BURNETT COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2019 VOL. 57 NO. 32 www.burnettcountysentinel.com $1.00
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, RUN! Webster will be holding a running series for kids. P2
Siren National on hold for Fall
Grantsburg’s new principal
JONATHAN RICHIE EDITOR@BURNETTCOUNTYSENTINEL.COM
Due to the recent reconstruction of the airport there will be no Siren Nationals event this fall. The Burnett County Airport in Meenon recently had one of their runways reconstructed and officials decided it would be best to not have the event this year. They are planning to continue the event next spring. Siren Nationals was tentatively scheduled for September 21. The biannual event includes the radar run, a classic car show and flea market. The Lions Club and other vendors sell concessions. In May the event had over 600 spectators with about 100 cars participating in the radar run. Nate Ehalt, County Administrator and airport manager explained that the event will not be held this fall. He explained runway 5/23 was recently completely reconstructed. The runway was ranked as one of the worst in the state. “Airport officials would like to have the pavement completely set before having the racers back at the airport,” Ehalt said at the monthly infrastructure meeting. “I met with organizers of the event and they were very understanding, and there is a plan to have them invited back next spring.” He added the pavement is set for planes and jets to take off and land at the airport but group running the event SEE SIREN NATIONALS, PAGE 2
KAYLA CASEY SENTINEL STAFF
JONATHAN RICHIE | SENTINEL
Sunshine and Gemütlichkeit! Melaina Sheffield was excited for the full day of being immersed in the holiday with roots in Bavaria. The Danbury Lions held their 19th annual Oktoberfest at the Danbury ball field Saturday. More photos from Oktoberfest on page 12.
As August winds down, school districts throughout the county are beginning to prepare for the new school year. Grantsburg High School has a new principal and he says he is excited to start the school year and interact with the students. Matt Haase was hired as the new high school principal in Grantsburg. Before taking the position, he taught science (physics and chemistry) for 18 years. Two of those years were spent teaching in Hudson while the other 16 were spent teaching in Osceola. He loved to teach science because it allowed him a lot of time to interact with his students, especially when it came to labs. It was never his goal to become a principal, but throughout his years of teaching, Haase’s leadership quality grew. He attended Viterbo University in La Crosse and completed the Principal Certification Coursework. When he saw that Grantsburg was looking for a
high school principal, he jumped at the opportunity, and was excited to hear he had gotten the job. With the school year fast approaching, Haase has been working steadily with the veteran staff at the high school to learn how everything works. He says that the staff have been really great to him and Haase they have helped him really nail down what to expect in the upcoming year. They are going to try and keep most things running the same because Joshua Watt, the previous high school principal, had a good system going. Watt was named the district’s new superintendent in July. After speaking more with the teaching staff, Haase explained that their main goal this year is to focus on ACT scores and the students’ three-year SEE HAASE, PAGE 2
Concerned citizens file lawsuit against Wood Lake Camp JONATHAN RICHIE SENTINEL EDITOR
WOOD RIVER––A group of concerned citizens have filed a civil lawsuit against the owners of Wood Lake Camp & RV, LLC. They are hoping to block further work on the former Wood Lake Bible Camp property until the proper permits are obtained. A conditional use permit for the
camp/resort on Big Wood Lake at 22460 Assembly Drive was first submitted in February. It was submitted by Jeff Sventek, who called himself the middle man for the project, working for Patrick Kinsella of Forest Lake, Minn. There were a number of meetings with hours of public comment at the Town of Wood River meetings and county meetings at the Government center. The initial permit asked to build
SENTINEL PHOTO
Patrick Hansen heads the Concerned Citizens of Big Wood Lake group.
91 new RV lots on 40 acres north of Assembly Road and west of Big Wood Lake. That permit was pulled then another was submitted, and a public hearing was held in March. At that meeting almost 150 people attended with over 30 voiced strong opposition to the proposed campground. During the public SEE CAMP, PAGE 2
Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our nurses, physicians and care teams. amerymedicalcenter.org
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