The sun 03 08 17

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017

Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897

VOL. 119 NO. 32 www.osceolasun.com $1.00

SPORTS: St. Croix Falls girls basketball wins regional. PAGE 12

Schools deemed safe after Monday morning bomb threat

Missing St. Croix Falls girls found safe

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

A bomb threat for the Osceola School District was emailed to police Monday morning, reported District Superintendent Mark Luebker.

Buildings were cleared and students waited in nearby locations.

The high school and the elementary school had been cleared by 9:45 a.m. The middle and intermediate schools were cleared by 10:30 a.m., when Superintendent Luebker announced that the school day had resumed as usual.

“Staff and students did an exemplary job clearing the buildings,” said Luebker.

that they received the email regarding the

After days of searching, two teenage girls from St. Croix Falls, Makayla Hanson-Wall and Candus Flod din, were found healthy and without inj juries on Saturday night.

The girls had been missing since Tuesd day, Feb. 28. Hanson-Wall, 13, had spent t night with Flodin, 14, and the pair did the n arrive at school after leaving Flodin’s not f foster-care home near the school.

They were believed to have run away, Flodin a and because of their ages police said t they were in high risk of danger. Police t thought the girls might have traveled to t Twin Cities. the St. Croix Falls police reported March 4 t that Hanson-Wall and Flodin were found a about 8 p.m. that evening at a home in at P Price County, Wis. (Price County covers a large area in north-central Wisconsin; Hanson-Wall Highway 8 runs through the southern portion, and the county reaches north to

SEE SCARE, PAGE 11

SEE GIRLS, PAGE 2

LUCAS PRIESTLEY | THE SUN

Emergency response teams and law enforcement checked Osceola school buildings Monday morning, after a bomb threat was emailed to village police. All buildings were cleared by 10:30 a.m. and school resumed as usual.

Village and county law enforcement and emergency response teams assisted with

Little firefighter fights cancer

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

A little boy with a big smile wears a child-size firefighter costume.

Below his picture, text reads, “A little superhero named Weston of Osceola was diagnosed with A.L.L. leukemia on November 23, 2016. Weston has endured several spinal taps and other grueling tests on his little three-year-old body. His parents, Lisa and Chad Clausen, are taking several trips

to Children’s Hospital and need all the support they can get with expenses. Come support this little hero.”

Circulating online in February, the fundraising poster caught the attention of St. Croix Falls firefighter Kirk Anderson.

“In the poster, Weston was wearing a firefighter outfit,” Anderson explained. “So I offered to give him and his family a tour of the St. Croix Falls fire station.”

SEE FIREFIGHTER, PAGE 24

building clearance, according to Luebker.

The Osceola Police Department reported

Duffy town hall ‘civil,’ say attendees

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Despite late notice, opponents and supporters of Congressman Sean Duffy packed a conference room last week at Ready Randy’s Bar and Grill in New Richmond, ready to make themselves heard.

The large crowd reflects a nationwide trend, as constituents flood town-hall style meetings to question Washington lawmakers on issues ranging from health care to the Trump Administration’s links to Russia.

Others have joined the meetings to show support for their congressional representatives.

Attendees to Duffy’s Feb. 27 town hall estimated that the crowd of about 250

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dience that his mother was a Bernie Sanders supporter, he called for “respect and civil civic engagement” during the meeting.

Many who were there said the tone of the event was “civil.” Still, the crowd was raucous at SEE DUFY, PAGE 2

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people was split fairly evenly in terms of political affiliation. The congressman called it a “great turnout” and, after quipping to the au-

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Congressman Sean Duffy said there was a “great turnout” for his town hall meeting last week. The audience was comprised of supporters and challengers in fairly equal parts.

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DUFFY: Congressman Duffy’s town hall meeting deemed civilized by attendees FROM PAGE 1

times, with some booing or laughing to show disapproval of Duffy’s statements and others clapping and cheering in support.

The congressman fielded questions from audience members, selected by topic from cards they’d filled out before the start of the event.

Border wall Two audience members questioned whether resources should be spent on a wall on the country’s southern border.

Duffy answered that he supports “securing the border” and believed a wall would bring the U.S. closer to that, but agreed that the country should address its $20 trillion debt. He added that Trump ran his campaign on the idea of building a wall and won.

Health care Regarding repeal of

the Affordable Care Act, Duffy said he believed the health care law should be replaced, but that he hoped the process would not be rushed.

When constituents urged him to fix, not replace the act, Duffy asked, “Where was the Democrat fix to a bill that was in a death spiral?” He added that he wouldn’t “jam a bill down (constituents’) throat,” as he believed the Obama Administration had done.

He seemed to agree, in theory, with a man who suggested getting to the root of high health care costs by addressing physicians’ exposure to liability.

President Trump Asked whether he supported appointing a special prosecutor and forming a bipartisan committee to look into whether the Trump campaign had colluded with

GIRLS: Teens found in Price Co. FROM PAGE 1

the Riley Lake Wildlife Management area, near the Chequemegon Nicolet National Forest.)

The Price County Sheriff’s Department arrested the man with whom the girls were apparently traveling, but gave no details about his identity.

You’re invited to join us for two inspiring new Bible studies!

• March 8, 5:45 p.m. - Max Lucado's six week study, “He Chose the Nails” • March 16 - May 25. 6:30 - A woman's study on the movie, “War Room” and the book Fervent will begin.

Russia on email hacks, Duffy answered, “I haven’t seen any evidence that would lead me to believe we need a special prosecutor.”

He acknowledged that it appeared Russians had influenced the election, but said no link between the Trump campaign and Russian government had been proven. (At the time this article was written, American officials maintained that such suspicions had not been confirmed, according to multiple news sources.)

In response to a question about government transparency, Duffy said he has called for Donald Trump to release his tax returns, but added, “I’m not going to send a witch hunt on the president unless I see something to give me pause.”

Women’s health Duffy agreed with a woman who wanted to defund Planned Parenthood. He did not correct her when she inaccurately accused the nonprofit agency of benefiting financially from the “sale” of fetal tissue to research organizations. The claim stems from a highly edited video released in 2015, which purported to show that the organization sold fetal tissue to research organizations. After an investigation, a grand jury cleared Planned Parenthood in 2016 of any wrongdoing. The organization does donate tissue from aborted fetuses for scientific research, and recoups costs for storage and transportation.

Dodd-Frank Duffy supports repeal of the Dodd-Frank

Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, saying that the legislation hadn’t stopped sub-prime mortgages, or stopped banks from growing larger.

Social Security and Medicare Would Duffy vote to privatize Social Security and have Medicare appropriations? No. He hopes “to protect and preserve social security,” though he is looking at ways to scale back the program for future generations in an effort to make it solvent.

School Choice One constituent asked Duffy’s position on using vouchers to channel public school dollars to private schools, which might be allowed to “cherry pick” students, leaving disabled students in the public school sys-

Meet and greet judicial candidates The League of Women Voters Upper St. Croix Valley is hosting a Meet, Greet, and Dessert event for the judicial candidates running for Polk and Burnett County Circuit Courts.

The event will take place at the Luck Senior Center, on Tuesday, March 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Candidates will be able to give short presentations. Refreshments will be served.

Circuit court judges

Peace Lutheran Church, ELCA

in Wisconsin hear and decide both civil and criminal cases. They are elected and serve sixyear terms.

The recent run-off election determined the two candidates for Polk County: Malia Malone and Daniel Tolan. The two candidates for Burnett County are David

2355 Clark Rd. Dresser, WI 715-755-2515

Lenten Services: Ash Wednesday, March 1 Service at 6:45 p.m.

LCMC – Lutheran Congregations in Ministry for Christ “Christians Under Construction: Loving God, Discipling People, Serving the World” www.bethesdalutheran.ws • 1947 110th Avenue • Dresser, WI

Wed., March 8, 15, 22, 29 & April 5

Thank you Polk County for your vote of con¿dence in the Primary!

Now on to the General Election, April 4!

11:30 a.m. Soup Lunch & Noon Service or 5:45 p.m. Soup Supper & 6:45 p.m. Service

MALONE

Palm Sunday, April 9

POLK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

8:30 & 10:45 a.m. with Choir Cantata Breakfast served at 7:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Maundy Thursday, April 13

“Your Life, Your Style”

Service at 6:45 p.m.

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Noon Service

“I moved here July 2015 when I could no longer manage on my own. My family was relieved that I was safe. CCH is a friendly, homey atmosphere and the staff is excellent.”

Ramona was involved with the formation of CCH. She said “the dream was to connect the Ramo na Paulso on, hospital, nursing home, assisted 91 Ye ars Young living and exercise facility to create a complete wellness environment”. She takes pride in her involvement to see the dream ful½lled.

Christian Community Home of Osceola 2650 65th Ave., Osceola, WI 54020 • 715-294-1100 www.cchosceola.org

Our Campus includes: 24-Hour Skilled Nursing • Assisted Living Apartments Transitional / Short-term Rehabilitation

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Easter Sunday, March 27 Services at 6:30, 8:30 & 10:45 a.m.

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The Luck Senior Center is located at 31 N. 2nd Street in Luck. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots, political organization that advocates for informed and active participation in government.

Pastor Alan Buresh • Pastor Melissa Carmack

Call the church ofÀce at 715-755-2562 if you plan to attend or for more information.

Lifestyle Choices for Seniors…

tem. Duffy answered that he supports voucher programs but acknowledged that potential cherry picking of students was an important issue, saying, “We can’t allow that to happen.”

Forum announcement Fielding a question about the meeting’s late notice and weekday morning timing, Duffy said he’d held 140 town halls since being elected, one in every county and at different times of the day. He did not specifically speak to the question of why the meeting had been announced the evening before.

According to Duffy’s office, staff notified St. Croix residents of the town hall as soon as they secured the details of the meeting, which hinged on the congressman’s travel schedule.

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MARCH 8, 2017

THE SUN

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and bring along a stuffed animal.

MONTHLY RiverBucks program WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) have been chosen as the March recipient of the RiverBucks program at MidwestOne Bank. All donations for RiverBucks fare support a different Osceola youth organization each month.

THROUGH MARCH 31 Adult winter reading The Osceola Public Library is sponsoring an adult winter reading program. Read books, review books, attend programs and earn prizes. FFI: Stop in at the library.

MARCH 14 Judicial meeting and greet A meet and greet is planned for Burnett County and Polk County judicial candidates. It will be at the Luck Senior Center from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Candidates are able to give short presentations. Everyone is welcome.

Fake news and the digital media landscape Fake news and the digital media landscape will be discussed at the Osceola Public Library at 6 p.m. Everyone welcome.

MARCH 22 Library book club The Osceola Public Library Book Club will meet at 6 p.m. at the Osceola Public Library.

Bloodmobile The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at the Luck High School from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Make an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800733-2767).

Bloodmobile

Friends of the OPL

The Osceola Public Library is planning a hot cocoa bar, activies and games from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at Marketplace Foods in St. Croix Falls from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Make an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The Friends of the Osceola Public Library will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the library.

MARCH 18 St. Croix County Republican Caucus

MARCH 27

MARCH 8

MARCH 17 School’s out at Osceola Public Library

Get Lit The Get LIt, pub-based book club will meet at 6 p.m. at PY’s in Osceola.

MARCH 10 Starwatch at the library The Osceola Public Library is sponsoring a Wisconsin Starwatch program by Mike Lynch at 6:30 p.m. at the Osceola Intermediate School. Everyone welcome. Appropriate for anyone over the age of six.

Dress for the weather.

Teens after hours Teens after hours (ages 15-18) will meet at the Osceola Public Library from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

MARCH 11 Chili dinner Bethany Lutheran Church in Star Prairie will be having a chili dinner from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dine-in only Everyone welcome.

BBQ dinner A BBQ dinner to raise funds for Safe Haven Animal Shelter, a new non-profit 501(c) (3) venture in Polk County is planned from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post #143 in St. Croix Falls. FFI: (715) 222-1994.

MARCH 13 Family reading night Its family reading night at the Osceola Public Library, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wear your PJs

The St. Croix County Republican Caucus will be March 18 at 9 a.m. at the Church of Christ, 1491 County Road A, New Richmond. Members will elect officers to the Executive Committee, name delegates to the 7th District Caucus and the State Convention. Resolutions may be submitted to the membership for consideration. Twenty-five typed copies should be provided for each resolution submitted. If passed, the resolution will be forwarded to the District Caucus. Please be informed that the Resolutions will not be read at the State Republican Convention.

MARCH 20 Christian Women’s Connection The Christian Women’s Connection will meet at 11:30 a.m. at the Shafer Town Hall. For reservations call (651) 808-8579.

Bloodmobile The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at the Georgetown Lutheran Church, 877 190th Ave. (Cty. Rd. G) from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Make an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Big Fun Playdate A Big Fun Playdate is planned at the Osceola Public Library at 10:30 a.m. Sensory playtime and the Imagination Playground.

APRIL 8 DOG spaghetti fundraiser The Dresser, Osceola, Garfield Fire Association will be having their annual spaghetti fundraiser from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dresser Fire Hall.

Shuttle buses from Trollhaugen.

ONGOING Monday • The Valley Chess Masters Club meets on the second and fourth Monday, 4:30 to 6 p.m., St. Croix Falls Public Library. FFI: scflibrary@stcroixfallslibrary. org.

• The Dresser and St. Croix Falls Area VFW and Auxiliary meets every third Monday at 2 p.m. at the Dresser VFW Hall.

• Second and fourth Monday, Big Fun Playdates with the Imagination Playground, 10:30 a.m. to noon.

• Every third Monday, Adult’s Coloring Group, 6 p.m., Dresser Village Library. FFI: (715) 7552944.

Author Alphabet Soup last Monday of every month, 6:30 p.m. at the Dresser Library.

Osceola Mainstreet Skate Park ROOT CANAL - A TOOTH SAVER

Help build Osceola’s Skate Park!

Donations can be sent to: Osceola Mainstreet Skate Park, c/o RCU, P.O. Box 578, Osceola, WI 54020.

GOAL $120,000

$13,911.31

QUESTION: Please explain root canal therapy.

ANSWER: Inside each of your teeth is a soft tissue (pulp) containing nerves, arteries, veins, and lymph vessels. Your pulp can be injured by a blow to the tooth, by a deep cavity or by gum disease. If the pulp becomes so damaged that it cannot repair itself, it will die and become a source of infection. The Àrst hint you’ll have of trouble is usually a painful dental abscess.

Dental abcess pain is severe. It’s the “Big Daddy” of dental discomfort. At this point, there may only

be two choices: Extract the tooth or save it by endodontic (root canal) therapy.

Before, there was no choice, the tooth would have to be pulled.

Today, however, root canal therapy is preferable since a healthy, natural tooth is always better than an artiÀcial one.

The treatment will generally require several ofÀce visits. Once restored, the tooth can last a lifetime.

Hauge Dental Care 108 Chieftain Street Osceola, Wisconsin 715-294-2202

Tuesday • St. Croix Valley MOPS Moms group meets the third Tuesday, St. Croix Falls High School. Optional free meal, 5:30 p.m., meeting at 6:15 p.m. Free childcare. FFI: mopsscv@hotmail.com.

• The Voices of the Valley meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the St. Croix ArtBarn in Osceola. This group is for adults with special needs who enjoy singing. FFI: (715) 494-0385.

Wednesday • Friends of Osceola Library meets the second Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the library. FFI: 715294-2657.

• Book club for adults at Osceola Public Library the fourth Wednesday of the month. Books available at the library. FFI: Anne Miller, (715) 294-2310.

• Adult basic education classes. Brush up on basic skills or prepare for the GED/HSED exams through basic education classes at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC). Enroll any time. FFI: Call 800-243-9482 ext. 4257 or visit witc.edu/adult/basicedprogram.htm.

• Open Mic Night, hosted by Jules at PY’s Bar & Grill in Osceola, every third Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Bring your instrument and participate in an open jam or feature your own music. Call (715) 2943314 for more details.

Thursday • Tot-Time at Peace Lutheran Church, Dresser, first and third Thursdays at 10 a.m. For infants and preschool children and their parents/grandparents. An hour filled with craft, Bible story, snack and play time. Call (715) 755-2515 to register.

Sunday • Times in Which We Live meets the first and third Sunday of each month at the Dresser Library at 6:30 p.m.

DVDs are shown about current events. FFI: 715-755-3473. or email Steve at: cen53926@centurytel.net.

• An open song circle meets at the St. Croix Falls Public Library from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the second Sunday of the month. Everyone welcome to join and sing. FFI: 715-501-4487 or liabeing@gmail.com.

Animals add to the quality of our lives in many ways. Their uplifting stories are good for the soul.

Buddy isn’t your typical volunteer. He is a Macaw with gorgeous plumage of yellow, green, and blue, and an enduring love for the works of Dr. Seuss. Buddy is a favorite at libraries and elementary schools in his community, where he participates in his favorite pastime: reading with children.

Buddy’s favorite book, a Dr. Seuss classic, is Green Eggs & Ham because he loves the sounds of rhyming words. Buddy nods his head with the turn of each page, watching the reader’s face with fascination. Whether it’s building a child’s confidence as they read aloud, or making new friends in a local nursing home, Buddy is a fine feathered friend.

Loubie is the Golden Retriever who gives hugs to strangers on the streets of Manhattan. Loubie started greeting people by sitting on her haunches and shaking hands but has graduated to hugging. When she finds a human admirer she likes, she sits next to that person and begins leaning on their legs and is soon gifting her brand of love in a full body hug. Her caregiver claims, “This is something I never trained her to do. It’s just her personality. I just let her do her thing.”

Joey the Squirrel may not be as big as a guard dog, but he’s definitely just as protectively vicious. When his owner came home to find doors opened and scratch marks around the safe lock where he kept his guns, he called the police. Officer Ashley Turner was surprised to see a pet squirrel scurrying around the house.

When the officer found the would-be-thief, she saw scratches on his hands. She asked if he got the scratches from the squirrel, he said, “Yeah, damn thing kept attacking me and wouldn’t stop until I left.”

Mary Johnston was reading in her living room when her cat Ivy began frantically meowing and jumping back and forth from the window to the couch. Bewildered by the strange behavior, Mary heard other sounds

MEETINGS THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

• Osceola TOPS meets at Trinity Lutheran Church.

Weigh-in, 7-8:20 a.m., meeting, 8:30-9:30. FFI: 715-755-3123.

THURSDAY

• Free Baby & Me classes from 5 to 6 p.m. at Osceola Medical Center. To register, (715) 684-4440.

• GriefShare, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the New Life Christian Community, Dresser. FFI: (715) 557-1431.

• Dual Recovery Anonymous, 7:15 p.m. at the St. Croix Falls Alano. FFI: (715) 7553639.

• AA meets at Trinity Lutheran Church, Osceola at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, Dresser.

FRIDAY

• AA meets at Trinity Lutheran Church, Osceola at 7 p.m. Topic meeting.

SATURDAY

• Weight Watchers meets at Hope E. Free Church, Osceola. Weigh-in, 7:30 a.m. Meeting, 8:15 a.m. FFI: Kim, 715417-0683.

MONDAY

• The Indianhead Barbershop Chorus meets at 7:30 p.m. in the government building in Balsam Lake. FFI: 715483-9202.

• Divorce Care Support Group, Grace Church of Osceola, 6:30 p.m.

• AA meets at Trinity Lutheran Church in Osceola at 7 p.m. and Osceola United Methodist Church at 7 p.m.

• Little’s Story Time, 10 a.m. at the Dresser Village Library.

• Preschool storytime, St. Croix Falls Public Library, 10:30 a.m.

TUESDAY

• AA for women at Trinity Lutheran Church in Osceola, 7 p.m.

• Seniors on the Go, 12:30-4 p.m. at Osceola United Methodist Church.

• Storytime, Osceola Public Library, 10:30 a.m. FFI: 715294-2310.

• Overeaters Anonymous, 10 a.m., St Croix Falls Alano Club. FFI; (715) 825-3416.

coming from outside. Thinking it to be the source of Ivy’s fussiness, Mary followed the sound to her neighbor’s barn where she found Eric Russell hanging from the ceiling by his arm.

Eric had been attempting to fix the garage door spring when it gave way, trapping his arm. “I think she heard these sounds of distress and it bothered her.”

Rex, the mixed German shepherd, rescued a dying baby hummingbird from his back yard and now the grateful bird refuses to leave the dog’s side.

The birdlet had fallen from a nest and was covered with ants when Rex found her under a tree. Caregiver Ed Gernon thought she was dead, but Rex refused to leave the bird behind.

Gernon realized the hummingbird was still breathing, took her in and nursed it back to health with a sugar syrup mixture. He named her Hummer and even taught her to fly using a hairdryer.

It’s been more than a year but Hummer refuses to leave, insisting on staying close to the dog who refused to abandon it. The tiny bird now lives in the house with Rex. Their caregiver says, “It’s like living with Tinkerbell.”

Join Arnell Humane Society to celebrate our pets at an animal shelter fundraising Meat Raffle at the Sports Bar in Star Prairie, Friday night, March 10. The fun begins at 6 p.m. Bring a human friend and help Arnell save lives of stray, abandoned and surrendered pets.

Arnell Memorial Humane Society, 715 2687387: ARNELLHUMANE.ORG and Facebook

4 THE SUN

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MARCH 8, 2017

What’s the real agenda?

L

ast month, I told our Wisconsin readers about legislation that has been introduced that would allow governments to change the way they report their proceedings to the public.

Assembly Bill 70 and Senate Bill 42 would allow municipalities, school districts, counties and technical colleges to publish meeting minutes by posting them on a website and in one public place. The proposal would make newspaper publication optional, which means publication requirements for meeting minutes would be eliminated.

For over two hundred years, the system of having newspapers, an third party, publishPublisher independent ing and curating these official documents has worked very well. As Tom Stangl the digital age continues to evolve, newspapers have evolved as well, posting these documents online at no additional cost to the customer.

One of the arguments being made in support of this legislation is that the governments will save money. The reality of the situation is that spending on notices is a fraction of a percent of the total budget. If a governmental entity is going to fold up shop over a $5,000 annual expenditure, there are much deeper problems than public notices.

So, money is not really the issue. So, what is the real issue?

After publication of my first column on this legislation, I was contacted by several readers who have family in South Dakota, where similar legislation has been proposed. The Minnesota Legislature has had similar legislation introduced as well.

According to Wisconsin Newspaper Association Executive Director Beth Bennett, a total of 13 states currently are addressing legislation to eliminate the requirement to publish notices in newspapers. If my math is correct, that’s a little over a quarter of the states in the nation.

As much I as would like to give credit to the fine organizations that represent municipalities and school boards, I doubt that they are organized enough to put together such a unified push on a national level.

One of the arguments newspapers make on this topic is that removing the requirement for publication will eventually lead to the information no longer being posted or kept anywhere.

While many municipalities and schools have websites, there is no uniformity in how often they are updated and how easy they are to navigate. Add to this the fact that some people cannot afford or want a computer, let alone internet access, and a real problem begins to take shape.

Government should exist in the open as much as possible. That’s how our form of government was intended and the way It functions the best.

So, who is pushing this agenda to limit access to information?

In our polarized society, it seems that whoever is in power doesn’t want anyone knowing what they are doing. I thought this was just a problem on the national level, but it seems to be trickling down to the local level.

If elected officials feel they can’t be bothered to be accountable to the taxpayers, we have a larger problem on our hands.

As these battles for access play out in statehouses across the nation, we hope taxpayers take note of the people who want to limit access to information.

When all is said and done, that’s what these bills are about. Limiting access to information about how your government is being run.

Is that what we really want?

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@theameryfreepress. com, telephone 715-268-8101 or write me at P.O. Box 424, Amery, WI, 54001.

Active member of

HOW TO REACH US: Our office is located at 108 Cascade Street, Osceola, WI 54020. We are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday - Friday. Call: (715) 294-2314, (715) 755-3316, or fax at (715) 7553314.

TO SUBSCRIBE: office@osceolasun.com The Sun is mailed to the homes of subscribers for delivery every

Small-town giving

T

here’s something that seems a bit quaint about my job.

When I tell people I’m the editor of two small-town papers, I usually feel like I’m referencing a career that should have ended about the same time as the heyday of typewriters and smoking indoors.

I imagine they think I spend my Editor days waiting for Suzanne Lindgren something to happen, maybe for a rabid dog to ramble downtown, where it’s always late summer and the roads are still gravel.

I have no idea where this image (wholly of my own making) comes from. The job is certainly nothing like that. In recent weeks I’ve reported on two kids diagnosed with cancer. One is 15 years old, the other recently turned 4. I’ve written

about endangered wood turtles, whose habitat has been slowly taken over by human development.

There’s a fungus that’s traveled to the United States from Europe or Asia and has killed bats by the million.

In Scandia, a man swerved to avoid a deer and broke his back.

Two girls from St. Croix Falls went missing last week. (Although, in what might qualify as a small-town happy ending, they were found safe over the weekend.)

And just this morning, there was a bomb threat at the Osceola School District. (More relief: No explosives were found.)

Amidst all of this very modern, at times sad, news there is one element of small town life that seems to have held on: a strong sense of community. Thus, I’ve also reported on those who are helping to raise money for someone else’s doctor bills, or helping make ends meet for someone who has to take time off from work to heal from a

serious injury.

I’ve watched people spread the word about missing children, hoping to find them safe. And a crew of local adults put themselves in potential danger to make sure school buildings were safe for kids.

This just scrapes the surface.

Locals advocate for their libraries, their schools, downtown businesses, public parks and the St. Croix River. They root for their local teams and give to the food shelf.

They make the effort to say something kindly when they could have been harsh.

I see the people in these small towns give and give and give, and I wanted to bear witness to that. I’ve mentioned this generosity before, and likely will again. It softens me to a world that often seems severe, and that shouldn’t be taken for granted. I hope you look around and see it too.

I welcome your response to this editorial column: editor@osceolasun.com.

LETTER GUIDELINES Letters to the Editor are published with priority given to letters that are concise (350 words or less) and exclusive to our newspaper, from readers in our general distribution area.

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Unexpected news Valley unprepared for approaching storm

The home of my childhood rests snugly between two lakes with names descended from ancient Native Americans. It’s been a while since I’ve had a mailing address in “The Valley” and a lot of things have changed through the years.

A milestone occurred in 1993 when our fi rst traffic light was installed on the corner of Main and Church Street. We still refer to that intersection as “Bearden’s Corner,” though no one is quite sure why.

At fi rst there was a lot of excitement concerning the light. The Lutherans, who occupied the northwest quadrant of “the corner” thought the light might encourage those who waited there to consider dropping by. It was the ultimate evangelism tool.

The Baptists, on the other hand, occupied the southeast quadrant of Bearden’s Corner. There was great concern among members of First Baptist Chruch that the light would encourage drivers to consider a visit to the Hofbrau, a German eatery that caused considerable chagrin among the Baptists - and some Methodists - who recognized it as the only establishment in Lennox Valley that served beer.

The ‘Brau, as locals had come to know it, was the subject of at least six

sermons at the Baptist Church since it fi rst opened on the corner just after World War II. One of Brother Billy Joe’s favorite sermons was titled, “You can’t spell Devil without ‘Evil’,” and referenced the ‘Brau’ at least once during each of his three points. After a while, parishioners came to expect Brother Billy Joe’s sermon on evil every year - on the Sunday before Octoberfest.

On the other hand, Father O’Reilly seemed to have no problem with the Hofbrau.

As a matter of record (if Vera Pinrod’s phone calls to the members of the Lennox Valley Auburn Hat Society can be considered “record”), the “Good Father,” as she liked to call him, was often seen enjoying a reuben sandwich, sauerkraut and a Miller Lite at the famed eatery.

What’s more, Father O’Reilly seemed to have no interest in Vera’s declarations concerning his dining habits. Some thought he was taking a personal jab at Vera when, on the Sunday before Mother’s Day, he led a homily on the subject, “The devil wears a bright red hat.”

Everybody thought the confrontation between Vera and Father O’Reilly would calm down in time. But with each

passing year, it seemed to gain steam. That was, until Vera’s attention turned to something more important.

As you will soon learn, my hometown never lacked drama.

Just when we thought things were settling down, another earthshaking event would stir us to attention. This was especially true in 1998.

You see, the Methodist Church decided to appoint a new pastor to “The Valley” in June. Methodists do this every few years and pastoral changes usually occur without too much fanfare.

Nobody would know about the change for another month or so, but the bishop and his cabinet had made the decision and soon would be sending word to the good folks at Lennox Valley Methodist Church. It would be District Superintendent Jim Whedbee who would have the privilege of informing the expectant congregation.

The new pastor’s name was Rev. Sarah Hyden-Smith.

And everybody thought the traffic light was big news.

Kevin Slimp now makes his home in Knoxville, Tenn. Read more about the good folks at lennoxvalley.com.

Your Right to Know: Keep public notices in print

F

or more than two centuries, governments in this country have paid newspapers to publish public notices about the actions of government.

But now, Wisconsin state legislators are circulating a pair of bills, AB70 and SB42, that aim to take public notices out of newspapers and put them instead on government websites.

It’s a bad idea that would harm transparency, democracy and public trust.

Without a third party, independent source providing the information, there is no accountability, no checks and balances to make sure that government is posting all the public noColumnist tices it is required by law to post.

Most Wisconsin residents continue Rusty Cunningham to rely on the printed newspaper for information about their local elected governments, as they have for decades.

For those who choose not to use computers, it remains the best source.

For those who do use computers, there’s already an invaluable resource at your fingertips. Since 2005, newspapers in Wisconsin have been digitally archiving every public notice published in every newspaper in our state every day. Today, a decade of this information is available free of charge on this website: www.WisconsinPublicNotices.org.

Wisconsin newspapers collect and archive this information as a public service. The database is very user-friendly—searchable by city, county, newspaper, zip code and keyword. Businesses throughout the state use this website to learn about projects they may wish to bid on. Just ask a contractor how efficient it would be to have to log in daily to the website of every local government in Wisconsin.

The amount charged by newspapers for publishing public notices is regulated by the state Department of Administration. The rates charged barely cover the cost of processing and printing the information. It’s a good deal for taxpayers.

State law prescribes even the typeface and font size of these notices to help the DOA cut down on its

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administrative workload. The newspapers agreed to this standardization, and the Wisconsin Legislature approved it without opposition in 2012.

And government is not the sole bearer of the cost of publishing legal notices. In many cases, the cost is passed along by the government agency to those seeking government action.

As Beth Bennett, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, has testified: “A notice for a new license is passed along to the new licensee.

Foreclosure notices are assumed by the banks and the attorneys handling the foreclosure. Court notices are passed along by the courts to the subject of the legal matter; and in many instances, public notices are required to be placed by John Q. Citizen who pays directly for the publication of the notice.”

Taking public notices out of newspapers is just another attempt by government officials to curb transparency in Wisconsin. It’s a bad move, and the people of Wisconsin should push back against it.

Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (www.wisfoic.org), a group dedicated to open government. Rusty Cunningham is executive editor of the La Crosse Tribune.

YEARS AGO 10 years ago March 7, 2007 • Donkey basketball came to Osceola last week. It was a fundraiser for the Osceola High School FFA. • Kevin Rector was declared interim village president after the death of Charlie Jensen.

He would fill in until the April election.

• Barb Jorgensen’s second grade class at Osceola Elementary School raised $2,500 for Pennies for Patients.

• S &C Bank has moved from their building on Cascade Street to Chieftain Street.

• Mickayla Cottor has been named Osceola’s representative for the Northwest United Educator’s Scholarship.

• Osceola grads Krista Hasselquist and Tina Schmidt competed in the WIAC Indoor Track Championships. Hasselquist took second in the shot put and second in the weight throws for the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. Schmidt placed 19th in the shot and eighth in weight throw for the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.

• Osceola High School powerlifters heading to state were Lance Johnson, Chad Kromrey, Matt Springer, Justin Hall, J.R. Switalla, Trever Foss, Jordan Gieser, Kevin McCusker, Kipp Hinz, Kevin Hanley, Nikki Martell, Maggie Cox, Kelsey Hendricks, Jessie Kromrey, Sarah Droher, Dawn Sol, Sheila Hinz and Emily Lowney.

20 years ago March 12, 1997 • Dustin DeRosier of St. Cloud State University won the pole vault at the 1997 NCAA Division II National Indoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis.

• Polk-Burnett scholarship winners included Karisa Anderson, Jamie Everson, Travis

Davidsavor, Anne Fowler, Autumn Erwin and Alexandra Larson.

• Anna Holmquist was named Osceola Public Library’s Reader of the Month.

• Sara Lorenz was selected as the Osceola High School representative for the NUE Scholarship.

• Osceola Middle School Students of the Month were Kaydi Rugroden, Maleah Mortenson, Jamie Thompson, Kristy Lear, Jason Fehlen, Brooke Tomfohrde, Nic Swanson and Tom Shoop.

• Winners in the Osceola Middle School All-School Spelling Bee were Lawrence Rivard, third; Chad Transue, second and Marc Beckmann, first.

30 years ago March 10, 1987 • Osceola High School SADD chairpersons and workshop participants were Melissa Durham, Heather Belisle, Tanya Everson, Catie Sessions, Michelle Lyons, Roxanne Campeau and Paul Smith.

• Osceola High School first and second place finishers at the St. Croix Falls forensics invitational were Kelli Brunclik, Johannes VanderBent, Katie Rochford, Kari Kriesel, Rob VanNevel, Susie Steffen and Laralyn Floyd.

• Osceola Middle School Women in History month writing contest winners were Julie Deloach, Kristen Adams, Tracey Stang, Dawn Measner, Jodi Monson and Jenny Brandt.

• Miss Teen Wisconsin 1986 Sherry Foss was awarded the Achievement Bowl presented to Miss Teen of America finalists. She finished eighth out of 58 candidates.

• Village President Byron Blanchard signed a proclamation declaring the week of March 7-14, 1987, as Girl Scout Week in Osceola.

GOVERNMENT NUMBERS WHO TO CALL...

President Donald Trump 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.• Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: (202) 456-1111 or http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Switchboard: (202) 456-1414 • Fax: (202) 456-2461

Congressman Sean Duffy 7th Congressional District 1208 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515 • (202) 225-3365 or 502 2nd St., Suite 202, Hudson, WI 54016 • (715) 808-8160 duffy.house.gov/

U.S. Senator Ronald H. Johnson 328 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20515 • (202) 224-5323 www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin 717 Hart Senate Office Biulding Washington, D.C. 20510 • (202) 224-5653 www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact

Governor Scott Walker 115 East, State Capitol Bldg. Mailing address: P.O. Box 7863, Madison, WI 53707 • (608) 266-1212 • (608) 267-6790 (TTY) govgeneral@wisconsin.gov • www.wisgov.state.wi.us/

Rep. Adam Jarchow 28th Assembly District Room 19 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952 • Madison, WI 53708 (608) 267-2365 or 1-888-529-0028 • Fax (608) 282-3628 Rep.Jarchow@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Sheila Harsdorf 10th Senate District State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882 • Madison, WI 53707 (608) 266-7745 • Toll-free: 1-800-862-1092 Sen.Harsdorf@legis.wisconsin.gov

NO CALL LIST 1-888-382-1222 or website: datcp.wi.gov

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MARCH 8, 2017 www.osceolasun.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Clarification To clarify a comment made in a letter to the editor 3/1/17 “Marching for the Affordable Care Act”: The 340B Drug Pricing Program was established in 1992 within the Public Health Service Act under the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992. It allows health care organizations servicing under-served, indigent, and vulnerable patient populations to purchase from manufacturers certain out-patient eligible drugs at reduced prices. The resulting savings are used to provide additional health care programs and services to benefit the local communities served.

In 2010 the Affordable Care Act expanded the 340B program to cover more organizations, including sole community hospitals and critical access hospitals – i.e., Amery, Grantsburg, New Richmond, Osceola, and St. Croix Falls.

Cheryl Hustad Osceola

Too much pressure on girls to have perfect bodies Anais Bordages, a girl who grew up in Austin, Texas, was always comparing herself to others.

Her friends were all prettier, skinnier, and had bigger breasts than her. I mean guys only like girls who are pretty, skinny, and have big breasts right? That’s what society wants us to believe.

When Anais’s friends would all go to the beach, she would make up excuses about how she didn’t like swimming, or that sand is gross, just so she didn’t have to be next to her skinnier friends in a swimsuit.

Anais’s weight was one of her insecurities, but I have insecurities too.

I wear makeup to cover up the blemishes on my face, I spend too much time doing my hair in the morning, and I worry about my weight. I get too caught up on what people are going to think of me if I look a certain way or wear the wrong things.

A professor of communications at Temple University has stated, “The average teen girl gets about 180 minutes of media exposure daily and only about 10 minutes of parental interaction a day.” This shows that teenage girls are exposed to everything the media says about women’s bodies. Their confidence is lowering drastically because they feel they are not up to society’s standards.

According to the website ‘Just Say YES’ adolescent girls are more afraid of gaining weight than getting cancer, losing their parents, or nu-

clear war. This is a major problem. This shows how much the media influences how girls view themselves. There are a lot of expectations that women feel they have to live up to in order to be considered society’s idea of ‘perfect.’

These days, kids are getting phones as early as 10 years old. That means they are also exposed to social media and can access virtually anything they want. Young girls are more at risk to the unfavorable aspects of social media. An article written by Ariel Doctoroff says that 67 percent of 12-13 year olds use a social networking site, while only 9 percent of boys do. This means girls have more access to incorrect information on how their bodies should look. Bullying and body shaming is huge dilemma with social media also. It’s astonishing how cruel some girls can be to other girls about how they look.

We need to be giving women a more realistic view on what their bodies will look like. Not everyone is going to look like Barbie and be stick-thin with long legs and big breasts. Every person is unique in their own way and we need to reinforce that. No one is “perfect” because what’s the definition of perfect anyway?

Maybe you could look it up while you’re sitting in the waiting room of your next Botox appointment.

Ella Kerkow St. Croix Falls High School

Fear and loathing in Polk County I wish to thank Thomas Wulf for his letter in last week’s paper. I’d been planning a trip to Sweden, and had no idea gangs of Muslim rapists have taken over that country. I’ve canceled my trip, and the ladyfolk in my party are particularly grateful. We’ll do our Ikea pilgrimage another year. It’s strange, the few Muslims I know are decent people, and I’m shocked to learn they are one and all part of a nefarious sharia plot. I will disown them and advocate for their forcible removal, even though that will require discarding the First Amendment. It’s totally worth it. Later in the paper, I was surprised to read that Polk County did not prosecute a pedophile in Amery, that the county decided the threat of prosecution was suitable punishment. I always thought threat of prosecution was deterrent to not commit a crime, and not the punishment itself. I learned much from last week’s Sun, and even though I can’t quite get myself to fear the raping Swedes more than an unpunished molester in

a neighboring town, I’m sure, with time, I’ll get there.

Ryan Rodgers Osceola

He’s back!

I see Jeff Peterson’s fragile psyche must have recovered from his election night drubbing. Last week, he was back to warning all of us about a new scary proposal that will destroy our lakes.

Jeff spent around $60,000 and 10 months running around telling everyone to vote for him. The result - 2/3 voted against him. At just 33 percent, he got the lowest percentage of the vote in this assembly district in recent memory. Apparently, he didn’t get this message. He is now warning us all that a DNR proposal to allow some lake owners to remove a small amount of muck around their docks will end the world. This from a guy who has been crying wolf around here for decades. In short, if Jeff is against it, I would guess it’s a pretty good idea. Jeff, the message last fall was loud and clear; just go away.

R J Hartung Amery

Saying one thing, doing another I attended Representative Duffy’s February 27 town hall in New Richmond. While answering one of the many excellent questions posed during the meeting, he declared that Trump “should release his tax returns.”

Yet, mere hours after this assertion, he voted to table the ruling (HR 101) that could’ve forced Trump to do just that.

I see two potential reasons for this: either Rep. Duffy thinks this is not the correct method to force Trump’s hand and has an alternate plan, or he lied.

The nation has overwhelmingly demanded to know what conflicts of interest and potential foreign ties our president may be hiding in his returns. And one of the most basic tenants of our democracy is honest, transparent representatives who act in constituents’ best interests, not their own.

I urge Rep. Duffy to clarify his vote on this issue. How will he ensure Trump’s returns are indeed released? Because if we can’t trust our representatives to keep their word and to be our voice in Congress, then it’s time for new representatives.

Jessica Fishman Amery

The case for

illegitimacy 1. Russian hacking: Solid information that Russians interfered with our Presidential Election favor of Trump. Trumps lavishes praise on Vladimir Putin, a thug and murderer.

2. Clinton received almost 3 million more votes than did Trump.

3.

Gerrymandering in states including Wisconsin that rigged the boundary lines in favor of Republican candidates. Wisconsin just got a court order to address just that. Gerrymandering is redrawing the election districts to give one party and advantage. In other words, it’s rigged!

4. James Comey, FBI director and former Bush appointee, who’s shameful legacy will forever go down in history for his unwarranted interference of the election in favor of Trump, using of all things an email sent to Clinton by Anthony Weiner.

5.

PolitiFact, a fact-checking site on the web, shows that 66 percent of Trump’s statements range from Mostly False, to False, to Pants on Fire False!

6. Trump saying he still won’t release his tax returns is prima facie evidence that he is hiding something very serious from the American public. He is the first President in 40 years to refuse to do so.

The whole elections was contaminated by lies, fake news, Russian interference, gerrymandering and an irresponsible FBI director. Trump has the lowest favorability of any incoming president in 40 years.

Will Trump go down in history with an asterisk before his name? Will Trump be seen as Illegitimate? Will Trump be impeached?

(There is a case for all three.)

Dennis Klinkhamer Clear Lake [Editor’s note: Mr. Klinkhamer cites as references USA Today, CNN and other national news sources, with additional fact checking online via PolitiFact, Wikipedia and video footage of Trump speeches.]

Choices for whom?

A number of the Republican policies at the national level have touted lofty titles like, “Financial Choice Act” and “Choices in Education.”

At first blush, these names sound reasonable: they even sound like a possible improvement on what we already have in place. But the reality behind all this “choice” is that the only additional choices are for the wealthiest few.

Congressman Sean Duffy’s Financial Choice Act eliminates the pro-

tections of the “fiduciary standard,” which is a common-sense measure designed to protect everyday people like you and me trying to plan for retirement. The fiduciary standard basically says that someone managing your money has to consider your best interest ahead of their own.

They can still offer you any product they’d like, but they must disclose any conflicts of interest or incentives they have to sell you that product.

Now, whose choice is being increased there?

It isn’t yours and mine; the advantage goes to the person selling you the product.

But the “choices” don’t stop there. HR 610, otherwise known as Choices in Education, which is grounded in the notion that competing with voucher schools will somehow improve our public schools. In reality, this is little more than an excuse to do away with public education. Public education is a cornerstone of our democracy, if you want to improve our education system we need to properly fund public schools and get more involved in making them as good as they can be. Voucher schools take our tax dollars and give them to schools (including home schools) that teach that the earth is 6,000 years old and that evolution is a myth.

Not where I want my tax dollars going. This legislation would be especially devastating for rural America.

While we may not all agree on how to solve the challenges these two pieces of legislation seek to solve, we do need to pay attention to exactly just how measures like this will impact our communities. Reach out to our elected officials, even if just to get to know the staffer so you can call with questions about these issues. It is their job to help us be a part of this democracy.

leged inappropriate communications between Trump’s campaign staff and agents of the Russian government. “I haven’t seen anything that would lead me to believe that there’s been any connection or any ties between the Trump campaign and Russia,” Duffy told the audience before quickly moving on to another question.

Wait a minute, didn’t President Trump just relieve Michael Flynn of his role as national security adviser precisely because he lied about his inappropriate conversations – which happened while President Obama was still in office – with the Russian ambassador?

Both houses of Congress have active investigations underway on the question of whether and to what extent Russia has attempted to influence our elections, including whether there was any inappropriate or illegal contact between Russian agents and members of Trump’s campaign team.

Representative Darrell Issa, a California Republican has called for an independent investigation of these same issues.

Republican former President George W. Bush said much the same thing on the Today show. Republican former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called for a special prosecutor.

Republican senators Lindsey Graham, John McCain, and Marco Rubio have all agreed with the need to get to the bottom of this issue.

Why is Sean Duffy protecting Donald Trump?

Don’t Americans deserve to know the truth about the extent of Russian interference in our elections? Duffy was insistent that Hillary Clinton be thoroughly (and repeatedly) investigated for her role in the Benghazi affair and her private email server. Why shouldn’t Donald Trump undergo the same level of scrutiny?

Marceleen Mosher St. Croix Falls

Kate Curnow, Cumberland Kathryn Kienholz, Milltown Kari Larson, Balsam

Duffy town hall meeting We attended Sean Duffy’s Feb. 27 town hall meeting in New Richmond. We were lucky to find out about it the night before (thanks, Facebook!) since Representative Duffy no longer announces these meetings on his website or through our local papers, nor notifies those who have signed up on his website to receive such notification.

Duffy fielded questions from audience members on a variety of topics.

We were particularly interested in his response to a question about the need for an independent investigation into al-

Ask Congress to support the arts

Each April since 2015, The Big Read in the St. Croix Valley has brought people and books together. In fact, more than 6,500 people have participated in this program through community sing-a-longs, theatre productions, and as careful observers to history and the power of visual arts.

The Big Read is supported through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and is secured by ArtReach St. Croix, a non-profit orSEE LETTERS, PAGE 7

MARCH 8, 2017

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Leopard changing spots?

“If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all,” asserted Noam Chomsky.

P

olk Burnett Indivisible prompted its members to attend Congressman Duffy’s town hall meeting in New Richmond on Monday, February 27 (polkburnettindivisible.com). So I too made the trip.

Key questions to me included: How much alike are the Indivisible movement and its prototype, the Tea Party? Can Leftists leave behind their agColumnist gressive protest methods? Does Indivisible Doug Wellumson pose a risk to free speech? Do progressives take their direction from Washington Democrats? Does Polk Burnett Indivisible reflect its own purported values when in open hearings? Can meaningful town halls endure?

The Tea Parties and the new Indivisible organizations have disparate roots. Bottom-up Tea Parties were not centrally orchestrated. But top-down Indivisible started in Washington (www.indivisibleguide.com), hoping to win elections by copying the Tea Party efforts. Traditionalists are reasoned, courteous and self-controlled.

Feeling-based progressives formerly used fire bomb riots and looting sprees at UC Berkeley and Ferguson, Missouri. Leftists trashed the Wisconsin Capitol during the Walker riots; the Tea Party people cleaned it (www.redstate.com/diary/tomtflorida/2011/03/06/tea-party-cleaning-upafter-the-leftagain).

Indivisibles and Tea Partiers are polarized. Progressives are collectivists who generally want strong central governments. Their numbers include statists, socialists, and victims fixated on social injustice. In contrast, populists hold to individualistic policies, the rule of law, and limited, decentralized government. Their groups comprise libertarians, conservatives, some narrow reactionary groups, and states’ rights advocates.

In New Richmond the Indivisible people followed their Washington

Guide. Few out of state license plates were evident. No busloads came in from elsewhere. They did show surprising, but imperfect self-control.

Many, maybe all, wore “Constituent - Not Paid Agitator” tags as they agitated.

Per their Guide, Indivisibles’ obvious strategy was to disperse throughout the assembly making their numbers look bigger during group shout-outs.

Indivisibles then flooded the session with their questions. They typically pontificated at length before actually getting to their questions. When Congressman Duffy responded, these protestors usually interrupted. He rarely could complete his answers before the Invisibles set off shout-downs.

Polk Burnett Indivisible’s published ‘Purpose’ uses terms like ‘respect’ and fairness,’ which they seemed to forget.

They claim to ‘reject hatred and violence.’ On February 27 Indivisible did not display hatred and violence. Will it last?

American free speech has stepped backward by today’s college ‘safe zones’ and their blocking speakers from community events. And now town halls seem lost as places for an even-handed public exchange of ideas.

Once Will Rogers grieved, “Politics is applesauce.”

The Bolsheviks, Nazis, and Communist Chinese aggressively used their lesser numbers to suppress a majority. The Indivisibles Guide expresses hopes that targets will cower to a vocal minority. Representative Duffy has too much spirit for that. Let’s hope the best for others beleaguered by Indivisibles.

Credit must be given to the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department for providing safety and courtesy to every attendee at that meeting. Also, to Congressman Duffy and his staff whose demeanors were commendable.

Doug Wellumson served 24 years in the U.S. Navy. He has worked in business management, workforce development, college instruction, and industrial technology. Your response is welcomed at dougwellumson@aol. com.

[Editor’s note: For those interested in forming their own opinion of the event, a video of Duffy’s town hall is online at https://tinyurl.com/jzy37ep.]

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM PAGE 6

ganization whose mission is to connect the St. Croix Valley community with the visual, literary, and performing arts. This grant is awarded to only 75 organizations in the nation and it has been an honor to receive this grant from the NEA that benefits our St. Croix River communities.

The value of the arts is of course the joy, beauty and creativity that it generates, but there is also an economic value.

According to Americans for the Arts, the nonprofit arts industry generates $22.3 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues annually — a yield well beyond the collective $4 billion in arts allocations. That is more than a five-fold return on our investment.

On behalf of the board and staff at ArtReach St. Croix, I ask you to call our members of Congress, Tammy Baldwin, Sean Duffy and Ron Johnson and ask them to support full funding for the arts. Ask them to support policies that recognize the growth potential and direct benefits of investing in the arts which are not only good for our local economy, but are a way to nurture our communities and our creative, active, and engaged citizens.

We are all strengthened by investment in the arts. So call your member of Congress, then pick up a copy of “The Maltese Falcon” at the library, check out the activities planned for April at ValleyReads.org and join us for this year’s Big Read.

Margaret Pennings ArtReach, Board of Directors

Public notices and government transparency The state Assembly Committee on Local Government will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, March 8 on a bill that would give local governments the option to stop publishing a summary of their actions in your newspaper. Assembly Bill 70 would allow lo-

cal municipalities to post meeting minutes on their websites instead.

This is bad public policy under the guise of saving taxpayer dollars that would create considerable disruption for government transparency. Supporters of Assembly Bill 70 suggest local government websites are sufficient to notify the public of their actions and that publishing meeting minutes in the newspaper limits access only to newspaper subscribers.

The fact is, however, that all legal notices published throughout the state since 2005 are already available for free to the public through WisconsinPublicNotices. org. This comprehensive, searchable website hosted by the Wisconsin newspaper industry brings together ink-onpaper notices into one online location. This service is provided at no cost to local municipalities.

The goal of WisconsinPublicNotices.org is to enhance government’s distribution of public information and assist citizens who want to know more about the actions of their local, county and state representatives. This permanent, third-party documentation – unalterable and independent of government itself – ensures the protection of “your right to know” for each and every citizen.

For years, this relationship between newspapers, local municipalities and WisconsinPublicNotices.org has successfully provided easy access to government information for all citizens, whether they seek it in print or online. Removing existing publication requirements would create holes in this invaluable statewide database while also neglecting the needs of those who lack adequate computer and internet access.

Please tell your legislators to oppose this unnecessary barrier to government transparency.

Beth Bennett Executive Director Wisconsin Newspaper Association

Islamophobia A letter last week asked “Why do many people in the United States support Muslim immigration here?” while arguing that Muslims are violent and anti-women, citing

rape statistics in Sweden and Sharia law.

While I applaud his concern for the welfare of women in our country, his argument is faulty. There has been a lot of overhyped press about Sweden’s recent rape statistics. However, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Swedish government, 1) the legal definition of rape has changed and widened, 2) there has been a strong effort to decrease the number of un-reported cases of sexual assault, and 3) there is a different method of police recording of incidents (which makes comparison from country to country tricky).

The Swedish government says studies show violence has actually decreased in the last 20 years, but the perception is that rising immigration leads to rising crime.

In reality, a majority of crimes are committed by native born Swedes, and violent crime is tied to the socioeconomic conditions in which the perpetrator was raised. As in the U.S. there is prejudice and negative attitudes towards Muslims in Sweden.

The writer seems to assume that all Muslims are bad, also citing Sharia law as an indication of violence and misogyny. (See the Huffington Post’s informative article “Sharia Law in the U.S.A. 101” which describes Sharia and it’s use to differing levels in some Muslim majority countries). Just because people have different beliefs from you doesn’t mean they are bad people. In fact, there are good and bad people in every color and religion. If you don’t know any Muslim people, it’s not really fair to judge them. The ways of Muslim immigrants may seem strange to us but that does not mean they are not deserving of respect, friendliness and compassion.

The Muslim immigrants I know (after over 10 years working with immigrants and refugees), are very excited to be a part of our society, very hard working, interested in our culture, and charming and caring people.

It would serve us all better to look deeply for causes to serious problems instead of assuming that the people who seem different are at fault.

Chris Burkhouse Osceola

www.osceolasun.com

8

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MARCH 8, 2017 www.osceolasun.com

Sun earns accolades and five awards from Wisconsin Newspaper Association

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

The Sun won five awards and other honors at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s annual convention Feb. 24.

The paper took first in its division — weekly newspapers with a circulation of 2,000 or less — for interpretive reporting and feature writing. It took second among all weeklies for its website, and third for best real estate ad and reporting on local government. In addition, the Sun received honorable mentions for its sports section and business reporting. Publisher Tom Stangl won first place in a larger division for his local column.

The interpretive reporting award recognizes writing that examines an issue or trend, offering research or analysis beyond what’s required in the typical news cycle. Entries were judged on importance of the story, thoroughness and research. The Sun won for “A case study in victory,” which told the story of Colin Hastings’ addiction to methamphetamine and his eventual recovery.

A judge wrote of the story, “Great intro. It is good to show the personal side of addiction and

‘It’s good to show the personal side of addiction and what it can do to the individual and those he or she touches.’

Contest judge Interpretive Reporting what it can do to the individual and those he or she touches. Excellent writing.”

The feature story award highlighted effectiveness of writing style, originality of approach and human interest. The Sun won for “Loss, revival and corn,” which

Delivering Your Community

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Wisconsin Starwatch with Mike Lynch

6:30 pm • Friday, March 10 Osceola Intermediate School Join the Osceola Public Library in welcoming WCCO Radio Meteorologist Mike Lynch for an evening learning about astronomy and viewing the stars.

FREE PROGRAM! Dress for the weather.

Appropriate for persons ages 6 to 106

recounted Chris Burkhouse’s trip to Mexico, examining the long-term impacts of free trade agreements and communities’ responses to those changes.

“The clear winner,” commented the judge. “A good tale of suffering and perseverance with local ties and a connection to global current events.”

Perhaps a more distinctive honor, the Sun won second place among all weekly papers for its website. Entries were judged on quality and quantity of community content, ease of navigation, appearance and accessibility.

“Glad to see the ‘Submit your news’ button so clean and visible high on the page,” wrote the judge. “It makes the site very engaging, which I’m sure does wonders in a small community.”

The Sun took third in its division for best real estate advertisement, which was judged on originality of the idea, layout and execution.

The Sun won for its Seagren – Keller Williams ad, created by the Sun’s graphic designer, Eric Buelow.

“Sharp, consistent, easy to read,” said the judge. “Very nice work.”

The Sun also took third for reporting on local government, a category judged on news value, writing clarity, style and treatment of the subject.

“Clear, concise and a

good job following several issues,” the judge said. “Quotes used well, very informative.”

The paper’s sports section received an honorable mention.

“Very good — and large! — sports section,” commented the judge. “Lots of good quality photos. Headlines and articles are well written. I like the format for the scoreboard stats. It is consistent throughout each issue and is easy to read. … Overall very nice.”

Ron Jasperson is the Sun’s primary sports writer. Jo Jasperson and Sharon Wampfler are its primary photographers. Emily Smith and Amy Luesebrink-Rawlings also contributed to the issues that were considered. Carrie Larson does layout for the section.

The paper got another honorable mention for business reporting, which recognizes business and economic coverage that offers context, explanation and interpretation as appropriate.

The judge wrote, “(Suzanne) Lindgren provided excellent business reporting.

The Sun is lucky to have her.”

In addition, publisher Tom Stangl won first place in a larger division for his local column. Technically, the award went to the Amery Free Press.

But Sun readers will recognize Stangl’s name as his column is printed in the Sun, too.

PUNDITS AND PAGEANTRY FAKE NEWS AND THE DIGITAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE Presented by

KRISTEN CHAMBERLAIN Associate Professor of Communication, Augsberg College

TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 6PM at Osceola Public Library Join us for a lively discussion about the fake news phenomenon that has hit us like a ton of bricks in the past year.

SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN

Lynn Morrison, an engineer with the Probst Group, the company F&A hired to help with upgrades to its wastewater treatment system, testified on the dairy’s behalf at a public hearing Feb. 28. Susan Krenz, right, moderated the hearing.

Few speak at F&A permit hearing

BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Few residents spoke at a public hearing last week regarding the renewal of F&A Dairy’s wastewater treatment permit.

The low turnout was somewhat surprising, as residents of Dresser and Osceola Township have complained of odors coming from F&A Dairy’s waste treatment ponds for years, and called for revocation of the permit as recently as December.

Some say the stench has been a nuisance for more than a decade.

A sole Dresser resident spoke at the Feb. 28 hearing. Sheena Malm said she and her husband had qualms about a five-year permit until a better track record is established at the dairy.

She also advocated for immediate redirection of wastewater if biological oxygen demand levels rose above the permitted limit.

Lynn Morrison, an engineer with the Probst Group, the company F&A hired to help with upgrades to its wastewater treatment system, testified on the dairy’s behalf.

“In 2016, F&A took the most aggressive steps yet to address this issue,” she said. “As a result of these upgrades we are confident F&A can consistently comply with all of its pond system treatment permit obligations.”

Biological oxygen demand (BOD) levels, which are a reliable measure of odor potential, have fallen since the business added aera-

tion and other improvements to its system late last winter. According to data submitted to the DNR, the business has been under its BOD limit since mid-March 2016. As a result of 2016 upgrades, the ponds should continue to aerate through the winter months, mitigating odors after periods of thaw.

Dan Burch, a supervisor on the Osceola Town Board, asked how noncompliance would be addressed with the permit.

“Noncompliance would generate an enforcement action (as per the terms of the permit),” answered Michelle Balk, a wastewater engineer with the Department of Natural Resources. Balk noted that it would not necessarily mean the permit would be revoked.

Burch also asked whether a timeframe existed for fixing odor problems at the dairy.

“That’s difficult to say because it’s a biological system,” answered Balk, noting that with increased aeration problems should be solved faster than they were in the past.

She also said “removing additional waste would be an option” for resolving persistent infractions.

Written comments were accepted before the meeting and through March 7. The DNR expects to decide this month whether it will renew the dairy’s wastewater treatment permit.

The agency added conditions to the five-year permit, including monitoring dissolved oxygen at four new locations.

NOTICE TOWN OF OSCEOLA TOWN BOARD MEETING Tuesday, March 14, 2017 • 7:00 P.M. Town Hall, 516 East Ave. North, Dresser, WI Meeting agenda items include the following matters for discussion and possible action by the Town Board in Open Session: • Isaacson Burial Site Request • 68th Avenue Road Maintenance • Resolution 17-01 Approving the Vacation of a Portion of 68th Avenue • Set Date for April Town Board Meeting and Annual Town Meeting of the Electors This is a complimentary notice. A complete agenda is posted at the Town Hall, Dresser Post Office, First National Community Bank and on the Town’s website at www.townofosceola.com.

WNAXLP

RECORDS

MARCH 8, 2017

THE SUN

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www.osceolasun.com

Grade school spat leads father to alleged armed assault

BY JESSICA DE LA CRUZ EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM

What began with one school age girl hitting a another in t the stomach r resulted in a v violent confront ation a and armed a assault bet tween their Pieters f fathers, according to police reports.

Nathan A. Pieters, 32 of Clear Lake, reportedly confronted the father of his daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playmate, Leo Martell, at the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apartment. In the February 20 incident, Martell reported that Pieters became aggressive and pulled out a firearm. Pieters reportedly reached into Martellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apartment, grabbed him by the head and assaulted him with the gun.

According to information filed with the criminal complaint, Martell had a cut above his forehead that required stitches.

Pieterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relatives, who reside in a neighboring apartment, told authorities that the young girl came to them about being â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;socked in the bellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but then continued to play.

Authorities caught up with Pieters using the wi-fi near the Clear Lake Public Library. He told officers that this was the second time his daughter had been assaulted by the girl in apartment 5. Pieters claimed that Martell became aggressive so he took a defensive stand, but denied using a gun on him. Pieters admitted to having his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;1911â&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the time, as he always does.

Officers seized a .45 caliber 1911 from Pietersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; residence, which was found to have skin fragments inside the gun barrel.

Pieters was arrested and formally charged Tuesday with felony substantial battery, intentionally pointing a firearm at a person and disorderly conduct.

Pieters posted a $500 cash bond, and awaits arraignment in Polk County Circuit Court March 20.

Reports in Support of Probable Cause Polk County Sheriff â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department Monday, February 27, 2017

Fatal crash on Highway 8 On Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at 5:39 a.m., the Polk County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office received notification of two vehicle crash on US HWY 8 approximately .15 of a mile East of County Road V, in Beaver Township.

Upon arrival, Deputies observed a Black 2010 Chevrolet Monte Carlo sitting in the west bound lane with severe front end, midline to driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side damage.

Deputies identified the driver of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo as Randy Guy Brunette, a 21 yearold male from rural Balsam Lake.

Randy Brunette sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash.

Sitting in the east bound lane of travel, within feet of the Monte Carlo, was a 2000 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck.

The S-10 also sustained severe front end, midline

to driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side damage as well. Deputies identified the driver of the S-10 as Zachary A. Moltzer, a 26 year-old male from rural Turtle Lake. Zachary Moltzer was transported to the Amery Regional Medical Center, and later transferred to Regions Hospital with life threatening injuries.

At the time of the crash, the roadway in this area was snow covered and slippery.

Assisting the Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office with the crash were the Turtle Lake Fire Department, Turtle Lake First Responders, Amery Area and Cumberland Area Ambulance Services, the Polk County Medical Examinerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office, and the City of Amery Police Department.

The crash remains under investigation by the Polk County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office.

Enjoy the Sun at home!

Subscribe today by calling 715-294-2314 or send $29 (Polk & St. Croix Counties) or $34 (elsewhere) for one year to:

108 Cascade Street Osceola, WI 54020

Benjamin J. Waldoch, 36, Forest Lake was arrested February 22 for contempt/failure to pay.

James P. Burton, 33, homeless was arrested on February 23 on a probation hold.

Matthew R. Warwas, 47, Siren was arrested on February 25 for FTA warrant.

Rufino Hernandez Tepole, 47, Bloomer was arrested on February 26 for a warrant.

Tyler M. Dockendorf, 21, Osceola was arrested on February 26 for OWI 1 and PAC 1.

Cole D. Bisek, 18, Maple Grove, Minn. was arrested on February 26 for OWI 1.

Nathaniel A. Pieters, 32, Clear Lake was arrested on February 20 for substantial battery, endangering safety by dangerous use of a weapon, and disorderly conduct.

Ryan S. Mcinnes, 39, Princeton, Minn. was arrested on February 21 for disorderly conduct, damage to property and resisting an officer.

Alyssa K. Colalillo, 27, Frederic was arrested on February 22 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Brad L. Sternaman, 45, homeless was arrested on February 22 for failure to update sex offend-

er information.

Dylan P. Gale, 24, Luck was arrested on February 22 for possession of meth, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, and operating without a valid driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license.

Kayla M. Evans, 17, Frederic was arrested on February 22 for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Drew N. Jaspers, 29, Hawkins was arrested on February 22 for possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting an officer.

William V. Johnson, 48, Milltown was arrested on February 22 for possession of drug paraphernalia and a St. Croix County warrant.

David G. Eason, 56, Amery was arrested on February 22 for disorderly conduct.

Richard P. Davis, 34, Milltown was arrested on February 23 for domestic disorderly conduct.

Andrew J. Lehman, 38, Milltown was arrested on February 24 for possession of marijuana.

David J. Groszewski, 24, Luck was arrested on February 24 for domestic battery.

Richard P. Davis, 34, Milltown was arrested

on February 25 for violation of 72 hour no contact order.

Nathan K. Anderson, 26, Amery was arrested on February 26 for violation of sex offender registry.

Polk County Divorces Filed Monday, February 27, 2017 Mary C. Evenson, 32, Star Prairie and Lucas B. Evenson, 36, Star Prairie filed for divorce on February 13, 2017.

Karen K. Schierl, 57, Dresser and John R. Schierl, 54, Menasha filed for divorce on February 13, 2017.

Robyn C. Olave, 62, St.

Croix Falls and Jaime H. Olave, 54, St. Croix Falls filed for divorce on February 13, 2017.

Kayla Braun, 31, Eau Claire and Jay Gardner Jr., 33, Cumberland filed for divorce on February 15, 2017.

Kay L. Bashum-Bower, 60, St. Croix Falls and Larry A. Bashum-Bower, 47, Newport, Minn. filed for divorce on February 16, 2017.

Harlan C. Opitz, 26, Luck and Samantha G. Opitz, 25, Luck filed for divorce on February 17, 2017.

About the crime stories

The crime stories on this page are based on the Probable Cause reports from different law enforcement agencies.

Probable Cause Reports (PCs) are simply a report stating the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Probable Causeâ&#x20AC;? that the arresting officer had at the time of arrest. It is used by the District Attorney, Defense Attorney, and Judges in the courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Initial Appearanceâ&#x20AC;? to assist them in determining, ďŹ rst, to conďŹ rm whether or not there was enough â&#x20AC;&#x153;Probable Causeâ&#x20AC;? for the arrest, second, if the charge stated by the officer is appropriate and supported by the information contained therein, and third to assist the judge in setting bond. The District Attorney also uses the Probable Cause Report as a basis (but not exclusively) to complete the Criminal Complaint, which is the official charging document.

A Probable Cause Report is NOT the same as a Criminal Complaint. While the PC shows why the person was arrested, they are not officially charged until the Criminal Complaint is ďŹ led. Those charges may differ from the charge(s) listed on the PC based upon what charges the District Attorney believes he can prove.

Charges may be amended up or down during the charging process as information becomes available.

As always, an arrested person is presumed to be innocent until convicted by a judge or jury. Not all arrested people are convicted of the crimes alleged.

Anglers urged to pull ice-ďŹ shing shelters before ice gives way Winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent string of spring temperatures and thinning ice has state recreational safety specialists encouraging anglers to remove their ice fishing shelters prior to the official deadlines.

The first in a series of deadlines for ice anglers to remove ice fishing shelters from inland and boundary waters was February 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the date for the Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters, affecting the Mississippi River south of the Minnesota-Iowa border. This date corresponded with Iowa regulations.

Other deadlines to remove all fishing shelters from the ice include: Wednesday, March 1

for the Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;With warmer than average temperatures and poor ice conditions on many lakes, anglers may not want to wait until the deadline.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; April Dombrowski DNR Recreational Enforcement and Education

way 64.

Wednesday, March 15 for Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters.

Sunday, March 19 for waters north of Highway 64 - including the Great Lakes of Michigan and Superior, along with Green Bay and inland waters.

People who want to continue to use an ice fishing shelter after the deadlines must remove them daily and when not occupied. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But with warmer than average temperatures and poor ice conditions on many lakes, anglers may not want to wait until the deadlines,â&#x20AC;? said April Dombrowski section chief of DNR Recre-

ational Enforcement and Education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Open water has been appearing on an increasing number of southern lakes, and many shorelines have thin ice, making access for removing shelters treacherous.â&#x20AC;?

DNR recommends anglers start assessing their shelter removal situation early and make arrangements as necessary with local vendors, friends or others to help them meet the removal deadlines.

The removal deadline is to ensure shanties are removed and avoiding the additional costs and hazards of shanties breaking through the ice.

Sunday, March 5 for waters south of High-

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT POLK COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS (Informal Administration) IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF John G. Schillberg d.o.d. October 22, 2016 Case No. 17 PR 03 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE 1. An application for informal DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ ZDV ÂżOHG 7KH GHFHGHQW ZLWK GDWH RI ELUWK 0D\ DQG GDWH RI GHDWK 2FWREHU ZDV GRPLFLOHG LQ 3RON &RXQW\ 6WDWH RI :LVFRQVLQ ZLWK D PDLOLQJ DGGUHVV RI WK $YHQXH (DVW 2VFHROD :,

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STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT POLK COUNTY NOTICE AND ORDER FOR NAME CHANGE HEARING Case No. 2017CV000 054 In the matter of the name change of: Marley Jean Rogney By (Petitioner): Ivan Maxwell Brown by (Co-Petitioner): Teresa Marie Rogney NOTICE IS GIVEN: $ SHWLWLRQ ZDV ÂżOHG DVNLQJ WR FKDQJH WKH QDPH RI WKH SHUVRQ OLVWHG DERYH )URP 0DUOH\ -HDQ 5RJQH\ 7R 0DUOH\ -HDQ 5RJQH\ %RZ en %LUWK &HUWLÂżFDWH 0DUOH\ -HDQ 5RJQH\

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10

THE SUN

MARCH 8, 2017 www.osceolasun.com

WEEKLY MEDITATION

OBITUARIES

It’s happening!

BY LARRY MEDERICH OSCEOLA COMMUNITY CHURCH

Your heart has been longing for change. There has been this nagging suspicion that things could be better. But how? That is about to change.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth is preparing his people for some incredible world events that have never been experienced on this planet before. It has been prophesied in Joel, chapter 2: I will show wonders in the heavens

and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Like a woman about to have a baby, this planet is feeling the birth pangs of the return of Jesus.

Unparalleled cosmic events will stun scientists and philosophers who try to make sense of it all.

There will be no reason for the chaos except for the mighty hand

of God. There will be but one hope for everyone. That is repentance from sin and faith in Jesus. Those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

You say you believe the Bible but don’t read it. You say you believe in God but it rarely affects your life. I have been there. I needed someone who would lovingly confront my hypocrisy. That bold individual’s actions changed me forever and I am so thankful!

It is time to make up your mind.

Get right with Jesus now. Once that great and dreadful day comes it will be too late.

Churches to pack life-saving meals WHAT: In April, 900 of Polk County community members will rally to be a part of the hunger solution through a partnership between Bethesda Lutheran Church, Alliance Church of the Valley, Osceola Community Church, Peace Lutheran, New Life Christian Community, West Immanuel Lutheran Church and non-profit Feed My Starving Children (FMSC).

WHO: 900 volunteers

will make a difference by packing 175,000 meals with their own two hands in just three days.

WHEN: April 27, 28, 29, 2017 WHERE: 4H Building, Polk County Fairgrounds, 800 E Louisiana St, St Croix Falls, WI HOW: Community members can support this MobilePack by making a donation to cover meal costs, or by volunteering to package food

Delivering Your Community

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at the event. Donations may be given immediately, and volunteer registration will be available March 15. To learn more, visit https://give.fmsc. org/Polk About Feed My Starving Children A Christian non-profit founded in 1987, Feed My Starving Children tackles world hunger by sending volunteer-packed, nutritious meals to 70 countries, where they’re used to operate orphanages, schools, clinics and feeding programs to break the cycle of poverty. Last year, FMSC welcomed more than 1 million volunteers to pack nearly 273 million meals.

The Minnesota-based charity spends more than 90% of total donations directly on feed-

ing the hungry and has earned the highest fourstar rating from Charity Navigator for 11 consecutive years.

About FMSC MobilePack MobilePack events enable children and adults across the United States to pack FMSC’s life-giving MannaPack™ meals. Churches, businesses, community groups and schools in more than 35 states have hosted these food-packing events as a way to foster teamwork and unity, while making a real difference in the fight to prevent and reverse malnutrition.

FMSC provides guidance and logistics. Local donors and volunteers provide funds and labor to pack the meals.

651-260-5100 www.holyx.net Fr. Bill Neumann, pastor SUNDAY: Worship 9:30 a.m.

———————— HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH 523 First Street, Clayton 715-948-2203 Father Christopher Wojcik SUNDAY: Liturgy 9:30 a.m.

———————— HOPE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH 933 248th Street, one mile north of Osceola on Highway 35 Pastor Kevin McLouth 715-294-2112 • www.hefc.org SUNDAY: Worship 10 a.m.

———————— JOURNEY CHURCH 131 Broadway, Amery www.fbcamery.org churchoffice@fbcamery.org 715-268-2223 SUNDAY: Worship Service 9 a.m.

———————— NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY Non-denominational 201 State Hwy. 35, Dresser Pastor Tony Minell, 715-417-1982 galatiansii20@yahoo.com Church office: 715-417-0945 SUNDAY: Worship Service 9:30 a.m.

———————— NEW WINE COMMUNITY CHURCH 309 5th Street, Centuria Pastor Scott Petznick (715) 338-8912 Worship 10 a.m.

———————— OSCEOLA COMMUNITY CHURCH 2492 Education Drive, Osceola Larry Mederich www.occconnect.org SUNDAY: Worship 9 and 10:45 a.m.

———————— OSCEOLA MEDICAL CENTER SPIRITUAL CARE 2600 65th Avenue, Osceola

www.myomc.org/specialtyserv_1chapel.php Chaplain Thomas Reaume 715-294-5645 fax: 715-294-5712 Chapel open daily for meditation.

———————— OSCEOLA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 306 River Street, Osceola P.O. Box 447 715-755-2275 osceolaunitedmethodistchurch@gmail.com SUNDAY: Worship 10 a.m.

Fellowship 11 a.m.

———————— PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA), 2355 Clark Rd., Dresser 715-755-2515 plcdresser.org peace@centurytel.net Pastor Alan Buresh SUNDAY: Worship Services, 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

———————— PRAIRIEVIEW COVENANT CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND 1396 210th Ave. 2 miles north of New Richmond on Hwy. 65 Pastor Rudy King 715-248-0600 SUNDAY: Worship 10 a.m.

———————— REDEEMER EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH Wisconsin Synod Corner of Adams & Louisiana St. Croix Falls Rev. Timothy Blauert 715-483-3401 SUNDAY: Worship 9:15 a.m.

———————— RIVER VALLEY CHRISTIAN CHURCH LIGHTHOUSE 1289 160th Street St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin 715-483-5378 Pastor Jonah Fetzer SUNDAY: Worship 10 a.m.

———————— ST. ANNE PARISH

Scott Robert Marko

Scott Robert Marko of Amery died unexpectedly on Feb. 27, 2017, at his home. He was 43.

Scott was born on M March 23, 1973, to Robert a and Jan (Timm) Marko iin St. Paul, Minn. Scott g grew up and attended sschool in the Taylor Falls a and St. Croix Falls area a and graduated from St. C Croix Falls High School iin 1991.

After graduating high sschool he attended colllege and graduated from tthe University of Wisc consin-Stout. He later rreceived his Master’s Degree from Bethel.

On May 24, 1997, he was united in marriage to Brooke Davis. They made their home in St. Croix Falls and Scott took a job teaching in Somerset. He later took a job with the Amery School District and made their home in Amery where they are raising five children. Scott was the Amery High School wrestling coach for many years. Wrestling was his passion. In his free time he enjoyed hunting, building furniture and watching movies.

Scott is survived by his loving wife, Brooke; four sons, Hunter, Kole, Griffin and Zander; a daughter, Abby; two brothers, Brad (Becky) Marko and Aaron (Malory) Marko; a sister, Amy (Eric) Hering; his parents, Robert and Jan Marko; grandparents, Jack and Maxine Timm, Ginny and Lyndon Schoulgh and Gerry and Carol Marko; his motherin-law and father-in-law, Pam and Keith Davis; 2 sister-in-laws, Breanna and Charlie Swanson and Britnie and Jeremy Siedow and a lifelong friend, Dan Clark.

Funeral services were March 2 at Alliance Church of the Valley in St. Croix Falls. A private family interment will be held at a later date.

To sign an online guest book and view a video tribute please visit www.williamsonwhite.com Arrangements have been entrusted to the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Amery.

CHURCH LISTINGS ALLIANCE CHURCH OF THE VALLEY 1259 Hwy. 35 South, St. Croix Falls 715-483-1100 www.stcroixalliance.com Senior Pastor, Gary Russell Associate Pastor Jeff Naegelen Youth Pastor Chris Folkestad SUNDAY: Worship 8:30 & 11 a.m.

———————— ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH East Farmington Rev. Andy Anderson SUNDAY: Mass at 9 a.m.

———————— BETHANY LUTHERAN Star Prairie Pastor Dan Pennington (715) 248-3730 blcsp@frontiernet.net SUNDAY: Traditional Worship 8 a.m.

Contemporary Worship 9:30 a.m.

———————— BETHESDA LUTHERAN LCMC 1947 110th Ave. Dresser Sand Lake 715-755-2562 www.bethesdalutheran.ws Pastor Peter Rimmereid SUNDAY: Contemporary/Traditional worship, 9 a.m ———————— CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH 150 Fifth Street Marine on St. Croix, Minn.

Pastor Joel Martin 651-433-3222 SUNDAY: Worship 8:15 & 9:45 a.m.

———————— EL SALEM/TWIN FALLS CHRISTIAN CENTER Six miles east of Dresser on Co. Rd. F, 1751 100th Ave. Pastor Darryl R. Olson 715-755-3113 SUNDAY: Morning worship 10:30 a.m.

Evening service 6 p.m.

———————— EUREKA BAPTIST CHURCH 2393 210th Ave., St. Croix Falls Pastor Willis Christenson

715-268-4838 715-483-9464 SUNDAY: Worship Service 11 a.m.

———————— FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 661A West Street Taylors Falls, MN 55084 651-465-7171 www.firstbaptisttaylorsfalls.com Dr. Kevin Schumann, Pastor SUNDAY: Worship 10.15 a.m.

———————— FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 5561 Chestnut St. Taylors Falls, Minn.

SUNDAY: Worship 8:30 a.m.

Contemporary Worship 11 a.m.

———————— FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 719 Nevada St. St. Croix Falls Pastor Barbara Anne Keely 715-483-3550 (office) SUNDAY: Church Service 11 a.m.

———————— GRACE CHURCH – OSCEOLA Pastor Mark Barlow Amy Germain, Day Care 722 Seminole Ave. Osceola info@gracechurchosceola.com 715-417-0752 Day Care: 715-294-4222 SUNDAY: Worship Service, 9:00 a.m.

———————— GRACE BEREAN FELLOWSHIP 421 4th Street, Centuria Duane Gallentine, Pastor 715-755-2523 FRIDAY and SUNDAY KJV Bible Study/Fellowship ———————— GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH Nye Area/Wisconsin Synod 2098 70th Avenue Pastor Nile Merseth SUNDAY: Worship 9 a.m.

———————— HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH Meeting at Zion Lutheran Church 28005 Old Towne Road Chisago Lakes, Minn.

139 Church Hill Road Somerset, WI 54025 715-247-3310 Rev. Andy Anderson SATURDAY: Mass 5 p.m.

SUNDAY: Mass 8 and 10 a.m.

———————— ST. CROIX FALLS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Upper St. Croix Parish 300 North Adams Street St. Croix Falls 715-483-9494 churches@centurytel.net umstcroixfallswolfcreek.org Pastor Ran Yoo Pastor Kooko Kim Sunday services 10 a.m.

———————— ST. CROIX UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP 201 N. Adams, St. Croix Falls www.scuuf.org 715-483-1113 SUNDAY: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sunday 10 a.m.

———————— ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC CHURCH Franconia, MN 651-465-7345 www.stfrancisfranconia.org Fr. Frank Wampach SUNDAY: Mass 9:30 a.m.

———————— ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC Osceola Rev. Andy Anderson 715-294-2243 SATURDAY: Mass at 4 p.m.

SUNDAY: Latin Mass, 8:30 a.m.

Mass at 11a.m.

———————— ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC 490 Bench Street Taylors Falls, Minnesota 651-465-7345 www.stjosephtaylorsfalls.org Fr. Frank Wampach SATURDAY: 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Mass 7:30 a.m.

————————

ST. PETER’S COMMUNITY CHURCH Cty. Rd. F, Dresser 715-483-2911 www.faithonpurpose.org Don Guttormson, Pastor Sunday Worship 10 a.m.

———————— SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD 140 Madison Street St. Croix Falls Pastor Mark Schoen 715-483-1186 SUNDAY: Worship Services 9 a.m.

———————— TRINITY EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH (WELS) 300 Seminole Ave., (Ct H M) Osceola 715-294-2828 • www.trinityosceola.com Pastor David Rosenow (920-645-7526) SUNDAY: Worship 9 a.m. • Wed. 7 p.m.

Bible Class, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

———————— TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH OF GARFIELD 1578 85th Ave., Amery Pastor Lori Peper 715-268-9577 SUNDAY: Worship Service 9:30 a.m.

———————— WEST IMMANUEL LUTHERAN (ELCA), 447 180th St., Osceola www.westimmanuel.org Rev. Rexford D. Brandt SUNDAY: Worship Services, 8 and 10:30 a.m.

———————— WORD OF LIFE FELLOWSHIP Cliff Bjork, (651) 465-7373 366 Bench St., Taylors Falls, Minn.

SUNDAY: Worship Service 10 a.m.

———————— ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH (Wisconsin Synod) East Farmington Pastor William Brassow (715) 294-3489 THURSDAY: Worship, 4:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Worship, 10:30 a.m.

These Church listings are sponsored by the following concerned and responsible businesses and industries. They deserve your continued support and patronage!

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GRANDSTRAND FUNERAL HOME Osceola 294-3111

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MARCH 8, 2017

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11

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HONOR ROLL

Osceola High School honor roll

FIRST SEMESTER B HONOR ROLL Ninth grade: Hanna Andersen, Jasmine Carlson, Melanie Doll, Mercedes Duncanson, Tyler Dye, Hailey Ebert, Hannah Ebert, Hannah Fennern, Isaiah Field, Kasidy Gehrke, Matthew Germain, Aisha Gustafson, Coby Heimbach, Joshua Hobbs, Jacob Jensen, Madeline Jensen, Garrett Johnson, Robert Koehler, Tayler Landgren, Genevieve Lehman, Ryan Leidle, Bengamin Petersen, Sydney Regan, Hailey Riemenschneider, Jacob Schaefer, Daniel Scottum, Steven Smith Jr., Zachary Solsrud, Emma Sycks, Matthew Ward, Vicki Wei. 10th grade: Ashton Anderson, Brooke Anderson, Spencer Anderson, Derek Bjerke, Jade Dye, Ethan Erickson, George Erickson, Edward Fehlen, Ashlyn Getschel, Connor Haberle, Logan Hayman, Benjamin Hobbs, Cole Johnson, Kaylie Kammerud, Taylor Kisler, James Korzenowski, Jackson Lalim, Frankie Larson, Ashley McQuinn, Cole Peterson, Patrick Pfannes, Parker Quist, Mackenzie Rider, Matthew Rutledge, Skylar Samples, Thomas Schell, Matthew Schultz, Heather Slechta, Devon Sundt, Samuel Tomlinson, Rachel Tourville, Angelique

Tretsven.

11th grade: Brittney Backes, Brady Berg, Kyle Braml, Stephanie Butterfield, Drew Carlson, Madison Delmater, Samantha Demulling, Luke Ekstrom, Mikayla Fennern, Trista Haan, Justice Handy, Jack Heyer, Alexis Jensen, Colin Kammerud, Michael Koehler, Keri Kromrey, Samantha Link, Olivia MacKnick, Kasey Maypark, Preston McManamy, Adeline Methvin, Andrew Montpetit, Sydney Mork, Mackenzie Quigley, Ricardo Rodriguez, Jeremy Rogers, Kayley Rogers, Evan Rose, Julia Sandberg, Amanda Schadt, Taylor Shermach, Molly Smith, Cian Snell, Emma Stocker, Tiana Verdeja, Josiah Vitalis, Jeremy Winkelman, Jada Wyman, Robert Zundel.

12th grade: Brady Andersen, Alyssa Anderson, Andrew Berg, Aubree Boissy, Emma Bougie, Alize Brassow, Dakota Brown, Thomas Cronick, Jenny Demulling, Gabrielle Dorau, Taylor Ellefson, Lee Erickson, Samantha Firle, Tevin Foss, Hannah Germain, Ty Hall, Aidan Hansen, Allison Huehn, Anna Johnson, Tanner Johnson, Mikaela Juneski, Jacob Kieffer, Katherine Langer, Joseph Lehman, Makinzie Miller, Tanner Nelson, Isabell Nentwich, Chad Pelzl, Sydney Roush, Cody Running, Derek Salewski, Johnathan Schaefer, Mickayla Schulz, Jillian

Stokes, Nicole Swanson, Breeanna Wallner, Lexus Zeigler.

FIRST SEMESTER A HONOR ROLL Ninth grade: Addison Anderson, Bryce Anderson, Ariana Backlund, Sydney Bents, Addison Bradway, Maddison Bush, Nolan Claassen, Tianna Clausen, Elliana Dodge, Jedidiah Durand, Kirsten Dusick, Paige Dvorak, Emily Fox, Caroline Gearin, Grace Haase, Todd Hall, Daunte Hanto, Teagan Harrison, Zacharry Henriksen, Makena Hollman, Hahns Huebsch, Logan Johnson, Mikayla Johnson, John Klugow, Riley Koosman, Nicholas Kremer, Colin Krentz, Sarah Leroy, Madison Link, Ezekiel Lowney, Haley Marek, Logan Maxon, Abigail Michel, Joshua Mork, Jack Morrison, Zachary Mortenson, David Olson, Megan Olson, Makayla Quigley, Ethan Robinson, Parker Roemhild, Sean Rogers, Kayla Rondeau, Mei Rose, Ella Salewski, Nina Savoy, Aaron Schmidt, Joshua Schultz, Michaela Schultz, Blake Slater, Laura Swanson, Halee Uzpen, Eric Vater, Morgan Vetter, Ethan Wichner, Drew Willeman.

10th grade: Morgan Anderson, Danielle Annunziata, Jennifer Armstrong, Gabriel Baier, Brooke Bents, Joseph Berg, Jacob Campbell, Chanse Carey, Colin Clabo, Logan Clark, Ana Dodge, Anna Dyrbye-O’Hare,

Sophia Egge, Skye Federation, Maleah Feske, Kristi Getschel, Katelyn Haase, Paige Haberle, Emily Hall, Kayla Hoffman, Katherine Jennings, Katrina Jestus, Chloe Johnson, Mattea Johnson, Noah Junker, Gabriel Lowney, Ahna Mayo, Megan Merricks, Courtney Miller, Ariel Moris, Rachel Nelson, Aaron Neperud, Amber Newman, Christina Nygren, Sara Ollig, Andrew Olson, Isabella Osterbauer, Hayley Palmsteen, Cora Paro, Mikayla Peper, Gavin Peterson, Gustav Peterson, Joelle Rapp, Adam Reigel, Hailee Richison, Ellen Ringlien, Rebecca Ringlien, Kayleen Schacht, Trayonno Scott, Ceridwen Snell, Anna Swanson, Keegan Tank, Lucas Tomandl, Samuel Trinitapoli, Isabelle Ulrich, Justin Vorndran, Ellis Williams.

11th grade: Macey Awe, Cora Barczak, Samantha Bents, Erik Braml, Olivia Bull, Payton Busick, Mia Campeau, Brett Carlson, Haakon Carlson, Geena Challeen, Dynisty Conde, Syndey Dobrzynski, Oliver Dressel, Reagan Ekstrom, Joshua Elmer, Jack Feldt, Connor Grant, Leah Gunderson, Marie Haase, Graham Hunt, Joanna Ingram, Tyler Ingram, Bryce Johnson, Reid Jones, Madison Kieffer, Noah Kunkel-Smith, Jaden Kunshier, Luke Lundgren, Chase Lundholm, Madelyn Lysholm, Caitlin Mallin, Jack Michel,

Delivering Your Community

Show opens featuring 25 local youth Festival Theatre’s history-based collaborative show, The Titanic Project, opens March 10 at 7:30 p.m. The Titanic Project is a devised show that comes from the creative minds of young actors who have been working with the Festival Artistic Staff. There are only six opportunities to see this show.

Most people have heard of the Titanic (or at least remember the 1997 movie),

but for those too young for that, this is a good way to introduce them to both the topic and the theatre-going experience.

Come support the youth of the community and connect with this historical event in a new way. Tickets for The Titanic Project can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, by emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at (715) 483-3387.

<www.osceolasun.com>

NOAH INSURANCE GROUP

threat at approximately 8:25 a.m. The e-mail was labeled “Concerns/All schools in Osceola” and the source has not yet been identified.

“No specific Osceola School was named,” the department said in a press release.

The Osceola Police Department notified the school’s administrave office and school officials immediately took action to evacuate all students to safe locations.

The Osceola Police Department, with the assistance of the Osceola Fire De-

partment, the St. Croix Falls Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Department and school officials systemically searched all four of the Osceola Schools. No suspicious packages or explosives were located during the searches.

Specific details regarding the content of the threats are not being released at this time.

This case remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the bomb threat to the Osceola Schools is asked to contact the Osceola Police Department (715)-294-3628.

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SCARE: Bomb threat e-mailed to Osceola police FROM PAGE 1

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Prreschool Presc Preschool Round--Up!

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12th grade: Nicholas Abernathy, Emma Adams, Gavin Anderson, Natalie Benoy, Jason Bents, Dylan Bobzin, John Carufel, Maya Celander, Jacob Cowan, Erin Cutts, Amelia Dannenmueller, Jared DeRosier, Derrick Dye, Mariah Gaglio, Lindsey Gearin, Samantha Gibbs, Riley Haugen-Carlson, Alexandria Helgeson, Carissa Holdt, Ashley Hustad, Melanie King, Molly Korzenowski, Dani Kromrey, Allison Larson, Allison LaRue, Cloe Lindh, Elizabeth Link, Diego Lowney, Malysha MacFarland, Courtney Moltzer, Daylin Murray, Whitley Olson, Carly Orton, Brian Paulson, Janae Rapp, Storay Reed, Brady Riordan, Michelle Roder, Madison Roemhild, Ann Salewski, Jared Schumaker, Sydney Steivang, Joseph Swanson, Rachel Swanson, Danielle Tinney, Grace Ulrich, Linnaea Wallis, Brittany Willey, Evan Wright.

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AND OUTDOORS 12 THE SUN

MARCH 8, 2017 www.osceolasun.com

Boys season ends against old nemesis

BY RON JASPERSON SPORTS WRITER

SHARON WAMPFLER | THE SUN

Saints Senior Roderick Hoggatt Jr. out jumped several players to grab this defensive rebound. The team worked hard but came up short against the #1 seeded Phillips Loggers for the Regional Championship.

SCF boys fall in Regional championship

BY RON JASPERSON SPORTS WRITER

In some ways it’s kind of sad the way tournaments are set up. Only one team will win its last game of the season in each division as the State champion. The rest of the teams will eventually lose their final game even though they may have had a great season.

The St. Croix Falls Saints boys basketball team just completed a very good season when they fell to top seeded Phillips in the Regional championship game. The Saints finished the season with an overall 16-9 record.

St. Croix started their WIAA tournament run with a 57-43 win over Colby. The Saints enjoyed balanced scoring with Alex Johnson leading the way with 19 points.

Jameson Kahl netted 13 St. Croix points and Tyler Henk and Tyler Cooper added 10 points each.

That set up a rematch with the Grantsburg Pirates in the Regional semi-final game. St. Croix suffered a pair of narrow losses to the Pirates during the West Lakeland conference schedule. The third time was the charm for the Saints as they traveled to Grantsburg and were able to upend the Pirates with a big second half.

After trailing at intermission 20-17, St. Croix outscored the hosts 29-19 in the second half to win

46-39.

“The Grantsburg game was extremely intense and a battle back and forth until we were able to close it out with free throws,” St. Croix coach Chad Hall said. “Our seniors really came through with timely shots such as Roderick Hoggatt hitting a ‘3’ to put us up for good and Ty Henk going inside and finding just enough room to convert a few buckets.”

Johnson and Henk led the Saints in scoring with 20 and 14 points respectively.

St. Croix earned a chance to play for the Regional crown but it would be a tough assignment at the top seeded Phillips Loggers. Phillips showed how they earned the top seed by turning back the Saints, 74-62.

“It was exciting for us to be a part of a Regional final matchup,” Hall said. “These seniors were a part of the team that went to the Regional finals against Northwestern two years ago which is pretty impressive for them as a class.

We played solid against Phillips but they shot the ball well and hit their free throws. Our seniors, as usual, played a vital part to the game.

Alex Johnson had a game high 35 and finished out his career as the leader in points scored in our school history.”

SEE SCF BBB, PAGE 14

You simply have to tip your hats to the St. Croix Central Panthers boys basketball team.

The Osceola Chieftains tied the Panthers for second place in the Middle Border conference standings with 10-4 records despite the fact that St. Croix Central won both matchups with the Chiefs during the year. After both teams earned byes in the opening round of the WIAA Regional tournament, Osceola got another chance to knock off the Panthers in a game played on Dave Ruhsam court in Osceola. The third time was not a charm for the Chieftains as SCC eventually pulled away to a 54-44 decision.

Tournament atmosphere filled the gym as two very good teams with solid fan bases squared off with the winner moving on to play top seeded Prescott and the loser going home to lick their wounds. Osceola broke to a modest lead at 14-7 after five and a half minutes of play. Central fought back to cut their deficit to 29-27 at half-

time.

“Going into this game against St. Croix Central I think our boys were pretty confident,” Osceola coach Jacob Meyer said. “I thought that game started off pretty good. We were able to create a few turnovers and get some easy buckets.”

Both teams had trouble solving their opponent’s defensive adjustments in the second half. The game was tied at 31, 33, 35 and 37 before the Panthers eventually began to put some breathing room between themselves and the determined Chieftain squad. With the game tied at 37 with 3:38 to play Chieftain senior Jason Bents picked up his fourth foul of the game. SCC’s Trevor Nelson converted a pair of charity tosses to put the Panthers up 3937. Bents picked up his fifth foul 39 seconds later and Matthew Brandeen’s free throw made it 40-37 with 2:59 to play.

After a Chieftain free throw by Haakon Carlson cut the St. Croix Central lead to 40-38 the Panthers took control at the free throw line. St. SEE OHS BBB, PAGE 13

JO JASPERSON | THE SUN

Senior Joe Swanson soars toward the hoop during Osceola’s tournament loss to St. Croix Central. It was the last game of their OHS basketball careers for Swanson and Jason Bents.

SCF girls capture Regional crown

BY RON JASPERSON SPORTS WRITER

The St. Croix Falls Saints girls basketball team did what they expected to do. St. Croix won the Regional title with a 57-39 win over the Grantsburg Pirates. The St. Croix season ended three days later with a 65-60 Sectional loss to Cameron in Rice Lake.

St. Croix ended their season with an overall 21-4 record including an undefeated West Lakeland conference title. With the end of the season St. Croix says goodbye to seniors Katie Kopp, Kristin Petherbridge, Adrienne Stoffel and Ruthie Stewart.

“Adrienne Stoffel and Ruthie Stewart have been our inside game all season,” St. Croix coach Angie Maternowsky said. “Ruthie’s long reach and quick first step have made her an advantage for us. Adrienne’s defense on the other team’s post has helped us through the years. Kristin Petherbridge has been leading us as our point guard for two years. She has received the toughest defensive assignments of the

SHARON WAMPFLER | THE SUN

The Saints’ Kristin Petherbridge fights to keep the ball away from two Cameron defenders after grabbing the rebound in the sectional semi-final game held in Rice Lake. The Saints lost by the score of 60-65.

season. Katie Kopp has been an offensive threat for us for four years.

Her quick release from the 3-point line has been hard for other teams to stop. They have had a tremendous four years on the high school basketball court.”

St. Croix notched their 21st win of the season by defeating the Grantsburg Pirates 57-39. It was the third time the Saints defeated the Pirates this season. St. Croix struck early and often building a 19 point halftime lead and cruised to a decisive

win.

“The girls had fire in their eyes at game time,” Maternowsky said. “We were excited to play. Addie McCurdy took control on offense from the short corner.

SEE SCF GBB, PAGE 13

SPORTS

MARCH 8, 2017

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13

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OHS BBB: Osceola loses to St. Croix Central in regional face off FROM PAGE 12

Croix Central hit eight straight free throws to help build their lead to 10 points at 54-44.

“The second half of the game was much different,” Meyer said.

“We found ourselves in foul trouble. Jason Bents and Kyle Braml both sat much of the second half due to being in foul trouble. Late in the game we made a few small mistakes which in a close big game like we had end up being pretty big mistakes.”

Carlson led the Osceola offense with 21 points. Nelson matched

Carlson’s point total for the Panthers.

It was the final game for two Chieftain seniors, Jason Bents and Joe Swanson. Their leadership will be greatly missed when Meyer rebuilds his team next season.

“It was a tough way to end the season, but we had a great season,” Meyer said. “It is going to be pretty difficult to replace Jason Bents and Joe Swanson. They are great athletes and even more important they are great people.”

Bents and Swanson reflected on their playing days at Osceola.

“It’s been an exciting last four

years playing basketball for OHS,” Bents said. “I have had a lot of fun and enjoyable moments through the years. My teammates, coaches, and the support of the community has always made playing Chieftain basketball memorable.”

“It was an honor to play with such a great group of young men that I will miss immensely in the future,” Swanson added. “Thank you to all of the coaches who put in countless hours to make us better.

Thank you for all of the great support from the community.”

SCF GBB: St. Croix Falls girls win regional final; lose in sectional semi FROM PAGE 12

Ruthie Stewart started off our inside game. The crowd helped make it an exciting night. Cutting down the net was the highlight for the team.”

McCurdy ended the game with 20 points, Stewart netting 13 and Stoffel 10.

The St. Croix season came to an end at Sectionals with a 65-60 loss to the Cameron Comets. The Saints found themselves in an early 12-0 hole but climbed out to tie the game at 14. The teams went into intermission with the score tied at 33. Cameron exploded for the first seven points of the second

half and was able to hang on despite the Saints’ determined effort.

“Addie McCurdy led us through the game, scoring and rebounding,” Maternowsky said. “Annalise (Parks) and Katie (Kopp) were able to get some open looks from behind the 3-point line. Ruthie Stewart came on strong the second half. We battled hard. Unfortunately our turnovers were the difference in the game. The opportunity for this team to play in Sectionals was a great experience for the entire community.”

McCurdy once again led the St. Croix offense with 19 points. Parks and Stoffel added nine points each.

It was the last game for the St.

Croix seniors but they will leave with a treasure chest of memories.

“This year’s team has done amazing things, and it’s been an experience I’ll never forget,” Kopp said. “I could not be more honored to have played under a coach as incredible as Coach Maternowsky for my years in St. Croix Falls.

She’s done impressive things with an impressive program, and I can’t wait to come back in future years and continue watching my teammates’ success.”

“I was sad to see our season end, however extremely proud of what our team accomplished in this,” Stewart said. “It was filled with unforgettable memories.”

First day of spring or not?

I

loved the movie Jeremiah Johnson. I really liked the scene when Johnson, played by Robert Redford, and the old trapper, Bear Claw, played by Will Geer, were up on a mountain talking about what month it was, because they obviously had no calendar. Geer’s reply was that he thought it was March and said that March was a muddy month down below, and he wondered why people chose to live there eating hawg when they could live up in the mountains and feed on elk!

March certainly came in cold this Wild River year but soon we will see signs of spring. So far I’ve heard no Sandhill Trails Cranes or spotted any robins. I know the horned larks are back and that Jim Bennett horned owls and other predators are nesting. Skunks are on the move, and many are already showing up dead right in the middle of the road, like the old rock song proclaimed.

The hibernating skunk that had been curled up taking his long winter nap is out and about exploring and hoping they do not get caught in a wet and cold late winter blizzard. Food will be one of the skunk’s main attractions after depleting the fat that allowed him to survive winter asleep. Generally skunks have no sought out destination but follow the moon and stars as they wander. Soon romantic interests will take control of their life.

Geese can be seen on the ice in pairs. They have mating and food on their mind. I can’t remember a year when I have seen so many waterfowl filling our fields and ponds that have opened early. Nesting is still a ways off for the goose and gander so they have to wait on the ice to melt until their time arrives.

Deer are herding as snow melts in fields. The other night I spotted more than a couple dozen feeding in a field that the warm sun had opened to them. Were there just that many deer wintering in the area or was that hay field loaded with the just the right spring sprouts already popping through the snow to attract them?

I’ve heard cardinals and chickadees calling out their spring mating songs and I know that great blue herons, wood ducks, bluebills and robins will be following the freeze line/snow line north. I’m sure that a trip to southern Wisconsin, Minnesota, or into Iowa will show that the migrators are just a short flight away as they too await the passing of winter.

March is the generally the snowiest month of the year and yet it greets spring, this year on March 20 according to the Spring Equinox. Yet meteorologists proclaim March 1 as the beginning of spring. With cold, snow and ice fishing continuing on March 1 this year, I’m finding it hard to agree with that theory.

Jim Bennett is an outdoorsman who lives and worked in the St. Croix River Valley and can be reached at jamesbennett24@gmail.com.

The Outdoorsman’s Journal is brought to you by:

THE SUN Newspaper Office Supply 108 Cascade • Osceola

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SCOREBOARD BOWLING FRIENDLY VALLEY WOMENS LEAGUE March 1, 2017 Scott’s Tire 99.5 Horse Creek Store 93 Truhlsen Chiropractic 88 St. Croix Tavern 87.5 Sue’s Bar & Grill 86 L.C. Carpentry 83 Osceola Cleaners 77 St. Croix Tavern 2 73 PY’s Lil Devils 72.5 Cascade BP 72 Hauge Dental 68 Potting’s Bar 62 Friendly Bar 61.5 Babes with Balls 48 200: Shannon Mork, 227, 202; Julie McKenzie, 216; Meghan Tinney, 214; Bailey Eichten, 205; Venessa Viebrock, 204; Louise Hinz, 201.

500: Venessa Viebrock, 576; Julie McKenzie, 574; Shannon Mork, 570; Meghan Tinney, 551; Jen Johnson, 539; Bailey Eichten, 516.

High game and series: Scott’s Tire, 771, 2071.

BOYS BASKETBALL March 9 & 11: Sectional.

March 16-18: Sate at Madison.

MBC Boys Basketball Scores WIAA Regional February 28 Barron 51, Baldwin-Woodville 43 Ellsworth 57, Spooner 45 Amery 58, Somerset 47 Holman 74, New Richmond 54 March 3 St. Croix Central 54, Osceola 44 Prescott 90, Barron 50 Hayward 65, Ellsworth 53 Northwestern 86, Amery 65 March 4 Prescott 83, St. Croix Central 68 Chieftain Boys Basketball St. Croix Central at Osceola (unofficial) WIAA Regional Semi-Final March 3, 2017 St. Croix Central Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Williquett 1 0 0 0 0 2 C Nelson 0 0 0 0 3 0 Schwchlr 1 1 5 6 0 10 Brandeen 2 1 0 0 2 7 Nogal 3 1 2 2 3 11 T Nelson 7 0 7 8 3 21 Soderberg 0 1 0 0 2 3 Pribnow 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 14 4 14 16 14 54 Osceola Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Ingram 0 0 0 0 1 0 H Carlson 6 1 6 8 1 21 Bents 2 0 1 1 5 5 Swanson 3 0 0 1 3 6 Michel 0 0 0 0 1 0 E Braml 1 0 4 4 2 6 K Braml 2 0 2 2 5 6 Totals 14 1 13 16 18 44 Score by Halves 1 2 F SCCHS 27 27 54 OHS 29 15 44 West Lakeland Boys Basketball Scores WIAA Regional February 28 St. Croix Falls 57, Colby 43 Grantsburg 77, Athens 49 Frederic 60, Siren 45 Luck 78, Shell Lake 27 Webster 58, Northwood 54 (OT) March 3 St. Croix Falls 48, Grantsburg 39 Unity 87, Chetek / Weyerhaeuser 65 Drummond 52, Frederic 51 (OT) Luck 59, South Shore 48 Mellon 63, Webster 59 March 4 Phillips 77, St. Croix Falls 61 Luck 53, Drummond 47 Cameron 66, Unity 38 Saints Boys Basketball Colby at St. Croix Falls (unofficial) WIAA Regional Round 1 February 28, 2017 Colby Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Ortega 1 1 0 0 2 5 Karl 5 1 1 1 3 14 Meyer 1 1 0 0 4 5 Stuttgen 0 0 0 0 3 0 Kellnhofer 0 1 0 0 0 3 Garcia 0 1 0 0 4 3 Meacham 2 0 0 0 3 4 Dawson 3 0 1 3 3 7 Stewart 0 0 2 2 0 2 Totals 12 5 4 6 22 43

St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Henk 1 2 2 5 2 10 A Johnson 4 2 5 6 3 19 Kahl 1 2 5 6 4 13 Koshiol 0 0 4 4 3 4 R Hoggatt 0 0 1 2 1 1 Cooper 5 0 0 0 1 10 Totals 11 6 17 23 14 57 Score by Halves 1 2 F CHS 18 25 43 SCFHS 27 30 57 Saints Boys Basketball St. Croix Falls at Grantsburg (unofficial) March 3, 2017 St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Henk 6 0 2 2 4 14 Johnson 5 1 7 8 3 20 Kahl 0 1 2 2 1 5 Koshiol 1 0 0 0 3 2 R Hoggatt 0 1 2 4 1 5 Cooper 0 0 0 2 4 0 Totals 12 3 13 18 16 46 Grantsburg Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Brande 1 1 0 0 0 5 L Chenal 7 0 1 3 5 15 Anderson 1 0 0 0 1 2 Johnson 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ohnstad 0 1 0 0 4 3 Olson 0 0 1 2 2 1 J Chenal 5 0 3 8 3 13 Totals 14 2 5 13 16 39 Score by Halves 1 2 F SCFHS 17 29 46 GHS 20 19 39 Saints Boys Basketball St. Croix Falls at Phillips (unofficial) WIAA Regional Finals March 4, 2017, 2017 St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Henk 3 0 2 6 4 8 Johnson 9 4 5 8 2 35 Kahl 1 1 1 2 4 6 Koshiol 2 0 2 2 4 6 I Hoggatt 1 0 0 0 0 2 R Hoggatt 0 0 1 4 3 1 Cooper 2 0 0 2 4 4 Totals 18 5 11 24 21 62 Phillips Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP AEdwards 6 0 3 5 2 15 BEdwards 1 1 2 4 2 7 Meyer 3 0 6 8 3 12 Vyskocil 2 0 2 2 3 6 Rose 1 6 2 2 4 22 Kravse 1 0 0 0 2 2 Huettl 0 0 1 2 0 1 Spacek 2 0 5 5 3 9 Totals 16 7 21 28 19 74 Score by Halves 1 2 F SCFHS 22 40 62 PHS 34 40 74

GIRLS BASKETBALL March 9-11: State at Madison.

MBC Girls Basketball Scores WIAA Sectional March 2 Somerset 64, Hayward 58 March 4 Bloomer 72, Somerset 57 West Lakeland Girls Basketball Scores WIAA Sectional February 27 St. Croix Falls 57, Grantsburg 39 (Regional Final) March 2 Cameron 65, St. Croix Falls 60 Saints Girls Basketball Grantsburg at St. Croix Falls WIAA Regional Final February 27, 2017 Grantsburg Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Chenal 1 1 0 0 0 5 Lee 2 1 1 3 3 8 McKenzie 0 3 1 2 3 10 Ohnstad 0 0 1 2 1 1 Pochman 2 0 0 0 1 4 Brock 0 0 1 2 2 1 Curtin 0 0 0 0 2 0 Gaffney 0 0 0 0 1 0 King 5 0 0 0 0 10 Totals 10 5 4 9 13 39 St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP McCurdy 10 0 0 0 1 20 Bergmann 0 0 0 0 1 0 Parks 0 0 0 0 1 0 Kopp 0 2 1 3 1 7 Pthrbrdge 2 0 1 2 3 5 Stoffel 4 0 2 2 1 10

SEE SCOREBOARD, PAGE 14

Brakes • Tires • Batteries Wheel Alignments • Shocks & Struts • Engines Transmissions • Diesel Repair

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14

SPORTS

THE SUN

MARCH 8, 2017

www.osceolasun.com

SCF BBB: Boys lose in regional FROM PAGE 12

Johnson kept the all-time St. Croix scoring claim in the family as he passed up his uncle David Leske for the top spot. Leske played for the Saints in the late ‘80s.

“The past four years were amazing being around such great people,” Johnson said. “It helps that I got to beat my uncle’s record but there is a lot of talent coming up in the next few years.”

Phillips led 34-22 at halftime and inflated their lead to as many as 16 at one point but the Saints showed what they were made of by cutting the deficit to six points with just under two minutes to play.

“We just couldn’t make a bucket to pull closer,” Hall said.

St. Croix will say goodbye to seniors Johnson, Henk, Koshiol, Hoggatt and Arturo Popoca. It was a good run for the quintet.

“Playing basketball for SCF was an honor,” Henk said. “Getting to play with a great group of guys, each knowing our own role is an awesome thing. Plus it was a huge honor to play alongside my teammate Alex Johnson who broke the school record in scoring.”

“Words can’t describe how much I’m going to miss putting on the blue and white,” Koshiol said. “I had so much fun and will never forget the memories we made. These experiences have been life changing.”

SCOREBOARD: OHS/SCF scores FROM PAGE 13

Stewart 6 0 1 3 2 13 Hoverman 1 0 0 0 2 2 Totals 23 2 5 10 12 57 Score by Halves 1 2 F GHS 14 25 39 SCFHS 33 24 57 Saints Girls Basketball St. Croix Falls vs Cameron At Rice Lake WIAA Sectional Semi-Final March 2, 2017 Cameron Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F TP Hestad 0 0 1 2 0 1 Gerber 2 0 1 3 1 5 BZimrmn 0 0 0 0 2 0 Thompson 1 4 0 0 2 14

Warner 0 0 2 2 0 Otto 8 0 5 6 4 Wanick 4 1 5 6 3 Paddock 0 0 0 0 2 HZimrmn 2 0 2 8 1 Totals 17 5 16 27 15 St. Croix Falls Individuals 2’s 3’s FTM FTA F McCurdy 7 0 5 8 4 Parks 0 3 0 0 2 Kopp 0 2 3 4 3 Pthrbrdge 1 0 0 0 2 Stoffel 3 0 3 6 2 Stewart 3 0 1 4 4 Hoverman 2 0 1 1 1 Totals 16 5 13 23 18 Score by Halves 1 2 F CHS 33 32 65 SCFHS 33 27 60

2 21 16 0 6 65 TP 19 9 9 2 9 7 5 60

Learn to be your own boss People who are ready to put their entrepreneurial spirit into action are invited to enroll in Start Your Own Small Business at the University of Wisconsin-Barron County.

This seminar series is open to anyone interested in small business ownership or for those who are expanding their small business or side business into a formalized plan of action.

Topics will include the purposeful and passionate pursuit of small business ownership; busi-

ness plan and feasibility analysis, mechanics and how to start; marketing and promotion; hiring employees and much more.

The final session will include guest speakers discussing insurance, banking and alternative financing.

The class will meet on Thursdays, March 23-April 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. There is a fee.

Instructor Ken Pearson is the Director of Business Development at Indianhead Community Action Agency in Ladysmith,

where he has helped more than 60 businesses start up or expand.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from UW-Superior and a Masters of Public Administration degree from Texas A&M University.

Classes are held on the UW-Barron County campus at 1800 College Dr, Rice Lake. Preregistration is required. For more information or to register, call Barb Ritzinger at (715) 234-8176 Ext. 5503, email barbara.ritzinger@uwc.edu or visit www.ce.uwc. edu/barron.

Applications for stamp funding due April 12 Applications for Wisconsin Wild Turkey, Pheasant and Waterfowl Stamp funds are due April 12, 2017.

Stamp funds are available to non-profit conservation organizations and units of government focused on habitat development, management, preservation, restoration and maintenance for wild turkey, pheasant and waterfowl.

Funding for successful applicants will be available during the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ 2018 and 2019 fiscal years.

“Thanks to these stamp programs, millions of dollars have been dedicated to projects directly related to habitat and species management of Wisconsin’s turkey, pheasant and waterfowl populations,” said Jaqi Christopher, DNR assistant upland wildlife

ecologist.

Habitat projects typically involve restoration and management of valuable woodland, savanna, grassland and wetland communities.

“The diverse habitat work funded by the sale of Wisconsin Wild Turkey, Pheasant and Waterfowl Stamps is a significant benefit to the citizens of Wisconsin,” said Eddie Shea, DNR assistant wetland habitat specialist. “These types of projects provide quality habitat for a broad suite of wildlife species, offering a great outdoor experience to hunters and non-hunters alike.”

Funds are generated from the sale of Wild Turkey, Pheasant or Waterfowl Stamps, as well as a portion of conservation patron license sales.

While stamps are required to hunt these species, many collec-

tors and nature enthusiasts also purchase the stamps to help support wildlife habitat.

On average, annual wildlife stamp revenue exceeds $300,000 for pheasant, $750,000 for wild turkey and $550,000 for waterfowl.

Through state law, 60 percent of Pheasant Stamp funds are reserved for game farm pheasant production, while one-third of Waterfowl Stamp funds are reserved for habitat projects in Canada, where a significant proportion of Wisconsin’s fall ducks are reared.

For eligibility information and criteria, application guidance, funding priorities, and further information, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword “wildlife stamps.”

MEMORIALS WITH INNOVATION AND DISTINCTION

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Stop by our showroom on Main Street in Braham.

Check us out online at www.brahammonument.com

or give us a call 1-800-327-0748 Call your legislators and the governor and tell them you want your village board’s business to remain in your local newspaper and on the statewide public notice website, www.WisconsinPublicNotices.org.

Price good until March 31, 2017

Bring this ad with you and receive a

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MARCH 8, 2017

THE SUN

15

www.osceolasun.com

Milk Marketing board seeks nominations The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is inviting Wisconsin dairy producers who are interested in serving the state’s dairy industry to submit a nomination to represent their district as a Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) director. DATCP oversees the nomination and election process. Nine out of 25 districts are currently up for election. They are: District Counties District 1 Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Rusk, Sawyer and Washburn District 4 Barron and Polk Counties District 7 Clark County District 10 Brown, Door and Kewaunee Counties District 13 Buffalo, Pierce and Pepin Counties District 16 Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Marquette Counties District 19 Columbia and Dodge Counties District 22 Grant County District 25 Green, Rock and Walworth Counties To qualify, a nominee must be an active dairy producer who sells milk into commercial channels and lives in the represented district up for election. Each potential candidate must acquire at least five signa-

Westfields Hospital & Clinic Foundation is seeking a contract per project Grant Writer In partnership with the Hospital Foundation Director and Westfields Hospital & Clinic leadership, the Grant Writer will primarily be responsible for developing and writing grant proposals to foundations and other grant-making organizations. This position will also monitor funding to ensure appropriate reports are completed and submitted to funders.

tures from active dairy producers within the district, submit a completed nomination form, and have the “Affidavit of Eligibility” certification requirement notarized. Nominations must be postmarked by April 1, 2017.

Producers interested in serving as a director can contact Debbie Gegare, Market Orders Program Coordinator at (608) 224-5116 or Debbie.Gegare@wisconsin.gov, for a nomination form, or access an electronic copy at www.wmmb.com/elections or https:// datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Growing_WI/MilkBoard.aspx DATCP administers elections for Wisconsin commodity marketing boards. To learn more about market order boards, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/ About_Us/MarketingBoards.aspx

-RLQ WKH IULHQGO\ VWDII DW :HVWILHOGV +RVSLWDO &OLQLF Infection Preventionist/Clinical Quality Specialist Oversees infection prevention/control activities across organization. The Clinical Quality Specialist serves as the system resource for clinical quality improvement.

Wisconsin R.N. licensure or similar health care professional role (Microbiology, infectious disease). At least 5 of years care clinical experience, proficient in the use of Epic, excel, and other systems. Basic skills in quality improvement methodologies.

For full description and to apply, visit our website.

Golden Age Manor in Amery, WI would like you on our team!

Career OpportuniƟes Polk County Owned Nursing Home—

Nurse Care Manager RN

-RLQ WKH IULHQGO\ VWDII DW :HVWILHOGV +RVSLWDO &OLQLF Certified Nursing Assistant (Med/Surg) - .7 Nights Assists with the basic care of patients within the Wisconsin C.N.A.'s scope of practice, including psychosocial & physical needs. Performs basic patient care responsibilities as assigned by the RN. Communicates observed changes in patient status and responses to the RN. Provides for the needs of the pediatric, geriatric & general patient populations.

Qualifications include: Current C.N.A. in the state of Wisconsin and BLS/CPR Certifications. Prior hospital experience preferred.

CNAs • $500 Sign On Bonus Flexible Scheduling • Part-time Housekeeper Full-time Line Cook Alternating Weekends, Part-time If interested please contact: Kristal Moen, Administrator CCH of Osceola, 2650 – 65th Ave., Osceola, WI 54020 715-294-1119 or kristal.moen@cchosceola.org Application available online at www.cchosceola.org

-RLQ WKH IULHQGO\ VWDII DW :HVWILHOGV +RVSLWDO &OLQLF Director of Surgical Services The Director of Surgical Services supervises the staff (RN, OR Tech, CS Tech, HUC) in the Surgical Services nursing areas, including Same Day Surgery, GI Lab, CS, OR, PACU. Coordinates activities of nursing staff regarding quality of care, staffing, medical staff relations, policies/procedures, human resources and process improvements.

Registered Nurse licensure in the State of Wisconsin. BLS/CPR, ACLS certifications. Nursing management experience preferred.

ƉƉůLJ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͬĐĂƌĞĞƌƐ ,ƵŵĂŶ ZĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ͻ tĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů Θ ůŝŶŝĐ ϱϯϱ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ZŽĂĚ ͻ EĞǁ ZŝĐŚŵŽŶĚ͕ t/ ϱϰϬϭϳ ŚƌΛǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ ͻ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ

Polk County offers careers that Ma er Join us to make a difference, together we will strengthen our community!

We cannot func on without great employees - talented, caring professionals are rewarded with a great, compe ve total rewards package.

Correc on Officer Polk County Jus ce Center Full-Ɵme - Non-Exempt PosiƟon $20.30 hour This posi on is responsible for providing care, custody and the deten on of male and female inmates in the Jail; providing a posi ve rehabilita ve influence to all inmates; insuring compliance with all applicable state and federal laws; and ac ng within the policies and procedures of the Polk County Jail. Polk County will provide complete training, including the six week Basic Jailer Cer fica on program to successful candidate.

Deadline to apply: March 21, 2017

Seasonal Laborer (various loca ons: Parks, Highway, Recycling) Full-Ɵme - Non-Exempt PosiƟon StarƟng Wage: $11.50

Full- me – Salaried Posi on w/ comprehensive benefit package

Deadline to apply: March 12, 2017 This professional posi on is responsible for overseeing resident care on assigned units to promote highest level of physical, mental, psychosocial func oning possible. Completes quarterly MDS assessments. Oversees facility infecon control program and new employee health screenings.

Now hiring for the following positions:

ƉƉůLJ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͬĐĂƌĞĞƌƐ ,ƵŵĂŶ ZĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ͻ tĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů Θ ůŝŶŝĐ ϱϯϱ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ZŽĂĚ ͻ EĞǁ ZŝĐŚŵŽŶĚ͕ t/ ϱϰϬϭϳ ŚƌΛǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ ͻ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ

Successful candidate will have proven grant writing experience and 4 years in journalism or related field.

Qualified applicants should email joann.m.wrich@ westfieldshospital.com a resume.

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY HOME OF OSCEOLA

ƉƉůLJ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͬĐĂƌĞĞƌƐ ,ƵŵĂŶ ZĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ͻ tĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů Θ ůŝŶŝĐ ϱϯϱ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ZŽĂĚ ͻ EĞǁ ZŝĐŚŵŽŶĚ͕ t/ ϱϰϬϭϳ ŚƌΛǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ ͻ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ

Work full- me hours throughout the summer season, performing skilled opera on of motorized equipment used in the construcon, repair and maintenance of County highways, parks and trails, and buildings and grounds. This is a combina on of common physical labor and some vehicle and equipment opera on. Requires a valid state driver license.

Deadline to apply: March 14, 2017

Daily Hours: 8am-4pm Monday-Friday & one weekend a month day shi 6:30am-2:45pm. Current Registered Nursing licensure in the State of Wisconsin and a minimum of five years long-term care experience preferred, please see full posi on descrip on on our website.

Environmental Services Supervisor 30 hours a week w/ comprehensive benefit package

Deadline to apply: March 12, 2017 The Environmental Services Supervisor is responsible for housekeeping and laundry du es as assigned as well as staffing, scheduling and training of all laundry and housekeeping staff. The Environmental Services supervisor is also responsible for ensuring the laundry and housekeeping departments func on as cohesive units. Please see full posion descrip on on our website. Call today with specific ques ons.

PLEASE COMPLETE AN ON-LINE APPLICATION TO BE ELIGIBLE. For complete job descripƟon, posiƟon requirements, applicaƟon, and details please visit our website at www.co.polk.wi.us, Employment OpportuniƟes. AA/EEOC

-RLQ WKH IULHQGO\ VWDII DW :HVWILHOGV +RVSLWDO &OLQLF Pharmacy Technician (Full and Part Time) Assists the pharmacist with preparation, dispensing, and restocking of medications in both the inpatient and retail pharmacies. Assists in accountability and security of all medications. Manages the inventory of medications and supplies. Provides exceptional customer experience and demonstrates honesty and integrity.

Previous experience as a pharmacy technician preferred.

ƉƉůLJ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͬĐĂƌĞĞƌƐ ,ƵŵĂŶ ZĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ͻ tĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů Θ ůŝŶŝĐ ϱϯϱ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ZŽĂĚ ͻ EĞǁ ZŝĐŚŵŽŶĚ͕ t/ ϱϰϬϭϳ ŚƌΛǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ ͻ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ

Jail Captain Full-Ɵme - Exempt PosiƟon

Polk County Jus ce Center Depends on QualificaƟons

The Jail Captain is responsible for the administra on of the Jail Division’s programs including the interpreta on, assessment and recommenda on of policies and the supervision of the Jail employees, including the Jail Sergeants and Jailers. Performs complex professional work assuring compliance with federal, state and local laws and regula ons; and supervising and coordina ng programs, and responsible for the oversight and management of the staff, equipment, and budget assigned to this division. Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in correc ons, criminal jus ce, sociology, psychology or a related field and 5 years of full- me work experience in a jail/correc on se ng , with 2-3 of those years in a management level posi on in a substan al administra ve and supervisory role (Jail experience preferred); an Associate’s Degree or a minimum of 60-accredited semester credits may be considered in lieu of Bachelors degree with a combina on of equivalent leadership experience; or any equivalent combina on.

Deadline to apply: March 28, 2017 YOU MUST COMPLETE AN ON-LINE APPLICATION TO BE ELIGIBLE. For complete job descrip on, posi on requirements, applica on, and details please visit our website at www.co.polk.wi.us, Employment Opportuni es. AA/EEOC

16

THE SUN

MARCH 8, 2017 www.osceolasun.com

Plan to spread? Look ahead View the stars with WCCO Radio With an early spring looking like a good possibility, Wisconsin agriculture officials are asking farmers to check the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast online before spreading manure.

They encourage farmers to avoid spreading manure during highrisk runoff times. If farmers must spread manure during such times, they should steer clear of high risk fields and have a spill response plan in place.

“Farmers are eager to get their manure pits cleaned out after the winter, we understand. But it’s equally important to spread manure when and where it will remain to fertilize the crop and protect lakes, streams and groundwater,” says Sara Walling, water quality section leader with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. “The online runoff risk advisory maps will give them a day-by-day forecast out 10 days, so they can avoid spreading, or if they must spread manure during that time, can take steps to minimize the risk of runoff.”

The Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast is part of the Wisconsin Manure Management Advisory System, available at manureadvisorysystem.wi.gov. The runoff forecast provides maps showing short-term runoff risk for daily application planning, taking into account factors including soil mois-

www.osceolasun.com EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Title: LTE - LABORER (3 Positions) Contact: Kurt G. Dreger Location: Interstate Park, Highway 35, St Croix Falls, WI 54024 Telephone Number: (715) 483-3747 Hourly Rate: Between $10.50-$11.52 per hour depending on experience and training, plus $.60 additional for weekend hours, and time and one-half for any holiday hours worked.

Duration: Job starts approximately April 17, 2017 Job Description: Laborer-LTE This position will perform maintenance and development duties at Interstate State Park.

60% Maintain Park Facilities - Conduct daily cleaning of restroom and shower facilities.

Clean out fire-rings and grills, conduct routine maintenance, painting/staining, sign installation and maintenance, etc.

25% Maintain Day Use Areas and Trails - Mow and trim picnic areas and trails. Perform general trail repairs, pick up litter, repair picnic tables, hazard tree and invasive removal, etc.

15% Other general maintenance duties as assigned.

Knowledge Required: This position is expected to operate park vehicles, hand and power tools, mowers, chainsaws, and other heavy equipment. This position will also conduct minor plumbing and electrical repairs.

Application Deadline: March 14, 2017 To Apply: Submit Form 9100-162 LTE Application (available at DNR offices or online at http://dnr.wi.gov/x87201/employment/lte/ q207ltes.asp), resume and references to: Kurt G. Dreger PO Box 703 St Croix Falls, WI 54024-0703 RE: Job Code 10938 Application materials will be reviewed and the most qualified candidates will be invited for an interview.

ture, weather forecast, crop cover, snow cover, and slope. It is updated three times daily by the National Weather Service.

Farmers should contact their crop consultants or county land conservation offices for help identifying alternatives to spreading, such as stacking manure away from lakes or rivers, drinking water wells, or area with sinkholes or exposed bedrock. If farmers must spread manure, crop consultants and county conservationists can help identify fields where the risk is lower. You can find contact information for county conservation offices in the WI Land + Water Directory at http://wisconsinlandwater.org.

While discouraging spreading during high-risk times, Walling also advises farmers to have an emergency plan in any case. The plan should include who to call and what steps to take if runoff or a spill occurs, how to clean it up, and perhaps most important, how to prevent it from happening. Information about preventing and planning for manure spills is available at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/agbusiness/manurespills.html.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Title: LTE - VISITOR SERVICES ASSOCIATE (3 Positions) Contact: Kurt G. Dreger Location: Interstate Park, Highway 35, St Croix Falls, WI 54024 Telephone Number: (715) 483-3747 Hourly Rate: $10.50 per hour, plus $0.45 additional for evening hours, plus $0.60 additional for weekend hours, and time and one-half for any holiday hours worked.

Duration: Job starts approximately April 16, 2017 Job Description: Visitors Services Associate-LTE 80% Collect fees and disseminate information. Use electronic cash registers, electronic credit card verification equipment and computerized reservation system. Provide answers to visitor questions concerning the specific park area, as well as explain the area's recreational opportunities, interpretive services, and campground availability.

15% Manage daily sticker account and remit all revenues in a timely manner. Maintain accurate records regarding camper and campsite information. Maintain a clean and organized office with up-to-date information for both the public and other coworkers.

5% Assist park supervisors and managers or other park employees in any other duties as assigned.

Knowledge Required: Customer service experience.

Computer skills and experience.

Money handling and accounting experience.

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Application Deadline: March 14, 2017 To Apply: Submit Form 9100-162 LTE Application (available at DNR offices or online at http://dnr.wi.gov/x87201/employment/lte/ q207ltes.asp), resume and references to: Kurt G. Dreger PO Box 703 St Croix Falls, WI 54024-0703 RE: Job Code 10938 Application materials will be reviewed and the most qualified candidates will be invited for an interview. Additional Information: This position registers campers, sells admission stickers and provides information and other services to visitors that come to Interstate State Park. **** Due to the nature of this position the Department of Natural Resources will conduct a comprehensive criminal background check on applicants prior to selection. Pending criminal charge or conviction will not necessarily disqualify an applicant. In compliance with the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, the DNR does not discriminate on the basis of arrest or conviction record. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire.

meteorologist Mike Lynch The Osceola Public Library is sponsoring a Wisconsin Starwatch program by Mike Lynch on March 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Osceola Intermediate School.

Mike Lynch, a meteorologist with WCCO Radio, has been presenting astronomy programs to the public in Minnesota and Wisconsin for over 40 years. His program is a wonderful introduction into the world of astronomy and stargazing.

The evening will begin with a half hour indoor orientation of the night sky with maps

and diagrams. Then it will be time to head outdoors to view the show in the sky. You will take a tour of the constellations, including Big Bear, Little Bear, Cassiopeia, and many more, to learn of their stories.

Mike also brings his arsenal of large telescopes for you to use to take a closer look at the celestial bodies of the night sky.

All are welcome, but the program is most appropriate for anyone over the age of six.

Make sure to dress for the weather, bring a lawn chair for the out-

-RLQ WKH IULHQGO\ VWDII DW :HVWILHOGV +RVSLWDO &OLQLF

door portion of the event, and come ready to learn about the night sky. The show will go on even if the weather is overcast! For more information contact the Osceola Public Library at 715-2942310.

Delivering Your Community Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897

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Testimonial from our Hospice Clinician: It is not just what I do it is the whole team! I can just reach out to my co-workers because they are there for me!

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Even on the stressful days, I love my job and what I do!!

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BSW or MSW Hospice (casual call)

Clinical Assistant (CMA or LPN) Eligible for $1000 Sign On Bonus The Clinic Assistant (CMA or LPN) assists Health Care providers by preparing patients for examinations according to policies and procedures ensuring patients receive services. This Clinic Assistant also helps with phone line and message center traffic and assistance. The successful candidate will also work with refill medications and urgent care for patients as needed.

Must be a graduate of an accredited Medical Assistant or Licensed Practical Nurse program. Prior experience preferred.

ƉƉůLJ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͬĐĂƌĞĞƌƐ ,ƵŵĂŶ ZĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ͻ tĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů Θ ůŝŶŝĐ ϱϯϱ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ZŽĂĚ ͻ EĞǁ ZŝĐŚŵŽŶĚ͕ t/ ϱϰϬϭϳ ŚƌΛǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ ͻ ǁǁǁ͘ǁĞƐƞŝĞůĚƐŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů͘ĐŽŵ

RN - Hospice (32 hours per week)

Ideal candidates will have a minimum of two years experience in a hospital, LTC, Home Health, or Hospice setting.

Should also have WI license This job requires extensive local travel Send resume to: L.huston@adorayhomecare.org or mail to Adoray, 2231 Hwy. 12, Suite 201, Baldwin, WI 54002. 715-684-5020

PARKER HANNIFIN CORPORATION CNC SET-UP OPERATOR AND/OR AUTOMATIC ACME SET-UP OPERATOR Parker Hanni¿n - a World Class Motion and Control Manufacturing Company has an immediate need for a full-time CNC and/or Automatics Set-up Operators. Position will be on 2nd shift – hours will be 5 – 8 hour days (from 3:00 pm–11:30 pm) or 4 – 10 hour days (from 3:00 p.m.–1:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday) also has a Àexible work environment. This position is in our Grantsburg, Wisconsin facility at 533 N Oak Street, Grantsburg, WI 54840.

Essential Functions: • Set-up and operate CNC and/or Acme Gridley Automatics Screw Machines • Recording production counts, performing part inspections as required • Knowledge of blueprint reading • Understanding of cutting tools, their geometry and behavior • Experience with the tools required for mechanical inspection (calipers, height gauges, pin gauges, rules, and micrometers) • Strong working knowledge of various quality and inspection requirements, manufacturing processes, and measurement techniques Requirements: • Personable • Good Verbal and Written Communication skills • Good dexterity • Attention to detail through visual inspection • Excellent attendance • Technical Program Degree or High School Diploma/GED with a minimum of 2 years’ experience Physical Requirements: • Required to stand most of the time • Required to lift to 50 pounds Work Environment: • Required to work with coolants and/or cutting oil • Medium noise level.

Parker Hanni¿n is a Fortune 500 Company and a worldwide leader in the manufacture of motion and control. We offer a comprehensive compensation package that includes a competitive salary, quarterly pro¿t sharing plan, 401(k) plan with match, pension plan, as well as Àexible medical, dental, vision, and life insurance bene¿ts.

Apply thru www.parker.com under careers.

Parker Hanni¿n is an EEO/AA Employer/ Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply.

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CHAMPIONS SCF HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL

Congratulations on a great season!

This page is sponsored by these fine area businesses: Amery Hospital & Clinic Baribeau Implement Bill’s Ace Hardware Bitworks Boss Equipment Carlson Highland Cascade BP MidWestOne Bank Central Insurance Agency Core Products Crystal Ball Farms

Culligan Dalles Auto Sales Dick’s Fresh Market Falls Orthodontics First National Community Bank Grandstrand Funeral Home Hauge Dental Marketplace Foods Northwire Osceola Auto Sales & Service Osceola Medical Center Osceola Veterinary Service

Polaris Industries Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperatives Re/Max Synergy - Candi Mueller Royal Credit Union Royal Oaks Scott’s Tire St. Croix Regional Medical Center Dr. Steven B. Schletty The Sun Newspaper Taylor’s Auto Repair, LLC Valley Spirits

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Preventing kennel cough If you’ve heard it before, you know the unmistakable sound of kennel cough. Described as a honking noise that can sometimes be accompanied by gagging, this is symptom of an infection that be can be painful for dogs.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, kennel cough is a term loosely used to describe a group of respiratory infections. These can be both viral and bacterial, and they generally cause inflammation of a dog’s voice box and windpipe.

Much like a chest cold in humans, it is a highly contagious infection that can spread quickly. Dogs that are in the company of other dogs frequently are at greatest risk, hence the term kennel cough.

This is particularly true for dogs in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas.

Prevention and Causes Fortunately, preventing kennel cough is a relatively straightforward process. Making

sure that your dog isn’t exposed to the aforementioned conditions during any kennel stays is always best for both owner and dog.

Vaccinations also are important for several of the agents known to be associated with kennel cough. Your veterinarian

may suggest having your dog vaccinated to prevent them, especially if it will be around dogs in kennel environments.

Symptoms What exactly are you looking for when it comes to identifying kennel cough? In most cases, dogs will appear healthy except

for a persistent dry cough with that honking sound, according to the ASPCA, which also lists gagging, coughing up white phlegm, fever or nasal discharge as other symptoms.

Your dog can catch kennel cough through direct or indirect contact. This can include germs on a food or water bowl.

Treatment There are many treatment options when it comes to taking care of kennel cough. In many cases, your veterinarian many advise you to let the infection run its course as long as your dog is eating and drinking enough, while also remaining in a well-ventilated, safe environment.

An antibiotic that targets the Bordetella bacteria can be given to support the recovery process and kill the infection. Talk with your veterinarian about your options to make sure you’re treating the issue in the most effective way possible.

Bonding with your pet What would we do without our pets? Animals have won over the hearts of pet owners across the world. They offer us unconditional love and loads of laughs that make our lives better.

And the truth is, we can build even better bonds with our beloved pets by taking a few simple actions each day. Forming a great bond with your pet is simple.

Here are ideas to try yourself as you reconnect with your favorite pooch, feline or pet of your choice.

Conduct Some Training Depending on how your animal

responds to direction and discipline, training exercises can be a great way of building a bond with your pet.

New behavioral training builds your skills in communicating with your pet, as well as in trusting him or her to listen to instructions. Make sure to keep training positive and collaborative, using a gentle, reward-based approach.

This style will help your pet look forward to training, giving the two of you positive time together to grow as pet and owner.

Make feeding time structured

When it’s time to prepare meals, engage with your pet during the process. Call your dog over to sit and wait while your fill up the bowl. Pet the dog and talk to it to encourage a calm, relaxing eating experience.

Always remember to give your pet space during mealtime. Following a structured routine such as this helps your pet respect your rules and understand that you call the shots. This healthy relationship will help you earn your pet’s respect, leading to a strong bond over time.

Setting up a fish tank Owning fish is an enjoyable experience for people of all ages. And while fish ownership requires plenty of maintenance, it can be a great transition for younger children into owning larger, more dependent animals.

One of the most expensive and time-consuming investments you need to make before bringing home fish is choosing their tank.

These can be costly depending on the size and equipment required for a properly functioning tank.

Once installed, tanks take a lot of time in regular cleaning and maintenance.

Be prepared for both and do your best to plan ahead of time where the tank will be placed and who will be taking care of the majority of the upkeep. Once you decide those things, it’s time to set up and maintain the tank.

Setting Up the Tank The first step to setting up your new tank is adding rinsed gravel to the bottom of it.

Most tank manufacturers recommend one pound of gravel per gallon of water.

There are various colors of gravel on the market, so decide which works with your in-tank design scheme.

Country Store

Next comes the filtration system, which can either be simple or complex, depending on the size of your tank and the species of your new fish.

Without proper filtration, fish waste can poison the water. Read up on proper filtration processes to make sure you’re giving your fish the healthiest environment possible.

Filling the Tank After you fill your tank with clean tap water, it’s time to add chemical neutralizers to stabilize your pH levels. Consult with your pet store to find out the recommended levels for your specific type.

Don’t forget fun decorations and a light source for your fish. These details put the finishing touches on your tank and help you put a little personality into the home of your newest fish.

Introducing Your Fish Start your tank with a handful of fish to help ease their transition into their new home.

Let the plastic bag you bought the fish in float in the water for about 20 minutes to let them acclimate to the temperature of the water.

Add a couple of fish every week until you have your optimal number.

Doing so slowly helps your fish feel more comfortable with new additions and less competition for food.

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WE ALSO CARRY Flea and Tick collars, Dewormers, Hip and Joint Supplements, Toys, Treats and Dog Chews 2634 68th Ave., 1 mile south of Osceola on 35 • 715-294-2789 • www.federatedcoops.com

MARCH 8, 2017

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Superintendent candidate unsure email broke law Depression era recipe still popular

BY IVAN MORENO ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A candidate for Wisconsin’s top education job said Monday he’s unsure he did anything wrong when he sent a campaign-related email last year using his public school district account.

Wisconsin law forbids the use of government resources for political campaigns, but state superintendent candidate Lowell Holtz said it never occurred to him that he was violating any rules when he sent an email soliciting campaign advice and touting his support among Republicans.

“It never crossed my mind that I was going to be violating anything, and I’m still not sure if I violated anything,” Holtz said of the email, which was provided to The Associated Press Friday by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. The group obtained it through an open records request.

“But if I did, I really am the kind of person that is willing to name it, own it, and fix it. And I obviously fixed it because I’m not working at the school district because I wanted to keep that separation so I could run 100 percent of the time and not worry about that.”

It’s not immediately clear if the CLUES ACROSS 1. “ER” actress Leslie 5. Hebrew name for Babylon 10. Newts 14. Leaf angle 15. Dravidian language 16. Ridge on nematodes 17. Monetary unit 18. Determined the tare 19. Unfreeze 20. Merits 22. World’s oldest broadcasting organization 23. Vacation spot 24. December 25 27. Ottoman military command 30. Resin-like substance secreted by insects 31. A.C. Comics female supervillain 32. Insect linked to honey 35. Opinion 37. In the middle of 38. Basketballer Yao 39. Remove lid 40. Pressure wound therapy 41. Fabric 42. Witnessed 43. Defunct European economic organization 44. “Hotel California” rockers 45. When you expect to arrive 46. “Sleepless in Seattle” actress Ryan 47. Danish airline 48. Insecticide 49. Scientific instrument 52. Type of seal 55. Israeli city __ Aviv 56. Cavalry sword 60. Ottoman title 61. Gurus 63. Cold wind 64. Predatory reptile (abbr.)

65. New Jersey is one 66. Divulge a secret 67. Finely chopped mixture 68. Actress Zellweger 69. Romanian city

matter is currently being investigated.

Holtz retired last year as superintendent of the Whitnall School District.

He made the comments about the mail after the first head-to-head forum with incumbent state Superintendent Tony Evers since both advanced from last week’s primary election.

Evers said Holtz should be investigated and held accountable if he broke the law, noting that he, too, came under scrutiny in 2009 for sending a campaign email during work hours. Evers said he “learned a lesson” with the $250 fine he paid.

The winner of the April 4 contest for superintendent will oversee the state Department of Public Instruction, which runs K-12 education policy, curriculum and programs, and administers state and federal aid for all 424 public school districts. The department also works with private schools in the choice program and runs teacher licensing and regulation.

While the race is officially nonpartisan, Evers has the backing of Democrats, teachers unions, and public schools advocates. Holtz has the support of two dozen current and former Republican lawmakers and a host of conservative groups.

During the forum Monday the candidates offered contrasting philosophies that highlight what’s at stake in the election.

Holtz said he welcomes additional funding for private school vouchers, arguing it would improve competition and choice in the education system. But Evers said he worries more funding for vouchers would come at the expense of public schools.

The candidates also disagreed on a budget proposal from Republican Gov. Scott Walker that would tie $500 million in per-pupil funding for schools to a state law that calls on teachers to pay 12 percent toward the cost of their health insurance. That law, Act 10, took away nearly all collective bargaining rights of state workers.

Evers called the budget proposal “a threat” he hopes disappears, but Holtz agrees with the idea, saying “we can’t have totally independent districts that don’t follow the law.”

The race for state superintendent has been a feisty one so far.

In addition to the dispute over email, Holtz was accused of trying to bribe another candidate to drop out of the race before the primary election — a charge Holtz has denied.

I

grew up Catholic and every Lent my mom and dad encouraged me to give up something.

Though no longer Catholic, many traditions are still with me, like eating fish on Fridays.

Mom’s habit was to give up something she loved, some years coffee, other years sugar, but she would not eat meat on Fridays. She told me her family couldn’t afford fresh or frozen fish.

Her mother cooked the meal with canned tuna every Friday during Lent.

My mom made tuna fish and peas on toast. Over the years I Wild Chow have heard it called creamed tuna fish and peas or creamed chipped Lisa Erickson tuna. I saw a recipe once for “Hillbilly” hot-dish, but it was tuna fish and peas on toast. There is even a children’s book about creamed tuna fish and peas on toast.

My mother liked this dish so much we usually ate it once a month year round. Sometimes she would serve it over mashed potatoes or she would make fancy toast cups that she baked in the oven before filling them.

I searched for the recipe in my grandmother’s cookbooks. Strangely enough, in her 1933 kitchen guide, where the recipe would have been, the recipe was torn out. It was the only page torn out of the cookbook.

After doing some research, I found this dish was popular during the Great Depression, which explained why my grandmother cooked it. I didn’t know that it was a dish you ate if you were poor. It was what we ate, and I really liked it.

I know we have access to lots of fish and foods at more than reasonable prices, but there is nothing wrong with cooking up a reminder of the past or sacrificing for something that is important to you.

Tuna Fish and Peas on Toast Serves 4 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup butter 2 cups milk (2% or whole works best) 1 cup frozen peas, cooked to the package directions.

1 -5 oz. can tuna fish, drained Salt and pepper to taste 8 pieces of toast

In a medium size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for one minute.

Add the milk, stirring quickly while adding the milk. Continue to cook and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add peas and tuna; bring back to a slow simmer. Remove from heat. Place two pieces of toast on each plate and spoon 1/2 cup of creamed tuna fish and peas over the toast.

Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. You can find more recipes at www. wild-chow.com or email her at wildchowrecipes@ gmail.com.

We make it easy to Use Your Time Wisely CLUES DOWN 1. “Dark Knight” actor 2. S. African plants 3. Castle in County Offaly, Ireland 4. White (French) 5. Morsel 6. Semitic language 7. Areas outside cities 8. Crackling 9. Cub 10. Landmark house in Los Angeles 11. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist

12. Mineral 13. Late night host Myers 21. Pull along 23. Not good 25. British Air Aces 26. Upset 27. Maltreatment 28. Nocturnal, cat-like animal 29. Hollyhocks 32. Shelter 33. Finished 34. Discharge 36. “X-Men” actor McKellen 37. Beloved dish __ and cheese 38. Holds coffee 40. Languish 41. Quenches

43. Electric fish 44. Consume 46. Type of school 47. Erase 49. Educate 50. “Transformers” actress Fox 51. Spiritual leader 52. Every one 53. Site of the Taj Mahal 54. Welsh village 57. Weapon 58. Geological times 59. S. Asian crops 61. Soviet Socialist Republic 62. Witness

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Police can take blood from unconscious drivers

BY CARA LOMBARDO ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled that law enforcement officers can take blood samples from unconscious drivers without a warrant under certain circumstances.

The court ruled Wednesday that an officer can be justified in taking a blood sample without a warrant when delaying would lead to the destruction of evidence, namely falling levels of alcohol in the drunken driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bloodstream.

The ruling concerned the case of David Howes, who in 2013 crashed his motorcycle into a deer. Howes, who had previous drunken driving convictions and smelled of alcohol, was unconscious and unable to give consent when a Dane County sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deputy ordered hospital staff to take a blood sample from him two hours after the crash.

Howes had argued the deputy violated his rights.

A circuit court concluded the deputy had probable cause to arrest Howes but not to obtain a blood draw without a warrant.

Chief Justice Patience Roggensack, writing for the majority, said the circumstances in Howesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; case met the criteria for a warrantless blood draw because the situation was urgent. She wrote that the deputy could have reasonably believed that waiting until after Howes received medical attention to test his blood would destroy ev-

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idence.

In a concurring opinion joined by Justice Annette Ziegler, Justice Michael Gableman relied on the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s implied consent law.

Under the law, drivers implicitly consent to drug and alcohol testing when doing so would combat intoxicated driving and protect public safety.

Justice Shirley Abrahamson wrote the dissent, arguing that implied consent is unconstitutional because consent cannot be given by unconscious drivers. Abrahamson also wrote that the majority opinion did not meet the â&#x20AC;&#x153;heavy burdenâ&#x20AC;? necessary for warrantless blood draws. Further, she wrote that the deputy in Howesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; case would have had adequate time to get a warrant.

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley joined the dissent.

Justice Daniel Kelly partially concurred and partially dissented. He agreed with Abrahamson that the implied consent law is unconstitutional.

Howesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attorney, Mark Eisenberg, said that Abrahamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dissent was â&#x20AC;&#x153;right on the money.â&#x20AC;?

He said the majorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s argument relied on the assumption that the deputy wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time to get a warrant, which was speculative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am going to take this up to the Supreme Court of the U.S. and see what happens,â&#x20AC;? Eisenberg said.

The stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attorney had no immediate comment.

Effort to eliminate Wisconsin state treasurer moving ahead

BY SCOTT BAUER ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Republican-backed effort to eliminate the Wisconsin state treasurer position is moving closer to approval in the Legislature, despite opposition from those who say powers of the office should be restored after years of being whittled away.

A state Senate committee voted 3-1 on Tuesday to approve the constitutional amendment, sending it to the full Senate for consideration as soon as next week. It is up for a vote in the Assembly on March 9.

If by legislative chambers pass it, as expected, voters statewide would have to approve it in the April 2018 election before the constitution would be amended to eliminate the office at the end of that year.

Republicans have already successfully done away with most of the treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duties since 2011, concluding with transferring the unclaimed property division to the Department of Revenue in 2014.

Opponents of eliminating the office, including former threeterm Treasurer Jack Voight, argue that its power should be increased rather than continue to have its du-

ties transferred under control of the governor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my opinion itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real power grab,â&#x20AC;? said Voight, a Republican.

He said the three treasurers who succeeded him were â&#x20AC;&#x153;flunkiesâ&#x20AC;? who â&#x20AC;&#x153;didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give a damnâ&#x20AC;? about the office.

Two of them, including current Treasurer Matt Adamczyk, advocated for eliminating the office.

Adamczykâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predecessor, Kurt Schuller, ran in 2010 wanting to do away with the office but later changed his mind and fought removal of the unclaimed property duties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a very grave mistake,â&#x20AC;? Democratic Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, of Alma, said before casting the only committee vote against the measure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have not thought this through. ... What we need are checks and balances.â&#x20AC;?

The measureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Michael Schraa, said the treasurer position is merely symbolic and â&#x20AC;&#x153;a relic of the past.â&#x20AC;? And co-sponsor state Sen. Dan Feyen, a Republican from Fond du Lac, said the treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office â&#x20AC;&#x153;has no purpose and no reason to exist.â&#x20AC;?

Putting the question of whether to keep the office on the ballot will give the people a chance to decide whether they want

it, said Democratic Sen. Fred Risser, of Madison.

But he conceded most people have no idea who the treasurer is or what their responsibilities are.

The treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only remaining responsibility is to sit as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, a little-known entity that manages trust funds built through fees, fines and land sales.

The board is comprised of the treasurer, attorney general and secretary of state. Part of the money it distributes from the Common School Fund goes to Wisconsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public school libraries. The money is the only dedicated source of state funding for public school libraries. For many school districts, it is the only money available to them to buy library books, newspapers,

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periodicals and other resources.

Last year, public school libraries received $32.1 million from the fund.

The Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association, which advocates for public school libraries, also opposes the proposal.

The group, in a letter it submitted to lawmakers, argued that the current board members are â&#x20AC;&#x153;ideal custodiansâ&#x20AC;? of the fund because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play a leading role in K-12 school funding or the state budget process.

It worries that replacing the treasurer with the lieutenant governor on the board could have unintended consequences jeopardizing the future performance of the fund.

The treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary is $69,936 a year.

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Applications are currently being accepted from learningfocused, creative and dynamic candidates for a part-time Industrial Maintenance/ Mechatronics Adjunct Instructor at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, Rice Lake Campus. The Mechatronics Basics program provides entry level skills to repair, install, adjust, or maintain production and processing machinery. Emphasis is on the maintenance and troubleshooting of electrical, mechanical, and fluid power components on packaging equipment including industrial computer controls and programmable logic controllers.

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Applications are currently being accepted from learning-focused, creative and dynamic candidates for a full-time Academic Affairs Technician position at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, New Richmond Campus. The Academic Affairs Technician is responsible for providing any and all technical and office support for the campus Divisional Dean(s), Academic Dean(s), Assistant Dean(s), and campus faculty at the local campus. The Academic Affairs Technician positions report to the Administrative Specialist/ Supervisor for the Vice President, Academic Affairs. www.witc.edu/employ

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MARCH 8, 2017

THE SUN

23

www.osceolasun.com

Lawmakers push for hemp comeback in Wisconsin

BY CARA LOMBARDO ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers want to help Wisconsin’s once-dominant hemp industry make a comeback, giving farmers the chance to add a versatile and hardy plant to their fields.

Rep. Jesse Kremer and Sen. Patrick Testin are circulating a bill to legalize production of industrial hemp, which has many uses.

Wisconsin was once a leading producer of hemp. At its peak during World War II, the state produced three quarters of the hemp grown in the country before demand plummeted and China took control of the market. But states across the country are rejoining the race and Wisconsin lawmakers want in.

Freshman Sen. Patrick Testin said he initially had some concerns because many people don’t differentiate between marijuana and hemp. Both are forms of cannabis, but hemp won’t get a person high because it doesn’t have enough THC, marijuana’s active ingredient.

Walker: Federal contract for fighter jet isn’t about money

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says landing a federal contract to base operations of F-35 fighter jets at Truax Field near Madison doesn’t come down to money.

Walker says the state can match or exceed $100,000 in state taxpayer subsidies to house the 18 fighter jets. Walker is referring to a bill recently signed by Idaho’s governor that commits $100,000 to land the contract.

The governor says bipartisan support and the community’s backing are more important. The State Journal reports Walker says he’s talked to top military officials to highlight Wisconsin’s proximity to restricted air space and the 128th Air Refueling Wing based at Milwaukee County’s airport.

Wisconsin is competing with air fields in Montgomery, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Jacksonville, Florida and Detroit, Michigan.

“It’s an opportunity to bring an industry back to the state of Wisconsin,” he said.

Hemp has a growing number of uses. Hemp fiber strengthens fabric and insulation while its oil and seeds are used in cosmetics and cereal. The plant is also showing up in high capacity batteries and car door panels.

“It has come a long way from its original heyday, so to speak,” said Kremer’s spokesman, Nik Rettinger.

The bill, which has bipartisan support, would require anyone who wants to grow hemp to be licensed by the state through a program overseen by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. People who have drug convictions wouldn’t be eligible for licenses. It also includes a provision to ensure a licensed producer’s plants don’t contain more than 1 percent THC. University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and horticulturist Irwin Goldman says hemp crops would be a great addition for the state’s farmers because it would add variety and is a sturdy, low-maintenance plant well-suited to Wisconsin’s climate.

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The federal government in 2014 passed the Farm Bill, which gave states the right to run hemp research programs. At least thirty states — including neighboring Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois — have passed legislation allowing cultivation of hemp, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Some states, including Oregon, struggled to launch hemp production the way lawmakers envisioned because they were initially short on seeds. The Wisconsin proposal would let producers use seeds certified in Wisconsin or elsewhere, language Rettinger said was included to avoid hurdles like those in other states.

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24 THE SUN

MARCH 8, 2017 www.osceolasun.com

FIREFIGHTER: Little hero fights cancer now, may fight fires later FROM PAGE 1

The Clausens jumped at the chance.

“Wes has always loved fire trucks,” said Lisa Clausen. “He was so excited to go, he wanted to go right then and there when we told him a couple days prior.”

He managed to wait, and the day arrived, with emotions running high for Weston — and his parents.

“It brought tears to our eyes seeing Wes so excited,” said Clausen, “although I think he was a little overwhelmed and intimidated by being so close to the trucks.”

The fire crew gave the family a tour of each fire truck and explained the tools and equipment they use.

The early-February visit coincided with Weston’s fourth birthday and the fire crew was ready with cupcakes and gifts, according to Clausen, including a junior fire fighter shirt and hat, a St. Croix Falls Fire Department patch, and a medal like the one the SCF firefighters carry.

“They told him that all the firemen carry the coin for protection and safety because Saint Florian is on the backside,” said Clausen. “Wes just stood there and smiled ear to ear.”

Then Captain Jerry Brisson suited up, explaining that when they do fire prevention education at school they don all their gear so kids won’t be afraid when they see them. That way if there’s an emergency they’ll run to the firefighters rather than away.

“Wes didn’t hesitate and walked up to him and posed for a picture,” said Clausen. “Then they told Wes that they all have his back and will be there for him!”

And yes, they got to ride in the trucks.

“Wes hopped in and the first thing he said was ‘WOW, this is so awesome!’” Clausen remembered.

He blew the horn, turned the lights and sirens on, and even got a chance to work the controls for the 105-foot ladder.

“When we got home he was telling us that if there was a fire he had to go to the fire station and we would be safe,” said Clausen. “Kirk Anderson and the rest of St Croix Fire Department went above and beyond, more than what we could imagine, making that day special for Wes. They are and will forever be a part of our family. …

They are true heroes and great role models and we are blessed that Wes got to meet them.”

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is a rare type of cancer that affects white blood cells in the blood and bone marrow. Weston has been handling the treatments relatively well, apart from side effects, reported Clausen. So far he has had three bone marrow tests, at least a dozen spinal tests, and numerous blood and platelet transfusions.

Two to four times a week, the family visits either Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis or Hudson Hospital for treatments, which are expect-

BY SCOTT BAUER ASSOCIATED PRESS

SUBMITTED

St. Croix Falls Fire Captain Jerry Brisson and Weston Clausen, Osceola. The SCF fire crew offered the boy a tour after seeing a fundraising poster in which he is pictured wearing a firefighter costume.

ed to continue for three years.

“He’s handling everything like a trooper,” said Clausen. “Better than I expected from a 4 year old. Granted there are bad days, too, but overall he’s doing good.

The love and support from our family, friends and the community is overwhelming. We are extremely blessed and lucky to have everyone stand behind us and support us.”

With continued help fighting cancer, Weston may one day grow up to fight fires, too.

Benefit for Weston A bake sale, silent auction and meat raffle benefitting Weston Clausen.

When: April 22 from 2-6 p.m.

Where: Potting’s Bar and Grill (2391 65th Street, New Richmond).

Donations can also dropped off at any Royal Credit Union or mailed to: Royal Credit Union Weston Clausen Leukemia Fund, PO Box 578, Osceola, WI 54020.

Lawmaker calls for Constitutional convention MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Republican state lawmaker is calling for a Constitutional convention to force adoption of a balanced budget amendment.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports Thursday

that Republican state Sen. Chris Kapenga is calling for the amendment to ban the federal government from spending more than it takes in.

If approved by the Legislature, Wisconsin would join nearly 30

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states that are requesting a Constitutional convention to pass the balanced budget amendment.

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A similar proposal from Kapenga passed the state Assembly in 2014 but was not taken up in the Senate.

Thirty-four states would have to call for a convention before Congress would take action.

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Assembly Health Committee, in a bipartisan vote Wednesday, approved a bill opposed by the largest advocacy group for Wisconsin doctors that would expand the number of experimental drugs available to terminally ill patients.

Critics, most forcefully the Wisconsin Medical Society, argue that quickly approving experimental drugs sidesteps the process that’s designed to protect patients, could give false hope and in some cases cause more harm than good.

But Republican Rep. James Edming, R-Glen Flora, argued that the measure is designed to give hope to people who are running out of options.

“The next step for these folks is the obituary column,” Edming said. “If I was laying on my death bed, I would try anything.”

And Democratic Rep. Chris Taylor said she saw the mother of a close friend diagnosed with cancer who was unable to get into clinical drug trials die within a year.

“I really do think this offers some potential,” said Taylor, of Madison. “And it isn’t perfect, but very few things are perfect.”

Taylor and fellow Democratic Rep. Lisa Subeck, of Madison, joined with all Health Committee Republicans in voting for the bill. Democratic Reps. Debra Kolste and JoCasta Zamarripa voted against it.

The full Assembly plans to vote on the measure next week. It would also have to pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Scott Walker before becoming law. The companion bill has yet to be introduced in the Senate.

Walker told reporters Wednesday he was “interested in the idea” and hoped it could complement changes at the federal level to speed up drug approval that President Donald Trump mentioned Tuesday in his speech to Congress.

“There’s a growing frustration the federal government isn’t moving quickly enough on things that could provide tremendous relief and maybe even save people’s lives,” Walker said.

The bill would require patients seeking the experimental drugs pending approval by the Food and Drug Administration to certify that they have a terminal illness, they’ve considered other options and have been recommended for treatment. It would also extend limited legal liability to doctors, pharmacists and others who participate.

One of the Medical Society’s biggest concerns is that patients will forego taking part in clinical trials to instead try experimental drugs, lobbyist Mark Grapentine said.

In an attempt to address the concern, the committee adopted an amendment requiring patients seeking experimental drugs to first be ineligible or unable to participate in a clinical trial within 100 miles of their homes, or to be determined unsuitable for any clinical trial by their doctor.

“We’re just saying when the other options have been exhausted, then let them move forward,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Wausau, in an interview.

But Grapentine said that doesn’t go far enough to address concerns the group has. Doctors are worried that sidestepping the FDA process for having access to new drugs and treatments doesn’t advance the best science for patients overall or individuals at a time when they are desperate for help, he said.

The Health Committee also amended the bill to require that doctors tell patients about the financial and health costs of potential experimental treatments. That will put doctors in a difficult position, given that they’re being asked to provide information about drugs that haven’t completed the FDA’s clinical trial process, Grapentine said.

Given the lack of data about how many patients are using experimental drugs in the 31 states that already have such laws, Grapentine said it’s also difficult to know whether it would even have much impact in Wisconsin.

“This all might be moot anyway because there may not be a lot of desire by individuals to put themselves through this,” he said.

The Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians is also opposed to the measure, while the conservative group Americans for Prosperity supports it. Trump, in his speech to Congress on Tuesday, advocated for speeding up what he called the “slow and burdensome approval process” at the FDA. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, is advocating for a federal law. And the state bill has bipartisan support, with 17 of 33 senators and 45 of 99 Assembly members co-sponsoring it.