Tue Nov 21 2000 - 09:43AM
Star Prairie woman wins pageant
A STAR PRAIRIE WOMAN TOOK THE CROWN AT THE MISS WISCONSIN U-S-A PAGEANT SUNDAY. 22-YEAR-OLD KERI DODGE...WHO WORKS AT A BRIDAL SHOP IN THE TWIN CITIES...WILL REPRESENT WISCONSIN IN MARCH AT THE MISS U-S-A PAGEANT IN GARY, INDIANA. JUDGES SELECTED DODGE FROM THE 26 CONTESTANTS AFTER COMPETITION IN THREE CATEGORIES: SWIMSUIT...EVENING GOWN AND INTERVIEWS WITH THE JUDGES. 16-YEAR-OLD KELLYANN LANGFORD OF MUSKEGO WON THE TITLE OF MISS TEEN WISCONSIN. LANGFORD WILL REPRESENT THE STATE AT THE MISS TEEN U-S-A PAGEANT IN AUGUST.
Fri Oct 20 2000 - 12:13PM
Fires contained in the area
Updating a couple of stories you heard yesterday, at 4 p.m. the Cushing and St. Croix Falls fire departments were called to a grass fire on Otter Slide Avenue 1 1/2 miles west of Highway 87. An estimated 25 acres burnt in the blaze. A couple of structures were threatened, but not damaged, and one fire fighter from St. Croix Falls was injured from a falling tree and taken to St. Croix Regional Medical Center. The fire was finally contained at 6 a.m. this morning. The suspected cause of the fire are sparks from a burning barrel. The Clear Lake fire department was called to 156 3/4 Street in Barron County around 8 p.m. last night for a grass fire that burnt approximately five acres. The department was on the scene until midnight. Nobody was injured and the cause of the fire in not known. Also yesterday the Turtle Lake fire department was called to a grass fire at 1056 First Street that was quickly extinguished with little damage and yesterday morning around 11 a.m. the Deer Park Fire Department was called to a grass fire in a field north of County Highway H. Little damage was reported from this fire.
Tue Aug 22 2000 - 11:50AM,
Amery school numbers going up
It looks like enrollment will be going up for the 2000-2001 school year at the Amery School District and that is good news according to District Administrator Ray Norsted. The final numbers for the district this year will be known on September 15. Norsted also said he looks forward to his final year with the Amery School District and looks to make it as good as possible. Over the past many years Norsted added there have been many changes in technology, but he believes Amery is in as good of shape as any district in Wisconsin. Last evening the Amery Board of Education also set September 21 as the Annual Meeting date and hired Tom Sykes to the alternative school, Reberta Swanson as a bus driver, Diane Fansler Wolda as a long-term high school sub, Ray Urbas as long-term school psychologist, Vanessa Justice as a custodian, Mark Athey as a custodian, and Reberta Severson to work in the intermediate guidance department.
Mon Jul 17 2000 - 11:46AM,
Fire causes damage to mini storage
Several families lost valuables as fire severely damaged a storage facility in Deer Park this morning. The Deer Park fire department received a report of a fire at the Deer Park Mini-Storage approximately 5:20 a.m. The facility is located just off the junction of Highway 46 and County Road H. Upon arrival firefighters observed heavy smoke coming from the west of the storage facility. The Amery fire department was called to assist and the two departments spent the better part of 90 minutes battling the fire. The fire apparently started in one of the storage units and spread to the other units. About eight of the units received major smoke, fire and water damage to the contents inside and most of the remaining units received smoke and heat damage. Among the items that were being housed in the facility was a Polaris ATV that was destroyed. Unofficial damage estimates could exceed $100,000.
Wed Jul 12 2000 - 09:59AM,
Earl Hillestad appointed to County
Board
From WXCE Radio - Amery
(Note: Their link is on the main page, Great!)
Polk County Board Chairman Don Getschel has appointed Earl Hillestad of Deer Park to fill the vacant District 22 seat on the Polk County Board of Supervisors. The appointment comes as Dave Paulson and Walter V. Lee are in a court battle to determine who will fill the position. Earlier this summer the election was ruled a tie by Judge Eugene Harrington. Since that ruling both Paulson and Lee have filed appeals to Harrington's decision. Hillestad will serve in the position until a decision is made and will be appointed to the position on July 18.
July 2000-
THE SUN (Osceola): Eight days of mediation talks may have put an end to the nearly five-year battle between NSP and the residents in and around the St. Croix River Valley. A mediated agreement between NSP, the cities of St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls and Concerned River Valley Citizens successfully stopped the construction of a 230kV line through the two cities and surrounding countryside. But the river valley won't be without a new transmission line. As a part of the agreement, NSP agreed to decrease the size of the line from 230kV to 115kV. Although a line will still be rounted through the cities, Frank Jablonski, the attorney representing the cities during the talks, said everybody had more to gain through mediation than if they allowed the process to continue. "You've got a lot of things for the community you never would get through litigation," Jablonski said of the mediation agreement. Among the many things the cities received through mediation was the removal of the above-ground transmission lines through the cities and the burial of portions of the new line. The 60 kV lines withing the boundaries of Interstate Park will also be removed under the mediation plan, as will the lines in the D.D. Kennedy and Garfield recreation aress in the eastern portion of the project. The only part of the project that the parties wern't successful in getting was having the lines butried under the river. Even though the lines will be above the river crossing, NSP assured the mediators the transition stations will be low-profile stations called "potheads," minimizing their visibility along the river. Jablonski commended the cities and the membership of CRVC in holding up their opposition to a very large corporation. "I think NSP got battle fatigued with the fight you put up," he said. "The cities and the residents did an excellend job of fighting this to the end."
From WXCE Radio - Amery
Tue Jun 20 2000 - 10:15AM
Scholarships awarded
Farm Credit Services of Northwest Wisconsin has awarded six $500 scholarships to students pursuing careers in agriculture. The include graduating seniors Jedd Bohl of Bloomer; Jeffrey Croes of Deer Park; Kenneth Drost of Rice Lake; Emily Gilles of Plum City; Michael Miron of Hugo; and Brett Neumann of New Richmond.
Mon Jun 19 2000 - 10:09AM
Person believed to have drown
One man is presumed drowned from a Friday night boating accident on Lake Wapogasset near Amery. The Amery fire department, Polk County Sheriff's Department, and National Park Service spent the weekend searching the lake without finding anyone. The search is continuing today. A woman who was injured in the accident was taken to Amery Regional Medical Center where her name and condition are not available.
Mon Jun 19 2000 - 10:05AM,
Fatal accident near Baldwin
St. Croix County has recorded it's 11th traffic fatality of the year. On Friday at 4:55 p.m. 50-year old Richard C. Korthals of Rosemont, Minnesota was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred on Highway 63 near 90th Avenue just north of Baldwin. A vehicle driven by 26-year old Garret G. Willer of La Crosse lost the left rear wheel of his vehicle. Willer was traveling northbound on Highway 63 when the vehicle crossed over into the southbound lane of traffic and struck the Korthals vehicle. 20-year old Rebecca R. Robets of La Crosse, who was a passenger in the Willer vehicle was taken to the Baldwin Hospital. 48-year old Catherine A. Korthals, 10-year old Anthony M. Korthals, 24-year old Kimberly M. Autz and 1-year old Nathaniel M. Autz, who were passengers in the Korthals vehicle were also taken to the Baldwin Hospital. The accident remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department.
Tue May 30 2000 - 07:34PM,
Two Car Wreck Sends two to Hospital
A two car accident on Sunday sent two people to the hospital this weekend. 16-year old Ben Eastvold of Deer Park was southbound on Highway 63 when another vehicle pulled out of 1st Avenue West in front of the Eastvold vehicle. According to a passenger the car on 1st Avenue has stopped and then continued across Highway 63. Eastvold attempted to brake...but could not avoid hitting the other vehicle. Ambulances from Clear Lake and Amery responded to the scene and transported two younger patients to Amery Regional Medical Center. The Clear Lake Fire Departments was called to the scene to help with traffic control. Both vehicles were severely damaged. The names of the occupants of the other car were not available.
Thu May 18 2000 - 11:54AM,
Fire in Deer Park
Fire destroyed a Deer Park family farm early this (Thursday) morning. at 5:45, fire departments from Amery and Deer Park were called to a the Jon and Sherri Boettcher (Bet-cher) farm at 174 135th street northwest of Deer Park. Many people may remember the farm as the former Earl Hillstead farm. A passerby had noticed the fire and called from a nearby residence, when the departments arrived on scene, the barn was totally engulfed in flames. Fire officials were able to save a nearby machine shed, but the barn and 41 cows were lost in the blaze. The fire apparently started in the hay mow, but the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Boettchers were planning an auction to sell off the farm this coming Saturday. There were no injuries and officials were on scene for about 3 hours.
Mon May 15 2000 - 11:53AM
SATURDAY FIRE DESTROYS SCHOOL
FIRE DESTROYED AN ABANDON SCHOOL HOUSE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE SCHOOL HOUSE WAS LOCATED AT 876 20TH AVENUE, ABOUT 1 MILE OFF HIGHWAY 46 BETWEEN AMERY AND DEER PARK. A PASSERBY OBSERVED THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AT AROUND 4:00 SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE AMERY FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS BELIEVED TO BE ARSON, AS FIRE OFFICIALS OBSERVED A SET OF FRESH TIRE TRACKS LEADING INTO AND OUT OF A DRIVEWAY OF THE SCHOOLHOUSE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON SCENE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
Mon May 8 2000 - 06:49PM,
Fugitive Arrested North of Deer
Park
The Wisconsin State patrol arrested a fugitive who was originally pulled over for a routine traffic stop...Sunday shortly before 1:30 p.m. The fugitive...41-year old Timothy Robert Baker of Clayton...apparently ran and was found around 3:30 p.m. in the Old Cheese House on County Road A north of Deer Park. Authorities say that the air patrol and K-9 units were called in. Baker was wanted on three felony warrants...all drug related.
March 2000
THE NEWS (New Richmond): A 30-year-old New Richmond man who crashed a car at Johannesburg Friday afternoon swam across the Apple River and led police and other searchers on a foot chase before surrendering. Before he was apprehended, the man entered the water three times. Mark K. Scribner was cited for two counts of obstructing police, operating a vehicle while intoxicated (fourth offense), operating after revocation, violation of occupation license and failure to report an accident. He was placed in the St. Croix County Jail after being treated for hypothermia at Holy Family Hospital. According to the St. Croix County sheriff's police, officers were called to Hwy. CC just north of Johannesburg, where a neighbor had just spotted a car in the west ditch. The vehicle had evidently overturned after the driver tried to turn north onto CC from westbound Hwy. C. Two deputies were on the scene when one of them spotted a man in the Apple River, which was in full flood from recent snow melt. The second deputy drove to a nearby yard and headed down to the riverbank. The first deputy was now in a foot chase trying to apprehend Scribner, just missing as he lunged for the suspect. Jumping into the water a second time, Scribner swam to an island in the river and stayed there while deputies summoned New Richmond Fire and EMT services, a county boat patrol and a K-9 officer and dog from Somerset. The suspect jumped into the water a third time and swam for the opposite shore as authorities closed in from both sides. The suspect denied driving the car, and the keys were in his pants pocket
February 29, 2000
Fire at Kamm farm destroyed top St. Croix County herd
From the Baldwin Bulletin
A tragic fire that went undiscovered for perhaps several hours in thick fog destroyed the top twice-a-day-milking herd in St. Croix County last Wednesday morning, February 23. Lost at the Tom and Carol Kamm farm in the town of Erin Prairie on 130th Ave. (Casey Lake Road) were 94 milk cows, the barn filled with hay, a shed, a tractor and manure spreader. The fire, of undetermined origin, was called into United Fire and Rescue Department after 2:00 a.m. Wednesday. According to Tom Kamm, the fire was discovered by a neighbor who had been working on a computer, and when the power went out he stepped outside to see if he could determine the cause. It was then that the fire was discovered that apparently had been burning for some time and roused the Kamms. Reporting the fire was difficult because the Kamms had a phone that had been destroyed in the barn and it was like the receiver was left off the hook, so the call to summon firefighters had to be made from a neighbors. Baldwin Station Chief Gary Newton of United Fire said that reaching the Kamm farm was made difficult because of the thick fog. When firefighters arrived the shed was already destroyed, the east end of the barn was completely down and all the cows in the barn had already perished. Because of the dense fog and the limits that placed on the speed of trucks hauling water to the fire, additional tankers were called from Deer Park, New Richmond and Roberts, said Newton. Some of the drivers had trouble making their way to the farm through the fog. The farm was operated by Tom and Carol Kamm with help from their sons Ryan and Lance. Tom Kamm had been building the herd for 33 years, ever since he was in high school. They moved to their present location in 1975 after beginning farming in the Glenwood City area. Kamm said on Monday that he has not decided on any plans for the future
Feb 2000-THE NEWS (New Richmond): Four Deer
Park farmers have complained to the court that Northern States Power
hasn't paid off a $4 million judgment. NSP has filed an appeal and asked for
a stay of the judgment while the appeal is being heard. On Feb. 1 St. Croix
County Judge Eric Lundell gave NSP another week to provide evidence that it
has filed the appeal, post bond or provide a certified copy of an insurance
policy. Early in January Lundell set the stray voltage judgment against
Northern States Power at $4,011,448. On Nov. 23, 1999 a jury found in favor
of Deer Park farmers John, Terese, Richard and Elaine Schachtner. The jury
ordered NSP to pay Schachtner Farms $850,000 for economic damages and
$200,000 for "the inconvenience, annoyance and loss of use and enjoyment of
their property." Because the jury found that NSP was "willful, wanton or
reckless" in its failure to provide adequate service to the farm, the award
was tripled.
AMERY FREE PRESS: The two men accused of killing 53-year-old Ronald Bisson,
of the White Ash Lake area appeared in Polk County Circuit Court. Antonio
Herrera, Jr., 20, Turtle Lake, and Jasper Cody Foote, 17, St. Paul, Minn.,
appeared with their attorneys: Don Fast of Baldwin representing Herrera and
John Leonard representing Foote.
During the hearing Lieutenant David Lindholm took the stand to state that he questioned Herrera in the living room of the residence of the suspect when the suspect was taken into custody. Lindholm related that St. Paul police had been investigating another incident when Herrera allegedly mentioned the Bisson killing. The lieutenant's statement noted that the two suspects had gone to the Bisson home the day before the killing, searching the home for money while the victim was asleep. When he started to wake up, the two left. "They went back the next day," Lindholm said, "they parked a distance away from the residence." Lindholm said that Herrera recalled that Foote had struck Bisson in the head with a chain "to wake him up." According to Lindholm, Herrera detailed Foote using a car battery to kill Bisson, dropping it on the victim's head and then stated that Foote used the knife to try to cut Bisson's throat. Foote said that Herrera had thrown the battery on Bisson's head, and at the urging of Herrera, he had done likewise. Judge Erickson found probable cause had been established to support the charges and bound the defendants over for arraignment. The defendants remain in the Polk county jail.
Baldwin Bulletin- Driver of runaway truck dies, another death on I-94 on New Year's day There were .two deaths in the area on New Year's Day that have been associated with motor vehicles. According to a news release from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, at about 5:54 a.m. on Saturday, January 1 the Department was notified that the Wisconsin State Patrol was attempting to stop a semi-tractor/trailer that was southbound on STH 128 and heading toward the Pierce County Line. The semi was either unable or refusing to stop. The semi apparently turned on STH 29, westbound and entered Pierce County. Finally, with the aid of controlled tire deflation devices, the truck was stopped near Lois Street in the Village of Spring Valley.
Officers contacted the driver and believed he was having some type of medical trouble. The driver was later identified as Harold J. Micheloni, 57, of Stevens Point.
Spring Valley ambulance was called and officers on the scene began CPR. Micheloni was transported by Spring Valley ambulance to the Spring Valley High School parking lot to meet Mayo One Medical Helicopter, but was pronounced dead by Pierce County Coroner Dr. E.R. Jonas before being air lifted. The incident remains under investigation by the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's office.
The second death was later in the morning about 10:10, according to a spokesperson at the Wisconsin State Patrol office in Eau Claire. A vehicle driven by Jodi D. Angus, 23, of Richfield, Minn., was westbound on I-94 at mile post 21-1/2 and drifted off onto the left gravel shoulder, then came back onto the road and then veered sharply left again and into the median where it rolled over several times and came to rest on its wheels.
Angus was transported by an area ambulance service, the spokesperson said, and was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The name of the ambulance service and hospital were not included in the report. Angus was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, the spokesperson said.
December 1999-
THE SUN (Osceola): The negotiations for the purchase and preservation of the Osceola Bluff have hit a bit of a snag. Osceola Main Street volunteers had hoped to wrap up the purchase by the end of December, but the group's offer was rejected by the property owners last week. "I don't think we should take that as meaning that the project is stopped," Village Administrator Harlin Owens said. John Simenstad, village board member and bluff preservation supporter, said the village owns one-third of the bluff already. One-third is involved in the present purchase attempt, and the remaining land is owned by the Otto Silha estate. Simenstad said it's important that the community try to preserve the bluff, which holds great historic value for the region. The bluff was once on the American Indian Ginseng Trail. The planned bluff property purchase is made possible by a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Main Street officials planned to meet with the property owners again this week to try and hammer out a deal.
THE NEWS (New Richmond): City Plan Commission members voted unanimously in favor of a migrant worker housing project on the property of Chiquita Processed Foods in a meeting last Thursday at the Civic Center. Because the Plan Commission was voting on a conditional use permit for the proposal, City Council action is not necessary and the decision to allow the migrant housing is final. The company plans to construct a pair of buildings on land it owns behind the canning plant on New Richmond's west side. A move by the company last spring to obtain city permission for the project was postponed after neighbors objected to the presence of the buildings and their position on the property. Neighbors again objected to the migrant housing at Thursday's meeting, but there was support for the project, too. Representatives of the Lowry Hotel, where Chiquita migrant workers lived during the 1999 canning season, spoke in support of the project and praised the conduct of the migrant workers. New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau executive director Barbara Polfus (Olson formerly from Deer Park) submitted a letter in support of the project as well.
THE SUN (Osceola): Frustration over repeated shoplifting in his shop prompted Osceola Antiques owner Jeff Reardon to take matters into his own hands last Thursday. While in the shop, an Osceola Antiques dealer noticed a suspicious patron who appeared to open a locked display case. Reardon was alerted and he called police. Reardon found the lock on the display case cut and much of the merchandise missing. Reardon said a number of valuable coins and $500 worth of turquoise jewelry were taken from the case. When the shop owner confronted the suspect, he at first denied taking the items. He then pulled the merchandise from his pocket, explained that he intended to pay for them and threw them back in the display case. Reardon attempted to detain the suspect until police arrived but the man exited the store and entered his parked pickup. Reardon pulled an old wooden bat from behind his counter and again told the suspect to stop. The shop owner said he took several swings at the vehicle, but failed to break the window or do much damage. The pickup driver sped away, with the local police in pursuit. The suspect was not apprehended, although Reardon was able to report a description of the suspect and his Minnesota license plate number.
THE NEWS (New Richmond): After hearing testimony for more than three weeks, and deliberating four hours, a St. Croix County jury last week awarded a Deer Park dairy farm what may be the largest stray voltage judgment in Wisconsin history. The total judgment is about $3.9 million, said River Falls lawyer Barry Hammerback last Friday. The jury ordered Northern States Power to pay Schachtner Farms $850,000 for economic damages and $200,000 "for the inconvenience, annoyance and loss of use and enjoyment of their property." Because the jury also found that NSP had failed to provide adequate service and was "willful, wanton or reckless" in its failure to provide adequate service to the farm, damages will be tripled, said Hammerback. Hammerback said his clients offered to settle for $1 million two years ago. Because NSP rejected that offer, it will also be charged 12% interest on the verdict amount. Terry Thom, the attorney who represented NSP, said testing by NSP workers and other indicated that stray voltage wasn't a problem on the Schachtner farm. Outside consultants identified problems at the farm, which NSP discounted. NSP will likely appeal the decision.
