<w WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2018
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 120 NO. 50 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SCHOOL: Osceola Intermediate principal resigns. PAGE 2
Youngest Chieftains have a new principal BY MARA MARTINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
EVAN JOHNSON AND GENE DI LORENZO
Independence Day
A large crowd gathered for fireworks July 3 in Marine on St. Croix, including passengers from the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway’s annual Fireworks Express.
As Osceola Elementary says goodbye to its principal of 23 years, Peggy Weber, a new bright face will take her place this fall. Lindsay Thomas brings with her a lot of ideas and passion for OES students. Thomas’s top priority for her first year is to build meaningful relationships with students, staff, families, and community members. Thomas wants to emphasize her main goal of guaranteeing that the district’s youngest learners receive a high quality education rooted in developmentally appropriate best practices and “promoting and increasing community and school connections.” Bridging this gap between school and community is important to Thomas as she highlights, “it takes a village to serve our tiny Chieftains!” Thomas grew up in Menomonie, Wisconsin and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in early
Lindsay Thomas childhood education from UW-Stout, a Master of Arts in administrative leadership and a Reading 316 license from Silver Lake College in Chippewa Falls. Thomas has lived in the Eau Claire area for the last eight years building up her teaching experience. Her first positions included teaching first grade and kindergarten at Parkview Elementary in Chippewa Falls. These positions spring SEE THOMAS, PAGE 15
Dresser’s former president will sit six months BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Dresser’s former village president has been sentenced to six months in jail on a felony charge of recklessly caused child abuse. Bryan Beseler, who resigned from office concurrent with his acceptance of an April plea deal, will also pay restitution and perform 120 hours of community service. Another six months jail time will be imposed if he violates his three-year probation. Additionally, as a convicted felon he cannot hold public office or possess a firearm. The sentence brings some resolution to an April 2017 event, when a child in Beseler’s care was hospitalized with a severe brain injury. The sentencing hearing brought few answers, however, about what occurred that day. Beseler has maintained
since his first interviews with investigators that he and the 4-year-old were playing Nerf guns when, not looking where he was going, the child ran full speed into a doorframe. During initial investigations a doctor cast doubt on Beseler’s explanation, saying this example of “routine play” was unlikely to cause such a serious injury, and that the injury was indicative of an adult shaking the child. At the sentencing hearing, however, Beseler’s attorney, Mark Biller, said he believed the doctor’s analysis was incomplete, calling the case a “medical mystery.” Biller pointed out that the medical report did not address possibilities such as “second impact syndrome,” a rapid swelling of the brain when a second concussion occurs before the brain has recovered from an earlier one. Investigators’
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notes do indicate that the child had been hit in the head while playing earlier that day. The child, now five, has improved but remains partially paralyzed. According to his grandmother, who spoke at the sentencing hearing, it’s unlikely he will ever fully recover. Several at the hearing spoke on Beseler’s behalf, including his former wife and a longtime friend, describing him as a good father and person of high moral character. Beseler also spoke, using the opportunity to address the victim’s family and extended family. “It hurts me to imagine the pain and struggles they’ve had to go through,” he said, fighting sobs. “I pray they have understanding and can find peace in this case. I will SEE BESELER, PAGE 13
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SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Bryan Beseler stands to speak during his sentencing hearing. He used the opportunity to address the family of the child who was in his care when a severe brain injury occurred, saying he hoped to help bring closure to the case.
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