Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016 VOL. 118 NO. 29 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Osceola wrestlers send three to sectional. PAGE 12
Discovery Center: Catch-22 As Discovery Center fundraising continues, Osceola must commit to groundbreaking BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Although funds are coming in for an ambitiously planned library – part of the larger Mill Pond Discovery Center, a combined municipal complex and library complete with a variety of spaces for learning, creating and gathering – those numbers haven’t yet reached what’s needed to commit to a groundbreaking date for the project. But setting a date is just what the Village of Osceola needs to do if it’s going to keep block grant funding that was awarded last year to subsidize the project. The village has received preliminary agreement terms for the $500,000 block grant, which will go toward the construction of gathering spaces for senior citizens, and is working with the State of Wisconsin to set a date the project’s completion. “Our grant proposal (had a completion date of) October or November SEE CENTER, PAGE 2
SUZANNE LINDGREN |THE SUN
Paul Krueger consults with his defense attorney, Kate Murtaugh, prior to his preliminary hearing, Feb. 12. Krueger was bound over for trial and made an initial plea of not guilty.
MILL POND LEARNING FOUNDATION
An early rendering of plans for the Mill Pond Discovery Center. The design is in progress and will likely continue to change.
Local man pleads not guilty to attempted homicide BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
MILL POND LEARNING FOUNDATION
An Osceola man accused of beating a companion almost to death earlier this month pleaded not guilty to attempted homicide and other charges Friday, Feb. 12, in his first court appearance related to the incident. In addition to a felony charge of attempted second-degree intentional homicide, Paul Krueger, 34, faces felony counts of aggravated battery, possession of THC with intent to deliver, and a misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an officer. If convicted on all counts, he could face almost 50 years in prison and/or up to $70,000 in fines. At the preliminary hearing, Osceola Police Chief Ron Pedrys recounted details of the incident, alleged to have happened just after midnight Feb. 1. An Osceola officer responded to a call of a disturbance at about 12:35 a.m. at an apartment building in which neighbors had listened to two men fight for 45 minutes.
The Mill Pond Discovery Center is sited for the block between Chieftain and Kent streets and Third and Fourth avenues.
SEE HOMICIDE, PAGE 22
Regional Business Fund ready to lend again BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
It’s official. Area businesses again have access to micro loans, façade and revolving loan funds through the Regional Business Fund (RBF), a nonprofit, low interest lender for businesses in west-central Wisconsin. RBF announced Feb. 8 that was ready to lend to local entrepreneurs again – almost a year after the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) declared that RBF funds must adhere to federalized lending requirements. “The Regional Business Fund has received its last signed contract, and we are back to a fully defederalized fund,” said fund manager Beth Waldhart. “Now we get to have fun again, doing the work we were meant to be doing!” Staff at RBF plan to assemble a mar-
keting and outreach campaign to reintroduce the agency’s programs to area businesses and strengthen connections made in its nine years of lending. “While that progresses, please call us to talk about any project you think may fit with RBF,” said Waldhart. “We have a lot of cash that we haven’t been able to lend, and we want to put it to good use! … Please visit our website www.rbfinc. org for information on our programs.” Background In April 2015, HUD announced that money used by RBF to fund local projects had originated from federal block grants and was to be distributed according to those regulations, effective immediately. RBF had been circulating the funds through revolving loan programs ac-
NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
SEE LOAN, PAGE 22
ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
The building that houses Fiesta Loca was restored with a façade loan from the Regional Business Fund. The fund is ready to be put to use again, after an almost yearlong freeze.
PUBLIC NOTICES 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS 715-294-2314 office@osceolasun.com
BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES Whenever, wherever you are! Scan me with your smartphone