BURNETT COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2019 VOL. 57 NO. 11 www.burnettcountysentinel.com $1.00
BCTC TOP 10: The Burnett County Tourism Coalition awarded the Top 10 to area businesses P27
Grantsburg board discusses salt and sand JONATHAN RICHIE SENTINEL EDITOR
After a major winter storm in December local businesses were calling the village office about salting and sanding their parking lots. “That is something that we have never done since I’ve been here,” Public Works Director Chris Bartlett told the village board Monday night. “We got about eight calls from businesses asking us about it.” It was mentioned that in the past the village would go around and salt/sand certain local parking lots, but Bartlett said their equipment doesn’t allow them to access narrow parking lots. Trustee Michael Longhenry said when the village gets those types of phone calls they should be re-directed to a private business. “We shouldn’t be taking business away from private businesses,” Longhenry stated. Village Treasurer Shelia
JONATHAN RICHIE | SENTINEL
(from left) Fire Chief Mike Hemquist honored former chief Ben Keup for his years of service as Webb Lake Fire Chief, assistant fire chiefs Greg Main and Donny Vanderbeek were also part of the ceremony at The Cabaret last week.
Passing of the axe in Webb Lake JONATHAN RICHIE SENTINEL EDITOR
WEBB LAKE—Former Webb Lake Fire Chief Ben Keup was honored last week with a golden axe for his years of service to the community. Keup is retiring as chief and is handing the reins
to Mike Hemquist. Last week the Webb Lake Fire Department held their annual holiday party at The Cabaret in Webb Lake. “It’s a night everybody takes off. It’s something we all enjoy and get to relax,” Hemquist said. He added that the Scott Fire Department
monitors the Webb Lake area this one night a year. “Doug (McCreadie) watches over our area, it’s a great thing we can offer these volunteers.” Keup was honored with a ceremonial presenting of the axe. Hemquist said it is important for him in his time as chief to recognize past fire-
fighters and officers for their time serving the community. “The gold represents Ben’s status as chief, it’s the better version of a plaque,” Hemquist said. “When I became chief I wanted people to be recognized for their work with the Webb Lake Fire Department.”
SEE VILLAGE BOARD, PAGE 8
Man arrested in Closs abduction BY JEFF BAENEN AND GRETCHEN EHLKE
BARRON—A 21-year-old man shot a Wisconsin couple to death at their home in a scheme to kidnap their teenage daughter, then held the girl captive for three months before she managed to escape in an isolated north woods town, authorities said Friday. Jayme Closs, 13, was skinny, disheveled and wearing shoes too big for her when she approached a stranger and pleaded for help Thursday in the small
town of Gordon, where Jake Thomas Patterson lives. Patterson was apparently out looking for her when he was arrested and jailed on kidnapping and homicide charges, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said. The news that Jayme was safe set off joy and Jake Patterson relief 65 miles away in her hometown of
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Barron, population 3,300, ending an all-out search that gripped the state, with many people fearing the worst the longer she was missing. “My legs started to shake. It was awesome. The stress, the relief — it was awesome,” Fitzgerald said, describing the moment he learned Jayme had been found. Jayme told one of the neighbors in Gordon who took her in that she had walked away from a cabin where she had been held captive.
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“She said that this person’s name was Jake Patterson, `he killed my parents and took me,”’ said another one of the neighbors, Kristin Kasinskas. “She did not talk about why or how. She said she did not know him.” The sheriff said investigators are trying to figure out what happened to Jayme during her captivity and why she was seized, and gave no details on how she escaped except to say
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SEE CLOSS, PAGE 2
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