WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2018
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 121 NO. 03 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Fall sports season begins. PAGE 10
Discovery Center nears completion BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
TORI BROWN | THE SUN
Jessica Cormican, sitting, and Gabrielle Ford are members of the cast of “Steel Magnolias.” Peformances begin this weekend at the St. Croix ArtBarn.
Homegrown grad, theater student directs ‘Steel Magnolias’ BY TORI BROWN REPORTER
In a little town tucked away in northern Louisiana there is a beauty shop named Truvy’s. There, the women of town come together within a sisterhood, the focal point of the “Steel Magnolias” plot. And in the little town of Osceola tucked behind the football field in the ArtBarn are the women who have SEE PLAY, PAGE 14
The building that will house Osceola’s library, police station, village office and other community spaces is nearly finished. The walls have paint and floor tile has been laid, even as interior construction continues. Outside, the building is waiting for doors, landscaping and pavement, but it doesn’t take much to imagine the completed structure. Project directors have their eye on a tentative opening date in early October. Denny Kelly, Market & Johnson’s job supervisor on the site, said the crew is running on schedule in spite of delayed delivery of some materials. In a walkthrough, construction management intern Colten Weinberger, a student at UWStout, pointed out radius soffits above the library’s circulation desk and the village board’s dais. Constructing the circular features took effort and resourceful thinking by the crew. “It took two guys three and a half days to build [the soffit in the board room],” said Kelly. “We built it, then sent our templates to the millwork guy so he could build the [village board’s] desk to match that. I asked the architect for a radius point and we built everything off that.” Many materials for construction have been donated, from
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Library Director Kelly McBride in the library’s children’s room. Behind her is a counter and storage for STEM activities. The room will have an outdoor theme with a river running through it.
a base layer for pavement by Dresser Trap Rock to a textured wall and discounted shelving from Stratis Industries in Centuria. The library portion of the building includes designated rooms for kids and teens, and a quiet room that will house the library’s local history collection. The quiet room will be outfitted with a fireplace and lounge seating, two “must haves” requested by residents, according to Library Director Kelly
McBride. The building also features a third resident mandate: a drive through book drop. “We basically had to reconfigure the building to get the book drop,” McBride said. “It took a lot of work.” McBride has done extensive planning for each room of the library. A ribbon of blue will run across the floor of the children’s SEE DISCOVERY, PAGE 14
Plans for new fair building still moving forward BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
After announcing plans for a new building last summer, the Osceola Community Fair board is continuing to raise funds for the structure. The building that currently houses the fair office and exhibit hall was built in 1962 and appears to be nearing the end of its useful life. “We’re looking at major repairs in the next few years,” said board member Colleen Quist. Added Fair Board President Scott Tinney: “We can’t do much to the building before we’d have bring it up to code. And this building, you can’t do that to. The structure would be a whole lot different. And we’d like to bring it up to date with bathrooms, an office and
SUBMITTED
A rendering of plans for the new Osceola Community Fair building.
meeting room.” Once the building is constructed, they hope to lease it for group meetings and events in the off-season. Storage is another option. To fund construction, the fair board has been saving proceeds from the fair for years. The group has also received several donations. The Rod and Gun Club gave $5,000. The owner of Osceola Lanes, Dennis “Tillie” Krenz, organized two golf NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
tournament fundraisers. Individuals have contributed, and the board continues to explore grant opportunities. All told, they’ve saved and raised about $65,000 toward their $225,000 goal. They’re hoping to have the building constructed by the 100th anniversary of the Osceola Community Fair in six years. Fair board members Tinney, Quist and Michelle Helsing reported ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 ads@osceolasun.com
that Osceola’s fair is one of only 400 community fairs remaining in the state. “Towns that lose their fair usually don’t get it back again,” said Tinney. The fate of the fair, it seems, could be tied up in the fate of the building from which it is hosted. Donations may be sent to Osceola Community Fair Building, P.O. Box 681, Osceola, WI 54020.
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SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Michelle Helsing, treasure of the Osceola Community Fair board, holds the group’s donation jar. They are nearly a third of the way to their fundraising goal.
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