2023: A Year in Review: 2023 top headlines from January, February, and March
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Lake Tainter
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — Another year has come and gone, and as the Colfax Messenger enters its 128th year of publication, here is a look back at the top news stories of 2023.
January 4, 2023
Although Dunn County is proceeding as if the county Highway B project from U.S. Highway 12 to just past the Exit 45 truck stop will occur in 2023, there is a real possibility it will be delayed until 2024.
Ezra J. McCandless, who was convicted by a jury in the fall of 2019 in the first degree intentional homicide of Alexander Woodworth in the Town of Spring Brook in March of 2018, is asking for a new trial.
The Colfax Commercial Club is once again seeking nominations for the J.D. Simons Community Volunteer Award.
January 11, 2023
Elk Creek Solar has filed a formal application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to build a 300 megawatt solar generating facility with a 76.6 megawatt storage system on 2,500 acres in the Town of Spring Brook.
Four candidates have filed nomination papers for three positions on the Colfax Board of Education in the election April 4. Incumbent school board members Kenneth Bjork, Jodi Kiekhafer and Jaclyn Ackerlund all filed nomination papers by the deadline January 3. Colfax school district resident Denise Solberg also filed nomination papers and will be on the ballot as well.
Three candidates filed nomination papers for three positions on the Elk Mound Board of Education in the election April 4. Incumbents Mark Cedarblade and Patrick Rhude filed notification of non-candidacy by the December 24 deadline. Incumbent Timothy Sivertson along with Kayla Lombard and Troy Koser filed declaration of candidacy forms.
PACKER FANS — In this family photo from a few years ago, Anna Linberg (right) is shown with her father Trevor Linberg during a Green Bay Packers road game in Washington D.C. Anna Linberg was named this yeseason’s Packers “Fan of the Year”! —photo sumbitted
With no available cash, not enough borrowing capacity and no grant money so far, the Elk Mound Village Board will have to put Phase 2 of the Settlers Ridge apartment complex on hold for a while. Jim Rooney, the developer for Settlers Ridge, says he has already spent $12 million on the apartment complex, but Elk Mound cannot take on the obligation for sewer and water right now, said Greg Kipp, village president.
January 18, 2023
Residents in the Tainter Lake area are expressing concern about the proposed Tainter Lake Rehabilitation District and are worried about paying additional property taxes. The Dunn County Board will vote January 18 on whether to form the proposed lake district.
The owners of several businesses along Main Street in Colfax are wondering if snow could be plowed differently so that there are no snow piles left at the curb. Public works employees plow snow at night or early in the morning on Main Street to avoid the traffic coming through town.
January 25, 2023
The Elk Mound school district would receive $60,000 per year for 20 years from the Elk Creek Solar Project. The annual payment from Elk Creek Solar would be considered a donation to the school district. State law requires revenue sharing with Dunn County and the Town of Spring Brook but does not require revenue sharing with school districts.
The Tribune Press Reporter is in receipt of a copy of a letter by Menomonie Mayor Randy Knack to the Mabel Tainter Board over the city’s financial support of the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts. In the letter dated November 15, 2022, Knack indicates he will withhold the City of Menomonie’s annual support of $60,000 because the Mabel Tainter Board changed the bylaws to remove the city representative’s voting rights.
By a majority 5-2 opinion, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Dunn County that the county did not violate the rights of a jail inmate when a Dunn County correctional officer sexually assaulted her.
February 1, 2023
Colfax school district crossing guard Wendy Lausted has been on the job for 25 years. Students from Colfax Elementary recently presented her with gifts and cards in honor of Crossing Guard Week earlier in January.
Although she was born and raised in San Diego, Erica Linberg was recently named the Green Bay Packers Fan of the Year. Anna’s father is Trevor Linberg, a 1995 graduate of Elk Mound High School, and her mother is Erika Linberg, formerly Uselmann, a 1995 graduate of Colfax High School.
To date, the Colfax Elevator Commission has raised nearly $125,000 to put toward installing an elevator at the Colfax Municipal Building.
A nearly $800 grant from Dunn Energy Cooperative’s Operation Round Up has allowed the Colfax Rescue Squad to upgrade the ambulance service’s “first in” kits.
JUMPING FOR JOY! Members of the Colfax girls’ basketball jumped arounded in excitement moments after claiming a thrill 39-37 win over previously unbeaten Neillsville in the WIAA Division 4 sectional championship played Saturday afternoon, March 4 at Osseo-Fairchild High School. The Vikings will be making their first trip to state in ten years when it faces Laconia in a semifinal game Thursday night, March 9. See the sports pages inside this issue for the complete story on the Lady Vikings sectional triumph. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
An evidentiary hearing is scheduled in July in Dunn County Circuit Court concerning the request from Ezra J. McCandless for a new trial following her conviction of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Alexander Woodworth.
February 8, 2023
Funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could make passenger rail in the Chippewa Valley and St. Croix Valley a real possibility in the coming years. Scott Rogers of the Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission spoke to the Dunn County Board January 18 about the commission’s recent activities. Gary Stene, county board supervisor from Colfax and vice-chair of the county board, is vice-chair of the Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission.
After a delay of four years, the Dunn County Planning, Resources and Development Committee is ready to proceed with updating the county’s Smart Growth Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
Colfax sophomore Theo Hovde was one of two Bloomer/Colfax wrestlers to capture championships during last Saturday’s Cloverbelt tournament at Abbotsford High School. Hovde finished 3-0 at 120 pounds to capture the gold. Senior Ethan Rubenzer also finished the tournament unbeaten for the Raptors as he took home first place at 170 pounds.
February 15, 2023
An analysis of housing data by the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission shows that more lower-income rental and higher-income rental and owner-occupied housing is needed in Dunn County.
From increased pay for assistant district attorneys to more money for CNA and nursing programs to more funding for roads, the Dunn County Board covered a variety of topics with area state legislators at a meeting February 6.
The Elk Mound Village Board has approved contracting with Davy Engineering for the third phase of the phosphorus compliance plan. The plan is to use water quality trading [sometimes also called pollutant trading] to bring Elk Mound’s discharge rate down to 1 milligram per liter from 3.5 mg/L. The state Department of Natural Resources has set a phosphorus limit of .075 mg/L for the village’s wastewater treatment plant.
REGIONAL CHAMPS — The Elk Mound girls’ basketball team defeated Wisconsin Dells Saturday night, February 25 to win the WIAA Division 3 Regional championship. Above, players and coaches poised with the regional plague following the game. —photo courtesy of the Elk Mound School District
February 22, 2023
The Colfax Board of Education has approved a girls’ wrestling cooperative with the Bloomer school district. A few years ago, a boys’ wrestling co-op was established with Bloomer, and the boys and girls who wrestle were on a combined team. The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association has now added a separate state tournament for girls, so there is a girls-only tournament and a boys-only tournament.
The Dunn County Board has approved adding $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to support broadband applications for grants by internet service providers to expand access to broadband in Dunn County.
The Colfax Village Board has given permission for the use of the Colfax Municipal Building image at the Menomonie Heritage Museum and the Dunn County Historical Society in a “penny machine.” Visitors will be able to put their money into a machine and get a penny with the selected image on it.
March 1, 2023
Colfax resident Michelle Knutson is the recipient of the J.D. Simons Community Volunteer Award for 2022.
In her first trip to the state wrestling championship, Kendra Hamman earned a medal. The Bloomer/Colfax junior finished fifth in the girls’ 185 pound eight class at the 2023 WIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships held February 23 to 25 at the Kohl Center on the UW-Madison campus.
A raccoon entered an Elk Mound residence through a cat door and then bit the resident. The raccoon was disposed of and then sent off for testing, reported Elk Mound Police Chief Chad Weinberger.
Following the death of Elk Mound school board member Loren Hanson on January 29, the Elk Mound Board of Education has started the search for applicants to fill Hanson’s position.
J.D. SIMONS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AWARD — Mark Johnson, president of the Colfax Commercial Club, presented the J.D. Simons Community Volunteer Award for 2022 to Michelle Knutson during a pancake supper at Colfax Lutheran Church February 21. —photo submitted
March 8, 2023
Tainter Machine — operating under the motto of “Building your ideas!” — celebrated its 30th anniversary February 24.
Bail has been set at $100,000 cash for a 30-year-old Colfax man charged in Eau Claire County with possession with intent to deliver more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Dalton D. Clayton, county Highway N, appeared in Eau Claire County Circuit Court for an initial appearance February 24.
The Board of Commissioners for the Tainter Lake Rehabilitation District held the first official meeting March 2 after the Dunn County Board approved forming the Lake District in January. About 60 people attended the meeting at the Dunn County Government Center.
The Colfax girls’ basketball team is the WIAA Division 4 sectional and regional champions. The Lady Vikings have an overall record of 21-6. The girls’ team will play at the state tournament at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
March 15, 2023
The Colfax Public Library had a total circulation for 2022 of 30,265, according to the annual report dated February 15 filed by Lisa Bragg-Hurlburt, director of the Colfax Public Library. The 2022 circulation compares to a total circulation of 34,598 for 2021, which was the highest circulation recorded in the last 20 years. In 2001, the circulation was 19,098.
The Colfax High School Musical “Matilda” will be performed March 17 to 19. The cast includes 36 students.
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has completed an environmental assessment of the Elk Creek Solar Project and has concluded an environmental impact statement is not necessary.
Members of the Elk Mound Village Board are considering whether to repeal the village’s ordinance pertaining to loitering and unlawful assembly. There was an incident in Turtle Lake where a motorist was cited for loitering under an ordinance similar to the Elk Mound ordinance, and such ordinances have been deemed unconstitutional, Elk Mound Police Chief Chad Weinberger told the village board.
THE 2022-23 ELK MOUND Boys’ basketball team captured the Dunn-St. Croix Conference championship this year with a perfect 14-0 record. In the Division 3 regional tournament, the Mounders beat Mauston 68-40 before falling to Gale-Ettrrick-Trempealeau 80-48 in the regional final. Elk Mound finished the year with a 20-6 record. Players and coaches are pictured above. Front row (L to R): Cale Knutson, Zane Brice, Kamron Diermeier and Lucas Johnson. Middle row (L to R): Aiden Bartholomew, Ryan Bartig, Nathan Svee, Brady Amble and assistant coach Dave Lew. Back row (L to R): Assistant coach Zach Stephens, assistant coach Dennis Arneson, Jerome Delikowski, Logan Jerome, Sam Wenzel, Grandt Mueller, Kaden Russo, Caleb Beskow, assistant coach Jon Linzmeier and head coach Chris Hahn. —photo by jholzwarth.smugmug.com
March 22, 2023
A June trial has been scheduled in Dunn County for Miltiano T. Johnson, 42, who is one of the suspects from Missouri allegedly involved in a burglary in Menomonie and a high speed chase with law enforcement last September.
The Dunn County Community, Resources and Tourism Committee has authorized the formation of a Broadband Task Force to write a community-wide broadband plan.
Seven members of the Colfax powerlifting team competed at the state meet in Appleton March 5 and 6: Audrey Ebert, Ashton Greenwell, Dylon Hiitola, Asher Pecha, Ava Sedivy, Kennedy Shane and Mark Solberg.
March 29, 2023
After 41 years, Pat Hahn, the clerk-treasurer for the Village of Elk Mound, retired as of December 31, 2022.
The Colfax school board has approved the following coaches for spring sports: John Dickinsen softball; Kirk Secraw, baseball; Kathleen Thorn, track; Megan Cormican, middle school track; Ryan Krall, boys’ golf.
Voters in 12 Dunn County municipalities will be checked in for the April 4 election by the new technology, Badger Books. The technology eliminates the need to print out paper poll books.
The Elk Mound Village Board has given approval to the village’s police chief to apply for the COPS Hiring Program grant available through the United States Department of Justice.
