WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2019
Serving Polk County’s St. t Croix C i Valley V ll since i 1897
VOL. 121 NO. 23 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
STATE PARKS: Candlelight events planned throughout Wisconsin. PAGE 8
The Sun 2018 Year in Review BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
January
SUBMITTED
Library Director Kelly McBride, right, will be handing over the OPL reins to Interim Director Rebekah Palmer, left, on January 19. McBride has accepted the position of Director of Library Services for Blue Earth County in Minnesota.
Osceola Library Director Kelly McBride accepts new position Interim Director announced SUBMITTED OPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Unknown to the Osceola community when she arrived five years ago to assume the position of Library Director, Kelly McBride quickly became a familiar face, recognized and respected for her energy and skill in creating a library for 21st century needs. Turns out, those attributes were also noted by another library system in another state that made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. McBride has accepted the position of Director of Library Services for Blue Earth County in Minnesota. She will be responsible for libraries in Mankato, Lake Crystal and Mapleton, with a circulation ten times larger
than Osceola’s. The Osceola Library Board of Trustees accepted, with regret, McBride’s letter of resignation at their December 20 meeting. “Working for Blue Earth County is an opportunity that I can’t pass up,” said McBride. “It will be a terrific new career challenge, and it moves my daughters and me closer to family who now live in the southwest suburbs of Minneapolis.” “This is an exciting opportunity for Kelly, and we are very happy for her,” said Board President Marcia Dressel. “In the time she has been here she has significantly increased circulation and daily visits, elevating OPL to one of the busiest libraries our size in our 52-member system. She has also pulled together a SEE DIRECTOR, PAGE 13
Osceola ends police K-9 program With an eye toward the budget, the Village of Osceola ended its decade-long police K-9 program. Since 2008 the program had been solely funded by an nonymous donor. The village sought other donors but nothing came to fruition by the start of the new year. The K-9, Riko, was adopted by his handler, officer Josh Morgel. Also in January • Schachtner wins special District 10 election • State approves Dresser-Osceola boundary agreement • Osceola teacher resigns after investigation into conduct
ERIC BUELOW | THE SUN
The fire at Crystal Ball Farms just south of Osceola was a top story in 2018.
February T-Buckets proprietors take reins at Woodhill Shawn and Traci Libersky, an Osceola couple and the owners of T-Buckets Hometown Bar in Somerset, purchased Woodhill Bar SEE REVIEW, PAGE 10
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
More than 100 people contributed to the Discovery Center through the library’s “100 Women 100 Bookshelves” campaign. Many gathered for a photo last winter.
Polk United launches community health needs assessment Polk United, a coalition of area medical centers, government agencies and nonprofits committed to the health of Polk County residents, has launched its community health needs assessment. This assessment takes place every three years. “Over the next month, Polk United will be asking county residents to complete a health needs survey to help our healthcare providers better understand the
needs of the people they serve,” said Brian Kaczmarski, director of the Polk County Public Health department. “After the survey is completed, we will be inviting interested residents to join us for focus groups in upcoming months so the coalition can gain additional context regarding citizens’ most pressing health issues.” Based on the results of the last survey, Polk ranks 39th of 72
Wisconsin counties in terms of health outcomes. This compares favorably to Burnett (ranked 60th) and Washburn (67th), but is well below the rankings of St. Croix (6th) and Barron (18th) counties. Kaczmarski said that Polk United has set a goal of 1,500 completed survey responses and 100 focus group attendees. “ParSEE ASSESSMENT, PAGE 13
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