The Sun 07.15.2020 by The Sun

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020 VOL. 122 NO. 50 www.osceolasun.com $1.00

SPORTS: Pay attention to safety on the river. PAGE 6

Sheriff asking for public’s help in fatal accident The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday afternoon they are looking for additional information on the crash July 2 that claimed the

lives of Scott Brust, 58, and Lisa Swanson, 53, both of Cushing. If anyone witnessed the crash, they are asked to please call 715-485-8300.

Farmington, Osceola boards discuss latest mine ordinance BY JASON SCHULTE EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM JONATHN RICHIE | BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL

Enjoying the ride Osceola Royalty participated in the Siren 4th of July celebration.

Custodial workers thrive during Osceola school closures BY DAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

From a certain perspective, school closings aren’t actally that bad. Of course, for educators, school closings are a logistical marathon; for students, a relational wasteland; for parents, a temporary career change. But for the facility managers, the vacant buildings are ideal for catching up on some much-needed repairs. Bob Schmidt, the director of building and grounds at the Osceola School District, is leading his staff in a summer-long deep

clean of the school buildings. For 37 years, Schmidt’s been working to keep the facilities running clean and efficient. A recurring struggle has been funding maintenance projects. The under-staffed custodial team has no way to keep up with all the repairs. “I mean, that’s been the biggest challenge for years now,” Schmidt said, “is not having the money to maintain our buildings. It’s been frustrating to watch our buildings slowly degrade some.” Over the past five years, Schmidt has lost two of his staff

because of budget cuts. But things recently took a turn for the better. After a long-awaited referendum passed this spring, the grounds and building department received 10 million dollars for projects and an additional staff member. With school closing due to the Coronavirus, Schmidt had a few extra months of undisturbed work, which was all he needed to catch up. “We never get everything done in the summer,” Schmidt SEE SCHOOL, PAGE 11

Described as a ‘get-toknow’ session, the Town of Farmington board and Village of Osceola board met for two hours July 8 about Farmington’s ordinance for the nonmetallic mine. It was stated in the ordinance the purpose “is to provide minimum standards for all nonmetallic mining operations in the Town, and to require licenses for nonmetallic mining and facility operations in order to protect public health and safety, to preserve the scenic beauty of the Town’s landscapes and environment, to protect the public from damage to both the quantity and quality of ground and surface waters, to minimize or prevent adverse impacts from onsite and off-site operations, and to promote the general welfare of the people and communities with the Town.” Both boards went over the 26 page ordinance and found few disagreements. Among the key parts of the ordinance:

“Nonmetallic minerals” means a product, commodity, or material consisting principally of naturally occurring, organic, inorganic, nonmetallic, non-renewable material. “Nonmetallic mining” means extraction from the earth of mineral aggregates or nonmetallic minerals for off-site use or sale, including drilling and blasting as well as associated activities such as excavation, grading, and dredging of such materials. Hours of operation will start no earlier than 6 a.m. and end no later than 7 p.m. It is anticipated those hours will be a “soft start” and will not include operation of heavy or loud equipment such as crushers. There will be no operations on Saturdays, Sundays and Federal Holidays. The section also states “without a special exception, all crushing operations are prohibited between the dates of May 1 to September 1. It further adds, if hours of operations need to be changed, it must be brought to the SEE FARMINGTON, PAGE 12

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Osceola offers parttime position to former clerk/treasurer BY MATT ANDERSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Tensions heightened between the Town of Osceola board and members of the community as the board offered former clerk/ treasurer, Lorraine Rugroden, an open ended, part-time position as a deputy treasurer’s assistant. The goal of hiring Rugroden is to help the town get caught up on financial work and to help current treasurer, Chris Stevens, to get up to date training. “What I recall from Chris’ conversation was that there is a backlog of work, and that there’s training to do, and that we would use Lorraine to do one or the other, or both,” said Supervisor Mike Wallis. “I think the important thing is that Chris learns how to do the job. If this is a can-do, then let’s do it.” However, concerns from both Osceola residents and supervisor Brandon Whittaker were brought up regarding Rugroden’s departure from the clerk/ treasurer position, and how the position would be paid for. “Who’s paying for the deputy treasurer?” Whittaker asked. “What budget are we cutting to pay for this? We’ve already talked about roadwork stuff being cut for legal fees. How are we going to pay for this?” “We’re going to have to pay it,” responded Chairman Doug Schmidt. ‘’If we don’t pay it, things don’t get done. We’re at fault already on a number

of things that were supposed to be done months ago that never got completed… It’s something that has to be done. The initial offer to Rugroden detailed a position of 12 hours a week - some of which would be worked at home, and the rest of the worked hours in the office with Stevens. While this initial offer was open ended, Wallis suggested to amend the offer to be effective no longer than six months and that all hours would be worked in the office to provide necessary training for Stevens. With suggestions from residents, the board would also report back every month with the progress reports. At the end of discussion, the board motioned to offer Lorraine Rugroden a part-time position as deputy treasurer assistant up to 12 hours per week, all of which would be spent in-office and would be employed no longer than six months, or however long Stevens needed for proper training and catching up with backlogged work. The motion passed with two “yes” votes and one abstention by Whittaker. At the time of the resolution, the amended offer was not yet presented and accepted by Rugroden. Other Business • Concerns from both the board and community members about the Centurylink internet service in the community were brought up due SEE TOWN, PAGE 3

July 1 general school aids estimate released Good news for Osceola and other Middle Border Conference schools MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction July 1, as required by state law, released an estimate of the general school aids each public school district will receive for the 2020-21 school year. Estimated general school aids for 2020-21 total $4.9 billion, representing a $163.5 million (3.5 percent) increase over last year. Due to changes in aid deductions for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and the Milwaukee-area legacy independent charter schools, the estimated increase in payments to districts is $160.8 million. Of the state’s 421 school districts, 72 percent (302) are estimated to receive more general aids in 2020-21, while 27 percent of districts (114) are estimated to receive less; five districts will have no change in aid between the 201920 and 2020-21 fiscal years. A district’s general aids can increase or

decrease due to changes in any of the three local factors comprising Wisconsin’s general equalization aid formula — property valuation, enrollment, and shared costs — as well as a difference in funds available from the state. General school aids are the largest form of state support for public schools in the state. Wisconsin statutes require the department to publish estimated aid amounts by July 1 each year. The estimate is based on the most recent 201920 budget data reported by school districts to the DPI, as well as the level of funding approved in the 2019-2021 state biennial budget. Estimated amounts are subject to change because they are based on budgeted, not audited, school district data. On Oct. 15, 2020, the DPI will certify amounts for 2020-21 general school aids based on audited data and the state’s appropriation. District aid estimates can be found on the department’s School Financial Services website, in the general aids section. Estimates are available as “Summary by

Alphabet” and “Summary by Percent.” The department’s July 1 aid estimate does not include per pupil categorical aid, which will be based on student membership from the 2020-21, 2019-20, and 2018-19 school years (third Friday in September count). Per pupil aid will be paid in March 2021; under current law it will be paid at $742 per pupil. Osceola was one of seven Middle Border Conference schools that were projected to see an increase from the 2019-2020 year. The difference between the two amounts was just short of $200,000. Fellow MBC schools Baldwin-Woodville, Ellsworth, New Richmond, St. Croix Central and Somerset are also projected to have increases larger than Osceola’s, with New Richmond’s being the largest around $1,540,000. Prescott’s increase is estimated to be around $59,000. Neighboring school St. Croix Falls is seen to have an increase of $473,916. The only MBC school to have a decrease is Amery, projected around $172,000.

Dresser changes polling place amidst COVID-19 concerns BY MATT ANDERSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Village of Dresser Board of Trustees prepared for upcoming elections in response to COVID-19 restrictions and community safety at its July 6 meeting. A vote passed to permanently change the polling place to the Dresser Community Hall in an effort to keep social distancing guidelines in place during upcoming elections. The board also discussed updating polling equipment in Dresser. Two options were mentioned that would include either two touchscreen tabulators or one all inclusive machine called the ImageCast Evolution (ICE) that would eliminate the need for collecting and counting paper ballots including absentee ballots. Neither of these machines would be connected to the internet meaning that any concerns of hacking would become a non-issue. This would be made as a mass purchase from Polk County. The board

expressed interest in the ICE ballot tabulator as a more efficient machine and cheaper price, which would be factored into the budget when a final decision is made. The fall primary election will be held on Aug. 11, 2020. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Dresser Community Hall. Those who need to register or obtain an absentee ballot can visit the village office, or visit www.myvote.wi.gov Other Business: • The board was visited by Executive Director of the Polk County Economic Development Corporation, Terry Hauer, who introduced himself and spoke to the recent impacts that COVID-19 has had on the county as a whole. While he said that “the true small businesses” were impacted the most, Hauer also said that, “The county as a whole, and the manufacturing base, held pretty steady” as many business were considered “essential” during the shutdown. • The Geraldine E. Anderson has re-opened

MATT ANDERSON

Ray Gunderson and Michael Nelson volunteered to repaint and refurbish the two signs that welcome visitors to the Village of Dresser.

after two months of shutdown with new rules in place in precaution of COVID-19. Detailed rules and information can be found on the village library website and Facebook page. • The board acknowledged and thanked Ray

Gunderson and Michael Nelson for volunteering their time to repaint all the fire hydrants in the Village and for completely repainting and refurbishing both Welcome signs coming into the village.

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Kind words are healthier

& 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.

ARNELL MEMORIAL HUMANE SOCIETY A sweet Pit Bull-Lab mix named Yeller was adopted on Saturday. His submissive kisses and rollovers for belly rubs told his new family all they needed to know about Yeller. And then he met his new brother Jake, a Boxer mix, and it was a done deal. A match made in heaven. In addition to Jake, Yeller gained a young family of three. The young girl in the photo was sharing her love equally between Yeller and Jake. It was a sweet moment for a sweet dog in need of kindness. Our weeks are quiet at the shelter but always busy. Busy taking care of the animals, answering emails, phone messages, posting stray pet info, occasional adoptions and taking more care of the animals. Last week three kittens and two dogs found new homes. One cat was reclaimed. The three young male kittens, Raymond, Gilbert and Sammy, found great homes. Raymond and Gilbert went to families that had adopted from Arnell in the past. We are so grateful for repeat adopters. It tells us that something must have gone right the first time around. Gilbert’s family adopted a young Pit Bull mix named Lauren from Arnell in 2017. Each member of the family has trained their own dog for Agility Trials and won multiple ribbons and championships. Lauren has done well in Agility and in her new life. Gilbert will be doing his own agility stunts, keeping a resident cat company amongst the dogs. Happy stories like this are too good to keep to ourselves. Congratulations shelter dog Lauren! Good Luck shelter cat Gilbert! If it is the right time for you to adopt a pet, visit our website for information about the available pets at Arnell. The process to adopt has been complicated by the virus. A pre-adoption Inquiry is required through our website under the heading “Adopt.” Some of the available pets are first come first serve and others require some special considerations. The pre-adoption inquiry helps us make contact with potential adopters and set up appointments for each pet. It is time consuming for us and a bit frustrating for adopters. Rest assured we are trying to do our best with the limitations required to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. Arnell Memorial Humane Society, www.ARNELLHUMANE.ORG, 715 268-7387 and Facebook.

was at my desk in the White Bear Press office on July 3, when most of the staff had the day off. A knock at the door caught my attention so I answered it to discover it was Cal Rolstad. He came by with a subscription payment for the Quad Community Press, which covers Lino Lakes, where he lives. Gene He has been Johnson following my column for years and h i d d me we did a story he reminded on his bricklaying career. He still has the clipping in a booklet that he carries with him. Cal was born to a farm family in Yellow Medicine County 94 years ago and is proud to have 10 years up on me. I asked him about his philosophy of life and he said, “Just be kind to people. Build friendships that way.” The encouragement gave me a boost for the day. Cal’s wife died several years ago, but his children live nearby in Lino Lakes, which pleases him very much. I called my publisher friend Charley Najacht following the president’s visit and speech at Mount Rushmore for the 244th birthday celebration of our nation

on the third of July. He said it was a wonderful, peaceful celebration. He thought President Trump delivered a very serious and meaningful message. The fireworks did not cause fires. Neither did the chemicals (so far) from the fireworks pollute any of the waters in the area as opponents claimed it would. The EPA had given prior approval. This is the first time a president had been there to celebrate Independence Day. It turned out to be a major kickoff for the tourist season which businesses were concerned about. Three other presidents have visited Mount Rushmore. They are George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. President Trump said, “There could be no better place to celebrate America’s independence than beneath this magnificent, incredible, majestic mountain and monument to the greatest Americans who ever lived.” He went on to say, “This monument will never be desecrated, these heroes will never be defaced, their legacy will never ever be destroyed, their achievements will never be forgotten and Mount Rushmore will stand forever as an eternal tribute to our forefathers and to our freedom.” I agree with my publisher friend Charley that monuments and statues erected all over the coun-

TOWN: Osceola offers parttime position to former clerk FROM PAGE 2

to increased need for schooling and working from home due to COVID-19. The board decided to draft a letter to send directly to Centurylink highlighting the concerns of the Osceola community and to explore potential solutions to the current internet issues. • The board is forming a Code of Ethics Committee for the town of Osceola and invites residents who may be interested in joining to send in their contact information, and qualifications to the town clerk no later than July 29. • More discussions regarding CAFOs were

brought up recommending that the town approve a local ownership use permit that requires 51% of CAFO applicants must be permanent residents in the Town of Osceola. The board then proposed sending a letter to the Polk County Board of Supervisors that explains the wishes of the Osceola community that CAFO applicants be permanent residents and adding additional information to the drafted resolution to be revisited at the August 4 meeting. • The board passed a resolution to designate a Class B Weight Restriction from County Rd. MM to 2301 Oak. Dr.

PUBLIC NOTICES STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT POLK COUNTY CASE NO.: 20SC000229 ACHILLES FINANCE, LLC dba ADVANCE FINANCIAL, Plaintiff, v. BRITTANI MARTINEZ 144A BELMONT ST OSCEOLA WI 54020 Defendant(s). SERVICE BY PUBLICATION You are being sued by ACHILLES FINANCE, LLC dba ADVANCE FINANCIAL in the Small Claims Court for Polk County, Wisconsin, 100 Polk County Plaza, Balsam Lake, WI 54810. A hearing will be held on August 03, 2020 at 1:30 pm If you do not appear, a judgment may be given to the person suing you. (A copy of the claim has been mailed to you at the address above). Plaintiff File No.: 279745 Deborah Krusche Bruck Bar Code: 01010658 BRUCK LAW OFFICES, S.C. 51Sc WNAXLP

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try need similar protection from lawless vandals who seek to erase our nation’s history. Charley went on to say, “It was an inspiring speech. It had a nonpartisan message devoid of the usual political attacks on his opponents that are so prevalent in the rallies across the country.” IF YOU ARE a small business and qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program and did not apply, you may be pleased to know the application period has been extended to August 8. Our newspaper companies applied and learned that small community banks were the most helpful. The bill does not allow businesses that received previous loans to apply for the second loan, but it may help those who did not apply because of confusion about the use of the funds. If the funds are used properly, most of it is forgivable or becomes a loan at a very low interest rate. So far the Small Business Administration has distributed more than $520 million in PPP loans. It was mid-June before the SBA and the Department of the Treasury finally published clear guidance on forgiveness of loans for business owners who used them to make up for lost business income.

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STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT POLK COUNTY CASE NO.: 20SC000228 ACHILLES FINANCE, LLC dba ADVANCE FINANCIAL, Plaintiff, v. RANDALL RANKIN 203 E STATE ST DRESSER WI 54009 Defendant(s). SERVICE BY PUBLICATION You are being sued by ACHILLES FINANCE, LLC dba ADVANCE FINANCIAL in the Small Claims Court for Polk County, Wisconsin, 100 Polk County Plaza, Balsam Lake, WI 54810. A hearing will be held on August 03, 2020 at 1:30 pm If you do not appear, a judgment may be given to the person suing you. (A copy of the claim has been mailed to you at the address above). Plaintiff File No.: 278221 Deborah Krusche Bruck Bar Code: 01010658 BRUCK LAW OFFICES, S.C. 51Sc WNAXLP

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4 THE SUN

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JULY 15, 2020

Trust the professionals

ven though we are in the middle of summer, a time when school should be at the farthest point away from our minds, there’s been a great deal of talk about what the school year will look like in the fall. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wane and surge, everyone from the President of the United States to members of the school board are thinking about what the upcoming school year should look like. Parents are being surveyed, scenarios are being discussed and plans are being made. When schools closed last spring education switched from classPublisher and rooms to the internet and parents went from helping with homework Tom Stangl to becoming an unpaid member of the teaching staff, it became apparent that a better way to teach students was needed. Districts did their best to get computers or other devices in the hands of students as well as get paper lesson plans and meals in the hands of students. There were plenty of hiccups, but considering the short notice and lack of direction from the state and federal governments, I believe they did an admirable job. After all, until now, there more than likely wasn’t a plan in place for a pandemic. I’m hedging my bet on that plan because if there is anything public schools do well, it’s planning. With the logistics of transporting, caring and feeding of hundreds of children for five days a week, nine months of the year, you can bet there’s been a lot of planning. Oh, and there’s the whole education thing to consider as well. They do a good job with that, also, in my opinion. There is no shortage of opinions on what the upcoming school year should look like. State government has provided some scenarios and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) came out in the spring with guidelines as to what should be done when students return to school. But, much like the virus itself, thoughts and opinions on what school will look like have been mutating. Last week, Robert R. Redfield, the head of the CDC said that the recommendations his agency developed in the spring were simply guidelines and not rules. Redfield appeared at the same press conference where President Trump said he would do everything in his power to ensure students returned to the classroom this fall. The president called the CDC guidelines “very tough and expensive” and was urging the agency to revise their recommendations. Guidance from the CDC and the Department of Education says “Each school and each community will have different needs and should implement the strategies best designed to meet them.” Even though it may seem like there has been mixed messaging here, that last quote is the one I believe we should focus on as our local officials formulate their plans for the fall. The professionals we have hired to care for and educate our children will do their best to find a solution to the situation we are facing. They have always had the best interest of our community and children in mind. This year will be no different. It is always important to support our school officials, but this year, I believe it is crucial we let them do the job they were hired to do. They will have a plan. We all need to support it. 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.

Active member of

HOW TO REACH US: Our office is located at 108 Cascade Street, Osceola, WI 54020. We are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Call: (715) 294-2314, (715) 755-3316, or fax at (715) 7553314. TO SUBSCRIBE: office@osceolasun.com The Sun is mailed to the homes of subscribers for delivery every

Why I love this business

riends and family who have known me for a long time have seen my love of sports and usually shake their head in disbelief about it, like for example, I can name the last 25 Super Bowl Champions going backward. It was so bad growing up, my parents refused to get cable until I was in high school because they were fearful all I would do is Editor watch ESPN and their offspring of Jason Schulte networks. hi k iit all ll started in 1987. As I think an eight-year-old, growing up in central Minnesota, I saw the Minnesota Twins win the World Series and the Minnesota Vikings go on a surprising run in the postseason and fall one game short of playing in the Super Bowl with both of those events happening in a fourmonth span. I was hooked. I thought this was awesome. Both teams are going to do this every year or make this a recurring theme, it’ll be so fun to

watch, follow and know as much about those teams as possible. I knew I didn’t have the athletic talents to play professionally, but what were the chances on reporting on them? So, that’s where the road took me. I did statistics for my high school football and basketball teams, I was on the yearbook staff for two years, both times reporting on sports pages. When I went to college, I spent two years, working for the city newspaper, reporting on high school and collegiate sports. While most college kids were hitting the bars on weekends, I was working past midnight trying to track down football and basketball scores from small towns in southeastern Minnesota. My first newspaper job after college found myself working 12 hour shifts more often than not which led to some tense moments between my wife and I about me not being home enough. When we found out we were expecting our first child, an opportunity presented itself to have about as close to a 9-5 newspaper job as possible with the exception of a couple monthly meetings in Ellsworth.

It was an easy call to make based off those two factors. It was my first foray into news, but I found it to be just as enjoyable as sports. The variety made it fun. One day, it could’ve been a profile on a teacher retirement, the next day it could be a plea agreement on a court hearing. You never really knew what your day was like until you walked into the office to start your day. People have asked me what my favorite story to report on was. It takes a nanosecond to answer. One of my duties was sitting by a police scanner in case something out of the ordinary happens. I remember on July 3, 2012, in which the call came over the scanner of a missing boy. It was a pretty quiet day, so I thought, what the heck, let’s go see what happens. Details emerged quickly. It was a boy who was autistic and didn’t speak. Search parties were beginning to form and with social media in the infancy stages, word started to spread quickly, help was needed in finding him. You knew the story was getting SEE SCHULTE, PAGE 6

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TO THE EDITOR

YEARS AGO

Message for Mud Ducks I recently learned Mud Ducks are Minnesotans who moved to Wisconsin and did not return. So, as an Osceola Mud Duck of seven years I have a message for all future muddy waterfowl. You are no doubt attracted to the scenic St. Croix River Valley and the picturesque approach as you fly across the Interstate 243 Bridge. However, before you land on a beautiful piece of property complete with a small pond and build your ultimate nest, please be advised: You are entering Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dairyland State â&#x20AC;&#x201D; We have plenty of cows that produce a shiftload of manure and yes, methane gas. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like that smell, keep flying until you hit Milwaukee where the smell from the Miller Brewing Company may better suit you. Wisconsinites are proud contributors to the U.S. agricultural industry. â&#x20AC;˘ We are a vital link to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food supply. â&#x20AC;˘ We do the work many city-folk donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enjoy. â&#x20AC;˘ We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work from home. Our work is already home. â&#x20AC;˘ We are qualified stewards of the land we work and the water we drink. No polluters allowed. Osceola is unique in that it has a

historic downtown Village and adjacent industrial park that allows Mud Ducks to walk (less flight time) with: â&#x20AC;˘ Shopping â&#x20AC;˘ Food and drink â&#x20AC;˘ Entertainment â&#x20AC;˘ And, much needed socialization opportunities â&#x20AC;˘ Village of Osceola is unfortunately located on WI-35 â&#x20AC;˘ Traffic is a reality and a sign of prosperity. If you want less traffic, noise, congestion, keep flying. â&#x20AC;˘ Old historic buildings should be preserved, but be prepared to spend a portion of your nest egg if you choose to buy one. â&#x20AC;˘ We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want or need building owners who simply collect rent (â&#x20AC;&#x153;slum lordsâ&#x20AC;?). â&#x20AC;˘ Oh, and those trucks driving by carry sand and trap rock as we are also in the business of supplying industry with a vital natural resource which is here in abundance. If you have any questions as a current or potential Mud Duck, I would be happy to help you get some answers . . . or perspective. You may be interested to know I heard a local, second-generation resident and elected leader say (with a slight speech impediment), â&#x20AC;&#x153;That Bernie D. is the biggest Mudder Ducker, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever encountered.â&#x20AC;?

So, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud to help you find a place in our wonderful western Wisconsin community located just 45 miles from the Twin Cities.

measure. I like her because I can ask questions when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m baking. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alexa! How many tablespoons in one-third cup?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alexa! When does the sun set tonight?â&#x20AC;? I can ask questions and play music with sticky hands and this seems to me one of the great advances in civilization made in the last century. Peter is less sure. He quarrels with Alexa. He asks things in a way she cannot answer and when she says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure I understand your question,â&#x20AC;? Peter takes it personally. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a machine,â&#x20AC;? I remind Peter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an intelligent machine!â&#x20AC;? Peter replies. Yesterday, Alexa was flashing away like crazy. This, I have learned, means she has something to say. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alexa! Do you have a notification?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have one notification.â&#x20AC;? I waited with bated breath. (There really isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a lot going on at our house right now.) â&#x20AC;&#x153;The notification is for Carrie: Your slipper has been delivered.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh my gosh! My slipper has been delivered!â&#x20AC;? I felt like Cinderella. I immediately went out and fetched the box from the stoop. I

discovered that Alexa spoke the truth. In fact, it was even better than she said. Two slippers had been deliveredâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one for each foot! Since March, the only clothing I have purchased is two pairs of stretchy pants and a nightgown. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been living in stretchy pants. New slippers were a very big deal. I am amazed by how little I have thought about clothes over the past one-third of a year. I miss wearing shoes but now, glancing into my closet, I wonder how many of them Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to wear again once the opportunity presents itself. It seems to me a lot has changed in four months and a lot of these changes have happened inside of me. I have a much greater appreciation for all the things I miss. I miss sharing experiences and having people I can laugh with. I miss chatting with my 90-year-old gal pal in church. I miss sitting with a group of strangers in a theater when the lights dim. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be happy to wear my stretchy pants and new slippers everywhere if I could get together with friends for an evening of fun. I modeled my new slippers for Peter. He pretended to be impressed.

Bernie Desmarais Osceola Township

Progress still needs to be made I am replying to Haley Blayneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter which appeared in the July 1 Sun. She apparently likes to take statements out of context. For one, I never stated this was an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Us versus Themâ&#x20AC;? problem. My original reply was the injustice to Black WWII veterans who did not receive GI benefits. I agreed that this was an injustice, but I stated that was 75 years ago, and we have made progress. I never stated the task was complete at this time. There is still progress to be made. I also never compared Martin Luther King to protestors in Michigan at their State Capital. The only statement was that the Michigan protestors, both black and white, were making a 2nd Amendment statement by peaceful protest. This is what MLK would have preferred. SEE LETTERS, PAGE 11

THE POSTSCRIPT New slippers l

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worn out a pair of slippers. To be fair, I wear slippers quite a bit under normal circumstances, but over the past four months my slipper use has exceeded previous records. I was reading the news one morning (I imagine you know what thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like). The takeaway for me was that I was going to be wearing slippers for a while. I looked down at my slippers and gave Columnist in to the inevitable. I ordered new Carrie Classon slippers. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve actually forgotten what shoes I own. I looked in my closet and it seemed kind of quaint. I had different shoes for different outfits! I had shoes with heels! I had boots of several varietiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even a pair of red boots! They are now stacked up neatly in my closet. I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worn anything on my feet but hiking boots and slippers in months. My husband, Peter, and I have Alexa, the Amazon device that amuses us and annoys us in equal

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50 years ago July 16, 1970 â&#x20AC;˘ The Federal Committee on Housing and Urban Development has approved a $49,790 load to he Osceola Housing Authority. â&#x20AC;˘ The Osceola Chiefs baseball team was edged out again by the Saints, 3-2. â&#x20AC;˘ Osceola PeeWees beat Frederic, 4-2, to complete their conference schedule. The 10 strike-out, one-hit pitching of Dennis Schmidt and a timely home run by Mark Ellingson set up the victory. â&#x20AC;˘ Showing at the Auditorium Theatre, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marooned,â&#x20AC;? starring Gregory Peck. â&#x20AC;˘ 8 lb. bag of new potatoes, $.69; 3 oz. jar of Mario stuffed olives, $.25; 100 ft. of Handi-Wrap, $.25 at Lundeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. â&#x20AC;˘ The 674th Radar Squadron held it annual Safety Days Fun Festival over the 4th of July weekend.

U.S. Senator Ronald H. Johnson

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30 years ago July 11, 1990 â&#x20AC;˘ New safety concerns have arisen since the installation of stoplights on Hwy. 35 and Second Street in Osceola. People arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realizing they need to stop and are driving through the light. â&#x20AC;˘ Rita Doll was presented a Special Service Award in recognition of 10 years as secretary for Aid Association for Lutherans Branch 368. â&#x20AC;˘ The July Employee of the Month at Ladd Memorial Hospital was Janet Crowell. â&#x20AC;˘ Winners in the Osceola Summer Reading program were Tara Couch, Jill Lorenz, Joel Carlson, Paul Wynveen, Nate Wynveen, Rachel Fisk, Venessa Kahl, Chris Lones, Andy Bader, Tommy Shoop, Andrew Carlson and Matt Bader. â&#x20AC;˘ Greg Ward and Barry Randall were recognized for their years of service at Northwire.

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20 years ago July 12, 2000 â&#x20AC;˘ Melissa Traiser was named a member of the State FFA Band and performed at the 71st State FFA Convention in Madison. â&#x20AC;˘ The physicians at Osceola Medical Center made a $1,434 donation to the Osceola High School athletic department. The funds were raised through annual athletic screenings. â&#x20AC;˘ The St. Croix Scenic Riverway Superintendent announced the closure of four miles of the St. Croix River to swimming. The restriction was imposed following the latest drowning at the St. Croix River Dalles on July 22. â&#x20AC;˘ Catherine Albrecht announced her candidacy for Polk County Clerk. â&#x20AC;˘ Al Fehlen celebrated his 91st birthday on July 17. â&#x20AC;˘ Brett Neumann received the State FFA Agricultural Mechanical Technical Systems

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10 years ago July 14, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ The Marshall star Band kicked off Music in the Park in Osceola last week. â&#x20AC;˘ Members of the Forest View 4-H Club including Mitch Dulon, Cody Getschel, Danielle Palmsteen, Brianna Palmsteen, Hayley Palmsteen, Grace Pennings-Guenthner, Justin Vorndran, Renee Vorndran and Ryan Peterson built three picnic tables to donate to the Polk County Fairgrounds. â&#x20AC;˘ Wagon rides were given to customers who attended John Deere Day at Frontier Ag & Turf in Osceola. â&#x20AC;˘ Members of Alliance Church of the Valley held their ďŹ rst services in their new worship hall last weekend. â&#x20AC;˘ Kyle Burkhamer of Osceola graduated May 15 from University of Wisconsin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; La Crosse. â&#x20AC;˘ After putting up two more league wins last week, the Osceola Braves re now a step ahead of the Menomonie Eagles in the St. Croix Valley Baseball Northern Division.

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Rep. Gae Magnafici 28th Assembly District P.O. Box 8952 â&#x20AC;˘ Madison, WI 53708 (608) 267-2365 or 1-888-534-0028 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax (608) 282-3628 Rep.Magnafici@legis.wisconsin.gov

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AND OUTDOORS 6

THE SUN

JULY 15, 2020 www.osceolasun.com

Pay attention to safety when planning activities on river Summers make for long, busy days on the 84,000 miles of Wisconsin rivers as residents and visitors load picnics, canoes, kayaks and kids’ toys for memorable fun along the shores and in the waters. This season, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ conservation wardens, local authorities and first responders are urging attention to safety when planning activities near and in rivers. River safety tips stem from a foundational belief of having respect for the river and its shores. Be smart and stay aware because a river’s potential danger is often not visible to the human eye. These potential risks are why conservation wardens and area

agencies stress the importance of wearing a life jacket - especially for children who find shorelines particularly inviting. The higher, fast-moving water can tax an individual’s boating, paddling and swimming skills. “What may look like a flat, inviting river or stream, may disguise a fast-moving current pulling debris out of your sight and under the surface - and could put you in danger without a lot of warning,” said Capt. April Dombrowski with the DNR Bureau of Law Enforcement. The same life jacket tip applies to lakes, which also are subject to changing conditions often linked to weather events. However, rivers present continually changing

conditions - most often choreographed by the ever-changing currents. Currents are powerful forces that can reconfigure shorelines, carry and hide debris and construct or destroy sandbars that otherwise look deceptively solid. Life jackets are a top safety tip for boating and exploring shorelines Wardens and authorities say their unified goal is to highlight the importance of wearing life jackets and how to be safe while having fun. There are many styles and sizes of life jackets, making them comfortable for any outdoor activity. Authorities say putting a life jacket on a child looking to play in the sand near the water is a must. “Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved

DNR

The DNR encourages residents and visitors to practice safety while enjoying Wisconsin’s rivers and shorelines this summer.

life jacket when venturing out on the water,” Dombrowski said. “Wearing one just might save your life.” The sad truth is that

Summertime and the living’s easy

most drowning victims on Wisconsin waterbodies were not wearing life jackets. Wisconsin rivers are safe and family-friendly places

to spend a summer day or a few days, but safety and respect for the water should always be on your SEE SAFETY, PAGE 11

SCHULTE: I love this business FROM PAGE 1

lla Fitzgerald hit the charts with Summertime in 1968, my junior year in high school. The lyrics went, “Summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumping and the cotton is high.” Yes its summertime and the heat wave has left so the living is a bit easier but are the fish a jumping? In a word, YES! I’ve been out 5 times in the last 7 days, including during the heat fishing early morning and we found cooperative crappies on every lake we’ve fished. The only problem, temporary problem solved was finding them. In years past that might have been a struggle but with my new used boat and electronics it was a blast. The boat is an older 17’ Blue Fin Sportsman powered by a 60 hp Evinrude. I picked up the boat from a young man who lives in Warroad whose uncle was Minnesota hockey legend Henry Boucha. Young Boucha modified the boat turning it into a fishing machine with enough creature comforts to make it comfy for my wife Nancee’ and fast enough for the kids who want to pulled around lakes on tubes. Wild River The electronics I added are a Lowrance Hook 2 7X TripleShot GPS with Trails Side Imaging that I put on the console Jim Bennett and a Humminbird Helix 7 G2 with GPS and Side Imaging that went on the front of the boat. I had thought about putting it on the trolling motor but instead found a TiteLok mount that clamps securely right on the tip of the bow and is not in the way of the trolling motor. Both were last year’s models that were on sale at half price. If you look there are still some out there so if you’re looking to enhance your boats electronics. Instead of paying $799 each I ended paying less than $800 for both. Having had them on the boat for a month I would strongly place the Humminbird above the Lowrance. When comparing these two similar units the Helix is easier to use with more options and has better graphics in my book. One of the first lakes we hit mid June was on a panfish trip on a Polk County lake. After going to

my usual hot spots from years past I couldn’t find a fish. Time to take a look at my Navionic’s fishing app on my phone because I hadn’t figured out how to use either fish finders mapping capabilities yet. I was looking for deeper water, structure hoping to find suspended fish. We used the Lowrance to get to the spot and then I jumped up in the bow, dropped down the Humminbird and started to roam the area using Down Imaging to see what was under the boat. Not only did I find suspended crappies but I also spotted baitfish and structure. At first there were small groups and then we hit a few larger schools. I dropped a marker buoy over the side of the boat that someone later tried to pick up; it was time to see if we could get them to bite. I tossed out my favorite crappie plastic, Berkley Power Bait 2” scented Ripple Shad. I got into fish right away. The fish were scattered in 18-20 feet of water. I started out doing a countdown, slowly counting down one one thousand per foot as the bait sank until I found the fish zone. Another bait I always try for crappies is a tube jig in pink and yellow. Years ago at my last job before retirement was at Gander Mountain where I met a guy who shared with me the results of a study done by The Crappie Institute on what colors crappies preferred to bite. Pink and yellow was their preferred color. I’ve always find that crappies do in fact love that color pattern and so do sunfish who will often hit it before crappies have a chance. So where are the fish right now? It’s all about weeds and weed lines. As the water temps rise and the sun stays high in the sky weeds are the key. In fact I was reeling in a 10” crappie on a lake in my back yard in 12 feet of water next to weeds when I spotted a big walleye moving up behind it looking for a free lunch. I remember when a good friend taught me how to catch walleyes in weeds. We found sparse cabbage weeds and started tossing jigs tipped with minnows into the weeds in 8 to 10 feet of water near deeper water mid afternoon and on about his 2nd cast Tom hooked into a 20 inch walleye and then another about 18. I was just SEE BENNETT, PAGE 10

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to be bigger than anyone anticipated when Twin Cities television stations started arriving. Towards the evening, I can remember the rumor started to spread he was found. And when he wasn’t, it felt comparable to the air being let out of a balloon. I remember leaving that first night, thinking the worst. A little background information, I grew up about a half-hour from where Jacob Wetterling disappeared and he was one year older than me. Imagine my surprise and others, when he was found the next morning by a random stranger, who had a child nearly the same age, and felt compelled to join the search because that’s what people do for other people. That story is now eight years old and I can remember like it was yesterday. Sure I’ve had my negative moments on this job, like everyone else, but when you go to work, not because you have to, but because you want to, it’s a great feeling.

POLK COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS Road trip time!

ummer is upon us and it’s time to do something fun. Some people head to the lake or cabin when their chores are done. I hit the road in search of beautiful gardens to meander through. I wanted to give you information on some gardens that are easily visited in a one day road trip. Here are some of my favorites. My number one one-day road trip garden has to be the Leif Erickson Park and Rose Garden in Duluth. This garden has one of Columnist the largest displays of roses I’ve seen. It is free to visit and parking Julie Kuehl is free. If you like to walk, it is connected to the Boardwalk. The gardens look out on Lake Superior with beautiful spots to sit and take in all their beauty. I have found it a wonderful place to get away from any worries and just enjoy what Mother Nature and some hard working volunteers are able to maintain in a very unforgiving winter environment. So head to Duluth, enjoy the beauty of the garden and maybe stop in enjoy a nice lunch along the lake. There are two really terrific gardens in St. Cloud along the Mississippi River – the Munsinger Garden (a beautiful 14 acre informal garden with lovely meandering paths) and the Clemens Garden – made up of six more formal gardens. They are open daily from 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. For more informaSEE GARDEN, PAGE 10

JULY 15, 2020

THE SUN

www.osceolasun.com

OBITUARIES

Christine M. Cloutier

Myra Kay Johnson

Christine M. Cloutier, a resident of Webb Lake died July 7, 2020. She was 65. Christine was born on M March 14, 1955, in Blue E Earth, Minn., to parents A Adrian and Magdalene. She attended nursing sschool in Rochester, Minn., a and worked at the Rochester S State Hospital. In 1978, she m moved to St. Croix Falls, w where she worked in the O OBGYN department of the S St. Croix Hospital. While rresiding in St. Croix Falls, sshe met her husband, Dav vid. Shortly thereafter they rrelocated to Osceola where they lived for over 20 years. In the mid 1990’s Christine took a job with Polk County Homecare until she retired in 2014. They moved to the Webb Lake area in the early 2000’s where they finished their careers and enjoyed their retirement. When not working, Christine enjoyed traveling especially out West, snowmobiling, fishing, golfing and convertible rides. She was preceded in death by her parents, Adrian and Magdalene. She will be forever missed by her husband, David; son, Michael (Rachel) Cloutier; one granddaughter, Fia; sister, Victoria (Steve) Heimsoth; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. A time for friends and family to gather was held July 11 at the Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Webster. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Regional Hospice, 819 Ash St., Spooner, WI 54801. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.

Myra Kay Johnson of Star Prairie died July 12, 2020, at her home in Star Prairie. She was 72. Myra was born Sept. 3, 11947, to Harold and Phyllis ((Kulzer) Jensen in Osceola. S She attend school in Osceo ola and graduated class of 11965. On September 10, 1982, M Myra was united in marrriage Leland Johnson. T This marriage was blessed w with five children, Darren, D Denae, Dennis, Scott and C Colleen. Myra worked as a ssecretary most of her life at M Motorbooks in Osceola and finally retiring from the

POSTSCRIPT: New slippers FROM PAGE 5

(A marriage relies on a little good-natured acting from time to time.) I’m going to keep all my shoes, although I think I might have to dust them pretty soon. I’m holding out hope that, someday, I

might have the occasion to wear a pair of red boots—probably with a pair of stretchy pants. Till next time, Carrie Carrie Classon’s memoir is called, “Blue Yarn.” Learn more at CarrieClasson.com.

Linds Shoe company in Somerset. Myra enjoyed fishing, her flower gardens, bird watching and her poodles. She especially enjoyed the time spent with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Myra was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Phyllis Jensen; brother, Dellard Jensen; sister, Fay Hudson; grandson, Travis Bottolfson; granddaughter, Jayme Bottolfson; father-in-law, Lloyd Johnson and brother-in-law, Ronald Johnson. Myra is survived by her husband, Leland; children, Darren (Judith), Denae (Chad) Tolzman, Dennis (Barb), Scott (Stacey) and Colleen (Greg) Cook; 16 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren and other nieces, nephews and family members. Private family interment will take place in the Ramsey Cemetery, Osceola. Condolences may be expressed online at www. grandstrandfh.com.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Anna Uzpen and Colter White. St. Croix Falls: Bethany Kalpin, Ruthie Stewart and Brooke Swenson.

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN EAU CLAIRE The following students were named to the spring semester Dean’s List. Dresser: Brett Swanson and Rachel Swanson.Osceola: Travis Bentler, Jack Feldt,

SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY Samantha Peterson of Osceola and Madalyn

Bollig of St. Croix Falls received bachelor of arts degrees in May.

Jordan Knutson. Jordan Knutson also graduated in May.

CARTHAGE COLLEGE The following students were named to the spring semester Dean’s List. Osceola: Joelle Rapp. St. Croix Falls:

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA – LINCOLN Natalie Benoy of Osceola has been named to the spring semester Dean’s List.

WEEKLY MEDITATION BY MARK BARLOW GRACE CHURCH

Love is a foundational reality for all people. Almost everyone has experienced love from someone else, and those who have not at least long for that love. No one would deny the elemental role that love plays in our lives. But Jesus takes love to an even higher level of importance. Love is God’s motivation to send his Son, Jesus, to die for your sins (John 3:16). And his love does not stop there, but rather, it continues to uphold our relationship with God through Christ and provides Jesus’ motivation to keep us (Jude 24). If love is so important to God, then it should also be important

to us. In fact, Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love others. Meaning, the greatest thing you can do in this life is love. So, how do I love God and love others? Both questions demand an answer, but my aim is to motivate your love for others as a means to love God. If you love others, you fulfill one of the many ways that we are to love God. So, how do I love others? In Galatians 6:2, the apostle Paul writes, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The command here is obvious: “Bear one another’s burdens.” But what does that mean? It means willingly and joyfully coming to the aid of another in order to help them carry whatever

burden, trial, pain, heartache, or difficult situation they are currently enduring on their own. From burdens as light as helping a friend move to a new home to sitting with a friend who just lost a loved one and everything in between. Bearing one another’s burdens is helping others do what is difficult for them to do alone, and this usually requires some sacrifice on your end. Whether it means you sacrifice your weekend off to help someone, or you sacrifice money to aid another, bearing another’s burdens means you are taking some of their burden upon yourself by giving up something of your own. So, be prepared to share SEE MEDITATION, PAGE 12

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. 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 ———————— 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 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 ———————— OSCEOLA COMMUNITY CHURCH 2492 Education Drive, Osceola Larry Mederich www.occnow.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 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. ————————

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ST. CROIX TIRE & AUTO SERVICES: TIRES, BRAKES ALIGNMENTS, STEERING & SUSPENSION, ENGINES AND TRANSMISSIONS Jim Campeau, Owner ASE CERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIAN 2145 U.S. Highway 8 St. Croix Falls, WI 54024

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102 Services Custom Furniture refinishing, stripping and repair. Do it right, reasonably. The Cellar Door, Taylors Falls, 651-465-5551. Erickson piano service. Bryan Erickson Tuning-RegulationRepair 715-463-5958 \ 507-475-2584 Problems with your car insurance? Tickets? Accidents? Been canceled? Call Noah Insurance for help at 715-294-2017. RESUMES copied for free if you have been laid off and looking for work. Stop in at The Sun, 108 Cascade, Osceola.

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SELLERSAUCTION ESTATE AUCTION Saturday , July 18th; 9777 Gruhkle Rd. Foxboro, WI, 11AM. Guns, Snowmobiles, VPlow , Mustang etc. Check sellersauction. com for details. Auctioneer Mickey Greene. SELLERS AUCTION ESTATE SALE! July 23rd, 24th 9 5PM, July 25th 9 12PM; 902 Ogden Ave., Superior. Starting 12PM July 25th live auction! Check sellersauction.com for details.

455 Want to Rent Large shed/space needed to store husband's "treasurers." Osceola area. References. Patti, 906-2801284.

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If you or a loved one were diagnosed with OVARIAN CANCER or MESOTHELIOMA after use of TALCUM products such as BABY POWDER or SHOWER TO SHOWER, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Charles H. Johnson 1-800-535-5727 GENERAC Standby Generators. The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be prepared for power outages. FREE 7-year extended warranty

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THE SUN

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Who needs AC? Me.

BENNETT: Summertime and the living’s easy FROM PAGE 6

pulling in some sparse weeds when I felt the subtle bite of walleye and it was game on. Sunfish can be hard to find now but I’ll look for mid depth humps closer to shore surrounded by deeper water late afternoon and toss out slip bobbers tipped with red worms and cast light weight

lindy rigs with crawlers. The sunfish will often move in late afternoon and hit until the sun gets low in the horizon and then walleyes will move in and snap up those same baits. If you’re looking for reel fun try tossing top water in the thickest weeds out there for largemouth bass and occasional pike. DO NOT set the hook to the splash when the fish explodes on

your lure or you’ll pull the bait out of its mouth every time. Instead wait until you feel weight, that’s when the fish has the bait in its jaws and its fish on and fun times! 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 Aries, there is a lot you want to say to someone special, but for some reason the words get stuck on your tongue. You may need a little more time to formulate your thoughts. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 The adage “look before you leap” is never more pertinent for you, Taurus. Weigh all of your decisions carefully before you start any new projects this week. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Try to keep the peace with other people this week, Gemini. Lead by example rather than telling others what to do. This approach will be more warmly received by others. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 You may want to look up old friends who you haven’t seen for a while, Cancer. You may be

feeling sentimental or sociable and a simple text or phone call can be effective. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 You like to have the final say in all matters, Leo. But there is a fine line between taking charge and being a control freak. Let others’ reactions help you fine tune your delivery. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 You will be able to get to the root of problem this week if you put in some serious effort, Virgo. It may involve receiving and analyzing feedback from many different people. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 This week’s overall outlook is positive for you, Libra. However, you may have to work a little bit for that positivity. The attitude you present is what you will get in return. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

Scorpio, embrace your creative side rather than your analytical side. Employ your creativity this week and you may be surprised at the results. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may have to rethink certain principles that you have adhered to for years, Sagittarius. After some reﬂection, you may realize life has changed and you must adjust. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 It may not be easy to get things done this week, Capricorn. You might ﬁnd it challenging to muster up the energy to be effective. If so, look to others for motivation. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, lately you have been challenged to assert yourself in many different ways. You tend to thrive in a leadership role, but don’t let the stress get

the best of you. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Many things come to you naturally. Examine your strengths and ﬁgure out how to be as productive as possible in the days ahead. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS JULY 12 Phoebe Tonkin, Actress (31) JULY 13 Harrison Ford, Actor (78) JULY 14 Dan Reynolds, Singer (33) JULY 15 Gabriel Iglesias, Comic (44) JULY 16 Carli Lloyd, Athlete (38) JULY 17 Luke Bryan, Musician (44) JULY 18 Kristen Bell, Actress (40)

CLUES ACROSS 1. Sound unit 4. Trim by cutting 8. Small buffalo 10. Ancient manuscript 11. Look angry or sullen 12. Glum 13. Northern Zambia peoples 15. Central 16. Collector of birds’ eggs 17. Misbehavior 18. Top of the line 21. Political action committee 22. Have already done 23. Al Bundy’s wife 24. Entertainment channel 25. Holiday (informal) 26. The common gibbon 27. Legendary actress 34. Seasoned sausages 35. Bluish greens 36. Ridiculed 37. Three-dimensional arrangement 38. Emerged 39. Type of protein 40. Denmark natives 41. Leak slowly through 42. Expression of sorrow or pity 43. Midway between south and southeast

f course, my air conditioning went out during the hottest heatwave I can remember. It was so hot that a chocolate candy bar someone gave me, melted into a lump overnight in my purse. The average nighttime temp in my house was 84 degrees. I have never been a huge fan of AC. I’m always cold. I’ve complained to my family and coworkers that it’s too cold. I’m met with looks of disgust and my suggestions for turning the AC off are ignored. Well, I now appreciate AC and never suggest we should turn Wild Chow will it off when the temps creep upwards of 93 degrees. Lisa Erickson I can tolerate the heat during the day. I ran, biked, and did yard work all in 90-degree temps last week, but try sleeping when you can’t stop sweating. I went to bed with a spray bottle and every time I woke up from the heat, I had to mist myself with water. The only thing worse than sleeping in hot weather is cooking dinner in it. Meals are tough during a prolonged heatwave. I can officially say I’m sick of salad. I need “stick to your ribs” type of food even if it’s hot out. I want meat and potatoes. I am not turning on the oven. Everything must be cooked outside on the grill—I learned that lesson the hard way. Turning on my oven added an extra four degrees to my indoor thermostat. This recipe is from Barb DeRosier. I was complaining to her about the heat and cooking outside. She said you should try foil packet potatoes— they’re amazing and easy. She’s right! My dinner dilemma is solved. The AC, on the other hand, is still waiting for the repair-man—who is busier than he’s ever been. Looks like I’m not the only one without AC. Foil Packet Potatoes Serves 4 2 large sheets of heavy-duty tin foil 1 onion sliced 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes or whatever you have on hand 2 Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. seasoned salt ½ tsp dried dill ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper Preheat grill to 450º. Lay one sheet of tinfoil out, and coat with cooking spray. In the center, place the onion slices, then layer the potatoes on top evenly. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt, dill, and pepper. Bring up the sides of the foil and crimp the top sealing the top but leaving room for the heat to circulate the potatoes. Repeat with remaining foil to protect the packet if one of the foil layers tears. Cook until the potatoes are tender; about 20 minutes. Remove the foil, plate, and serve. Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. You can find more recipes by emailing her at wildchowrecipes@gmail.com.

GARDEN: Time for a road trip FROM PAGE 6

CLUES DOWN 1. Artistic dancing 2. Plenty 3. Act leisurely 4. Serve as a warning 5. Admired lovingly 6. Leftover oil from distillation process 7. Company officer 9. Egyptian unit of capacity 10. One transmits information 12. Middle layer of an embryo 14. Form of “to be” 15. Cairo Regional Airport 17. Partner to cheese 19. Sample

20. A shirt may have none 23. Public gatherings 24. Disallow 25. Overnight suitcases 26. French river 27. Where boats dock 28. Top of a pot 29. Type of drug 30. City along the Rhine 31. Animal disease 32. They go in martinis 33. A way to break away 34. Intermediate ecological

stage 36. Baby term for father SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Bel 4. Pare 8. Anoa 10. Codex 11. Lour 12. Morose 13. Lunda 15. Centric 16. Egger 17. Misdeed 18. The best around 21. PAC

East Farmington Just 5 minutes South of Osceola on Hwy 35

715-294-4410

www.osceolasun.com

22. Did 23. Peg 24. Bet 25. Vac 26. Lar 27. Marilyn Monroe 34. Salamis 35. Teals 36. Derided 37. Cubic 38. Arisen 39. Siva 40. Danes 41. Seep 42. Alas 43. SSE

tion checkout www.munsingerclemens.com The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska has something for everyone. Run by the University of Minnesota, it is world renowned. 1200 acres comprise the gardens. Whether you want a sensory garden, herb garden, or something else you will find it here. Because of COVID reservations are required. Check their website at www.ARB.UMN.EDU For those of you familiar with Como Park in St. Paul, a must see is the ever changing Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and Ordway Japanese Garden. I have been going to the Conservatory since first coming to the Cities from a small town in southwestern Minnesota. It was always a favorite during long winters. They recently were able to reopen with some restrictions. The require a reservation (you can have up to four people) and you will need to wear a mask. There is a nominal charge. Check it out at www. comozooconsevatory.org The final day trip I suggest is in La Crosse at the La Crosse International Friendship Garden. This is a great international garden located on 1.2 acres at Riverside Park in La Crosse. So when these long days of not going out get to you, try taking a day trip to a garden and enjoy the beauty Mother Nature and some diligent gardeners have to offer. Until then keep your shovel in the dirt and keep playing. Any comments contact me at gardenvarietycolumn@gmail.com.

JULY 15, 2020

THE SUN

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Polk County reports second COVID-19 related death Polk County Health Department (PCHD) confirmed July 7 a second Polk County resident has died of complications from coronavirus disease (COVID19). This person, in their 80’s with multiple underlying health conditions, fought a long battle with the illness and passed away at a Twin Cities hospital. PCHD is not releasing any further information out of respect for the deceased and their loved ones. Polk County extends condolences to this individual’s family. Polk County Health Department is working with state and local partners and health care providers to adjust the response to COVID-19 as needed. To date, 62 people in Polk County have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with 17 currently active cases.

COVID-19 infects people of all ages. While older adults may be more susceptible to severe illness than young adults, COVID-19 has shown that it can be severe for people of all ages. Even a mild case of COVID-19 can be debilitating. We ask that everyone continue to: • practice good hand hygiene • cover coughs and sneezes • stay home when sick • practice physical distancing • wear a cloth face covering in situations where physical distancing of six or more feet cannot be maintained This is an evolving situation and everyone is encouraged to monitor the Polk County Website and Polk County Health Department Facebook Page.

ST. CROIX VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

omeone is usually at the Center on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. We will continue to be open on Thursday and Friday mornings or when the open flag is out for ongoing garage sale to help to pay the bills. There are new things every week, be sure to stop by and check things out. We welcome Joel and Maureen Yunker for becoming a lifetime members. Columnist On July 17 the Senior Center will be selling Pat Willits pork chops on a stick, potato salad, beans and

root beer floats. There will be special music on the overlook too. Remember social distancing and wear your mask. We will soon be open again to cards and other events, so support your local Senior Center and stop by on Tuesdays or Thursday and Friday mornings. We are not playing cards yet at the center, too hard to keep a safe distance and play cards too. But as soon as they say we can have a gathering of more than 10 people, we will be open again for cards. We really miss everyone and the center looks lonely. Thank you for your support and interest in the center. We are located downtown St. Croix Falls at 140 N. Washington. Our phone number is 715-483-1901. Phone: 715-483-1901.

LETTERS: Mud ducks and racial progress FROM PAGE 5

I also never made any statements about the police or activity surrounding George Floyd or that “I have done enough for my neighbor.” Haley Blayne surmises all this. Haley Blayne never states “what heavy lifting changes” should be made. I have a business and I work with minorities and various nationalities. I make no distinction in their heritage, nationality, or color.

I believe in his final statement from the North Star in 1847 and MLK’s statement to judge an individual by the content of his character, not the color of his skin. Dale Randelin Osceola

Vote! Late last month, campaign signs were removed from my yard without my permission. So, you do not like my

candidate? In lieu of taking signs that are not yours, try: 1) Acquire your own signs legally. 2) Perhaps you can purchase a bumper sticker of your choice. 3) Maybe attend a township meeting to voice your concerns. 4) Write an opinion letter to your local newspaper. 5) Vote! Walker Anderson Polk County, Wis.

SAFETY: Pay attention to safety on the river FROM PAGE 6

mind. Life jackets will keep you on top of the water if you walk off an unexpected drop-off, a current overpowers you or you fall out of a boat. Putting on a life jacket before wading, playing along shores or getting in a boat gets you ready to focus on the fun. Sandbars are not permanent Wardens and authorities say a river’s flow is always rearranging sandbars - which are not permanent islands. The water moves the sand, thereby strengthening and weakening these

temporary islands. That means a sandbar may hide a steep dropoff or a deep hole into the rapid current below. The best safety tip is to assume a sandbar cannot support a person’s weight. Currents can overpower a person of any size Authorities say a river’s current often is not easily noticeable to the person standing on the shore or even wading at the edge. However, it can be strong enough to overpower a person and make even the strongest of swimmers unable to swim against it. Get your life jacket and plan your summer

fun with recreational boating, paddling and swimming. For more information about portable flotation devices, visit the DNR’s PFD webpage, https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ boat/pfd.html.

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SCHOOL: Custodial staff thrives with school closures FROM PAGE 1

said, “You know, we just don’t have the staff to get everything done.” Even during the summer, when schools are quieter, the yearly deepclean for Schmidt and his staff is often disrupted by summer activities. Summer school runs a few months, and various camps and events only cause more delays. Any spare time to clean is precious. With the additional funds for contractors and supplies, and an early start to summer cleaning, Schmidt and his team got to work. “It’s actually been really good for my department that we’re closed down because that gave us extra time to get things done.” When the referendum passed, Schmidt planned out a two to three year project cycle. This year, the focus is on interior work. “Carpets are harder to maintain and are also harder to disinfect,” Schmidt said. “We’re taking the carpet out of the classrooms in the intermediate school, middle school, and high school, and polishing concrete.” Additional projects include install-

ing new LED lights, tuckpointing building exteriors, installing security cameras, and a few other things. “Next year is phase two,” Schmidt said, “which will be some chillers being replaced, some boilers being replaced, roofs being replaced, and that type of thing.” In addition to these projects, the custodians are working hard to make the school a safe and healthy place. The administrative team has been crafting safety measure plans since April. These measures include things like disinfecting and cleaning high-contact surfaces like light switches and doorknobs. Custodians will also use new equipment to cleanse potentially contaminated areas quickly and efficiently. Like most people, Schmidt is a little anxious for the coming months. He’s also very excited to see young people back in the hallways again, so it’s his mission to provide a safe environment for them. For now, Schmidt is optimistic about plans for the school, and he’s eager to see what the facility staff can accomplish while the classrooms are empty.

35 north of Osceola will close for culvert work A segment of WIS 35 north of Osceola to be closed for culvert work. The project is expected to take five days and traffic is being detoured via WIS 35, County M and 240th Street. The Polk County Highway Department, on behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), is planning to remove and replace a culvert on WIS 35 just north of County S north of Osceola from July 20 to 24.

The work will require the closure of a segment of WIS 35. Traffic will be detoured via WIS 35, County M and 240th Street. For more information regarding traffic impacts, transportation news and improvement project updates in Wisconsin’s Northwest Region: • Visit the NW region’s 511 website, https://projects.511wi.gov/region/ northwest/

THE SUN

JULY 15, 2020 www.osceolasun.com

FARMINGTON: Town/village discuss mine FROM PAGE 1

Town Board for approval. If approved, specific notification to the neighbors within ½ mile of the mine site shall be given by the Operator at least 48 hours prior to the implementation of the extended hours. Heavy vehicles leaving the site shall be limited

to 12 hours a day Monday through Friday not earlier than 6 a.m. and no later than 6 p.m. A buffer area should be provided, measured horizontally from the right-of-way line, of 100 feet along township roads and 200 feet along state highway and county roads, and a buffer area of 50 feet along property lines.

No mine will blast more than 12 times in any calendar year and all such blasts shall comply with the Town Blasting Ordinance. The operator shall provide notice to anyone living with ½ mile of the mine of blasting activities before blasting occurs. Such notice must be providing 48 hours in advance.

Farmington approves purchase of truck The town of Farmington board approved the purchase of a truck for $107,000 during its monthly meeting July 6. In other action, it was announced stop signs have been ordered for 280th Avenue on the north and south of 30th Avenue. It was also stated a failed culvert on 240th Avenue needs to be replaced.

Permits were approved for Roy and Linda Close to build a shed; Charles Blacerek a shed; Michael Flood for a yurt and Nathan Roush a shed. Building permits were granted to Tim Neumann for a deck and new houses for Richard and Shelly Andrea and Steven Foster. -- Compiled by Jason Schulte

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Ask about our resources for first-time homebuyers!

CARRIE LARSON | THE SUN

Music on the Parklet Singer/songwriter Samantha Grimes performed Friday in Osceola at the Pop-up Parklet by Cutler Law Office.

Semi annual homeless count July 29 The Salvation Army in Polk and St. Croix County will be participating in the Balance of State Continuum of Care Point in Time Count on July 29 as required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The physical count begins at 11 p.m. The Balance of State Continuum is an organization of homeless service providers in the state of Wisconsin. Each local area will count the homeless who are either sheltered in a facility or unsheltered and living on the streets. In a typical year, the Point in Time count simultaneously occurs in each county in January and July. This year due to COVID-19, the dates of the count may vary from county to county. Volunteers in each area walk the streets of Wisconsin communities to determine how many individuals are going unsheltered. The volunteers are equipped with the knowledge to assist those individuals in getting connected to local resources for food and shelter.

Each community submits their counts for sheltered and unsheltered persons in each county for that night. Those numbers are then used to determine if the services provided in the county are meeting the needs of those who are homeless. The Salvation Army will be participating in the count and making sure that all homeless individuals who are located on this evening in July will be informed of the services available to them in the County. For more information on how The Salvation Army is working toward combating homelessness in Polk and St. Croix County visit www.sagraceplace.org Volunteers especially in larger populated areas including: Hudson, Baldwin, New Richmond, Osceola and St. Croix Falls are needed. If you would like to help in this effort by volunteering, please contact Jacky at 715-529-1283. To learn more about the Balance of State Continuum visit www.boscoc.org.

MEDITATION: Love is a foundational reality FROM PAGE 7

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in their pain and difficulty. But that is the beauty of love…it is sacrificial. I love the Green Bay Packers, so I am willing to sacrifice many things on Sundays to watch my beloved Green and Gold take the field. That is, until something that I love more requires my attention, such as my wife or children, or pizza (thankfully I can love the Packers and pizza at the same time). So, we are all constantly sacrificing for the things we love. Therefore, it should not be a surprise that to love others by bearing their burdens with them will require some sacrifice on our end. Notice also that Paul says that when we love others by bearing their burdens that he says we are fulfilling “the law of Christ.” What is the law of Christ? He is not referring to the Old Testament law because in the New Covenant Christ has made the Old Covenant “obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13).

The “law of Christ” is something more. Romans 13:8 says, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” First, notice how highly God regards love. We are not to owe anyone anything except to owe them our love. And that does not mean only the people whom we already love. Jesus said that it’s easy to love those who love you, but Christian love is loving everyone whether or not they also love you (Matthew 5:43-48). Second, Romans 13:8 answers our question: What does it mean to fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one another’s burdens? Loving others, regardless of their love for you, is evident in bearing their burdens with them or for them. Doing so means we fulfill the law of Christ. Romans 13:8 says that fulfilling the law is loving one another. Therefore, to bear one another’s burdens is to love. There may be countless

ways to express love for others that is not bearing their burdens but coming to the aid of someone in need is one of the most loving things we can do. It’s easy to show someone love when they’re doing well, and they don’t need your help because that doesn’t require much sacrifice at all on your part. However, when someone is in need or in pain or is suffering, your love will be more profound and more impactful to their life because it will require more sacrifice from you. So, let’s build a community together that is founded on and built upon loving God by loving each other. We do this by aiding our neighbors, friends, and people in our community in giving up some of our time, effort, money, or anything in order to compassionately help them carry their suffering. If we do this, love will shine, and where genuine Christ-centered love shines, Jesus shines.