Amery Free Press March 26, 2019

FREE PRESS MESSENGER AMERY

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SPORTS: Amery Boys Track team places third at Northern Badger Invite P12A

Records give insight to Kuchta dismissal COUNTRY

BY TOM STANGL TSTANGL@THEAMERYFREEPRESS .COM

In June of 2018, Amery District Administrator James Kuchta received high marks from four members of the board for his evaluation.

Five months later, district staff and the community were told he was on medical, then

paid administrative leave.

In January, the district and Kuchta agreed to an agreement of release and retirement, leaving many to wonder Kuchta “what hap-

member Char Glenna to the investigated by the entire rest of the board says, “Our school board. Language policy that we just adopted adopted in 2017 required was to investigate when the complaints by staff concerning the district administrator complaint was about the superintendent. I believe this is be referred only to the board part of the investigative propresident.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2222 cess33, and provides an outlet A district employee requestVOL. 131special NO. 19 www.moraminn.com $1.00 for our employee to be heard. ed a closed session I don’t believe (employee) board meeting on Nov. 8. An email message from board SEE KUCHTA ON PAGE 8

pened?”

Documents the Free Press obtained from three public records requests offer a timeline of events that transpired in November and December.

In June, the school board changed employee handbooks to require all complaints of harassment concerning the district administrator be

Serving Marine-on-St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

Four vie for three seats on Amery School Board

SENTINEL BURNETT COUNTY

FREE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 33, 2222

BY APRIL ZIEMER

VOL. 131 NO. 19 www.moraminn.com $1.00 EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

COUNTY ST FREE

ISANTI-CHISAGO

SUBMITTED

Isobel Koenig, McKenzie Gamache, Ali Meyer, Emma Novak and Ray Buenzli Exploring El Centro de Madrid.

Amery students enjoy spring break in Spain

BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

For those who were lucky enough to flee the chilly Wisconsin weather over spring break, destinations of Florida and Arizona seemed to be popular choices. Five Amery High School Students were jetted away to someplace just a tad bit farther away when they accompanied their Spanish Instructor Cinthia Johnson to Spain.

“I was just excited to get out of the country for the first time. I was most looking forward to learning

about the Spanish culture and ours,” said McKenzie Gamache.

“The hardest thing to cope with while I was gone was the time difference. The first few days we were so busy I didn’t have time to be tired, but when we got to our host families and things slowed down I started to fall asleep whenever,” said Ali Meyer. The crew was kept quite busy during their stay partaking in activities such as visiting El Museo del Prado and the Puerta de Alcalá. Students also found the Real Academia Española, where they write the dictionary

by studying the use of the Spanish language and deciding what words are used most and which ones should be eliminated. Johnson said, “While we were trying to find El Palacio Real, we came across with the first restaurant in the world! Yes, the first one! Its name was El Restaurante de Sobrino de Botín.”

A favorite experience for many was the train to Toledo. There they visited La Catedral de Toledo and Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca. They took in breath taking

THE SUN

SEE SPAIN ON PAGE 9

Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897

WD The Law Firm of Williams and Davis

Voters in the Amery School District will elect three representatives to the school board in the April 2 spring election.

Incumbents Erin Hosking, Dale Johnson and Chelsea Whitley are seeking the seats as well as Emilie Bremness. The top two vote getters will be elected for three year terms.

The third place finisher will be elected for one year, the remainder of the term that Erin Hosking was appointed to fi ll in 2018.

A sasmple ballot for the election is published in this week’s edition.

The Free Press sent questionaires to all four candidates and here are their responses.

FREE

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Emilie Bremness Please share a little bit about your personal background

My name is Emilie Bremness. I have attended the Amery schools from kindergarten through grade twelve. I am a 2011 graduate from Amery High School.

At the age of 25 years, I am looking forward to bringing a point of view from a different generation to the Amery district. I received my Associate degree in accounting from WITC.

What are the two most important issues facing Amery, and how will you work to address them?

Two important issues that I would focus on SEE ELECTION ON PAGE 2

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THE LAW FIRM OF WILLIAMS & DAVIS 314 Keller Avenue North, Amery

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ELECTION: Candidates for Amery School Board make case for election FROM PAGE ONE

if elected to the board would be trying to get a liaison back into the schools and working on getting the referendum money spent on the areas they are meant for, such as repair work that is in need at all the schools.

Why are you interested in serving and what are your qualifications for this seat?

In addition to attending and graduating from Amery schools, I am fortunate to having been a custodial substitute in all four of our Amery Schools. I feel this is an asset and has helped me to understand what the four schools have to offer both the students and staff.

The school board’s purpose is to work through budget and financial issues, looking at the big picture of what needs to be accomplished now and, in the future. With my accounting degree I believe I would be a good fit for the school board. I am passionate about our schools and our kids.

Erin Hosking Please share a little bit about your personal background: I grew up in Hawaii, attended college in Minnesota, and then lived in the Twin Cities for most of 14 years. I was a secondary English teacher for 4 years, then substitute taught Hosking for a couple of years before focusing on staying at home with my children.

When our family moved to Amery almost 6 years ago with our 5 kids, we began getting involved and serving in the community. I love the people I get to work with in the organizations I support: Girl Scouts, Parents as Partners, the Intermediate Parent Organization, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), and our children’s activities like sports, band, and drama.

I especially enjoy encouraging and working with kids and other parents. My faith in Jesus Christ spurs me on to love and serve others and to do my best in each task I undertake. We are very involved at Apple River Community Church, where my husband is the pastor and I serve with the youth and women’s ministries. If we are not at church or our activities, you might find my family at the library, open gyms, or out enjoying the beauty of Amery.

What are the two most important issues facing Amery, and how will you work to address them?

One crucial decision we are facing right now is the hiring

of our next Superintendent.

We are in the middle of that process, as the school board wants to ensure we are selecting the best person to lead the Amery School District for many years to come. After that decision is made, the school board will need to work closely with the new Superintendent to plan for the future as we continue to establish Amery schools as a great place to work, learn, grow, and succeed. I will continue to work with all involved to foster a positive transition as a new superintendent begins.

Another important issue is ensuring that our school board is spending appropriate time on our essential tasks.

I have learned over the past year that school boards are meant to govern through policy, and I would like to see the Amery School Board methodically revise our policies and be more involved in drafting new policies, both of which will have a positive impact on our school district. There are current and upcoming challenges that we face, such as childcare needs and the lack of space, mental health, and the use of technology and media in our schools. We also need to continually focus on our financial accountability, working relationships, and goal setting. I would put forth the time and effort to work towards these ends.

Why are you interested in serving and what are your qualifications for this seat?

I want to continue to serve in this role because the education of our youth is so essential. I enjoy learning about school finance, school governance, and the role of the school board. I obviously have a vested interest in the success of the Amery School District with my 5 children enrolled. We have been so pleased with the excellent teachers, staff and opportunities our children have had in Amery and I want to make sure that Amery continues to be a wonderful school district for its students and employees. I have aspired to do my best as a member of the Amery school board, attending conferences, trainings, and representing the Amery School District at our CESA annual meeting and at our statewide school board’s annual meeting. I am currently on the Board of Control at CESA 11, which serves 39 school districts and oversees the Head Start program in 7 surrounding counties. I am an advocate in our community and outside the district for our schools, staff, and children.

Dale Johnson Please share a little bit about your personal background: I was born and raised in Amery. My wife and I both graduated from Amery and this Spring our third and last child will graduate from Amery. We consider ourselves lucky to call Amery home. I have worked as a Packaging Engineer for 3M Company in St. Paul, MN for the last 22 years. I have been on the Amery School Board for 15 years.

What are the two most important issues facing Amery, and how will you work to address them?

As of right now, I believe the most important issue facing the Amery School Board is the hiring of a new District Administrator. At this time our students, staff and community need a stable, logical Johnson and calming influence on the board and I would hope to continue to bring all three.

These 3 skill sets will help to hire the best person to fi ll our District Administrator position.

Another issue we are and will be facing is limited space at the Elementary School. I think this is a good problem for our district and community. Our enrollment numbers are showing that our past declining enrollment has leveled off over the past 5 years and has recently started to increase. I believe a big reason for this enrollment trend is from our Clubhouse program offered at the Elementary School. We know our community is facing a shortage of childcare providers. Our Clubhouse is operating at capacity and we have waiting lists for most age groups.

This is not a free childcare program. This is a program between the school district and community family members. The Clubhouse program is an investment to keep Amery kids and get new kids into our district. We know that if people get their kids into the Amery district at a young age, most will want to keep them in Amery. The gap between kids leaving Amery and kids coming into Amery is shrinking. This means more kids in Amery which helps greatly with increasing our state aid.

Why are you interested in serving and what are your qualifications for this seat?

The last couple of years have brought unprecedented issues to the Amery School Board and district. I believe the experience of serving as a board member during these times will help me to continue

to serve the people of the district well. In my opinion, it is crucial to have board members who can step back, look at the entire picture and make calm, rational decisions that will keep the best interests of students, staff and all community members in mind.

The board has worked hard to try and navigate through these issues and I would like to continue to be a part of this board for the next 3 years.

Chelsea Whitley Please share a little bit about your personal background I am an Amery High School graduate and currently have four children in the Amery schools. I received my B.A. as a double major in Legal Studies and Psychology at Hamline University in 1996. I received my Jurdis DoctorWhitley ate degree in 2000 from Hamline University School of Law and a Masters in Business Administration in 2003 from St. Thomas School of Business. I started my own law office in Amery in 2007. I have served on the Amery School Board and on the Board for the Northern Lake Center for the Arts, a non-profit corporation, for the past 6 years.

What are the two most important issues facing Amery, and how will you work to address them?

One of the biggest challenges facing our school district is the same challenge schools face statewide, how to get by with less money while continuing to maintain high standards. Public schools have had a continuous battle for funding. When it came time to make difficult choices over the past six years of being on the Board, I made sure my decisions were fully informed, educated and well researched. I will continue to make every effort to educate all students, even through financial obstacles. We have made good progress in establishing innovative education opportunities (Montessori and Project Based Learning) in Amery, which increase enrollment. Increased enrollment is the best way to increase funding resources.

I plan to continue the work I started six years ago by first, making sure that my decisions are well informed and educated; 2) by working to increase enrollment through understanding and solving the needs of parents, children and faculty; and 3) by doing items 1 and 2 we will solve the biggest challenge, which is obtaining the funds necessary to continue the tradition of excellent education for the

students of the Amery School District, which is my primary concern.

Another challenge is finding sustainable resources to recruit, retain and support the District’s most valuable assets, the Amery School District Employees. The Amery School District staff is in attendance at the school day in and day out. The District’s employees provide the best environment for student well being and for our students to become successful by maintaining a safe, productive learning environment. In order to support the District’s Employees, I would address mental health awareness for not only the students, but the staff as well. Mental health concerns are school district concerns. The State’s major education organizations have all identified mental health needs as a priority for the 2019-2021 biennial state budget. High stress and increasing job demands decrease enthusiasm; create job dissatisfaction and burnout for teachers. Students can suffer emotionally and academically when teachers are stressed. I believe the best way to address this problem is to work in a collaborative way with the District, families and community mental health service providers to address social, emotional and mental health concerns for both students and staff.

The District Staff’s work environment is our students’ learning environment. I want to focus on working towards a more positive and supportive school climate. Achievement and success for all students is at the core of the district mission and is certainly an ongoing priority.

Why are you interested in serving and what are your qualifications for this seat?

As an engaged parent of my own four children, I’m in touch with the needs of our students, school facilities, families and faculty on many different levels. In the past 10 years, I have volunteered for many school related sports and activities, including boy scouts, girl scouts, Drama Rama, Destination Imagination and coaching soccer.

I have enjoyed serving on the Board of Education for the past six years. I want to continue to be part of the Board and provide a strategic approach to addressing district issues. I have the ability to make challenging decisions and act in advancing the best interests of the school district. I have the education, background and experience to provide meaningful contributions to the School Board and Administration and to move the District forward and see it through the next phase of its growth.

OUT&ABOUT

MARCH 26, 2019

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MARCH 29 & APRIL 5 Lenten Fish Fry Enjoy a Lenten Fish Fry at St. Joseph Catholic Church from 4:30 to 7 p.m. or until sold out.

On the menu: Deep-fried battered cod, baked cod, potato, veggie, coleslaw, buns, macaroni and cheese for non-fish eaters, and a small dessert! Refreshments include coffee, milk and lemonade. Beer will be available for an extra cost.

This event is hosted by the Apple River Knights of Columbus-Amery and St. Joseph parish volunteers.

MARCH 29, 30 & 31 The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon Allow yourself to be enchanted and deceived as Amery High School Students present “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon–a comedy by Don Zolidis. Directed by Danielle Bebus. Performances are Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 31 at 2 p.m. at the Amery High School Auditorium. Advance tickets can be purchased at Chet Johnson Drug and the Amery High School office.

As this play includes high school rated comedy, we recommend that viewers be ages 13 and up.

MARCH 29, 30 & 31 APRIL 5, 6 & 7

Blood Drive Give blood. Help save lives at an Amery Community Blood Drive at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 217 Deronda Street on Monday, April 1 and Tuesday, April 2 from Noon to 6 p.m.

Sponsored by Amery Woman’s Club.

Please call Vicki Seibel Betzold at 715-2686271, Sheeran Gallagher at 651-322-1101 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter “Amery” to schedule an appointment.

APRIL 2 Swedish Club–The Lutefish Wars The Swedish Club meets Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 pm at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Amery to view The Lutefisk Wars, a hilarious comedy set among North Dakotan Scandinavians. The public is welcome.

Fika (refreshments) will be served.

APRIL 6 Amery Spring Show The 16th Annual Amery Spring Show will be Saturday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Amery Ice Area, River Place Drive, Amery. There will be booths from many different businesses–building suppliers, financial institutions, car dealerships, home furnishings, water conditioning, contractors, electronics, appliances, ATVs, boats, docks, landscaping, heating/air conditioning, and more!

New Richmon’s Grace Place Shelter will host the Tailgate Tour and Chris Kroeze concert at the New Richmond Airport Hangar. For details and tickets visit www. newrichmondchamber.com

APRIL 12-13 Amery VFW Post 7929 Gun Show Buy, sell and trade at the Amery Hockey Arena. Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For table rental, contact Dave P. at 715-220-0119. You can purchase raffle tickets at the VFW or from a member. Drawing will be held Saturday April 13, 2019 at 4:30p.m.

APRIL 14 Sunday Learning Series Understanding Social Security You are welcome to join Riverbend Senior Living and Willow Ridge Healthcare at the fourth of 5 Sunday Learning Series sessions. This session–Understanding Social Security: A High Level Look at How SS Has Changed, Filing Strategies and Taxes–presented by Bridge Investment, will be Sunday, April 14 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Riverbend Senior Living, 475 Golfview Lane, Amery. Refreshments will be served.

RSVP to Amanda and Kayla at 715-268-9949 or kbleskacek.rphfcorp.com.

APRIL 20

The Music Man

Historical Society Open House

Jamie “Bighead” Larson Cancer Benefit

Clear Lake Community Theater presents Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” at the Clear Lake Area Community Center Gymnasium on March 29, 30 and 31 and April 5, 6 and 7. Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m.

The Amery Area Historical Society (AAHS) invites you to an Open House from 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Individuals and families are welcome to view artifacts from Amery’s past.

Mark your calendars for future open houses to be held the first Saturday of each month! The Historical Society’s room is located in the lower level of the Amery Area Public Library.

In Nov. 2018, Jamie Larson was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. His family and friends are hosting a benefit to raise funds to help suppost Jamie and his family during this difficult time. The benefit will be at BrowTine Restaurant and Event Center (formerly Crickets), 1361 100th Street, Amery from 3 p.m.-?.

MARCH 31 Gospel Festival Join us at Luck Lutheran Church, 510 E Foster Ave., Luck, WI on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. for a Gospel Festival.

This concert will feature the Indianhead Barbershop Chorus, member quartets and special guests: Solid Rock Quartet and Higher Vision For more information about the Indianhead Chorus, check out their Facebook page. Or contact them at info@indianheadchorus.org. Text or call 715-256-SING.

Sunday Learning Series Long Term Care Planning You are welcome to join Riverbend Senior Living and Willow Ridge Healthcare at the second of 5 Sunday Learning Series sessions. This session–Long Term Care Planning–presented by Danielle, ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin, will be Sunday, March 31 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Riverbend Senior Living, 475 Golfview Lane, Amery.

Refreshments will be served. RSVP to Amanda and Kayla at 715-268-9949 or kbleskacek.rphfcorp.com.

APRIL 1 Amery Woman’s Club Meeting The Amery Woman’s club will meet Monday, April 1 at the Village Pizzeria in Amery. Social at 5 p.m. followed by pizza buffet, salad and beverage at 6 p.m. There is a fee. RSVP Julie at 715-268-2136. Program: Helen Mears Art Contest and special guest Debbie Elmer, sculptor. Bring worn out gym shoes for the Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program.

APRIL 1 & 2

“Circle Unbroken” Concert Join us at the Amery Free Lutheran Church for a “Circle Unbroken” Concert on Saturday, April at 7 p.m. Circle Unbroken– The Borstad Family is a Gospel singing group formed in 2011. Two brothers, Mike and Tim, have performed music together since childhood in the 1960s. They are joined by Tim’s children. Nathan Borstad, a CPA with the State of Wisconsin; Levi Borstad, owner and operator of the Barron Bakery; and Anna (Borstad) Gilbert, a RN at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire.

Mike Borstad is a retired missionary and teaches Spanish part time. Tim is a retired teacher. The group sings to bring glory to God, to share the Gospel story, and to lead others in worship.

Amery Free Lutheran is located 2 miles west of Hwy 46 on County Road F.

APRIL 7 Sunday Learning Series All Things Pharmacy You are welcome to join Riverbend Senior Living and Willow Ridge Healthcare at the third of 5 Sunday Learning Series sessions. This session–All Things Pharmacy–presented by Chet Johnson Drug, will be Sunday, April 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Riverbend Senior Living, 475 Golfview Lane, Amery. Refreshments will be served.

RSVP to Amanda and Kayla at 715-268-9949 or kbleskacek.rphfcorp.com.

APRIL 11 Green Bay Packers Tailgate Tour/ Chris Kroeze Concert

Easter Egg Hunt Join the Amery Community Club at their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 10 a.m. sharp at the Soo Line Park Pavilion in downtown Amery. All children up to 10 years old are welcome.

There will be special drawings, the Easter Bunny, Easter photos by Cahill Studios (9 a.m. - 11 a.m.) and a Pancake Breakfast at the Amery Fire Hall from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

AMERY FREE PRESS

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AMERY FREE PRESS HOW TO REACH US: Our offices are located at 215 Keller Ave. S. We are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every weekday. Call: (715) 268-8101 or fax at (715) 268-5300, or visit www.theameryfreepress.com.

TO SUBSCRIBE: dstangl@theameryfreepress.com The Free Press is mailed to the homes of subscribers for delivery every Wednesday. One year subscription in Polk, Burnett, St. Croix and Barron Counties is available for $30, two years is $58.

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PLACING AN AD: phumpal@theameryfreepress.com Display advertising must be in the Free Press office by 12 p.m. Monday.

An advertising representative will gladly assist you in preparing your message. The Tab ads must be in the office by 12 p.m. Friday.

EVENTS: Send to editor@theameryfreepress.com or submit online at www.theameryfreepress.com.

Tom Stangl, Publisher April Ziemer, Editor Pam Humpal, Advertising Manager Tera Anderson, Classifieds Nicole Gagner, Production Manager Cathy Nelson, Graphic Design Diane Stangl, Circulation/Office The Amery Free Press (ISSN 107486898) is published weekly by Sentinel Publications, 215 Keller Ave. S., Amery, WI 54001. Periodicals postage paid at Amery, WI 54001. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Amery Free Press, P.O. Box 424, Amery, WI 54001 Contents copyright. No reproduction without permission of publisher.

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MAY 4 Harlem Wizards–Trick Hoops & Alley Oops!

The Harlem Wizards will be showing off their trick hoops, alley-oops, and basketball skills as they take on the Amery “AllStars” on Saturday, May 4th at the Amery High School gym. The “All-Stars” team features principals, teachers and staff from Amery schools, as well as a few parents and high school students, who will have a great time playing and laughing with the 6 Wizards and their MC. The audience will also love the fun and excitement of this basketball game/show. Tickets can be purchased in advance at any Amery school office or online at https://harlemwizards.thundertix.com/events/140413. $9 for students/ seniors (62+), $11 adults in advance, or at the door for $11 students/seniors and $13 adults. Limited reserved tickets are $17 and almost sold out courtside plus tickets are $25, both of which can only be purchased online or at the Intermediate School office.

This community event is a fundraiser for the Amery Intermediate Parent Organization, which will benefit the students and staff at the Intermediate School.

Share your event Mail your events to: Amery Free Press P.O. Box 424 Amery, WI 54001 You may also email items to editor@theameryfreepress. com, FAX items to 715-268-5300, deliver them in person to our office at 215 Keller Ave. S. in Amery, or submit the event online at www.theameryfreepress. com.

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But will we ‘follow’?

OPINION

MARCH 26, 2019

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BY TOM STANGL FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

I freely and many times too openly admit that the more I seem to know, the less I actually do know.

One of the many things that I struggle with is the changing landscape of the way we communicate with each other and share information.

Today we have more and better ways to communicate our thoughts, wants and desires with each other than at any time in human history.

Cellular technology, the internet and modern transportation systems allow us to see each other in person quickly, even instantaneously. With all of these ways Publisher to speak to each other, we seem to communicate less with our Tom Stangl fellow human beings.

Social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter, have proven to be a great equalizer in communication. Everyone is a celebrity now; all opinions are valid — everyone has the “right” to be heard and be correct as well.

Well, only if you agree with my opinion. If you do, you are obviously brilliant. If you don’t, well, I really can’t sugar coat this for you — you are an idiot and should not be allowed to communicate with other people.

No offense.

Recently, I began watching “After Life,” a program on Netflix created by and starring British comedian Ricky Gervais. Gervais is best known as the creator and star of “The Office,” (the original one that aired on the BBC) as well as one of the producers of the American version. Gervais is known for his rather acerbic wit and humor.

Trust me, if you know his work you either love him or hate him, there’s no middle ground.

In this new show, Gervais plays a journalist at a small weekly newspaper dealing with the death of his wife to cancer. “Dealing” is a bit of misnomer, he has decided that he no longer needs to deal with social niceties. If someone says something he doesn’t like, he says exactly what comes into his head, and more often than not it’s nasty and profane — and funny. The humor, in my opinion, is in the fact that many of us would like to say these things but social conventions keep us from actually doing so.

I read an interview with Gervais where he commented about social media. He has 13 million followers on Twitter. Gervais believes everything on Twitter is “exaggerated” and an “illusion” with nothing being real.

“No one would talk to you in the street like they do on Twitter,” Gervais said. “They’d never come up and say, ‘Your articles stink.’ They’d never do that because they’re normal, but they’re not normal on Twitter because there’s no nuance, no irony, no conversation there.”

The interviewer asked Gervais why we should take social media so seriously. It’s here where I think he makes his best point. “You don’t. If you ignore it on Twitter, it didn’t happen. It’s like going into a toilet stall and arguing with graffiti.

If you don’t go there, it doesn’t exist.”

Testify, brother.

“After Life” is funny and poignant as Gervais’ character, time and again, is brought back to feeling and caring. Sometimes it happens through the seemingly mundane stories he writes for the paper, other times it is in his interaction with the same people he has berated.

In the end, personal communication ultimately leads to understanding.

There’s a lesson there, if you are willing to see it.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@theameryfreepress.com, telephone 715-268-8101 or write me at P.O. Box 424, Amery, WI, 54001.

This April has been a fool, but who hasn’t?

BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

As if Mondays are not enough of a headache, next Monday’s woes will be amplified as it is also “April Fool’s Day.” This means that while returning to work and digging through a weekend’s worth of emails and setting appointments for the upcoming week, the day has to be spent trying to figure out if people are lying to you.

The actuality of April Fools’ Day is pretty clear; Editor Monday will be April Ziemer a time for testing how gullible others really can be. Why the day exists is a bit of a controversy. Though many holidays have cloudy origins, the history of April Fools’ Day is particularly blurry, as there are several competing claims for the invention. Some see the celebration’s beginnings in a storybook, while others consider it a part of the general rejoicing of springtime.

According to a 2016 Time Magazine article, “One possible precedent is in the Greco-Roman festival called Hilaria, which was celebrated on March 25. The festival honored Cybele, an ancient Greek Mother of Gods, and its celebrations included parades, masquerades and jokes to celebrate the first day after the vernal equinox.”

In the 16th century, the Chris-

tian world switched from the Julian calendar, which was introduced by Julius Caesar, to the Gregorian calendar. The change moved the New Year up to January 1. Some historians find another origin for April Fools in that switch, as those still using the Julian calendar were fooled by the new date Another origin story is rooted in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 1392 book The Canterbury Tales. Penn State American Studies professor Simon Bronner said, “The controversy is over what Chaucer really wrote and whether there can be a direct link to April Fools’ Day,” he explains. “The line in question is ’32 March,’ which was thought to be a joke because there is no March 32, but there are some medievalists who claim it was a misprint.”

Regardless of the start, I have decided that a good April Fool’s prank really only works on those who have forgotten the actual date.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a great prank, I feel that days other than April 1 work best though.

Sometimes they can be quite silly, as was the case a few years back when my friends and I had this package of frozen liver that kept getting placed in each other’s purses or hidden in cars.

We had hopes that the package would thaw and cause a fowl odor for the current unknown keeper of the meat. Yes, I actually do have a purse that is big enough and full of enough stuff, that a package of frozen food could possible get lost in it. In every case, the package was

discovered before thawing and no nasty smell occurred. The game finally ended when the liver rolled out from under the seat of the last victim and got wedged underneath his break pedal.

No need to gasp-Shane is alive and well.

I read about a recent prank that made me giggle. Two brothers got a massive billboard on a busy Atlantic City highway and put their dad’s photo, cellphone number and a message telling people to call and wish him a happy birthday. The dad shared that he was receiving a text EVERY MINUTE of the day, plus 20 phone calls an hour. Word spread and messages came in from Canada, Nepal, Nairobi, Kenya, the Philippines, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Germany. The father said, “My son has over 147,000 followers on social media, so this ended up being way bigger than just the billboard.” It was certainly a 62nd birthday that he will never forget. He didn’t say what his feelings were about the prank, but his face looked like my dad’s face did when I didn’t realize that the muffler fell off of his prized riding lawn mower and I ran it over during my next swipe.

That though, is a story for another time…

I enjoy sharing my thoughts with you, and look forward to readers sharing their thoughts in return.

Feel free to email me at editor@ theameryfreepress.com, write me at P.O. Box 424, Amery WI. 54001 or I can be reached by phone at 715-268-8101

LETTER GUIDELINES The Amery Free Press encourages readers to share their viewpoints of community issues by writing Letters to the Editor.

Submit your letters via email to editor@ theameryfreepress.com, by mail to the Amery Free Press, P.O. Box 424 Amery, WI 54001, or by fax to 715-268-5300.

We reserve the right to edit for accuracy, clarity, libel, and civility.

General letters to the editor are limited to 400 words or less. Readers may submit one letter for consideration every 30 days.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and phone number (address and phone number will not be printed). Anonymous letters will not be published. Only letters originating from writers who live, have lived or work in the

Amery Free Press circulation area or have some other relevance to the community area will be published. Special rules apply to election-related letters.

For questions about policies on letters contact the editor at 715-268-8101 or editor@theameryfreepress.com.

VIEWPOINTS

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

www.theameryfreepress.com

5A

Why it took so long to report on Kuchta’s dismissal

BY TOM STANGL TSTANGL@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

We make decisions every day that determine the news you read in print and online each week. Some are mundane, others have to do with timing and, in rare cases, others have potentially lasting effects on the reputations of individuals and instituPublisher tions.

I’d like to Tom Stangl talk about the Amery School District, the school board and the recent issues that led to the release and retirement agreement with District Administrator Jim Kuchta.

In this week’s edition you will find a long article on this topic. I apologize for the length of the article. No one likes a long-winded tale, but I feel in this case it was the only way to tell the story.

Kuchta, employed by the district since 2015, is currently still on the payroll until the end of June, when he will

retire from the district.

That’s what the agreement that was negotiated by attorneys for Kuchta and the district says, but, as is the case with any controversial employee decision, there is more to the story.

Learning the facts in these cases is difficult. Laws are put in place to protect the reputations of employees and help employers facilitate settlements. After these agreements are signed, no one wants to (or should) talk.

When Kuchta stopped coming to work on Nov. 9 and district employees received an email that said he was on medical leave, a long and winding story began. It did not end, at least not for me, until March 22, when I received the third and final set of documents from attorneys representing the school.

We filed our first request on Nov. 16 for documents under Wisconsin’s open records law after learning Kuchta was on medical leave. Attorneys for the school district acknowledged receipt of that request on Jan. 11.

Every governmental enti-

ty appoints someone to be a “custodian” of records, a point of contact for a person seeking public records. Kuchta was the district’s custodian.

We requested “all internal and external communications regarding the medical and employment status of James Kuchta.”

We didn’t receive an explanation of the delay. After seeing the records, I know now that the board had terminated Kuchta and had then been threatened with a wrongful termination lawsuit. It took nearly two months to negotiate the agreement.

During this time, we at first corresponded with Board President Chelsea Whitley.

When I felt we weren’t getting anywhere, we emailed the entire board.

I hesitate to communicate directly with all members of the board because this can create a “walking quorum,” a violation of the state’s open meetings law. The law states that meetings are to be held in the open, but technologies like email and text messages can allow boards to conduct business without even being

in the same community. The documents we received in our records requests show several “walking quorums” have taken place.

When we learned that an agreement had been reached, I asked Whitley several questions: Has the district reached a settlement with Mr. Kuchta?

If so, how long is the period where the parties may change their mind? Does this mean that the investigation into Mr. Kuchta has concluded? What is Mr. Kuchta’s salary for this contract year? Is he retiring from education altogether, or just from the Amery position? What is the value of his benefits package? Will he draw upon WRS after June?

On Feb. 1, I received my first set of records, namely the settlement agreement and Kuchta’s employment contract.

Nothing about an investigation, something I was told by Whitley was ongoing.

I reframed the request to the district’s attorney, citing the investigation that Whitley had referred to as my source.

March 1, I received more documents. Some of these documents raised more questions,

so I asked for more documents.

I received the last documents March 22.

Requesting public records can be a bit like a parlor game.

You need to be as broad, but specific as possible to get what you are seeking. The Attorney General of Wisconsin advises that a reasonable amount of time to get a response is 10 business days.

With these requests, Kuchta was given an opportunity to “augment” the records (give his side of the story with additional documents). Kuchta was notified by certified mail each time and had several days to respond. He did not exercise this right until the last set of documents.

I have written the best story I can with the information I was able to obtain. It is my hope that this story helps to shed some light on what happened.

I hope having this information will help our community better understand why Kuchta is no longer superindent of Amery Schools.

To address shortage, Evers’ budget would allow districts to rehire retired teachers

BY WISPOLITICS.COM THE CAPITOL REPORT

Years ago, when the Iola-Scandinavia School District would post an elementary teaching job, it’d get several hundred applicants.

Administrator Ray Przekurat says that’s now down to 30 or 40.

For a high school social studies teacher, it’d be 60 to 80. Now it’s 10. For science, 20 to 25, now maybe five.

And for specialty areas such as Spanish or tech ed, “You’re lucky to get a candidate,” he said.

So that’s why he’s backing a provision in Gov. Tony Evers’ budget that would allow districts to rehire retired teachers, who could continue to collect their pensions while earning a new salary.

The provision would reverse a 2013 change Republicans pushed through to address so-called “double dipping” by public employees. It also would follow a recommendation from a Blue Ribbon Commission on Education Funding, which urged the change to help school districts address a shortage of teachers.

Sen. Luther Olsen, who co-chaired the commission, said he supports the idea but would rather take it up outside the budget.

But GOP colleague Duey Stroebel, who sponsored a 2013 bill that banned retirees from receiving their pensions if they took another government job at more than half-time, said he would oppose including the measure in the budget or as a standalone bill.

“When you’re not retired anymore, you shouldn’t be collecting your retirement benefit,” said Stroebel, R-Saukville.

Republicans included the change in

the 2013-15 state budget, barring retired public employees from claiming a pension if they are rehired and then work at least two-thirds full-time hours. That budget also included a provision requiring a break in service of at least 75 days before a retiree could be rehired, rather than the old 30 days.

The Evers proposal would prohibit teachers from having an agreement in place when they retire to come back and work for the district. Also, their pension payments couldn’t increase due to the salary they earned while working again. But the break in service would go back down to 30 days.

Przekurat said the change to the break in service is particularly important because school district contracts run through July 1. Requiring 75 days means a retiree couldn’t come back until mid-September, after school has already started.

He added the struggle to find teachers is particularly pronounced in rural areas for a number of reasons, including the starting salaries his district can offer compared to those in more urban areas.

When the district posted a high school science teaching position last summer, it got zero applications, Przekurat said. It then used a search service that led to the hiring of Andrew Schefelker, who was killed in last month’s chain-reaction car crash on I-41.

Przekurat said two retired teachers and two recent graduates who had just finished their student teaching applied for the job after it was recently posted, and one of the new grads has now been hired.

He said the district is also looking to increase its starting salary, which was boosted two years ago to $36,250.

With neighboring districts in the range of $38,000 to $40,000 and being a rural district, he said, it has made it more of a challenge to find applicants.

“Just the overall decrease of candidates in teacher education programs is really hurting the whole state,” he said.

According to the Department of Public Instruction, 12,323 people entered a Wisconsin teaching program in 2010, but there were just 7,956 in 2016, a drop of 35 percent. Likewise, the number of people completing the programs has dipped significantly with 3,426 in 2016, compared to 4,749 in 2010.

The department’s slideshow on the issue shows 5,031 teachers left the profession in the 2016-17 school year with 3,426 new teachers coming in, a net loss of 1,605.

The agency also uses data on emergency licenses as its best gauge of teacher shortages, a spokeswoman said.

That’s because districts can only seek them if they can’t find a fully licensed

The Evers proposal would prohibit teachers from having an agreement in place when they retire to come back and work for the district.

Also, their pension payments couldn’t increase due to the salary they earned while working again.

candidate to fill a job.

There were 2,248 emergency licenses issued for the 2017-18 school year, compared to 1,126 in 2012-13.

Some have speculated that fewer people have been going into teaching in Wisconsin since Republicans pushed through Act 10 in 2011. But Wisconsin is not alone in the crunch for teachers as there has been a drop nationally in the number of students majoring in education, along with those already in the classroom leaving the profession for other fields that pay better.

Olsen, who voted for the 2013 change as a member of the Finance Committee, said part of the impetus behind it was the belief that people were being prevented from getting jobs because retirees were filling them.

Now, he says the “world has changed in six years,” and it’s clear school districts are struggling to find employees.

Members of the blue ribbon commission are now considering what bills to introduce, and Olsen said he’s hoping the change for teachers is part of the mix.

“It’s not that they’re doing it and keeping people away from these jobs.

It’s just there’s nobody to take them,” Olsen said.

The Capitol Report is written by editorial staff at WisPolitics.com, a nonpartisan, Madison-based news service that specializes in coverage of government and politics, and is distributed for publication by members of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.

Copyright © WisPolitics.com

6A AMERY FREE PRESS

RECORDS

15 year sentence in hit and run fatality

BY TOM STANGL TSTANGL@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

Michael George was sentenced March 22 to 15 years in the hit and run death in Amery of Lisa Anne Allen Feb. 9, 2018.

George plead guilty Dec. 18 to hit and run involving a death.

The criminal complaint states George that George struck Lisa Anne Allen at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 while she was crossing

Keller Ave. at Center St. Allen died on Feb. 11 as a result of her injuries.

According to witness accounts, George was traveling southbound on Keller at approximately 30 m.p.h. when Allen walked into the street and was struck just off the crosswalk, rolling onto the hood of George’s Saturn.

George continued to drive south on Keller, turning onto Bridge Street.

A witness followed George’s vehicle to Bridge Street, where he exited the vehicle, removed the pedestrian’s purse and scarf from his vehicle, handing them to the

witness who had followed him.

He assured the witness that he was returning to the scene of the accident.

George’s vehicle was located two and a half hours later by police in Woodville at a hotel off I-94.

Judge Jeffrey Anderson sentenced George to 15 years, with eight of the years to be served in prison and seven years on extended supervision. George was fined just over $4,000 as well. He will received 69 days credit for time served.

Polk County arrest report Zackery Ryan Tohm, 23, Centuria, was arrested March 11 for a felony Department of Corrections warrant.

Kayla K. Vondelinde, 30, Luck, was arrested March 12 for a probation hold.

Andrew Lane Nichols, 28, Centuria, was arrested March 15 for a Department of Corrections warrant.

Martin Wayne Chapman, 56, Balsam Lake, was arrested March 16 for a failure to appear warrant.

Nathan Scott Kammerud, 34, Milltown, was arrested March 17 for a probation violation.

Sheena J. Quinn, 34, Frederic, was arrested March 17 for a probation warrant.

Jason Richard Repplier, 47, Dresser, was arrested March 15

for OWI (1st).

Kathryn Frances Gilmore, 55, Luck, was arrested March 15 for OWI (3rd) and prohibited alcohol content (3rd).

Matthew James Thorud, 29, Centuria, was arrested March 16 for OWI (3rd).

Tommy Lee Hannah, 33, Frederic, was arrested March 16 for OWI (2nd).

Shawn Matthew Dougherty, 34, Chisago City, MN, was arrested March 13 for shoplifting (felony) and resisting arrest.

Jeramy Lee Norlander, 34, St. Croix Falls, was arrested March 13 for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

John Edward Riedel, 40, Clear Lake, was arrested March 12 for a St. Croix County warrant, De-

partment of Corrections warrant and domestic violence disorderly.

Trey Michael Tisdale, 18, Milltown, was arrested March 14 for disorderly conduct.

Jazmine Rose Peterson, 19, Dresser, was arrested March 16 for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jacob Allen Parrish, 24, Osceola, was arrested March 16 for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jacob Steven Boettcher, 24, Farmington, MN, was arrested March 17 for disorderly conduct.

Jonathan David McNell, 31, Brooklyn Park, MN, was arrested March 17 for disorderly conduct.

Fines paid in Polk County Circuit Court Appearance Date: March 5, 2019 Dennis Michael Abitz, 59, St. Croix Falls, operating left of center line, $213.10.

Joshua William Edward Alewine, 18, Cushing, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

Judith Miss-Hons Baily, 56, Minneapolis, MN, failure to keep vehicle under control, $213.10.

David Charles Baker, 42, Lino Lakes, MN, operating with out a valid license (1st), $200.50.

Wayne August Besh, 30, Chetek, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

Stephanie Rae Binstock, 37, Amery, exceeding speed zones (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Mollie Mari Bjelland, 30, Blaine, MN, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

William F. Bokenyi Jr., 48, Amery, failure to keep vehicle under control, $213.10.

Megan Jean Caroon, 40, Hammond, operating motor vehicle without proof of insurance, $10.

Crystal Marie Cook, 26, Coon Rapids, MN, speeding in 55 mph zone (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Scott Albert Cook, 31, Dresser, displaying unauthorized vehicle registration plate, $238.30.

Mark Nickolas Davis, 36, Minneapolis, MN, exceeding speed

MARCH 26, 2019

www.theameryfreepress.com

zones (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Thomas A. Fuller, 54, Webster, operating while suspended, $200.50.

Carson Joseph Giller, 27, North Branch, MN, speeding in 55 mph zone (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Kelly Irene Greene, 40, Cushing, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

Melissa Lynne Hall, 46, Dresser, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

Dana Karl Hansen, 54, Osceola, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

Terrance E. Hanson, 68, Somerset, operating motor vehicle without proof of insurance, $10.

Leland G. Harr Jr., 60, Luck, operating motor vehicle without two headlights, $162.70.

Steven G. Haupt, 27, Grantsburg, operating motor vehicle without proof of insurance, $10.

Roberta Lee Hein, 41, Grantsburg, vehicle operator failure to wear seat belt, $10.

April Kay Hewitt, 36, Farmington, MN, speeding in 55 mph zone (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Travis J. Hochstatter, 42, Wyanet, IL, exceeding speed zones (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Jacob T. Houston, 33, Dresser, operating motor vehicle without

proof of insurance, $10.

Shawn Anthony Hughes, 31, Woodbury, MN, operating motor vehicle without proof of insurance.

Cindy Paulette Huting, 48, Amery, speeding in 55 mph zone (1-10 mph), $175.30.

Mark R. Jacobson, 23, New Richmond, failure to keep vehicle under control, $213.10.

Jon A. Jensen, 56, Frederic, snowmobiler failure to carry registration, $162.70.

Aarol L. Karl, 51, Frederic, operating while suspended, $200.50.

Chad Michael Kent, 25, Osceola, operating motor vehicle without proof of insurance, $10.

Dennis Eugene King Jr., 32, Clear Lake, disorderly conduct, $262.50.

Taylor Christopher KinzerReine, 27, Glenwood City, failure to keep vehicle under control, $213.10; failure to notify police of accident, $389.50.

Carrie A. Lamachia, 22, Milltown, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, $200.50.

Jeffrey Gerald Lindquist, 23, Amery, non-registration of vehicle <10,000 lbs, $175.30.

Marcia R. Marlowe, 68, Osceola, operating while revoked (forfeiture 1st), $200.50.

Amery Police Report 03/15/19-03/21/19 03/15/19, 08:25 a.m., Assist other agency 03/15/19, 04:55 p.m., Gas drive off 03/16/19, 03:33 p.m., Vehicle lockout 03/17/19, 03:26 a.m., Assist other agency 03/17/19, 05:07 a.m., Assist other agency 03/17/19, 01:24 p.m., Motor vehicle accident 03/17/19, 07:01 p.m., Assist citizen 03/17/19, 10:47 p.m., Suspicious activity 03/18/19, 03:33 a.m., Business alarm 03/18/19, 07:40 a.m., One vehicle accident 03/18/19, 03:05 p.m., Assist other agency 03/18/19, 05:12 p.m., Assist citizen 03/18/19, 09:06 p.m., Animal control call 03/19/19, 04:34 a.m., Assist other agency 03/19/19, 07:27 a.m., Suspicious activity 03/19/19, 08:30 a.m., Suspicious activity 03/19/19, 08:57 a.m., Assist EMS 03/20/19, 04:45 p.m., Assist citizen 03/20/19, 05:40 p.m., Harassment report 03/20/19, 05:55 p.m., Mental health call 03/21/19, 04:31 a.m., Assist EMS 03/21/19, 09 a.m., Minor motor vehicle accident 03/21/19, 09:50 a.m., Juvenile call 03/21/19, 12:15 p.m., Noise complaint 03/21/19, 12:22 p.m., Suspicious activity 03/21/19, 02:30 p.m., Assist other agency 03/21/19, 08:20 p.m., Assist other agency 03/21/19, 08:35 p.m., Mental health call 03/21/19, 09:35 p.m., Mental health call

ARRESTS Jonathan Bazille, 18 of Amery. Probation Hold

Polk County Marriage Licenses Jordan Gene Hughes of Luck and Carlee Brea Libbenga of St. Croix Falls are eligible for marriage on March 31, 2019.

Blake Anthony Herman Nelson-Sandlin and Stephanie Pauline Alice Marheine, both of Frederic, were eligible for marriage on March 23, 2019.

Bill would force interlocks for first-time drunken drivers MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic legislators are proposing a bill that would require all firsttime drunken drivers to use ignition interlock devices.

Currently first-time drunken drivers must use an ignition interlock device for a year or join a sobriety program for a year if their blood alcohol level was 0.15 percent or higher during the incident.

Rep. Christine Sinicki and Sen. Chris Larson’s bill would require judges to order first-timers to use ignition interlocks for a year regardless of blood alcohol level. The sobriety program option would be eliminated.

Larson aide Nick Janis says an interlock device would be more effective at stopping drunken driving than sobriety programs.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

www.theameryfreepress.com

110 Years Ago March 25, 1909

pattern with only .27 inches of moisture being recorded.

Normal for the month is 1.46 inches, leaving a deficit of 1.10 inches.

For the present year, the precipitation has totaled .57 inches as compared with a norm of 3.15, or down 2.58 inches.

Little wonder the snow shovels have rusted in the shed this winter. Total snowfall as recorded by the government observation station at Black Brook is only 12.5 inches. Normal should be 39.9 inches.

In other words, residents have not shoveled some 27.4 inches of snow that usually falls here.

R. B. Maxon Robbed

Wrapped in a bed sheet, R. B. Maxon, staying in a Northern Pacific Hotel, sneaked down to the telephone this morning and requested the police to send a detective to his room to investigate last night’s robbery.

“I can’t, they got my clothes too,” was the disgusted answer received from the victim of the robbery when he was asked to go to the police station to make his report. A man was finally sent up to room 6 of the Northern Pacific Hotel to look over the scene of the theft.

Huddled in a corner of his room, with nothing to wear but a suit of underwear and a necktie, the young man sat wrapped up in a portion of the bedclothes. The soft shoe artist who entered the room last night while Maxon was asleep, had done a thorough job of pilfering and the few articles of clothing left the victim of the robbery were of no use as wearing apparel.

Shortly after arriving in the city yesterday from MinneYesterday’s sota, Maxon checked his News baggage at the depot, and Diane Stangl bought a ticket for Colville, Wash., where he is going to visit his father.

During the night some sneak thief entered the apartment and after securing the young man’s money, tickets, baggage checks, and other valuables and possessions, proceeded to appropriate all of the sleeper’s clothes, including his shoes and hat.

95 Years Ago April 3, 1924 Fire Breaks Out Downtown During the worst blizzard of the season, fire broke out at about three o’clock last Saturday morning in the rear of the H. J. Kinne building occupied by the Craft Five and Dime store.

The fire, the cause of which has not been determined, had gained such headway that the building occupied by the A. R. Sjobeck Clothing Co. on the main floor and F. C. Bannister on the 2nd floor was also in flames when the fire was discovered and the alarm turned in. Both buildings were frame structures and the flames spread rapidly making salvage of any contents impossible.

The Craft stock, the A. R. Sjobeck Clothing Co. stock, the Bannister photo gallery equipment and household goods and the household goods of H. J. Kinne were all total losses.

The Princess Confectionery was only slightly damaged at the rear of the building. The losses sustained are partially covered by insurance. The future business plans of the parties concerned are indefi-

7A

City Mail Delivery Out

Race for candy begins These fleet-footed youngsters wasted no time in picking North Park clean of candy on the Saturday morning before Easter in 1969. The cool temperatures and a snow cover may have livened the step of some of the participants. The event was sponsored under the auspices of the Amery Jaycettes.

nite at this time.

The firemen are to be commended for their excellent work in checking a fire, which threatened for a time to sweep disaster down the length of the street. The blizzard was a great handicap and many of the boys worked for hours in frozen garments.

A noteworthy feature also was the splendid service rendered by the new pump, which has been recently installed.

In four hours the tank can be refilled where it formerly took twelve.

Just Plain “Bull” A bull, which was being led across the Apple River bridge in this city enroute to the stock yards, last Wednesday became frightened and broke loose plunging into the mill pond with the evident intention of swimming across.

As he got opposite the gate, which was partly open at the time, the water sucked him under, and while it was a tight squeeze he went through the gate and disappeared from view for several minutes.

When he finally came to the surface, he was apparently no worse for his icy dunking, but was meekly subdued and completed his journey in a gentlemanly manner.

80 Years Ago March 23, 1939 One Dead In Soo Wreck Fireman Frank Dietel of Soo Line passenger train No. 62 northbound from Minneapolis to Duluth, was killed instantly Wednesday afternoon when a landslide derailed the train and turned the engine over, 3 miles west of Osceola.

Engineer Walter Robinson is in an Osceola hospital, suffering from scalds and cuts. His condition was reported fair early Thursday morning.

A trackwalker had passed the slide only a few minutes before. The rock, loosened by thaw, began to slide just as No. 62, going about 50 miles an hour, pulled up to that point.

The locomotive, instead of plunging down the riverbank on one side, fell towards the cliffs and fell over on its side across the rails. Fireman Dietel was killed outright.

Not passengers or other train employees were hurt and no cars turned over although the trucks were taken off the baggage car by the impact of the derailment. All traffic was rerouted.

Hair Styles to be Short This Spring Women’s hair dress this spring and summer will definitely be short with lots of curls piled high on top, found Mrs. John J. Burman, Amery beauty shop proprietress, at a Gibbs & Co. convention in Minneapolis Monday.

Mr. and Mrs. Burman spent the day in Minneapolis, he at a hardware meeting and she at the beauty convention.

65 Years Ago March 25, 1954 Crime Career Lasts Two Hours Yeggs and would-be criminals should soon start giving northwestern Wisconsin a wide berth for another apparently successful holdup was turned into a dismal flop last Friday morning.

This crime yarn had its start at the Almena bank, a branch of the Cumberland State Bank, at about 10:15 a.m. when a man and woman, each with a pistol, ordered, “Get your hands in the air.”

Richard Neurer, 30, cashier, and Verna Mae Becker, 18, clerk, complied quickly to the next command, which ordered them to scoop out their cash drawers into two shopping bags. In the rush of events, they missed one cash drawer containing about $2,000.

Near the conclusion of the “in-gathering,” Carl Stabel walked into the bank and was forced into the vault with cashier Neurer. Miss Becker’s hands were tied with shoelaces and she was locked in the restroom. Noise in the vault was

heard in a next door insurance agency after the crime.

Mrs. Carl Stabel, waiting for her husband in a car parked outside, noted the pair leaving the bank and gave an excellent, detailed description to the hastily summoned authorities.

Only license plates on the car had been changed by the time of apprehension.

Alerted by the statewide network. Polk county officials rushed to block both bridges at St. Croix Falls and Osceola during the heat of the chase following the holdup.

Rumor has it that the couple motored down No. 8 to St. Croix Falls and then turned around, driving back to “63” and thence to Eau Claire.

And here the course of events begins to parallel most other such occurrences in this area.

A pickup was broadcast and the couple surrendered meekly to the Eau Claire police as they apparently motored into that city for a cup of coffee.

They identified themselves as Mrs. Elizabeth Pady, 18, and Paul S. Hauser, 22, both of Chicago. In their possession were the two unloaded revolvers and $12,625.95 in loot taken from the bank.

Both residing at the same address, Hauser was a roomer in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pady and formerly lived with his folks on a farm near Almena.

He claimed to be a “down on his luck” home contractor who needed some $20,000 to pay his debts.

Later it was learned that this same couple attempted to rob the Frankfurt, Ill, bank earlier in the week but were foiled in the attempt when an employee entered a bulletproof cage and summoned help.

60 Years Ago April 2, 1959 Snow, Moisture on Minus Side Hardly news to residents, the moisture record for the year has fallen to a new low to date.

Aided and abetted by the lack of snowfall, the month of March continued the dry

City officials this week received word that the postal department has turned “thumbs down” on delivery – at least for the time being.

Two postal department men spent some time in Amery last week studying the local situation. They ruled that the city was 318 mail stops short of the required minimum. No real “display of enthusiasm” was also listed as a consideration.

55 Years Ago March 26, 1964 Allocate Funds for Hospital Addition Official word that Hill-Burton funds for the ARVM Hospital addition has been relayed here from Congressman Alvin O’Konski’s office. Total amount of the rant was $168,000.

Cost of the project is estimated at a little over $400,000, which will provide this area with 19 more beds and will include a new administrative office suite and a pediatric wing. It will be built to the east of the present structure.

No Snow Vacation…

But School is Out! While the winter hasn’t afforded Amery students any relief from studies, the Easter holiday will do just that.

Classes were dismissed on Wednesday of this week with the school ready to reconvene Tuesday morning, Mar. 31. The Easter vacation will mark the first such time off since the Christmas holidays.

50 Years Ago March 27, 1969 Prohibit Alcohol in Wisconsin Parks A new rule prohibiting possession of alcoholic beverages in all Wisconsin state parks, goes into effect Monday, March 31, the Department of Natural Resources announced this week. The rule is effective through June 15.

Adopted by the Natural Resources Board at its March meeting, the rule is designed to curb rowdyism, vandalism, and unpleasantly noisy parties in the parks during the spring.

It is hoped that park use will be more enjoyable for families under the rule.

8A

AMERY FREE PRESS www.theameryfreepress.com

MARCH 26, 2019

KUCHTA: Board terminates, then rehires, administrator within 30 days FROM PAGE ONE

asked for this meeting without a lot of thought and without valid concerns.”

Minutes from that Nov. 8 special meeting say a district employee and spouse were present and Kuchta was asked to leave the room. A motion was made

by Glenna, seconded by Keith Anderson, to immediately terminate the employment of Kuchta. The motion passed 4-1 on a roll call vote with Anderson, Glenna, Dale Johnson and Chelsea Whitley voting to terminate and Erin Hosking voting against the motion.

Earlier in that day, Whitley, in an email to Kuchta with the subject line “Corrective Action Form” says, “Thank you and in the meantime, I would like to reiterate the Board’s concerns as we discussed at the last Board meeting. 1. Reactions to Situations; 2. Interactions with Staff – the Chain of Command needs to be followed in both directions; 3. Defensive Behaviors; 4. Temper Concerns and 5. Unclear Direction with requests.”

The Free Press was told after requesting a copy of the Corrective Action Form that the district was unable to locate a copy of the form.

On Nov. 9 district staff were informed by e-mail that Kuchta was out on medical leave.

Thomas Schrimpf, an attorney hired by Kuchta, in a Nov. 13 e-mail to school district attorneys, protested the “wrongful” Nov. 8 termination.

In the e-mail Schrimpf says “After closed session, the Board provided Kuchta with a hand-written note summarizing the Board’s discussion of ‘just causes’ for termination and providing an unacceptable severance offer that doesn’t come close to the salary and benefits Mr. Kuchta and the Board agreed to in his contract signed on Feb. 19, 2018. After the meeting The Board orally advised him that he could accept the offer or have a just cause hearing on Nov. 12, 2018.

When Mr. Kuchta objected to the short notice, the Board advised him that he would be placed on medical leave and that the hearing would be on Dec. 3, 2018.”

Schrimpf’s letter enumerates reasons why he feels “the Board’s actions violate Mr. Kuchta’s contract and fail to afford him the required due process.”

The letter states “it is apparent from the Board’s vote and subsequent conduct that the Board has already decided to terminate the contract.”

Schrimpf continues, “Consistent with that determination, the Board cut off Mr. Kuchta’s computer access, required him to turn in his keys and clean out his office. Although the board unilaterally placed Mr. Kuchta on medical leave, he never requested that he be

placed on medical leave. Given the action of the Board it is patently obvious that the Board has already predetermined and decided that Mr. Kuchta’s contract would be terminated.

Under these circumstances a fair and impartial hearing before the Board is impossible.”

Schrimpf’s letter says that Kuchta’s contract requires that Kuchta “shall receive prior written notice of the charges.”

The letter continues that Kuchta did not receive written notice of the charges until after the board had voted to terminate his contract.

“The written notice which the Board provided after it voted to terminate the contract is broad and vague and does not provide Mr. Kuchta with sufficient detail which would allow him to respond to the just cause charges.”

The letter states that Kuchta’s contract provides the right to have prior written notice of the time and place of a hearing.

“No notice has been provided,” Schrimpf states. The letter says that the board had orally indicated a potential hearing date of Dec. 3, 2018 which was “insufficient.” Schrimpf states that he will be out of town and unavailable until the week of Dec. 10, 2018. He concludes the letter by saying “Mr. Kuchta is prepared to proceed with a public hearing if an acceptable severance package based on his contract cannot be worked out to the satisfaction of all parties.”

The Free Press is told that the handwritten note of just causes cannot be located, but photos of a two-page typewritten document enumerating 21 items as just cause, sent from a text message are included in the second set of documents sent from the district.

The reason listed as just cause include: • Violation of board policy 150, line 9 — spending more than $5,000 without bringing it to the board two times.

• Violation of board policy 672 — spending more than $50,000 without board approval.

• Violation of board authority by placing surplus 2017-18 budget money onto Fund 46.

• Insubordination by not terminating employee by board vote in October of 2018.

• Insubordination by telling district staff not to speak to board members.

• Insubordination by telling business vendors not to speak to board members without his, Jim Kuchta’s, permission.

• Insubordination by lying to board members, legal counsel and Amery Free Press, stating that a staff member was on FMLA. • Failure to keep proper vacation records.

• Failure to pay for food he took from Amery Food Service.

• Failure to keep accurate closed session minutes in July

of 2017.

• Failure to supply board members and constituents with open records, business records, contracts, job descriptions in a timely manner or not at all.

• Discriminating against a board member request for a special meeting by not allowing the meeting, citing board policy, but allowing another board member request for a special meeting.

• Lawsuit filed by Dena Babcock against Jim Kuchta and the Amery School District.

• Lawsuit filed by KLN Consulting against Jim Kuchta and the Amery School District.

• Violation of Chain of Command. Jim Kuchta did not go through building principal, resulting in his harassment of a teacher during the school day.

• Violation of school policy by paying for personal use and items.

• Showed hostility and anger to board members in open and closed session.

• Lied to board at October, 2018 meeting, stating information was on our board update.

• Hostile and threatening staff in violation of our school handbook, workplace protection and violence/bullying sections.

• Hostile and threatened community member.

• Violation of separation agreement by not removing items agreed to in personnel file.

Kuchta, in a letter to the Free Press dated March 20, 2019 says “I never received or saw the document included in the Board’s release that purports to list reasons justifying the Board’s improper action terminating my employment contract on November 8, 2018. I adamantly disagree that these purported reasons were valid and deny that I ever lied to or intentionally misled the Board at any time. I acknowledge that there were disagreements between me and certain Board members on several matters, however nothing rose to the level where those differences could not have been resolved with better communication and hard work.”

A Nov. 16 email from Whitley to district administrators states, “Mr. Kuchta is on administrative leave pending resolution of his employment status.”

A Nov. 19 email from Kuchta to Whitley states that Kuchta’s “first choice is to ultimately return to my current position in Amery.” Kuchta discusses his health, stating “I am following up with therapy appointments and following the medication as prescribed by medical professionals to improve my medical conditions.”

Kuchta notes that the board will be meeting in the evening and says “Since the board meeting tonight is broadcast

on local television and on the internet, please consider making a statement of fact for the media and community in the best interest of both the district and myself as we work through our situation. I suggest the following statement at the beginning of the meeting: Mr. Kuchta is currently on leave. He has health related issues he is addressing.”

Kuchta asks Whitley for permission to contact staff members in the district office and enumerates the reasons for contact.

He also asks for the board “to hire a facilitator to work on conflict resolution with the School Board and Superintendent (me). This person can come into the district, complete interviews, develop a plan, then facilitate conflict resolution to help bring the Board and Superintendent to find common ground to work together. The facilitator can also work with Staff and the Superintendent to facilitate meetings to address any issues, and finally the facilitator could interview businesses and community members to develop a Communications and Relations Plan.”

Kuchta concludes the email by saying “I would like to reconcile our differences and move forward together. In education, we learn from our mistakes and move forward. I know I can and will.”

Whitley opened the Nov. 20 regular school board meeting by saying, “I would like to announce that Mr. Kuchta is not here tonight. He is on administrative leave pending resolution of his employment status.”

Minutes of a special board meeting Dec. 3, 2018 indicate a motion to rescind the motion to terminate Jim Kuchta effective Nov. 8, 2018. The motion passes on a 5-0 vote.

A motion to “ratify the decision” to place James Kuchta on paid administrative leave, effective Nov. 8, 2018 passes on a 5-0 vote.

The board gives Whitley permission to draft a formal letter from reading of draft and send to appropriate parties at earliest possible time. The motion passes on a 5-0 vote. The board adjourns after an hour and a half meeting.

Members of the community attend the Dec. 17 school board meeting to express their frustrations with what is viewed as a lack of action on resolving Kuchta’s employment status.

A Jan. 7 public hearing to determine the employment status of Kuchta is scheduled, then cancelled.

Following a closed session meeting Jan. 9, the district announces it has reached an agreement of release and retirement with Kuchta.

The Free Press reached out to all current members of the school board for comment but

did not receive a response.

Details of Kuchta settlement

BY TOM STANGL TSTANGL@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

Under the terms of the release and retirement agreement signed by District Administrator Jim Kuchta and the Amery School Board, Kuchta will remain on the district’s payroll through the end of June.

Highlights from the agreement: Kuchta waived any and all employment or re-employment rights with the district. His personnel file will reflect that he retired.

Kuchta will be paid his base salary and his cash in lieu of health insurance payments through August 31, 2019. In addition, Kuchta will be paid $65,000 in six equal payments of $10,833.33. He will also be paid $60,000 prior to June 30 for all accrued, but unused, since leave and vacation.

In the agreement, the district will respond to all employment inquiries with “James Kuchta started working for the School District of Amery at the start of the 2015-16 school year. He retired on June 30, 2019. His base salary for the 2018-19 school year was $145,550.” The agreement states that individual board members may choose to provide individual letters or reference.

The district agrees not to rescind the tuition/attendance fee that had already been paid for a District Administrator Leadership Institute conference that will be held in April.

The district agrees to pay all travel, lodging, food and incidental expenses occurred while attending.

Kuchta agrees to be fully cooperative and available to assist the district in responding to any claims or legal proceedings relating to matters arising during the term of his employment, including administrative hearing, depositions, court hearings and trials for no additional compensation, excepting any applicable statutory witness fees. Kuchta agrees to communicate only with Board President Chelsea Whitley and the district’s legal counsel regarding these matters.

Kuchta agrees not to seek to be employed by the district and the district has no obligation to hire him.

Both parties release their right to sue and the agreement cannot be construed as “an admission by the School District that it acted wrongfully or violated any laws, or that Employee has any rights whatsoever against the School District and the School District specifically disclaims any liability to or wrongful acts against Employee or any other person.”

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS www.theameryfreepress.com

9A

SPAIN: Students enjoy culture, architecture, food and hospitality during visit FROM PAGE ONE

views and incredible Greco art.

Gamache said, “My favorite place that I visited was the Cathedral in Toledo. This was an amazing building filled with paintings, sculptures, and many panels of stained glass.

The first steps into the building; you are engulfed with the feeling of knowing this building is more than just a Cathedral. The thing that struck me most; was the sculptures that hung behind the main alter, telling the whole life of Jesus.

This structure was made by 27 different artists, taking them nine years to complete it.”

The travelers savored a variety of delicious foods found in eateries and markets such as paella, fresh fruit, churros with chocolate, tiramisu, empanadas and Buñuelos fi lled with apples and ice cream.

Students were fortunate to spend a portion of their time with host families getting to see what daily life in a Spanish household entails. Meyer said,

CONTRIBUTED

Emma Novak is shown with her host family. She will be one of the things she will miss most about Spain.

“My host mom is an amazing

cook so all the meals were

Costly summer projects approved by school board

BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

“As much as I am not happy about presenting this to you, I believe getting an early jump on this is the right thing to do,” said Facilities Director George Sigsworth at the March regular meeting of the Amery Board of Education. Sigsworth appeared in front of the board to explain two deferred maintenance projects needing to be done on district buildings over the summer.

Wall flashing estimated to cost around $350,000 on Lien Elementary and Middle School roof repairs also estimated to cost $350,000 were approved by the board. “These are not fun projects, but choice of not doing them is pretty paralysis,” said Interim District Administrator Shawn Doerfler.

In other action, the board approved the purchase of an A & J Mobility, 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan SE, handicap van.

The van will cost $39,904, but it is estimated that the district will receive &9,577 in state aid towards the purchase.

The Apple River Soccer Club proposed the donation of a new soccer shed to the school district. Currently youth soccer has a small storage shed located next to the Lester shed in the back of the High School. They use it to store paint for the lines, and to home soccer related equipment. They also use it to sell concessions. The shed

is in poor shape from years of service. Youth soccer proposed to build a new shed that will be 12 ft. wide x 24 ft. long, slightly larger than the current shed. It will color match the high school brick and Lester building tin to cosmetically fit in. The youth soccer association will also take care of removal and disposal of the current shed. The board voted to accept the donation from the club.

The board approved a proposed French trip presented by High School French instructor Myranda Geiger. It is a 15 day trip to France scheduled for March 28-April 11, 2020. As of now it looks like there may be 10-12 interested students, which would put an estimated price of $4,155 per traveler. There are several fundraising opportunities that students may take advantage of to cut a portion of the cost.

Also approved were the reading of an Instructional Minutes Waiver, students choosing to participate in the “Start College Now” and “Early College Credit” programs and the second reading of the Closed Session Policy.

Personnel Action taken was the approval contracts offered to Caitlin Schwanke, Girls C Team Volleyball Coach and Katlyn Zieman, JV Softball Assistant Coach. The board approved the retirements of Laura Badman, JoNell Leadholm and Cathy Loverude.

traveling to Valladolid with her host family and watching a soccer game. “My time with the host family was what I was the most worried about before I left, but I soon realized that I had nothing to worry about.

My Spanish wasn’t very good and I had a hard time understanding them, but they were very patient with me and were always willing to repeat a sentence for me if I didn’t understand. They showed me around their city, and I met some of their other friends and family members. We laughed a lot together,” said Emma Novak.

The travels are adjusting back to everyday life in the United States. Novak shared she is going to miss her host family and the weather. She said, “The warmest day we had over there got up to about 65° Fahrenheit, so coming home to a bunch of snow and ice was a drastic change. I’m happy to be back, though.”

amazing.” She also enjoyed

Osborne settles in as county administrator

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Nick Osborne joined Polk County staff as county administrator February 25.

Osborne is a Wisconsin native, born and raised in the Marshfield area. He earned an undergraduate degree from UW— La Crosse, studying political science and public Osborne administration. He obtained a master’s degree in public affairs and public policy at UW—Madison.

He comes to Polk County with 14 years experience in public administration. For the last eight of those he has served as assistant to the administrator in Rock County, Wisconsin.

He began Feb. 25 and has been meeting county staff and board members, and introducing himself at municipal meetings around the county.

He has visited council meetings in Osceola, Amery and St. Croix Falls, and a Wisconsin Towns Association meeting.

“So far it’s been a whirlwind,” he told county board members last week.

Osborne noted that as he approaches the budgeting process, he does not plan to make large changes until observing the county’s cur-

rent process.

“We’re going to continue doing the budget process you’ve gotten used to the past couple years,” he said.

“I really want to take a good look at it and see the pluses and negatives to it. Along the way I might tweak one or two things based on this first year. So we’ll be meeting with committees and establishing some of the budget priorities, and we’ll move along from there.”

Other business • The hallway of the Justice Center is now home to large-format photographs by youth in Northwest Passage’s In a New Light nature photography program. The Polk County Board accepted the photographs, purchased by donors, and designated the hall a “Compassionate Hallway” in recognition of the hope represented by the photographs. The Sun is planning future coverage of the gallery.

• The board approved funding not to exceed $35,000 for a study of buildings at the county fairgrounds.

• Changes were made to the rural addressing policy to allow for greater flexibility, including allowing dual road names.

• County staff continue to work on a report regarding financial information regarding the county’s lime quarry report. Osborne estimated it would be finished

by May 21.

• The county is searching for people to fill several positions, including IT director and director of the Land Information Department.

The search continues for a director of the Department of Children and Families, after an offer was declined.

The county is holding interviews to find a coordinator of the Criminal Justice Collaborating Council and is in the final stages of recruiting an assistant corporation counsel. The county is also starting to recruit for summer positions typically filled by college students.

• The week of April 8-12 was designated “Work Zone Awareness Week” in Polk County. There have been over 2,000 work zone crashes in Wisconsin in each of the last three years.

Between 2012 and 2017, 55 fatalities were the result of crashing in work zones, including three county highway workers.

• Updates were made to the county’s land use ordinance and shoreland protection zoning ordinance.

The maximum height for an accessory building was changed from 25 fee to 35.

The changes also allow a reduced private road setback of less than 35 feet if the property owner obtains town approval.

• Reflecting new case law, changes to the subdivision ordinance remove road guidelines and design standards , leaving the responsibility to towns.

10A AMERY FREE PRESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

MARCH 26, 2019

Q. Are you an expert in your field?

Would you like to share your knowledge with others?

A. Call Tera at the Amery Free Press. You could be one of next month’s experts. Look for our next page published the last week of April.

To pose a question for one of our experts, send a letter to: The Amery Free Press, PO Box 424, Amery, WI 54001 or email Pam at phumpal@theameryfreepress.com DENTAL ADVICE

Q. Why are my teeth getting darker as I age?

FINANCIAL FOCUS

MEDICAL ADVICE

Q. Can putting together a professional team

Q. Does having diabetes increase my risk

help you reach your goals?

Dr. Heather Marks Dr

Dr. Rollyn Lee

A. Teeth become darker from external and internal color changes.

External stains are caused by certain foods and drinks (coffee, tea, red wine), as well as tobacco products. External stains can often be removed with a good professional cleaning. Internal color changes are caused by the inside dentin layer of the tooth becoming darker and thicker as we age. To improve internal changes, over the counter whitening strips or professional whitening at a dental office is necessary.

If you would like to discuss your options to keep your teeth bright and healthy, give us a call!

1030 River Place Drive • PO Box 106, Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-2103 www.river-place-dental.com

AUTOMOTIVE ADVICE

Q. Is Amery Chevrolet hosting its Ladies Night Out Event again?

A. Yes! This event has been a huge success since it began 6 years ago! Thank you to all the members in

Natalie Keller Marketing Coordinator

our community; together we have been able to raise over $10,000 to help support those that need it the most at Northwood’s Homeless Shelter. Every single dollar raised from vendor registration, silent auction items, cash donations, donated necessities brought in ALL OF IT is 100% donated to Northwood’s. Here is the information you need to know to come sip, shop and support such a great cause.

This FREE event will be held on Thursday, May 2nd from 4:30-7:00pm at Amery Chevrolet on our show floor. If you own your own business and would like to rent a table for the event, it’s only $30 and it’s donated!

If you have a Silent Auction item you’d like to donate, please bring that in to me too. You can contact me at 715-268-7676 or email me at natalie@ amerychev.com. Let’s all work together to help our community! P.S. Men are welcome too -- Mother’s Day is not long after, so come shop local and support a great cause while picking something up for Mom!

of developing a foot wound?

A.

At various times, you will need to make moves containing Ryan Collins financial, tax and legal elements, so you may want to get some Financial Advisor help – from more than one source.

Specifically, you might want to put together a team comprised of your financial advisor, your tax professional and your attorney.

Your financial advisor may recommend you sell some investments and use the proceeds to buy others more appropriate for your needs. And your tax advisor can help you determine the tax consequences of such sales.

Your financial advisor can also help you choose appropriate investments for your retirement plan, while your tax professional can advise you on the ideal contribution amounts, from a tax standpoint.

Also, your financial and legal advisors can work together on your estate planning documents. Your legal professional can help you create an arrangement, such as a living trust, and your financial advisor can help you choose the right vehicles to fund it.

Teamwork – it pays off.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice.

You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

Member SIPC

date?

A. The due date for a 2018 tax return is

Dirk Prindle

April 15th this year and you can extend your personal tax return for six months thereafter. However, there is one catch – your payment is still due on April 15th! Any taxes paid after April 15th will be subject to interest.

Do you want to pay the government interest? If not, then please consider making a payment now.

We are available to help you avoid that interest! Please call CarlsonSV at 715-268-7999 for assistance.

301 Keller Ave. S Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-7999

230 Deronda Street Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-0175

INSURANCE ADVICE

ASSISTED LIVING ADVICE

Q. Why do people buy life insurance?

A. Generally speaking people buy life

Q. What are some signs that my loved one may need Assisted Living?

Erik Hellie

insurance for a few specific objectives: Insurance Agent 1. Pay for final expenses like the funeral.

2. Take care of debt.

3. Leave money for survivors to offset lost income of deceased.

4. Philanthropic wishes or family gifting (money for kids/grandkids college, gift to church or organization, etc.).

A quick review with a local trusted insurance agent will offer you some great ideas with different options.

Are you an expert in your field?

Q. What is this year’s tax return due

If you develop a foot ulcer or struggle with a non-healing wound, call 715-268-0175. No referral is necessary.

960 Elden Ave. Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-4106

234 Keller Ave. South Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-6624

TAX ADVICE

A.

Yes. Among people with diabetes, up to J. Melby 25 percent experience a foot ulcer in their –Michael Wound Healing lifetime and 3.4 percent will experience Center Medical Director an ulcer each year. More than half of all foot ulcers will become infected, requiring hospitalization and one in five will require an amputation. See your primary doctor regularly and make sure you are taking care of your feet by checking them daily for wounds, cracks and redness.

Would you like to share your knowledge with others?

If so, call us at . . . the Amery Free Press 715-268-8101

65

$

00

PER MONTH

A.

There are many different reasons why your loved Kayla Bleskacek one may be ready for assisted living. A very common and Amanda issue may be that they are requesting or requiring more Siefert support and assistance than previously needed. This could be due to loneliness and isolation, or may be related to safety concerns in the home. Assisted Living facilities can provide great opportunities for socialization and many of our Residents thrive once they are surrounded by other seniors who they can relate to. Assisted Living facilities can also provide increased supervision and reassurances checks, relieving families from the worry of their loved one being home alone in an unsafe environment.

Another sign that your loved one may need Assisted Living is because they are having difficulty with daily living activities. This could include cooking and maintaining proper nutrition, accurately taking medications, or maintaining a safe living environment. Assisted Living facilities can assist your loved one to ensure they are receiving meals, taking medications properly, and residing in a safe setting where they can thrive.

If you are experiencing any of the above, we encourage you to begin considering Assisted Living as a next step for your loved one.

Riverbend Assisted Living 475 Golfview Lane • Amery, WI 54001 • 715-268-9949 www.riverbend-seniorliving.com

CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Q. Can going to a chiropractor help with

seasonal allergies, sinus congestion, and asthma?

A. During the spring months, many people suffer from seasonal allergies. This increase

Jacqueline Peterson, D.C.

in allergy symptoms brings on annoying and often painful sinus congestion and can be particularly hard for asthma sufferers.

Although chiropractic is not a treatment for asthma and allergies, many patients notice improvements in their symptoms after adjustments. Chiropractors adjust areas in the cervical and thoracic spine to restore proper motion and stimulate the nervous system. They are also are trained to work on specific points in the face to help relieve sinus pressure and stimulate drainage.

If you are suffering from seasonal allergies, call 715-268-7500 to see how you can help reduce your symptoms.

Toftness Chiropractic Move better. Feel better. Live better.

102 Keller Ave. S. Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-7500 toftnesschiro.com

ENTERTAINMENT

MARCH 26, 2019

www.theameryfreepress.com

AREA BOWLING SCORES Club 53 Bar & Lanes, Amery MONDAY NIGHT MEN Week 28 of 32 Division 1 Tac Two ................................................ 147 Gary’s Electric.....................................129 Division 2 Shoreview ..........................................111.5 Dick’s Fresh Market ........................92.5 High games: Carl Wolf 201, Jack Flemming 202, Rod Gehrman 211, Bob Gillis 255-251-279, Todd Zemke 228-259-226, Rico Lopez 225, Jim Knutson 221, Jim Swanson 243-257.

High series: Bob Albee 576, Rod Gehrman 590, Bob Gillis 785, Todd Zemke 713, Rico Lopez 599, Jim Knutson 578, Jim Swanson 652.

TUESDAY NIGHT MEN Week 28 of 32 Division 1 Club 53 ...............................................123.5 Noah Insurance............................... 110.5

Division 2 Northwest Communications .........137 Chet Johnson Drug ............................101 High games: Scott Jensen 227, Chuck Williamson 205, Chris Sobottka 201-224, Will Schaffer 225257-214, Kelly Fitzgerald 203.

High series: Chad Elmer 556, Scott Jensen 583, Chris Sobottka 608, Will Schaffer 696, Kelly Fitzgerald 590.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEN Week 28 of 32 Division 1 Club 53 .................................................. 123 Preferred Lawn..................................103 Division 2 Alibi....................................................... 140 Amery Fire Department .................. 112 High games: Lee Jones 238-225.

Chris Sobottka 210-200, Dave Fox 202-203, Jim Swanson 231-214, Bill Vierkandt 213.

High series: Lee Jones 642, Chris

Sobottka 590, Dave Fox 588, Jim Swanson 611.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY LADIES Division 1 Northwest Communications .... 134.5 Better Self Wellness .....................125.5 Amery Fire Department ..................116 Division 2 Chet Johnson Drug ........................... 132 Bremer Bank.......................................107 Club 53 ..................................................105 High games: Pam Humpal 171, Bev Gorres 168-154, April Boe 168, Janet Martinson 164, Cindy Hardina 161, Katie Lauterbach 160, Patty Talbot 159-155, Shelby Cockrell 158, Alyssa Slocum 156, Deb Vincelli 156, Andrea Karpenski 155, Gwen Wold 153.

High series: Pam Humpal 445, Patty Talbot 439, Katie Lauterbach 435, Janet Martinson 433, Gwen Wold 434, April Boe 431, Bev Gorres 425.

16th Annual

Amery Spring Show Home • Garden • Recreation

Sat., April 6 • 9-4 AMERY ICE ARENA

River Place Drive • Amery 10 am – “Good Neighbors Ukulele Circle” Ukulele Music & Sing-A-Long Noon – “Endeavors Greenhouse” Planting Tips & Plants for Sale

Exhibitors registered so far are: Amery Area EMS Amery Chevrolet Amery Community Club/ City of Amery Amery Fall Festival Amery Free Press

Amery Outdoor Power Amery Youth Hockey Association Asher Lasting Exteriors Bremer Bank Countryside Plumbing & Heating

Cutco Cutlery Gibson’s Watercare Luxury Bath Solutions Mosquito Hunters Slumberland

ADMISSION: Non-perishable food items or $2 donation to local food pantry.

CONCESSIONS: Available by the Amery Hockey Association Proceeds will benefit the Amery Hockey Association, Amery Area Food Pantry and a scholarship to an area student.

Sponsored by the Amery Free Press • Contact Pam for Information 715-268-8101

AMERY FREE PRESS

11A

SPORTS AND OUTDOORS

12A AMERY FREE PRESS

MARCH 26, 2019

www.theameryfreepress.com

Amery boys open indoor season with 3rd place finish

ALLEN CARLSON

Ella Williamson and Alexis Werle

BY BRETT HART CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Amery High School boys and girls track and field programs opened the 2019 season on March 23 by competing in the Small School Division of the North-

ern Badger Classic at UW-Stout’s Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie. The boys’ squad placed 3rd of 22 teams in the division while the girls were 18th of 27 teams.

“Saturday’s indoor track meet at Stout was a great meet to start out the season,” said Amery Coach Justin Schuh. “We had some very nice performances for the 1st meet!”

Leading the charge was the boys’ 4x400 meter relay team of Levi Ingham, Galen Coy, Mason Goulet and Dylan Eiynck, which placed second to Marathon with a time of 3:47.75.

Coming in third were Dalton Johnson (boys’ 55 meter dash), Mason Bosley (boys’ 800-meter run) and Andrew Carlson (boys’ 2-mile run). Johnson’s finals time of 6.92 seconds was just .08 seconds behind winner and fellow senior Joseph Aguilera of Abbotsford while teammates Gus Wentz (6.95 seconds) and Lance Waalen (6.96 seconds) wrapped up fifth and sixth place, respectively, in the event.

Bosley, a senior, completed the 800 in 2:09.29 while Barron senior Tristan Massie won the event in 2:05.32. Eiynck placed seventh with a time of 2:14.26.

Carlson, a junior, turned in a time of 11:29.41 in the 1,600-meter run while Colby sophomore Chase Oehmichen had a winning time of 11:18.20.

Sophomore Ella Williamson was the top girls’ finisher for Amery, placing fourth in the 55 meter dash with a time of 7.94 seconds. Prescott sophomores Abby Syverson and Grace Carlson claimed the top two spots in the race with times of 7.73 seconds and 7.80 seconds, respectively.

Bosley was fourth in the boys’ triple jump with a leap of 38-00.25 and added a fifth-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles (8.88 seconds). St. Croix Falls senior Isiah Hoggatt won the triple jump with a distance of 40-03.25.

Wentz contributed a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.56 seconds with Aguilera again taking the top spot in a time of 24.01 seconds.

Also placing sixth for the Warriors were Alexis Werle (girls’ 55 meter dash, 8.00 seconds), Megan Osero (girls’ 2 mile run, 14:07.35) and Canyon Schwartz (boys’ pole vault, 11-06).

Lydia Monson wrapped up eighth place in the girls’ mile run with a time of 6:08.47.

Team Scores Girls Prescott 47, Spencer 41, Colby 39, Marathon 35, Byron 33.5, St. Croix Falls 30, St. Charles 30, Ladysmeith 29.5, Abbotsford 26, Flambeau 24, Arcadia 20.5, Cameron 20, Athens 17, Lake Holcombe/Cornell 16, Colfax 16, Augusta 15, Shell Lake 13, Amery 12, Somerset 8, Turtle Lake/Clayton 8, Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 8, Prairie Farm 6, Independence 4, Fall Creek 4, Barron 3, Frederic/Luck 1, Cadott 0.5

Boys Marathon 80, St. Croix Falls 63.5, Amery 52, Abbotsford 41, Ladysmith 40, St. Charles 29.33, Elk Mound 24, Arcadia 22, Spencer 21.5, Somerset 21, Barron 20.33, Athens 20, Colby 16, Colfax 10, Prescott 9, Shell Lake 8, Fall Creek 8, Cadott 6, Turtle Lake/Clayton 5, Frederic/Luck 5, Boyceville 4, Cameron 0.33.

ALLEN CARLSON

Top: Gavin Melberg Bottom: Mason Bosley

SPORTS

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

www.theameryfreepress.com

13A

Forrest earns all-state honorable mention

BY BRETT HART CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ALLEN CARLSON

Gus Wentz and Dalton Johnson

ALLEN CARLSON

Canyon Schwartz

ALLEN CARLSON

Andrew Carlson

Amery’s Brett Forrest was recently named to the 201819 Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association all-state team as Forrest an honorable mention selection.

The senior defenseman is a two-year captain for the Warriors who scored four goals and 25 assists this season, bringing his career point total to 61 points and making him the all-time leading scoring defenseman in Amery hockey history.

He is one of 17 senior and four junior defenseman to receive all-state honorable mention, and it’s his first year to receive the honor. Four senior and four junior defensemen were named to the 24-member first team.

ALLEN CARLSON

Mason Goulet

RIVERBEND SENIOR LIVING & WILLOW RIDGE HEALTHCARE

WELCOME YOU TO JOIN OUR 4 5 -W E E K S U N DAY L E A R N I N G S E R I E S RIVERBEND SENIOR LIVING | 2 PM - 3 PM 475 Golfview Lane, Amery, WI 54001 *Refreshments will be served

March 31 LO N G T E R M C A R E P L A N N I N G Presented by: Danielle, ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin (Aging and Disability Resource Center)

April 7 A L L T H I N G S P H A R M AC Y Presented by: Chet Johnson Drug

April 14 U N D E R S TA N D I N G S O C I A L S E C U R I T Y:

A HIGH LEVEL LOOK AT HOW SS HAS CHANGED, FILING STRATEGIES, & TAXES Presented by: Bridge Investment

May 5 FUNERAL PRE-PLANNING Presented by: Williamson-White

RSVP Amanda and Kayla: 715.268.9949 | kbleskacek@rphfcorp.com

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month Get your colonoscopy. Schedule today. amerymedicalcenter.org | 715-268-8000

14A AMERY FREE PRESS

SPIRITUAL

MARCH 26, 2019

www.theameryfreepress.com

AREA CHURCHES AMERY CONGREGATIONAL, 201 N. Harriman Ave. Barry Schaefer, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 11:30 a.m. Family Table; 3:30 p.m.

Homework and Hangout/Rehearsal for Sonrise Service; 6 p.m. Soup Supper; 6:30 p.m. Lenten Service.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 9:30 a.m. Senior Dining Hall Open; 5:30 p.m. Women’s Bible Study; 7 p.m. Money Management.

Friday, Mar. 29: 9:30 a.m. Senior Dining Hall Open.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 10 a.m. Worship/Noisy Kettle; 11:15 a.m. I Love My Church Luau.

AMERY FREE LUTHERAN, 1 mile west of golf course on CTH F, Eric Christenson, pastor www.ameryflc.org Every Sunday: 9 a.m. Sunday School for ages 3-103; 10:15 Worship Service; 6 p.m. Small Group Bible Studies in homes.

Wednesdays: 9:30 a.m. Small Group Women’s Bible Study in home; 7 p.m. Youth Group and Small Group Bible Studies in homes.

Call the church office for details 715-268-9218.

APPLE RIVER COMMUNITY, 942 US Hwy. 8, Amery Justin Hosking, pastor Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages; 10:15 a.m.

Coffee & Fellowship; 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship.

Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. Women’s Bible Study; 5 p.m. Senior Saints Potluck and Game Night; 6:30 p.m. Women’s Bible Study.

Wednesday: 10 a.m. Men’s Bible Study; 5:30 p.m. Kids One-Way Club.

BALSAM LUTHERAN, 1115 Mains Crossing, Amery, Dan Watland, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 6 p.m. Soup Supper at Elim; 6:30 p.m.

Confirmation Class; 7 p.m. Lenten Worship at Elim.

Sunday, Mar. 31: Elim 8:30 a.m. Holy Worship; 8:30 a.m.

Bible Study; 9:30 a.m. WELCA Meeting, Fellowship Time; 10:15 a.m. Holy Worship.

Monday, Apr. 1: 8:30 a.m. Prayer Ministry and Adult Education Committee.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 8:30 a.m. Quilting at Elim.

CENTERPOINT, 740 Maple Drive, St. Croix Falls (High school) Dick Enerson, pastor Sunday: 10-11:15 a.m. Worship celebration; Children’s church (SuperKidz) age 4-5th grade; Nursery (KidzKorner) birth-3 years.

Cell Groups (small group Bible studies) offered throughout the week.

CHURCH OF CHRIST, New Richmond Jack Philips, Evangelist, 715-497-7596 Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Study; 10 a.m. Worship.

Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Devotions.

CLEAR LAKE UNITED METHODIST, John Hazen, pastor Sunday: 11:00 a.m. Worship.

Wednesday: 5:30 p.m. Meal for all; 6 p.m. Church school.

DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST, John Hazen, pastor Sunday: 9:45 a.m. Worship.

DERONDA LUTHERAN, 1239 65th Ave., Amery Lori Peper, pastor 715-268-9577 Wednesday, Mar. 27: 5-6:30 p.m. Lenten Supper at Deronda; 6 p.m. JAM/Faith 5 Bible Study for Confirmation students and adults at Deronda; 6:30 p.m. Faith Fun For All; 7 p.m. Holden Evening Prayer Service at Deronda, Pastor Marilyn Crossfield; 8 p.m. NUIC Choir Rehearsal at Deronda.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 9 a.m. Deronda Quilting.

Saturday, Mar. 30: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Food and Faith Retreat.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 8 a.m. Deronda Worship; 9:30 a.m. Little Falls Worship; 11 a.m. Trinity Worship.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 9 a.m. Staff Meeting at Trinity.

See our website for up-to-date scheduling www.deronda church.net.

EAST BALSAM BAPTIST, 1816 108th St./CTH I, Balsam Lake, Gabriel Brennan, pastor www.eastbalsam.org 715-857-5411 Sunday: 9 a.m. Worship service; 10:30 a.m. Sunday school.

Tuesday: Women’s Ministry; 9 a.m. Bible Study.

EAST IMMANUEL LUTHERAN, south of Amery on Hwy. 46 then west on 20th Ave., Kathy Pennington, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 6 p.m. Soup and Sandwich Supper; 7 p.m. Lenten Worship.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 9:30 a.m. GIFT; 10:30 a.m. Worship.

EAST LINCOLN ALLIANCE, 735 70th Ave., Amery 715-268-2350 www.eastlincolnalliance.com Eric Danielson and Randy Schussman, pastors Sunday: 8:45 a.m. Prayer Meeting; 9 a.m. Coffee and Fellowship; 9:30 a.m. Worship service. Child Care and Discovery Land for children are provided during Worship service.

Small groups meet throughout the week. Contact the church office for further details.

Recharge for Middle and High School students, 6 p.m. every Wednesday.

EL SALEM BAPTIST/TWIN FALLS CHRISTIAN CENTER, Dresser, Darryl R. Olson, pastor Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Sunday school; 10:35 a.m. Worship; 6 p.m. Sunday evening.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Study.

ELIM LUTHERAN, Range, Dan Watland, pastor Sunday: 8:30 a.m. Worship.

Holy Communion 2nd and 3rd Sundays.

Council 3rd Tuesday at 6 p.m.

FAITH LUTHERAN (ELCA), 301 1st Ave. East (across from public beach on Co. Rd. I)Balsam Lake, 715-4853800, Diane Norstad, pastor Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Sunday worship; Communion first and last Sunday.

Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. J.A.M. (Jesus & Me).

FAITH LUTHERAN (ELCA), 134 Prentice St. S, Clayton Margaret Grant, pastor Sunday: 9 a.m. Sunday school; 9:45 a.m. Worship; 10:45 a.m. Fellowship.

Men’s Bible Study 2nd Sunday 6 p.m.

Mission Quilting Tuesdays 9 a.m.

Wednesday evening service 7:15-7:45 p.m.

FIRST LUTHERAN, 240 Elm St., Amery Tim Bjorge, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 6 p.m. Supper; 7 p.m. Worship.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 8 a.m. Bible Study; 8:30 a.m. Quilters; 7 p.m. Al Anon.

Saturday, Mar. 30: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Food & Faith Workshop.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 9 a.m. Worship; 10:15 a.m. Choir, Sunday School, Bible Study, New Member Class.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 7:30 a.m. Women’s Bible Study; 11 a.m.

Pastor Tim at Evergreen.

FIRST LUTHERAN (LCMC), 811 South Ave. W, Clear Lake www.firstluthclearlake.com Bryan S. Anderson, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 6 p.m. Soup Supper; 7 p.m. Lenten Service.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 8:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship; 9:30 a.m. Fellowship; 9:40 a.m. Sunday School; 10 a.m. Traditional Worship; 11 a.m. Fellowship, First Communion Class; 7 p.m.

Choir Practice.

FIRST PRESYTERIAN, 719 Nevada St., St. Croix Falls Barbara Anne Keely, pastor Sunday: 10:15 a.m. Coffee and Fellowship; 11 a.m. Worship.

FOREST UNITED METHODIST, John Hazen, pastor Sunday: 8:30 a.m. Worship.

FULL GOSPEL LIGHTHOUSE, Graytown Merlin Burton, pastor Sunday: 10:30 a.m. Sunday school; 11 a.m. Worship.

GEORGETOWN LUTHERAN-ELCA, 877 190th Ave. Co. Rd. G, Balsam Lake (Fox Creek) 715-857-5580 serving@georgetownlutheran.net Pastor Diane House Sunday: 9:15 a.m. Sunday school; 10:30 a.m. Worship;

Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday.

GRACE LUTHERAN - WELS, 460 4th St., Clear Lake, Ellery W. Groth, pastor 715-491-4330 Sunday: 10:15 a.m. Worship.

Wednesday: 5 p.m. Lenten Supper; 5:45 p.m. Service.

Thursday: 10 a.m. Bible Class.

HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX, 511 1st St., Clayton, 715-948-2493 htoc@amerytel.net Chris Wojcik, pastor Sundays: 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.

HOLY TRINITY UNITED METHODIST, 1606 165th Ave., Centuria, on CTH I between Balsam Lake and Centuria Freddie Kirk, pastor Sunday: 8:30 a.m. Worship.

IMMANUEL EV. LUTHERAN (LCMS), 124 E. Church St., Clayton ImmLCLCMS@centurytel.net 715-541-2955 Gregory Becker, pastor Sunday: 9 a.m. Divine Worship.

Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. Family Christian Education; 7:30 p.m. Confirmation.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN, 65th Ave., rural Clayton Margaret Grant, pastor Sunday: 8:30 a.m. Worship.

Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. Family Christian Education; 7:30 p.m. Confirmation.

JOURNEY CHURCH, 131 Broadway St., Amery Derek Downs, Lead Pastor 715-268-2223 www.journeychurch.city Every Sunday: 9 a.m. Worship Service; 10:30-11:30 a.m. All Ages Sunday School.

2nd Sunday of the Month: 6-7 p.m. Praise and Prayer Night.

3rd Sunday of the Month: 4 p.m. Journey Women.

Mondays: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Moms in Prayer (Moms who gather together each week to pray for our schools and children).

Wednesdays (when school is in session): 5:45-6:15 p.m.

Free Family Meal; 6:15-7:30 p.m. Kids Club (Kids Club is a place wher eyou get to experience the excitement of worshipping God with songs, games and a Bible study with your friends!); 6:15-7:30 p.m. DW Youth Group (Meets in the Teen Center Building. For students in grades 6-12. Real life topics... real life answers! Invite your friends!)

Saturdays: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible Study (Meets in the Teen Center).

LITTLE FALLS LUTHERAN, 1272 44th Ave., Amery Lori Peper, pastor 715-268-9577 Wednesday, Mar. 27: 5-6:30 p.m. Lenten Supper at Deronda; 6 p.m. JAM/Faith 5 Bible Study for Confirmation students and adults at Deronda; 6:30 p.m. Faith Fun For

Meditations on Spring

AmTec

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

241 Venture Dr., Amery Phone 715-268-8146

Carlson SV

1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS 301 Keller Ave. S., Amery 715-268-7999

S

pring is the time of year when God’s creative hand is perhaps most evident.

Buds sprouting from tree limbs and new growth everywhere seems almost miraculous after a long cold winter. The great American poet Robert Frost reminds us, in his poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” that everything in nature is temporary: Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

These weekly church messages are contributed by the following:

Amery Free Press

We are right to praise God for the beauty of Spring, but at the same time we should realize that everything on this earth is temporary. The brief and fleeting life of the mayfly should remind us that in the cosmic scheme of things, we are the mayfly, here today and gone tomorrow. Enjoy nature’s Springtime show of vibrant color, but realize that this earth is not your final home.

–Christopher Simon

Your Comunity Newspaper for over 125 years 215 S. Keller Ave., Amery Phone 715-268-8101

MARCH 26, 2019

SPIRITUAL

AMERY FREE PRESS

15A

www.theameryfreepress.com

AREA CHURCHES CONTINUED ...

All; 7 p.m. Holden Evening Prayer Service at Deronda, Pastor Marilyn Crossfield; 8 p.m. NUIC Choir Rehearsal at Deronda.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 9 a.m. Deronda Quilting.

Saturday, Mar. 30: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Food and Faith Retreat.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 8 a.m. Deronda Worship; 9:30 a.m. Little Falls Worship; 11 a.m. Trinity Worship.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 9 a.m. Staff Meeting at Trinity.

See our website for up-to-date scheduling www.little fallschurch.net.

LIVING WORD CHAPEL, Hwy 64 at Forest Randy Dean, pastor Sunday: 8:45-9:45 a.m. Sunday school; 10 am. Main service.

Wednesday: 7:30 pm. Adults and Teen Ministry.

MENNONITE CHURCH, 1681 6 1/2 St., Co. Hwy. P North, Almena, 715-357-3321 Sunday: 10 a.m. Sunday school, all ages; 10:45 a.m. Sunday worship service; 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening service.

MOE LUTHERAN (ELCA), 451 30th St., Clear Lake Sunday: 10 a.m. Fellowship; 11 a.m. Worship; Potluck lunch 2nd Sunday.

Men’s Bible Study 2nd Sunday 6 p.m.

Women’s Bible Study 2nd Thursday 1:30 p.m.

NEW LIFE COMMUNITY, Amery Craig Jorgenson, pastor Sunday: 10 a.m. Worship.

Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. Prayer.

Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. Youth.

OTTERCREEK CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, Glenwood City Civic Center, Jason Taylor, pastor Sunday: 10:30 a.m. Worship; Children’s church, childcare provided.

Wednesday Night Prayer.

OUR LADY OF THE LAKES CATHOLIC, Balsam Lake Father Eugene Murphy, pastor Masses: Saturday 6 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m.

OUR SAVIOR’S LUTHERAN, 217 Deronda St., Amery Keith Ruehlow, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 12 p.m. Table Talk Men; 5 p.m. Lenten Soup Supper; 6 p.m. Evening Prayer; 6:30 p.m. Lenten Worship, Youth Group; 7:15 p.m. Choir Practice.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 8:30 a.m. Bible Study.

Saturday, Mar. 30: 7 p.m. AA Meeting.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 9 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion; 10:15 a.m. Sunday School; 10:30 a.m. Passion of Christ Study; 6:30 p.m. First Communion Class.

Monday, Apr. 1: 12 p.m. Blood Drive.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 12 p.m. Blood Drive; 1 p.m. Quilting; 7 p.m.

Swedish Club.

PRAIRIEVIEW COVENANT, 1396 210th Ave. (2 miles north of New Richmond on 65) Tim Coyer, pastor www.prairieviewchurch.net Sunday: 9 a.m. Sunday School; 10 a.m. Worship, Nursery care available; Coffee/fellowship after worship service.

Wednesday: 6-7:30 p.m. Family Night, Worship/Groups for all ages.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN, 600 S. Keller Ave., Amery Tom Hahn, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 5:30 p.m. Confirmation, Soup Supper; 7 p.m. Worship Service; 7:45 p.m. Choir.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 9:30 a.m. Worship, Sunday School; 10:30 a.m. Fellowship.

REEVE EVANGELICAL FREE, Jct. Barron CTH K & A, Clear Lake, www.reevechurch.org Sunday: 9 am. Worship service; 10:15 a.m. Fellowship Time.

Wednesday nights: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Adult Bible Study and Prayer; Kids Club, Jr. & Sr. High Youth Group (Sept.-May).

A variety of small groups (AA, men’s & women’s) are also held throughout the week.

ST. BARNABAS EPISCOPAL, 365 5th St., Clear Lake, Rev. Geri E. Sola Sunday: 9:15 a.m. Sunday school; 10:15 a.m. Worship.

Holy Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday at 10:15 a.m.

Morning Prayer 2nd and 4th Sunday at 10:15 ST. CROIX UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP, 201 N. Adams, St. Croix Falls www.scuuf.org Sunday: 10 a.m. First three Sundays.

ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC, Clear Lake, Fr. John Long, pastor Mass: 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Mass: 8 a.m. Thursday.

Mass: 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

OBITUARIES ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC, 1050 Keller Ave. N, Amery Father Eugene Murphy • 715-268-7717 • stjosephamery.org Wednesday, Mar. 27: 9 a.m. Mass; Stump the Chump after Mass.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 6:30 p.m. GriefShare Meeting.

Friday, Mar. 29: 9 a.m. Communion Service; 4:30-7 p.m. KC Fish Fry; 5:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross; 7 p.m. GriefShare Meeting.

Saturday, Mar. 30: 4 p.m. Mass.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 10:30 a.m. Mass.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 9 a.m. Communion Service; Stations off the Cross after Communion Service.

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN, Forest, John Wilman, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 7 p.m. 3rd Mid-Week Lenten Service.

Friday, Mar. 29-Saturday, Mar. 30: Pastor’s Day Off. Sunday, Mar. 31: 8 a.m. Worship; 9 a.m. Fellowship.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 1 p.m. Bible Study.

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN, Deer Park, John Wilman, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 7 p.m. 3rd Mid-Week Lenten Service at St. John’s.

Friday, Mar. 29-Saturday, Mar. 30: Pastor’s Day Off. Sunday, Mar. 31: 8:45 a.m. Sunday School; 9 a.m. Fellowship; 9:30 a.m. Worship.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 6:30 p.m. Bible Study.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST, 76 20th Ave., Clear Lake John Redlich, pastor 715-645-2230; Head Elder Paul Hasman 715-671-3697 Saturday Services: Adult and Children’s Bible Study 9:30 a.m.; Church 11 a.m.

Midweek Service: Wednesday 7 p.m. Call Head Elder for location in winter months.

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (Mormons), 644 S. 6th St., Barron Chapel 715-537-3679 Bishop Kenneth Konesky 715-719-0283 Sunday: Sacrament 10 a.m.; Sunday School/Primary 11:20 a.m.; Priesthood/Relief Society 12:10 p.m.

TRINITY LUTHERAN of Garfield, 1578 85th Ave., Amery Lori Peper, pastor 715-268-9577 Wednesday, Mar. 27: 5-6:30 p.m. Lenten Supper at Deronda; 6 p.m. JAM/Faith 5 Bible Study for Confirmation students and adults at Deronda; 6:30 p.m. Faith Fun For All; 7 p.m. Holden Evening Prayer Service at Deronda, Pastor Marilyn Crossfield; 8 p.m. NUIC Choir Rehearsal at Deronda.

Thursday, Mar. 28: 9 a.m. Deronda Quilting.

Saturday, Mar. 30: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Food and Faith Retreat.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 8 a.m. Deronda Worship; 9:30 a.m. Little Falls Worship; 11 a.m. Trinity Worship.

Tuesday, Apr. 2: 9 a.m. Staff Meeting at Trinity.

See our website for up-to-date scheduling www.trinitylutheranchurchofamery.com.

UNITED COVENANT, 348 5th St. NW, Clear Lake Dan Pearson, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 5:30 p.m. All Church Supper; 6 p.m.

Kid’s Blast, CREW, Adult Study; 7 p.m. Worship Practice T-2.

Friday, Mar. 29-Saturday, Mar. 30: CREW-World Vision 30-Hour Famine.

Sunday, Mar. 31: 8:45 a.m. Sunday School, Confirmation; 9:30 a.m. Worship Practice T-2; 10 a.m. Worship Service; Choir After Service; 1 p.m. Financial Peace.

UNITED METHODIST, GLENHILLS PARISH Marybeth Scow, pastor Emerald UMC: 8:30 a.m. Worship with Sunday School.

Glenwood City UMC: 9:45 a.m. Worship with Sunday School.

Downing UMC: 11 a.m. Worship with Sunday School.

WEST IMMANUEL LUTHERAN, ELCA, 447 180th St., Osceola, Rexford D. Brandt, pastor Wednesday, Mar. 27: 9 a.m. Men’s Work Group; 5 p.m.

Soup and Sandwich Supper; 5:45 p.m. Confirmation Clas8thGrade Only; 7 p.m. Lenten Worship.

Sunday, Mar. 331: 9 a.m. Coffee Fellowship; 9:15 a.m. Sunday School; 10:30 a.m. Worship.

WORD OF LIFE FELLOWSHIP, Clear Lake Patricia and Harlen Wienke, St. Joseph Catholic pastors Church, Amery Sunday: 10 a.m. Worship.

Tuesday: 9 a.m. Healing Rooms by appointment.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. Adult Bible Study.

Call Nicole at 715-268-8101 or email ngagner@theameryfreepress.com with corrections or additions to the church pages.

LENTEN FISH FRY Fridays March 22, 29 & April 5 4:30-7 p.m. or until out Adults $10, adults 65 and older $9, children 6-12 yrs. $5, under 5 free with a max. $35/family!

This event is hosted by the Apple River Knights of Columbus Amery and St. Josephs parish volunteers

Waneta A. Olson Waneta A. Olson, age 84 of Deer Park, died on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at her home in Deer Park.

Funeral Services will be 11 a.m. on Friday, March 29, 2019 from Deer Park United Methodist Church in Deer Park. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Deer Park at a later date.

Visitation for Waneta Olson will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery and 1 hour prior to services at the church.

For further information and to sign on line guest book, please visit www.williamsonwhite.com.

Arrangements are being made with the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Amery.

Jerry W. Gravelle Jerry W. Gravelle, age 61 of Deer Park, WI, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family, friends and loving wife on Friday, March 22, 2019 after a 4 month battle with cancer.

There will be a Celebration of Jerry’s life at a later date.

Interment will be at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN with full Military Honors.

Scheuermann Funeral Home and Cremation Services are handling the arrangements. www.clearlakefuneralhome.com.

Donna Jean Becker Donna Jean Becker, 80, of Turtle Lake died Monday, March 25, 2019 at Pioneer Nursing Home. She was born December 17, 1938 in Tilden, WI to George and E Evelyn (Geissler) Goulet.

D Donna lived in Tilden until sshe was four before moving tto Turtle Lake.

She graduated from T Turtle Lake High School iin 1956, and worked in the T Twin Cities until 1958.

S She was married in Turtle L Lake, WI on October 18, 11958 to Harland Becker.

Donna was a stay at home m mom busy raising her 6 delightful children until they purchased and moved out to the farm in 1978. Her life on the farm helped her realize that she enjoyed reading far more then milking cows. In the early 80's is when she began working at the Turtle Lake School as a special education teacher's aide. Donna had a great love for her job and later retired. Donna enjoyed spending her time bowling, going to the movies, the Red Barn Theater, gardening, going out to dinner with friends and family, watching out the back deck at the local wildlife, and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by: her husband, Harland of Turtle Lake; 6 children: Veronica (Bob) Davison of Highwood, MT, Tom (Mary) Becker of Turtle Lake, Tim (Tina) Becker of Almena, Cheryl (Wally) Peetz of Clayton, Jim (Lori) Becker of Turtle Lake, and Jason (Mel) Becker of Clear Lake; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 5 sisters: Dolores Hulsman of Bradenton, FL, Eileen (Wilbur) Boos of Chippewa Falls, Gladys Pabst of Turtle Lake, Mary Jane (Gerard) LaMere of Osceola and Lorene (Peter) Lee of Stillwater, MN; sister-in-law, Marge Goulet; nieces, nephews, and many other family and friends. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, George and Evelyn Goulet; her brother, Gilmore Goulet; brothers-inlaw, James Hulsman and Ray Pabst; grandson, Nick Davison, and great-grandson, Andrew Ebner.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday, April 1, 2019 at St. Ann Catholic Church - Turtle Lake with Father Tom Thompson officiating. Visitation will be from 3-6 PM Sunday, March 31, 2019 at Skinner Funeral Home - Turtle Lake, and one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Nate Davison, Brian Peetz, Derrick Becker, Jacob Becker, Lukas and Kasey Becker. Honorary pallbearers are Nick Davison, Lindsey Hanson, Heather Perrault, Heidi Wilson, Hannah Weber, Molly Becker, Samantha Ebner, Stephanie Swanson, Jennifer Anderson, Kimberly Peetz, Jillian Dicke, and Jamie Becker Skinner Funeral Home of Turtle Lake is serving the family.

16A AMERY FREE PRESS

SPIRITUAL

MARCH 26, 2019

www.theameryfreepress.com

OBITUARIES

Laura Lynn Schanon

James M. Lindeman

Waneta (Waterman) Olson

Laura Lynn Schanon, age 50, of Lawai, Hawaii passed away surrounded by her family on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at her home.

Laura was born on Febrruary 15, 1969 to Mike and K Karen Schanon in Amery, W Wisconsin. She attended a and graduated from Amery H High School in 1987.

Laura was a natural salesp person, and achieved her g greatest success selling exq quisite black pearl jewelry.

S She was creative and full of iideas with a quick wit and a ssharp mind, making her a gifted storyteller. She enjoyed hard work and staying active. She always looked forward to time outdoors hiking, playing games, and biking. Being with Laura was time well spent.

Laura traveled the world and made friends everywhere she went. She cherished friends and family, especially her nieces and nephews.

Laura is survived by her devoted partner, Mark Barks; loving parents, Michael and Karen Schanon; siblings, Michelle (Michael) Schanon Dovey, Jill (Jasun) Schanon Macek, Thomas Schanon, Sara (Scott) Schanon Jensen; nieces, Erin and Charlotte Dovey, Lucia and Estelle Macek, nephews, Joseph, William, Leopold, and Henry Jensen and many other relatives and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 11:00am at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Amery, Wisconsin with Father Gene Murphy officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will take place at Amery Cemetery immediately following the service.

A celebration of Laura will be held at Scott and Sara Jensen's home following the internment.

To sign an online guest book and video tribute please visit www.williamsonwhite.com Arrangements were entrusted to the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 222 Harriman Avenue North Amery, Wisconsin.

Jim was born August 15, 1956 in St. Paul, MN to Gerald and Muriel Lindeman. Jim was currently residing in Amery, WI. He passed away March 14, 2019.

Jim loved hunting and fishing and all things o outdoors. He was the owner o of Jim Lindeman Window W Washing and enjoyed the c contact with his clients.

Gone from us much too e early. Jim believed Jesus w was his Lord and Savior a and we find great comfort iin knowing that he is in h heaven and we will see him a again.

Jim is survived by his mother, Muriel Lindeman; son, Aaron (Joanne) Lindeman; daughter Amy (Justin) Graham; grandchildren Colton and Abby Lindeman, Gavin and Landon Graham; brother Steve (Diann) Lindeman; sister Karen (John) Parizek; nephew and niece Kyle and Kristen Parizek; ex-wife Vicky Smith. He was preceded in death by his father Gerald Lindeman.

Funeral service will be at a later date.

Funeral Arrangements were entrusted to the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 222 Harriman Avenue North Amery, Wisconsin 54001.

Waneta (Waterman) Olson, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother was called home to our Lord on March 23, 2019.

Waneta was born on D December 13, 1934 in Clear L Lake Township to Harold a and Blanche (Hawkins) W Waterman. She graduated ffrom Clear Lake, Wisconssin High School in 1954.

O On September 3, 1954 she m married Ted Olson from D Deer Park, Wisconsin at the R Redeemer Lutheran Church iin Amery. She worked at a area restaurants and also at FabriTek in Amery. Later she won many awards as a sales representative for Home Interiors. She enjoyed many hobbies including golfing, bowling, and caring for her many flower gardens at home in Deer Park.

Waneta was a long time member of the United Methodist Church in Deer Park.

Left to celebrate her life is her husband Ted of 64 years. Children: Nila (Gary) Meyer, Gregg (Jill) Olson, Randy (Brenda) Olson, and Ricky Olson. Eight Grandchildren: Sean, Nicole, Brooke, Erica, Kelly, Morgan, Jessica, and Luke Olson. Eight great grandchildren and her brother Gale Waterman.

Waneta was preceded in death by her parents, Brother Harry, and granddaughter Krista Meyer.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 28th from 4-7pm at Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery. Funeral services will be on Friday March 29th at 11am at United Methodist Church in Deer Park with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Pallbearers are her grandchildren. A private interment will be held at a later date at the Calvary Cemetery in Deer Park. Memorials can be directed to Adoray Home Health Hospice or United Methodist Church in Deer Park.

To sign an online guestbook and view a video tribute please visit www.williamsonwhite.com Arrangements were made with the Williamson ~ White Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Amery, Wisconsin.

Paul Allan Olson Paul Allan Olson was born April 20, 1935 in Deronda, Wisconsin, to Ole and Borghild (Setter) Olson. On March 20, 2019, he passed away surrounded by his lloving family.

Paul graduated from A Amery High School on A August 14, 1959 and married G Gloria Caspersen soon after.

Together they raised two d daughters, Diane and Virg ginia, on their farm near D Dresser, WI. He enjoyed: • Dancing – especially the p polka and waltz • Fishing and hunting • Playing cards – Solitaire, 500 and occasionally cribbage, but not too often (he didn’t like losing to his wife).

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 41 years, Gloria, his brother Willard (Sally) Olson and Brother-in-Law Eugene Connors.

He is survived by his daughters Diane (David) Clifton of Luck, WI; Virginia (Thomas) O’Brien of Bay Village, OH; sister Betty Connors; six grandchildren: Jason Clifton, Michelle (Jeremy) Kenner, Scott (Sara) Clifton, Kathryn O’Brien, Hope O’Brien, and Andrew O’Brien; and six great grandchildren: Malachi Kenner, Jada Kenner, Elijah Kenner, Zechariah Kenner, Cedar Clifton, and Treg Clifton.

A small private gathering will take place at a later date.

The family asks that memorials be given to Hospice of St. Croix Valley, Parkinson’s Organization, or a charity of your choice.

Herman “Ted” Theodore Elmer Herman “Ted” Theodore Elmer, age 86, of Amery, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at the Amery Memory Care Center.

T was born on October 27, Ted 1 1932 to Herman and Emma ( (Wetzel) Elmer in Clayton, W Wisconsin.

He graduated f from Amery High School i 1951. He served in the in U United States Army and w honorably discharged was i 1955. He worked as a in q quality control inspector a Globe Tool & Manufacat t turing in Minneapolis and l later at McNally Industries i Grantsburg. He worked in as a part-time school bus driver in the Webster school district for several years in his retirement. He was united in marriage to his first wife, Marilyn Van Hyfte on May 29, 1954. Together they raised four children. They resided in Fridley, Minnesota until 1978, at which time they moved to their cabin in the Yellow Lake area. They were married for 50 years, until Marilyn passed away in September 2004.

Ted was united in marriage to Marian VanHyfte on June 24, 2006. They lived in the Yellow Lake area for several years and then relocated to Amery.

Ted enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, playing cards, dancing, and gardening. He also liked travelling and spending the winters in Texas. Ted was a member of the Webster Lions Club. He enjoyed driving the Lions/Wild River Boys car or one of his tractors in parades.

Ted was preceded in death by his wife Marilyn, his parents, and siblings Bernice Elmer, Ralph Elmer, Ardis Elmer, Evelyn Hamann, and Irene Simonson.

He is survived by his wife Marian; children Sharon (Harry) Kutzke, Vickie (Ray) Thorson, Bruce Elmer, and LeAnn Williamson; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sister and brother-in-law Viola and Perley Haugerud, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will take place at 11 am on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at Yellow Lake Lutheran Church, 7615 County Road U, Danbury, WI 54830. A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 pm on Friday, March 22, 2019 at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery.

A visitation will also be held the hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Burial will take place at a later date. To sign an online guest book and view a video tribute visit www.williamsonwhite.com.

Arrangements were made with the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Amery, WI.

AMERY

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MARCH 26, 2019

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CARD OF THANKS M heartfelt My h tf lt th thanks k tto all ll our relal tives and friends for the outpouring of sympathy and friendships during this difficult time.

Thanks also to the county emergency personnel as well as the local EMT’s for

TOWN OF LINCOLN SPRING ELECTION SAMPLE BALLOTS

th i promptt action. ti their God bless you all.

Lois Burri Armin “Duane” & Dianne Burri Jo Ann Burri

NOTICE OF SPRING ELECTION

LOCATION AND HOURS OF POLLING PLACES At the election to be held on April 2, 2019 in Polk County, the following polling place locations will be used for the municipalities indicated: ALL POLLING PLACES OPEN AT 7:00 A.M. AND CLOSE AT 8:00 P.M. Voters must be registered before they may vote. You may already be registered.

If you have any questions concerning your polling place, contact the municipal clerk.

All polling places are accessible to elderly and disabled voters.

CITY OF AMERY Voting at: Amery City Hall 118 Center St. W, Amery Patricia Bjorklund, Clerk, 715-268-7486

TOWN OF CLEAR LAKE Voting at: Clear Lake Town Hall 375 46th St., Clear Lake Janelle Johnson, Clerk, 715-948-2189

TOWN OF ALDEN Voting at: Alden Town Hall 183 155th St., Star Prairie Wanda Heffron, Clerk, 715-248-7859

TOWN OF GARFIELD Voting at: Garfield Town Hall 690 Minneapolis St., Wanderoos Sue Knutson, Clerk, 715-268-4414

TOWN OF APPLE RIVER Voting at: Apple River Town Hall 612 US Hwy. 8, Range Arlen Peterson, Clerk, 715-554-0441

TOWN OF LINCOLN Voting at: Lincoln Town Hall 661 85th St., Amery Stephanie Marciniak, Clerk, 715-268-4747

TOWN OF BEAVER Voting at: Beaver Town Hall 1541 Cty. Hwy. T, Turtle Lake Wendy Coleman, Clerk, 715-986-4725

TOWN OF VANCE CREEK Voting at: Vance Creek Town Hall 174 2nd Ave., Cty. Hwy. A, Reeve Glennis Lynch, Clerk, 715-455-1432 Marge Marlett, Deputy Clerk, 715-948-2670

TOWN OF BLACK BROOK Voting at: Black Brook Town Hall 99 75th St., Clear Lake Sally Pickard, Clerk, 715-268-2926 TOWN OF CLAYTON Voting at: Clayton Town Hall 462 105th Ave., Clayton Tracy LaBlanc, Clerk, 715-948-2564

VILLAGE OF CLAYTON Voting at: Municipal Building 133 Clayton Ave. East, Clayton Dave Fall, Clerk, 715-948-2460 VILLAGE OF CLEAR LAKE Voting at: Clear Lake Village Hall 350 4th Ave., Clear Lake Al Bannink, Clerk, 715-263-2157 WNAXLP

FAMILY DENTISTRY

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BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

David P. Doroff, D.D.S. James J. Lampi, D.D.S. Thomas P. VanSomeren, D.D.S. Amy G. Ott, D.D.S. 404 Wisconsin Ave. Amery, Wis. Phone 715-268-7177 www.amerydental.com

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Certified Public Accountant Accounting • Tax • Retirement Services 433 3rd Ave, Clear Lake, WI • (715) 263-4111 • OverbyFinancial.com 338 S Washington St, St. Croix Falls, WI • (715) 483-3782

Rollyn P. Lee, D.D.S. Heather Marks, D.D.S. 1030 River Place Drive, Amery Ph. 715-268-2103 www.river-place-dental.com

“We Are Always Accepting New Patients!”

215 S. Keller Ave. Amery, WI 54001 715-268-8101 www.theameryfreepress.com

Christopherson BYRNES LAW OFFICE Eye Clinic 123 Keller Ave. N, Amery, WI 54001 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

341 Keller Ave. N Amery, Wis. 54001 Phone 715-268-2020

715-268-5000

Brian D. Byrnes

Novitzke, Gust, Sempf, Whitley and Bergmanis Attorneys-at-Law

DON PAUL NOVITZKE (1937-2004) JASON W. WHITLEY GERALD N. GUST *ERIK M. BERGMANIS *TIMOTHY T. SEMPF 314 Keller Ave. N., Ste. 200, Amery, Wisconsin 54001 Phone 715-268-6130 *Licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Richard A. Davis, CPA Dirk A. Prindle, CPA Margo A. Rosen, CPA Roger Van Someren, CPA Abby L. Williamson, CPA Cathy A. Gille, CPA, MN Adam P. Honl, CPA Susan L. Hartman, CPA 301 Keller Ave. S, Amery WI Business: (715) 268-7999 Fax (715) 268-4161 www.carlsonsv.com

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PUBLIC NOTICES

MARCH 26, 2019

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Deadline for ad copy is Friday at noon MEETING NOTICE Amery Lakes Protection and Rehabilitation District The Amery Lakes Protection and Rehabilitation District Board will hold its quarterly meeting on April 9, 2019 in the Media Center (Library) of the Amery Public High School starting at 6:30 pm.

I. Call Meeting to Order II. Approval of Agenda, Minutes of August 14, 2018 meeting, Treasurer’s Report III. Public Input IV. Old Business V. New Business VI. Adjourn Steve Schieffer, Chair

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NOTICE OF OPEN BOOK AND BOARD OF REVIEW FOR THE TOWN OF GARFIELD Notice is hereby given that the Board of Review for the Town of Garfield, Polk County, shall hold its Open Book on Tuesday, April 9, from 7-9 p.m.

Board of Review will be from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at the Garfield Town Hall located in Wanderoos.

Please be advised of the following requirements to appear before the Board of Review if appearing before the Board.

No person shall be allowed to appear before the Board of Review, to testify to the Board by telephone or to contest the amount of any assessment of real or personal property if the person has refused a reasonable written request by certified mail of the Assessor to view such property.

After the first meeting of the Board of Review and before the Board’s final adjournment, no person who is scheduled to appear before the Board of Review may contact, or provide information to a member of the Board about the person’s objection except at a session of the Board.

No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board by telephone or contest the amount of assessment unless, at least 48 hours before the first meeting of the Board or at least 48 hours before the objection is heard if the objection is allowed because the person has been granted a waiver of the 48 hour notice of an intent to file a written objection by appearing before the Board during the first two hours of the meeting and showing good cause for failure to meet the 48-hour notice requirement and files a written objection, that the person provides to the Clerk of the Board of Review notice as to whether the person will ask for removal of any Board members and, if so, which member will be removed and the person’s reasonable estimate of the length of time that the hearing will take.

When appearing before the Board, the person must specify, in writing, the person’s estimate of the value of the land and of the improvements that are the subject of the person’s objection and specify the information that the person used to arrive at the estimate.

No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board by telephone or subject or object to a valuation; if that valuation was made by the Assessor or the Objector using the income method; unless the person supplies the Assessor all the information about income and expenses, as specified in the manual under Sec. 73.03(2a), that the Assessor requests. The information provided under this paragraph, unless a court determined that it is inaccurate, is not subject to the right of inspection and copying under Sec. 19.35(1) of Wis. Statutes.

The Board shall hear upon oath, by telephone, all ill or disabled persons who present to the Board a letter from a physician, surgeon or osteopath that confirms their illness or disability. No other persons may testify by telephone.

Village of Clayton Of¿cial Ballot Nonpartisan Of¿ce April 2, 2019 Notice to Voters: If you are voting on Election Day, your ballot must be initialed by two election inspectors. If you are voting absentee, your ballot must be initialed by the municipal clerk or deputy clerk. Your ballot may not be counted without initials. (See back of ballot for initials.)

Instructions to Voters If you make a mistake on your ballot or have a question, ask an election inspector for help. (Absentee Voters: Contact your municipal clerk.)

To vote for a name on the ballot, make an “X” or other mark in the square next to the name, like this: T To vote for a name that is not on the ballot, write the name on the line marked “write-in.”

Village President Vote for 1

Jennifer Bergmann Joseph C. Berghammer

write-in: __________________________________ _____

Gary Piasecki Cris Casarez Karrie e Drinkman Travis Krueger Donald E. Kittelson Shawn P. Schradle Schr

write-in: w it in: __________________________________ ____ write-in: w -i _ __________________________________ write-in: in __________________________________

WNAXLP

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Village of Clear Lake Sealed bids for Old Circle C Property Sewer & Water Extension will be received by the Village of Clear Lake, Village Clerk, at the Village Hall, 350 4th Avenue, Clear Lake, WI 54005, by 10:00 a.m., local time, April 4, 2019, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud.

The work, in general, will include the approximate quantities and items listed below: 8” Sanitary Sewer & Appurtenances 300 lf 8” Watermain & Appurtenances 325 lf Common Excavation 200 cy Granular Subbase 100 cy Crushed Aggregate Base 130 cy Hot Mix Asphalt, 4” 320 sy Traffic Control 1 ls Televising 300 lf Restoration 500 sy The proposals shall be submitted on the forms furnished with the specifications. Each proposal shall be accompanied by a certified check payable to the owner equal to five percent (5%) of the proposal or a bid bond of a bonding company duly authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the proposal. This proposal guarantee shall be subject to forfeiture as provided by law.

Complete digital project bidding documents are available at www.cedarcorp.com. You may download the digital plan documents for $30.00 (Quest eBidDoc #6190444). Please contact QuestCDN.com at 952-233-1632 or info@ questcdn.com for assistance in free membership registration, downloading, and working with this digital project information. An optional paper set of project documents is also available from Docunet Corporation. Contact Docunet at 763- 475-9600 for pricing and instructions to obtain a paper copy. Please make your check payable to Docunet Corporation and send it to 2435 Xenium Lane North, Plymouth, MN 55441.

Respectfully submitted, Town of Garfield, Sue Knutson, Clerk

Proposals shall not be withdrawn for a period of 90 days after the date of opening. The Village of Clear Lake reserves the right to reject any or all of the proposals and to waive any informalities therein.

Notice is hereby given this 26th day of March 2019 by

Dates of Publication: March 19th and 26th, 2019

Sue Knutson, Clerk Town of Garfield WNAXLP

Notice is hereby given that the “Open Book” for the review of the Assessment Roll for the Village of Clear Lake of Polk County shall be April 11, 2019 from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M. at the Clear Lake Municipal Building (350 4th Avenue). The Assessor will be present during this time period.

The assessment roll may also be examined during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at the village office (350 4th Avenue). Instructional material is also available to persons wishing to object to their assessment.

Albert Bannink Village Clerk Village of Clear Lake WNAXLP

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Village Trustee Vote for not more than an 3

NOTICE OF “OPEN BOOK” FOR ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR THE VILLAGE OF CLEAR LAKE

By Authority of: Al Bannink, Village Clerk WNAXLP

NOTICE OPEN BOOK & BOARD OF REVIEW TOWNSHIP OF CLEAR LAKE THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2019 OPEN BOOK 7 - 9 P.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019 BOARD OF REVIEW 3:30-5:30 P.M. AT THE TOWN HALL 375 46TH ST. (GOLF DRIVE), CLEAR LAKE, WI Please be advised of the following requirements to appear before the Board of Review & procedural requirements if appearing before the Board: No person shall be allowed to appear before the Board of Review, to testify to the board by telephone or to contest the amount of any assessment of real or personal property if the person has refused a reasonable written request by certified mail or the Assessor to view such property.

After the first meeting of the Board of Review & before the Board’s final adjournment, no person who is scheduled to appear before the Board of Review may contact, or provide information to, a member of the Board about the person’s objection except at a session of the Board.

No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board by telephone or contest the amount of assessment unless, at least 48 hours before the first meeting of the Board or at least 48 hours before the objection is heard if the objection is allowed because the person has been granted a waiver of the 48-hour notice of intent to file a written objection by appearing before the Board during the first two hours of the meeting & showing good cause for failure to meet the 48-hour notice requirement & files a written objection, that the person provide to the clerk of the Board of Review notice as to whether the person will ask for removal of any Board members &, if so, which member will be removed & the person’s reasonable estimate of the length of time that the hearing will take.

When appearing before the Board, the person shall specify, in writing, the person’s estimate of the value of the land & of the improvements that are the subject of the person’s objection & specify the information that the person used to arrive at the estimate.

No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board by telephone or subject or object to a valuation; if that valuation was made by the Assessor or the Objector using the income method; unless the person supplies the Assessor all of the information about income & expense, as specified in the manual under Sec. 73.03(2a), that the Assessor requests. The Town of Clear Lake has an ordinance for the confidentiality of information about income & expenses that is provided to the Assessor under this paragraph which provides exemption for persons using information in the discharge of duties imposed by law or of the duties of their office or by order of a court determined that it is inaccurate, is not subject to the right of inspection & copying under Section 19.35(1) of Wis. Stats.

The Board shall hear upon oath, by telephone, all ill or disabled persons who present to the Board a letter from a physician, surgeon or osteopath that confirms their illness or disability.

Notice is hereby given this 11th day of March 2019 by Janelle M. Johnson, Clerk Town of Clear Lake WNAXLP

PUBLIC NOTICES

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CITY OF AMERY NOTICE OF SPRING ELECTION AND SAMPLE BALLOTS APRIL 2, 2019

OFFICE OF THE POLK COUNTY CLERK TO THE VOTERS OF POLK COUNTY: Notice is hereby given of a spring election to be held in Polk County, Wisconsin on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at which the ofÂżcers named below shall be chosen. The names of the candidates for each ofÂżce to be voted for, whose nominations have been certiÂżed to or Âżled in this ofÂżce, are given under the title of the ofÂżce, each in its proper column, together with the questions submitted to a vote, for a referendum, if any, in the sample ballot below.

Information to Voters Upon entering the polling place, a voter shall state his or her name and address, show an acceptable form of photo identiÂżcation and sign the poll book before being permitted to vote. If a voter does not have acceptable photo identiÂżcation the voter may obtain a free photo ID for voting from the Division of Motor Vehicles. If a voter is not registered to vote, a voter may register to vote at the polling place serving his or her residence, if the voter presents proof of residence in a form speciÂżed by law. Where ballots are distributed to voters, the initials of two inspectors must appear on the ballot. Upon being permitted to vote, the voter shall retire alone to a voting booth and cast his or her ballot except that a voter who is a parent or guardian may be accompanied by the voter's minor child or minor ward. An election ofÂżcial may inform the voter of the proper manner for casting a vote, but the ofÂżcial may not in any manner advise or indicate a particular voting choice.

Where Paper Ballots are Used The voter shall make a mark (X) in the square next to the name of the candidate of his or her choice for each ofÂżce for which he or she intends to vote. To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall write in the name of the person of his or her choice in the space provided for a write-in vote. On referendum questions, the voter shall make a mark (X) in the square next to "yes" if in favor of the question, or the voter shall make a mark (X) in the square next to "no" if opposed to the question.

Where Optical Scan Voting is Used The voter shall Âżll in the oval or connect the arrow next to the name of the candidate of his or her choice for each ofÂżce for which he or she intends to vote. To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall write in the name of the person of his or her choice in the space provided for a write-in vote and Âżll in the oval or connect the arrow next to the writein line. On referendum questions, the voter shall Âżll in the oval or connect the arrow next to "yes" if in favor of the question, or the voter shall Âżll in the oval or connect the arrow next to "no" if opposed to the question.

Where Touch Screen Voting is Used The voter shall touch the screen at the name of the candidate of his or her choice for each ofÂżce for which he or she intends to vote. To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall type in the name of the person of his or her choice in the space provided for a write-in vote. On referendum questions, the voter shall touch the screen at "yes" if in favor of the question, or the voter shall touch the screen at "no" if opposed to the question.

The vote should not be cast in any other manner. Not more than Âżve minutes' time shall be allowed inside a voting booth. Sample ballots or other materials to assist the voter in casting his or her vote may be taken into the booth and copied. The sample ballot shall not be shown to anyone so as to reveal how the ballot is marked.

Spoiled Ballot If the voter spoils a paper or optical scan ballot, he or she shall return it to an election ofÂżcial who shall issue another ballot in its place, but not more than three ballots shall be issued to any one voter. If the ballot has not been initialed by two inspectors or is defective in any other way, the voter shall return it to the election ofÂżcial, who shall issue a proper ballot in its place.

The voter may spoil a touch screen ballot at the voting station before the ballot is cast.

After Voting the Ballot After an ofÂżcial paper ballot is marked, it shall be folded so the inside marks do not show, but so the printed endorsements and inspectors' initials on the outside do show. The voter shall leave the booth, deposit the ballot in the ballot box, or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit, and shall leave the polling place promptly.

After an ofÂżcial optical scan ballot is marked, it shall be inserted in the security sleeve, so the marks do not show. After casting his or her vote, the voter shall leave the booth, insert the ballot in the voting device and discard the sleeve, or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit. If a central count system is used, the voter shall insert the ballot in the ballot box and discard the sleeve or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit. The voter shall leave the polling place promptly.

After an ofÂżcial touch screen ballot is cast, the voter shall leave the polling place promptly.

A voter may select an individual to assist in casting his or her vote if the voter declares to the presiding ofÂżcial that he or she is unable to read, has difÂżculty reading, writing or understanding English or that due to disability is unable to cast his or her ballot. The selected individual rendering assistance may not be the voter's employer or an agent of that employer or an ofÂżcer or agent of a labor organization which represents the voter.

The following is a sample of the ofÂżcial ballot: Sharon E. Jorgenson, Polk County Clerk

Platbooks are available at the Amery Free Press TOWN OF VANCE CREEK SPRING ELECTION SAMPLE BALLOT

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PUBLIC NOTICES

MARCH 26, 2019

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SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AMERY Amery, Wisconsin 54001 NOTICE FOR ELECTION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

Official Ballot Nonpartisan Office TOWN OF BLACK BROOK April 2, 2019 Notice to Voters: If you are voting on Election Day, your ballot must be initialed by two election inspectors. If you are voting absentee, your ballot must be initialed by the municipal clerk or deputy clerk. Your ballot may not be counted without initials. (See back of ballot for initials.)

Instructions to Voters If you make a mistake on your ballot or have a question, ask an election inspector for help.

(Absentee Voters: Contact your municipal clerk.)

To vote for a name on the ballot, make an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Xâ&#x20AC;? or other mark in the square next to the name, like this: 7 To vote for a name that is not on the ballot, write the name on the line marked â&#x20AC;&#x153;write-in.â&#x20AC;?

Town Board Chairperson Vote for 1

Town Treasurer Vote for 1

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CHARLIE BARNEY

CINDY NELSON

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write-in: __________________________________

write-in: _______________________________

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the qualiÂżed electors of the School District of Amery that on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, an election of school board members will be held.

Electors will vote in their regular polling places. The polls will open at 7:00 A.M. and close at 8:00 P.M. unless different hours have been established in the individual municipality.

The voters will select three candidates to Âżll the expired terms of Erin Hosking, Dale Johnson, and Chelsea Whitley. The names of the candidates will appear on the ballot in the following order: Dale Johnson Emilie Bremness Erin Hosking Chelsea Whitley Dated this 26th day of March, 2019.

Dale Johnson, District Clerk School District of Amery

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Town Board Supervisor 1 Vote for 1

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GEORGE FOWLER

write-in: __________________________________

Town Board Supervisor 2 Vote for 1

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ERIK HENNINGSGARD

write-in: __________________________________

Town Clerk Vote for 1

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SALLY PICKARD

write-in: __________________________________

EL-218-2019 | Paper Spring Election Ballot for Town Offices with numbered seats (Rev.2018-12)

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Contact us to renew your subscription at 715-268-8101 or dstangl@theameryfreepress.com

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OFFICIAL TOWN BALLOT

FOR

Town of Alden Tuesday, April 2, 2019

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NOTICE TO ELECTORS: THIS BALLOT MAY BE INVALID UNLESS INITIALED BY TWO (2) ELECTION INSPECTORS IF CAST AS AN ABSENTEE BALLOT, THE BALLOT MUST BEAR THE INITIALS OF THE MUNICIPAL CLERK OR DEPUTY CLERK. To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot, make a cross (X) in the square at the RIGHT of the name of the person for whom you desire to vote. To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, write the name in the blank space provided for that purpose.

TOWN BOARD CHAIRPERSON VOTE FOR 1

KEITH KARPENSKI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WRITE-IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TOWN BOARD SUPERVISOR

TED JOHNSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN 2

GREG FROST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WRITE-IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WRITE-IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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PUBLIC NOTICES

AMERY FREE PRESS

AMERY FREE PRESS

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AGENDA

A subscription to the Free Press makes a great gift!

Apple River Protection and Rehabilitation District (ARPRD) Board of Commissioners’ Meeting Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. • Amery Public Library Conference Room • Amery, WI

Town of Gar¿eld

Of¿cial Ballot Nonpartisan Of¿ce April 2, 2019

Notice to Voters: If you are voting on Election Day, your ballot must be initialed by two election inspectors. If you are voting absentee, your ballot must be initialed by the municipal clerk or deputy clerk. Your ballot may not be counted without initials. (See end of ballot for initials.)

IMPORTANT: It is recommended to use an of¿cial ballot marking pen available at your polling place or a #2 pencil.

1. Call to Order/Set the Agenda/Recognize Official Notice of the Meeting in Amery Free Press 2. Members Present 3. Reports: a. Approval of the Minutes from July 21, 2018 b. Approval of the Treasurer’s Report 4. Action Items: a. Update on awarded grants for 2018 1. Clean Boats/ Clean Water 2. Healthy Lakes Projects b. Update on grant applications for 2019 1. Clean Boats/ Clean Water

submitted-approved 2. Healthy Lakes Projects c. 2019 Weed Harvesting Permit approved d. Approval of Audit Committee’s 2018 Final Report e. Update on Payroll Management for 2019 - Workman’s Compensation - Insurance on Equipment f. Other business-set date for summer meeting 5. Concerns 6. Positive Points 7. Adjournment

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Official Ballot

Town of Clayton Nonpartisan Office April 2, 2019 Notice to Voters: If you are voting on Election Day, your ballot must be initialed by two election inspectors. If you are voting absentee, your ballot must be initialed by the municipal clerk or deputy clerk. Your ballot may not be counted without initials. (See back of ballot for initials.)

Instructions to Voters: If you make a mistake on your ballot or have a question, ask an election inspector for help.

(Absentee Voters: Contact your municipal clerk.)

SA

To vote for a name on the ballot, make an “X” or other mark in the square next to the name, like this: To vote for a name that is not on the ballot, write the name on the line marked “write-in.”

Town Board Chairperson Vote for 1

Town Treasurer Vote for 1

William Vanda (Bill)

Deborah Elmer

write-in: ________________________________

write-in: _____________________________

Town Board Supervisor Vote for 2

Town Clerk Vote for 1

Arling L. “Ole” Olson Roger Olson

Tracy LaBlanc

write-in: _____________________________

Write-in:_________________________________

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VILLAGE OF CLEAR LAKE

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PHONE: 715-268-8101 | FAX: 715-268-5300

22A AMERY FREE PRESS

MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

Golden Age Manor in Amery, WI would like you on our team!

Dietician–Consultant Golden Age Manor is currently seeking a consultant Registered Dietician to complete required assessments and oversight to residents and Dietary Department consistent with state and federal regulations.

Approximately 8-15 hours per week Call Dana Reese at 715-268-7107 for more information

LPN - PM SHIFT 2:30pm-10:45pm Part Time Benefit Eligible, including every other weekend. 8 shifts scheduled every two weeks

We welcome new graduates!

As a Polk County Employee this position offers a comprehensive benefit package, including participation in the Wisconsin Retirement program for government employees and optional health, dental and vision insurance. Polk County promotes the health and well-being of their employees with opportunities to support your level of involvement in a Worksite Wellness Program.

Deadline to apply online: 4/1/2019

You must complete an on-line application to be eligible. For complete job description, position requirements, application, and details please visit our website at www.co.polk.wi.us, Employment Opportunities. AA/EEOC

HELP WANTED PART-TIME WAREHOUSE DELIVERY includes weekends Must be 16 years old or older Apply in person

900 Keller Ave. S • Amery

HELP WANTED

Town of Cylon in St. Croix County is looking for people who may be interested in the position of Town Clerk and/or Town Treasurer (appointed) For information and job descriptions or to send resume/applications contact: Randall Zemke 2308 200th Ave, Deer Park, WI 54007 715-269-5599

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College New Richmond Campus

MulƟple PosiƟons Available!!

Experienced Dairy Maint. Tech Make Room Cheese Cleaning Brine Wages start at $14-$16 hourly $1.50 Night ShiŌ DiīerenƟal!

1.5x pay on Sunday Work FT hours in just 3-4 shiŌs per week!

Work is physical and involves liŌing of 25 lbs conƟnuously throughout the shiŌ.

Must be dependable and work well in a team environment.

Why work for us?

• Be a part of a team that makes some of the best cheese in the world!

• Comprehensive beneĮt package • Great vacaƟon plan • ReƟrement plan with company contribuƟon • OpportuniƟes for growth • A history of stability and security – no layoīs or downsizing!

To apply, please visit

www.LakeCountryDairy.jobs or stop by and Įll out an applicaƟon!

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College New Richmond Campus

WITC is seeking a learning-focused, creative and dynamic candidates for a full-time instructor. The Automated Packaging Systems Technician program provides training in servicing and repairing a wide variety of packaging equipment and automated systems. Emphasis is on the maintenance and troubleshooting of electrical, mechanical, and fluid power components on packaging equipment including industrial computer controls and programmable logic controllers.

For a complete job description, list of qualifications, and to apply: Visit our website at: https://www.witc.edu/about-witc/employment

Veterinarian Technician Instructor

NOW HIRING!!!

Automated Packaging Systems Technician Instructor

WITC is seeking a learning-focused, creative and dynamic individual to teach in the Veterinarian Technician program at the New Richmond Campus. An instructor’s primary purpose is to design instruction and assessment in an engaging environment to foster learner success. An instructor continually improves the overall quality in the delivery of learning to support the achievement of College outcomes and priorities utilizing evidence to support decision-making.

For a complete job description, list of qualifications, and to apply: Visit our website at: https://www.witc.edu/about-witc/employment

Deadline to apply: April 8, 2019 WITC is an Equal Opportunity/Access/ Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer and Educator TTY 711

Deadline to apply: April 8, 2019 WITC is an Equal Opportunity/Access/ Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer and Educator TTY 711

Driver’s Education Instructors Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Rice Lake Areas

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is seeking candidates who are learning-focused, creative and dynamic individuals to teach Drivers Education courses part-time in the Rice Lake areas.

Applications are being accepted from qualified candidates who would like to work on a casual or as-needed basis.

For a complete job description, list of qualifications, and to apply: Visit our website at: https://www.witc.edu/about-witc/employment

Deadline to apply: April 12, 2019 WITC is an Equal Opportunity/Access/ Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer and Educator TTY 711

Human Services Associate Instructor

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Rice Lake Campus

Applications are currently being accepted from learningfocused, creative and dynamic candidates for a fulltime Human Services Associate Instructor at our Rice Lake Campus. The Human Services Associate Instructor will prepare students to assist professionals in areas such as human services, substance abuse counseling, social work, rehabilitation, and related fields.

For a complete job description, list of qualifications, and to apply: Visit our website at: https://www.witc.edu/about-witc/employment

Deadline to apply: April 3, 2019 WITC is an Equal Opportunity/Access/ Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer and Educator TTY 711

Driver’s Education Instructors Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College New Richmond & Hudson Areas

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is seeking candidates who are learning-focused, creative and dynamic individuals to teach Drivers Education courses part-time in the New Richmond and Hudson areas. Applications are being accepted from qualified candidates who would like to work on a casual or as-needed basis.

For a complete job description, list of qualifications, and to apply: Visit our website at: https://www.witc.edu/about-witc/employment

Deadline to apply: April 12, 2019

Lake Country Dairy AƩn: Human Resources 458 Western Boulevard | Turtle Lake, WI 54889

WITC is an Equal Opportunity/Access/ Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer and Educator

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

TTY 711

Check us out online: www.theameryfreepress.com

CLASSIFIEDS

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

23A

www.theameryfreepress.com

To place a help wanted ad: We love to hear from our subscribers, advertisers and readers. Here are the many ways you can contact us: Mail: Amery Free Press, Box 424, Amery, WI 54001 Phone: 715-268-8101 FAX: 715-268-5300 Email: Tom Stangl: tstangl@ theameryfreepress.com April Ziemer: editor@ theameryfreepress.com Pam Humpal: phumpal@ theameryfreepress.com Tera Anderson: classifieds@ theameryfreepress.com Diane Stangl: dstangl@ theameryfreepress.com Nicole Gagner: ngagner@ theameryfreepress.com

HELP WANTED

Our office is located at 215 Keller Ave. S. We are open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Monday - Friday

Call Tera at 715-268-8101 or email classifieds@theameryfreepress.com Subscribe to the . . .

Read the

AMERY

DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR A NATIONAL AWARD WINNING CONSTRUCTION COMPANY?

ONLINE! All print subscriptions include FREE online access

www.theameryfreepress.com

Want to subscribe? Have a question?

Lindus Construction is now hiring!

Call 715-268-8101

Are you looking to grow with a company that is reputable? Lindus Construction, Inc. has been around for over 40 years and is currently seeking highly motivated individuals with carpentry skills to fill several positions within our organization due to continued growth.

or email dstangl@theameryfreepress.com

We offer a wide variety of benefits along with a company vehicle and gas for each crew. For more information and to apply on-line for the positions available, duties/requirements assigned to each position and to view our extensive benefit package.

Go to www.lindusconstruction.com and view our Career section at the bottom of the page.

You can also email resumes to employment@lindusco.com or fill out an application at 879 Hwy 63, Baldwin, WI. NO PHONE CALLS.

Polk County oīers careers that maƩer!

We cannot funcƟon without great employees—talented, caring professionals

Seasonal Laborer (Parks and Highway posiƟons) May through August/September - Non-Exempt PosiƟon Work full-Ɵme, dayƟme hours throughout the summer season, performing skilled operaƟon of motorized equipment used in the construcƟon, repair and maintenance of County highways, parks and trails, and buildings and grounds. A combinaƟon of common physical labor and some vehicle and equipment operaƟon.

Requires a valid state driver license.

Open unƟl FILLED CorrecƟons Oĸcer

Law Enforcement—JusƟce Center

Non-Exempt PosiƟon

StarƟng: $20.85

Responsible for providing care, custody and the detenƟon of male and female inmates in the Jail; providing a posiƟve rehabilitaƟve inŇuence to all inmates; insuring compliance with all applicable state and federal laws; and acƟng within the policies and procedures of the Polk County Jail. Polk County will provide complete training, including 6 week Basic Jailer CerƟĮcaƟon program to successful candidate Open unƟl FILLED

Lindus Construction is an equal opportunity employer.

Custodian (Full Time BeneĮts) Government Center Full-Ɵme/Non-Exempt PosiƟon StarƟng: $13.33 (PLUS 40۠ hour shiŌ diīerenƟal) Monday—Friday 2nd shiŌ Scheduling 40 hours/week Performs a variety of janitorial and custodial tasks to maintain clean and safe buildings and grounds. Related experience in preferred; but we will train the right candidate with strong competencies in customer service, integrity and accountability.

Opened unƟl FILLED Seasonal Laborer Recycling Center St. Croix Falls Immediate Opportunity Non-Exempt PosiƟon

Come make a difference in someone’s life!

Amery Memory Care is now accepting applications to join our team!

CSR Now accepting applications for a PT customer service representative.

We are looking for a friendly individual who can multitask by assisting with answering the telephone, distributing mail, greeting visitors and completing assigned clerical duties.

Interested applicants please stop in and speak with Amber or Michelle.

Work full-Ɵme, dayƟme hours Monday through Friday, performing general labor and skilled operaƟon of motorized equipment at our Recycling Center. This is a combinaƟon of common physical labor and some vehicle and equipment operaƟon.

Requires a valid state driver license.

OPEN unƟl FILLED AdministraƟve Assistant: Level 4 Government Center Full-Ɵme/Non-Exempt PosiƟon DOQ This clerical/technical posiƟon responsible for providing administraƟve support to the administraƟve and Įnance funcƟons of the Department of AdministraƟon. Primary responsibiliƟes include maintaining accurate accounƟng records of receipts and disbursements within the county. DuƟes include a variety of mulƟfaceted clerical and technical tasks. Minimum qualiĮcaƟons include an Associate’s degree in business administraƟon or accounƟng, 3 years experience in administraƟve support, bookkeeping, accounƟng or related assignments. An equivalent combinaƟon of EducaƟon/Experience, Skills and AbiliƟes may be considered.

Deadline to apply: April 9, 2019

215 Birch St. W | Amery, WI | 715-268-4800

YOU MUST COMPLETE AN ON-LINE APPLICATION TO BE ELIGIBLE. For complete job descripƟon, posiƟon requirements, applicaƟon, and details please visit our website at www.co.polk.wi.us, Employment OpportuniƟes. AA/EEOC

24A AMERY FREE PRESS

CLASSIFIEDS

MARCH 26, 2019

www.theameryfreepress.com

FOR MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES check out the Amery Free Press pages of the Tab Your Future Starts Here

POLK COUNTY MANUFACTURING PLATBOOKS FULL-TIME POSITIONS $42.00 Starting Pay - $18.05/hr with an increase to $20.05/hr - $22.20/hr within 120 days

Excellent Benefit Package includes: Medical, Dental/Vision, Life Insurance, Short Term Disability, Paid Holidays, Paid Time Off, and Other Incentives Work rotating shifts of 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. / 2 p.m. – 10 p.m. / 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.

Must be available all hours including weekends, if needed.

each

We love to hear from our subscribers, advertisers and readers. Here are the many ways you can contact us: Mail: Amery Free Press, Box 424, Amery, WI 54001

at the Amery Free Press

Phone: 715-268-8101 FAX: 715-268-5300

www.afpllc.com

Apply Online at Click on Careers > Job Postings > Full Time Production Work

Clear Lake, Wisconsin Equal Opportunity Employer

GIFT IDEA Divine Rehabilitation

Polk County Platbooks available at the Amery Free Press

& Nursing at St. Croix

NOW HIRING

CNAs, RNs, LPNs (all shifts)

Come make a difference in someone’s life!

Pickard Trucking, Inc.

CALL OR STOP IN FOR APPLICATION 750 E Louisiana St. • St. Croix Falls 715-483-9815 $1000 sign on Bonus for CNAs $1500 sign on Bonus for RN/LPNs

Milk Truck Driver Position Full & Part Time Must have a Class A drivers’ license and tanker endorsement.

Prefer tanker experience but not required. Clean driving record– Meet DOT requirements and pass drug test.

Call Bill or Mike for details 651-247-3216 or 651-247-3214

Equal Opportunity Employer

Amery Memory Care is now accepting applications to join our team!

RESIDENT CARE COORDINATORS (Resident Caregivers) Now accepting applications for FT and PT positions on the PM (2-10:30p.m.) shift and the NOC (10:00p.m.-6:30a.m) shift.

On Call positions available for the AM (6:00a.m.-2:30p.m.) shift.

Please speak to Amber for more information.

1ST AND 2ND SHIFT PRODUCTION 3RD SHIFT SANITATION

RESIDENT CARE COORDINATORS 3

MAINTENANCE

(Medication Passers)

Competitive Employee Benefit Package Includes

Now accepting applications for FT and PT positions on the PM (2-10:30p.m.) shift and the NOC (10:00p.m.-6:30a.m) shift.

On Call positions available for the AM (6:00a.m.-2:30p.m.) shift.

Please speak to Amber for more information.

COOK/DIETARY AIDE

Now accepting applications for a PT/FT cook/dietary aide position including every other weekend.

Please speak to Sandi for more information.

LE ASSISTANT

Now accepting applications for a PT activity assistant position that includes 3 evenings and every other weekend.

Please speak to Julie for more information.

MEDICAL, DENTAL, 401k

G N I IR

H W NO

Apply today at our office:

ONE SNACK LANE, MINONG, WI or call Human Resources at 715.466.2234 for more information.

215 Birch St. W | Amery, WI | 715-268-4800

EEO/AA Employer M/F/D/V | VEVRAA Federal Contractor

AMERY

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

1B

Educators leave a legacy at Amery schools

BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

It has been said that a mediocre teacher tells, a good teacher explains, and a superior teacher demonstrates. A great teacher inspires. Hundreds of Amery students of been inspired throughout the years by four great teachers who together have a total of 137 years of education under their belts and are now moving on to the next phase in their lives.

Retirements have recently been announced for Laura Badman, Wendy Kendzior, JoNell Leadholm and Cathy Loverude. All four instructors have been with the School district of Amery for a combined total of 112 years and will be greatly missed by students, staff and administration. “Thanks to all of them for their years of service. It is an incredible accomplishment and a real testament to the district,” said board member Char Glenna.

Lien Elementary School Principal Cheryl Meyer said, “All four of them have worked in the Elementary School and have touched the lives of many children in our district. We as an administrative team are extremely proud to have the caliber of these teachers in our district. The Amery School District staff, students and community have benefited by the work of these four individuals. Each one of them have been extremely dedicated to their profession and have served our district in different ways: Mrs. Badman as a music

instructor, Mrs. Kendzior as a special education instructor, Mrs. Loverude as a kindergarten teacher and Mrs. Leadholm as a media specialist and now

Badman

Braatz

er affects eternity; she can never tell where her influence stops.”

Laura Badman has been teaching for 35 years, 19 of which have been in

Kendzior

Leadholm

Loverude

kindergarten teacher. As an adminisAmery as a music instructor. Badman’s trative team we believe they are leaving favorite memories include directing behind a legacy, each for a different nine musicals. Badman said she is lookreason. However, they ing forward to, “Grandchilall have many excellent dren, family time and life traits and characteristics without an alarm clock.” in common; their deep Wendy Kendzior has been knowledge and passion a teacher in Amery for 31 for their subject matter, years in Amery, and teachtheir strong work ethic, ing for 33 years overall. She high expectations for has enjoyed watching chilall students and most of dren grow and succeed. She all, their ability to build is looking forward to family caring relationships time and outdoor activities. with the students they JoNell Leadholm has work with daily. All four spent 31 out of her 35 years of these ladies will be teaching in Amery. She said missed greatly. They she is looking forward to, Char Glenna have impacted several “Reading writing, travBoard Member hundred children in eling and volunteering.” their careers.” Meyer then used the She shared her favorite memories are, words of Henry Adams to describe the “Planning events that connect kids, four women by saying, “A good teachBarn dances, hosting Minneapolis

‘Thanks to all of them for their years of service.

It is an incredible accomplishment and a real testament to the district.’

Children’s Theatre Company, reading with kids and train rides from Amery to Wanderoos.”

Cathy Loverude has been a teacher for 34 years and all but one has been spent teaching in Amery. Loverude is looking forward to traveling, grandchildren, volunteering and quilting.

She said her favorite memories are, “Teaching children whose parents I also taught, as well as being picked up

by Principal Foy when getting stuck in my driveway.”

Also retiring from the district office is Paulette Braatz. “I have worked for the School District of Amery since December 28, 1987. If my math is correct, it will 31.5 years at the end of June 2019 when I retire. Prior to that, I was a teacher at the School District of Beaver Dam from 1971-1985,” said Braatz.

When asked what part of retirement she is looking forward to, she replied, “Not having to worry about the alarm clock or payroll during ice storms and just taking life a lot easier.”

Amery Free Press can fax your documents for you!

DESIGNED BY

DESIGNED BY

Eden Nysted

Maxx Harris

Clear Lake Elementary School

Amery Intermediate School

2B MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS www.theameryfreepress.com

COOKING WORLD Tidbit: A person who ceases to b a friend, never was one. (Greek be p proverb) Carolyn Lumsden 715-483-9738

This meatloaf recipe was from a celebrity of years past, Ann Landers.

ANN LANDERS MEAT LOAF Combine all and put into 5x9” loaf pan: 2 pounds ground beef, lean 2 eggs 1-1/2 c. bread crumbs 3/4 c. ketchup 1 tsp. accent 1/2 c. warm water 1 pkg. onion soup mix Put on top of the meatloaf: 2 strips bacon Combine and put over bacon: 1/4 c. ketchup 3 T. brown sugar 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. dry mustard Bake at 350˚for about 1 hour or until done. Serves 4-6.

Hint: If you have leftover meatloaf, it would make delicious sandwiches or a meatloaf hot sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy.

This makes a tasty salad for any occasion or meal. It has a unique texture and taste.

WISCONSIN WILD RICE FRUIT SALAD You will need 1 cup of cooked wild rice.

Combine: 1/2 c. milk 1 c. sour cream Mix in for about 45 seconds: 1 pkg. (3-1/2 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix Fold in: 1 c. fresh strawberries, quartered 1 c. grapes, quartered (red, green or purple or combo) 1 c. blueberries 1 c. cooked wild rice 1 c. drained pineapple tidbits Put into bowl or individual dessert dishes. Refrigerate until cold.

Makes about 12 servings, 1/2 c. each. Hint: If you don’t like blueberries, use drained mandarin oranges or fruit of your choice.

3 c. flour 3 tsp. baking powder Put into lined muffin cups (or greased/sprayed muffin cups) and bake at 350˚ for 20 minutes. Don’t brown them. Makes about 3 dozen muffins. Put on wire rack after removing from oven and ice while hot.

Put the icing below, on top of hot muffins by combining: 2 T. milk 2 T. melted butter 1 T. orange extract 2 c. powdered sugar If you don’t have a favorite tuna hot dish, try this easy one. Begin by cooking, according to directions to partially cook, enough macaroni rings to make 1 c. cooked.

TUNA HOT DISH Combine well: 1 can cream of chicken soup 3 eggs Add and combine: 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 c. celery, chopped 3 sliced dry bread, cut up into small pieces 1 c. partly cooked macaroni rings, drained 1 can tuna Put mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with some crushed potato chips or corn flakes. Bake at 325˚ for 1 hour. Serves about 4.

Tips: When you’re making potato salad, add the dressing to the warm potatoes. It will absorb into the potatoes better.

Before squeezing a lemon, microwave it for 15 seconds and then squeeze.

You will get more juice Need a High from the lemon.

When frying sausage patties, roll them in flour. They won’t split open when frying.

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Mail: Amery Free Press, Box 424, Amery, WI 54001

Call

Fall Electric Clear Lake

715-263-2121

Phone: 715-268-8101 FAX: 715-268-5300

WEDNESDAY

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

These peanut butter cookies will be enjoyed by anyone who likes peanut butter.

PRAIRIE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES Mix together well: 1 c. melted butter (or could use oil if you wish) 1 c. peanut butter 1 c. sugar 1 c. brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 eggs Combine and add: 2-1/2 c. flour 1-1/2 tsp. soda Add and combine: 1 c. salted peanuts Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 375˚ for about 8 minutes or until beginning to brown nicely.

We love to hear from our subscribers, advertisers and readers. Here are the many ways you can contact us:

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

27

28

29

8 am Coffee Club* 9 am Silver Foxes* 12:30 pm Bridge* 1 pm Cribbage* 6-8 pm Pickleball-Open Gym at the High School

8 am Coffee Club* 9 am Circle of Sisters* 9 am Pool* 12:30 pm Knitting & Crocheting* 1 pm Hand & Foot* 6:30 pm Bingo at the VFW Hall

8 am Coffee Club* 9 am Silver Foxes* 9 am Mah-Jong* 9:30 am Polish Poker*

3

4

5

6-8 pm Pickleball-Open Gym at the High School

6:30 pm Bingo at the VFW Hall

March 27 - April 6, 2019

SATURDAY

30

*All events marked with an asterisk are located at the Amery Community Center.

SUNDAY

31

MONDAY

1 7 pm Indianhead Barbershop Chorus at the Polk County Government Center

TUESDAY

2

6 10 am Golden Age Manor Family Council meeting in the Sun Porch

Muffins are tasty and can vary so much. These contain pineapple and makes enough muffins for a group.

Recipe makes about 3 dozen muffins.

PINEAPPLE MUFFINS Cream together but don’t over-beat: 3/4 c. butter, softened 1-1/2 c. sugar Add and mix to combine: 2 eggs 1 T. orange extract 1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple with juice Add and combine:

SPONSORED BY:

Amery • 715-268-7161 Member FDIC

For All Your Communications Needs 715-268-7101

265 Griffin St. E, Amery Phone (715) 268-8000 www.amerymedicalcenter.org

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

3B

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STEAM TEAM Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

AMERY COMMUNITY EDUCATION with Community Ed.

Carpet Cleaning Furniture Cleaning Tile & Grout Cleaning Pet Stains JOHN A. HUMPAL

Gymnastics for ages 3+ April session. Fun, recreational program. Ages 3-4 from 4-4:30 p, $38. Ages 5+ from 4:35-5:20 p, $45. Ages 6+ from 5:25-6:25 p, $50. April 2, 4, 9, 16, 18, 23, 25 & 30. Pre-register with Community Ed.

Certi¿ed Master Textile Cleaner

30 years experience

800-553-3677 or 715-632-2109 superclean@steamteamcleaning.com

www.steamteamcleaning.com

Tired of paying too much to have your taxes done?

SANDMAN TAX SERVICE 30+ years experience No appointment neccessary Just drop off, and I will call you.

I will do it right for less!

715-554-2621 Radio for the whole family!

Clear Lake Christian Radio

105.9 FM Broadcasting Christian programming 24/7

J&S Heating & Cooling

Quality Service and Installation on Forced Air & AC units Gas piping FREE ESTIMATES

Jeff Young, Amery 715-529-1419 cell 715-948-2229 fax

Schone’s Tax Service LLC

2152 Hwy. 63, Deer Park

Tax Preparation Starting at $35 per return Over 40 years experience Hours Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Call 715-263-2435

20 - April 24 from 6-7 p. Fee $40, pre-register.

The catalog is available at the Amery and Deer Park public libraries and all 4 schools.

Pre-register for all classes through Amery Community Ed online at www.amerysd.k12. wi.us or by calling 715-268-9771 x220 unless the class description indicates otherwise.

Microsoft Excel Beginning: Learn how to create worksheets for work and personal use.

See how easy it is to have your numbers calculated for you in just seconds and how to sort through long, ponderous lists with absolute ease. Prerequisite: Basic computer skills. March 28, April 2 & 4 from 6-8 p. WITC fee $24.63 or Sr Fee (62+) $4.50.

WITC ID # 25581. Pre-register with WITC: www.witc.edu or 1-800-243-9482 ext 4221. Do NOT register for this class through Community Ed.

Glass Mosaic Welcome Sign or Stepping Stone: Join us for this fun, 2-night class of creativity. A variety of sign and stepping stone sizes will be available to choose from and a large selection of beautiful colorful glass for you to use. Come on your own or register with a

Old School Wrestling for grades 2-12 athletes to train for the State Tournament the first weekend of May. Sundays, Mondays & Thursdays from April 1 - May 2. Sundays from 6-7:30 p, Mondays & Thursdays from 6:30-8 p. Fee $50. Pre-register with Community Ed. Cool Creator Robotics for grades 4-6. Develop STEM skills by building and programming a robot. Mondays. April 8 - May 6 after school until 5:30 p. Fee $79 per student. Pre-register with Community Ed

Mike Lynch WI Starwatch Party: We will begin with an indoor orientation followed by quality time outside using some amazing telescopes that are among the biggest mobile telescopes in the upper Midwest.

Get close up views of the moon, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and other wonders in our early spring skies. If it's cloudy, you will still learn a lot, have a great time and get a Mike Lynch “Cloud Check” for a future Starwatch Class.

Friday, April 12 from 8-10 p.

Adult fee $14; Youth age 10-18 fee $9; Under 10 free. Pre-register with Community Ed.

SUBMITTED

Join us for this fun, 2-night class of creativity. A variety of sign and stepping stone sizes will be available to choose from and a large selection of beautiful colorful glass for you to use. Come on your own or register with a friend for a couple fun nights of mosaic artwork! April 2 & 9 from 5:30-8:30 p. Class fee $35, pre-register with Community Ed. Supply fee to instructor at class $19-$25 depending on the size base you select.

ATV Safety: DNR - All ATVers who ride on public riding areas, who are at least age 12 and who were born on or after 1/1/88 must have completed an ATV certification course. For ages 11+. April 1, 2 & 4 from 5:308:30 p. Fee $10, pre-register with Community Ed.

friend for a couple fun nights of mosaic artwork! April 2 & 9 from 5:30-8:30 p. Class fee $35, pre-register with Community Ed. Supply fee to instructor at class $19-$25 depending on the size base you select.

Black Robes and Beaver Men: Join us for the compelling story of this often overlooked and increasingly distant aspect of American and Wisconsin history. April 1 from 6-7:30 p. Fee $15 per participant. Pre-register

ZUMBA Fitness is an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party that has moved millions of people toward joy and health. No experience necessary. Wednesdays, March

Introduction to Piano for Youth AND/OR Adults: 6 Tuesdays; April 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7 & 14. 30-minute time slots available 4:15 or 4:45 or 5:15 or 5:45 or 6:15 or 6:45 pm. Register by calling Community Ed (715-268-9771 x220) to sign up for a specific time slot. Online registration is not available. Youth must be accompanied to class by a parent or guardian. Fee $89.

Five Steps to Boost Metabolism: Discover which foods and beverages cause you to store weight and which help you lose it. Get back on track with real food to shed those pounds and regain your energy. April 16 from 6:30-8 p with a Nutrition Educator from Nutritional Weight & Wellness (weightandwellness.com). Fee $19, pre-register with Community Ed.

Amery VFW Post 7929

GUN SHOW Buy • Sell • Trade (Not responsible for lost or stolen guns)

Friday, April 12, 3-9 p.m.

Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

AMERY HOCKEY ARENA 1065 River Place Drive, Amery ADMISSION $5.00 Children 12 and under FREE with adult

For table rental, contact Dave P. at 715-220-0119 Table Fees: 8 ft. $25

RAFFLE PRIZES: nd rd

1st - $1,000 • 2 - $500 • 3 - $250 4th - $100 • 5th - $50 Purchase raffle tickets at the VFW or from a member Raffle Lic #R0018750A-29070

DRAWING SATURDAY APRIL 13, 2019 AT 4:30 P.M.

Serving NW Wisconsin for over 20 years Offices in: Barron, Cumberland, & Milltown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*24/7 Service Available * Service all Brands *Professional Estimates on Repairs & New Systems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heating - Air Conditioning - Ductless Installation - Maintenance - Repairs

1-855-GO DIRKS

4B AMERY FREE PRESS

MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

Find the Amery Free Press on Facebook

Trends & Treasures

Clear Lake Community Theater Presents

You are invited to join us in celebrating our

Grand Opening Saturday, Mar. 30

9 a.m - 3 p.m.

300 Keller Ave N., Amery Locally owned resale boutique located in downtown Amery that o‫ٺ‬ers new and new to you women’s and children’s name brand items, refurbished furniture, home decor, gifts and more!

Book, Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson Story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey

March 29, 30 & 31 April 5, 6 & 7 Fridays & Saturdays 7 p.m.

Sunday Matinees 2 p.m.

Clear Lake Area Community Center Gymnasium $10 Adults • $9 Senior Citizens • $5 18 and Under “The Music Man” is presented by special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com.

715-268-8400 Hours: Thurs. 9a-6p, Fri 9a-6p, Sat 9a-3p

Unlimited access to www.theameryfreepress.com with your paid subscription. Call 715-268-8101 for more information or to renew

SELF HELP GROUPS Ad Advance Directive Di ti W Workshop. k h Who Wh would ld make k your healthcare decisions in the event you are unable to? How would this person know what decisions you would want made? Learn more about Advance Directives and how to complete them. Free Advance Directive Workshop will be held the first Wednesday of the month from 10-11 a.m. Wisconsin and Minnesota Advance Directives will be available. Call St. Croix Regional Medical Education Services at 715-483-0431 or 800-642-1336 ext. 2431 to register.

Alanon/Alateen (for family and friends of alcoholics) meets Thursday nights 7-8 p.m. at First Lutheran church, Amery. 715-268-8362.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Monday 7 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m., Thursday 7 p.m., Friday 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m., Sunday 7 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 217 Deronda St., Amery. 715-781-4380 Jason.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Tuesdays 7 p.m. at Clear Lake Community Center, VFW Room 123. Richard 715-554-7277, Teresa 612-636-3244.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets Monday at noon B.B., Thursdays 10 a.m. at Parkview Methodist church, Turtle Lake. Contact Mike 715-986-2457.

Alzheimer’s Support Group. First Wednesday of the month 10 a.m. at Amery Senior Center. Last Tuesday of month 1 p.m. at Good Sam Nursing Home. Sharlene Bellefaille 715-635-6601.

Baby & Me. Weekly play and discussion hour for parents and their infants (birth to 12 months).

Wednesdays 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Amery Hospital & Clinic, BirthDay Suites Waiting Room. Join at any time.

No charge.

The Baby Bistro: Breastfeeding Support Group.

This free support group encourages, helps and supports women before, during and after breastfeeding. Led by a certified breastfeeding counselor, who is also a registered nurse and a mother of four, attendees learn from, share with, and support other mothers who are breastfeeding. Pregnant women who are considering breastfeeding are strongly encouraged to attend. Every Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Amery Hospital & Clinic, Boardroom, 2nd floor. No fee, no registration required, just stop by.

Breast Feeding Support Group. All nursing mothers and babies are invited to participate. Group meets the second Thursday of the month from 10-11:30 a.m. and the fourth Thursday of the month from 6:30-8 p.m. at St. Croix Regional Medical Center. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant will facilitate the group. Call 715-483-0431 or 800-642-1336 ext. 2431.

No charge.

C.H.A.D.D. (Children with Attention Deficit Disorder). Parent support group meets the fourth Monday of each month at Firstar Bank board room, Cumberland, 7 p.m. For information call Pat Skinner at

715 822 8422 and 715-822-8422 d lleave message.

Cancer, Grief & Depression Support Group. A support group to allow people to talk about their experiences with cancer, grief and depression as well as share mutual support to one another. Second Tuesday of every month at Amery Area Community Center at 1 p.m. You can join at any time and it is free and open to the public.

Cancer Support Group meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Amery Public Library at 6 p.m.

Caregiver Support Group meets the third Tuesday of every month from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Peace Lutheran Church in Dresser. Contact Barb at ADRC of NW WI at 877-485-2372 for more information.

Compassionate Friends, Tri- County Chapter meets the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. First Lutheran church, Clear Lake. This group offers support and understanding to families who are grieving the death of a child of any age, from any cause. For more information call 715-263-2739 Domestic Violence (DV) and Sexual Assault (SA) Support Groups and Services. Polk County - S.T.A.R.S. (Surviving Trauma Advocacy Resource Group) Monday 4-5 p.m. in Amery, Tuesday 6-7 p.m. in Osceola, Wednesday 2-3 p.m. in Milltown and Thursday 6-7 p.m. in Milltown. Domestic Violence Education Class every other Wednesday from 10-noon in Milltown.

Burnett County - Monday 4-5 p.m. 715-349-7272. Barron County - Thursday 5:30-6:30 p.m. 715-651-4969.

For more information call CRA 715-825-4414 or the 24 hour crisis line 1-800-261-7233. All groups are held every week unless noted. Child care is available with some groups. Ask your facilitator prior to the group meeting.

Early Stage Alzheimer Support Group. For the diagnosed person and their caregiver. Challenges in early-stage dementia will be discussed, along with therapeutic benefits of family involvement. Sponsored in part by the American Alzheimer’s Association. Meetings are free of charge and open to the public, held at the Amery Centennial Hall the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. Call 715-268-6605 to register.

Epilepsy Foundation of Western Wisconsin. Call 1-800-924-2105.

Family Child Care Professionals Network. Meets the third Thursday of each month. Contact Beth Neely at 715-483-1482 for more information. All family child care providers are welcome.

Families and Parenting. Milltown Parenting Group meets Wednesdays from 1-2 p.m., Milltown Family Group has dinner from 5-5:30 p.m. and F.U.N. from 5-6 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information call CRA 715-825-4414. All groups are held every week unless noted. Child care is available with some groups. Ask your facilitator prior to the group meeting.

F Farm C Crisis. i i Information I f ti on financial, i l mental t l health, h lth legal, job retraining resources. Call 1-800-942-2474.

Golden Age Manor Family Council meets the first Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. in the east wing sunporch. GAM is Polk County’s longest operating longterm healthcare facility. The Family Council’s goal is to enhance the lives of the residents beyond what the staff normally does.

Grief Share. Have you lost someone close? Grief Share is a Christian based, non-denominational seminar/support group program that will be meeting at Centennial Hall in Amery every Monday at 1 p.m. For information call Bruce 715-268-2176 or 715-268-8360.

GriefShare, a non-denominational special help seminar and support group for people experiencing the loss of a loved one is being held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Amery on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The church is located at 1050 Keller Ave. N. GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics. Seminar sessions include “Is This Normal?” “The Challenges of Grief,” “Grief and Your Relationships,” “Why?” and “Guilt and Anger.” For more information call St. Joseph Catholic church at 715-268-7717.

Head Injury Support Group. Closed head injury, stroke, aneurism or traumatic brain injury which affects your daily living? Learn to cope with your disabilities, provide insight and camaraderie. Second Friday of each month 2-3:30 p.m. Frederic Public Library. Contact Julie Martin 715-327-4474.

Memory Cafe. Do you or your loved one have memory concerns or early signs of dementia? Join us at the Amery Memory Cafe where individuals with memory concerns and their care partners, family and friends can laugh, learn and stay connected in a safe atmosphere.

The Memory Cafe meets at the Amery Area Community Center the 3rd Thursday of each month from 1-2:30 p.m. Please RSVP to Barb at the ADRC of NW WI at 877-485-2372. Memory Cafe is free to attend, and coffee and snacks are provided.

Moms in Prayer International. •Two or more women who meet regularly to pray for their children, their schools, their teachers and administrators. •Mothers, grandmothers or anyone who is willing to pray for a specific child and school. We meet at the Journey Church, 131 Broadway St., Amery, Mondays from 1:302:30 p.m. Contact Jen at 715-268-2223 with questions. (only meets during the school year.)

MOPS and MOMsnext (Mothers of Preschoolers) is a group for moms and their kids. Every mom who is pregnant or has a child at home is welcome, accepted, and challenged to meet her potential.

Better moms make a better world! For more info go to clmops@hotmail.com.

PEPTalk - P(arents)E(ncouraging)P(arents)... exists to encourage, support, and build up a community

off homeschool h h l ffamilies ili in i Polk P lk County, C t Wisconsin.

Wi i W We welcome all types of homeschooling families to check us out! PEPTalk activities happen throughout the month. For more information contact Jenn Dueholm, jenndueholm@yahoo.com or Wendy Dietrich, thedietrichs@amerytel.net. Like us on Facebook under PEPTalk.

Polk County Parent-To-Parent Coaliton, a network for parents of children from birth through adulthood who have disabilities or other special needs.

For more information about meetings and advocacy support, contact Lynne 715-472-2002.

PREGNANT. Need help? Our tests and help are free and confidential. 715-755-BABY (2229). Osceola Life Care Center.

Student Assistance Program is for students in the Amery school district who may be having personal or family problems. Strict confidentiality is followed except in cases of danger to self or others. Call 715-2680303 for middle school S.A.P. members or 715-2680214 for high school S.A.P. members.

TEENS—Talk before you run. Trained counselors will listen. 1-800-491-8336 or 715-235-8882.

TEENCARE. Where teens get help fast. 1-800-4918336.

TOPS Club meets Tuesdays 3:30-5 p.m. at the Balsam Lake Municipal Building (under the water tower), Balsam Lake. Contact Sheila 715-857-5892 or just come to a meeting. TOP’s mission is to support our members as they take off and keep off pounds sensibly.

Tutors: Free tutors are available to anyone who would like help studying for GED, English as a Second Language (ESL), or with basic skills in reading or math. Call 715-405-7323 to be matched with a local tutor.

Weight Loss Club meets Thursdays 8-9 a.m. Our Savior’s Lutheran church, 217 Deronda St., Amery. Bonnie Timm 715-268-2980.

Western Wisconsin LYME Education and Support Group meets: fourth Thursday of the month (April through October) at 7 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran church, 217 Deronda St., Amery. (No meetings November through March). Meetings are free of charge and open to the public. For info call Ann 715-268-2856, Paula 715-268-2035, Bonnie 715-268-9557, Sue 715268-6687.

Women’s Spiritual Growth Group meets each Thursday from 7-8 p.m. at 931 Pine St., St. Croix Falls.

Yoga for Addiction Recovery Y12SR is a 12 step based discussion and yoga practice that is open to anyone and everyone dealing with their own addictive behavior or affected by the addictive behavior of others. All A's are welcome. Old Chapel, Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, 7 p.m., Tuesdays.

Call Nicole at 715-268-8101 or email ngagner@theameryfreepress.com with corrections.

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

5B

www.theameryfreepress.com

LUNCH MENUS

AMERY SCHOOLS Wednesday, Mar. 27– K-12 Breakfast: Breakfast Egg Wrap, Yogurt Parfait, Cereal, Grahams, Fruit Choices.

Elementary School Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Brown Rice, Roasted Brussels Sprout, Fruit Choices, Garden Bar, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese.

Intermediate School Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Brown Rice, BBQ Pork Sandwich, Roasted Brussels Sprout, Fruit Choices, Garden Bar, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese, Chef Salad.

Middle School Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Brown Rice, BBQ Pork Sandwich, Roasted Brussels Sprout, Fruit Choices, Garden Bar, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese.

High School Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Brown Rice, BBQ Pork Sandwich, Roasted Brussels Sprout, Pineapple Chunks, Garden Bar, Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Sandwich, Yogurt Lunch, Chef Salad.

Thursday, Mar. 28– K-12 Breakfast: Cinnamon Waffles, Warrior Sandwich, Cereal, String Cheese, Fruit Choices.

Elementary School Lunch: Homemade Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Green Beans, Fruit Choices, Garden Bar, Yogurt Lunch.

Intermediate School Lunch: Homemade Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Green Beans, Fruit Choices, Garden Bar, Yogurt Lunch, Chef Salad.

Middle School Lunch: Homemade Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Green Beans, Fruit Choices, Garden Bar, Yogurt Lunch.

High School Lunch: Homemade

Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Green Beans, Peaches, Garden Bar, Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Sandwich, Yogurt Lunch, Chef Salad.

High school lunch: Pizza Sticks Or Italian Flatbread Or BBQ Pork Sandwich, Corn, Garden Salad, Apples, Cookie, Sliced Pears, Milk.

Chicken Nuggets Or Chicken Teriyaki Wrap, Seasoned Rice, Green Beans, Vegetables With Dip, Sliced Peaches, Juice, Milk Choice.

Friday, Mar. 29–

Thursday, Mar. 28–

Tuesday, Mar. 26–

K-12 Breakfast: Mini French Toast, UBR, Cereal, Grahams, Fruit Choices.

Elementary School Lunch: Pizza, Corn, Garden Bar, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese.

Intermediate School Lunch: Pizza, Fish Fillet Sandwich, Corn, Garden Bar, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese, Chef Salad.

Middle School Lunch: Cheese Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza, Fish Fillet Sandwich, Corn, Garden Bar, Holiday Cookies, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese.

High School Lunch: Pepperoni Pizza, Cheese Pizza, Fish Fillet Sandwich, Corn, Mixed Fruit, Garden Bar, Yogurt Lunch, Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Sandwich, Chef Salad.

Elementary breakfast: Breakfast Cereal Or Cinnamon Roll, Hard Cooked Egg, Fruit Juice, Fruit, Milk Choice.

Elementary lunch: Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwich Or Warrior Burger, French Fries, Carrots With Dip, Applesauce, Blueberries, Milk Choice.

High school breakfast: Cereal, Cheese Omelet, Muffin Pancakes, Nutri Grain Bar, Yogurt Parfait.

High school lunch: Hot Ham & Cheese, Sandwich Or Warrior Burger, Potato Wedges/Cheese Sauce, Steamed Broccoli, Mandarin Oranges, Strawberries, Milk.

Elementary breakfast: Breakfast Cereal & Graham Crackers Or Pancake Sausage Stick With Syrup, Fruit Juice, Fruit, Milk Choice.

Elementary lunch: Taco in a Bag Or Soft-Shell Taco, Fixings, Refried Beans, Sliced Apples, Slushie Fruit Cup, Milk Choice.

High school breakfast: Cereal, Yogurt, Scrambled Eggs, Muffin, Little John Donut, Scooby Bone Crackers.

High school lunch: Tacos Or Ham & Cheese Sandwich, Fixings, Refried Beans, Pineapple Tidbits, Grapes, Milk Choice, Slushie Fruit Cup.

Monday, Apr. 1– Not available at press time.

Tuesday, Apr. 2– Not available at press time.

CLEAR LAKE SCHOOLS Wednesday, Mar. 27– Elementary breakfast: Breakfast Cereal & Yogurt Or Peanut Butter & Jelly “Uncrustable”, Fruit Juice, Fruit, Milk Choice.

Elementary lunch: Pizza Sticks Or Italian Flatbread, Spaghetti Sauce, Corn, Sliced Pears, Garden Salad Bar, Cookie, Milk.

High school breakfast: Cereal, Zee Zee Bar, Muffin, Yogurt, Canadian Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich*, “Gripz” Graham Crackers.

16th Annual

Amery Spring Show Home • Garden • Recreation

Sat., April 6 • 9-4 AMERY ICE ARENA

River Place Drive • Amery 10 am – “Good Neighbors Ukulele Circle” Ukulele Music & Sing-A-Long Noon – “Endeavors Greenhouse” Planting Tips & Plants for Sale

Exhibitors registered so far are: Amery Area EMS Amery Chevrolet Amery Community Club/ City of Amery Amery Fall Festival Amery Free Press

Amery Outdoor Power Amery Youth Hockey Association Asher Lasting Exteriors Bremer Bank Countryside Plumbing & Heating

Cutco Cutlery Gibson’s Watercare Luxury Bath Solutions Mosquito Hunters Slumberland

ADMISSION: Non-perishable food items or $2 donation to local food pantry.

CONCESSIONS: Available by the Amery Hockey Association Proceeds will benefit the Amery Hockey Association, Amery Area Food Pantry and a scholarship to an area student.

Sponsored by the Amery Free Press • Contact Pam for Information 715-268-8101

Friday, Mar. 29–No School Monday, Mar. 25– Elementary breakfast: Breakfast Cereal Or Donut Holes, Sausage Links, Fruit Juice, Fruit, Milk Choice.

Elementary lunch: Chicken Nuggets Or Teriyaki Chicken, Seasoned Rice, Green Beans, Vegetables With Dip, Sliced Peaches, Milk.

High school breakfast: Cereal, Oatmeal Bar, Sausage Links, Nutri Grain Bar, Chocolate Chip “UBR”, Cereal Bar Cheese.

High school lunch:

As a kick-off to Spring High School Sports, the Amery Free Press will publish a special Spring Sports Section on Tuesday, April 9, featuring Amery, Clayton and Clear Lake teams.

Area businesses wishing to salute the area athletes please give Pam a call at 715-268-8101 Advertising deadline is Monday, April 1, 2019 AMERY

215 S. Keller Ave., Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-8101 Fax 715-268-5300 Email: phumpal@theameryfreepress.com

6B AMERY FREE PRESS

MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

Woodland Chorale and St. Croix Valley Orchestra Collaborate The Woodland Chorale and the St. Croix Valley Orchestra will join to perform â&#x20AC;&#x153;Masterpieces for Chorus and Orchestra.â&#x20AC;? Concerts will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lindstrom, MN on Saturday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. and at Unity Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 7, at 3:00 p.m. Concertgoers will remember a similar collaboration from several years ago when the ensembles combined to perform Handelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Messiah.

The program will include Ludwig van Beethovenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Choral Fantasy for solo piano, vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra. Soloists will include Christine Johansen, piano, and vocalists Jill Lund, Molly Tulkke, Janet Holdt, Spike Maidenmueller, Karl Wicklund, and Lloyd Wilson. Additionally, the groups will perform Gabriel FaurĂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved Requiem. Soloists for that work will be Jill Lund, soprano and Charles Corbett, baritone. Also on the program will be Ernst Baconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Five Hymns sung by the choir with piano, and selections for woodwinds and brass by Franz Schubert and

Visit us online at: www.theameryfreepress.com AMERY SPRING SHOW PARTICIPANT

!

" # #

Lifestyle Choices for Seniorsâ&#x20AC;Ś

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your Life, Your Styleâ&#x20AC;? here... g n i v li I love ll too! i w u o and y â&#x20AC;&#x153;I moved here July 2015 when I could no longer manage on my own. My family was relieved that I was safe. CCH is a friendly, homey atmosphere and the staff is excellent.â&#x20AC;?

Ramona was involved with the formation of CCH. She said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the dream was to connect the Ramo na Paulso on, hospital, nursing home, assisted 91 Ye ars Young living and exercise facility to create a complete wellness environmentâ&#x20AC;?. She takes pride in her involvement to see the dream ful½lled.

Christian Community Home of Osceola

â&#x2DC;&#x2026;â&#x2DC;&#x2026;â&#x2DC;&#x2026;â&#x2DC;&#x2026;â&#x2DC;&#x2026;

Scott Joplin.

As in previous years, a free-will donation will be accepted at the door with all proceeds donated to area public school music programs. In past years these donations have enriched student experiences by enabling the purchase of new equipment and printed music, and by helping students with tuition for attending summer music camps.

For more information call 715-472-2152, ext. 103 or 715-268-6610.

2650 65th Ave., Osceola, WI 54020 â&#x20AC;˘ 715-294-1100 www.cchosceola.org

Our Campus includes: 24-Hour Skilled Nursing â&#x20AC;˘ Assisted Living Apartments Transitional / Short-term Rehabilitation

37Ĺł9-83 928)67 '31 AMERY SPRING SHOW PARTICIPANT

Amery Area EMS is looking forward to visiting with you at the Amery Spring Show!

Call today to learn more or to schedule a tour!

AMERY SPRING SHOW PARTICIPANT

Echo â&#x20AC;˘ Country Clipper â&#x20AC;˘ Sales & Service â&#x20AC;˘ Auto Repair â&#x20AC;˘ Welding & Fabrication

*Tour the Ambulance *FREE Blood Pressure Check

Amery Outdoor Power LLC

*Mark your calendars for our Taco Feed

704A 70th Ave., Amery

fundraiser on Saturday, June 1

Dennis Severson, Owner 715-268-7085

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

7B

www.theameryfreepress.com

Two Farm Ladies Podcast - the “Rage, Rot and Rainbows” of Farming

BY KHAITI HALLSTEIN

When I moved out to the middle of nowhere Wisconsin 9 years ago to farm full-time, I had no idea how lucky I was in landing just exactly where I did. The Hay River area turned out to be ripe with actively independent people who are still community and “green”minded. I met my friend Erin pretty much right away. A woman I'd just met at a Transition Town Event heard I had goats and told me “Oh you'll love Erin, she's having a Baby Goat Party tonight! Just swing by! You two will get along famously!” Not being the type to just swing by other people's places, I didn't go that night, but when we did meet, Erin and I got along like sisters immediately.

Like besties do, Erin and I have supported each other through the years. I went through a relationship meltdown and mid-life crisis and she moved farm locations and quit her main job to start focusing more on her goatmilk soap business. We butchered a pig in the middle of winter together, chased my cows out

SUBMITTED

Two Farm Ladies.

of the woods, processed chickens and geese at each other's farms, drank beers and shelled pinto beans on porches, cried on each others' shoulders and wrangled horny goats into Subarus. And the whole time we talked about farming nonstop.

Last year, we decided to make a podcast called Two Farm Ladies. Anyone interested in farming in a non-conventional and “starting from scratch” kind of way will enjoy the topics and conversations.

There are lots of unique people

out there farming in unique ways, but in the media, the farming realm seems to be dominated by agri-business and men. We decided it was time to get our weirdo voices out there!

On our podcast, Erin and I are very real, vulnerable and honest about life as farmers.

We're also sassy, sometimes pretty crass and we laugh a lot.

It's been fun and surprisingly cathartic to fess up to all the

failures and feelings, but just like farming, starting a brand new project has a stressful and complicated learning curve.

We're persevering and we'd love to invite you to join us!

You can check out our episodes of the Two Farm Ladies Podcast on iTunes, Youtube, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Find us on all the social medias, we love listener questions and feedback! Email twofarmladiespodcast@gmail.com.

Flu season is still here

BIRTHS

St. Croix Regional Medical Ctr. St. Croix Falls

Polk County Health Department (PCHD) wants to let individuals and families know that flu season will last longer this year. The largest number of people sick from the flu is usually during the first week of February, but we think this season it will last to the end of March, if not longer.” said Therese Armour, Public Health Nurse at PCHD. Earlier in the season a flu called A/H1 was common and causing more sickness among young people. At this time, a flu called A/H3, which is stronger, is causing more sickness in those 65 years and older. Although, both age groups can become sick from either type.

Cora Tyre Osterbauer Cora Tyre Osterbauer, baby girl, 7 lbs 2 oz, was born March 14 to Anne and Philip Osterbauer of Wyoming, MN.

Averie Grace Willing Averie Grace Willing, baby girl, 8 lbs 5 oz, was born March 18 to Shayla Hays and Jake Willing of Stacy, MN.

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Bryant FLEX is here!

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“H3 is covered by this year’s flu vaccine, so if you haven’t already, there is still time to get a flu shot,” Armour said. For questions about the flu shot call PCHD at 715-485-8500 and ask for Therese Armour.

Along with getting a flu shot, PCHD reminds everyone to stop the spread of flu and other illnesses by: • Covering your cough and sneeze.

• Staying home if you are ill.

• Washing your hands often.

People who become very sick with flu-like symptoms should seek medical care.

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New Rankings Show Healthiest and Least Healthy Counties in Wisconsin: Report Explores the Impact of Severe Housing Cost Burden on Residents

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Birthday buddies LaVerne Palmberg, born in Clayton WI and long-time Amery Free Press subscriber shares a significant birthday with his great grandchild, Elin Holgerson of Gainesville Florida on March 30. Verne will be 90 and Elin will be celebrating her first. Congratulations to both.

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Welcome to the 16th Annual

Amery Spring Show

Ozaukee County ranks healthiest in Wisconsin and Sawyer is the least healthy county in the state, according to the annual County Health Rankings, released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI).

Polk County ranked 34th in the state of Wisconsin. All the Rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

County Health Rankings are an easy-to-use snapshot that compares counties within states, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. Housing is part of the foundation for living long and well. High housing costs can force some families to live in unsafe or overcrowded housing or even into homelessness. This year’s Rankings State Reports show stark differences across and within counties in the opportunity to afford a home, especially for those with low incomes and people of color. This year’s analyses show that a lack of opportunity for a safe, secure, and affordable home is tied to poor health.

The Rankings State Reports call attention to key drivers in health such as severe housing cost burden and its connection to other factors like children in poverty. Among Wisconsin’s children living in poverty, 49% were living in a household that spends more than half of its income on housing.

High housing costs make it difficult for families to afford other essentials that contribute to good health, such as healthy food, medicine, or transportation to work or school. Looking at differences by place and race offers a more complete picture of a community’s health.

“This focus on the key drivers on health also called the social determinates of health is something the Polk United coalition is working to address in each of the workgroups addressing; Substance Use, Mental Health and Nutrition and Physical Activity. This focus on the key drivers will hopefully create a healthier Polk county for all” says Elizabeth Hagen, health educator.

“Our homes are inextricably tied to our health,” said Richard Besser, MD, RWJF president and CEO. “It’s unacceptable that so many individuals and families face barriers to health because of what they have to spend on housing. This leaves them with fewer dollars to keep their families healthy. Imagine the stress and pain that come with unplanned moves. We are all healthier and stronger together when everyone has access to safe and affordable housing, regardless of the color of their skin or how much money they make.”

“All communities have the potential to be places where everyone enjoys full and equal opportunity. But the data show that’s not happening in most communities yet. Children of color face a greater likelihood of growing up in poverty, and low-income families struggle to pay rent and get enough to eat,” said Sheri Johnson, PhD, acting director of County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. “It is time to do the difficult work of coming together to undo policies and practices that create barriers to opportunity. The Rankings can help communities ground these important conversations in data, evidence, guidance, and stories about challenges and success.”

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Amery Hockey Association www.ameryhockey.com

Saturday, April 6, 2019 in the Amery Ice Arena

invites you to the 16th Annual Amery Spring Show

Register for hourly drawings of $25 Amery Scrip Money

Get your Raffle Tickets for a chance to win $1,000, $500 & $250 Cash Drawing held April 6

WE INVITE YOU TO STOP BY OUR BOOTH MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!

Prize will roll over to the next hour if not claimed

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215 Keller Ave. S, Amery, WI

Phone 715-268-8101 • Fax 715-268-5300 phumpal@theameryfreepress.com

Check out the delicious menu at the HOCKEY FOOD STAND . . . Pulled Pork, Hot Dogs, Brats, chips, nachos, pretzels, candy & drinks

We hope to see you there!

MARCH 26, 2019

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AMERY COMMUNITY CENTER

ARNELL MEMORIAL HUMANE SOCIETY

ATTENTION MEMBERS!!! Do you volunteer around our community? Did you know that by telling us your volunteer hours it helps gain grant dollars by showing how active our members are? Please email Jen at aaccjen@outlook.com or call 715-268-6605 with your hours each month, thank you!

NEW BUSSINESS HOURS!!! We have new hours, Monday – Thursday 7:30am -4:00pm & Friday 7:30-3:00.

Was it your goal to learn something new in 2019? We have the thing for you! MAH-JONG. We have a wonderful group of ladies that play every Friday that are looking for some more people to play! They will teach as you play! Stop in and check it out on Friday at 9:00am!

• Circuit Breaker Members, every month you pay your $10 you will get a punch on our new card and after you have paid for 5 months you get 1 month FREE! That means you will receive 2 FREE months per year! This is our way of saying your health is important to us!

• This Friday MARCH 15 is our Annual Health & Wellness Expo from 10:00-1:00pm. Stop in and check it out! Open to the public • Like us on Facebook! Share our postings the more people that know what activities we have happening the better! Search Amery Area Community/Senior Center • Need a place to rent? Consider the Amery Area Community Center for that birthday, party, wedding, or anniversary celebration? We will also work with profit and nonprofit organizations to help with the perfect meeting place.

• Have you been thinking about starting or have your own or cooking, baking or catering business but just don't have the space in your kitchen? We have the solution for you! We have a commercial grade kitchen available. If you are interested in more information, please call 715-268-6605.

• Want to get a complete workout in just 30 minutes? Do you enjoy walking on a treadmill? Get all of that for just $10/month if you are a member of the Amery Area Community Center. Our hours are 7am-4:30pm M-Th & 7am-3pm on Fridays. There are no contracts to lock into and no hidden fees. Come down and check us out!

• We always have people asking if there is anything we need here at the Center. We can always use things like stamps, cards, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, & baking supplies. We also take rummage sale items all year long.

• Tuesday March 19th pool winners were Dean Elken in first, Gary Snelling taking second, Al Frank placing third, and Les Peterson with the consolation prize.

• Thursday March 21st pool winners are Tom Marson taking first, Mary Fisher placing second, Gary Snelling with third, Carl Johnson in fourth and jerry Fisher took the consolation prize.

• Tuesday Wii Bowling winners were Carl Johnson taking first and Orville Lundgren in second.

• Wednesday March 13th bridge winners were Judy Strobush in first and Scott Smith in second.

Congratulations to all!

Amanda Fisk, Director Jen Tyman, Assistant Director

Astro is a handsome Lab Rottweiler Mix. He is one year old and stands 24 inches at the shoulder, a lean 75 pounds. Astro is a big boy. He is gentle but strong. Astro had little training before coming to the shelter. He does however, behave with manners at all times and works well for treats. He is learning to walk on leash with the aid of a training harness. Our tall, dark and handsome fellow will do well with dogs, cats and older children.

Astro is a big dog with a big heart.

Adopters are often looking to add a cat to their household with a dog or vice versa. Either combination requires some forethought and planning.

Many of our adoptable pets come to the shelter with little to no background information.

Dog to Cat introductions in the shelter setting are not the same as when they are loose in a household. For the safety of all concerned, it is best to plan ahead and take your time when introducing a new pet to your home.

When you bring the new pet home, it is always best to keep them separated from your existing pet. Dogs and cats learn so much from the smells left behind by another animal that it is wise to let their scents do the initial invitation to meet. Across a few days, rotate which animal has freedom and which is confined to allow each animal plenty of time to investigate the other one’s scent.

Sometimes the dog should be confined to a crate or another room to allow the cat time to roam free and investigate the smell of the dog. The same is true for the cat; confine him to allow the dog to take in the feline scent left by your new cat. They can sniff each other under a door too. When no one is home, the dog or cat must always be securely confined so unsupervised interactions are not possible.

Once the dog is calm (or at least not obsessed with the cat) and the cat is calm, eating and using the litter box normally, (this may take a week or more), you can proceed to leashed introductions. Allow both animals to be in the same room at the same time, but keep the dog securely leashed. You are looking for a confident but cautious kitty to walk slowly around the room.

Your dog will be curious and want to

Astro

initiate contact, but keep him from chasing or lunging. Your cat may send out a warning signal with a hiss or swat of the paw. He is laying ground rules and for good reason.

Respect their instincts but always be ready to restrict unhealthy contact or behavior.

Continue with this type of introduction until the dog is calm and ignores the cat, and the cat is calm, eating and using the litter box normally. Once you feel confident of good behaviors, you can allow them to be loose, together in the same room. A leash attached to your loose dog is a good idea, even after they are getting along. This will allow you to intervene if need be.

Continue this routine until both the dog and cat seem happy and relaxed around each other. Their behaviors will give you a good idea when you will be able to leave them alone together. Until then, continue to separate them when you are not able to supervise.

Following these steps will ensure a successful, happy friendship or at the very least, a safe co-habitation between your dog and cat.

You are the winner because you get to enjoy their company – together. Arnell Memorial Humane Society. 715 268-7387.

www.theameryfreepress.com

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900 S. Keller Ave., Amery (across from River Place Mall) 715-268-8149 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10-8, Sat. 9-5, Sun. Noon-4

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Garden Challenges

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Amery High School presents “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” Allow yourself to be enchanted and deceived as Amery High School Students present “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon”–a comedy by Don Zolidis. Directed by Danielle Bebus. Performances are Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 31 at 2 p.m. at the Amery High School Auditorium. Advance tickets can be purchased at Chet Johnson Drug and the Amery High School office.

As this wild, free-form comedy with lots of audience participation and madcap fun includes high school rated comedy, we recommend that viewers be ages 13 and up.

Back Row: Ally de la Cruz, Ella Gould, Alaina Rivard, Gus Wentz, Autumn Rivard, Zach Sobczak, Lucy Curtis, Crystal Livingston Middle Row: Erasmus Espinosa, Eliza Carlson, Sydney Bosley, Mikey Collins, Essie Whitehead, Jonathan Lorsung Front Row: Kelsey Johnson, Carli Vincent, Jaidyn McAlpine, Juliana Graff, Hailey Schoeberl Not Pictured: Christopher Lorsung and Emerson Downs

Assembly committee OKs lifting elk hunt limits MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A legislative committee has decided to allow Wisconsin wildlife officials to lift restrictions on the state’s elk hunt.

Current regulations allow an elk season if herds in the Clam Lake and Black River regions reach 200 and 150 animals respectively. The number of permits is limited to 5 percent of the elk population.

The Department of Natural Resources projects the Clam Lake herd will stand at between 211 to 236

elk after calving this spring. The Black River herd is projected to stand at between 70 and 80.

DNR officials want to drop population and permit restrictions so they’ll have more freedom to manage the herds.

The Assembly’s sporting heritage committee decided Wednesday not to object, clearing the way for the DNR to eliminate the restrictions.

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I often question the many challenges that face Midwest gardeners, but I recently read an article on the challenges facing gardeners in Arizona. I thought clay and sandy soil would be an issue, but realized that rock may be more difficult. With clay and sand you can amend the soil to come up with the perfect soil for the particular plants you wish to grow. Some compost added to any soil can do wonders. With rock you don't have good options.

Our cold weather presents some real challenges. You need to be aware that you are using plants that are zoned for no higher than a Zone 3 or in some cases maybe a Zone 4, if in a protected area. Can you imagine having to find plants that can survive in Zone 9 or Garden higher. Always remember that the zone needed for a plat is very importVariety ant. Check those labels. Keeping your Julie Kuehl, plant labels for future reference is a good idea.

Polk County We need to be sure that we have acMaster Gardener cess to a water source – having a water faucet for hooking a hose to saves a lot of time lugging water cas. Can you imagine being where you not only need to be concerned with having access, but having enough water to keep your plants well watered. For this reason whether in Arizona or in Wisconsin it is always important to assure adequate water is available for your plants needs.

You always should choose plants that will work in your garden. You need to assure that they will receive the correct light. Some plants will thrive in shade but die in too much sunlight, while others will require at least 6 hours of sunlight to thrive. Here aagain you must check labels on plants to assure they are happy in their new home.

Sometimes we think we need hybrid plants to make our gardens beautiful, but it doesn't hurt to check out native plants. They are grown to survive in our conditions and if you work with a nursery that does native plants you might be surprised at the large variety of plants that are available for your garden. These plants will also require far less maintenance once they establish themselves in your garden. These are great plants if you don't have a lot of time to devote to your garden or if you are gone a lot during the summer.

These are just some of the garden challenges to keep in mind as you start to plan your summer garden. Until next time keep thinking spring. If you have any topic you would like information on contact

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VISIT OUR BOOTH AND RECEIVE A FREE BOBBER

Plus “Spin To Win” fun prizes

Visit with local Community Club Members!

Register for Grill Package drawing - worth over $400

Stop by our booth for details on helping your neighbors in Polk County!

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

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AMERY AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY *Yoga for Kids (Special Program!)*: Saturday, April 13 (10-11 am).

Grades K+. Local instructor Soon Guenther will have kids stretching, moving, and having fun with yoga poses in this FREE program for kids!

Yoga mats are provided for use in the program. Registration required (call or visit amerylibrary.org/kids).

Registration required (call or visit amerylibrary.org/kids).

Homeschool Club: April 12 (9:30-11:30 am).

Storytime and craft from 9:3010:30 for kids. Book discussion 10:30-11:30 for tweens and teens (please read either Hoot by Carl Hiaasen or The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo prior to book club). Open to all homeschool families.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and Baby Book Bees These ongoing early literacy initiatives encourage families to establish a strong foundation of reading in young children. Visit the library to sign up for the program that is right for your child.

This month we're reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Copies available at the library.

Wisconsin State Parks: Thursday, April 11th, 5:30 - 7 PM at the Amery Area Public Library. The impressive bluffs, valleys, waterfalls and lakes of Wisconsin's state parks provide more than beautiful scenery and recreational op-

Library. FREE CLASS, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Third Thursday Crafting: Thursday, April 18th, 5:30 - 7 PM at the Amery Area Public Library. Join us for another round of Wood Sign Painting!

The class is FREE but you must REGISTER ON OUR WEBSITE to ensure your space in the class.

teens@4: March 19 & April 16 (4-5/5:30 pm). Grades 6-12. Hang out, have a snack, and do a different activity each month! Registration required (call or visit amerylibrary.org/teens).

Book discussion group The Friends of the Library Book Discussion Group meets on the third Monday of the month at 1:30 PM. The title for April is The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.

Family Storytime: Wednesday mornings (10:30 am). Family event. Books, songs, movement activities, and a craft! Come on in and join the fun! Drop-in program.

Friends The Friends of the Amery Area Public Library Foundation meets on the third Monday of the month at 4:30 PM. Meetings are open to all members and to the public.

Junior Book Club: March 28 (3:45-4:45 pm).

Grades 2-3. Discuss the book The Trouble With Chickens by Doreen Cronin, have a snack, and do an activity. Copies of the book are available now at the library! Ask us for one when you register. Registration required (call or visit amerylibrary.org/kids).

Book Club for Kids: April 18 (3:45-4:45 pm).

Grades 4-5. Discuss the book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling, have a snack, and do an activity.

Please read the book prior to attending book club so that it's fresh in your mind. We will stick to discussing the first two books; no spoilers for those who haven't read the others.

Copies of the book are available now at the library! Ask us for one when you register.

STEAM Tuesday: Apr 2 (3:45-4:45 pm). Grades 1-5. April: Explore engineering and building with Keva Planks, LEGOs, and more. Registration required (call or visit amerylibrary.org/kids).

Family Storytime: Wednesday mornings (10:30 am). Family event. Books, songs, movement activities, and a craft! Come on in and join the fun! Drop-in program.

No School Day: April 19 (10-11:30 am). All ages. Come to the library on your day off from school and play with some Play-Doh! What will you create with this fun building material? Drop-in program.

Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia: Friday, March 29th, 1:30 PM -2:30 PM at the Amery Area Public Library. Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. Join us to learn about the impact of Alzheimer's, the difference between Alzheimer's and Dementia, stage and risk factors, current research and treatments available for some symptoms, and Alzheimer's Association resources.

Taught by Amber Harris of Amery Memory Care. FREE CLASS, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Books & Brews: Thursday, April 4th, 6 PM at Amery Ale Works: Join us for a great book discussion!

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portunities. They are windows into the distant past, offering clues to the dramatic events that have shaped the land over billions of years. Author Scott Spoolman will speak about our great State Parks and his book of the same name. There will be time for Q & A afterwards and some geology-themed treats! FREE EVENT, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Tech for Seniors: Staying Independent Longer: Tuesday, April 16th, 10:30 11:30 AM at the Amery Area Public Library. Learn how seniors can incorporate technology into their lives to stay independent longer. Taught

by Barb Kreuger, Library Director of Deer Park Public

E-books, e-audiobooks and digital magazines Your MORE library card gives you access to the Overdrive collection of e-books, e-audiobooks, and streaming videos; the Freading collection of e-books; and the Flipster downloadable magazine collection.

Check out the website Check out the library website at amerylibrary.org, or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ amerylibrary.

Hours Library hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and Saturday 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

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STEM/Literacy event a hit at Kindergarten The Amery Kindergarten teachers planned and hosted a STEM/Literacy Event (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) for Kindergarten students and their families on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at Lien Elementary School. The special event, which included a free meal, was especially designed to give Kindergarten students time to interact with their families while creating, imagining, designing and playing with engaging materials. The evening was made possible through grants received from Xcel Energy, Medtronic and a private family trust.

All photos were submitted

DESIGNED BY

DESIGNED BY

Brooke Jansen

McKinzie Wiesender

Amery Intermediate School

Amery Intermediate School

MARCH 26, 2019

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Imaginations used at STEM/Literacy event

DESIGNED BY

DESIGNED BY

Tiana Morden

Carter Meyer

Clear Lake Elementary School

Amery Intermediate School

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Dole Foundation selects Polk County woman to represent state

BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

Senator Elizabeth Doleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Caring For Military Families Foundation has a vision of an America where military caregivers are empowered, appreciated and recognized for their service to our nation. Helen Yourchuck, a Luck, WI, caregiver has recently been chosen to represent the state of Wisconsin in the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to bring military caregiver issues to the forefront.

Dean and Helen Yourchuck will be married for 29 years this May. Helen grew up in Clayton and Dean in Luck. Throughout their married years Dean and Helen have lived in various areas of the state, moving back to the Luck area in 2011.

The Yourchucks are passionate about veteranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issues. Several family members on both sides of their family have and are currently in the Military. Dean, a Navy veteran deployed five times overseas with the last to Kuwait and Iraq. He suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, chronic pain, and issues related to a broken neck.

Helen shared that life as a military caregiver takes on a new role daily or even several times a day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It can be very lonely and isolated, the most rewarding, devastating, scary, emotional draining, hopeless, challenging, want to make you run a way and hide all at once. â&#x20AC;&#x153; She expressed the feelings of being lonely and isolated saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153; Your friends, family or neighbors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand or know what all goes on so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to help. The ones we feel we could ask are other caregiverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to add to their stress and burden them so we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask. They are truly the only ones that completely understand our circumstances.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are tired so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t socialize if you get a minute, you rest or try to do some self care. We learn to cherish the small things,â&#x20AC;? said Helen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Devastating for me; is I knew what Dean was like before and how he is now. You mourn what was lost and try to move on to find the New Normal, which isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always easy.â&#x20AC;?

There are times when Helen is scared because as she put it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am a planner and a fixer. I cannot just plan and fix anymore. All of this drains you emotionally, which if not careful can turn into hopelessness.

There is no end of the constant change, which is very

SUBMITTED

Dean and Helen Yourchuck with service dog, Gizmo.

challenging. Then there are days that you just want to run and hide because everything have done just blew up and you have to start over.â&#x20AC;?

There are many others who can associate with the same feelings as Helen. Some of them, like Helen, have been chosen by Doleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foundation to become â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dole Caregiver Fellows.â&#x20AC;? The foundation states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;These men and women have different backgrounds, but share similar stories of struggle and resilience.

They come from every state, as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and care for spouses, children, partners, siblings, and friends from different eras of war. They care for scars that are both visible and invisible.â&#x20AC;? Leaders in their community, they share their personal stories to bring vital attention to the tremendous challenges caregivers face and advocate for increased support on Capitol Hill and in their local communities.

Helen applied to become a Dole Fellow; she was chosen for an interview and picked to be Wisconsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2019 Fellow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had two very good friends that thought I would do a good job and they kept after me to apply.

Although, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel I was anyone special or that had done anything that another spouse wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have

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done,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Helen shared she finds inspiration in those who honor the sacrifices that our Military Men, Women and their families make for our country. She said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have two very close friends that have inspired me to take on this great role as a Dole Fellow. Michelle from Las Vegas helped me identify as a caregiver when I just thought I was doing what every other wife would do in the same situation. She said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;apply for the Fellowship you will be great at it!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Amanda from Michigan is a ray of sunshine that is ALWAYS there with her bright red lipstick. After everything she has been through, she can get up every day, continue on and put together a Facebook page that connects hundreds of fellow caregivers together. She is there for any of us anytime of day or night. She also was behind me applying for the Dole Fellow. I thought if these to remarkable women can get up every day and do what they do, I could join them to assist caregivers and vets that need help.â&#x20AC;?

Helen said it is important for caregivers to take some â&#x20AC;&#x153;Me Timeâ&#x20AC;? as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do get to things for myself, caregiverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call it self care. We do this for two reasons: One, for our sanity. Two, because you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help others if you are running on empty.â&#x20AC;? She said she enjoys spa days. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gives me a chance to be able to just relax, no phone, no appointments, no sense of time is needed.â&#x20AC;? She also appreciates a good walk in nature, fishing or hunting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is the time to unplug and pretend there is no world out there,â&#x20AC;? Helen said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My advice for other Military Caregivers is to surround yourself with people who lift you and the person you care for up. Your circle will get smaller as a caregiver but the integrity and support you will receive will grow more than youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever think,â&#x20AC;? Helen said.

Dean and Helen are also active in the Wounded Warrior Project; belong to the American Legion in Balsam Lake, Higher Ground, DAV and Project Sanctuary. They have a farm raising poultry, rabbits and beef. Also keeping them busy are three horses and as Helen puts it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Four very spoiled dogs; 1 Shih Tzu, Gizmo which is Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service dog. Gizmoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s siblings are three Cocker Spaniels; Pebbles, Kryptonite and Rascal.

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Visit the Amery Fall Festival booth at the Amery Spring Show Details on this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event Sign up to help/volunteer Sponsorship opportunities

Mark your calendars...

Amery Fall Festival September 12, 13, 14 & 15, 2019

MARCH 26, 2019

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Polk County Health Department recognizes National Public Health Week The Polk County Health Department (PCHD) wants to raise awareness about National Public Health Week (PHW).

Public Health Week is celebrated this year from April 1st – 7th. PCHD wants to remind the people of Polk County about the importance of health in their lives.

This year’s theme is: “Creating the Healthies Nation: For science. For action. For health.

The 2019 Public Health Days include:

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MONDAY — HEALTHY COMMUNITIES Take a moment to think about what makes Polk County a healthy community and are there areas we can improve on.

Consider joining one of our Community Health Improvement Workgroups and/or Polk United Healthier Together. For more information contact Elizabeth Hagen at 715-485-8500.

TUESDAY — VIOLENCE PREVENTION Community Referral Agency: Provides Services for Survivors of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault (All services are Free and Confidential) 24 hour toll-free crisis: 800-2617233 Text: 715-553-3359 Mental Health Task Force of Polk County Brochure visit mentalhealthpolk.org WEDNESDAY — RURAL HEALTH Is there someone you know struggling with transportation due to distance in our rural community? Are you able to offer to help provide transportation?

Interfaith Caregivers of Polk County assists seniors and adults with disabilities to enhance independence, dignity and quality of life. This is done through the help of many volunteers. For information contact 715-825-9500.

THURSDAY — TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH • Search for App store on Smart Devices that can help you or someone you know keep track of their health. Many apps have been proven to support healthier outcomes. An example, the Text4Baby app for pregnant women.

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FRIDAY — CLIMATE CHANGE Take a moment to think about ways that you can have a positive impact on the environment in Polk County. A few examples: promote clean air – recycle – participate in cleaning-up litter.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY — GLOBAL HEALTH Educate yourself on the importance of vaccines – this can help stop the spread of disease.

• Check if you and or family members are up-to-date on your vaccinations. This can be done at your local medical center or the PCHD. •

The goal of Polk County Health Department is “to partner with communities to protect and improve health and well-being so that we have a safe and healthy community.” Meeting this goal would not be possible without the help of many organizations in Polk County; including the Community Services Division, community coalitions, non-profit and community organizations, health care providers, schools, faith communities and most importantly the residents.

To find out about the services Polk County Health Department offers please visit www.polkcountyhealthdept.org or call 715-485-8500.

For more information on Public Health week visit www.nphw.org.

Gov. Evers wants to raise state unemployment benefits MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers wants to boost Wisconsin’s unemployment benefits and eliminate some requirements to qualify for them.

The Democratic governor has proposed raising the maximum rate for unemployment benefits from $370 to $406 a week as part of the next state budget, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Officials with Evers’ administration said Wisconsin’s jobless benefit rate is less than most other states.

Some critics question the move during a time of record-low unemployment, while others worry the state could make it too enticing to claim jobless benefits.

“We want people in the workforce now, particularly when jobs are plentiful,” said Republican Rep. Mike Rohrkaste. “Let’s push people that can be working to be working.”

Ben Jedd, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, said that the state’s benefit rate would still be below the national average, even with Evers’ proposed increase.

Evers has also proposed eliminating the state’s one-week waiting period to qualify for unemployment benefits, as well as a requirement that applicants submit to drug testing to receive benefits.

Other changes in Evers’ budget proposal include dropping a provision that makes people ineligible for benefits if they were fired for what the law defines as “substantial fault,” or failure to conform to a “reasonable” employer job policy. The standard has been contested in recent court cases, in which judges found it was improperly used to deny applicants benefits.

Victor Forberger, a Madison attorney who specializes in employment law, said some of the state’s requirements for benefit eligibility hurt areas such as northern Wisconsin, where many residents work blue-collar seasonal jobs and file for unemployment in the winter.

“We are forcing people to leave the state because we’re forcing them to search for jobs that don’t exist here,” Forberger said.

ACEs Trainings Making an Impact in Polk County Mental Health Task Force of Polk County Provides Free Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Community Presentations Over the past year and a half, over 1000 professionals and community members in Polk County have been (or will soon be) trained to understand Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the impact of childhood trauma through the Mental Health Task Force of Polk County’s Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Initiative.

Trauma Informed Care is an approach to engaging people that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. Trauma affects the individual, families, and communities by disrupting healthy development, adversely affecting relationships, and contributing to mental health issues.

Understanding the impact of trauma is an important first step in becoming a compassionate and supportive community.

Individual trauma can be measured through Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs are serious childhood traumas that result in toxic stress that can harm a child’s brain, impact a child’s ability to learn, interpret and function socially, and increase the risk of poor health, addiction, and difficulty functioning as an adult. According to Dr. Robert Anda, Co-Principal of the ACEs Study, “ACEs are the leading determinant of the health and social well-being of our nation.”

Now in its second year, the MHTF’s TIC Initiative, made possible through grant funding from the United Way of St. Croix Valley’s Community Impact Grant Program, sought to raise awareness of ACEs through a series of trainings offered free to any interested organization or group in Polk County. To date, the MHTF’s ACEs trainer, Betsy Byker of Essential Connections for Families, has facilitated presentations for local school districts, medical centers, libraries, human service organizations, mental health providers, parent groups, foster parents, youth mentors, and childcare providers.

Participants have described the

The Brothers Grimm

ACEs training as “important,” “inspiring,” “engaging,” and “just what [we] needed.” “Educating with a trauma-informed lens is vital to the success of our students,” says Kristin Boileau, Elementary Guidance Counselor at Osceola Elementary School, “This opened new doors for our district to look into the ‘now what’ in addition to what Betsy already taught us.” Dr. Becky Styles, Osceola School Director of Instruction, says, “Betsy was incredibly engaging and delivered in a way that all could relate. Two weeks later a staff member came to me and said, ‘that ACEs stuff really matters—makes me think before reacting.’” “The ACEs training changed the way I understand our clients,” shared Deanine Hupe, Domestic Violence Advocate at Community Referral Agency, “It has made me have much more empathy for them and less judgement of them.”

By building awareness of ACEs, the MHTF hopes to help create a shift in perspective in how we view health and social issues that inspires a new approach to building healthy and resilient communities. The MHTF continues to offer free ACEs trainings to any interested school, community group, or organization in Polk County.

The next phase of our project is focused on building resilience and protective factors as a response to childhood trauma. According to the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, “One way to understand the development of resilience is to visualize a balance scale or seesaw. Protective experiences and coping skills on one side counterbalance significant adversity on the other.” Understanding the key elements of resilience helps us, then, to answer the “what now?” question in response to understanding the impact of ACEs. For more information on the MHTF’s TIC Initiative, please contact Lisa Murphy, Program Coordinator, at lisamurphy@mentalhealthpolk. org.

Amery High School Students present...

The Brothers Grimm

Spectaculaëon Spectaculaëon A Comedy by Don Zolidis Directed by Danielle Bebus

March 29 & 30 • 7 pm March 31 • 2 pm Amer y High School Auditorium Tickets $6 Advance Tickets Available at Chet Johnson Drug and the AHS Office A wild, free-form comedy with lots of audience participation and madcap fun.

Açow yourself to be enchanted & deceived

As this play includes high school-rated comedy, we recommend that viewers be ages 13 and up!

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MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

The Postscript

BY CARRIE CLASSON

I scrutinize myself in the mirror on a regular basis. From the front all is well. I am pushing sixty and holding together reasonably well.

From the side itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another story. I have inherited my grandmotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neck. My chin is on a mission to meet up with my chest, bypassing my neck entirely. This is a stealth mission, on my chinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part, but I see what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to. It borrowed the genetic plans from an earlier generation and the descent is inevitable. In a contest Carrie Classon between me and gravity, I have a pretty good idea who the winner will be.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of the fun of growing older. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a constant guessing game as to which part of me is going to start moving in an unexpected direction, shrink, grow, or disappear entirely. I keep a wary eye on myselfâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not because thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much I can do about these unexpected developments, but just to keep tabs.

We all do this, I suppose. I saw a friend for the first time in a long time and almost before weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d finished our hellos she blurted out, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gained 20 pounds! My new job

is so stressful I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time to exercise!â&#x20AC;? (Where were the twenty pounds? I thought she looked great.)

Another friend only wears long sleeves, even in the warmest weather, because she is convinced her arms are unattractive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Batwings!â&#x20AC;? she said, on a rare occasion when I caught a glimpse of her arms above the wrist. She flapped her arms in an effort to imitate a bat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You see? Flap! Flap!

Flap!â&#x20AC;? (It was only because of her superb acting skills that I saw the resemblance.)

But these are new developments.

Another friend of mine doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wear lipstick because she believes she is ugly. She believes this because someone (her mother) told her so a very long time ago. She is now my age and still doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wear make-up. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong: I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think anyone needs to wear make-up. I just find it unbearably sad that she still hears the cruel words of her mother almost a half century later.

There is a lot of criticism of the fashion industry, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going. If I were selling clothes, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d stand a better chance by putting them on a coat hangerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or an 18-year-old who resembled oneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;than a well-over-fiftyyear-old with a conjoined chin and chest. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not my point: I think

we make up most of the rules ourselves.

I was recently in Mexico wearing a bikini. I know Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not supposed to. I have a friend who insists itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s against the rules to wear a bikini after forty. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whose rules?â&#x20AC;? I asked her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mine!â&#x20AC;? she said firmly. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to argue with.

But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not insisting she wear one. I still do and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t especially care if people find it inappropriate.

I saw another woman on the beach and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pretty sure her bikini top would have ridden a good four to six inches higher a few decades earlier. But who cares?

I want to wear a bikini until Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m ninetyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;if I feel like it. I want my friend to splash on bright red lipstick and let her long-dead mother deal with it. I want my friend with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;extraâ&#x20AC;? twenty pounds to buy herself a flirty new dress and feel fabulous. I want my friend with the batwings to feel the spring wind on her shoulders.

I also want my neck to secure the border between my chin and my chestâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another story.

Till next time, Carrie Carrie Classonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memoir, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blue Yarn,â&#x20AC;? will be released next month. Learn more at CarrieClasson.com.

Happy 80th Birthday Clarence & Elenore Kern

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spring Editionâ&#x20AC;?

Anyone interested in advertising in this special edition please give Pam a call at 715-268-8101 or email phumpal@theameryfreepress.com Advertising deadline is Monday, April 15 AMERY

215 S. Keller Ave., Amery, WI 54001 Phone 715-268-8101 Fax 715-268-5300 email: phumpal@theameryfreepress.com

CERTIFIED SOCIAL WORKER Price County Department of Health and Human Services Price County is accepting applications for the position of &HUWLĂ&#x20AC;HG 6RFLDO :RUNHU LQ WKH &KLOGUHQ <RXWK 'LYLVLRQ of the Department of Health and Human Services. Work involves Child Protective Services, Juvenile Delinquency, in-home services including family assessments and treatment planning, case management, after-hours on-call services and alternate care services. Position functions are SHUIRUPHG LQ DQ RIÂżFH FOLHQW KRPH DQG FRPPXQLW\ VHWWLQJ 7KLV LV D IXOO WLPH UHJXODU SRVLWLRQ ZLWK D IXOO EHQHÂżW SDFNDJH DQG VWDUWLQJ KRXUO\ ZDJH range of $21.57 to $22.95 depending on experience.

A full description of minimum requirements and application instructions can be found on the Price County websiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employment opportunities page at www.co.price.wi.us, by emailing a request to KURIÂżFH#FR SULFH ZL XV, or by calling 715-339-6404. &RPSOHWHG DSSOLFDWLRQV PXVW EH UHFHLYHG E\ WKH 3ULFH &RXQW\ 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH RI $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ QR ODWHU WKDQ S P RQ 7KXUVGD\ $SULO 3ULFH &RXQW\ LV DQ (TXDO 2SSRUWXQLW\ (PSOR\HU WNAXLP

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Minnesota legislators want to rename Interstate Park for river protector Walter Mondale

BY GREG SEITZ ST. CROIX 360

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers has introduced a bill that would rename Minnesota’s iconic Interstate Park on the St. Croix River after Vice President Walter Mondale.

The honor is being proposed to honor Mondale for his work as a Senator to pass the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, which provided protection for the St. Croix still being enjoyed today.

“Without this designation, the St. Croix would likely have become heavily polluted and overdeveloped,” the legislators said in a statement.

House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, a Democrat from Golden Valley, and Senator Karin Housley, a Republican from St. Mary’s Point, are the lead authors of the legislation.

“We are honoring Walter Mondale’s lifelong devotion to public service and his foresight in preserving the St. Croix Scenic Riverway as a national treasure,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “Vice President Mondale has left us a legacy of rugged and pristine beauty which we will enjoy for generations to come, and so it is

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Dalles of the St. Croix River in Interstate State Park, Minnesota, photographed from the Wisconsin bank. Lawmakers have introduced a bill that would rename Minnesota’s iconic Interstate Park on the St. Croix River after Vice President Walter Mondale.

fitting that we recognize him in this way.”

The legislators say they hope Wisconsin may follow suit, and rename the Wisconsin side of

the park after Senator Gaylord Nelson, who partnered with Mondale to protect the St. Croix as Wild & Scenic.

The pair of parks is consid-

ered the first bi-state park in America. The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act was also notably bipartisan, passing Congress by wide margins. It’s a legacy

the legislators say they want to celebrate today.

“It’s only fitting that we renew the spirit of bipartisanship that led to the park’s creation by naming the Minnesota portion of Interstate Park after its original champion, Walter Mondale,” Senator Housley said.

In 2012, Interstate was the fourth most popular state park in Minnesota, bringing more than 300,000 visitors.

The House bill is numbered H.F. 1963. Other legislators from the St. Croix Valley and beyond have also signed on as co-sponsors, including Reps. Bob Dettmer (R-Forest Lake) and Shelly Christensen (D-Stillwater). A Senate companion bill is expected soon.

Minnesota Interstate Park was created in 1895, first named Dalles of the St. Croix State Park. Wisconsin followed suit in 1900 and created the companion preserve across the St. Croix.

Mondale served as Minnesota Attorney General from 1960-1964, US Senator from 1964-1976, Vice President from 1977-1981, and Ambassador to Japan from 1993-1996.

DESIGNED BY

DESIGNED BY

Madison Kaphing

McKenzie Braatz

Amery Intermediate School

Amery Intermediate School

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MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

Goodbye to Clam Falls dam, flowage?

World Energies and its subsidiary, Flambeau Hydro, began leasing the dam. Flambeau Hydro no longer generates energy from the dam, and because of the terms of the lease is responsible for paying for the removal of the dam, if removal takes place.

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Clam Falls residents appeared en force at the March 19 Polk County Board meeting to express concern about the future of the Clam Falls Flowage. Their words formed a consistent refrain: The town has economic potential with the lake upstream of the dam.

Without it, the outlook is dire.

‘SIGNIFICANT’ HAZARD In May 2017, the DNR designated the dam a significant hazard, starting a five-year clock for the dam’s owner, Northwestern Wisconsin Electric Company, to bring it up to standard. The dam must be able to pass a 500-year flood without failing or overtopping.

The designation — on a scale of “low,” “significant,” or “high” — is based on potential damage to property, injuries, or loss of life downstream if the dam fails.

Northwestern estimates repairs to bring the dam up to standard would cost $1.3-$1.5 million.

A clause allows for exceptions to the hazard rating if a study shows

SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN

Angela Kopesky of Halyn’s Tap and Grill shows Polk County Board members a large photo of the back of the Clam Falls Dam, saying “this is where all the clams are.”

the dam can be overtopped without failing.

Residents say they’ve seen the dam overflow safely in the past.

Northwestern has proposed that the county, its tenant Flambeau Hydro, and Polk County

partner to pay for a study to see if the dam can be overtopped safely. Ayers Associates engineering firm has estimated the study would cost $46,800.

HISTORY The dam was built in

1914-15 to generate power for Northwestern Wisconsin Electric Company, an investor-owned electric utility serving Burnett and Polk counties, with reach into Pine Coutny, Minn.

According to Dave

Dahlberg, president of Northwestern Electric, the company generated power at the dam through the mid 1980s, when it determined repairs would be too costly to warrant investment.

In 2001, Renewable

COUNTY COULD TAKE OVER Flambeau Hydro has offered Polk County $650,000 to take ownership of the dam.

“Northwestern has determined it’s not in our interest to keep it,” said Dahlberg. “Flambeau has determined it’s not in their interest to keep the dam. We’re asking if Polk County is willing to take the dam.”

County board members took no action last week, but Chair Dean Johansen said they will take the issue into consideration.

If a hazard exemption is granted through the DNR, there is no need to upgrade the rating. The county would be responsible for maintaining the dam at an estimated annual cost of $8,000.

DESIGNED BY

DESIGNED BY

Alyssa Davidson

Ayden Montpetit

Clear Lake Elementary School

Amery Intermediate School

MARCH 26, 2019

AMERY FREE PRESS

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As drug use increases, more children placed out of home

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Across Wisconsin, increasing rates of meth and opioid addiction are driving a secondary problem: finding out-of-home placement for children.

The need for such placement has risen 39 percent in less than a decade, according to information from the Wisconsin Counties Human Services Association. From 2012 to the first quarter of 2018, the number of children in out-of-home care statewide grew from 3,977 to 5,516. Some counties have seen more dramatic increases of 80 to 100 percent.

Additionally, the average length of time in out-of-home care has more than doubled, growing from 157 days in 2011 to 356 in 2016.

LINKS TO ADDICTION The state’s Department of Children and Families estimates more than 80 percent of open cases are caused or complicated by drug and alcohol abuse.

From 2011 to 2016, the number of children removed from their home because of caretaker substance abuse rose from 577 to 1,261, an increase of 119 percent.

However, some of the overall increase may be policy related. Information from the Wisconsin Counties Human Services Association shows that unfunded mandates have added to 40 to 80 hours of work per case, “greatly decreasing the ability for family engagement and diminishing the ability to prevent out-of-home care placements.”

RISING COSTS More children needing care for longer periods of time have overwhelmed child welfare systems in many parts of

the state. Caseworkers are struggling sion. to manage ever-increasing numbers.

“In addition to methamphetamine Counties are struggling to pay ever-inuse by caregivers, the other trend we creasing costs. are seeing is that nearly all of these From 2013 to 2017, costs for out-ofchildren and caregivers have experihome care — including enced significant trauma foster care, treatin their lives,” she said. ment-foster care, subOverwhelming casesidized guardianships, loads are another part group homes, and of the growing problem. residential care centers Information from the — rose more than $14 Wisconsin Counties million, from $81.5 to Human Services Asso$95.7 million. ciation shows that child Costs are not distribprotective services staff uted evenly throughout in Polk County have the state. Just under reported some of the half of Wisconsin’s highest caseloads in the counties have seen region, exceeding 20 per the greatest increases, worker. For context, the between 50 and 100 perChild Welfare League of cent. In those counties, America recommends 12 the vast majority of cost to 15 cases, depending on Tonya Eichelt for out-of-home placeDirector, Polk County Community Services case type, saying manment comes from counageable workloads are ty property tax. Collectively, counties linked to better outcomes for children outmatched state aid by 1,634 percent and families. to fund out-of-home placement in 2016, according to information from the COSTS UP IN POLK COUNTY Wisconsin Counties Human Services Polk County Administrator Nick OsAssociation. borne apprised county board members last week that spending on drug-related POLK COUNTY issues has outgrown budgeted funding In Polk County the cost of out-of-home in the county’s Community Services placements due to abuse or neglect Division. grew from $1.2 million in 2016 to $1.3 “A lot of the increases are due to the million in 2017 to $1.7 million in 2018, meth and opioid problem,” Osborne according to data from the Community said. “We’re seeing some of the same Services Division. results other counties are seeing. We Of these abuse and neglect cases, 65 to anticipate that when we close our 2018 80 percent have a direct link to methfinancial books in May that we will amphetamine use by caregivers. see a deficit as relates to out of home There is another notable trend, placements and several costs related to reported Tonya Eichelt, director of Polk some of the drug issues we’ve seen in County’s Community Services Divithis community.”

‘In addition to methamphetamine use, the other trend we are seeing is that nearly all of these children and caregivers have experienced significant trauma in their lives.’

Osborne said the number would be large, up to $1 million.

“Hopefully we’ll have some other programs that are under budget, and we can use those savings to make up for the loss,” he said.

Osborne added that he and Eichelt are discussing ways to address the cost in the future.

According to Eichelt, the division is focusing on prevention, working via a policy passed by the Polk County Board last summer.

“In July of 2018, Resolution 61-18 was adopted and its purpose is to ‘develop a plan to establish, create, and enhance a facility /program in Polk County for substance/methamphetamine use,’” she explained. “Within our Division we took a three pronged approach to the resolution by utilizing our prevention experts in Public Health, our child safety experts in the Department of Children and Families and our recovery experts in the Behavioral Health Department.”

The division is applying for two grants focused on prevention: a Drug Free Communities grant and a Child Welfare Neglect and Abuse Prevention Grant. Both are focused on evidence-based practices to prevent youth from using drugs and preventing child abuse and neglect, according to Eichelt.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Counties Association is asking for $30 million each year in the next budget to help manage the surge in costs.

DESIGNED BY

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Vante Allen

Cashton Madison

Amery Intermediate School

Amery Intermediate School

20B AMERY FREE PRESS

MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

Beto O’Rourke says nothing in his past will hinder 2020 run

BY SCOTT BAUER AND WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke told supporters Sunday that he’s never taken LSD and there’s “nothing” he hasn’t already revealed about his past that could come back to hurt his run for office.

The former Texas congressman — who has become known for his propensity for using the “f-word” — also promised again to clean up his language, despite breaking such past vows.

O’Rourke grabbed much attention as he wrapped up his first week of campaigning, but his challengers could be found at events from the Upper Midwest to the South. And looming over them all is the shadow of one prominent Democrat not in but not out, former Vice President Joe Biden. He has yet to announce a decision.

Speaking in front of a large map of Russia inside a coffee shop in Wisconsin’s capital, O’Rourke promised to return often, addressing concerns Democrats raised in 2016 after Hillary Clinton never campaigned in the state after her party’s primary and lost the state to Donald Trump by fewer than 23,000 votes.

“This state is fundamental to any prospect we have of electing a Democrat to the presidency in 2020,” O’Rourke said, adding that he was “really glad” Milwaukee was chosen to host the 2020 Democratic national convention.

The city, which O’Rourke was visiting later Sunday, beat out Miami and Houston.

O’Rourke, of course, has to secure the Democratic presidential nomination before he can worry about the general election. But then he’s also already

said he’d prefer to pick a woman as his running mate, should he make it that far. O’Rourke said Sunday that it was presumptuous to commit to that so early, but that doing so would make a “tremendous amount of sense” given the number of qualified women candidates.

Many remember the Texan for declaring “I’m so f--king proud of you guys” on national television during his concession speech in November, after narrowly losing his Senate race to incumbent Republican Ted Cruz.

O’Rourke said Sunday that he’ll not use profanities any more, after being asked by a voter if he was going to “clean up his act,” especially in front of children.

“Point taken, and very strongly made,” O’Rourke said. “We’re going to keep it clean.” He made a similar pledge during his race with Cruz, then didn’t make good.

O’Rourke has previously admitted to a 1998 arrest for drunken driving and said nothing else will come out that could be used against him during the 2020 presidential campaign. Later, he signed the skateboard of a supporter who asked if he had ever taken the drug LSD. The candidate responded that he hadn’t.

About 400 people came to the coffee shop to hear O’Rourke. Half made it inside and half listened from the sidewalk through the opened door. O’Rourke wore a St. Patrick’s Day necklace featuring green cabbage but said he had coffee — not beer — with his breakfast: “Although it can be justified as an O’Rourke on St. Patrick’s Day to do that,” he joked, in a nod to his Irish heritage.

The Republican Party’s official Twitter accounted noted his past arrest, tweeting, “On this St. Paddy’s Day, a special message from noted Irishman

Robert Francis O’Rourke” and including an altered photo of the Democrat’s mug shot wearing an oversized, green leprechaun hat over the phrase “Please Drink Responsibly.”

Other highlights of Sunday’s campaigning:

“It is an America that is working great for those at the top and not working for anyone else, and that’s why I’m in this fight,” Warren said. She reminded the crowd that she is running a grassroots campaign that does not accept corporate donations.

ELIZABETH WARREN Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren said during a campaign stop in Tennessee that her proposed tax on “ultra-millionaires” is a key step in reducing corruption and privileges for the rich, while making the economy work better for poorer people.

An energetic Warren spoke a racially-mixed group of about 400 potential voters while standing on a podium in front of the American and Tennessee flags in a large room at Douglass High School in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday afternoon. It was her first stop in a three-state tour of the South.

Warren is the first of a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates to visit the Deep South in the run-up to the 2020 election. She is scheduled to visit the Mississippi cities of Cleveland and Greenville before a CNN town hall in Jackson on Monday. Selma and Birmingham in Alabama are on the agenda Tuesday.

Memphis is a majority black, majority Democrat city that has backed Democrats the past three presidential elections. President Donald Trump won Tennessee.

Warren touted her tax on whose households with a net worth of $50 million or more. Warren said the tax revenue, estimated at $2.75 trillion over a ten-year period. could help in reducing the cost of housing, health care and child care.

KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND Kirsten Gillibrand formally joined the 2020 White House race on Sunday and previewed the hard line she will take against President Donald Trump by announcing a rally outside one of his signature Manhattan properties.

The New York senator had spent more than a month traveling around the country to gauge support for a run.

Gillibrand’s announcement that she was joining the dozen-plus Democratic candidates seeking the White House came in a nearly three-minute video released early Sunday, when she says the national anthem poses this question: “Will brave win?”

She said her debut speech as a candidate will come this coming Sunday in front of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York.

AMY KLOBUCHAR Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar says an exchange with a tearful Vietnam veteran who lost his son to mental illness is “a moment I’m never going to forget, no matter where I go in Iowa."

The Minnesota senator spoke to voters Sunday at a Davenport, Iowa restaurant. It was the final stop of a two-day swing through the state.

The man, who was sitting toward the front of the room wearing a Vietnam Veterans hat, began crying as Klobuchar spoke about her respect for Sen. John McCain, who died last year. The

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Katelyn Roessler

Amery Intermediate School

Clear Lake Elementary School

MARCH 26, 2019

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2020 ELECTION: Candidates joining the race CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20B

Republican was a prisoner of war during Vietnam.

Klobuchar approached the man after her speech to take a photo. She stood with a hand on his back for several minutes as he recounted losing his son and told her he fears the U.S. may get into more wars.

Afterward, Klobuchar told reporters the moment “brings up again the importance of mental health centers.” She says mental health care has been one of the biggest concerns she’s heard from voters.

PETE BUTTIGIEG Democrat Pete Buttigieg says he’s met a fundraising threshold to participate in this summer’s presidential debates.

The South Bend, Indiana, mayor said says he’s received contributions from 65,000-plus individual donors. That’s key because the Democratic National Committee said last month up to 20 candidates can qualify for debates in June and July by collecting donations from at least 65,000 individuals, with at least 200 unique donors in at least 20 states.

In an email to supporters, Buttigieg said “we weren’t even close” to 65,000 donors when the DNC originally announced the requirement. The 37-year-old veteran says more than 76,000 people have now donated.

He also told “Fox News Sunday” that “all of the signs are pointing in the right direction” to shift from just exploring a

2020 run to becoming an official candidate, as Gillibrand did Sunday.

BILL DE BLASIO New York Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized former President Barack Obama during a small gathering in New Hampshire as he mulls a run for president, saying that Obama’s early days in office were “a lost window.”

Minutes later, in front of a larger audience, de Blasio praised the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature legislative achievement, calling it “progress.” Obama pursued the health care legislation during his first two years in office and has been criticized at times for focusing on health care instead of the struggling economy.

A handful of people were present in a second-floor private room of a Concord restaurant when de Blasio compared Obama to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took office in 1933 amid the Depression and immediately began a series of actions that came to define the modern presidency’s focus on a 100-day agenda. The mayor said Roosevelt was the only person who “had a greater head of steam and political momentum and capital coming into office.”

“He, to his great credit, did the 100 days and the reckless abandon and understood that you had to achieve for people to build the next stage of capital to use for the next thing,” de Blasio said. “Obama, I think, nobly went at health care, but it played out over such a long time and it

got treated politically as such a narrow instead of universal item, tragically, that it was a lost window. And I’m not saying anything I don’t think a lot of people feel.”

CORY BOOKER Democratic White House hopeful Cory Booker said Sunday night he would reverse President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military if elected president.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 300 voters in Davenport, Booker answered a question posed by a woman who identified herself as transgender about what he would do to protect LGBTQ rights as president.

“When I am president of the United States, right away I will end this ridiculous, insulting, un-American ban on transgender Americans serving in the military,” he said to cheers from the crowd.

It was one of a handful of Trump Administration policies the New Jersey senator pledged to undo if elected president, including Trump’s tax cuts and his revocation of protections from deportation for undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.

Booker also weighed in on marijuana legalization, offering a more comprehensive vision for legalization that would include expunging criminal records and promoting access to the legal marijuana industry for women and people of color.

Genealogist leads to 82-year-old charged in 1976 cold case MARINETTE, Wis. (AP) — An 82-year-old Wisconsin man has been charged in a 1976 double slaying after a genealogist used DNA evidence to narrow the list of possible suspects in the cold case.

Marinette County prosecutors charged Raymand Vannieuwenhoven on Thursday with first-degree murder in the fatal shootings of 25-year-old David Schuldes and 24-year-old Ellen Matheys. The couple were killed at a park in the town of Silver Cliff.

Vannieuwenhoven was also charged with sexually assaulting Matheys.

Investigators have searched for DNA matches in the cold case over the years, but they didn’t have any major leads until last year when they contacted a DNA lab in Virginia.

The company, Parabon NanoLabs, identified a broad genealogical background of the suspect. A genealogist was then able to narrow the suspect pool down to a specific family with ties to the Green Bay area, WLUK-TV reported.

Investigators said they secretly collected DNA samples from several brothers in the family, including Raymand Vannieuwenhoven. Investigators approached Vannieuwenhoven at his home under the pretense of conducting a survey about policing in the area. An officer had Vannieuwenhoven seal the survey in an envelope to test the saliva sample.

The crime lab determined he was a match to the DNA found at the crime scene more than 40 years ago.

No comments from Vannieuwenhoven are provided in the complaint.

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Amery Intermediate School

Amery Intermediate School

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A village and volunteers preserve a struggling grocery co-op

BY BARRY ADAMS WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL

PLAIN, Wis. (AP) — Honey Creek Market isn’t your typical grocery co-op.

While others like Madison-based Willy Street Co-op, Yahara River Grocery Co-op in Stoughton and Viroqua Food Co-op in Vernon County are known for their organic produce, vegan options and bulk grains, the inventory at Honey Creek is more in line with that of a Pick’n Save or Woodman’s Market, although on a much smaller scale.

The co-op, with just more than 100 members, offers mainstream and brand-name products along with a small mix of locally produced foods, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. As the only full-service grocery store in this Sauk County village of more than 700 people, the business provides a vital service for local residents who otherwise would have to drive 8 miles to the Hometown Supermarket in Spring Green, 22 miles to the Walmart Supercenter in Richland Center or 18 miles to the Piggly Wiggly in Sauk City.

But Honey Creek Market’s business model is also different from most co-ops and regular grocery stores. That’s why, for the first time in five years, the small store across the street from the I-Diehl Tap and a block south of Straka Meats, is in the black, although its future is tenuous.

While there was a steady stream of regular customers buying loaves of freshly made bread, gallons of milk, heads of lettuce and jugs of laundry

soap, much of the success in 2018 can be Alma and Main streets. The co-op had credited to a team of 14 volunteers who planned to buy the building after five supported the staff of seven part-time years but the Bettingers have extended paid employees at the co-op. the lease by a year to give the co-op “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for more time to determine its fate. The the volunteers,” said Mary Mercier, a options could be buying the building, member of the co-op’s board of direcmoving or closing the business. tors for the last three years. “It’s made In 2018, sales were down 10 percent to all of the difference. This is a unique $441,925, but the payroll was reduced community. The connections between by $44,289. In addition, cash donations people here are stronger than most declined to $3,037 compared to $35,348 small towns.” from about 35 donors Those connections also whose gifts ranged from a include years of donafew dollars to several thoutions from an anonymous sand. But the bottom line investment group that showed a profit of $11,458 has poured thousands of for the year. dollars into the business But this year is off to a to keep it afloat. slow start as sales are lagPlain was established ging by two percent over in the 1880s and became the first two months when a village in 1912 although compared to 2018 while St. Luke’s Catholic Church donations and membership was founded as a misrenewals are a combined sion parish here in 1857. $600 more than last year at Mary Mercier The village’s Bavarian this time.

Honey Creek Market roots are showcased each “The board, which I’m Board of Directors Member October with Strassenfest not on anymore, decided while the Schnitzelbank they’re going to take a Restaurant offers up German fare year- look at things in May and June and see round. Kraemer Construction, one of where we’re at,” said John Feiner, 71, the state’s largest construction compawho has been with the co-op since its nies, is here as is award-winning Cedar inception but is now the store’s assisGrove Cheese. tant manager. “We’ve been at this brink The grocery store also has a long here at least five or six times.” history. Phil’s Foods, owned by the Local products include sausage and Bettinger family since 1918, was sold ring bologna from Straka Meats and to the co-op in 2013, however, Lew and cheese from Cedar Grove Cheese both Joy Bettinger continue to own the in Plain; wine from Wollersheim Win6,400-square-foot store at the corner of ery near Prairie du Sac, bagels from

‘We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the volunteers.

It’s made all of the difference.

This is a unique community.’

Bagels Forever in Madison, locally harvested maple syrup and honey and homemade pulled pork, bread, cookies and take-and-bake pizza by in-house deli chef, Alice Ruhland. Eggs from Mary’s Organic Farm, a few miles out of town are expected to make an appearance in the coming weeks.

Donations to the co-op have included $10,000 to restock the store in 2016 and $10,000 to replace some refrigeration and freezer systems, which is now saving $800 a month in energy costs.

Initially, there was a $150 lifetime membership but after two years that was changed to a $75 annual membership fee, which cut its membership in half to 125 from about 250.

In 2018, the business never went into the red overall, despite losing money in February, May, August and November.

And that gives Feiner and Mercier hope that the store, where a wooden donation box to support the co-op sits at the checkout counter, has a future.

The volunteer program launched in 2017 and includes some students from River Valley High School and several residents who are retired.

“I didn’t know if the volunteer program would work,” Feiner said. “Right now it’s a year-to-year program.”

“Our future hope is that sales will increase and we will get better at what we’re doing and we’ll be able to replace our volunteers with paid employees,” Mercier said. “We want to support the community and offer more employment.”

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Clayton School

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MillerCoors sues Anheuser-Busch over corn syrup ads

BY IVAN MORENO ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A fight between beer giants escalated Thursday after MillerCoors filed a lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch that accused its rival of trying to “frighten” consumers into switching to Bud Light with “misleading” Super Bowl ads.

MillerCoors said in the lawsuit filed in Wisconsin federal court that St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has spent as much as $30 million on a “false and misleading” campaign, including $13 million in its first commercials during this year’s Super Bowl . The ad showed a medieval caravan pushing a huge barrel of corn syrup to castles for MillerCoors to make Miller Lite and Coors Light. The commercial states that Bud Light isn’t brewed with corn syrup.

Chicago-based MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch have the biggest U.S. market share at 24.8 percent and 41.6 percent, respectively, but they’ve been losing business in recent years to smaller independent brewers, imports, and wine and spirits, according to the Brewers Association.

Anheuser-Busch’s ad drew a rebuke from the National Corn Growers Association, which thanked MillerCoors for its support. In its lawsuit, MillerCoors said it’s “not ashamed of its use of corn syrup as a fermentation aid.”

Corn syrup is used by several

brewers during fermentation.

During that process, corn syrup is broken down and consumed by yeast so none of it remains in the final product. Bud Light is brewed with rice instead of corn syrup, but Anheuser-Busch uses corn syrup in some of its other beers, including Stella Artois Cidre and Busch Light.

Responding to the lawsuit, Anheuser-Busch said its campaign is truthful and designed to bring

‘Anheuser-Busch is fearmongering over a common beer ingredient it uses in many of its own beers, as a fermentation aid that is not even present in the final product. This deliberate deception is bad for the entire beer category.’

Marty Maloney MillerCoors spokesman consumers “transparency” about what’s in the beer they drink.

“MillerCoors’ lawsuit is baseless and will not deter Bud Light from providing consumers with the transparency they demand,” said Gemma Hart, the vice president of communications at Anheuser-Busch. “We stand behind the

Bud Light transparency campaign and have no plans to change the advertising.”

MillerCoors maintains Anheuser-Busch is preying on health conscious consumers who have negative connotations of corn syrup, sometimes confusing it with the high-fructose corn syrup in sodas.

“Anheuser-Busch is fearmongering over a common beer ingredient it uses in many of its own beers, as a fermentation aid that is not even present in the final product. This deliberate deception is bad for the entire beer category,” Marty Maloney, a MillerCoors spokesman, said in a statement.

MillerCoors wants a judge to order Anheuser-Busch to stop the ads and to give MillerCoors any profits it earned as a result of the campaign. Besides the television commercials, Anheuser-Busch has spread its campaign through social media, full-page newspaper ads, and billboards placed in Milwaukee.

MillerCoors said its competitors campaign is intended to “irreparably harm” the company’s reputation.

The feud threatens to disrupt an alliance between the two companies to work on a campaign to promote the beer industry amid declining sales.

POLK COUNTY PLATBOOKS $42.00 each

Friend, I Wish Friend, more I cannot wish you, that on life’s path you’d find, a like-minded soul in ways and view, to share the seeking of the mind.

Who could appreciate from search, his own, and receive with interest your ideas, thus could nurture seeds you’ve sown, while you revel in the value seen in his.

Further, in my heart I wish you, could such an associate be found , that trust between the two would issue, sharing of discovery abound.

It’s been called marvelous what could be done, if getting the credit is not the aim, the joy of gathering solutions, won, advancement of common good, the name.

Shared sorrow for how profit’s schemes, and loss of good for man, have squelched accomplishment of dreams, in doing good when we can.

Sharing, I can wish you, in your search for truth, discernment when errors block the way, expanding observations clung to from our youth, fellowship that together finds it today.

Carol Morfitt Welch

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Emersen Sargent

Lane Prusak

Clear Lake Elementary School

Clear Lake Elementary School

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MARCH 26, 2019 www.theameryfreepress.com

I can’t believe that the end of March is here already The month came in Like A Lion so it’s only fair that it goes out Like A Lamb… and from the forecast I saw, it could be true. I love to see the snow piles melting away but on the other hand I feel bad for the families who are dealing with flooding and water damage… prayers to all of you.

One thing is for sure, when the sun is shining it just makes a person be a little Pounding more positive and feel like smiling. So keep the thinking Spring!

The 16th Annual Pavement Amery Spring Show Pam Humpal is coming right up on Saturday, April 6. The event is held at the Amery Ice Arena from 9am to 4pm. Area businesses will be on hand to answer your questions on furniture, home décor, bathworks, watercare, plumbing, heating, finances, siding, windows, remodeling, recreation, lawn care, safety, vehicles, and much more. There will be drawings, giveaways, raffles, kids play area, and delicious food and treats available at the hockey concession. Be sure to stop by the Amery Free Press booth and sign up for hourly drawings of $25 Amery Scrip Money. The Good Neighbors Ukelele Circle will entertain with ukulele music and sing-a-longs at 10am.

At noon, Endeavors Greenhouse will have a planting demonstration along with plants for sale. The Amery Fire Department and Amery EMS will have equipment and vehicles there for showgoers to see. Admission to the Spring Show is just $2 or non-perishable food items for the Amery Area Food Pantry.

Looking forward to seeing you at the 16th Annual Amery Spring Show on Saturday, April 6.

Once again, thank you to the 5th Graders from Amery, Clayton and Clear Lake for creating ads for our area businesses with the Design An Ad promotion. Last week and this week’s paper include some of those creations.

Good job kids…each ad was great!

The Spring Election will be next Tuesday, April 2. This week’s issue contains election information, sample ballots, and polling places and hours.

Remember to vote on April 2.

“Ask The Expert”…the monthly Q & A page can be found in this issue. This month’s experts have information on insurance, healthcare, vehicles, dental care, finances, tax advice, assisted living, and chiropractic care. Amery businesses who would like to be on the monthly Ask The Expert page should please give me a call to reserve a spot.

The next page is published on April 30.

Upcoming special sections to the Amery Free Press include… *Spring Sports on April 9 featuring high school athletes from Amery, Clayton and Clear Lake. Deadline is Monday, April 1. *Wedding Guide on April 16 with area businesses to assist the bride and groom on their big day. Deadline is Monday, April 8. *Spring Edition on April 23 featuring ways to prepare for the change of season plus ideas to enjoy the Spring/ Summer months. Deadline is Monday, April 15.

A very special Happy Birthday to my youngest grandson, Finn, on March 29. Finn will be 3 years old already. He is a very busy little boy! Have a great birthday Finn!

Finn

At the musical were Phyllis, Franklin, Emma, Phillip, Elaine, me and Rita.

This past Saturday night we went to the musical “Newsies” which was performed at the DeLaSalle High School.

My niece and nephews were part of the musical. It was a great time visiting the “island” school…did you know that DeLaSalle school is on an island?

Have a great week, and be on your guard…April Fools Day is happening on Monday!

Bryan, Rachel, Jodi, Linda, me, Jonzie, Sid, Lee, Sally and Kevin.

Also, Happy Birthday this week to my niece, Delaney, who will be 14 years old on March 28, and to my nephew-in-laws, Kody on March 30, and Matt on April 1.

Enjoy your special days!

Recently 10 of us gathered in Nashville for a wonderful vacation. All of us had visited Nashville before except for my good friend, Jonzie, from Arizona who was being there for the first time.

She landed at the airport first and met us with the perfect sign ”Looking for a Wild and Crazy Bunch”…and I think she found it. The trip included a great time with seeing Charlie Daniels and Trace Adkins at the Grand Ole Opry, watching Jake Mullendore play in a hockey tournament, celebrating St Patrick’s Day/Sid’s birthday, walking the bridge to the Titans stadium, and as you can tell from the pictures, hanging out with Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean. And needless to say, there was laughter and more laughter from beginning to end. Nashville-Music City was fantastic!

Jake Mullendore

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McKinzie Wiesender Amery Intermediate School