Clinic and pharmacy close in Cadott

Courier Sentinel

     March has not been kind to two Cadott businesses, both dealing with the health needs of the community. The Marshfield Clinic’s last day of operation in Cadott was March 19.  A steady decline in patient utilization of the clinic and dealing with soaring costs were challenges related to the closing. The Cadott Miller Pharmacy will be closed after Friday March 31.  Prescriptions will be transferred to The Medicine Shoppe in Chippewa Falls. +++ The Cadott Village Board hosted an informational meeting on March 7, to provide time for the public to ask questions related to a referendum question that will be on the April 4 ballot. The village is asking for a levy increase of $125,000 each fiscal year for street maintenance projects.  The estimated tax impact is $147 for a $100,000 property. 

The Thorp Courier

     The Thorp Chamber at its recent meeting unveiled its upcoming events.  The 2023 family friendly events include the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Fireworks, Pumpkin Fest and the Christmas Parade and Light Contest.  In addition, the circus will return to Thorp in July. Locals are encouraged to purchase presale circus tickets as the Chamber receives 10 or 20 percent of every ticket sold.  Last time the circus was in town the Chamber made $1,500. +++ The city of Thorp is moving forward on replacing its aging wastewater treatment plant. Staab Construction's bid of $8.627 million has been selected. Regarding a question of a real need for replacement, it was stated that the plant just barely meets requirements and some equipment is no longer capable of keeping up with demand. In addition, the building leaks, some equipment isn’t running any more and its operation is less effective. It was also noted that a wastewater plant is generally built for a twenty year lifespan and the existing one is going on double that, and the plant was designed for roughly half of what it takes in now. +++ The Thorp Dairy Days 130 Day Countdown this past week featured Cindy’s Bar and Banquet Hall.  The business has been family owned for 71 years.  Leon & Lil Kazmarek ran Leon & Lil’s Bar for 52 years (1948-2000), Cindy Halenka then took it over and renamed it Cindy’s.  She operated it for 15 years, and during that time she purchased the building next door and remodeled it into Cindy’s Banquet Hall.   In July 2015, Cindy’s son Chris Halenka purchased the business.

    Bloomer Advance  

     Bloomer Police Department's new squad car was involved in a three car vehicle accident Monday, March 13. Police Chief Jared Zwiefelhofer was stopped at a stop sign when another vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and hit a pickup truck which was shoved into the stopped police car. Damage to the new police car was estimated at $6,000. +++  A grass-roots effort by Prairie Farm High School student athletes resulted in the donation of $1,500 in gate receipts to the family of a New Auburn student who was injured in an early February skiing accident. As a gesture of acknowledgment, the New Auburn student body posed in a heart shape, on their gym floor, and posted the picture on social media. +++ With the recent derailments in other parts of the country, the Bloomer City Council is addressing the need to update the City’s Emergency Preparedness Plan. At their March 8 meeting, the police chief reported on the what’s in the train cars going through the city.

   Enterprise Sentinel and Rural News

      Four Clark County businesses received Momentum West Wisconsin Awards at a ceremony on March 8.  Momentum West is a regional economic development organization serving ten counties in west central Wisconsin including Chippewa, Clark and Eau Claire Counties.   The 2022 Entrepreneurs of the Year Award went to Rolf and Marieke Penterman of Holland’s Cheese in Thorp. The company has grown and in 2022, completed a new addition at their Thorp facility. Northside Elevator of Loyal was selected for the Top Development Project Award.  Their project, in the City of Stanley, will result in a new $20 million complex including warehouses, office space, a fertilizer plant tower system and corn drying bins. The Top Redevelopment Project Award went to Lisenby Properties that have redeveloped the former Memorial Medical Center in Neillsville into housing units.  The 2022 Regional Collaboration Award went to the Wuethrich Family Foundation and Grassland Dairy Products of Greenwood, for their cumulative support of $1 million dollars to the UW-River Falls dairy program for a project that will provide hands on experience for students in development, production and marketing of cheeses, ice cream, and other diary products.

The Clark County Press 

       The 53^rd Annual Neillsville Winter Carnival, held on February 24-26, had something for everyone.  This year’s events included Frosty-The- No-Snowman Challenge held at the Neillsville Public Library, the Miss Winter Carnival Pageant held at the High School, a Winter Volleyball Extravaganza held at a local park, and a Dirty Clubs Tournament held at the American Legion. The WCCN Gold Medallion was not found, only the second time that nobody found it. +++ John Gaier, district administrator and head girls’ varsity basketball coach at Neillsville High School, celebrated his 500^th win on February 7, against Colby High School. +++ James Kuchta, district administrator at Granton is retiring.  He leaves after 36 years of school work, the last three spent at Granton.  He was asked to serve as an interim administrator in 2020 and stayed on.  His career included eight years as a teacher, 16 years as a principal and 11 years as a superintendent. Among the challenges he leaves behind are the impacts of the pandemic, loss of student learning, mental health issues and lack of highly qualified/certified staff in education. +++ On April 4, the School District of Neillsville is asking for approval of a $12.5 million capital improvements referendum.  If passed the funds will be used to replace outdated electrical lines, replace inefficient equipment and improve the learning environment. Among specific project are the dehumidification in the field house and welding fumes in the technical education area, replacing rusted and deteriorated piping, and replace inefficient classroom and football field lighting with LED lights.

       Tri-County - Area Times        

     On March 13, the Osseo City Council approved a bid from Wapasha Construction Company, Winona, MN to build the city's new wastewater treatment plant.  The cost will be $12,717,777.  After some discussion, the council decided to table a proposal to establish an ordinance and permitting process for food truck vendors.