Tribune Press Reporter: A review of the top news headlines for January, February, and March 2020
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JANUARY
January 1: BOS REALTY OPENS OFFICE IN GC: Glenwood City residents will see a familiar face when going into the new Bos Realty office as Jennifer Kuehl will be Bos’s local real estate agent. There are three offices of the company, which was started just 14 months ago by Curtis Nelson of Balsam Lake, which include Balsam Lake, Clear Lake, and Glenwood City. Bos’s office is located at 234 Oak Street in Glenwood City, where NextGen was previously located.
TEACHER MINI GRANTS TO HELP IMPROVE BOYCEVILLE WELLNESS: During the December 18 meeting, the Boyceville Board of Education accepted two teacher mini grants from the Community Foundation of Dunn County. The grants totaled $1,500 and were made on behalf of the Healthy Futures Teacher Mini Grant program. Out of the grant total, $1,000 will go toward a Gaga ball pit, and $500 will go toward the Wellness Walk that students take every week around the track.
DUNN CO. SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING ANNOUNCE CHANGES: The Dunn County Solid Waste & Recycling Division is announcing changes to the days and hours of site operations and items accepted for recycling. These changes will begin on January 2nd, 2020, and are needed to help reduce costs and improve efficiency. A new minimum scale fee of $20 and a $65/ton tipping fee will be implemented at the Dunn County Transfer Station & Recycling Center effective January 1st, 2020. The Dunn County Solid Waste & Recycling Division office has moved, and is now located in the Dunn County Community Services Building at 3001 US Highway 12 East, Suite 240B, Menomonie, WI 54751.
January 8: HOFFMAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY: David J.R. Hoffman of Wheeler, who has been accused of armed robberies at Peoples State Bank in Boyceville and at U-Fuel near Elk Mound, has been found competent to stand trial and has pleaded not guilty. He appeared in Dunn County Circuit Court January 3 with attorney Lynn McMullin to enter his plea of not guilty before Judge Rod Smeltzer.
DUNN, ST. CROIX COUNTY INCUMBENTS FILE NON-CANDIDACY PAPERS: Out of the 29 supervisors on the Dunn County Board up for election April 7, seven incumbents have filed a notification of non-candidacy with the Dunn County clerk as of the December 27 deadline. Of the 19 supervisors in St. Croix County, nine incumbents have filed a notification of non-candidacy for the upcoming April 7 election.
January 15: TRAIN DERAILS NEAR KNAPP: A Union Pacific train derailed Sunday afternoon near Knapp in the Town of Stanton by the 190th Street crossing. The Dunn County Communications Center received a report about the train derailment about 4 p.m. January 12, according to a news release from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department. All together, 38 cars derailed carrying mixed freight. No one was hurt during the derailment, and no hazardous materials were spilled. The cause of the derailment is under investigation, and Union Pacific crews hope to have the site cleaned up by late Monday.
MANURE RUN-OFF RESULTS IN FISH KILL: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued a report concerning run-off in November from manure spread on a field by Emerald Sky Dairy that resulted in a localized fish kill in Hutton Creek. The report, dated December 23, 2019, states that on November 21 at around 7:30 a.m., Jeff Jackson, DNR Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Specialist, was notified by DNR Warden Isaac Kruse of manure run-off along county Highway G east of Emerald Sky Dairy. Kruse said the manure run-off was reported to him by voicemail the night before at around 11 p.m., and the anonymous person said manure was running down the Highway G road ditch.
BOYCEVILLE APPROVES FIRE RE-INSPECTION FEES: The Boyceville Village Board approved a fee structure for fire inspection of commercial property within the village. It is a program that was requested by the local fire inspector and will require the owners of commercial property to have their property re-inspected, following a violation of a fire code. The fire inspector will visit the property once a year.
BOYCEVILLE SCIENCE OLYMPIAD COMPETES IN MEDFORD INVITE: The Boyceville Middle and High School Science Olympiad teams competed at the 3rd annual Medford Invitational Tournament this past Saturday, with the Middle School team winning the team tournament for the second year in a row and the High School team earning the runner-up trophy.
January 22: BOYCEVILLE FIRE CHIEF UPDATES BOARD ON FIRE BUILDING BALANCE: Boyceville Fire Chief Cory Green informed the Community Fire District’s Board of Directors at their January 15th meeting that about $80,000 was still left to pay the contractor and some of that would have to wait for spring to complete the landscaping. Green noted that the new generator was not in the bid, and that added somewhere near $40,000 to the cost of the facility; and that the $30,750 in sales tax savings on the new fire station “was never there.” Green reported that the department moved into its new quarters on Saturday January 3rd and their first call out of the new facility was to the train derailment at Knapp.
CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTS ASBESTOS REMOVAL: The city council accepted the low bid of four contractors for the former elementary school asbestos abatement and hazardous material cleanup. The low bid was from Asbestos Removal Services out of Frederic, Wisconsin in the amount of $133,275. The bid for the asbestos cleanup was at $122,375 and for the hazardous material removal was $10,900.
BOYCEVILLE SCHOOLS APPROVES AVIATION CURRICULUM: The Boyceville Board of Education has approved the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) high school Aviation curriculum for freshmen. “Beginning next year, we would like to offer freshmen the opportunity to take either Physical Science or the AOPA High School ninth grade curriculum,” middle/high school principal Tyler Moy said. “The science team feels this is the best place to start and see what the interest is,” he said at the school board’s January 15 meeting.
January 29: TCE RAISES FUNDS FOR SMILE TRAIN: Since 2014 fifth grade teacher Joan Klassen along with her class and Jacob Peterson’s fifth grade class at Tiffany Creek Elementary have been raising funds for the non-profit organization Smile Train by selling lip balm. The 2019-20 fifth grade classes surpassed previous years as they raised $880 for the charity. “We have raised almost $5,000 since 2014,” stated Klassen. “I was very proud of them.”
BOYCEVILLE SCIENCE OLYMPIAD COMPETES AT UW-RF: The Boyceville High School Science Olympiad teams earned the team championship trophy in Division 2 at the 9th Annual UW-River Falls Border Battle Science Olympiad Invitational for only the second time since 2014, with Division 2 comprised of schools with less than 950 students in grade 9-12.
FEBRUARY
February 5: When the opportunity to work on a chase boat for the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” arose last October, Aaron Moede, co-owner of Aaron and Lisa’s Boondocks Tavern in Glenwood City, literally dove headfirst into the Bering Sea adventure and the chance to work on the production of the popular television series set in Alaska.
GC MAN CHARGED WITH 5th OWI: Nathan S. Voeltz of Glenwood City has been charged with a fifth offense of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in connection with driving a moped in Menomonie and has pleaded not guilty. Voeltz appeared in Dunn County Circuit Court before Judge Rod W. Smeltzer with his attorney, Jonathan Lundeen, for an arraignment hearing January 27 and entered his plea of not guilty. A one-day jury trial has been scheduled for Voeltz in May.
PRESTON WINS SPELLING BEE: The Glenwood City School District Annual Spelling Bee was held on February 3th, 2020. Preston Arvey, a third grader, took home the title of Champion. Preston will now represent Glenwood City School District and compete at the Regional Spelling Bee on February 12th in Turtle Lake. Elena Clay came in as runner up.
February 12: RUD RECEIVES LIFESAVING COMMENDATION: At the Village Board Meeting on February 10th, Police Chief Greg Lamkin presented the award to Officer Sergeant Peter Rud. Rud was honored for his actions of January 19th for talking a possible suicidal subject into putting down his weapon and seeking help.
BOYCEVILLE VILLAGE BOARD APPROVES DOLLAR GENERAL ZONING CHANGE: The Boyceville Village Board took action at their regular monthly meeting Monday, February 10th to rezone a piece of property to allow Dollar General to construct a new store building along State Highway 79 on the north side of the Village. The board also heard about the need to resurface the runway at the airport.
MCCANDLESS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON: Ezra J. McCandless, who was convicted by a jury last October of the first degree intentional homicide of Alexander Woodworth in the Town of Spring Brook in March of 2018, has been sentenced to life in prison. In addition to life in prison, Judge Peterson set McCandless’s eligibility for petitioning the court for extended supervision after she has served 50 years. McCandless, who was 20 years old at the time, stabbed the 24-year-old Woodworth 16 times. Woodworth’s body was discovered in McCandless’s car in the Town of Spring Brook, south of Elk Mound, on Friday, March 23, 2018.
February 19: GC CITY COUNCIL APPROVES GRANT REQUEST FOR NEW MUNICIPAL BUILDING, WILL RECEIVE GRANT FOR SAFE ROOM: At the regular monthly meeting of the of the City Council, they learned that one million dollars could be requested from the Community Development Block Grant program to fund a municipal building. The only catch is that the city would have to come up with a half a million dollars in matching funds. The City Council also learned that the city has been awarded a ninety percent grant for the construction of a safe room on the St. Croix County Fairgrounds on the west side of the community.
GC SURVEY SAYS TO TEAR DOWN OLD SCHOOL: The City of Glenwood City had sent out more than 400 survey requests along with the utility bills and received 53 returns for the five-question survey, to find out how local citizens felt about what should be done with the former school building along east Oak Street. The results were shared, with 30 of the responses or 56.6 percent telling the City to “Tear down and redevelop the site.” Only 20.75 percent, or eleven responses asked the City to “Remodel and reuse the building.” Five people suggested, “just tear it down,” while seven people had several other ideas, like a park.
GC STUDENT STUDIES IN JAPAN: For Makayla Sina, the opportunity of a lifetime came during the summer of 2019 when she was able to take part in an exchange program through Youth for Understanding (YFU). Sina is the daughter of Matthew Sina and Stephanie Heinbuch, and is a junior at Glenwood City High school.
BV FIRE DISTRICT SAVES ON TAXES: The Boyceville Community Fire District has saved $78,000 on sales tax for the construction of the new $1.6 million fire station. The issue of whether the fire district actually saved any money on sales tax has been an ongoing debate, but a representative for Shefchik Builders said at the Boyceville Community Fire District’s Board of Directors meeting February 12 that a $78,000 sales tax credit had been deducted from the bid for the new fire station.
BV WINS REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: The 2019-20 Boyceville wrestling team claimed its second straight WIAA Division 3 regional wrestling championship after it won the Durand Regional on Saturday, February 15. The win also earned the Bulldogs a berth in the Cumberland team sectional, which was held Tuesday night, February 18.
FIRST NOVEL CORONAVIRUS CASE REPORTED IN WISCONSIN: The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), UW Hospital and Clinics, the local health department, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed the first case of 2019 novel coronavirus in Wisconsin. The immediate health risk to the general public for contracting this virus is low. The patient is an adult with a history of travel to Beijing, China prior to becoming ill and was exposed to known cases while in China.
February 26: FIVE WRESTLERS QUALIFY FOR STATE MEET. Four from Boyceville and one from Glenwood City, qualified for the 2020 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Championships to be held this Thursday through Saturday, February 27-29 at the Kohl Center in Madison. They are Nate Stuart, Boyceville; Ira Bialzik, Boyceville; Josiah Berg, Boyceville; Trett Joles, Boyceville; and Tucker Lagerstrom, Glenwood City.
BOYCEVILLE CO-VALEDICTORIANS, SALUTATORIAN HONORS ANNOUNCED: At the beginning of the Wednesday, February 19, Boyceville school board meeting the board members were introduced to the co-valedictorians and salutatorian for the 2019-20 senior class. Jasmine Windsor and Brendan Sempf were named co-valedictorians, and Noelle Wheeldon will be the senior classes salutatorian.
SCHOOL DISTRICT DENIES PETITION TO MOVE DISTRICT LINES: At the Wednesday, February 19, meeting Superintendent Nick Kaiser suggested the Boyceville School District deny the petition from Dan and Jenna Brandenburg that would alter the school district boundaries. They are wanting to build a home on the 11.95 acre parcel that is attached to the Boyceville district, while the other half of the property lays on the edge of the Menomonie school district.
MARCH
March 4: TRETT JOLES WINS: Trett Joles won his second straight Division 3, 182-pound state wrestling championship during the 2020 WIAA Individual State Wrestling tournament held Feb. 27-29.
BOYCEVILLE VILLAGE BOARD DISCUSSES PROPOSAL UPDATE WITH DOLLAR GENERAL: The Boyceville Village Board met in a special meeting on Monday, March 2, to discuss the proposal update with Dollar General in regards to utilities and extensions across the property. According to the changes made to the proposal, Dollar General will reimburse the actual costs incurred for the sewer and water extension to serve the DGI property not to exceed $67,500. DGI will also be responsible for the cost to extend the sewer and water 163 feet to the Moore-Girard property in compliance with Village policy. If the Village and Dollar General come to an agreement the store would be located across from Tiffany Creek Elementary on STH 79.
BOYCEVILLE MAN CHARGED WITH SIX COUNTS RELATED TO DEER POACHING: Ray C. Stuart of Boyceville has been charged in Dunn County Circuit Court with six misdemeanor counts related to poaching whitetail deer. Stuart is charged with one count of obstructing an officer, three counts of illegally hunting deer, one count of illegally shining deer and one Natural Resources count of hunting deer during closed season.
GUNNUFSON AWARDED HERB KOHL SCHOLARSHIP: Tara Gunnufson, a senior at Boyceville High School, has received a $10,000 Initiative Scholarship from the Herb Kohl Foundation. Tara is the only child of James Gunnufson. Gunnufson decided on attending UW-Stout so she could become a dentist.
March 11: BOYCEVILLE APPROVES RESOLUTION SEEKING AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS: The Boyceville Village Board approved a resolution Monday night seeking airport improvement aid to replace the asphalt at the Boyceville airport at a cost of $1.5 million. The pavement at the airport is at the end of the life cycle, and the federal government will no longer pay for crack-filling, seal-coating or any other maintenance, said Joel Timblin, airport manager, during a public hearing held on the petition at the Boyceville Village Board’s March 9 meeting. The project would cost about $1.5 million, and Boyceville’s share of 5 percent of the project cost would be $75,000.
GC SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES INVESTMENTS: The Glenwood City Board of Education approved the district to invest funds from the 1947 scholarship, Fund 46, and the Community Education fund.
March 18: BALL FIELD TO BE RENAMED: The Glenwood City city council approved a proposal for a name change at the local softball field Monday evening. The city softball field under consideration for a name change is the Glen Hills Memorial Field located off of Magnolia Drive. Joan Bartz of the Glen Hills Lions Club came before the board with the suggested name of Glen Hills Lions City Field, but Steve Lee asked Bartz if they could add the word “memorial” in the name.
DUNN COUNTY TO RECEIVE THIRD CIRCUIT JUDGE: After 22 years, Dunn County will finally be receiving a third circuit court judge. A third judge for Dunn County became a possibility when Governor Tony Evers recently signed a new bill creating 12 new circuit court branches in Wisconsin that will be added four at time each year starting in 2021. The third judge for Dunn County will be elected in April of 2021, and the candidate who prevails in the election will begin serving August 1, 2021.
KONDER A FINALIST IN ALICE IN DAIRYLAND CONTEST: One of the top six candidates for the 73rd Alice in Dairyland candidates is Kaitlin Konder of Glenwood City.
March 25: GOVERNOR SIGNS SAFER AT HOME ORDER: Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue a Safer at Home order that prohibits all nonessential travel, with some exceptions as clarified and defined in the order. The order is effective at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 and will remain in effect until 8 a.m. Fri., April 24, 2020, or until a superseding order is issued.
ST. CROIX, DUNN COUNTY HAVE FIRST POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES: Dunn County’s first positive case of COVID-19 was reported on Thursday, March 19. The person diagnosed with the coronavirus disease has mild symptoms, said KT Gallagher, Dunn County Director of Public Health, at a Facebook Live event on Friday, March 20. The person affected had traveled extensively overseas and domestically. In St. Croix County, St. Croix County Public Health announced on Thursday, March 19 that St. Croix County has its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. This individual is isolated at home and doing well.
DUNN COUNTY AUTHORIZES REFINANCING, DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY: The Dunn County Board has authorized the sale of $14.145 million in general obligation bonds to refinance what remains of the $22 million general obligation health care center bonds dated June 25, 2012. The Dunn County Board of Supervisors also has declared a state of emergency in Dunn County for a period not to exceed six months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.