54 minute read
right place heart skips a beat
from The Sun 02.05.2020
by The Sun
opponent,” St. Croix Falls coach Chad Hall said. “We executed well on both ends of the court and really limited our turnovers. It was a good bounce-back game after a disappointing loss to Grantsburg.”
When and Where: January 30 at Cumberland
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Outcome: St. Croix Falls 82, Cumberland 58 (non-conference) Summary: SCF made it two straight non-conference wins for the week with a 24 point win over the Cumberland Beavers. Highlights: Again SCF was hot from behind the arc with six diff erent players hitting at least one 3-pointer. Greenquist had a trio of treys and scored a game-high 28 pints. Parks hit for 14 and Jared Lessman added 10 for the Saints.
Comments: “The guys really came out and played some aggressive defense and we were able to lock Cumberland down in the second half,” Hall said. “We out-rebounded Cumberland and we also did a great job minimizing turnovers.”
When and Where: January 31 at St. Croix Falls Outcome: St. Croix Falls 66, Webster 63 Summary: SCF got back into the West Lakeland conference hunt with a close win over the Webster Tigers. In the meantime conference leading Luck fell to Unity 66-43. Highlights: Again theSaints were eff ective from 3-point land hitting 10 treys to account for 30 of their 66 team points. Greenquist knocked down four from behind the arc and Parks and Alex Mysicka had two each. Greenquist led the balanced SCF scoring with 19 points followed by Parks with 16 and Mysicka with 12.
Comments: “Good week of basketball for us as we were able to get three games in the win column,” Hall said. “Webster made it very interesting down the stretch but we were happy to hold them off . It was apparent that two games on back-to-back nights certainly took a lot of energy out of the guys but I was very proud how they battled throughout.” What this Means: St. Croix Falls is tied with Grantsburg for third place in the conference with 5-3 records. Luck is atop the West Lakeland with a 6-1 record followed by Unity at 6-2. Upcoming: The Saints travel to Siren to take on the Dragons in a conference game on Feb. 7 and will host Luck on Feb. 11.
SCF GBB: Saints beat Webster by 61 points
FROM PAGE 11
Highlights: The Saints had a quartet of players hit for double-digits with McCurdy leading the way with 20. Olivia Miron cashed in 15 points with Neuman and Azalea Edwards hitting for 10 each. The only negative for St. Croix Falls is that they were cold from the charity stripe netting just fi ve of 19 attempts. Comments: “We played a couple of physical teams this week,” Saints coach Angie Maternowsky said.
“The girls are seeing their teammates very well on the court. We are making good passes and fi nishing strong to the basket. We mixed up our defense this week. The girls were able to successfully handle the changes.” What this Means: St. Croix Falls defi nitely has the inside track to the West Lakeland title owning a 9-0 conference record and are 15-0 overall. Unity still has an outside shot at the crown with a 6-2 conference mark. Upcoming: The Saints travel to Siren on Feb. 7 to take on the Dragons. Siren is 4-5 in the conference but is 10-5 overall. On Feb. 10 SCF has its toughest test of the season when they travel to Prescott to take on the Cardinals from the Middle Border conference. On Feb. 11 the Saints will host the Luck Cardinals.
O s c e o l a 2 0 2 0
Saturday, February 8, 2020 CustomFire hangar at L.O. Simenstad Airport 509 68th Avenue, Osceola • Suggested donation $15 per person Saturday February 8 2020 Hosted by the Osceola Fire Department and the Osceola Lions Club Hosted by the Osceola Fire Department
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Music and dancing - 8 p.m. to midnight. Drawings and prizes throughout the evening. Live Music by
Cash raffl e winners need not be present to win.
The R i v er s i d e iverside Hitmen
Contact FireÀ ghter Joey Cutts, (920) 248-9279 for more information. St. Croix Falls Luke Thaemert wrestling at 113.
Saints grapplers win Heart O’North in their inaugural year
BY COACH JOE RAYGOR
When and where: Jan. 31 at Ladysmith Outcome: St. Croix Falls 60, Northwestern 14 Summary: The Saints won the Heart O’North conference title in their fi rst year in the conference. SCF won 10 of the 13 matches contested, eight by fall, and also received a forfeit to accumulate their 60 points. Highlights: “Luke Thaemert moved up to 113 pounds to face tough state ranked wrestler Logan Trautt of Northwestern,” St. Croix Falls coach Joe Raygor said. “Luke Thaemert has high aspirations for the end of the year and moving him up to 113 pounds for tougher matches is a must for him to accomplish what he’s capable of. Luke ended up winning, controlling the match 6 to 0. The other marquee match was Zack Clark against Tanner Kaufman at 138 pounds. Clark ended up losing the match 5 to 4 but made several adjustments that brought him closer to the victory than the last time they wrestled. Should be a great conference matchup this upcoming Saturday at the conference tournament.” Comments: “The team continued to impress, beating Northwestern 60 to 14,” Raygor said. “I was really happy by our team’s energy and fl ow. We had an early weigh-in with a lot of down time and the kids got themselves excited and ready to compete when it was time to go. Leading up to Friday’s dual we’ve been dissecting some of our off ense and working on improving the moves we already know to a mastery level. All the off ense we have for the year has been taught so now it’s just about making it perfect. Regionals being in two weeks, it’s time now to start looking forward to peaking the wrestlers for the end of the year State tournament.” Upcoming: “Saturday, February 8 we wrestle in Cameron for the Heart of the North Conference Tournament,” Raygor noted. “The tournament is going to be very tough and a great last test before the postseason run.”
League of Women Voters Day of Action
The League of Women Voters (LWV) turns 100 years old on February 14, 2020, and to celebrate, 750 local and state Leagues around the country are celebrating by participating in a nationwide day of action called “Women Power the Vote.”
“The League was founded by suffrage leaders 100 years ago to help American women exercise their new right to vote,” said Carolyn Saunders, president of the Upper St. Croix Valley League. “So today we’re celebrating by joining Leagues across the country in demonstrating the power of women to achieve a more perfect democracy.”
“For 100 years, Leagues have registered voters, informed their communities on the issues, advocated in their legislatures, and helped shape their communities and this country,” said Chris Carson, president of the board of the League of Women Voters of the United States. “We only saw it fi tting that we should celebrate this milestone with a coordinated day of the kind of grassroots activism our members and supporters have embraced for an entire century.”
Interested voters are encouraged to participate by: • Reading about issues • Learning about candidate positions at VOTE411.org
• Checking their voter registration status (https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/ MyVoterInfo)
• Finding their polling place (https:// myvote.wi.gov/en-us/FindMyPollingPlace)
• Signing a pledge to be counted in the 2020 Census To fi nd information about these and more activities visit www.lwv.org or https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/voter-information.
Mark your calendars and vote. Important dates include:
• Spring Primary: February 18 • Spring Election & Presidential Preference Primary: April 7
• WI Congressional District 7 Special Election: May 12
• Partisan Primary: August 11 • General & Presidential Election: November 3
Continue to support our democracy throughout the year. Volunteer to be an election observer to help ensure our elections are free, fair, and accessible for all voters.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY Linnaea Wallis of Osceola and Madalyn Bollig of St. Croix Falls have been named to the fall semester Dean’s List.
WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY Sydney Roush of Osceola has been named to the fall semester Dean’s List. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – STOUT The following students graduated in December. Osceola: Daniel Murray, Information Technology Management; Em Rainer, Human Development and Family Studies; and Derrick Schmidt, Health Wellness and Fitness. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN RIVER FALLS The following students received degrees in December. Osceola: Elizabeth Iafrate, Master of Science - Educationn; Blayne Peckman, Criminology; Calli Peckman, bachelor of science, Business Administration. St. Croix Falls: Noah Hedlund, Accounting; Garrett Kerkow, Agricultural Studies; Taylor Moen, Elementary Education; Bethany Oestreich, Elementary Education.
NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY Anja Erickson of Dresser has been named to the fall semester Dean’s List. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN GREEN BAY Erik Rosik of Osceola received highest honors for the fall semester.
“I still have hope. I just wish the driver would come forward. Maybe his life would change too. It is hard to forget when you can’t fi nd who to forgive,” said Georgia Cobenais in a video released Jan. 31 by the Polk County Sheriff’s Department.
The video was part of a press conference that was a joint effort between the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, the Tribal Police and the families of Ben Juarez and Rick Cobenais. Polk County Sherriff, Brent Waak, said the goal Friday was to revisit an unsolved case that affected Polk County and the Round Lake Community on January 11, 2014; the hit and run, double fatality that took the lives of Juarez and Cobenais.
Friends and family of both victims gathered inside and outside of the press conference room where information was shared in hopes of keeping details fresh in people’s minds. Those coordinating the event are hopeful that by sharing the story Friday afternoon, the details will spread both online and through media outlets to help solve the case.
“We are asking for a plea for some humanity today and that somebody come forward with some information on who did this,” said Waak.
The video shared with those in attendance featured Georgia, Rick’s widow who witnessed the incident and the chilling 911 call she made after the men were stricken and killed by a truck.
According to the video, witnesses said Rick Cobenais, concerned over Ben Juarez’s ability to drive, took his car keys. An altercation ensued that spilled into the traffi c lanes of County Road E. A truck approached from the north and hit them.
Evidence at the scene and witness statements indicated that after striking the pair, the truck stopped. The driver and a front passenger exited the vehicle and began to approach the scene before abruptly running back to the vehicle and fl eeing to the south.
Law enforcement, the families of the victims and the entire Round Lake Community are haunted by two spine-tingling questions, “Who were the subjects in the truck and why did they leave?”
Tribal police chief Frank Taylor said, “These two families have wanted answers as to who is responsible for this tragic event that took Rick and Ben away from them.” He said the victims were part of the Round Lake community that has not had time to heal properly knowing the persons responsible are still out there. “It’s time for those who are responsible to do the right thing and restore the faith back in humanity. It’s time to honor those families who are grieving daily about their loss and help them fi nd closure. For the driver who did this, it is time for you to come to reason and lift the guilt that has been with you for the past six years,” said Taylor.
He feels expressed closure is necessary for the families affected and for the ones responsible. He said, “It cannot be easy to carry the shame and guilt for so many years. It can’t be easy to know you are the one responsible for causing so much pain. It is time to end that and come forward.”
Cobenais was 41 at the time of his death. He was described as a father, a grandfather and a respected member of the community who loved every second he lived.
Juarez was 27 and known for his work ethic, his smile, his ability to fi x things and the kindness he showed everyone. The video expresses the heartache family members constantly feel. Shirley Juarez, Ben’s grandmother who raised him said, “I think about him all of the time. What would he be doing now? I miss him a lot. He was my baby.”
Georgia and Shirley have heavy hearts but they admit closure is possible if only they knew who was responsible and why they left. Without knowing they fear they will never truly be free. Georgia said, “I don’t know why things happen the way they happen, but I hope at some point I could learn to forgive them. If the show were on the other foot, would they want me to stop?” The gravity of the situation is not lost on those still investigating the situation all these years later. Found at the scene were several pieces of the exterior of the vehicle, which match a dark-colored Ford truck. In the days after, law enforcement identifi ed all of the Ford F150 and F250s in the surrounding area, which were approximately 1,700.
“We do not have a license plate. It was dark and this was a horrifi c chaotic scene for the family when this happened. The eye witness accounts are very diffi cult because of the tragedy that was occurring,” said Waak.
To date, more than 100 leads have been investigated. With each day, the trail gets colder but those who know the case best feel they are just one tip away from breaking things wide open. “We are not going to give up just because it has been six years. We are still going to go out and do what we need to do to bring resolution to this case and to the families,” said Taylor.
Waak was a patrol sergeant at the time of the incident and was called to the scene, as was Taylor who sees the aftermath on a daily basis within his community. To both, the fact that the case remains unsolved is incomprehensible. “Six years removed from the actual date of this occurrence, but to the family members it happened yesterday. They want closure. They want answers,” said Taylor.
“I never thought six years later we still would be searching for these answers. Whoever went through that area had no way to avoid this crash, but what is troubling is that they didn’t stop, they didn’t render aid, they continued on leaving us with all these family members wanting closure. It is hard to say goodbye to your loved ones when you don’t have all those answers,” said Waak.
Rick’s son, Thomas Fowler spoke at the conference. When speaking of the individuals who fl ed the scene six years ago he said, “I don’t hold grudges against them. As an Anishinaabe we are taught that forgiveness gives us peace, but I do not have anyone to forgive. My peace has been disrupted for fi ve years.” He described how since the incident he has had anxiety over people walking and jogging on the local county roads. “There are two individuals out there who feel it is ok to run someone over and keep going. I need peace so I can move on with the rest of my life. I am ready to forgive these two individuals. Be a man. Do the right thing. I cannot keep reliving this,” he said. Shirley also expressed sadness at the conference that memorials have been placed for the two victims, but seem to get taken down.
During Friday’s gathering, Georgia said she does recall a blue bin being in the back of the truck, but found a decent description of the individuals to be diffi cult because of the fact that they were wearing hats and it was so dark out.
Waak is asking that if there were any witnesses that have not yet come forward, that they please do so. “Maybe there is one little detail they can provide to help us with this case,” he said.
All those involved are hoping that by coming forward, the truth will also set the driver and passenger who drove away that night free and that it is never to late for everyone to move forward together.
Shirley said, “It hurts me a lot that they can just be out walking around or working or having fun when my grandson is dead. I’m not angry anymore but I was at fi rst. I can’t stay angry forever but it does hurt a lot.”
A tip line has been set up. If you call the Polk County Sherriff’s Department at 715- 485-8300, you will be directed to the tip line.
FROM PAGE 11 Score by Halves 1 2 Final UHS 34 21 55 OHS 16 17 33
Chieftain Girls Basketball St. Croix Central at Osceola (unoffi cial) January 28, 2020 St. Croix Central Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Olson 1 0 0 0 4 2 Carlson 0 0 0 0 3 0 Anderson 1 0 0 0 0 2 Lloyd 1 0 1 4 3 3 Juen 3 0 5 8 3 11 Siler 5 0 5 9 2 15 Gostovich 2 0 5 7 2 9 Burgess 0 0 3 4 3 3 Totals 13 0 19 32 20 45 Osceola Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Wright 0 0 0 0 4 0 Bradway 0 0 1 4 4 1 Gillespie 1 0 1 2 5 3 E Fox 3 0 3 4 3 9 H Fox 1 0 6 8 3 8 Johnson 1 0 1 3 4 3 Branum 1 0 0 0 0 2 See 1 1 1 3 1 6 Totals 8 1 13 24 24 32 Score by Halves 1 2 Final SCCHS 23 22 45 OHS 15 17 32
Chieftain Girls Basketball Osceola at Somerset (unoffi cial) January 31, 2020 Osceola Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Wright 0 0 0 0 2 0 Bradway 4 0 1 1 4 9 Gillespie 2 1 0 0 5 7 E Fox 4 0 1 4 3 9 H Fox 5 1 4 7 1 17 Johnson 0 1 1 2 5 4 Branum 1 0 0 0 1 2 Totals 16 3 7 14 21 48 Somerset Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP RGaikwski 1 3 2 3 2 13 Hoff 0 0 2 4 1 2 Leccia 2 0 1 2 2 5 Paulsen 1 2 0 0 2 8 HGaikwski 5 0 5 9 2 15 Schactner 5 0 5 10 3 15 Goldstein 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rivard 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 14 5 15 28 12 58 Score by Halves 1 2 Final OHS 22 26 48 SHS 28 30 58
Middle Border Conference Girls Basketball Standings February 1, 2020 Team Conf. Overall Prescott 9-0 12-2 New Richmond 9-1 14-3 Amery 6-4 10-5 Somerset 5-5 7-8 Ellsworth 5-5 7-9 Baldwin-Woodville 3-7 5-12 Osceola 1-8 4-12 St. Croix Central 1-9 1-16 January 20 Unity 55, Osceola 35 (non-conference) January 28 St. Croix Central 45, Osceola 32 Prescott 67, Amery 50 New Richmond 62, Somerset 37 Ellsworth 60, Baldwin-Woodville 54 January 30 St. Croix Falls 81, Ellsworth 55 (non-conference) January 31 Somerset 58, Osceola 48 Amery 53, Ellsworth 35 New Richmond 53, Baldwin-Woodville 37 Prescott 66, St. Croix Central 42 February 1 Prescott 70, New Richmond 44 SCF GIRLS BASKETBALL Feb. 7 at Siren. Feb. 10 at Prescott. Feb. 11 vs. Luck. Feb. 14 at Frederic. Feb. 18 vs. Somerset.
Saints Girls Basketball Ellsworth at St. Croix Falls (unoffi cial) January 30, 2020 Ellsworth Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Carlson 0 1 0 0 1 3 Nugent 3 4 0 0 2 18 Bach 1 1 2 4 0 7 Puhrmann 2 0 1 2 2 5 Geise 0 0 0 0 2 0 Vogel 2 0 0 0 1 4 Mallon 1 1 1 2 1 6 Earne y 3 2 0 0 1 12 Coach 1 Totals 12 9 4 8 11 55 St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP K Miron 8 0 2 3 2 18 Neuman 4 2 1 2 2 15 Larson 1 0 0 0 0 2 EMcCurdy 4 1 0 0 1 11 BMcCurdy 3 1 0 2 1 9 O Miron 5 0 4 4 3 14 A Edwards 2 0 4 4 0 8 Cooper 2 0 0 2 2 4 Totals 29 4 11 17 11 81 Score by Halves 1 2 Final EHS 19 36 55 SCFHS 50 31 81
Saints Girls Basketball Webster at St. Croix Falls (unoffi cial) January 31, 2020 Webster Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP McDowell 0 0 1 2 0 1 Janssen 1 0 0 0 2 2 Helfeld 1 0 1 4 3 3 Daniels 1 0 0 0 1 2 Olson 0 0 0 2 1 0 Wols 0 0 0 0 1 0 Mulroy 1 0 0 0 2 2 Totals 4 0 2 8 10 10 St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP K Miron 2 1 0 0 0 7 Neuman 1 2 2 2 1 10 S Edwards 1 0 0 2 0 2 Larson 0 1 0 0 0 3 Lee 1 0 0 0 0 2 EMcCurdy 7 2 0 0 2 20 O Miron 7 0 1 9 1 15 A Edwards 4 0 2 4 1 10 Cooper 1 0 0 2 1 2 Totals 24 6 5 19 6 71 Score by Halves 1 2 Final WHS 6 4 10 SCFHS 41 30 71
West Lakeland Girls Basketball Standings February 1, 2020 Team Conf. Overall St. Croix Falls 9-0 15-0 Unity 6-2 13-3 Luck 4-4 7-8 Siren 4-5 10-5 Frederic 2-5 5-9 Grantsburg 2-6 7-8 Webster 1-6 3-12 January 27 Unity 55, Osceola 35 (non-conference) Frederic 57, Clayton 45 (non-conference) January 28 Unity 59, Cumberland 26 (non-conference) Shell Lake 49, Webster 46 (non-conference) Grantsburg 56, Turtle Lake 26 (non-conference) Luck 54, Mercer 34 (non-conference) January 30 St. Croix Falls 81, Ellsworth 55 (non-conference) January 31 St. Croix Falls 71, Webster 10 Siren 51, Grantsburg 43 Unity 79, Luck 51 Northwood 50, Frederic 37 (non-conference)
OHS WRESTLING Feb. 8 MBC at New Richmond. Chieftain Wrestling January 30, 2020 at Osceola Osceola (O) 60, Prescott (P) 22 Wgt Summary 132 Drew Willeman (O) def. Matthew Lynes (P), (Fall 2:56) 138 Jacob Sedivy (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 145 Aaron Schmidt (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 152 Isaiah Tulip (P) def. Isaac Campeau (O), (Fall 3:25) 160 Logan Johnson (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 170 Ryan Leidle (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 182 Noah French (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 195 Nick Carlson (O) def. Zach Middleton (P), (Fall 0:10) 220 Joe Schulte (P) def. Tyler Johnson (O), (Fall 2:42) 285 Shawn Thomason (P) def. Ty Graves (O), (Fall 1:39) 106 Mason Rud (O) def. Bennie Olson (P), (Fall 3:13) 113 Thomas Oswald (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 120 Lucas Sedivy (O) def. (P), (Forfeit) 126 Shane Butler (P) def. Daniel Nelson (O), (MD 13-3)
Chieftain Wrestling January 31, 2020 at Osceola Chieftain Duals Osceola (O) 66, Rice Lake (RL) 18 Wgt Summary 126 Jacob Sirek (RL) def. Daniel Nelson (O), (Fall 5:23) 132 Drew Willeman (O) def. Rayshawn Deacon (RL), (Fall 1:11) 138 Jacob Sedivy (O) def. Domarias King (RL), (Fall 0:56) 145 Aaron Schmidt (O) def. Brenden Nordeng (RL), (Fall 3:06) 152 Isaac Campeau (O) def. Taylor Schulz (RL), (Fall 1:33) 160 Logan Johnson (O) def. Zachary Fisher (RL), (Fall 1:37) 170 Carter Paulson (RL) def. Ryan Leidle (Osceola), (Fall 0:45) 182 Noah French (O) def. (RL), (Forfeit) 195 Nick Carlson (O) def. (RL), (Forfeit) 220 Tyler Johnson (O) def. (RL), (Forfeit) 285 Ty Graves (O) def. (RL), (Forfeit) 106 Carter Schulz (RL) def. Mason Rud (O), (Fall 1:07) 113 Thomas Oswald (O) def. (RL), (Forfeit) 120 Lucas Sedivy (O) def. (RL), (Forfeit) Chieftain Wrestling January 31, 2020 at Osceola Chieftain Duals Osceola (O) 69, Unity (U) 10 Wgt Summary 132 Drew Willeman (O) def. Chevy Baxter (U), (Fall 3:36) 138 Jacob Sedivy (O) def. (U), (Forfeit) 145 Aaron Schmidt (O) def. Austin Hughes (U), (Inj. [time]) 152 Isaac Campeau (O) def. Donovan Johnson (U), (Fall 3:00) 160 Logan Johnson (O) def. Isiah Holden (U), (Fall 0:53) 170 Ryan Leidle (O) def. (U), (Forfeit) 182 Jack Nelson (U) def. Noah French (O), (MD 12-1) 195 Nick Carlson (O) def. (U), (Forfeit) 220 Tyler Johnson (O) def. Ethan Feist (U), (Dec 3-1) 285 Mike Nelson (U) def. Ty Graves (O), (Fall 0:37) 106 Mason Rud (O) def. (U), (Forfeit) 113 Thomas Oswald (O) def. (U), (Forfeit) 120 Lucas Sedivy (O) def. (U), (Forfeit) 126 Daniel Nelson (O) def. ( U), (Forfeit) Chieftain Wrestling January 31, 2020 at Osceola Chieftain Duals Osceola (O) 55, Burnsville, MN (B) 21 Wgt Summary 138 Jacob Sedivy (O) def. Xavier Ripplinger (B), (Fall 5:52) 145 Aaron Schmidt (O) def. Matt Gerner (B), (Dec 6-1) 152 Tristen Larson (B) def. Isaac Campeau (O), (Dec 5-3) 160 Logan Johnson (O) def. (B), SCOREBOARD: Osceola High School/St. Croix Falls High School athletic events
(Forfeit) 170 Ryan Leidle (O) def. Lowery Skilling (B), (Fall 0:20) 182 Noah French (O) def. (B), (Forfeit) 195 Nick Carlson (O) def. Joel Joubert (B), (Fall 1:34) 220 Tyler Johnson (O) def. Diaz George (B), (Fall 1:36) 285 Anthony Webster-drummer (B) def. Ty Graves (O), (Fall 2:10) 106 Ayden Ripplinger (B) def. Mason Rud (O), (Fall 4:40) 113 Thomas Oswald (O) def. Yandel Lopez (B), (Fall 1:44) 120 Rodrigo Zaraagoza (B) def. Tristan McClung (O), (Fall 1:08) 126 Lucas Sedivy (O) def. Ethan Lutz (B), (Fall 1:36) 132 Drew Willeman (O) def. Christian Lopez (B), (MD 9-0)
SCF WRESTLING St. Croix Falls Wrestling January 31, 2020 at Ladysmith Heat O’North Championship Match St. Croix Falls (S) 60, Northwestern (N) 14 Wgt Summary 106 Kaden Clark (S) def. (N), (Forfeit) 113 Luke Thaemert (S) def. Logan Trautt (N), (Dec 6-0) 120 Mason Will (S) def. Camren Benesch (N), (Fall 3:28) 126 Markus Brown (N) def. Devyn Rode (S), (TF 20-4 3:15) 132 Sam Glenna (S) def. Aaron Gergen (N), (Fall 2:29) 138 Tanner Kaufman (N) def. Zack Clark (S), (Dec 5-4) 145 Tjay Ziebaerth (N) def. Bryce McCurdy (S), (Fall 0:41) 152 Bennett Bergmann (S) def. Mark Jarman (N), (Fall 1:48) 160 Graidy Guggisberg (S) def. Jesse Larson (N), (Dec 11-4) 170 James Kemp (S) def. Landon Conners (N), (Fall 5:02) 182 Calan Leahy (S) def. Michal Stoede (N), (Fall 0:15) 195 McKinley Erickson (S) def. Shane Schiff (N), (Fall 0:59) 220 Kyle Zehm (S) def. Brennen Werner (N), (Fall 2:41) 285 Tanner Gaff ey (S) def. Trent Orlowski (N) , (Fall 3:16)
Second place Platinum Team.
Flex starts strong
CONTRIBUTED Flex Gymnastics kicked off its competitive season with the Winter Challenge Meet in St. Paul Jan. 17-18.
Thirty-seven gymnasts from Flex competed over the two days. The Xcel Bronze and Silver teams competed Friday. Both teams fi nished in 5 th place out of ten teams. The Winter Challenge was the fi rst meet for many of the Bronze and Silver gymnasts.
The Xcel Gold, Platinum, and Diamond teams all competed on Saturday. The Gold team earned fi rst place out of fi ve teams, the Platinum team earned second place out of nine teams, and the Diamond team earned fi rst place out of seven teams.
In addition to the team awards, many gymnasts earned individual medals. Flex had three 1st place AllAround gymnasts, fi ve 2 nd place All-Around gymnasts, two 3 place All-Around gymnasts, and three 4 th place All-Around gymnasts. Flex gymnasts also placed well on individual events. Nine 1 st place medals, 15 2 nd place medals, nine 3 rd place medals, and eight 4 place medals were earned throughout the course of the meet.
Flex competed at Tumble in the Jungle in Farmington, Minn., Feb. 1-2.
SUBMITTED
First place Diamond Team.
First place Gold Team.
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The month of cakes F ebruary is birthday month at our house. Eight immediate family members, plus some close friends have birthdays. We try to condense some of the festivities and celebrate some together or we are celebrating birthdays twice a week. I call it the month of cakes.
Most of my family asks for the same cake on their birthday—Pink Cake. It’s a strawberry cake with almond cream cheese frosting. It is crazy delicious! But after eating it every week for a month, I’ll be ready for something different. I crave a rich and decadent chocolate cake, but some family members want Grandpa’s spice cake or a vanilla cake with sprinkles or a tropical coconut cake. No chocolate. My birthday isn’t until April, but that is too long to wait. So, I make a cake for myself and share it.
My mother used to make a chocolate cake with regular cream cheese frosting. It still is one of my favorites, but I wanted something more chocolatey-fudgy.
The frosting is what makes this cake divine. It’s thick and fudgy. When you make a thicker frosting, the cake needs to be sturdy—but not tough so it will hold up under the pressure of spreading the frosting. If the cake is falling apart when frosting it, freeze the layers, and then frost while they are frozen. It’s so much easier to work with. Happy Birthday everyone! 2 cups fl our 2 cups sugar 1 cup cocoa powder, with one Tbsp removed 2 tsp baking powder 1 ½ tsp baking soda 1 ¼ tsp. salt 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk or milk, room temp ½ cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup warm strong coffee Frosting: ½ cup butter, softened 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 4 ½ cups powdered sugar 2 tsp vanilla ½ tsp salt ½ cocoa powder Preheat oven to 350 . Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and shake around pans to coat; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine fl our, sugar, cocoa, baking powder & soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the fl our mixture. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Mix until combined, but do not over mix. Add the coffee and stir until no fl our lumps remain. Batter will be very loose. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until cake springs back in the middle when lightly pressed and the sides have pulled away from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. For the frosting: In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese. Add the cocoa powder, salt and vanilla; mix until combined . Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix until smooth. Spread immediately on cooled cakes and serve. Refrigerate any leftover cake.
Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. You can fi nd more recipes at www. wild-chow.com or email her at wildchowrecipes@ gmail.com. FEBRUARY 5, 2020 THE SUN 15 www.osceolasun.com HOROSCOPES FROM PAGE 11 ant he dropped in water, but it’s not his duck dog.
I want a pointer that’s an all the time water retriever that I can use for grouse, pheasant, quail and ducks too, so I’ve continued my search. I found a little known dog that is peaking my interest, a Small Munsterlander. Originally a breed developed in Europe, like almost all historically great hunting breeds, this dog was bred for German nobility. But those standards were abolished in 1919 with the promulgation of the Weimar Constitution recognizing all Germans as equals before the laws of their country. It is one of the four oldest versatile breeds, thought to be over 500 years old. So far my search shows few breeders in the U.S., but there are some in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I have sent out feelers to get in touch because after spending hours researching pointing dogs online and watching them perform on YouTube, they have my attention. Obviously more to come. . .
Jim Bennett is an outdoorsman who lives and worked in the St. Croix River Valley and can be reached at jamesbennett24@gmail. com BENNETT: Small Munsterlander originally bred for German nobility
Delivering Your Community Wild Chow Lisa Erickson ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Transitional issues pop up this week, Aries. You are not quite sure which direction you should go. A close friend or advisor can help you navigate the way.
TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you are a team player, but this week you may need to fl y solo for a bit to get a handle on all of your tasks. Once things get settled, the team mentality can be restored.
GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, if you feel like your hard work is not paying off , then you may need to use this opportunity to speak with a supervisor. This can spark changes you feel are necessary. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, there are some major changes in the way you feel this week, and it could take a few days to work through all of the emotions. But you’ll get a handle on things.
LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Big news arrives this week with much fanfare, Leo. The excitement will start early in the week and culminate by Thursday or Friday. Expect to be surprised.
VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Relationships can’t be the stuff of movies all the time, Virgo. Sometimes you have to go with the fl ow and make the most of the small daily moments.
LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Your time has been stretched too fast and too much, Libra. The stress may be on and you’re feeling it. However, the remedy is to delegate some of your tasks and lighten your load. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, you’re not one for being overly emotional and sappy, but this week you can’t hold back the feelings any longer. Don’t hesitate to share your feelings. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 If you are looking for inspiration, look no further than the close friends or relatives who are around you. They will have plenty of ideas that can get you fi red up. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 You have plenty of events coming up to keep you busy, Capricorn. You may have to pick and choose which ones to attend because you simply can’t do them all.
AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, even though you think certain situations require your undivided attention, you’re really not involved at all. Avoid reading into things and wait for news to come to you. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 It is time to assess your priorities, Pisces. What do you want to get accomplished over this week? You can knock out one or two items.
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS FEBRUARY 2 Gerard Piqué, Athlete (33) FEBRUARY 3 Daddy Yankee, Singer (43) FEBRUARY 4 Gavin DeGraw, Singer (43) FEBRUARY 5 Darren Criss, Actor (33) FEBRUARY 6 Charlie Heaton, Actor (26) FEBRUARY 7 Ashton Kutcher, Actor (42) FEBRUARY 8 Seth Green, Actor (46) CLUES ACROSS 1. Indicates number of days 6. When you hope to get there 9. Hairstyle 13. Black (Spanish) 14. Expresses pleasure 15. Away from wind 16. Tech pros organization 17. Wile E. Coyote is familiar with it 18. Clean 19. Saints’ signal caller 21. A way to hunt 22. Poetries 23. Automobile 24. Secondary school (abbr.) 25. Indicates before 28. Male parent 29. Short-billed rails 31. It pays to keep yours 33. On occasion 36. David __, US playwright 38. Slang for cigarette 39. Vaccine developer 41. Returned to health 44. Toni Morrison novel 45. Period between eclipses 46. Veterans battleground 48. Gang 49. A radio band 51. Jaws of a voracious animal 52. Elaborate garments 54. Chinese province 56. Checks 60. Horizontal passage 61. Steep hillsides 62. Fertility god 63. Dried-up 64. Signs a name 65. __ Winger, actress 66. German river 67. Gov’t lawyers 68. Take something somewhere CLUES DOWN 1. __ Blyton, children’s author 2. Colleague 3. “The African Queen” writer 4. Crater on the moon 5. Toward 6. Overhang 7. Identifi es something close at hand 8. Sign language 9. Unbroken views 10. Ancient Greek City 11. Stretch out to grasp 12. Alcohols that are unfi t for drinking 14. Humorous stories 17. Long song for a solo 20. Barrels per day (abbr.) 21. City of Lights 23. A place to sleep 25. Advanced degree (abbr.) 26. The back 27. Furniture-makers Charles and “Ray” 29. Songs to a lover 30. Gland secretion 32. 10 meters 34. Disfi gure 35. Stores grain 37. Sacred book of Judaism 40. Catch 42. Promise 43. Challenges 47. Russian space station 49. Banking giant 50. Served as an omen 52. Drenches 53. Type of sword 55. Minor planet 56. Messenger ribonucleic acid 57. Japanese ankle sock 58. Obtain in return for services 59. Waste matter 61. A proposal to buy at a specifi ed price 65. Unit of loudness
Accounting Auto Repair Eye Care
Certifi ed Public Accountants and Consultants
Bob Neuman
OSCEOLA FAMILY EYECARE, LLC
304 3rd Avenue. P.O. Box 516 Osceola, WI 54020 Fax: 715-294-4889 www.carsonsv.com E-mail: todda@carlsonsv.com
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Auto Repair
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Jim Campeau, Owner ASE C ERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIAN
2145 U.S. Highway 8 PH. 715.483.3257 St. Croix Falls, WI 54024 FAX 715.483.3270
Auto Repair
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136 270th, Osceola, WI 715-294-4002
Water
Trust the Water Experts ® 2200 Pioneer Ave, Rice Lake, WI 54858 715-234-8819 or Box 3, Milltown, WI 54858 715-825-3550 or Hayward, WI 54843 715-634-2019 1-800-657-4754 Just say “Hey Culligan Man” Call 1-800-Culligan or visit culligan.com
www.stcroixeye.com
CHRISTOPHERSON EYE CLINIC Optometrist Visual Exam Contact Lenses 341 Keller Avenue, Amery 715-268-2004 Daily 8-5
Health & Fitness
OSCEOLA
Chimney/Sweep
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Construction
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Dry Cleaning
Osceola leaners Professional Dry Cleaning & Laundry. Full Service Cleaner! ONE HOUR SERVICE AVAILABLE ALTERATIONS OF ALL KINDS • ZIPPER REPAIR/REPLACEMENT Drycleaning • Shirt Laundry • Leather Cleaned • Wedding Dresses USE OUR DROP BOX 24 HOURS A DAY! Drop locations at Family Fresh in New Richmond, Balsam Lake Hardware in Balsam Lake, St. Croix Laundry in St. Croix Falls and Horse Creek Store. 715-294-3634 M-F 7:30-5:30 • Sat. 8:30-Noon
Home Loans 304 Cascade Street s Osceola, WI Jon Germain JGermain@midwestone.com 715.294.5958 t New Home Purchases t First Time Home Buyers t Investment Properties t Home Refinancing t Conventional Loans t Rural Development t FHA & VA Products t and More!
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Subject to credit approval.
Investing
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Thomas J Klugow, AAMS® Financial Advisor . 206 Cascade Osceola, WI 54020 715-294-1614 www.edwardjones.com
Member SIPC
Networking
FEBRUARY 5, 2020 THE SUN 17 www.osceolasun.com REPORTER COLOR COPIES available at The Sun 108 Cascade Osceola www.osceolasun.com
We’re Hiring School Bus Drivers! NOTICE Due to the failure of the following leasee to pay rent on their mini-storage unit, the contents of it will be sold by PRIVATE SALE on February 08, 2020. Storage Unit #10 – household and misc. items, leased by Jason Winch. Storage Unit #182– household and misc. items, leased by Donald Raymond. VERHASSELT RENTALS 715-755-2947 2391 State Road 35, Osceola, WI 54020 \FARMERS, LANDSCAPERS, or GARDENERS, did you or a loved one use Roundup Weed Killer and were diagnosed with NON-HODGKINS LYMPHOMA (Cancer)? You may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles Johnson 1/800-535-5727 \SEED TREATMENT for soybean White Mold and SDS! Ask your seed dealer for Heads Up Seed Treatment. Cost effective, proven results: www.headsupST. com or 866/368 9306 \CEO/General Manager opportunity -Blanchardville Cooperative Oil Association, Blanchardville. Successful energy retail products. ENERGY / Refi ned fuels, management, financial experience. Sales $18 million. David.Lemmon@ chsinc.com (320) 219- 0270. https://chsmembercooperative.catsone.com/careers / \CDL-A: Clean MVR, 3yrs T/T experience? Signing bonus, hourl y pay - no caps, regional, train for tank, benefits. Suzanne 888- 200-5067 www.JohnsrudTransport.com FOR RENT 3BR 2 bath country home with fenced in back yard. $1200 per month. Includes water, septic, garbage, propane heat, snow plowing and basic lawn mowing. Electric NOT included. Available 1st of March. Call 715-220-8206 or email bdtdhak@gmail.com COMMERCIAL RENTAL 720 Square feet 2.5 miles North of Osceola frontage on Hwy 35 $600 a month 715-294-4984 23 Free Items HAVE SOMETHING TO give away? Run three weeks, nonbusiness related for FREE. Must be from the area. To place an ad call 715-294-2314. 102 Services Custom Furniture refinishing, stripping and repair. Do it right, reasonably. The Cellar Door, Taylors Falls, 651-465-5551. Erickson piano servi ce. Bryan Erickson Tuning-RegulationRepair 715-463-5958 \ 507-475-2584 Problems with your ca r insurance? Tickets? Accidents? Been canceled? Call Noah Insurance for help at 71 5-294-2017. RESUMES copied for free if you have been laid off and looking for work. Stop in at The Sun, 108 Cascade, Osceola. 300 For Sale NEW BUILDING SITE For Sale - 1 and 105 acres. Country lots –Osceola Dresser area. 71 5-755-3377 352 Home/Office THE SUN HAS YOUR office supplies – File folders, labels, register and other tapes, envelopes of many sizes, copy paper by ream or sheet and much more. Let us help you today, 108 Cascade, Osceola. 715-294-2314. 454 Storage Rent Farmington Mini Storage: For all your storage needs. Now offering climate controlled units. 10x10, 10x15, 10x20, 10x25. Now accommodating 5 th wheelers, boats and campers. 715-294- 3078 or 1-800-282- 8103.
HELP WANTED Looking for a reliable and energetic candidate with great customer service skills. This part-time position is for our Amery office.
TO APPLY SEND RESUME TO: Family Eye Clinic 120 North Keller Ave., Amery, WI 54001 715-268-9010 or via email @ amery@satterlundeyeclinic.com The Sun is seeking a freelance reporter to help report the news of our community. If you have a knack for seeing beyond the obvious and a well-developed sense of curiosity and enjoy sharing stories, this might be a great fi t for you.
Send resume and writing clips to Matt Anderson, Editor, The Sun P.O. Box 248, Osceola, WI 54020 Email: editor@osceolasun.com
The School District of Osceola is looking for both regular and extra-curricular trip School Bus Drivers! What does it take to become part of team? The ability to obtain a Class B Commercial Driver’s License with school bus endorsement, DOT Physical and criminal background check. We provide behind the wheel training to give you the skills necessary. Great pay and work schedule!
APPLY ONLINE www.osceola.k12.wi.us or call us at: 715-294-3456
School District of Osceola is an Equal Opportunity Employer
To place an ad call: 715-294-2314
BUSINESS DIRECTORY Deadline:Deadline: Fridays at noon
Roofi ng
NEUMANN ROOFING We shovel roofs. 715-220-0053 • 715-294-1662
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items included a laptop computer, and a bag containing personal identifi cation paperwork bearing the victim’s name, including her driver’s license.
Carpentier and Rogalla were arrested.
That same day, a search warrant executed on Carpentier’s residence for the possession and distribution of meth allowed law enforcement to locate two plastic baggies containing a small amount of white crystalline substance that tested positive for meth. A glass bong was also recovered, which tested positive for meth. Glass bubble pipes found in the residence also tested positive for meth.
Carpentier has been charged with drive vehicle w/o consent as a party to a crime, burglary as party to a crime, theft as party to a crime, receiving stolen property as party to a crime, possession of meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia. If found guilty on all charges, he faces 20 years imprisonment and $45,000 in fi nes. Rogalla has been charged with repeat offenses of drive w/o consent, burglary, theft of movable property and concealing stolen property. If convicted on all charges, she is facing $35,000 in fi nes and 16 years in prison.
for us to compete with.”
Osceola stayed close at Somerset trailing only 28-22 at intermission. The Chieftains forged a tie after the break but the Spartans eventually pulled away for the win. Osceola trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half but stayed focused. The Chieftain defensive intensity increased the tempo of the game and Osceola crawled back into a 43-43 tie. “I was proud of our girls for battling like that,” Haase said. “Eventually, Somerset grabbed one too many offensive rebounds and regained the lead.” Heather Gaikowski and Dani Schactner each had 15 points to lead the Spartans while Hattie Fox’s 17 led Osceola followed by Emily Fox with 9 and Ellie Gillespie with 7.
“This was a vast improvement from our games earlier in the week,” Haase noted. “We played with intensity on defense and did a good job of rebounding against taller post players. Kaili Bradway matched her season high with nine points and Ellie Gillespie added a much needed seven points, including a big three-pointer in the midst of our run.”
We’re making Valentines for all...
Newspaper www.readingclubfun.com ...of our friends and classmates.
Fun! Annimills LLC © 2020 V16-5 Kids: color stuff in!
Love Sweet Whew! I’ve been delivering Valentine surprises all day long. I’m tired, but happy because it’s nice that so many people care about other people and want to send them nice Valentines!
Can you find and circle 12 or more words that have 3 syllables as in the word ¸=HSLU]PUL¹& Read these clues to fill in the crossword to discover the most popular gifts given on Valentine’s Day: flowers chocolates lovebirds jewelry cards poems candy hearts dinner heart shows music dances cookies 1 3
6 11 12 13 10 9 8 7 5 4 2 1. Poetry and fun Valentine stories will fly off store and library shelves. 2. The first box, introduced by Richard Cadbury, had a painting of his daughter holding a kitten on its cover. Later, he created the first heart-shaped box. 3. These used to be made by hand and delivered in person. Now they are machine-made and about one billion are mailed all over the world. 4. These snuggly birds, along with doves, have been popular to give or use in designs for Valentine’s Day. Each year, Fort Worth Zoo in Texas lets people add a “wild child” to their family by buying a Valentine’s Day (skunk, penguin) or other adoption package. The money raised goes to care for animals. 5. People will sell a lot of pizza, doughnuts and other food items in this shape. books 14 6. Red roses are thought to be the most romantic and the most popular kind given on Valentine’s Day. 7. The first type of this gift may have been made out of shells and bones. Ancient Egyptians gave this gift made out of gold with precious stones to kings. 8. Some people will go to plays or comedy ______. 9. These sugary messages were invented by Oliver Chase in 1847. Today, the Necco company makes about 100,000 pounds of these a day! 10. People will create special memories attending parent/child or other family ______. 11. Bakeries will sell cakes, cupcakes and Valentine ______. 12. The oldest of these is thought to be the one discovered on a clay tablet written about 4,000 years ago (from a priestess to a king). 13. People will enjoy this meal out. 14. People will buy tickets to listen to romantic ______ at concert halls.
A Special Valentine Delivery! There are so many special deliveries to be made on Valentine’s Day that the Post Office gets extra help to bring the mail. Start at the star and follow the dots to see who is helping with Valentine deliveries! Air Mail 1
2 3
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10 11 12 13
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99 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
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Hearty Sayings!
1. change of heart 2. cross my heart 3. eat your heart out 4. half-hearted 5. heart of gold 6. heart of stone 7. have your heart set on something 8. having a heart-to-heart 9. take something to heart 10. to your heart’s content 11. heart is in the right place 12. heart skips a beat Match these sayings to their meanings:
A. is kind and caring B. to want something a certain way and not be willing to workout a different way to do it C. make an important promise D. very uncaring E. not giving something your full effort F. take something very personally G. to make someone jealous H. frightened or excited I. as much as you want J. change your mind K. meant well L. have a meaningful talk
Under the Walker administration, Schulze explained that the state’s construction industry began to rebound from the economic downturn of 2008. As building proposals began to pile up, he said former Gov. Scott Walker’s offi ce tried to solve the problem with more overtime hours. The number of plans being reviewed by agency staff had largely increased between 2011 and 2017 before falling again in 2018 and 2019. In 2011, 6,441 plans were reviewed and by 2017, that number had grown to 8,845. But that number fell to 8,103 in 2018 and 7,408 in 2019.
But at the same time, the agency has recently been taking longer to complete reviews, going from 22 days in the fi rst quarter of 2017 to 38 days in the fi rst quarter of 2018, under the previous administration. Under Crim’s tenure, the average review time has fl uctuated from 43 days in the fi rst quarter of 2019, down to 35 days in the second quarter, and back up to 46 days in the third quarter.
Plus, over the past 10 years, agency staffi ng has been trimmed by a third.
Professionals who can perform these reviews are “tough to fi nd and tough to keep,” Schulze said, and the backlog has been getting worse in recent years. He argued that “hiring more people won’t work,” and said both the Walker and Evers administrations have had diffi culty fi lling vacancies for reviewers. The agency employs 18 full-time employees who perform the building plan reviews. DSPS currently has one vacancy for the position of section chief.
In the agency’s most recent budget request, Crim said she requested 20 positions and was allotted six, three of which are in the industry services area. She said those positions have been incorporated but “it hasn’t been enough to address the backlog across the agency.”
DSPS also requested additional staffi ng last year from the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance, but the committee’s co-chairs instead directed the administration to use existing position authority to hire new staffers.
“The trouble has been, we’re trying to solve systemic issues with overtime and [limited-time employees] and what we’re fi nding is those are not adequate solutions,” she said. “We really do need the staffi ng.” According to her, some elements of the plan review process need to be overhauled, since adding overtime and LTE hours hasn’t made much of a difference. The agency paid $116,393.83 in overtime wages in 2019, covering just under 2,800 hours of overtime.
For example, only a third of the plans in the queue are completed and ready to be reviewed. And since the process has been so slow, developers have been “double and triple booking” their projects. Under new agency rules, incomplete plans and individual projects placed in the waiting list multiple times will be cut from the schedule.
Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, says Crim is unfairly blaming the delay on contractors while he sees the need for “greater effi ciencies from the department.” Stroebel runs a construction company and has fi rst-hand experience with plan reviews being delayed.
“This department’s got to do a better job,” he told WisBusiness.com in late January.
Schulze says requiring plans to be fi nished earlier would help “clear out” the backlog of proposals. Contractors with ABC support the idea. Another idea backed by contractors in the state would require more buyin to secure a spot in the queue. Currently, the fee for reviewing a plan is returned if the proposal is withdrawn. But Schulze says reducing that refund to half of the original fee would help dissuade less serious proposals.
Plan review fees vary based on the size and type of the proposal, with “miscellaneous plans” such as foundation plans, exhaust systems and interior bleachers costing $250 to review. But a proposal to start construction is $75 and submitting new plans requires a $100 plan entry fee.
For example, the total fee for a 15,000-squarefoot building — including building plans, HVAC, fi re alarms and suppression — would be $1,750, according to state statute. Suggestions coming from the industry include raising the bar in various ways for plan review requirements, so fewer buildings would need the level of oversight currently required for most plans.
“We’re spending administrative time looking at plans that sometimes don’t come to fruition,” Crim said. “We’re looking to curb some of that process.”
Some of these problems have been compounded by an effort to update the agency’s computer systems, used for “all operations of the agency,” Crim said. Since that’s an ongoing process, some staff members are spending extra time fi guring out the system. She attributes this issue to “the overall impact of our limited staff situation.”
Stroebel says the delay could be improved by shifting plan oversight to local building inspectors, taking some of the pressure off the agency. He also suggested lowering certain requirements so fewer plan reviews would be necessary.
Crim has met with Schulze and other stakeholders to discuss ways to speed up the review process. Schulze says both the administration and the Legislature seem committed to fi nding a solution. But he adds: “The question is, how does this get fi xed?” Some of the proposed solutions center on the agency’s processes, while others would require legislative action. Crim stresses that the agency is pursuing various fi xes in the short-term as well as long-term solutions through changes to state law. She says the agency has been “working closely” with lawmakers to fi nd sustainable ways to improve the process legislatively.
In the meantime, Crim says agency staff have created and distributed a plan review checklist “so everyone is on the same page about plan completeness.” Plus, DSPS is now requiring payment of review fees prior to plan review.
The agency convened councils on commercial buildings and plan codes in December and is planning to meet again this month to review the thresholds in place for plan submission.
The latest building season has largely wound down, but Schulze expects that a long-term solution will be in place by spring. Stroebel says he’s less optimistic unless “someone really gets a fi re lit under them to move on this.”
Crim said discussions with legislators are ongoing and she’s hopeful that “things get put in motion.”
The Capitol Report is written by editorial staff at WisPolitics.com, a nonpartisan, Madison-based news service that specializes in coverage of government and politics, and is distributed for publication by members of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.
Copyright © WisPolitics. com
Happy Valentine’s Day! Good Fun and Good Business too! 1 B O 5 2 C H No kid ding, want to “______” to recess? goat 3
6 7 E R T J C A 4 L O V E
Hearty Sayings! Special Delivery!
Friendly Messages! I’ll “________” you in the right direction. “______” wanted to be your friend. Hive steer You make me want to sing a “_______.” tuna I’m your ‘mane’ man, and I’m not “_______.” 1. change of heart 2. cross my heart 3. eat your heart out 4. half-hearted 5. heart of gold 6. heart of stone 7. to have your heart set on something 8. having a heart-to-heart 9. taking something to heart 10. to your heart’s content 11. his/her heart is in the right place 12. heart skips a beat lion You’re “__________” above average. whale Air Valentine 11
14 12 13 10 9 8 H W C N Y H A T C O K E
M U I C B I R D S E W E L R Y F L O W E R S R D S O C O L A T E S O K S
D A N C E S D I N N E R P O E M S “________” be your friend! Owl A. is kind and caring B. to want something a certain way and not be willing toworkout a different way to do it C. make an important promise D. very uncaring E. not giving something your full effort F. take something very personally G. to make someone jealous H. frightened or excited I. as much as you want J. change your mind K. meant well L. have a meaningful talk
say I couldn’t have won that match without my teammates and coaches. They were so supportive and they helped me get through it.” The fi nal score showed that Osceola defeated Prescott 60-22 winner but no one really cared. The Chieftain fans and family had received a tremendous emotional lift from their 106 pound freshman who stood proud on his father’s birthday.
HELP WANTED St. Croix Tire & Auto is looking for a Service Manager and a part Ɵ me Service Tech. Excellent pay. Apply in person, 2145 U.S. Hwy. 8, St. Croix Falls.
Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township
EDITOR The Sun and Country Messenger are seeking an editor to lead our newspaper. We’re looking for a strong wordsmith with excellent news judgment who shows the ability to develop content for our newspaper and website. Interested candidates should demonstrate strong writing and editing skills, enthusiasm for the news and an eye for detail and design. Familiarity with AP style, Adobe InDesign and Photoshop and photography are preferred for this position, which includes some night and weekend work. Benefits package includes paid time off; health, vision, dental, disability insurance and 401k.
Applicants should send cover letter, resume and writing clips to: Tom Stangl, Publisher The Sun • P.O. Box 248 • Osceola, WI 54002 tstangl@theameryfreepress.com Equal Opportunity Employer
New Year, New Career! Woodcraft Industries, a division of Quanex, is looking for a Plant Manager and 2nd shift Production Associates to join our team! We are a leading manufacturer in the building products industry and pride ourselves on safety, quality and a family atmosphere.
CURRENT OPENINGS: 2nd shift Production (3:30pm-2am M-Th) Plant Manager We off er competitive wages, 3-day weekends, a 2nd shift premium of $1.50/hour, a complete benefi ts package including paid vacation, sick time, 9 paid holidays (plus 2 fl oating holidays), 4% - 401(k) match and a progressive work environment. Don’t miss this opportunity to join a dynamic, growth-oriented company! Apply online at www.quanex.com/careers or stop in to fi ll out an application Woodcraft Industries A Quanex Company 501 Main Street South Luck, WI 54853
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OBreakfast Hours - Monday-Friday 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. Saturday & Sunday 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. Expires 02/29/2020
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Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897 108 Cascade street Osceola, Wisconsin 715-294-2314 715-755-3316
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Give the gift of relaxation to the one you love. Bonus gift with a $50 gift card purchase. 1 Free travel item valued at $9
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213 1st Avenue Osceola, WI 715-294-4650
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“New” Patient Special
Come in for your New Patient Exam & X-rays and receive our Forever White Teeth Whitening Membership “FREE”
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