BURNETT COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019 VOL. 57 NO. 17 www.burnettcountysentinel.com $1.00
PIES TO THE FACE: Grantsburg elementary students raised over $10,000 jumping rope. P30
Norine violated multiple ethics rules as District Attorney; state office says JONATHAN RICHIE EDITOR@BURNETTCOUNTYSENTINEL.COM
BURNETT COUNTY–– Former Burnett County District Attorney William Norine has been publicly reprimanded by the Office of Lawyer Regulation for using social media to ask out defendants on dates. A number of the women he sent messages to had open criminal
cases pending in Burnett County. “I have violated no ethical rule that I am aware of. And indeed, I have never had a disciplinary violation in 30 years of practice,” Norine told the Sentinel in September after a Twin Cities television station published a story alleging Norine used Facebook to ask out defendants. He served as Burnett County District
William Norine
Attorney for almost 10 years from 2008 to August when he resigned from the position. The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) was in charge of the investigation. The OLR is an agency of the Wisconsin Supreme
Court. They receive grievances relating to lawyer misconduct, conduct investigations, and prosecute violations of lawyer ethics rules. OLR Director, Keith Sellen, sent out a news release last week publicly reprimanding Norine for his actions as Burnett County DA. The public reprimand SEE NORINE, PAGE 6
99 year old farm in transition
KASSIE MULLINS | SENTINEL
Only in Wisconsin...
Knowing they could not continue to grow into a mega-farm, the Wedin Farm in Burnett County has scaled back its production. The family is preparing to celebrate their status as a Century Farm and their new venture on a smaller scale. In 1919 Gust Wedin purchased 80 acres of land in the Town of Wood River in Burnett County. Today his great-grandson Daryl Wedin runs the family farm. Gust bought the land and built a farm that will turn 100 years old this November. The Wedins will be honored with Century Farm signs at that point which they can hang with pride out by the road. The Century Farm and Home Program honors farms and homes that have existed for 100 years. It started in 1948 in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin celebrating its 100th birthday. Since then over 9,200 farms have been recognized as Century Farms. There is also the Sesquicentennial program, which began in 1998, it has honored 780 families over the last 21 years. According to the UW-Extension, “To qualify for the award, the farm or home, in whole or in part, must have been in continuous family
You’re never too old to play in th snow! Jessica Kreft and Kassie Mullins made their Pinterest dreams come true with a little help from Josh Glover and Marissa Jensen. All they have left to do is add a roof!
SEE WEDIN FARM, PAGE 2
Diversified Services future plans mean not just a factory JONATHAN RITCHIE EDITOR@BURNETTCOUNTYSENTINEL.COM
SIREN––The Diversified Services Inc., (DSI), factory is best known for
employing adults with disabilities at their brass coupling assembly production plant. However, they are in the process of expanding by providing even more support to those in the communi-
NEWS 715-463-2341 editor@burnettcountysentinel.com
ty with developmental disabilities who want to work. DSI was started in 1979 and was originally called the Burnett County Achievement Center in 1977 when it
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received a grant of $5,100 from the Otto Bremer Foundation. That money went to purchasing a loom and other wood
SUBSCRIPTIONS 715-463-2341 office@burnettcountysentinel.com
SEE DSI, PAGE 7
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