WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 122 NO. 02 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Nelson retires from the Packers. PAGE 10
Back to (home) school
Farmington citizen committee will review mine concerns BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Farmington residents with an interest in the North 40 Resources mine were encouraged last week to apply for a seat on a citizens committee. The committee of five will review concerns and create recommendations governing potential expansion of the mine. The owners of North 40 Resources have not approached the town board with plans to expand, according to Town Chair Dennis Cottor. However, the group confirmed in June that they had discussed buying property with a neighboring landowner. The citizens committee will pass its recommendations to the Variance Committee (also known
The back-to-school season is upon us. For T ma many parents, this may conjure up images off weeks w spent frantically scouring Target forr a three-ring binder in the correct shade off m magenta, buying new shoes and clothes, wa a waiting in the LifeTouch line for what seems lik k hours just for your child to sneeze the like se ec second the camera flashes — until finally th he kids have boarded the morning bus and the yo ou free to momentarily relax in front of you’re th he TV with the dog. the T This hectic scenario isn’t a reality for all fa am families, however. While homeschooling certai tainly presents its unique challenges, many fee e it’s the best way to meet their and their feel ch hi children’s educational needs. “ “The idea of homeschooling was introdu uc to me very early and for whatever duced re ea reason, it just really struck as something th ha was very important to me,” said Rachel that M a Madrigal, a St. Croix Falls content creator an nd ghostwriter who homeschools her four and
SEE FARMINGTON, PAGE 20
SEE HOMESCHOOL, PAGE 8
BY KELLY HOLM CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Communities, National Guard rally together to recover from storms BY STAFF SGT. ALEXANDRIA HUGHES CONTRIBUTED
Residents of Northern Wisconsin affected by the severe weather that swept across the state July 19-20 have come together to support each other and express their gratitude for the National Guard as recovery efforts continue. Elements of the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard mobilized to Polk, Barron, and Langlade counties in response to Executive Order 35 issued July 21, which declared a statewide state of emergency following the torrential rains and tornados the days prior. The order authorized Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, to mobilize the National Guard to assist civil authorities as needed. Approximately 100 soldiers and airmen remain on state active duty in the
aftermath of the storms supporting damage assessment and debris removal operations in Polk and Barron counties. Chad Roberts, chief deputy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as well as incident commander and acting emergency manager, assessed the damage of the storms that swept through the county. “For Polk County the damage was severe — about 350 homes have been affected,” Roberts said. “From what people have told me, this is the worst they’ve seen in 30-40 years.” Due to the extensive nature of the damage — which consisted of thousands of downed trees, many of which fell across roadways — local officials requested additional state assistance to help clear public rights-of-way and ensure SEE STORMS, PAGE 13
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Approximately 100 soldiers and airmen from the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard assisted civil authorities last week with damage assessment and debris clearance in Polk, Barron, and Langlade Counties.
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