WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2020
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 122 NO. 23 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: SCF wrestling wins two tournaments. PAGE 12
Citizen scientists invited to help count bald eagles this January BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
MATT ANDERSON | THE SUN
Sons of Geraldine E. Anderson, Mark and Paul Anderson, stand next to the new Geraldine E. Anderson Village Library sign after the library was officially renamed Jan. 4 in her honor.
Dresser library renamed in Geraldine E. Anderson’s memory
The recovery of the bald eagle has been one of the greatest conservation success stories in American history, but these majestic raptors aren’t quite out of the woods for good. Recent declines in eagle populations have some scientists asking where the biggest threats to these birds lie, and they’ve turned to the public for help. For the second year, the St. Croix River Association has organized a winter bald eagle count. On Jan. 25, St. Croix Valley residents are invited to explore a route of their choosing within the St. Croix Valley watershed, keeping track of the number of eagles they see. “We encourage
BY MATT ANDERSON EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
The quaint Dresser Library was filled with visitors Jan. 4 for a renaming of the library in Geraldine E. Anderson’s memory. Anderson’s commitment to t library lasted decades before her the p passing in January 2019. In keeping her l legacy alive, the Dresser Village Library B Board recognized her dedication with a c celebration among friends, family and c colleagues. “Welcome to the new Geraldine E. A Anderson Village Library!” said Library Anderson A d D Director Leann M. French. “Geraldine E. Anderson was dedicated to literacy throughout her life. She was one of the first librarians when her mother was part of the group that formed the library.” “For decades, she was ardent supporter of the Dresser Library. She volunteered in numerous capacities, including fundraising and serving on the board as a trustee and as president. In 2016, she was Wisconsin Library Trustee of the year. I never met Geraldine, SEE LIBRARY, PAGE 9
NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
people to plan a route where you can drive a little bit more slowly, maybe out in the country, but to keep moving so you don’t recount the same birds,” said Jaime Souza, SCRA education and outreach coordinator. You wouldn’t necessarily even have to be in a car. If you want to go out for your winter run or ski, you can do that too.” All eagles observed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. can be reported to the SCRA via their website. Participants will be entered into a drawing to receive an SCRA swag bag as a prize. The St. Croix Valley is an ideal home for bald eagles: with plenty of waterways containing a bounty of SEE COUNT, PAGE 9
JACKIE BUSSJAEGER
The 2020 Eagle Count will take stock of the St. Croix Valley bald eagle population on Jan. 25.
Osceola High School to host educational gender identity event BY MATT ANDERSON EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
“Sam transitioned around 11 or 12 right before seventh grade,” says author and LGBTQ advocate, Leslie Lagerstrom speaking about her child, Sam, who was “assigned female at birth” before transitioning to become male around the age of 12. “That whole time, I wanted to hear from another parent who had been through this, but there was nothing out there on the subject.” Lagerstrom will be co-presenting an upcoming event at the
ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 ads@osceolasun.com
O Osceola High School h highlighting gender, iidentity, and sexua ality with Dr. Todd S Savage, a Professor o of the School Psyc chology Program Lagerstrom at the University of W Wisconsin-River F Falls. Being a mother of a transgender child, L Lagerstrom has pressented in many locattions with Dr. Sava age for the sake of Savage e educating those who
PUBLIC NOTICES 715-294-2314 office@osceolasun.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS 715-294-2314 office@osceolasun.com
want to learn about the subject. With hardly any information, or people to talk to during Sam’s transition, Lagerstrom started writing about her journey in her blog transparenthood.net. “I just started writing, and I was writing for other parents,” she says. “Once it was out there, it started getting picked up by a few national magazines. From there, people wanted me to come out and speak, so here I am nine years later. Todd and I figure if we go someplace and just one SEE EVENT, PAGE 9
BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES Whenever, wherever you are! Scan me with your smartphone