BITS & Pieces

NEWS OF NOTE FROM OUR NEIGHBORS

The Thorp Courier

A local Thorp family was recently honored for their Century Farm, the recognition happening Aug. 9 at the Wisconsin State Fair. The couple, named Pat and Ginny Frinack, have been farming since shortly after they married in 1973, the farm itself dating to 1922 and incorporating several adjacent farms over the years.

Also taking place recently, the Veteran’s Remembrance Park at Thorp underwent gorundbreaking over the weekend in southwest Thorp, with the Thorp Middle School Student Council raising $500 in support of veterans for a legacy stone. The Park is to be located in at the corner of Hill and Adams Streets.

Still to come as of last week, the Red Cross Bloodmobile was due to take place at the Thorp Fire and Ambulance on Tuesday Oct. 25 from Noon to 6 p.m. and on Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins were welcome at the event.

Courier Sentinel

Making the news at Cadott, a front page story by Julia Wolf shared that the Main Street Bridge over the Yellow River is due to get repairs, being prone to surface cracks in the concrete. The repairs approved for a price of $8,965 were considered to “save the bridge” for 20 more years. Also for news from Cadott is a wastewater treatment plant permit, the village board approving a price quote by Cedar Corp. at the Oct. 17 board meeting.

In terms of recognition at Cornell, the Cemetery located at Highways 178 and 64 now has a new sign, donated by Mary (Flood) Carlson and her husband Doug. The plans came after the Carlsons saw the sign for the Town of Brunswick Cemetery and pitched their idea to the Cornell Cemetery Association Board. The board approved the sign on one condition: that it be blue and gold, the town colors.

The Sentinel & Rural News

Smiles went all around at the annual Autumnfest at Owen Millpond Park Oct. 15. Autumnfest attendees were entertained with music by the Blue Moon band, among other attractions. As to the Owen Withee Blood Drive Oct. 11, it fell short of its goal, with 51 units of blood being collected. Those achieving milestones in spite of this were Kathleen Grambort with eight gallons, Joan Turnquist with seven gallons, and Faith Hoover along with Jay Nolt reaching two gallons. Duane Jarocki marked the 13 gallon mark for donation at the Oct. 11 blood drive, while Lana Ciszewski was a first time donor. Blood donations are quick ly replaced by one’s own body, with the next Red Cross Blood Drive at Owen-Withee scheduled for Dec. 27.

Banner Journal

Steve Collins received the Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services Association award for 27 years as an Emergency Medi- cal Technician (EMT) in Black River Falls. Described as selfless with his time, Collins teaches a Basic Life Support CPR class, working closely with physicians in the area.

As to Forestry and Parks at Black River Falls, it’s transitioning to end of year work, the Oct. 11 meeting including closing things down for the year along with a land sale. Contacted by Deli, Inc. on a “moss marsh” to see if the department would be willing to sell, the 15-acre land parcel ended up being sold for $4,000.

Buffalo County News Making the front page at Buffalo County was news that Club TEN had reopened under new ownership. A historic landmark with 75 years as of 2022, the new owners of Club TEN are Janelle and Matt Vogel, a “soft opening” being held on Oct. 8 for the restaurant.

Competing in the WIAA Girls State Tourney was Mondovi Junior Caitlyn Stadter, set to head to Madison Thursday Oct. 13 for the competition. “Right now I feel like the best tennis player I can possibly be this year,” Stadter said prior to her departure for Madison.

Tri-County Area Times

Once again hosting events at Osseo, Dove Healthcare was due to hold the bi-annual Lefse Lunch to Go on Friday, Oct. 21. The event, which benefits the resident Council at Dove Assisted Living in Osseo, was said to include Norwegian meatballs along with fresh lefse, dessert and milk, all for $7. In sports news from the Tri-County area, Sean Scallon reported that cross country prep teams were headed to the Division 3 Sectional Meet hosted by Osseo.

Closing out the Tri-County update with news on voting, a piece by Howard Hardee and Peterson Cameron of the Badger Project highlighted ways the state used to catch and deter voter fraud. Among them was required registration, photo ID or absentee ballot witness, no vote for felons until completing sentence and probation, regularly updated records to ensure the deceased aren’t on voter rolls., investigating potential fraud, double checking voting equipment, one vote per person, and the news that anyone could report voter fraud to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Bloomer Advance

Coming in from Bloomer was an update that site preparation had begun for a new Cattle barn at the Bloomer Fairgrounds. The ceremonial groundbreaking was Monday Oct. 17 with participation by Bloomer FFA members, the Chamber of Commerce, and Bloomer Community Club. Fill was donated by Catalytic Combustion Corporation and Chippewa Valley Excavating, with the site due to have a new 100 foot by 36 foot building along with a 15 foot lean to.

In city council news, the common council heard complaints on street projects for portions of Kranzfedler, 16th Avenue, 20th Avenue, 19th Avenue, and Smith Street. Among the complaints were sidewalks just five years old being torn out, resulting in a bill to residents for having these put back in. An alleged lack of straightness and levelness with trip hazards to the new sidewalks was also touched on, with one husband saying his wife had to walk “uphill and downhill” more than once along the course of uneven pavement.

Tribune-Phonograph

In Abbotsford news, two men accused of kidnapping a third had their charges dismissed by a Marathon County Judge recently. Gerardo Hernandez-Anselm, age 33, and Felipe Engracia- Gonzalez had been charged with kidnapping a 29-year-old man, later found after being persuaded by threats to enter a 2015 Cadillac Escalade upon exiting his employment at Abbyland. Motion to dismiss came from the prosecutor, with possible future court action not ruled out.