato Group supplies customers in medical technology, telecom, hygiene, automotive parts and other industrial sectors.
With the acquisition, Contour Plastics will operate as Nolato Contour. Contour was founded in 1990 and has been honored by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce as an Emerging Business of the Year and by St. Croix Economic Development Corporation as a Business of the Year in St. Croix County. Contour was awarded $250,000 in state tax credits in 2007 from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for a major facility expansion that resulted in the creation of new jobs.

Shots fired in chase, apprehension of suspect

A man who was observed driving away from a development in Hammond that has suffered a rash of recent burglaries and later rammed St. Croix County Sheriff’s squad cars and a Sheriff’s Deputy, has been apprehended after shots were fired early Tuesday morning.
According to a news release from the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department, in custody at Regions Medical Center in St. Paul for treatment of unspecified injuries is Shane Michael Kringen, 37, of Hudson, who has a previous criminal history and is a convicted felon.
The news release stated that at 2:32 a.m. a Hammond police officer saw a “suspicious vehicle leaving the Black Duck Development” in the Village of Hammond. The area has suffered from a “rash of burglaries recently,” the release said. “The Hammond officer initiated a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle for an equipment violation. The suspect vehicle fled from the Hammond officer who discontinued the pursuit a short time later.”
At 2:38 a.m. a St. Croix County deputy sheriff’s officer was driving east on CTH N when the same suspect vehicle from the Hammond incident was traveling west. “The suspect vehicle was traveling without any lights on the vehicle. The deputy was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the suspect vehicle. Deputies then attempted to stop the vehicle, which fled west on CTH N with speeds reaching 80 mph. During the pursuit deputies reported the suspect throwing unknown items from the vehicle.”
The pursuit continued to the 400 block of CTH N where the suspect vehicle slammed on his brakes and then began to ram two St. Croix County squad cars. “At this point one deputy fired several shots at the suspect in defense of himself and his fellow deputy.” The suspect then drove to 644 CTH N into a yard and again rammed a St. Croix County squad car. The suspect then left the vehicle and fled on foot into a woods. He was apprehended by a Sheriff’s K-9.
“The suspect was transported to Hudson Hospital and then Regions” for treatment of his injuries, said the news release. “One deputy sustained injuries as a result of being rammed by the suspect. The deputy was treated and released from Hudson Hospital. “The second deputy was uninjured and has been placed on administrative leave (standard procedure) pending the outcome of the investigation.”
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting portion of the incident.
The news release says deputies are in the process of securing an arrest warrant for felony level charges against the suspect stemming from this incident.

Drowning victim in St. Croix Monday

On Monday of this week at 8:41 p.m., the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office, Hudson Fire Dept., St. Croix EMS and Dive Team, Hudson Police, Wisconsin DNR and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a male who had not resurfaced after jumping off a boat in the St. Croix River. The boat was about 20 feet off shore on the west end of the Dike Road in the City of Hudson.
Before emergency personnel arrived, two bystanders jumped into the water and swam to the area where the male was last seen but they were unable to locate him. Rescue operations were started immediately once emergency personnel were on the scene. The male victim was recovered by members of the St. Croix Dive Team at 9:40 p.m. in about 10-12 feet of water.
The male was taken to the Hudson Medical Center by St. Croix EMS where he was pronounced dead.
The male victim is 38 years old and is from Richfield, Minnesota. The identity of the victim is being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin.
This incident remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Croix County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Electric outage planned for Woodville area

EAU CLAIRE, WIS. – Electric service to approximately 1,000 Xcel Energy customers in the village of Woodville will be temporarily interrupted from 2 to 4 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7. In the event of inclement weather, the outage will be rescheduled for Sunday, Aug. 8, during the same timeframe.
This outage is required to improve the area’s electrical equipment, to ensure safe and reliable power. The outage time may be shorter or longer depending on working conditions.
For additional information, call Xcel Energy Customer Service at 1-800-895-4999.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

CENTRAL ST. CROIX NEWS: The mission statement of the United Methodist Churches in Hammond and New Centerville presents their desire to help their communities by “Serving God, creation, and people by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with faith, hope and love through worship, education and outreach.” With a new pastor leading them, they will continue to carry out that mission well into the future. Although Pastor Steve Rice has been leading churches for 20 years, he has only been the pastor of the United Methodist Church in Hammond and New Centerville since July1. Rice received his education at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and has led churches throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. While Rice is the new pastor of the congregations in Hammond and New Centerville, he is not new to the church. He has been playing the piano for the church in Hammond, in addition to worshipping with that congregation. Those who know him would probably not be surprised to learn that Pastor Rice is a trained musician, having received his undergraduate degree in music. “I have been playing for worship services at churches and nursing homes for many years,” Rice said recently. While he will be the pastor for both the Hammond and New Centerville congregations, Rice also holds a full-time job at a music store in the Twin Cities area. His schedule keeps him quite busy, but he still intends to fully take on the needs of both congregations.

THE COURIER-WEDGE (DURAND): The Durand school district will lose $332,000 in state funding according to estimates, said district finance manager Sharon Weisenbeck at the monthly Durand board of education meeting July 21. The four percent drop in state equalization aid comes from statewide cuts and district spending habits. Aid is cut when the district spends less than its budget, which it did last year, and when enrollment declines, Weisenbeck explained to the board. To make up for the lost aid, the district must make program cuts. The district has $311,000 to add to its fund balance, Weisenbeck reported. The money, which comes from lower than expected utilities, transportation costs, equipment purchases, overall operating expenses and surplus from last year’s budget, could be used to offset some of the lost aid, she said. Board member Katie Garrett suggested putting more than two-thirds of the money toward retirement benefits and the rest toward future operating costs. The board voted unanimously to follow Garrett’s proposal.

AMERY FREE PRESS: Tara J. Brabant, 30, Amery was arrested Sunday, July 25, after a Polk county sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to 60th St. for a who father had had been stabbed by his daughter and a verbal argument was in progress. Upon arrival, the deputy spoke with Tara Brabant who admitted stabbing her father, Mark W. Brabant, in the shoulder earlier in the afternoon after a verbal argument between the two of them. Brabant stated she and her mother were arguing about a money issue, at which point her father stepped into the conversation and began arguing. Brabant stated at this point her father grabbed a knife out of a drawer and lunged at her. She stated she made the comment to him, “Why don’t you kill yourself,” and he replied, “Why don’t you me kill yourself.” Mark Brabant then told Tara to stab him and she did - in the shoulder. A subsequent report showed that a Polk county sheriff’s deputy was also dispatched to the scene and Tara Brabant’s mother advised the deputy that Tara had told her father she wished he was dead and Mark had handed Tara a knife and said, “Kill me.” Mark Brabant stated that he was cut by a nail while working on the house - the deputy believed he was not being cooperative.

WOODVILLE LEADER: Sometimes if you do good things long enough, someone is going to notice, and that’s exactly what happened for Kathy Spence of Spring Valley. On May 20, Kathy learned that she was selected at the Special Olympics Wisconsin Indianhead Area Agency Manager of the Year. According to a press release from Special Olympics - Wisconsin, “This award is given each year to an Agency Manager who best displays the leadership and organizational skills needed to manage a well run special Olympics Program.” Kathy was nominated by Andrea Sullivan and Patti Knez who are the Regional Directors of northwestern Wisconsin. “Kathy is great at making sure her athletes have a wonderful experience when they compete. They are well trained, placed in divisions where they belong, and are always eager to participate,” said Knez.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: A 20-year-old River Falls man is jailed and charged with setting fire to rolls of hay inside a 3,200 square-foot storage shed at the UW-River Falls Lab Farm No. 1 after midnight on Friday. The blaze destroyed the shed and 312 hay rolls. Each roll weighs 800-900 pounds. Thirty-two of those rolls were described as “research hay’ belonging to the University of Minnesota. UW-RF officials put the total loss - hay and shed at $85,000. Christopher D. Pixley, faces a Class C felony charge for arson of a building. He appeared in Pierce County Court Monday and was ordered held on $1,000 cash bond.

Knapp House destroyed by fire

The devastating fire that destroyed the Knapp House early Wednesday morning could have been worse, much worse.
Two people on their way to work Wednesday morning stopped when they noticed smoke coming from the landmark Knapp structure and awoke owner Rick Bloomfield, who lives in the structure. The two people knew Bloomfield lived there and entered the building to wake him.
Bloomfield escaped the building unhurt. But the building was a different story.
In the above picture members of the Menomonie Fire Department were still on the scene about 11:00 a.m. Wednesday. United Fire and Rescue was called to the scene to help haul water, as were other area fire departments.

Storms wreak havoc to homes, motorists


Baldwin and the surrounding areas were hit by three storms Wednesday. First was a storm late morning. Another came in the afternoon and a final storm passed by early evening.
The three separate storm occurrences dropped a total of 2.11 inches of rain at the official Baldwin measuring station that reports to the National Weather Service.
Two semi-trucks were blown off I-94, pictured above, at approximately mile post 18 Wednesday. According to emergency workers who responded to the scene, the two trucks were both empty and a strong gust of wind picked both up and deposited them on their sides off the road. The west-bound truck was deposited north of I-94 and the east-bound truck wound up on its side in the median.
The driver of one truck was apparently unhurt and the other suffered injuries not believed to be serious. Traffic was slowed while the two trucks were uprighted and removed from the scene.
Probably the storm that hit in the morning was the most severe. There were a number of houses damaged west of Hammond in that storm. According to St. Croix County Sheriff there were about 30 homes that suffered some degree of damage, from substantial, such as the one pictured at left which lost a wall of its garage, to relatively minor such as shingles missing or some siding damaged.
Sheriff Hillstead said three homes were significantly damaged, including another that also lost a garage wall and another with roof damage to cosmetic and minor damage.
According to United Fire and Rescue Baldwin Station Chief Gary Newton, last week was one of the busiest weeks United Fire has ever had. In addition to responding to the two semis that were upended in Wednesday’s storm, the Department was called to a report of a parachute that didn’t open, which turned out not to be true; to a gas leak near B-W High School; to the mini-bike rider who was hit by a vehicle Tuesday norning; to haul water to combat the fire at the Knapp House Wednesday; and to a motorcycle-car accident near the I-94/USH 63 interchange Sunday in which a vehicle pulled out in front of the motorcycle but luckily the motorcycle driver was able to walk away from the scene despite some injuries.

14 year old recovering after crash

A 14 year old boy who ran a stop sign on a mini-bike on 250th Street on Woodville’s northwest side and crashed into the side of pickup truck traveling on USH 12 is recovering from injuries he received according to St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead. “He’s a very lucky young man,” Sheriff Hillstead commented.
According to Sheriff Hillstead, the boy from Baldwin operating a mini-bike was traveling north on 250th Street and did not stop at the USH 12 stop sign. His vehicle crashed into the passengers side of a east-bound pickup on USH 12 driven by Amy Haney of Baldwin.
At the scene Sheriff Hillstead said the boy was “alert and seemed okay,” but was transported to Baldwin Area Medical Center where it was determined that he may have suffered serious internal injuries and was transferred to Regions Medical Center in St. Paul. However, when he was further examined at Regions it was determined that his injuries were not of the seriousness once thought. He was then listed in stable condition.
The driver of the mini-bike was not wearing a helmet or any other type of protective clothing.
Haney was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and her juvenile passenger was in a child safety seat and neither were injured. The truck suffered moderate damage.
Assisting the Sheriff’s Department at the scene of the accident were United Fire and Rescue and Baldwin EMS.

Village Board approves certified survey for First Bank

The Baldwin Village Board at their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 14 approved a certified survey map that splits off several acres from the parcel on which the former Jonquist Kitchens sat, which is now owned by the bank.
In a related measure, Village engineer Mike Stoffel presented bids for the well abandonment project at the bank-owned property. Stoffel said there were three bids for abandoning the well with the lowest only a third the bid of the highest. The Board accepted the bid of Keys Well Drilling which was the low bid. Stoffel said the Keys bid was much lower than the others because the company had worked on the well and was therefore familiar with it. In addition, the Board accepted a bid for removing the ammonia from the cooling system in the building. The bid was quite low because there was not much ammonia left in the system.
In other action at the meeting, the Board heard from Chris Klinkhammer, owner of Klinkers Korner, about plans for an outdoor fenced area in a portion of her parking lot that could be used by smokers. She said the state-wide smoking ban has “put a damper on business.” She said the area would be 24 feet by 24 feet, or enough to hold a couple picnic tables and stools around the perimeter. There would be a door opening from the bar. Klinkhammer was told she needed to file an application for a beer garden and the board seemed receptive to the idea.
The Board also approved a change order for the UV disinfection building at the wastewater treatment plant for additional paving and a sidewalk that adds $4,572 to the cost. The board also discussed a water leak at the plant that is being investigated to determine responsibility. Also, the board approved a pay request for $106,889 for street projects which included a $3,969 change order.
Engineer Stoffel told the board that plans were to pour the curb and gutter for the Curtis Street project as well as at the Baldwin EMS building on Thursday. He noted that Curtis Street held up “very well” in the earlier rain storm that day.
The Board approved a temporary liquor license and operators’ licenses and Mill Pond Park reservation for Bol’s Lanes for a fast pitch tournament.
The Board heard from Jeff Schneider about runoff from the holding pond behind a townhome he owns in Creekview Meadows. He said the runoff caused damage to a retaining wall behind the townhome. Attorney Gary Bakke of the Bakke, Norman SC law firm, told the board that the first question for them is whether dealing with the runoff problem is a legal obligation of the village and the second question is whether as a political consideration the board may still want to deal with the problem. No action was taken.
The Board also discussed the sanitary sewer back up into homes during the torrential rain of Tuesday, June 15 but no action was taken on that problem either.
The Board approved a grant application by Stoffel for the Main Street project. He noted the meeting that was held downtown to seek comments regarding the project and what amenities should be included. Trustee Claire Stein commended village staff for the meeting and presentation as well as the lunch served.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): A former Polk County Treasurer’s Office employee has been charged with embezzlement. Heather Culver, 33, of Webster, has been accused of stealing several hundred dollars worth of cash reserves, after Polk county Treasurer Amanda Nissen asked the sheriff’s office to initiate an investigation into the missing funds three months ago. Through the use of electronic surveillance equipment, the sheriff’s office has determined that Culver is believed to have taken small amounts of cash from a cash drawer sporadically over the course of several months. About $100 in small bills went missing between June 18 and July 2, the sheriff’s department alleged. Culver was charged and faces six misdemeanor counts of theft from a business setting, according to online court records. She was not taken into custody. Culver, who resigned recently, had been employed with the treasurer’s office for 16 months, working as a real property lister for the past eight months.

TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): A Dunn County jury has found a Boyceville school board member charged with battery and disorderly conduct not guilty. Harry Joles was charged in connection with an incident that occurred at a Boyceville youth football event last September when he was accused of punching Drew Anderson, an assistant youth football coach and causing a disturbance by yelling obscenities. A 12-member jury of nine women and three men found Joles not guilty following a one-day trial in Dunn County Circuit Court on July 6. After hearing testimony for part of the morning and all afternoon, the jury went out to deliberate at about 6:30 p.m. and returned with the not guilty verdict at 7:15 p.m. Joles took the witness stand in his own defense, noting that he is a lifelong Boyceville resident of Boyceville, that his father and grandfather were also named Harry Joles and that he has been in the painting business for 47 years. “I was not arguing. I was debating…I was pleading because I did not want my son to get hurt,” Joles said. Joles testified that he pushed Anderson and that he clenches his teeth when he is angry. “I said, ‘Keep that f--er away from me.’ With clenched teeth I can’t say that loud,” he said. Jules said that he intended to get Anderson away from him, that he did not intent to cause bodily harm and that he never threw a punch at Anderson.

AMERY FREE PRESS: Big Butternut beach in Luck and Half Moon beach in Milltown have been closed by the Polk County Heath Department. High levels of Fecal Coliform Bacteria have been detected at those sites. Those beaches will be closed until two consecutive tests result in acceptable levels. The Polk County Health Department is currently testing the public beaches in Balsam Lake, Big Butternut, Half Moon and South Twin weekly. Bacteria levels that closed the two beaches are an indicator of human or animal waste contamination. Swimming in unsafe water may result in minor illnesses, such as eye, ear, nose and throat infections and the most common being gastroenteritis. Heavy rains can cause elevated bacteria counts.

NEW RICHMOND NEWS: What you don’t know can hurt you. Konnie Jerabeck knows this well. Wild parsnip, also known as cow parsnip, is a herbaceous plant whose sap, when exposed to UV rays, becomes an acid that burns the skin. “My daughter encountered it while playing by a river bank,” said Jerabeck, a Department of Agriculture Nursery Inspector. They were left with long water blisters on their backs. After the blisters disappeared, brown scars took their place and didn’t fully go away until two years later. Jerabeck is concerned that not enough people are aware of wild parsnip and its harmful effects. The parsnip is a Queen Anne’s lace look alike with yellow flowers instead of white. One flowerhead can hold up to 1,000 seeds, Jerabeck said. The danger isn’t in the outside of the flower; it’s the sap and the seeds that cause the blisters. It also doesn’t affect the skin right away. Blisters begin to appear about 24 hours after exposure to the sap and the sun. Once the blisters emerge, they cannot be spread like poison ivy. Removal of the weed is tricky. Be sure to wear protective clothing and try to work after dark to avoid the UV rays activating any sap you might get on you. The weed grows in undisclosed areas and needs sunlight to thrive. It also performs better in wet places, where it can grow up to five feet tall. Wild parsnip is fairly new to St. Croix County. To get a better idea of what it looks like, drive along 170th St. in the Town of Stanton and on Co. Rd. T the weed grows in the ditches along these roads.

Crash closed west-bound I-94 Monday afternoon

A five vehicle crash along a stretch of west-bound I-94 that was one-lane due to road construction resulted in closure of the stretch of interstate and re-routing traffic through Baldwin and on USH 12.
According to emergency personnel on the scene, the crash happened near mile-post 17, just east of the Hammond/CTH T exit and involved five vehicles, including a semi-truck. One of the vehicles involved flipped and another rolled over.
Emergency personnel said a woman in one of the vehicles was transported directly to Regions Medical Center in St. Paul with injuries that didn’t appear to be life-threatening.
East-bound traffic on I-94 was not affected by the accident. The scene took about an hour to clear. Agencies responding to the crash included the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Baldwin Police Department, United Fire and Rescue, Baldwin EMS and River Falls Ambulance Service.

Ben Orr is Baldwin’s newest officer
Ben Orr, a 2004 Baldwin-Woodville High School graduate and U.S. Air Force veteran, is the Village of Baldwin’s newest police officer.
Orr started his present job at the beginning of July. Previously he worked as a police officer in Woodville. He is the replacement for Officer Brad Coplan who has announced his retirement at the end of this month.
Orr said he was a member of the Air Force security forces. He remains in the Air Force Reserve.

Mandatory 10-digit dialing procedure to debut in the 715 Area Code

Residential and business customers within the existing 715 area code should be prepared for the introduction of the 534 area code. As of July 17, 2010, all customers located in the 715 area code will be required to dial the area code + seven-digit number (10-digit dialing) when making local calls from both landline and wireless phones.
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin ordered an overlay of the 715 area code to ensure that businesses and consumers continue to have access to telephone numbers from their carrier of choice. An area code overlay occurs when another area code (e.g., 534) is added to the same geographic region served by an existing area code (e.g., 715). An overlay does not require any existing customers to change their area code or telephone number. However, when two area codes serve the same region, callers are required to change the way they dial local calls.
The most important facts that consumers and businesses need to know about the upcoming 534 area code overlay are:
Beginning on July 17, 2010, customers in the 715 area code must use the new 10-digit dialing procedure for all local calls. After this date, local calls made without the area code will not complete and a recording will instruct callers to hang up and dial again.
The dialing procedure for long distance or operator assisted calls will not change.
All customers with a 715 area code telephone number today will keep the 715 area code for that number.
Phone numbers with the new 534 area code may be assigned after August 14, 2010.
The price of a call, local and long-distance calling areas and other rates and services of your provider will not change as a result of the area code overlay. What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed.
You will still dial three digits to reach 911. If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 and 811 are currently available in your community, or from your provider, you will still dial them with just three digits.
In addition to changing their local dialing procedure, customers in the 715 area code will need to reprogram their automatic dialing equipment and any other equipment that is currently programmed to dial a 7-digit local number. These devices need to be reprogrammed with the new 10-digit dialing procedure prior to July 17, 2010. Examples of programmed equipment and features include: PBX systems, life safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, gates, speed dialers, call-forward settings, voice mail and similar services.

News from the Exchanges
Interesting items from
surrounding communities

THE SUN (OSCEOLA): J.J. Kelley took his first strokes in a sea kayak on Balsam Lake. By this time two years ago the Taylors Falls native’s kayaking skills were well-honed enough for him and a friend to spend three months kayaking 1,300 miles from Seward, Alaska to Seattle. They followed the Pacific Ocean’s Inside Passage, which kept them within a mile or so of the coastline most of the time. Kelley, 28, and Josh Thomas filmed their adventure and compressed some 65 hours of footage into an 85-minute feature documentary called “Paddle to Seattle.” The beautifully photographed film has won 13 film festival awards and is scheduled to be aired on Wisconsin Public TV July 22. Prior to that, St. Croix Festival Theatre will show the film at the Auditorium in St. Croix Falls the evenings of July 20 and 21, with Kelley on hand for those screenings. “I think that the film really is a part of me and where I came from,” Kelley said. “My mom [Michelle] worked at the [Minnesota] Interstate Park when I grew up, and my love for the outdoors really developed in the St. Croix River Valley on canoe trips from Taylors Falls to Osceola. That, in a sense is part of the Paddle to Seattle. So I really want to share the film with folks who can relate to that.” Currently, Kelley is an associate producer with National Geographic Television, based in Washington. He and Thomas who now lives in Alaska, met while each was hiking solo on the Appalachian Trail. Later they bicycled across Alaska, from south to north, and chronicled that trek with a documentary film called, “Pedal to the Midnight Sun.” That first film also will be shown at the Auditorium Theater on July 21.

PIERCE COUNTY HERALD (ELLSWORTH): Dan Hines and Jessica Lansing were originally going to spend the night of June 25 going to River Falls for supper. Instead, it turned out to be a night the Ellsworth natives are never going to forget. “We jumped in the (Dodge) Durango about 6:30 p.m. and headed out toward River Falls on the scenic route, both because we like to take our time and to avoid the road construction and traffic of a Friday night,” Lansing said. Hines, 22, who was driving, was eastbound on 570th Ave, crossing CTH O (north of Hwy. 10) when the heavy rains let off enough to reveal a funnel cloud. “Dan put the truck in reverse in an attempt to turn around and get out of there and head home, but it was too late,” Lansing, 21, said. The next thing the couple knew, they found themselves in a ditch inside the flipped SUV. “Neither of us really felt the sensation of flying or anything until the impact of hitting the ground upside down.” Lansing said. She continued, “I can remember hitting the ground and thinking we were done moving, but then the rest of the truck rocked onto the roof so it was completely flat. The storm was so loud that we couldn’t really hear the crunching of metal or breaking of glass. When they said tornadoes sound like a freight train, they aren’t kidding.” That’s when Hines took over, his fiancée said. First he turned the Durango off, preventing a fire. Then, making sure she wasn’t hurt, he kicked the far window of the passenger side the rest of the way out and cleared the glass away so they could escape out of it. He then helped Lansing get out of her seat and led the way out of the window.

RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: The yearlong $250, 000 project by the River Falls Wildcat Soccer Association to fix up the Golfview Soccer Fields is complete. Now the focus is turf care so soccer play can resume. “Our players and coaches are very excited to begin playing on the new fields,” says Jeff Bump, RFWSA president. “The fields have been designed with a sand base, which will maximize player performance and minimize potential for injury. The turf is the latest genetics, designed for high durability, low water requirements and low-vertical growth, promoting thickness without a high-mowing demand.” Bump said the soccer field renovation includes surface and turf upgrade for eight new fields, storm water control design, in-ground irrigation and a new parking lot for the east side fields. Bump said local soccer play at Golfview is just two months away.

HUDSON STAR OBSERVER: Owners of Ellie’s On Main (Sharon Horne-Ellstrom and Brian Ellstrom) have filed a lawsuit against the city of Hudson because of recent restrictions imposed on the business, including the restricted use of a deck built behind the business to allow for smoking after the recently imposed state smoking ban. According to the complaint, the business has had a Class B liquor and beer license for Ellie’s on Main since August 2007. In May 2009 when Wisconsin adopted its Clean Indoor Air act (which became effective July 5, 2010), Ellie’s petitioned the city to amend the description of its licensed premises to include a deck that would be built to the rear of the building where customers could smoke. On September 8, 2009, the city council approved the request contingent upon completion of the project and issuance of an occupancy permit. The business spent about $40,000 to build and outfit the deck. On June 9, a group of citizens and neighbors filed complaints that Ellie’s on Main was “a disorderly house.” The group complained about noise, problems with urine, vomit and beverage cups, fights and other things. The council held a hearing, received evidence, deliberated in closed session and approved in open a session a motion saying Ellie’s is not “a disorderly house.” But on June 14, when it renewed Ellie’s license, the council added these conditions: no alcohol may be served or consumed on the deck, a bouncer must be on the deck while customers use it, no live or recorded music may be played on the deck, and windows and doors must remained closed. The complaint alleges that by prohibiting drinking on the deck, the council either revoked or failed to renew Ellie’s license as it pertains to the deck. The suit says the council didn’t have the legal authority to do that. The suit alleges that conditions put Ellie’s at an unfair competitive disadvantage and impose a “significant economic burden.”