WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 120 NO. 40 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Spring sports finally underway. PAGE 10
Milk on hold as Crystal Ball Farms readies for rebuild BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Although milk from Crystal Ball Farms is off grocery store shelves for now, if barn construction goes as planned the dairy will reopen by mid September. The farm’s cow barn burned to the ground March 29. Two cows died in the fire. Fifteen others died of smoke inhalation in the days that followed. Creamery manager Jessi Fouks believes the worst is over. “The rest of the herd is currently looking good and not showing any signs of problems,” she wrote on Facebook in late April. “So fingers crossed, we are now hopefully on a positive trend with rebuild starting soon and maintaining the balance of the herd.” The farm is awaiting permits to install a manure pit and alter the property line in anticipa-
tion of a new barn. “We’re hoping that will come together this week,” she told the Sun. “J&S [General Contracting] is taking out the old pits and will start
excavating for the new pit to go in. Weiser Concrete will install the new pit, then it will be turned over to the builder. The SEE CRYSTAL BALL, PAGE 6
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Creamery manager Jessi Fouks with the dairy’s newest calf, Buttercup.
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
J&S General Contracting removed the 1967 manure pits last week and will soon start excavating for the new pit.
Osceola school district asks residents to weigh in
Osceola grad lands fellowship with Timberwolves, Lynx BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
An Osceola graduate has earned a glimpse beyond the basketball court, into the business side of Minnesota’s Timberwolves and Lynx teams. As a fellow with the teams’ business organization, Kailey Ekstrom is learning about everything from public relations to ticket sales in eight six-week rotations through various departments. The fellowship started the last week in February. Ekstrom, who graduated from OHS in 2013, headed first to the public relations department. She learned the PR ropes, communicating with media outlets and coordinating with players on game nights. “We figure out who needs to talk to whom and organize press conferences,” she explained.
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Osceola graduate Kailey Ekstrom is working for Minnesota’s Timberwolves and Lynx as part of the teams’ business fellowship program.
“It was just living the day-to-day life of a public relations person.” During her second rotation she helped to program entertainment in the arena, creating the spots that run during time outs or half time. Now she’s sitting NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
with the marketing department, “learning everything it takes to kick-start a season with a new logo and marketing campaign.” The fellowship, a full-time position, will wrap up in November. “I get to be around for ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
awhile,” Ekstrom said. “The hope is once I’m done I’ll have a better idea of the type of job I’d like to step into.” Ekstrom is the second fellow to participate in the program SEE EKSTROM, PAGE 2
PUBLIC NOTICES 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
The school district is reaching out to district residents this month to gather input regarding district operations and educational facility needs. An eightpage survey will be mailed to every household in the district during the first week of May. Residents can either complete the paper survey or take it online. All responses are anonymous. The community-wide survey is the result of many months of work by a community taskforce composed of parents, business leaders, community members and district staff. The team has assisted in planning and communicating the district’s next steps regarding operational funding and facility projects. The survey asks residents to provide input on cost-cutting options the district could explore as well as their support for a potential operating referendum. Additionally, the taskforce will evaluate residents’ level of support for a first phase of facility projects. The district also wants to gather feedback on the future of Osceola Elementary School, specifically if the school should be renovated or if the district should begin planning to build a new school. To assist with data gathering efforts, the school board is working with School Perceptions LLC, an independent Wisconsin firm with expertise in conducting school district surveys. All survey data is returned to School Perceptions and all information will remain anonymous. School Perceptions staff will present survey results at a district planning meeting on June 13. The results will give the taskforce and school board a direction on next steps for the district, which could include a potential referendum. SUBSCRIPTIONS 715-294-2314 office@osceolasun.com
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