WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 121 NO. 12 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Osceola volleyball shares conference title. PAGE 12
Library opens in Discovery Center BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Wyatt Hastings, left, and Waylon Hastings were set to be recognized as four-time district champions Saturday at the Cedar Lake Speedway Arena.
Flat track event could set world record BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Motors were revving and exhaust was in the air at the Cedar Lake Speedway Arena Saturday. In the pit, sets of racers lined up again and again as the rounds were called. Outside, clanging and knocking echoed from trailers as bikes were readied for the track. Soon, it could all be part of a record-setting event, complete with a listing in Guinness World Records SEE RECORD, PAGE 9
An “open” sign hung in the propped-open door of the Osceola Public Library last Wednesday, two days after the library opened in the newly constructed Discovery Center. Patrons stepped in to check out books and the library’s new home. “It’s been a real joy to watch people walk in and see their faces light up,” said circulation manager Anne Miller. The library is comprised of a quiet local history room, general stacks, and separate areas for teens and children’s collections and activities. Library staff are still waiting on some furniture and fixtures, but the bookshelves are up and the books have been moved. “Our goal was to get up and running yesterday and we met that goal,” library director Kelly McBride told Osceola Village Board members Oct. 9. “We’re in the facility. […] The patron side is good to go. We have all our computers up and running. Our wireless is in and out but we do have wireless access. Copier. All that is good to go for patrons. Anyone can come in and use our
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
The Osceola Public Library opened Oct. 8 in the recently finished Discovery Center.
facility.” During the move, As Stratis Industries installed donated shelving in the new location, volunteers packed, moved, unpacked and shelved books. The effort saved between $6,000 and $13,000 based on quotes the library had gotten from contractors. With some collections sup-
Fire truck on order for Village of Osceola BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Although it might not arrive for almost a year, a new fire truck is in the works for the Village of Osceola. The village’s board of trustees approved the purchase Tuesday, Oct. 9. The combined pumper and aerial truck, which will replace the fire department’s 1972 truck, will be built to specifications by Osceola-based Custom Fire Apparatus and finished within 300 days, according to the contract. The truck will have capacity to carry 900 to 1,000 gallons of water. That’s enough to put out a car or brush fire on its own, according to Fire Chief Don Stark. Hooked up to a water source, the pump will be capable of supplying 1,500 gallons per minute. The truck will also have a 65-foot ladder for aerial fire and rescue work. Board trustee Bob
pressed because of the move, circulation was down in September, McBride reported. But the library has been bustling since Oct. 9. “It was busy,” she said of opening day. “Everybody came in after school. We signed up 10 new SEE LIBRARY, PAGE 19
WITC hosts sessions in Balsam Lake Prepares to open Polk County campus
VILLAGE OF OSCEOLA
A drawing of the proposed truck for Osceola Fire and Rescue. The Osceola Village Board approved the purchase last week.
Schmidt and others called the $533,750 purchase a good deal. After a $10,000 credit for trading in the outgoing fire truck, the cost will be $523,750. “We’re getting a very nice fire truck,” said board trustee Bob Schmidt. For comparison, St. Croix Falls bought a used aerial engine in 2014 for $325,000. Stark noted that he’d NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
chosen a standard commercial chassis that had less seating than a custom cab, but was significantly less expensive and would allow the truck to carry more water. The village budgeted $25,000 this year for the chassis and $430,000 in 2019 for the purchase. According to a memo from Village Administrator Joel West, the remaining $73,750 can be paid with ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 ads@osceolasun.com
money from the Capital Improvement Fund. The truck will become the one of the department’s leading vehicles, according to Stark. “We’ve held back on using the older truck,” he said. “This will be the second truck out when we’re responding to a call.” Other business • The 2019 Osceola Area SEE VILLAGE, PAGE 16
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Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College will soon open a Balsam Lake Campus, thanks to efforts by Polk County Board members. The college will offer a series of topical sessions this fall and next spring, inviting Polk County residents into the new Balsam Lake Outreach Center to see the space and learn about WITC’s local offerings. The first WITC Business Buzz will be geared towards safety. Safety coordinator Todd Larson will present the top 10 OSHA safety citations for 2018. This event is free and is scheduled on October 18 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. After the presentation, Associate Dean Liz Pizzi will offer tours of the facility. To register, visit https://www.witc.edu/witc-businessbuzz. WITC is planning a soft opening for the campus next spring, when it will offer a sampling of classes. In April, organizers plan to host an open house to announce the campus’s fall 2019 offerings.
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