The Sun 04.15.2020

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2020

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SPORTS: Larry Benitz retires. PAGE 8

Gas prices drop to near 20 year low

April 7 election goes forward Results delayed BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Wisconsin’s primary election took place as scheduled, despite a last minute attempt by Gov. Evers to delay voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Supreme Court overruled Evers’ decision the evening before voting was set to take place. Wisconsin is the only state in the country with an April election that did not postpone the vote or transition to bymail only voting. Results for the election were delayed, and were not released until after 4 p.m. on April 13. Polls were steady but not busy at local polling places throughout the day. The Osceola Discovery Center saw regular traffic, but not the kind of long lines that were being seen in other areas of the state. The demand for absentee ballots in the local area has skyrocketed as people try to avoid in-person contact, and that had an effect on voter turnout. “I’m sure this is a record for the Village of Osceola,” said village clerk Fran Duncanson.

Gas prices across the nation have plummeted in the last month due to a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, as well as the lack of demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic that has left residents stuck at home and unable to travel. The national average price for a gallon of gas on April 10 was $1.89, according to AAA. One year ago at this time the national average was $2.76 per gallon. The last time the national average dropped that low was 2004 when the average price of gas was $1.84 per gallon. Wisconsin currently boasts the lowest average price of gas in the nation at $1.35 per gallon, according to AAA.

C.L. SILL | THE SUN

Voters and poll workers at the Osceola Discovery Center protected themselves with masks and gloves during the April 7 election.

“From what I understand the most (absentee ballots) they had issued in the past was between 30 and 50 —We put out right around 500.” Osceola also implemented safety procedures for those who did show up to vote in-person. Yellow tape was placed on carpet six feet apart to ensure social distancing and

each voter was required to take a pair of surgical gloves provided by the village before heading to the voting kiosks. Poll workers took down voter information from behind plexiglass barriers and most in attendance also wore facemasks. “I thought about whether I would come in or not,” Vicki Nelson said after completing her bal-

lot. “But it’s important to get your vote in.” All of the safety procedures did add some stress to the situation, and voter Hannah Beeves said it was odd to see how much the pandemic can effect even small towns like Osceola. “It’s kind of surreal,” Beeves said. “And scary C.L. SILL | THE SUN

SEE ELECTION, PAGE 2

Gas prices in Wisconsin are at a nearly 20-year low.

The Spanish influenza outbreak of 1918 and how it parallels COVID-19 ‘The last pandemic’ BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

On Nov. 19, 1918, Joe Nagler left his home in East Farmington and headed northeast, traveled through Hayward and on to Cable. An easy two-hour drive today, the trip likely seemed a much bigger adventure in 1918. When Nagler reached Cable he turned straight east, and just outside of town reached the deer hunting camp that was his destination. Two days later he celebrated his 21st birthday. Nagler had lived in Farmington all his life. He was the eldest son of Adolph Nagler and had spent his time helping his father on their farm outside town. Adolph had lost his

wife to illness in 1917 and Joe’s little brother Frank was killed in the spring of 1918 after the car he was riding in was hit by a train. Tragedy seemed to follow the family, and would call again before it was satisfied. Sometime shortly after his birthday, Joe came down with influenza. The Spanish Influenza outbreak was raging across the world in the fall of 1918 and had already killed millions by the time Joe was infected. His flu quickly evolved into pneumonia and less than a week later on Thursday Nov. 26, 1918, Joe Nagler died at deer camp east of Cable. “The boy was well known and well liked by all,” read the Osceola Sun on Dec. 5, 1918. “The bereaved father has had more than his fair share of trouble the past year NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com

and a half. He has the sympathy of the entire community.” Small obituaries like this dotted the Sun’s front page regularly in the fall of 1918, as did public safety precautions and notices of canceled events. Together they warned the nation of an invisible enemy — and told the story of an epidemic not dissimilar from what the world faces today. “Although the present epidemic is called ‘Spanish influenza,’ there is no reason to believe it originated in Spain,” read an article in the Sun in October 1918. “Some writers who have studied that question believe the epidemic came from the Orient.” Scientists now know an H1N1 virus caused SEE FLU, PAGE 15

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A public service announcement in the October 24, 1918 edition of the Osceola Sun, warning residents about the spread of Spanish influenza.

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ELECTION: April 7 election goes forward FROM PAGE 1

too because you see the news applying to your local community.” The village had to scramble in the days and weeks leading up to the election, as staff had a limited amount of time to implement all of the safety procedures at the polls, and find volunteers willing to work them. “For us it really hit home in early March,” said village administrator Benjamin Krumenauer. “We knew it was going to be more work. When our government started saying there’s a problem, we knew we had to go into overdrive.” Many regular poll workers were unable to attend due to health concerns, so Krumenauer had to find and train new volunteers. Roger Allrich has been volunteering at the polls in Osceola for the last four or five years. He de-

cided to help out on Tuesday, despite some protest from family members. “Yesterday afternoon, my youngest daughter called and she wanted me to call in and not volunteer,” he said. “But I said, ‘I could get killed just crossing the street to

‘It’s civic pride and to have that feeling that we’re needed.’ Roger Allrich the mailbox.’” Allrich said all of the voters were very careful about social distancing and other safety precautions. He said he felt safe volunteering and that it’s just something that needs to be done. “It’s civic pride,” he said. “And to have that feeling that we’re needed.”

The safety procedures implemented by the village, as well as the mountain of extra absentee ballots they had to issue has come at a price. Duncanson said this election cost vastly more than it would’ve under normal circumstances. “The expense is considerable,” she said. “Each one of the (absentee ballots) costs close to a dollar apiece, and then we have to provide postage to the person and postage for the person to mail the ballot back.” In addition to the absentee ballots, the village also had to provide their own personal protective equipment and build the plexiglass barriers. “The state was able to procure and supply us free of charge with some cleaning supplies,” she said. “But we also had to buy a lot of additional supplies that we normally wouldn’t have bought.”

Osceola School referendum passes as delayed election results come in BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Unofficial results in Wisconsin’s April 7 primary election were finalized shortly after 10 p.m. April 13. The results were delayed nearly a week due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Referendum passes Both questions in the Osceola School District referendum passed, with yes votes outweighing no votes by nearly 1,000 in each case. Question one will ensure $1 million each year for two years to the district to be used for operational purposes. Around 42 percent of the funding per year will go to educational programming and curriculum, 46 percent would help fund staffing needs to maintain current class sizes and hire additional custodial staff. The remain-

ing $120,000 will be used in the transportation department to purchase one new bus and maintain the current fleet. Question two passes a $10 million loan for faculty needs at the high school, middle school and intermediate school. It will focus on improving safety, security and energy efficiency at each school.

finished first with 171 votes; followed by Darren Peterson with 160 votes; followed by Elina Kuusisto with 153 votes. The Osceola village trustee results are as follows. Deb Rose finished first with 492 votes; followed by Joel West with 323 votes; followed by Bruce Gilliland with 307 votes; followed by David Foster with 306 votes.

School board fills two vacancies The Osceola School Board elected two new members in the April 7 election. Lanette Johnson and write-in candidate Kysa Marten placed first and second, respectively, and will join the board. Kirk Rautio and Bernard Desmarais also ran.

District 9 Polk County supervisor Kim O’Connell will retain his seat in District 9.

Village trustee races The Dresser village trustee results are as follows. Jeff Gutzmer

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District 10 Polk County supervisor Amy Middleton won the district 10 Polk County Supervisor race, narrowly edging Tom Magnafici. The final vote tally was 482 votes for Middleton and 402 votes for Magnafici.

Biden routs Bernie as field narrows to one Former Vice President Joe Biden defeated Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Wisconsin democratic presidential primary, clearing his path to the party’s nomination. In Polk County Biden received 3,538 votes to Sanders 1,193. Sanders dropped out of the race on April 8, prior to unofficial results being tallied.

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& Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, all gatherings of 10 or more are being curtailed. If there is an event you were attending, please call to see if it is occurring. The Out & About page will return when this restriction is lifted, hopefully soon.

ST. CROIX VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

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he Senior Center is closed but we are keeping some folks busy remodeling and making some changes in the building. Thanks to Jim Baxter for building the front closets. Dale Gunderson, Ashley Chapman, and Jeff Appel donated their time to help finish up. They will be very useful and they look great! This was paid mostly from a donation by Vern and Martha Lundstrom family. Member Jim Hoverman took care of our walkway this winter, Arleen Wente has kept our center clean and decorated, Ray Nelson keeps our card days and evenings organized all year. We want you folks to know how much are appreciated. Let’s all give a Columnist you cheer and a round of applause if we are ever all together again. Ray also Pat Willits grows a garden big enough to share his wonderful produce with those who come on 500 card days and evenings. Thank you folks, we look forward to seeing everyone again soon. Long time member, Donna Lindh, passed away this past week; we send our condolence to the family and friends. We will continue to clean and make more improvements in our building while we are closed to the public. We are scheduling a board meeting, keeping the required distance and follow up with the phone this coming week. We hope to discuss and decide if we need a new furnace before winter returns. We will get some professional advice too. We still have our annual meeting scheduled for May, but keep watching the column as we will most likely move it up to June the way it looks now. At this time we welcome you to become a new or rejoined member for $12.00. With all the improvements being made you will really enjoy being part of the center. We welcome ideas for new events too. We will continue to rent the center out for private events too. Stay well and do as they recommend to stay safe from the new virus. Hope to see folks again soon. We are located downtown St. Croix Falls at 140 N. Washington. Phone: 715-483-1901.

ARNELL MEMORIAL HUMANE SOCIETY This spring of 2020 calls for social distancing from our human friends. Not so from our furry friends. And though we should continue to practice social distancing at dog parks, they are a great way to provide off-leash fun and exercise for your dog. For the gregarious dog, there’s nothing better than playing with canine friends. Some dogs aren’t as comfortable in the dog park arena and it is definitely a new experience for humans. With a few resources in your pocket, the Dog Park can be great fun. Casey McGee at Upward Hound Dog Training has compiled a great resource on her professional website, that will give you a few tips of Dog Park etiquette and help you understand the body language of Dog Play – Are they having fun? A successful day at the Dog Park starts at home. Bring poop bags, water and yummy snacks for a diversion or reward for your dog. Leave at home: infants and toddlers, female dogs in heat, alcohol and food and puppies under six months. (Enroll your young pup in a Puppy Socialization class to prepare them for play that can be intimidating at the dog SEE ARNELL, PAGE 16

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Delivery of census questionnaires begins in Wisconsin Paper forms sent to households to remind them to respond About 64 million households across the nation are receiving a paper questionnaire in the coming days as the U.S. Census Bureau continues to ensure responding to the census is easier than ever. In Wisconsin, 53.4 percent of households have responded already to the 2020 Census, which can be compared with the 46.2% that have responded nationwide. The remaining households will receive a paper questionnaire starting April 8. “If you’re among the nearly half of all the nation’s households that have responded already, thank you!� said Census Bureau Director Dr. Steven Dillingham. “It has never been easier to respond on your own, whether online at 2020census.gov, over the phone, or by mail — all without having to meet a census taker. It’s something everyone can do while practicing social distancing at home to make a difference today, tomorrow and

able in 59 languages. When you respond online, use the Census ID from the letter or provide your address. “Once you have responded, please encourage your family, friends and loved ones to complete the census too,� Dillingham said. The public should respond for the number of people living at that address as of April 1. Responding now to the 2020 Census will minimize the need for a census taker to follow up and visit your home in person later this year. The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. Responding to the 2020 Census is easy, safe and important, and it’s key to shaping the future of communities. Census statistics are used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and informs how hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds are allocated by state, local and federal lawmakers for public services and infrastructure like hospitals, emergency response, schools and bridges over the next 10 years.

Sign up now for Conservation Stewardship program The 2020 sign-up period for farmers interested in enrolling in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has begun. CSP is the nation’s largest working lands conservation program. Administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), it provides technical and financial assistance for farmers and ranchers looking

to implement enhanced conservation practices on their operations. With a wide variety of conservation practices to choose from, including cover crops, resource-conserving crop rotation, grazing management, and conservation buffers, producers can work with their local technicians to build a contract that works best for them. CSP contracts are five years in length.

“The Conservation Stewardship Program offers a valuable opportunity for farmers and ranchers to increase conservation on their operations,� said Anna Johnson, policy manager for the Center for Rural Affairs. “The conservation practices it supports, such as cover crops, crop rotations, advanced grazing practices, and a host of others, are the bedrock of land stewardship for family

farms and ranches.� Application deadlines vary by state. Check with your local NRCS office, (715) 485-3138, to confirm your deadline. Farmers interested in applying should call, not visit, their local NRCS office, (715) 485-3138. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA service centers are taking precautions by conducting business by phone or online only until further notice.

Learn secrets of foraging for spring edibles Learn to identify, harvest and prepare wild morel mushrooms and more in Spring Edibles, offered by UW-Eau Claire—Barron County Continuing Education online via live stream on April 27 and 28 from 6-9 p.m. Students will learn to identify all forms of true and false morels, as well as how to prepare them for the table. Also discussed will be oyster mushrooms and pheas-

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the next 10 years.� While nearly half of all households have responded online to the 2020 Census, some may prefer to receive a paper questionnaire. About 22% of the country received a paper form at the beginning of the census. Some areas where census takers were originally going to hand deliver forms in person will now receive a letter in the mail from the Census Bureau reminding them to participate, including many households in Puerto Rico. Even if households don’t receive a letter in the mail, the Census Bureau will drop off a census invitation and paper form as soon as it is safe to do so. Census takers will also follow up with all households that do not respond on their own. Households receiving the paper questionnaire can still respond online or by phone, or they can return it by mail in the enclosed envelope. They can choose to respond online at 2020census.gov in English or 12 other languages, or receive assistance through language guides and videos avail-

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ants back mushrooms along with several edible spring plants. Emphasis will be put on safety and ethical harvest. Students will be able to ask questions throughout the presentation. Instructor Tavis Lynch of Cumberland is a 30+ year veteran of wild mushroom foraging in northern Wisconsin and is a certified expert by the MN Dept. of Agriculture.

Participants will need access to a computer or tablet and a reliable internet connection. Anyone interested in testing the live stream environment before enrolling can email ritzinbj@uwec for an invitation to a trial session. Cost for the 2-evening There is a fee and preregistration is required. Register online uwec.ly/barronce or call 715-836-3636.

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Pandemic picks

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y several indications, it appears social distancing is helping to flatten the curve with the coronavirus. We should all be happy about this, but being socially distant to many may seem like the cure is worse than the disease, which is, of course, totally wrong. But as we near the first month of many staying at home, it is time to have some talks about how we will be spending the duration. I imagine during the first 30 days cleaning and organization, two necessary but unpopular tasks, were accomplished. Folks with children at home adjusted to new careers as teachers. Publisher Couch potatoes spent a lot of time binging shows and playing video Tom Stangl games. With libraries closed, finding new books to read is a bit more of a challenge, but not impossible. I was thinking about several pandemic themed novels and movies I have enjoyed over the years and thought it might make an enjoyable column. I’m a science fiction fan, have been one for many, many years, so a pandemic is a popular topic. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, here are some recommendations for pandemic entertainment. Author Richard Matheson wrote a novel about the last man on earth in 1954. “I Am Legend” follows Robert Neville, the last human on earth. A pandemic causes the rest of the planet to die and return as vampires. The novel has been adapted to movies three times with Vincent Price, Charlton Heston and Will Smith playing Neville. Two of the adaptations had the same name as the novel, Heston’s was called “The Omega Man.” I’m partial to Chuck Heston as the guy to get us through the vampire apocalypse. As a teenager, the scenes of Heston tearing around a deserted downtown Los Angeles at 60 miles per hour spoke to me, even though I was years away from driving. Heston was the guy who bested the apes in “Planet of the Apes” so it made sense to me that he was the person to emulate during the vampire apocalypse. I believe all three versions are available to stream online. When I was considering this column, I thought I would keep with a vampire apocalypse. Vampires are terrifying, but not real. So, I would recommend the excellent trilogy by author Justin Cronin on the topic. “The Passage,” “The Twelve” and “The City of Mirrors” are long and character driven, taking place in multiple timelines. A virus being tested to enhance healing on the military goes terribly wrong, unleashing a strain of vampires on the nation. Amy, a young girl, survives the virus, frozen in time at 15 years old. Immortality was one of the desired effects of the virus. She appears nearly a century later at one of the outposts of humanity. Amy works with the survivors to destroy the original 12 vampires after they discover the vampires created by the 12 die when the vampire who created them is destroyed. The novels are well written and compelling. There was a television series developed a year or so ago, but it couldn’t capture the magic of the books. In my opinion, there are few adaptations of books that can recreate novels better than my imagination. There are other movies and novels dealing with pandemics. I find the more outrageous ones entertaining, because the others are just plain scary. Here’s to passing some time safely defeating a pandemic from the comfort of your home. 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. Thanks for reading I’ll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.

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Around the bend

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f your idea of trout fishing is striking off to some beautiful backcountry stream, complete with flowers and butterflies, to forget all about life’s difficulties and cast dry flies to over-eager rainbows, steer clear of the Brule River. I’ve romanticized the Brule since I was a young boy and carried a copy of Gordon MacEditor Quarrie’s ‘Stories of the Old Duck C.L. Sill Hunters’ everywhere I went. He made it seem so easy and wrote wonderful tales of landing massive lake run browns and rainbows on the shores of the lower Brule. I’ve found it slightly more difficult. Every time I’m there part of me wonders why I keep coming back. But every spring I find myself on the banks of the Brule with the same kind of sheepish optimism the river beat out of me a year before. It’s an unforgiving place filled with icy cold water and steelhead that are more indecisive than my

fiancé dress shopping at Target. Dan and I had been planning our yearly self-masochistic pilgrimage to the Brule since January, but had considered canceling the trip for fear of breaking the shelterin-place rules currently in effect. We discussed it at length and decided to sneak up to the river for two days, taking care to keep our distance from other fisherman and not stop at any gas stations or stores along the way. We put in at County Road FF on Saturday morning. I had flashbacks to a grueling, weeklong trip we took last year as I noticed the river was still running a chocolaty brown color that made it impossible to see the top of your wading boots in six inches of water. In for a penny, in for a pound though, and we fished until dark on Saturday with not so much as a bump. As we drove from put-in to put-in, I remembered why I keep coming back. The history of this river and those who have come before me sets the Brule on hallowed ground. There’s a grand mystery in the sea of birch trees that shield the river on either side and you can’t help but wonder if a small shiver went

up MacQuarrie’s spine every time he laid eyes on them. As we drove, I felt my mind wander away from fishing entirely. All I could think about was coming back in the fall to stomp the aspen thickets in search of grouse, or maybe even a deer. Later on, a pair of wood ducks buzzed me as I changed flies and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I mused about sitting in a stand of musty cattails listening to wingbeats on a duck opener that was still an excruciating four months away. I felt guilty for not focusing more on the river and the task at hand. I’ve gone through a lot of phases in my life and fly-fishing has remained a constant passion for almost as long as I can remember, but I suddenly realized I’d fallen slightly out of love with it. Trout fishing has become a placeholder, something to do when I can’t do the things I truly love. The idea that anything could be more important to me than fly-fishing stuck in my throat and I stood in the river wondering how that SEE SILL, PAGE 14

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YEARS AGO

TO THE EDITOR Wisconsin election

The Wisconsin Supreme court delivered a body blow to Democracy last week when it refused to postpone the April 7th election. Despite the State’s stay-at-home order and the known risk of gathering due to covid-19, voters were expected to put themselves at risk (and in turn, their families and their communities) to vote. Across the state, polling locations were closed and tens of thousands were disenfranchised of their constitutional right to vote. The Wisconsin Supreme Court made their decision to not postpone the election (unsurprisingly) along party lines with 4 Conservative justices (Republican) voting to continue the election with 2 Liberal justices (Democrat) opposing. Make a connection here: the way things are now are not the way they used to be Prior to June 27, 2002, Judges ran for election by communicating their reputation, judicial temper-

ament and fitness to serve; they were prohibited from running with an announced political affiliation or explaining their positions on judicial rulings or controversies in order that impartiality would be preserved. These elections tended to be somewhat sleepy and not well-funded; the winners were usually thought to have the best judicial reputation. However, all that changed when Justice Scalia delivered the decision of the US Supreme Court in Republican Party of Minnesota v White in June 2002, ruling that Greg Wersal, a Republican running for State Supreme Justice in Minnesota could not be prohibited from announcing his political affiliations based on his 1st amendment rights; furthermore, the Court ruled that prohibiting political speech for Judicial candidates did not protect judicial impartiality. The decision was 5-4 (sound familiar?), with Justice Sandra O’Connor providing the 5th vote. After her retirement, Justice O’Connor said this was the worst

judicial decision she had ever made and she repeatedly spoke out against the dangers of politics influence on the Judiciary. After the Republican Party of Minnesota ruling, spending in Wisconsin for Supreme Court Justices has skyrocketed, with a Republican majority in place since 2002. I am writing this opinion prior to any announced results, but with major issues soon to be before the Court including removing 200,000 citizens from the voting roles and re-districting after the 2020 census (with a certain challenge based on gerrymandering), the April 7th election for Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court may be determinative. Not surprised, but disappointed. Finally, did you hear? – the Justices issued their decision electronically, deeming it too dangerous to leave Quarantine.

I was prepared to believe it was annual as I don’t generally think of Dane as being big on exercise. But I’m glad to hear he’s taking care of himself. I think that’s what we all need to do, as best as we can. I’m in a clump of three these days—it’s just me, my husband Peter, and my anxiety. It wouldn’t be crowded with just Peter and me but it’s true what they say—three’s a crowd. I get free-floating anxiety and these times seem to promote it. Peter is amazingly patient with me, although he gets anxious when I get anxious and the atmosphere starts to get a little electric in the house. That’s usually when I go for a walk. A walk helps. But peppermint ice cream is what really works wonders. My consumption of peppermint ice cream has shot through the roof. In the past, Peter has accused me of being an ice cream snob. I scrutinize the ingredient list. I try to buy ice cream with fewer thickeners and additives and more natural ingredients. But none of this matters if it’s peppermint ice cream. There are no rules for peppermint ice cream. Everyone knows that. I don’t even read the ingredient list because, what do I care? It’s peppermint ice cream! It’s bright pink and has little pieces of peppermint candy right in it! No matter how bad the news of the day

might be, a little peppermint ice cream is certain to make things better. No matter how anxious I might get, I can always eat peppermint ice cream. Two days ago, we went to the grocery store. We are trying to minimize our trips and hoped to buy enough to get us through three weeks. We donned our masks, packed our hand sanitizer, and went together—I bought all the produce and Peter bought dairy and dry goods and we reconvened in the parking lot, feeling like we had just completed a major expedition. Back at home, I was rinsing off the huge supply of fruit and vegetables while Peter unloaded his bags. That’s when I noticed. “You only bought one carton of peppermint ice cream?� “Well, yeah, but we have one in the freezer.� “That one is almost gone.� “Oh. How much peppermint ice cream to do you think you’ll need?� Peter asked me. This was a difficult question to answer. How much peppermint ice cream will I need? I’m hoping not too much more. Till next time, Carrie Carrie Classon’s memoir is called, “Blue Yarn.� Learn more at CarrieClasson.com.

John Gearin Esq. Star Prairie

THE POSTSCRIPT Peppermint ice cream “I love seeing all the people in the park,� my sister told me on the phone the other night. “I can tell who is together because they are walking in little clumps!� love that idea: little satellites orbiting the park—usually with a dog—keeping a safe distance from the other orbiting clumps nearby. My sister is in a clump consisting of herself, her husband, their two children, a dog and a cat. (I’m not sure if the cat considers himself part of the clump Columnist or not). The kids are doing their Carrie Classon homework in record time, sports are discontinued but music lessons continue. They are playing a lot of ping-pong and canasta. My cousin, Dane, is in a clump of one so I was kind of worried about him and called him up. He seemed to be doing okay, all things considered. He’s laid off but getting a lot of house projects done. I caught him when he was out walking. “I’m on my annual walk,� he told me. “Annual?� “No, I meant daily. I’ve been walking every day.�

I

10 years ago April 14, 20210 • Dana Frey has been named the new Polk County Administrator. • A campaign is underway to rename the Amery to Dresser Trail to the Stower Seven Lakes Trail. • Anita Albrecht Buck, author of “Steamboats on the St. Croix,â€? gave a presentation to the Osceola Historical Society. • Thousands of residents and commercial communications customers in northwest Wisconsin went dark for almost three hours after a CenturyLink ďŹ ber optic cable was accidentally cut near Chetek. • Osceola High School baseball defeated conference foes, New Richmond, 2-0, and St. Croix Central, 12-5. • Osceola Middle School eighth grader Maddie Smith was recently awarded ďŹ rst prize in her age group for an essay contest sponsored by the Autism Society of Wisconsin. • Jessica Martell and Tyler Pauley were named Osceola High School’s recipients of the Middle Border Conference Scholar Athlete award. 20 years ago April 12, 2000 • Osceola School District cleared the ďŹ rst hurdle in an attempt to construct a new intermediate school and bus garage when a referendum passed, 396 to 233, to purchase land. • Osceola Middle School Students of the Month included Jamie Francis, Mark Steffen, Tina Schmidt, John Schmidt, Daniel Gjerning, Dale Dybvig, Kyle Jones and Megan Annis. • Dave Danielson was sworn in as the new municipal judge in St. Croix Falls. • Members of the Osceola High School band that will be participating in the State Solo and Ensemble contest were Keri Leisch, Kysa Peterson, Joanna Demulling, Shelby Peterson, Melissa Traiser, Leah Hinz and Annie Swerkstrom. Choir members were Steph Fenton, Scott Bader, Ellie Hurd, Kristy Lear, Tasha Leis, Darcie Raska, Shane Meyer, Debbie Paulson, Tim Thiel, Bianca Brown, Jenny Wolter, Mike Beck, Katie Johnson, Dana Collova, Becca Loescher, Neil Kaul, Shel-

by Peterson, Leah Hinz, Jon Beckmann, Todd Schulte, Ben Brandt, Duane Wolter, Nate Rugroden, Nick Kunz and Scott Moore.

30 years ago April 11, 1990 • The Osceola Middle School Classics‌The Seven Wonders team of James Beckmann, Mike Blair, Nathan Demulling, Rebecca Dunham, Amelia Erwin, Megan Hartman and Amanda Randall, will compete at the State Odyssey of the Mind competition at University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, April 21. • Osceola High School French students, Renee Plante, Tarah Colaizy and Nicole Colaizy, spent 15 days in France on an educational tour. • Don Nelson retired after 20 years as an employee of the Osceola Post Office. • Osceola School District planned to hire Mike McMartin as a sixth grade teacher. He would also become the new varsity football coach. • Airman Timothy J. Larson has graduated from Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. • Osceola High School FBLA member Kathy Diel received the Who’s Who Award at the state conference.

50 years ago April 16, 1970 • The school board and the Osceola Teachers’ Education Association has agreed upon a teacher salary schedule for the 1970-71 school year. The salary will be a minimum of $6,900 to a maximum of $10,212. • Mark Pettis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lute Pettis, arrived home last Friday from San Diego, Calif., where he received a medical discharge from the Navy. • Bruce Christensen has been named to the Dean’s List at River Falls State University. • Mary Olson, Cyndi Chew, Debbie Anderson, Dennis Neumann, Douglas Schmidt, Judy Elmblad and Gerald Holen will travel to Madison where they will participate in the State Forensics contest, April 18. • The Osceola junior and senior bands won ďŹ rst ratings while the choirs won second at the annual Music Festival on April 11.

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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

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin 709 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 • (202) 224-5653 • (715) 832-8424 www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact

Governor Tony Evers 115 East, State Capitol Bldg. Mailing address: P.O. Box 7863, Madison, WI 53707 • (608) 266-1212 EversInfo@wisconsin.gov • www.evers.wis.gov

Rep. Gae Magnafici 28th Assembly District P.O. Box 8952 • Madison, WI 53708 (608) 267-2365 or 1-888-534-0028 • Fax (608) 282-3628 Rep.Magnafici@legis.wisconsin.gov

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6

THE SUN

APRIL 15, 2020 www.osceolasun.com

Former Osceola student awarded Watson Fellowship

INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS Kindness During Covid GiveBIG coming April 28

BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

BY KAREN KRUPA, PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Former Osceola student Mackenzie Gearin has been awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship through her studies at Hendrix College in Arkansas. The Watson Fellowship is partnered with 41 colleges and universities across the country and gives students the opportunity to pursue their deepest interests and passions while living outside the United States for one year following graduation. Each student must be nominated by his or her college or university to even be considered for the fellowship. There are no classes or formal instruction of any kind and those nominated must develop their own projects and pitch them to the foundation in hopes of being selected. The project seems almost too open-ended — but it’s perfectly suited to someone who created her own college major. Gearin grew up in Star Prairie, Wisc. and graduated from Osceola High School in 2016. She choose the private liberal arts school in Conway, Ark. to continue her education, where she majored in interdisciplinary studies. Interdisciplinary studies allows a student to design his or her own path through college coursework, rather than choosing an existing major and simply taking what’s required through that program. Gearin focused her path on social economics, which consisted of anthropology, economics and history for the most part, with a math minor thrown in on the side. She’s developed a particular interest in human migration and development and after being nominated for the fellowship by Hendrix College she decided to focus her pitch on that topic. The application process for the fellowship was grueling. Gearin was

I’d like you to meet Ethel. She has COPD and relies on her oxygen tank every day, all-day-long. For her, catching Covid-19 could be fatal. For extra precaution, Ethel decided to order groceries and pay online. Next, she called Interfaith Caregivers and asked if we could help with delivery. One of our volunteers picked up her order and delivered it to her home. From a safe distance, Ethel said, “Thank you so much! Now I don’t have to worry for a while!� Your neighbors need you now more than ever! Here at Interfaith Caregivers, we are working hard to help seniors and disabled adults stay safe and healthy in their homes. Due to the Covid-19 virus, we are encouraging vulnerable adults to stay-safer-at-home. But our neighbors still need priority rides. They still need groceries and essential supplies delivered. Many live alone and would appreciate friendly phone calls! Interfaith Caregivers of Polk County and our volunteers are here to help provide essential rides, deliveries, and errands. If the person is healthy, we will arrange for a driver to get them to their medical appointment. If the client need groceries from the local market or food shelf, we will arrange deliveries to their door step. We will provide errands and shopping for essentials at local businesses. Volunteers will also call to visit and check-up on clients’ needs. We need your help now to continue providing these priority services for neighbors. But we are counting BIG on your kindness and generosity to give now in April. “This year we have our biggest, ever giveBIG challenge match of $20,000! Please give now to make a BIG impact for those living in Polk County,� explains Karen Krupa, Director of Interfaith Caregivers. “Your gift will be doubled to help more people during Covid-19. Please they need your help now!� When you give to Interfaith Caregivers now through April 28 your donation will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000. “Your donations make it possible match volunteers to meet the needs of seniors (age 60 and over), adults with disabilities, and their family caregivers.� Krupa continues. GiveBIG St Croix Valley is a 24-hour giving day encouraging your financial support for local non-profits. Donors are encouraged to support one or more of the non-profits that serve Polk, Peirce and St. Croix Counties. See a complete list of the SEE DONATE, PAGE 9

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among four students at Hendrix College who were nominated for the fellowship and that alone took multiple interviews, including in front of a panel of eight professors. Once she was nominated, she had to be interviewed by the foundation and design the specifics of her project. The panel that had originally nominated Gearin assisted in this process, which stretched out over the course of her senior year. “It felt really hard to have eight people telling me what they thought about my application,� she said. “Especially something I cared so much about.� After months of preparation Gearin was accepted into the fellowship, becoming just one of 47 students to be selected in 2020. “It’s all about professional and personal discovery,� she said. “And figuring out where you fit in with something you really care about.� Now that her plan has become a reality, Gearin will travel to Columbia, Kenya, Uganda, India and Sri Lanka over the course of one year to immerse herself in those communities and learn how displaced peoples across the world are able to handle living and resettling after conflict. “It’s about community based peace building projects,� she said. “From people who are displaced due to intercommunity conflicts.� Each of the countries Gearin will visit has a long history of conflict. Columbia has been

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‘It’s all about professional and personal discovery and ďŹ guring out where you ďŹ t in with something you really care about.’ Mackenzie Gearin arrives in each country. This is not a ‘college kid backpacks through Europe to find themself’ journey. Gearin is headed to legitimately dangerous places to try to help those who need it most. The risk isn’t lost on her. “It’s scary to think about doing this.â€? She said. “But also I did a lot of work to make sure that I would feel like I could do it.â€? Gearin wrote hundreds of emails to organizations in each of these countries, hoping to find safe places to stay and work during her trip. She said this gives her the confidence she needs to take the leap. “I have several solid female contacts in all of the places I want to go,â€? she said. “That was really important to me. Those women are all natives of those places and I feel like I can trust them to help me be safe. I feel like there is a kind of solidarity there.â€? Even with a solid support group in each country, Gearin is likely

to witness injustices that are seldom if ever seen in this country. She and the foundation both think about how the hardships taking place in these countries may affect her over the course of her trip. “I’ve thought a lot about that,� she said. “Some other projects are focused on things that are really joyful, and on the surface this project seems like it’s just looking for injustice. But my project does focus on people who are making a difference in those situations and that’s the most important thing we can be doing right now.� She said she’s not worried about becoming calloused or discouraged by what she may see during the project. “It’s such a hopeful project and I’m working with people who are hopeful,� she said. “People who have seen the worst of the worst and are still working together.� The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown even more uncertainty into Gearin’s plans in the last several months. All Watson fellows are required to leave on their journeys by August 1, but that deadline may be pushed back this year. “The fellowship is talking about delaying the start or deferring it for a year,� she said. Gearin said ultimately, the foundation has left the decision of when to start up to each individual fellow. “They said when you think it’s good for you to start, you can start,� she said. “So personally it feels hard for me to decide when to go.� Regardless of when Gearin leaves on her trip, she knows what an incredible opportunity she’s been given. “I think it’s really unique how independently liberating it is,� she said. “There’s no agenda from the organization other than to support this intense exploration of the world and yourself in whatever way you most want to do that.�

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struggling with civil war for decades and Kenya shares a border with Somalia, which has been a hotbed of violence and famine since the 1990s. Gearin said in all of these places, it’s small community organizations who’re working the hardest to help people. “It’s mostly the local community who’s doing the nitty-gritty work of actually rebuilding homes that were destroyed,� she said. These are the kind of organizations Gearin will fall in with when she

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941 State Road 35 Osceola, WI 54020 715-294-3111

201 North Adams St. Croix Falls, WI 54024 651-483-3141

APRIL 15, 2020

THE SUN

7

www.osceolasun.com

WEEKLY MEDITATION

OBITUARIES

Avoid disaster BY DAVE ROSENOW TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Jonah 3:10 - “When God saw their actions, that they had turned from their evil way, God relented from the disaster which he said he would bring on them, and he did not carry it out.” It’s terrifying to face the threat of disaster and death from the almighty, holy, one true God. The Bible states, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” The people of Nineveh faced this. They believed God was serious about His threat against them. They grasped the fact that they had fallen under the judgment of God because of their sinfulness. Even with their great military prowess, they could not defend

themselves against God. So they turned to Him and sought His mercy to be spared from destruction. And what good news we read next! “God relented from the disaster which he said he would bring on them, and he did not carry it out.” The heart of God overflows with compassion toward people. “As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their way and live.” Mindful of our sinfulness, we confess that we have failed to live according to God’s holy will. For this reason we deserve death and disaster for our offenses against God. We acknowledge that we have no ability on our own to free ourselves from God’s just punishment. Our only hope is that He would have mercy on us.

The good news is that He does! “By the mercies of the Lord we are not consumed, for his compassions do not fail.” In mercy and compassion for us, God laid the guilt of our sin on His Son, Jesus, and punished Him in our place. He set us free from eternal death and destruction in hell. Through Jesus we have peace with God. His favor rests on us, and by faith in our Savior we live in the joy of the salvation that He accomplished for us. The LORD is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, because we trust in His holy name. May His unfailing love continue to rest on us, as we put all of our hope in Him. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”

Interfaith Caregivers of Polk County Covid-19 update Provided by Karen Krupa, Program Director

Our nonprofit is continuing to provide essential services for our county’s seniors and adults with disabilities. Interfaith Caregivers’ main priority will be to protect the health and safety of our county’s vulnerable population. We coordinate local volunteers to help them by providing essential services at no cost. While our Milltown offices are closed to the public, our staff is working hard. Call us at 715-825-9500. At this time, Interfaith will not be providing inhome client services. Our focus during

Covid-19 will be on: • High-priority rides • Grocery and food shelf deliveries • Errands for essential items from local businesses • Friendly phone calls Interfaith will continue to coordinate high-priority rides for healthy clients, like medical and banking. We ask that low-priority rides be rescheduled. Clients are asked to sit in the back seat away from the volunteer driver to provide some social distance. For errands and deliveries, we are asking clients to call ahead to local businesses or order online. Make payment arrangements ahead of time, so a volunteer can

pick up items and deliver them to your doorstep; or make a list so a volunteer can do the shopping and then deliver the order. Friendly phone calls will also be coordinated for seniors and disabled adults who may be worried about being alone during Wisconsin’s safer-at-home directive. Our volunteer and staff callers will also inquire if they need any essentials. The potential demand for our services in the next several weeks is uncertain and we need your help. Interfaith is working to recruit more volunteers that can help with the potential increase in the number of clients. While our

current volunteers are willing to help, many of them are also seniors who may need, or choose, to stay home over the next few weeks. If you, or someone you know, can help by becoming a volunteer, please go to our website at www. interfaithpolk.org to find a short volunteer application. Background checks are required. You can also reach our office by email at info@ interfaithpolk.org or by phone, Monday through Friday 9 am to 4 pm at (715) 825-9500. We are asking all of you to thoughtfully reflect on how you can support the people in our commu-

CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH 150 Fifth Street Marine on St. Croix, Minn. Pastor Joel Martin 651-433-3222 ———————— 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 ————————

FRIDAY and SUNDAY KJV Bible Study/Fellowship ———————— GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH Nye Area/Wisconsin Synod 2098 70th Avenue Pastor Nile Merseth ———————— HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH Meeting at Zion Lutheran Church 28005 Old Towne Road Chisago Lakes, Minn. 651-260-5100 www.holyx.net Fr. Bill Neumann, pastor ———————— HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH 523 First Street, Clayton 715-948-2203 Father Christopher Wojcik ———————— HOPE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH 933 248th Street, one mile north of Osceola on Highway 35 Pastor Nate Roschen 715-294-2112 • www.hefc.org ———————— JOURNEY CHURCH 131 Broadway, Amery www.journeychurch.city office@journeychurch.city 715-268-2223 ———————— 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 ———————— NEW WINE COMMUNITY CHURCH

309 5th Street, Centuria Pastor Scott Petznick (715) 338-8912 ———————— OSCEOLA COMMUNITY CHURCH 2492 Education Drive, Osceola Larry Mederich www.osceolacommunitychurch.org ———————— OSCEOLA MEDICAL CENTER SPIRITUAL CARE 2600 65th Avenue, Osceola https: myomc.org/wellness/ spiritual-care 715-294-2111 Chapel open daily for meditation. ———————— OSCEOLA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 306 River Street, Osceola P.O. Box 447 Pastor Jack Starr 715-755-2275 osceolaunitedmethodistchurch@gmail.com ———————— PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA), 2355 Clark Rd., Dresser 715-755-2515• plcdresser.org Pastor Melissa Carmack Find us on Facebook! peace@centurytel.net ———————— PRAIRIEVIEW COVENANT CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND 1396 210th Ave. 2 miles north of New Richmond on Hwy. 65 Pastor Rudy King 715-248-0600 ———————— REDEEMER EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH Wisconsin Synod Corner of Adams & Louisiana

SEE INTERFAITH, PAGE 10

Monica L. Cloutier Monica L. Cloutier died peacefully April 5, 2020, surrounded by family. She was 72. Monica was a graduate o of New Richmond High S School and University of W Wisconsin – River Falls. She was preceded in d death by her parents, J John and Dorothy (Carrroll) Cloutier. She is survived by her h husband of 30 years, J Jerry Walker; three sstep-children, Tim (Sue) W Walker, Jennifer (Warrren) Eck, and Brian ((Dawnielle) Walker; five step-grandchildren; three sisters, Carroll Williams, Rosemary Meath, and Yvonne (Mike) Jarmuz; four brothers, John (Betty), Bernard (Pat), Chuck (Cheryl) and Allan; sisters-in-law Pat (Chuck) Ernst and Elaine Walker: many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She will be missed by her beloved Golden Retriever, Holly. Memorials preferred to Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s Assoc. or RAGOM in Monica’s name. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at the Grandstrand Funeral Home in Osceola. www. grandstrandfh.com.

BIRTHS OSCEOLA MEDICAL CENTER Osceola, Wisconsin April 1, 2020: A boy, Nash Jameson Berglund, weighing 6 pounds 13.3 ounces, to Tani Engstrand and Mark Berglund, Turtle Lake. April 4, 2020: A boy, Demian John Stimson, weighing 7 pounds 2.34 ounces, to Heidi and Zachary Stimson, Lindstrom, Minn. AMERY HOSPITAL AND CLINIC Amery, Wisconsin March 4, 2020: A boy, Noah Jonathan Thomp-

son, weighing 8 pounds 13 ounces, to Schantee Schramski and Blake Thompson, Amery. March 7, 2020: A girl, Elise Lynn Blair, weighing 7 pounds 1 ounce, to Faith and Jacob Blair, Clayton. March 11, 2020: A boy, Gage Thomas Ramsey, weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces, to Jocelyn and Levi Ramsey, Clear Lake. March 12, 2020: A boy, Lincoln Douglas Laursen, weighing 7 pounds 8 ounces, to Genesis and Ethan Lauren, Clear Lake.

CHURCH LISTINGS Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, all gatherings of 10 or more are being curtailed. Please call to see if church services are being held in some capacity. ALLIANCE CHURCH OF THE VALLEY 1259 Hwy. 35 South, St. Croix Falls 715-483-1100 www.stcroixalliance.com Lead Pastor Jeff Naegelen Co-Lead Pastor Chris Folkestad ———————— ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH East Farmington Rev. Joseph Madanu ———————— BETHANY LUTHERAN Star Prairie Pastor Dan Pennington (715) 248-3730 blcsp@frontiernet.net ———————— BETHESDA LUTHERAN LCMC 1947 110th Ave. Dresser Sand Lake 715-755-2562 www.bethesdalutheran.ws Pastor Peter Rimmereid Associate Pastor Scott Adkins ———————— CEDARBEND CHURCH P.O. BOX 414, Osceola Matt Hayton connect@cedarbendchurch.com SUNDAY: Worship, 10:30 a.m. at Osceola High School Auditorium.

EUREKA BAPTIST CHURCH 2393 210th Ave., St. Croix Falls Pastor Seth Brickley 715-483-9464 ———————— FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 661A West Street Taylors Falls, MN 55084 651-465-6792 www.firstbaptisttaylorsfalls.com Dr. Kevin Schumann, Pastor ———————— FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 561 Chestnut St. Taylors Falls, Minn. ———————— FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 719 Nevada St. St. Croix Falls Reverend David Maghakian 715-483-3550 (office) ———————— GRACE CHURCH – OSCEOLA Pastor Mark Barlow 722 Seminole Ave. Osceola 715-417-0752 ———————— GRACE BEREAN FELLOWSHIP 421 4th Street, Centuria Duane Gallentine, Pastor 715-755-2523

St. Croix Falls Rev. Timothy Blauert 715-483-3401 ———————— RIVER VALLEY CHRISTIAN CHURCH LIGHTHOUSE 1289 160th Street St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin 715-483-5378 Pastor Jonah Fetzer ———————— ST. ANNE PARISH 139 Church Hill Road Somerset, WI 54025 715-247-3310 Rev. Joseph Madanu ———————— 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 ———————— ST. CROIX UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP 201 N. Adams, St. Croix Falls www.scuuf.org Rev. Kelli Clement ———————— ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC CHURCH Franconia, MN 651-465-7345 www.stfrancisfranconia.org Fr. John Drees ———————— ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC Osceola Rev. Joseph Madanu 715-294-2243

———————— ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC 490 Bench Street Taylors Falls, Minnesota 651-465-7345 www.stjosephtaylorsfalls.org Fr. John Drees ———————— SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD 140 Madison Street St. Croix Falls Pastor Mark Schoen 715-483-1186 ———————— TRINITY EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH (WELS) 300 Seminole Ave., (Ct H M) Osceola 715-294-2828 • www.trinityosceola.com Pastor David Rosenow (920-645-7526) ———————— TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH OF GARFIELD 1578 85th Ave., Amery Pastor Lori Peper 715-268-9577 ———————— WEST IMMANUEL LUTHERAN (ELCA), 447 180th St., Osceola www.westimmanuel.org Interim Pastor Matt Saarem SUNDAY: ———————— WORD OF LIFE FELLOWSHIP Cliff Bjork, (651) 465-7373 366 Bench St., Taylors Falls, Minn. ———————— ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH (Wisconsin Synod) East Farmington Pastor William Brassow (715) 294-3489

These Church listings are sponsored by the following concerned and responsible businesses and industries. They deserve your continued support and patronage! 108 Cascade Osceola www osceolasun com www.osceolasun.com

715-294-2314

304 Cascade St • Osceola, WI

715.294.2183 MidWestOne.com

GRANDSTRAND FUNERAL HOME Osceola 294-3111

Osceola, WI 294-2158

AND OUTDOORS

8

THE SUN

APRIL 15, 2020 www.osceolasun.com

Benitz leaves 40 years of influence with Osceola schools BY RON JASPERSON SPORTS WRITER

Larry Benitz grew up in Boyceville, Wisc. He quickly grew to love his hometown and sports were a full time attraction to him. After graduating from high school Benitz enrolled at the Univeristy of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and became a Blugold. After his college graduation he applied for a teaching position in Osceola. It became the classic win-win situation when Osceola offered him a contract. It was a win for Benitz as he began his professional career and it was certainly a win for Osceola who received a great teacher. After 40 years of service Benitz is retiring at the end of this school year. “Mr. Benitz, or “LB” as he was probably better known to the high schoolers, was great at taking a subject that may be dull on its own and making it into an interesting one, while teaching us plenty about it at the same time,” former student Todd Jasperson said. “He always provided a good mix of a fun environment and a focused lesson, which was exactly what you’re looking for as a student. He also had great taste in music—I remember listening to Boston while working on

assignments—which was a bonus.” It didn’t take long for Benitz to reach beyond his classroom teaching to involve another aspect of his life that he loved, sports. He was the freshman and JV basketball coach in the 1980-81 season under Hall of Fame Chieftain head coach David Ruhsam. He continued coaching basketball until 1988. Benitz became a part of the football coaching staff in 1981 and continued in that role through the 2019 season. He was a big part in the Chieftain’s successes including several conference championships and a pair of State titles. “Coach Benitz is as intense as they come,” current head football coach and athletic director Scott Newton said. “I have had the great opportunity of working with Coach Benitz for the past 16 years. His competitive spirit is contagious and is demonstrated daily in his work ethic and coaching that he has provided our student-athletes. He keeps the game fun, while focusing on the fundamentals. His drive and passion for Chieftain football is evident if you ever have watched a freshmen football game. Our kids are always ready to play and to give

SUBMITTEDE

Larry Benitz will retire after 40 years of teaching and coaching at Osceola high school. Benitz plans to remain at OHS as an assistant baseball coach.

their best.” Benitz has also had a huge impact on the Osceola baseball teams. He was the middle school baseball coach from 1984-2018 and coached the varsity team from 2001 to present. After being head

varsity coach for several years Benitz passed the job on to Kyle Collins but remains as an assistant coach. “LB and I have coached middle school and high school baseball for the past 10 years,” Collins

On X Maps and Hunt app

I

was up at 6 a.m. this morning to go scout turkeys and get permission to hunt on private lands where I had spotted some turkeys the day before. I was driving around when I saw a half dozen big black blobs in the distance next to some brown blobs. Once I got my binoculars on them, I confirmed what I already knew. The black blobs were Tom Turkeys strutting around all fanned out and hen turkeys (brown blobs) feeding on last fall’s waste corn in a field. My 11-year old son Brady was suppose to go with me but getting out of bed proved too much for him, but I want him to have a fun and successful hunt so I was scouting without him. Back in the day, I would have simply driven to the closest farm and asked permission to hunt from the landowner but those days are long gone. Most small farms have been Wild River bought up by corporate farms. Land developers and rural housing develTrails opments have taken up the land that Jim Bennett once was the small farms. It seemed

impossible to figure out who owned the land and finding them to get permission to hunt was nearly impossible. Technology has changed that and an App that can be downloaded on your phone. It’s called onX Map App or onX Hunt App. It’s a way to get an edge with what users feel is the most intelligent and accurate GPS mapping tool for anyone, especially hunters in the field or in your car. It’s like the GPS system in your car or on your phone we use to find our way on streets and highways. Instead of finding a store to shop or the home of a friend in the country, it’s a tool to find your way around in the woods, on water or wilderness trails. Take for instance the day I spotted those turkeys in the field. All I had to do was open the App on my phone and it showed me right where I was sitting in my car. It also showed me the world around me. In this case I had the App set to satellite imagery so I not only had the location, I had trees, ponds, fields and property lines. The amazing part I love is by simply touching the land where the turkeys were, as if by SEE BENNETT, PAGE 11

The Outdoorsman’s Journal is brought to you by:

THE SUN Newspaper Office Supply 108 Cascade • Osceola

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said. “I can’t describe how much I’ve learned from him over those 10 years. I feel so fortunate to coach with someone as passionate and experienced as LB. He teaches kids to play the game the right way. They not only learn to become better baseball players but also better human beings.” Besides the baseball coaching duties Benitz also takes on the role as the self-appointed head of the grounds crew. “There are few coaches that put in the time that he does to ensure that Osceola baseball players play their games on the nicest field in the area,” Collins added. Sports were in the Benitz household when Larry was young, and although he never coached wrestling he was greatly influenced by a family member who coached the sport. “I probably was influenced most by my uncle Lewie Benitz, a State and National Hall of Fame wrestling coach from Wisconsin Rapids,” Larry Benitz said. “He had such a way about him, and such a love for his athletes he coached. In return they worked hard for him and success followed.” Benitz had a great deal of success as both a teacher and a coach. The number of student-athletes he influenced is countless but two of them, his son Ross and his daughter Chelsea, were thrilled to be among them. “My dad was always very encouraging of our academic and athletic endeavors,” Chelsea Benitz said. “He never forced us to join sports or get straight As, but he instilled in us, through example, this notion that if something was worth doing, you might as well work hard at doing it well, but it’s okay to have some fun in the process like have Journey playing in the background. I grew up tagging along to practices he coached, and I would see him get so proud when his

athletes’ hard work paid off. I knew that no matter what I did, if I gave it my best effort, he would be proud of me, and that was always very motivational.” “I have only known my dad as teacher and coach,” Ross Benitz said. “Whether that has been him running through multiplication tables with me and my sister as youngsters, coaching years of youth traveling teams or roaming the halls and sidelines at OHS. That’s just who he is. I don’t expect that to change much in retirement, only that his new student-athlete will be his new grandson. I’m lucky and proud to have gotten to call ‘LB’ my teacher, my coach, and most special, my dad.” Larry Benitz has achieved a lot as a teacher and as a coach but quickly shares the accolades with those whom he worked with. “I had the opportunity to coach with great coaching staffs who worked hard and always had the best interest of the guys at heart,” he said. “Most people don’t see and know how much time outside of game day they all put in. I have been blessed to coach so many talented and funny kids. Many made we laugh nearly every day we were together. I enjoyed their senses of humor and I hope they enjoyed mine and the time me spent together.” You have to love kids and love sports to do what Larry Benitz has done over the last 40 years in Osceola. If you like what you do it is hard to let go. Benitz obviously liked what he did. “The most satisfying aspect of coaching is watching the guys succeed as individuals and as a team after working so hard to make it happen,” Benitz said about his addiction to sports. “Also, seeing the look in their eyes on game day. I am extremely proud to forever be a Chieftain.”

Delivering Your Community

715-294-2165 Fax: 715-294-2892 401 South Cascade Osceola, Wisconsin osceolaautobody@centurytel.net

<www.osceolasun.com>

APRIL 15, 2020

THE SUN

9

www.osceolasun.com

Local station goes the extra mile to protect from COVID-19 BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM

Gas stations across the state are among businesses listed as essential and have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. No specific safety regulations are required of them and each station must decide how to minimize the spread of coronavirus. Cascade BP in Osceola has gone the extra mile to ensure the safety of their customers and their employees. “We just want to keep our employees safe and make sure we’re doing everything we can,” said Sheri Salewski, who owns the business with her husband Tom. Salewski has hand sanitizer and surgical gloves on a table just inside the door of the station. They’re requiring all patrons to either use the hand sanitizer (one pump only) or wear gloves while they shop. They’ve also installed plexiglass barriers at each checkout station and have created a ‘buffer zone’ of sorts with chairs and tape to keep customers from standing too close to the counter. They wipe down the counters, card readers and gas pumps every twenty minutes and have instructed their attendants not to walk out from behind the counter if any customers are in the shop. Salewski has also closed down the in-store deli she usually runs. As a ‘to-go’ food service operation she would be legally able to stay open, but voluntarily closed to keep herself and others safe. “It’s such a small area that I just didn’t feel I could protect people,” she said. None of these steps are legally required and many other businesses are not taking the same precautions. But Salewski suffers from heart disease, which puts her in the at risk category to develop complications should she be infected. She downplays the seriousness of it, but knows she has to be careful. “Not that that’s a huge thing, but it’s kind of a huge thing,” she said. “Tom and I, we’re not seeing our kids, we’re not seeing our grandkids — it’s really making me sad.” In addition to her own personal safety, Salewski is making sure that her employees are comfortable at their workplace. “We’ve always told out

employees that if they do not feel safe here they do not have to work,” she said. Salewski has had one employee request to stay home for the duration of the pandemic due to health concerns, and has also limited shifts to prevent too many people from being behind the counter at one time. She has also given hazardous pay salary increases to those attendants who are working. “Our employees have been working really well with us,” she said. “But it’s stressful just

Matt Pennington works behind protective plexiglass barriers at Cascade BP. The station installed the barriers to protect workers and customers from the spread of COVID-19.

the pandemic. When a customer comes in and buys one can of pop or a pack of cigarettes, part of her wants to suggest buying a 12-pack or carton of cigarettes to reduce the number of trips to the store, but she realizes that’s not possible for all of her customers. “A lot of people are living day-to-day,” she said. “And they can’t buy that carton of cigarettes.”

Business has taken a hit during the pandemic, but Salewski said they’re hanging in there and hoping for the best. She said she’s thankful they’ve been able to remain open, especially since not all businesses have that opportunity. “It’s hard being a small business owner,” she said. “And we feel for those that have had to completely shut down.”

Interfaith Caregivers’

GiveBIG MATCH! When you give to Interfaith Caregivers during giveBIG (now thru April 28th), your gift will be matched up to $20,000!! How: x Credit card: www.givebigscv.org x Mail check: Interfaith Caregivers PO Box 65 Milltown, WI 54858 x Call 715-825-9500

Out of concern for the health and safety of our Members, the 2020 Annual Meeting that was planned for April 28 has been postponed until further notice. Royal’s 2019 Annual Report will soon be available online.

See details and updates at rcu.org/2020Meeting

www.osceolasun.com

ed April 3 for domestic disorderly conduct. Joseph William Tetrault, 22, Dresser, was arrested April 2 for OWI (3rd), operating after revocation (3rd) and operating with prohibited alcohol content. Richard Leslie Loomis, 56, Amery, was arrested April 3 for OWI (1st) and operating with prohibited alcohol content (1st).

FROM PAGE 6

C.L. SILL | THE SUN

not knowing day to day whether or not we’re going to have to limit hours.” The stress of COVID-19 has hit Salewski just as it has every resident and business owner across the county and she said they’re bracing for more uncertainty in the coming weeks. “I think the next couple of weeks may be even more stressful,” she said. “Because we haven’t hit that peak number (of cases) yet.” Salewski said she might implement further health guidelines if the situation in Polk County does evolve, such as requiring her employees to wear facemasks at all times. But right now she said she’s confident in the procedures she currently has in place. “I’m not 100 percent sure that’s what we’re going to be doing,” she said. “I feel really positive with the plexiglass there.” Salewski said she struggles with what is truly essential during

Alexandra J. Beyer, 30, Centuria, was arrested March 30 for disorderly conduct. John C. Stenberg, 61, Siren, was arrested March 31 for possession of drug paraphernalia. Julie Kay Clayton, 60, Luck, was arrested March 31 for felony possession of THC (2nd+). Alyssa J. Eisen, 25, St. Croix Falls, was arrest-

DONATE: giveBIG online now

‘I think the next couple of weeks may be even more stressful because we haven’t hit that peak number (of cases) yet.’ Sheri Salewski Cascade BP

POLK COUNTY ARRESTS

participating organizations at www.givebigscv.org. You can donate to Interfaith Caregivers online with a credit card at https://www.givebigscv.org/organization/Interfaithpolk from April 1-28th. If you donate online on the actual giving day of April 28, organizations can earn extra prize money. Two golden tickets of $100 each are given away during most hours. Any donations made during the Power Hours from 10-11AM and 6-7 PM could earn even higher amounts for nonprofits. If you don’t have computer access, you can write your check to Interfaith Caregivers. Mail it to PO Box 65, Milltown, WI 54858 between now and April 28. Please invest in the independence and safety of Polk County seniors and disabled adults so they can live in their homes longer, especially during Covid-19! Contact Interfaith Caregivers: Call 715-825-9500 www.interfaithpolk.org To learn more about April 28 giveBIG visit www. givebigscv.org

Thermal Plastic Design, Inc. A Precision Custom Injection Molding Company Specializing in Engineering Polymers Seeking a qualified candidate for the position of:

OPERATOR / QA INSPECTOR BACK-UP 2nd shift Hours 3 P.M. to 11 P.M. Job Description: Tend molding machine and secondary equipment used in production. Performs assembly operations. Assure product is produced to customer specifications and satisfaction by applying inspection skills to read and follow inspection procedures and to document results. General Responsibilities: Production _ Read and follow routing instructions. Observe product being produced for visual defects. Responsible for proper packaging, labeling, and floor dispositioning of completed product. Responsible for accurate counts. Document scrap totals throughout the shift and enters in IQ. Assist in setup of Auxiliary equipment. Transfer information to oncoming shift. Perform all job responsibilities in a safe manner. QA _ Perform in-process inspections using inspection techniques and equipment per applicable work instructions and written procedures. Work closely with and provide production support per shift supervisor’s requests including training production workers to recognize quality issues. Maintain a neat and orderly and efficient method of operation within the QA inspection department. Identify and promote new and different methods for inspection and production that increase productivity or safety by using corrective actions/process improvements. Additional responsibilities: Backup for Receiving Inspection, calibration, first articles. Physical Requirements: performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands occasionally climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close visions. Competencies: Ability to read and write English. Ability to use basic math. Items on this list will be verified or demonstrated through satisfactory completion of the defined probationary period.

T.D.I. offers Competitive wages and excellent benefits. Qualified applicants can apply in person or by sending a resume to: Thermal Plastic Design, Inc. 1116 East Pine Street St Croix Falls WI. 54024 Attn: H.R. Manager • Email: hr@tdimolding.com View us on line: www.tdimolding.com

10 THE SUN

APRIL 15, 2020 www.osceolasun.com

School board discusses hires, retirements,status of distance learning The Osceola School board met virtually via zoom meeting on April 8 for a regularly scheduled meeting. Among the topics discussed was the resignation of a staff member, the hiring of two new staff members and the retirement of a long time teacher. The also reviewed the 2018-19 audit and the status of the distance learning program currently being implemented. They were scheduled to review the unofficial election results, but were unable as the results were delayed until April 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifth grade teacher to resign Fifth grade teacher Brent Bundgaard will resign at the end of the current school year.

He was a first year teacher in the district and will be moving to Eau Claire to be with his significant other. “We’re sad to see him head out, we had hoped to see him stick around as he was a positive addition to the intermediate school,� said superintendent Mark Luebker. “But we wish him well.� New English teacher hired The board briefly discussed the hiring of Kaitlyn Joyce, who will begin teaching high school English at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Joyce comes to the district from the twin cities, after earning her undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota

Minutes of Osceola

School Board Proceedings The Regular Meeting of the Board of Education for the School District of Osceola was held in the Boardroom on March 11, 2020. The meeting was called to order by President Craig Brunclik at 6:00 P.M. with roll call taken: Pete Kammerud – yes; Craig Brunclik –yes, Brian Meyer – yes; Rosanne Anderson-yes; and Brooke Kulzer –yes. Superintendent Mark Luebker, Business Manager Lynette Edwards, Director of Instruction Dr. Rebecca Styles, Director of Pupil Services & Grounds Bob Schmidt and Building Principals Amanda Meyer, Julie Bender and Lindsay Thomas attended the meeting. A Brooke Kulzer/Brian Meyer motion was made to approve the consent without any items removed for further discussion. Motion Carried. Adopt the agenda Approved minutes of the Special Meeting held on February 3, 2020 Approved minutes of the Regular Meeting held on February 12, 2020 Approved minutes of the Special Meeting held on March 5, 2020 Hires, Resignations, and Recognitions. Resignation: Recognition(s): Hire(s): Jeremy Buberl, Custodian, Eric Kisler, JV Softball Coach Motion Carried. A Pete Kammerud/Rosanne Anderson to approve the retirement of Kevin Carlson, 21 years as a teacher. The Board would like to thank Kevin for his time within the District and wish him the best. Motion Carried. A Brooke Kulzer/Brian Meyer motion was made to approve the payment of bills from General Fund with manual checks numbered 94575-94577, 201900136-201900153 and computerized checks numbered 179349-179552 for a total of $1,547,174.07. Motion Carried. School Board Committee Report presented by Craig Brunclik. The Board review a proposal from cheerleading in regards to adding a J.V. team which would be at no additional cost, CESA 11 shared services contract, and a 2019-2020 budget update. The Board also review potential reductions for the 2020-2021 school year if Question 1 Operating Referendum does not pass on April 7, 2020. 2020-2021 Budget Reductions Considerations: The draft budget reduction considerations list that has been prepared by the Board shows a list of potential areas of reduction and revenue that equals to a total of over $1,000,000. This list has been generated in the scenario Question 1 Operating Referendum does not pass on April 7, 2020. If Question 1 does not pass the District will need to look at reducing the 2020-2021 budget by over $530,000. The budget reduction considerations list will become available on the District website later this month. The Board would like staff and community members know that this list is only a draft at this time as the Board is trying to be responsible for planning if question 1 were not to pass. Review and Approve bids for School Forest Option 1 & Option 2 Option 1: 20.120 acres was given a comparable fair market value price of $7,265 per acre. The District received one bid for Option 1. A Rosanne Anderson/Brooke Kulzer motion was made to deny the bid from Eric Hallen for the amount of $31,500. Motion Carried. Option 2: Two combined parcels with a total of 73.280 acres was given a comparable fair market value price of $4,000 per acre. The District received 3 bids for Option 2. Bid 1: Thomas Klugo: $352,500 Bid 2: Louis Whall $100,000 Bid 3: Seth & Diane Montgomery $366,000 A motion was made by Brian Meyer/Pete Kammerud to not sell the option 2 until after the April 7, 2020 election. Roll call vote: Rosanne Anderson; no, Pete Kammerud; yes,

and her masters degree from Hamline University. She has experience teaching abroad and is currently in a long-term substitute position. Benitz to retire The board discussed the retirement of Larry Benitz, who will end a 40-year career in the district at the close of the current term. Benitz taught finance and accounting at the high school and also served as the head baseball coach for much of that time. High School principal Adam Spiegel said Benitz always had a positive attitude no matter the situation and was the kind of teacher who would do whatever it took to help out.

“He was just a worker,� he said. “He goes above and beyond for our kids all the time.� Sup. Luebker said Benitz exemplified what it meant to be part of the Osceola family. “He’s one of those pure Chieftains, so to speak,� he said. “He enjoyed every day, always came to work ready to go and was able to roll with the punches when things changed.� Distance learning update The board discussed the status of the current distance-learning program with each of the district’s principals. Each principal said the program was running smoothly for

Brooke Kulzer; no, Brian Meyer; yes, Craig Brunclik; no. Motion failed. A Brooke Kulzer/Craig Brunclik motion was made to accept bid from Seth & Diane Montgomery in the amount of $366,000 for Option 2. Roll call vote: Rosanne Anderson; no, Pete Kammerud; no, Brooke Kulzer; yes, Brian Meyer; no, Craig Brunclik; no. Motion failed. A Rosanne Anderson made a motion to accept bid from Thomas Klugow in the amount of $352,500. Motion failed. A Brooke Kulzer/Brian Meyer made a motion to deny all bids for Option 2 for the School Forest. Motion carried. A Rosanne Anderson/Pete Kammerud motion was made to approve Special Education Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy contracts with Osceola Medical Center. Motion Carried. A Brooke Kulzer/Pete Kammerud motion was made to approve the Resolution Authorizing the Redemption of the School District of Osceola $9,700,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds dated September 6, 2011. This will allow the District to fully pay out this bond. After payment is made on April 13, remaining $1,435,000 left in debt, tied to athletic complex. Estimated saving is $94,083 in interest. Motion Carried. CESA 11 Shared Service Contract was tabled. Administrator Reports: Rebecca Styles: Kudos to Bob Schmidt, the custodial team, Steve Leslie and the whole transportation department for cleaning all our buildings and buses on Tuesday March 10. Thank you to Sara Henke for all her work on planning of the ACT test and appreciation for staff who proctored the test. The Federal Accountability Report Card was released from HPEDUJR :H KDYH QRW EHHQ LGHQWL¿HG DV LQ QHHG RI LPprovement. The in-service last Friday was amazing for our staff. Huge thanks to the Wellness Committee for all they GLG WR PDNH WKH EUHDNIDVW DQG EHQH¿WV SRUWLRQ RI LQ VHUYLFH engaging and enjoyable for staff. Julie Bender: We celebrated Wellness Week in February. Students participated in many friendly competitions that involved physical activity, healthy nutritional choices, positive sportsmanship challenges and team building traits. The 4th grade students participated in Lumberjack Days (Wisconsin History) and learned about logging tools, how to make paper using their hands and what and how lumberjacks ate breakfast! The 3rd grade students will be participating in the Wax Museum on Friday, March 13th. On Wednesday, 0DUFK WK 2,6 ZLOO EH KRVWLQJ RXU ¿UVW DQQXDO 6SHFLDOLVW Night. Students have many special interests, talents and creativity to share with their families. Thank you specialists for all of your hard work. Teachers have been working hard preparing students for the upcoming Forward Exam. We begin testing the second week of April. Thank you to the health team and all custodial staff! Leah Voelker: ACT special testing went well, thank you to all the staff who have helped out. We have begun the planning for next year and working on making sure we have things in place to meet the student’s needs as they move buildings. Mark your calendars for May 8th Friendship games at St Croix Central. Adam Spiegel: Our statewide ACT was last week. A huge thank you to Sara Henke who organizes it all along with our room proctors! We had the 8th grade students over to OHS the afternoon of the ACT and they rotated through all of our elective departments to help learn more about their course choices for next year. The 8th grade parent night was last Thursday and was very well attended. Our 2nd trimester ended last week and our new trimester started on Monday. We will be determining the students who made the different levels of laude in the upcoming week along with our graduation speakers. Student Sean Rogers earned the Herb Kohl Excellence scholarship. The purpose of the Kohl Excellence Scholarship program is to recognize student leadership, citizenship, school and community involvement, and academic achievement. We are proud of all his hard work. Sean is looking at attending St. Olaf or Northwestern to study Biology. Student Tyler Dye was awarded the Herb Kohl Initiative Scholarship. The intent of this scholarship is to reward a student who has demonstrated exceptional initiative in the classroom while showing great promise in succeeding in college and beyond, but have not yet received any other academic based scholarships. We are proud of Tyler’s hard work. Tyler plans to attend WITC and study the ¿HOG %XVLQHVV 0DQDJHPHQW Amanda Meyer: We celebrated Wellness Week in Febru-

SEE SCHOOL, PAGE 14

INTERFAITH: Service during the shot down FROM PAGE 7

nity. Could you be checking on each other, donating, volunteering, or sending up prayers? Interfaith is proud to be part of such a caring community. We are committed to doing everything we can in response to the needs in Polk County. If you are 60 years or older, or an adult with a disability and need assistance, please contact Interfaith Caregivers at (715) 825-9500.

ary. Thank you to our student council and Renee Salewski for a fun week. We ended with a talent show that included a variety of acts (singing, piano, acting, jokes, gymnastics, HWF DV ZHOO DV D VXUSULVH VWDII GDQFH DQG ¿QLVKHG ZLWK WKH OMS play. So much talent was represented! Thank you to Mr. Kevin Carlson for again supporting our middle school students who were a part of the play. It’s wonderful to see students challenge themselves out of the classroom. We will start Forward Testing at the end of March; our planQLQJ SRUWLRQ LV FRPSOHWH DQG ZH DUH RQ WKH ¿QDO VWUHWFK of classroom preparation. We have been working on 8th grade pathways. Ms. Thom and I have met with many students individually and today we had Ms. Henke and Mr. Gehring over today to help make class requests. Last week we went to OHS to learn about their electives in a course fair. This was a helpful event for middle school students to get to know OHS and their elective choices. Thank you to Mr. Spiegel, Mr. Newton, the counselors, and the elective teacher for putting this opportunity together. Lindsay Thomas: Pennies for Patients was a big success. We raised over $4,000 this year! Egg Roulette will be happening on Friday at 2:00. Thank you to Barbara Jorgensen for organizing this fundraiser and event. Last week was Dr. Seuss week! We had a good time reading silly stories and participating in dress-up days. 2nd grade students went to the History Museum of Minnesota at the end of February. The kindergarteners went to the Children’s Theater of Minnesota and saw a Bob Marley musical. Both trips were a huge hit! Wellness Week is next week and our theme is Wellness is Out of This World. A big thanks to Brandon, Kristin, Susan and Amy for planning a week full of fun experiences! Shout-out to the kitchen crew for the amazing decorations they did in the kitchen and cafeteria. The Celebrations of the Arts is scheduled for March 31st from 5:00-7:00. Shout-out to Mark Luebker, Becky Styles, Rachael Robinson, Lynette Edwards, Bob Schmidt and Adam Spiegel for the stellar communication Monday night and yesterday to the staff and community. Our custodial crew is the best, we are lucky to have them keeping staff and students safe! Lynette Edwards: We have been busy with Referendum presentations, community meetings, and meeting with local businesses. We are currently planning for our April 15 purchasing deadline for the 2019-2020 school \HDU 0DUFK ZH KRVWHG D %UHDNIDVW %HQH¿WV IDLU IRU DOO staff and received a lot of great feedback from staff and our vendors who attended. We look forward to planning the event for next year. Mark Luebker: Would like to thank all our staff, parents and community members for their understanding with the situation we encountered with a COVID-19 exposure. We thank parents, staff and the community in trusting in us as a District, we had close to 90% attendance in our buildings on Wednesday. Thank you to Polk County and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for their collaboration and support with communication. Bob Schmidt: Thank you to the custodian & transportation team in their hard work cleaning facilities and busses for our students and staff. Also all staff did a great job coming back on Wednesday and made it a smooth transition for all staff and students. The next scheduled Committee Meeting is Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. in the Boardroom. The next regular Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom. A Brooke Kulzer/Rosanne Anderson motion was made to adjourn to Executive Session pursuant to WI Statute 19.85(1)(c)(f) to consider the employment, promotion, compensation, or performance-evaluation data of any employHH DQG IRU SUHOLPLQDU\ FRQVLGHUDWLRQ RI D VSHFL¿F PDWWHU which, if discussed in public, could have an adverse impact on the reputation of those involved. Roll call taken: Pete Kammerud – yes; Craig Brunclik -yes; and Brooke Kulzer -yes; Brian Meyer - yes; Rosanne Anderson- yes. In addition, Superintendent Mark Luebker attended the meeting. A Brian Meyer/ Brooke Kulzer motion was made to adjourn Executive Session. Motion Carried. &UDLJ %UXQFOLN DQQRXQFHG QR RI¿FLDO DFWLRQ ZDV WDNHQ A Pete Kammerud/Rosanne Anderson motion was made to adjourn. Motion carried Pete Kammerud, Clerk WNAXLP

APRIL 15, 2020

THE SUN

11

www.osceolasun.com

Simple home cooked meals

BENNETT: On X Maps and Hunt app FROM PAGE 8

magic up popped the landowner’s name and address from public tax records. Some lived near, others far and a few out of state. Now finding the landowner was in reach and permission to hunt that land is doable. The App also has the ability to show you things in what they call “layers” that you can use to create the type of App that would serve your needs to fullest advantage.

These layers would start out with which states you wanted, private lands listings with or without names, public lands and more. On my App public lands come up in a green shade which is easy to spot. You can also use tools to add waypoints, measure lines, and mark your location so you can go out all day and wander around and find your way back. It also allows you to download maps onto your device to use in areas where you get no phone service and we all know how frustrating that can be.

The App has 121 million private properties, 985 million acres of public land, 421 map overlays and 400,000 miles of trails. You can sync all your data to any of your devices such as computers and laptops. Even old guys like me can figure it out. Jim Bennett is an outdoorsman who lives and worked in the St. Croix River Valley and can be reached at jamesbennett24@gmail. com

HOROSCOPES

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Hang on to a source of real empowerment in your career, Aries. It may take willpower and dedication, but you can make it happen when your mind is on the goal. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 You can accomplish anything you set your mind to, Taurus. This may even mean being the boss of yourself with self-discipline. Ask friends to help keep you stay the course. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 You have the potential to lay the groundwork now for events that will pay dividends throughout the next few years, Gemini. Get a team of trusted advisors on your side. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, while others may be focusing on their careers, you understand the importance of

CLUES ACROSS 1. Germanic mythological god 4. Cash machine 7. Improvement 12. What voters want 15. Sheepish 16. Placed at powerful level 18. Measure of illumination 19. Trent Reznor’s band 20. Commercial 21. Amounts of time 24. English broadcaster 27. Rolls of tobacco 30. Position 31. Expresses pleasure 33. Corporate exec (abbr.) 34. Body part 35. Bleated 37. Businessman 39. Beats per minute 41. Defunct Italian monetary unit 42. Broken branch 44. Put in advance 47. Arrest 48. Prefix indicating adjacent to 49. Artificial intelligence 50. Disfigure 52. The Fighting Irish (abbr.) 53. Not in any place 56. Predict 61. A system of getting stuff from one place to another 63. Philosophy of the principles of things 64. US gov’t office (abbr.) 65. Seaborgium’s former name (abbr.)

CLUES DOWN 1. Network connector 2. Primordial matter 3. Get up 4. Uncoordinated 5. Ill-fated cruise ship

zeroing in on your relationships and love life. Keep those you care about close. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Work will dominate the week, but make sure you advocate for fair treatment while you are hard at work, Leo. Check that payment is in full and timely. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 There will be no surprises for you this week if you simply stay the course with your actions, Virgo. Go about your normal routine and things will work out just fine. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, change things at home so you can better care for children or other people in your charge. A lot of progress can still be made if you redirect your attention. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, things may be mov-

ing quite slowly for you, but that does not mean progress has not been made. You’ll realize after a few weeks how far you’ve come. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, the last few weeks may have come off as humdrum, and that’s probably because you didn’t take any chances. Be more bold in the days to come. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, ask yourself how you want to see your finances grow. Then you can speak with a financial planner and make your dreams a reality. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Everything that involves you moves up on the priority list, Aquarius. Even though you’re known for putting others first, this all needs to change if you are to progress.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, take some time this week to be alone and seek inner peace. During these times of contemplation you can focus on future plans. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS APRIL 12 Claire Danes, Actress (41) APRIL 13 Allison Williams, Actress (32) APRIL 14 Abigail Breslin, Actress (24) APRIL 15 Emma Watson, Actress (30) APRIL 16 Bill Belichick, Coach (68) APRIL 17 Jennifer Garner, Actress (48) APRIL 18 Chloe Bennet, Actress (28)

I

t’s been wonderful having my two youngest children home for the last few weeks. It’s like a gift of an extended childhood for the boys. We have been playing games, doing projects and cooking together. When they first moved back home we were cooking family favorites and some fancier foods that I normally don’t make, but they were so happy to not eat college dorm food. Then, just like that, we transitioned to more basic “get food on the table quick” meals. Tacos, sandwiches and hot dishes have been our mainstay for Wild Chow the last week. Something I have not made in years is sloppy joes. Lisa Erickson It was a family favorite, but for some reason, it slipped my mind. My mother used to make them all the time using beef. I prefer them with turkey meat. I believe the flavor of the sauce really shines through when you use a milder meat. You can use chicken, pheasant or turkey. I made these last week and am making them again next week. They are that good! Turkey Sloppy Joes Serves 6 1 Tbsp. oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 lbs. ground turkey with 10% fat 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small can tomato paste ½ cup water ½ cup ketchup ¼ cup mustard 1 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar Salt and pepper to taste 8 hamburger buns In a large frypan cook onion in oil over medium heat for five minutes. Add turkey and cook until all liquid has evaporated—about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes over low heat until meat is tender and sauce is very thick. Spoon onto buns and serve immediately. 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.

POLK COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS Let’s keep track

O 6. Work hard 7. Drivers’ speed 8. Largest English dictionary (abbr.) 9. Healthcare pro 10. Egyptian Sun god 11. Expresses the negative 12. Some are three-legged 13. Clothing manufacturer 14. Close by

17. Tooth caregiver 22. Housing material 23. Flows through 24. Founder of Babism 25. Honorific title 26. A type of letter 28. Seize and hold firmly 29. Artery 32. Body fluids 36. Press against lightly 38. An island in the Pacific 40. A reminder of past events 43. Austrian spa town

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44. Peter’s last name 45. Something a mob might do 46. Of the bones of the feet 51. “Amazing Stories” writer 54. Nazi-resistant youth group (abbr.) 55. Used to have (Scottish) 56. A way to cook 57. Japanese port city 58. Type of precipitation 59. Engrave 60. Female sibling 62. Expresses emotion

ne of the secrets to gardening that I learned early in my garden adventures was to journal what I did in my garden. This may sound silly, but as your gardening skills develop, you will probably find that gardening can be addictive. What starts out as a few plants to look pretty or a couple of veggies to add to dinner, can become what I consider a good addiction. When we moved from the city to the country, I realized that I had a blank canvas and would need to design where I was doing my plantings. It started with deciding Columnist where over 100 pine trees and dogwood bushes should be located. This Julie Kuehl is when I began to understand the real need to document (or journal) thi I was planting. Now, after twenty years, I everything have a journal full of the history of the plantings and gardens on our acreage. Purchase either an actual journaling book or a notebook. If you have an existing garden or are just starting a garden, make a sketch of the garden. You might want to indicate whether the area is sun/shade or a mix. Mark where permanent plants are located. It is easier to indicate the locations by a circle with a number than to actually try to put the name on the sketch. Then adjacent to the sketch, I make a numbered list of the names of the plantings. If you want to be very specific you can use the plant tags to mark all the information regarding the plant. I tend to put the type of plant, the name and the color. It also helps if a plant doesn’t do well or dies to know what you are replacing. Sometimes as plants come up, they may not necessarily look like what we expect and it would be easy to mistake them for a weed and dig them out. It is fun to look back in a journal and be able to see SEE GARDEN, PAGE 16

12 THE SUN

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SCHOOL: Hires, retirement and are also putting together video messages to students each week. Intermediate principal Julie Bender said everyone is working very hard. “The staff have been absolutely amazing working through all this from home,” she said. “Just a huge kudos to everybody.” The high school and middle school have issued devices to all students and began formal instruction April 13.

FROM PAGE 10

the most part and that students are doing well with the change. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from families,” said elementary principal Lindsay Thomas. “Things are going well.” Elementary and intermediate school staff are updating their workbook guidelines and online resources every Monday

SILL: Around the bend

2018 Polk County Platbooks Available!

FROM PAGE 4

was possible. Then I realized of all the phases and changes in my life, they have one thing in common. They’ve all been punctuated by the sound of water running over my feet in the middle of a trout stream. I know now the Brule is just as important to me as it has always been, but in a different way. I’m not there to catch fish any more, I’m there to pass the time and think about what mystery lies around the bend — and that makes it a hell of a lot more relaxing.

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Serving Ser e ving ing Polk Polk County’s County County unty’s t ’s St. Stt. Croix Croix i Valley Valle ley since since 1897 sinc 1 97 18

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(DUWK 'D\ WK $QQLYHUVDU\ 7KH (DUWK·V 5·V The 3 R’s studied in school are sometimes called “reading, ’riting and ‘rithmetic.” They are studied to help us prepare for our future careers. Today, students also learn about the Earth’s 3 R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle, which if practiced will help us keep our future environment safe and clean.

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Families can do a lot to lessen the amount of trash that’s created. When you fill in this puzzle, one of the “3Rs” of the Earth’s 3 R’s will appear below the arrow. It’s a great day Families can . . . fluorescent to get together d is h w a g sh e with others to in r g packa es pick up litter or to applianc plant new trees 2 Less packaging! and flowers. 3 leaves 4 diaper 5 Potato Chips

6 1. run the washing machine and the __________ for full loads only. 2. put __________, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps into a pile, cover with dirt and start a compost pile. 3. think “green” for a baby’s ________ needs – use ones that are ‘biodegradable’, meaning they ‘break down’ over time in the trash 4. use some compact _______ or LED lights to save energy; money. 5. buy items with little or no _________. N DF X 6. have___________ repaired instead of buying new ones. 4

)DPLOLHV FDQ 5HF\FOH Recycling is the third “R”! Collecting items so that they can be crushed, melted and made into new products is called recycling. Can you match the beginnings below with the correct endings? 1. bring bottles 2. sort out glass, newspapers, etc. 3. collect branches and Christmas trees 4. plastic items 5. old tires

I can collect cans!

A. to be turned into woodchips that can be used on paths, around bushes, in gardens B. back for deposits (in some states) C. for bins and recycle centers D. can be recycled and turned into “new” ones or playground surfaces E. have codes or numbers on them telling how to group the different types for recycling H HH K :

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Look at things you want to throw away. Can someone reuse them instead of them winding up on the trash heap?

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Families Can Reuse by . . . 1. giving clothes and toys in good shape to younger children. 2. bringing cloth or net bags to carry groceries home. 3. using both sides of a piece of paper. 4. fixing up your bike and sporting equipment to use again. 5. growing plants from seeds in milk cartons.

(Find and circle the underlined words in the puzzle above.)

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Can you find and circle 15 or more words that have 3 or more syllables?

Follow the arrows to see how recycling works for us! Recycled at plant.

Start Here: Raw materials taken from the earth.

Shipped to where product is made.

I’ve have too many hats!

Sent to store, put on shelf.

Brought to collection site.

Saved and sorted for recycling.

Used. Bought by shopper.

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Annimills LLC © 2020 V16-15

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Every year we put our heads together to share new ideas and ways we can keep our environment clean on a daily basis.

108 Cascade Street Osceola

What happens if we recycle? We waste precious time sorting items. We help save our planet’s natural resources. We dirty the air and pollute the water. SEE ANSWERS, PAGE 15

APRIL 15, 2020

THE SUN

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www.osceolasun.com

FLU: The Spanish influenza outbreak of 1918 and how it parallels COVID-19 today Spanish influenza, although the exact location of its origin is still debated. It was first identified by troops fighting overseas in World War One in the spring of 1918, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although the same Sun article from October of that year states “the Germans mention the disease as occurring along the eastern front in the summer and fall of 1917.” It’s estimated the epidemic killed over 50 million people worldwide and 675,000 in the United States. The virus peaked in October 1918 and killed an estimated 195,000 Americans that month alone, according to the CDC. Coverage of the pandemic in the Sun was sporadic at best, sometimes completely nonexistent. A far cry from the media overload the country is experiencing today, most of the newspaper was still filled with the regular goings-on in the county — which ranged from news that “Mrs. Lewis Wurst of Farmington was a shopper in the village on Saturday” to advertisements by Mazer’s Tooth Specialty Department, offering $35 cash for old false teeth. Obituaries were the most common reminder of the epidemic in the

Sun. Between October and early December of 1918, the paper noted at least 11 deaths from influenza, including Joe Nagler. It’s interesting to note most of these deaths came in November and December, as the Midwest felt the full force of the outbreak after it’d had already peaked in October, something middle America is bracing for right now. “Osceola Girl died Monday at Prentice,” read a headline in the November 21 edition of the Sun, noting the death of Mrs. Vern Gilland. Gilland was 22 years old when she died on the morning of November 18. Just like COVID-19, certain age groups were more vulnerable to the outbreak, only in the case of the Spanish Flu, 20-40 year olds were most likely to be killed, especially expectant mothers or those who’d just had a child. Of the 11 deaths noted in the Sun, 10 were confirmed to be under the age of 30. Four of those were under the age of ten, including the newborn baby Gilland had just given birth to. “She was ill from the time the child was born,” read the obituary. “And grew worse in a short time. The two bodies were brought to Osceola yesterday by the parents

and will be laid to rest in the Lutheran Cemetery at Oak Grove.” The parallels in how the disease was prevented are eerily similar to today. In a lengthy article titled “Uncle Sam’s advice on flu,” residents are urged to “keep out of crowds and stuffy places as much as possible” and to “spend some time outdoors each day.” Spread of the flu within the home seemed a much bigger concern than it is today, as “overcrowded homes” are regularly referenced as being a major problem. The average size of a family was much larger than it is today — Mrs. Gilland’s obituary lists four brothers and seven sisters as surviving her. Social distancing practices were put into place in 1918, but with much less regularity than today. Cities like New York and Philadelphia shut down completely, but many residents of Wisconsin seemed unwilling to stay home, or more likely unaware just how dangerous social interaction could be. The Sun mentioned the meeting of the Odd Fellows, whatever that was, had been postponed “on account of all public gathering being suspended with the order to check the epidemic of Spanish Influenza,” but the paper

medical appointments and other essential transportation needs. Drivers get reimbursed mileage at the current IRS rate and have access to a dispatch system to easily see ride requests

and volunteer for those that work best in their schedule. Interested individuals can call the ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin at 877-485-2372.

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Families can . . . Recycle!

1. bring bottles 2. sort out glass, newspapers, etc. 3. collect branches and Christmas trees 4. plastic items 5. old tires

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NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the earliest date for circulating nomination papers was Monday, September 23, 2019, and the deadline for filing nomination papers for the Special Election was 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2019, in the office of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The Special Primary, if necessary, will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2020. A description of the boundaries of the 7th Congressional District, as created in 2011 Act 44, is set out in 2017-2018 Wisconsin Statutes Section 3.17. Done in the City of Madison, this 22nd day of October 2019. Meagan Wolfe, Administrator Wisconsin Elections Commission

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at an election to be held in the several cities, villages, towns, wards, and election districts of the State of Wisconsin, on November 3, 2020, ten electors for President and Vice President of the United States, one for each congressional district and two for the state at-large, are to be elected. The names of presidential electors do not appear on the ballot, but each vote cast for a presidential candidate is a vote for the electors of the candidate. Independent candidates for President or Vice President may circulate nomination papers beginning July 1, 2020 and must file nomination papers with the Wisconsin Elections Commission no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 4, 2020. The Wisconsin Elections Commission is located at 212 E. Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Madison, Wisconsin.

Congressional Officers ONE REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, each for the term of 2 years, to succeed the present incumbents listed, whose terms of office will expire on January 3, 2021: 7th Congressional District

Vacant

Legislative and State Offices ONE STATE SENATORS, from the even-numbered Senatorial Districts of the State, each for the term of four years, to succeed the present incumbents listed, whose terms of office will expire on January 4, 2021: District 10

Patty Schachtner

Gae Magnafici Romaine Robert Quinn

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Polk County S N O T R A C I T O

G T A L E A R E P A P

Jeff Kemp

County Officers COUNTY OFFICERS, for each county of the State for the term of four years, to succeed the present incumbent in the office of County Clerk, Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and Surveyor, whose terms of office will expire on January 4, 2021: Polk County Clerk – Lisa Ross Polk County Treasurer – Amanda Nissen Polk County Register of Deeds – Sally Spanel

Circulation of Nomination Papers NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the first day for circulating nomination papers is April 15, 2020, and the deadline for filing nomination papers is no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2020. All federal and state office candidates, including district attorney candidates, file with the Wisconsin Elections Commission. All county partisan office candidates file with their respective county clerks.

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A. to be turned into woodchips that can be used on paths, around bushes, in gardens B. back for deposits C. for bins and recycle centers D. can be recycled and turned into “new” ones E. have codes or numbers on them telling how to group the different plastics for recycling

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A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, SEVENTH DISTRICT to fill the vacancy, caused by the resignation of the Honorable Sean Duffy, for the remainder of the term which expires on January 3, 2021.

ONE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, for the term of four years, to succeed the present incumbents listed, whose terms of office will expire on January 4, 2021:

Annimills LLC © 2020

# It’s a great day to get together with others to plant new trees and flowers.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a proclamation by the Governor of the State of Wisconsin, dated the 22nd of October 2019, that on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, a Special Election will be held in the several towns, villages, cities, wards and election districts of the 7th Congressional District in the State of Wisconsin, consisting of those parts of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Jackson, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe, Oneida, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, Washburn and Wood Counties, as described in Chapter 3 of the Wisconsin Statutes, at which the following officer is to be elected:

Congressional and legislative district boundaries are described in Chapters 3 and 4 of the Wisconsin Statutes. A copy of the boundary descriptions can be obtained from the Wisconsin Elections Commission or the Legislative Reference Bureau at 1 East Main Street, Suite 200, Madison, Wisconsin.

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May 12, 2020

STATE OF WISCONSIN • POLK COUNTY Election of Presidential Electors

District 28 District 75 Every year we put our heads together to share new ideas and ways we can keep our environment clean on a daily basis.

FOR A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS SEVENTH DISTRICT

TWO REPRESENTATIVES TO THE ASSEMBLY, each for the term of two years, to succeed the present incumbents listed, whose terms of office will expire on January 4, 2021:

Watch for further details in The Sun

<www.osceolasun.com>

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION

Partisan Primary and General Election NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that in the several cities, villages, towns, wards, and election districts of the State of Wisconsin, at a primary to be held on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, and at an election to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 the following officers are to be nominated and elected:

Cemetery Association ANNUAL MEETING IS POSTPONED

Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897

AMENDED

PARTISAN PRIMARY – AUGUST 11, 2020 AND GENERAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Pleasant Prairie

Delivering Your Community

— a stark reminder to a country that had all but forgotten how quickly life can change.

NOTICE OF ELECTION

ADRC seeking volunteers The ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin is currently in need of volunteers to help provide transportation for older adults and adults living with a disability to essential (but non-emergency)

country dealt with a pandemic and a world war at the same time. The suffering dealt by both is still on those pages and in those words today

continued to be filled with tidbits of news about visitors to town and folks traveling to Minneapolis and as far as Chicago. The most egregious offender was Mr. Fred O. Barrett, who was of all things the editor of the newspaper. He set off in the middle of October 1918 on a week long vacation via train to see the sights of Eastern Wisconsin. “It was the longest vacation I’ve had in seven years,” Barrett bragged in typical newsman fashion. The final destination of his journey was Marinette, Wisc. and the article is filled with stories of sharing dining cars along the way, plush hotel rooms and some rather strange kind of military ball complete with two hours worth of dancing. There’s a very distinct smell given off by old newspaper clippings. It’s the same smell old books in dusty antique stores have, except much, much stronger. The pages are coarse but incredibly fragile and sometimes feel almost like ash, ready to turn to dust in-between fingertips. Yet the words remain the same, as poignant now as they were 102 years ago. In 1918 the

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What happens if we recycle? We help save our planet’s natural resources.

DONE in the Village of Balsam Lake, this 9th day of April, 2020. Lisa R. Ross, Polk County Clerk 100 Polk County Plaza, Suite 110 • Balsam Lake, WI 54810 715-485-9226 NOTE: The Type A notice for this election shall be published by all county clerks on April 14, 2020. Wis. Stat. §§ 10.01(2)(a), 10.06(2)(h). County clerks also shall send notice of the partisan primary and general election to each municipal clerk on April 7, 2020. Wis. Stat. §§ 10.01(2)(a), 10.06(2)(gm).

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THE SUN

APRIL 15, 2020 www.osceolasun.com

GARDEN: Keep a journal of your gardens FROM PAGE 11

what plants worked really well and which plants did not perform. I also found that as the years have gone by I have changed out my gardens and it is nice to look back and see where some of my plants may have begun their life on the land and where they are now. I enjoy

seeing the peony bush that began its life in my mother-in-law’s garden and now flourishes each spring in my front garden. My grandma’s iris bulbs that have journeyed from her garden, to my mother’s garden, to my garden in the city, to my garden in the country and were then split and the bulbs are now growing in my

sister’s raised bed in Nevada. Even gardens can have a beautiful and exciting history. Start keeping your garden’s history today. Until next time, keep playing in the dirt and know better days are coming. Any ideas send to me at gardenvarietycolumn@gmail.com

ARNELL: Practice social distancing at dog parks FROM PAGE 3

park.) Before your first visit to a dog park, train your dog to come when called and allow you to grab his collar. Practice at home and use extra-yummy treats to reinforce this essential ability to recall your dog on command. This skill is of utmost importance when your dog is in the large open space of a dog park and you need to gain control for his safety or when it’s time to leave. Most dog parks have a separate area for small dogs. Use this area to keep them free from the risk of being inadvertently bowled over, scared, or worse by the rambunctious athletes in the main area. When you arrive, use the double-gate “airlock� at the entrance to leash and unleash your dog. Don’t be tempted to keep him on leash to “see how he does.� Dogs are better at navigating the social scene when they are able to move freely to join the fun or avoid confrontation. Once inside the fenced in park, Keep it moving. If you want to strike up a conversation with another dog owner, do so while walking. Large congrega-

SUBMITTED

Smiley found his forever home.

tions of dogs and people invite squabbling, so keep everything fluid and try to spread out. When a new dog arrives, call your dog away from the front gate area. It can be overwhelming and scary to be bombarded by a barking crew. A scared dog can become defensive and lead to an unnecessary squabble at the onset of your visit. Let newcomers enter quietly without fanfare to join the play on their own terms. Be responsible for your

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Minutes of Osceola

School Board Proceedings The Special Meeting of the Board of Education for the School District of Osceola was held in the Boardroom on March 15, 2020. The special meeting was called to order by President Craig Brunclik at 11:00 A.M. with roll call taken: Pete Kammerud – yes; Craig Brunclik –yes, Brian Meyer – yes; Rosanne Anderson-yes; and Brooke Kulzer -yes. Superintendent Mark Luebker, Business Manager Lynette Edwards(via conference call), Director of Instruction Dr. Rebecca Styles, Director of Building & Grounds Bob Schmidt, Director of Food Services Susan Mayer, Director of Transportation Steve Leslie, Director of Pupil Services Leah Voelker along with Building Principals Adam Spiegel, Scott Newton, Amanda Meyer, Lindsay Thomas and Julie Bender attended the meeting. Person(s) who requested an audience with the Board: Paula Thill, Elementary Special Education Aide. Would like the Board to considering paying all staff during the closure. Kristen Boileau, Elementary School Counselor. Asked the Board to also consider paying staff during closure. Lori Maypark, High school Administrative Assistant. First thank to all staff who have been putting in extra work to keep staff, students, families and the community informed. Would like to know how support staff can help

during this time and would like to see support staff paid GXULQJ WKH FORVXUH RU KDYH WKH ÀH[LELOLW\ WR XVH VLFN WLPH School Calendar was reviewed. The District will be closed Monday March 16 but all staff will report in preparation for the closure that is scheduled starting Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. through the anticipated opening date of April 6, 2020. Mark Luebker reviewed the K-12 School Closures FAQs WKDW ZDV UHOHDVHG E\ WKH 2I¿FH RI WKH *RYHUQRU 7RQ\ (YHUV )$4V 6WDII SDUHQWV DQG WKH FRPPXQLW\ FDQ ¿QG XSGDWHV on school closure on the District website. The District will continue to send out automated calls and emails to families and staff as needed. The District will not be sending home student electronic devices home during the closure. Staff will prepare items for students and families that will be sent home on Wednesday, March 18. At this time, Wisconsin school districts have the ability to request a waiver from the Department of Public Instruction in regards to instructional minutes. At this time Districts have not been provided information on making up hours of instruction. Both breakfast and lunch meals will be provided to anyone under 18 years RU \RXQJHU )DPLOLHV PXVW ¿OO RXW WKH IRUP ORFDWHG RQ WKH Districts website requesting this service. Deliveries will be dropped off at the assigned bus stops between 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Someone must be able to pick up distributed meals at assigned bus stops and the delivery will include lunch for that day and breakfast for the following day. The delivery and meal will be at no cost to any families. Deliveries will begin March 19, 2020. For students who are currently receiving services based of their IEP, educational services will not be provided during the closure. However, all IEP deadlines and evaluation must be completed via conference call. Playgrounds along with other outdoor facility spaces will be closed starting 5:00 pm, March 18. At this time Department of Public Instruction is working with U.S Department of Education about state testing requirements

dog; if he is harassing another dog, divert his attention to a more appropriate activity. Some dogs don’t play well or react well to rambunctious dog park play. These dogs should be removed from the park until they can learn to Play Nice. Dog play can seem a little alarming if you don’t know what to look for. During play dogs will growl, bite, show their teeth, chase, wrestle and even stalk each other. No wonder it’s easy to mistake playing for fighting! Lucky for us humans, dog play body language is something we can learn. To acquaint yourself with Dog Park Body Language and Play, find videos of acceptable Dog Play at Casey’s website, www.upwarddog.com under Resources. These videos will give you an excellent understanding of what to expect, how to read dog body language and how intervene when necessary. Dogs parks in the St. Croix Valley can be found in Amery, Hudson, New Richmond, St. Croix Falls and Stillwater.

and possible extensions. The District’s childcare options, Kids Klub and Wrap Around will not be offered during the closure. The District sent out a survey to high school students to see if any are interested in providing childcare to families in need during the closure. All athletics and club sports are closed during the closure. At this time, there is no information on the impact for student graduation. An article was released by the National Association of School Psychologist in regards to talking to children about COVID-19. This is a great resource for parents. A Brooke Kulzer/Pete Kammerud motion was made to approve changing the scheduled staff in-service day on June 1 to a non-working day as staff will be putting in extra time during the week of March 16 and the closure. Motion Carried. A Rosanne Anderson/Pete Kammerud motion was made approve non-essential staff will not report during the closure. Staff who report during the closure will be communicated by department. An all staff meeting is scheduled for 8:00 am on Monday, March 16. The health and safety of the Districts employees and families is a top priority. A Rosanne Anderson/Brooke Kulzer motion was made to approve that staff will be paid up to their contract hours during the closure through April 6, 2020. A survey went out to Districts in CESA 11 and most will be following this model. The Board would like also responsible to our tax payers. For staff doing working above their required hours would be reviewed for additional compensation. Motion Carried. A Pete Kammerud/Brian Meyer motion was made to adjourn. Motion carried Pete Kammerud, Clerk

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