WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 119 NO. 19 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Chieftain boys basketball wins at Ellsworth. PAGE 10
More elections to come BY JESSICA ANDERSON INTERIM EDITOR
Although the stressful November elections are finished, the municipalities of Wisconsin are just getting ready for theirs. December 1 was the start date for the candidates to circulate nomination papers, which continues until January 3. The spring 2017 elections will take place on April 4. For the board of the Village of Osceola, the village president Gary Beckmann and village trustees Carol Otto, Walt Piszczek, and Stephen Bjork are all up for reelection in the spring. All three board positions in the Town of Osceola, currently held by Doug Schmidt, chairman, and Mike Wallis and Dan Burch, board supervisors, are up for reelection. In the Village of Dresser president Bryan Beseler and trustees Grace Bjorklund, Wayne Moberg, and Richard Durand are also up for reelection. All four board positions in the town of Farmington are as well. They are currently Dennis Cottor, town chair, Rick McGuigann and Dennis Neumann, town supervisors, and Debbie Swanson, clerk/treasurer. The city of St. Croix Falls has two positions up for reelection: council member Bob Kazmierski, representative of district one, and Lori Erickson, council president and representative of District 2. The local school boards will also have elections this coming spring. From the Osceola School Board, Craig Brunclik and Keri Uzpen are up for reelection and from St. Croix Falls, board president Roni Schuler is the only member eligible for reelection in the spring. More information will be shared as the elections unfold.
LUCAS PRIESTLEY | THE SUN
Light Up Osceola Kids were able to meet and have their picture taken with Santa on Saturday at Light Up Osceola in Mill Pond Park.
Osceola inspired by vision of Fab Lab BY JESSICA ANDERSON INTERIM EDITOR
Osceola is filled with people who care deeply about the community. Because of this the Osceola Public Library and the Mill Pond Learning Foundation, Inc. have worked with community members to create the Inspire campaign. This campaign is working to build a Discovery Center in Osceola. The Discovery Center will contain a fabrication laboratory (Fab Lab) which, according to Inspire’s explanation, “is a place to play, create, learn, and invent.” They also share that it “is comprised of specific industrial tools and software which enable individuals to make almost anything – to design and produce low cost, multi-dimensional prototypes and physical structures of wood, plastic, metal, or other materials – for hands-on learning or for data sharing.
A Fab Lab offers problem solving and innovation for inquisitive minds of all ages.” In Brillion, Wis. a Fab Lab has been in place since 2007 with great success. In an article on the lab, Christian Schneider states, “Brillion High School’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program is largely the product of an innovative partnership with Ariens Co. In 2007 at the behest of school principal Paul Nistler and technology education coordinator Steve Meyer, Ariens gave Brillion High a $1.5 million gift to double STEM classroom space … Thus began a relationship that Ariens calls a national model for business-education partnerships.” The campaign is working to share the rich history of Osceola and the many benefits that the Discovery Center can bring to the SEE INSPIRE, PAGE 8
JESSICA ANDERSON |THE SUN
Kelly McBride, director of the Osceola Public Library, explains the value of the planned Discovery Center. Staff at the Osceola Public Library currently help 150 to 200 people a year pursue jobs online.
Happy Holidays Holi da Wish y es
Helping make your dreams and wishes come true since 1919.
NEW RICHMOND SOMERSET
HUDSON
715-246-6901 715-247-4501 715-386-9301 www.fn-cb.com
NEWS 715-294-2314 editor@osceolasun.com
ADVERTISING 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
PUBLIC NOTICES 715-294-2314 sales@osceolasun.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS 715-294-2314 office@osceolasun.com
DRESSER
715-755-2174 NMLS #412555
BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES Whenever, wherever you are! Scan me with your smartphone