WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 119 NO. 23 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Osceola boys basketball team wins two. PAGE 10
Minnesota author Geoff Herbach to visit Osceola Public Library Meet the award winning uoung adult author Minnesota author Geoff Herbach will visit the Osceola Public Library on January 20 at 1 p.m. to talk to kids and teens about his award winning books, and answer questions budding young writers and Herbach enthusiasts may have. Students and adults alike are encouraged to come and hear about the author’s background, writing process and inspirations for his fascinating characters as they grow and try to find their place in the world.
KATHERINE WARDE
Geoff Herbach, author of young adult novels including “Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders,” will visit the OPL on Jan. 20.
Geoff Herbach is the author of several young adult novels including the “Stupid Fast” series and “Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders.”
His books have received the Cybils Award for best Young Adult Fiction, the Minnesota Book Award, Outstanding Book by a Wisconsin
Writer, and have been listed in the year’s best by the American Library Association, the International Literacy Association, and the American Booksellers Association. In the past, Geoff has written and performed comedy and produced radio. He teaches in the MFA program at Minnesota State, Mankato. His newest project, “Strange Times: The Ghost in the Girl” (co-written with Blink 182’s Tom DeLonge) hit shelves in October of 2016.
Who’s running in the spring elections? BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
The January 3 deadline has passed for filing candidacy to run in the Spring Elections. Here’s who will be on the ballot April 4. Village of Osceola Incumbent president Gary Beckmann and trustees Carol Otto, Wally Piszczek and Stephen Bjork are all running for reelection in the Village of Os-
ceola. Beckmann is running unopposed. Van Andrew Burch will run with the incumbent trustees. Town of Osceola Incumbent chair Doug Schmidt, and supervisors Mike Wallis and Dan Burch board were the only ones to file for candidacy in the Town of Osceola. Dresser In Dresser, incumbent president Bryan Beseler SEE ELECTION, PAGE 6
Dresser library now open at 10 a.m. BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Dresser residents no longer have to remember an array of opening times when heading to the local library. As of last week, the Dresser Public Library set a consistent opening time of 10
a.m. every day except Sunday, when the library is closed. The change was prompted by a suggestion from Library Director Amber Yares, who thought a steady start time would make visiting the library that much easier. “I recommended this to the li-
brary board to ease confusion for the patrons,” said Yares, who is nearing her one-year anniversary with the DPL. “If we open at the same time every day it will be better for people.” Closing times still vary. “But we can worry about that another year,” Yares said wryly.
Tolan to replace GaleWyrick on bench BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Governor Scott Walker appointed Daniel Tolan last Tuesday to replace Judge Molly GaleWyrick as a Polk County Circuit Court judge. Tolan, currently Polk County’s assistant district attorney, will fill the position until at least this April, when the Branch 1 judgeship comes up for election. At the polls, Tolan will face the county’s Daniel Tolan assistant corporation counsel and director of child support, Malia Malone, and a municipal judge from St. Croix Falls, David Danielson. The winner will serve a six-year term. GaleWyrick, who was first elected in 2002, announced her plans to retire last November, effective at the end of that month. The governor’s office cited Tolan’s two decades of legal experience in private practice and state service in support of its decision, saying Tolan has worked in “a wide range of practice areas including family, real estate, and criminal law. He has also been an assistant district attorney in Burnett, Washburn, and Polk counties.” Tolan, who lives in Luck, received his Juris Doctor degree from Hamline University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Governor Walker commented on the appointment in a Jan. 3 news release. “I am pleased to appoint Daniel Tolan as a judge in Polk County,” he said. “He shares a strong commitment to Constitutional principles and will faithfully apply the rule of law.” Assembly Representative Adam Jarchow extended his congratulations to Tolan, saying, “I know he will do a good job in Polk County, administrating justice in a fair and impartial manner. As assistant district attorney, Dan proved that he has what it takes to do an incredible job.” For Polk County District Attorney Jeff Kemp, who was sworn in Jan. 2, the appointment means he’ll have to find a new assistant DA. He may search via government job listings, but is permitted to hire a suitable candidate without advertising the position. Either way, Kemp said he’s approaching the task with care. “I want to make sure I find the right person,” he explained. At press, Kemp had not been advised of Tolan’s end date, but is “approaching each week as though it’s (Tolan’s) last.”
Personal service at First National Community Bank
No charge for silly nonsense.
....it’s classic.
Greet others by name with a cheery temper. Do lovely deeds in the interest of those around you. NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
www.fn-cb.com
PUBLIC NOTICES 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS 715-294-2314 office@osceolasun.com
NEW RICHMOND SOMERSET 715-246-6901
HUDSON
715-247-4501
DRESSER
715-386-9301 715-755-2174
NMLS #412555
BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES Whenever, wherever you are! Scan me with your smartphone