BITS & Pieces

NEWS OF NOTE FROM OUR NEIGHBORS

The Clark County Press

One' of' the' major' upgrades' that' await' students' in' the' Loyal' Schools'is'the'Family'and'Consumer'Education'Room'that'has' a'new'culinary'lab'and'the'total'remodel'of'a'room'from'1963.

Tri-County Area Times

Masks will be optional in school buildings for teachers and

students'in'the'Tri-County'area'school'districts'of'Eleva-Strum,'

Osseo-Fairchild and Augusta. Plans call for thorough cleaning and sanitizing of district facilities. Students will have access to hand sanitizer and hand washing stations, physical distancing will'take'place'in'classrooms'and'hallways.''Vaccinations'are'a'

personal choice for students and staff but those unvaccinated are

required'to'screen'for'symptoms'before'coming'to'school'facili –

ties.''Virtual'learning'will'be'offered'to'families.'

Trempealeau County Times

While'the'final'numbers'are'not'yet'available,'the'Ashley'for'

the Arts event held August 13-15, is expected to have had a record attendance.. Near perfect weather contributed to large crowds all three days. +++ The Arcadia, Blair-Taylor and Whitehall school districts'have'announced'plans'to'make'face'coverings'optional'

for students and staff to begin the 2021-22 school year. +++ Cen-

sus'data'released'April'1,'lists'Trempealeau'counties'population' at'30,760.''The'percentage'of'Hispanics'in'Trempealeau'County' is'nine'percent,'compared'to'7.1'percent'statewide.'

Buffalo County News

The' construction' of' a' new' wastewater' treatment' plant,' for'

the City of Mondovi, is about ready to begin. The City Coun-

cil'approved'a'contract'with'C.'D.'Smith'Construction'of'Fond'

du Lac for a portion of the project. The signed contract details

costs'at'just'under'$16.7'million'that'cover'the'"brick'and'mortar"'

portions of the project. Groundbreaking will occur after Labor

Day'and'a'completion'date'by'November'1,'2022'is'a'part'of'the' contract.''With'bids'for'the'sewer'plant'project'coming'in'$8' million,'or'more'over'estimates,'a'steep'increase'in'sewer'rates' was'approved'by'the'Mondovi'City'Council.''Single'family'resi dential rates will increase to $120 per quarter in 2022 and rise to

$135'per'quarter'n'2023.'Industrial'rates'will'also'see'steep'rate'

increases.