Courier Sentinel

The Cornell Elementary and Middle Schools have reason to celebrate after they received recognition as part of U. S. News & World Report’s Best Elementary Schools and Best Middle Schools rankings. The Cornell Elementary School ranked 105, out of 1,219 elementary schools in Wisconsin. The Cornell Middle School ranked 105 in a pool of 733 Wisconsin middle schools. +++ Jarod Lueck, a member of the National Eagle Center Program in Wabasha, MN, brought a special ambassador to the Lake Holcombe School on December 1, in the form of Latsch, a five-yearold eagle. The Lake Holcombe Education Foundation sponsored the eagle’s appearance, which provided an educational experience for students to learn about bald eagles and the 60 different species that exist worldwide. +++ Kay Stelzer was named Cadott Lion of the Year, during a District Governor’s visitation that was held at the Frog Hop.

The Thorp Courier

This year’s recipient of the best track for 2021 presented by the Badge State Dirt Flingers goes to the Thorp Dairy Days. The Dirt Flingers traveled to events at some fifteen tracks this year and choose the track at Thorp Dairy Days as number one. +++ Wisconsin schools have increasingly used hydroponic farms to provide students with educational opportunities, as well as supplement their school lunch programs. In June 2021, the Eat Right Be Fit Program applied for a grant and was awarded $10,000. As a result of generous donations from Aspirus Stanley Hospital and Marshfield Medical Center in Neillsville, four schools in Clark County***Abbotsford, Loyal, Owen-Withee, and Thorp Elementary were awarded funds and are now learning science through hydroponics.

Bloomer Advance

On Saturday, December 11, the Bloomer Chamber of Commerce hosted Bloomer's first Christmas Parade for "Spread the Spirit 21.” Santa concluded the parade riding in style on a snowmobile, on the Bloomer Sno-Hawks Snowmobile Club's float. Another notable entry was the live nativity scene from St. Paul’s Catholic School, which reminded parade goers that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. +++ On Sunday, December 19, the Bloomer Clergy Association held their Second Annual Live Nativity Pageant, with six churches participating. Those participating started at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, then moved on to St. John’s Lutheran, First Congregational, then on to Our Savior’s Lutheran, Bloomer Methodist and finally to the Station, where the host was Christ Lutheran Church.

The Sentinel & Rural News

It’s been said before and deserves to be said again. Gilman knows how to put on a celebration. On Saturday, December 11, Gilman opened the celebration of the Christmas season with their lights in the park festivity called “Party in the Park.” Fred Romig and his band of volunteers almost doubled the number of lights in the park this year. +++ The Owen-Withee Jaycees Craft and Vendor Show, held on Saturday, December 1, was labeled a “brilliant success." The O-W gym, lobby and a few hallways were filled with vendors who sold wonderful crafts, gifts, and other products.

The Tribune-Phonograph

Sen. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls) on Monday, December 13, said during a panel discussion sponsored by the Center for Innovation and Research that continued investigations into the 2020 election were eroding confidence in the Wisconsin elections and threatened the future of the republic created by Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers. Bernier said she voted for Act 10 back in 2010 because it was both good policy and good politics. She said undermining elections was bad policy and in turn would be bad politics. +++ This year, the Angel Tree project distributed gifts to 87 local families and 218 kids from the Abbotsford and Colby schools.