by News Editor Brian WilsonTaylor County passed on a chance to pur-

chase additional land to the east of the fair-ground.

Supervisors on the Taylor County Board voted 12-5 Tuesday to reject the purchase of the 24.3-acre parcel currently owned by Har-old Miller. Miller had offered the land to the county at a price of $165,000.

Supervisor Dave Lemke backed the purchase of the property as a way to improve tourism offerings and expand the fairgrounds property. One concept for the property included developing it as a RV-style campground and park to include walking and hiking trails. Only about one-third of the property is high ground, with the remaining being slopes and the creek-bed for Cor-rection Creek. Lemke said develop-ment of the property by the county could occur over time, initially he said it would have solved the problem

the fair is facing of fi nding space for those in-terested in camping during the week of the fair and at other events.

Years ago we stayed right with the ani-mals in the barn, we cant do that now, Lemke said.. He explained that people need to

stay at the fairgrounds to care for and exercise their animals but

that there is no room left.Price played a major role in

the vote. Supervisor Bob Lee noted the property is assessed for tax purposes at $56,000. He

objected strongly to the county paying three

times the assessed val-ue of the property.

Super-visor

Roger Ewan also spoke against the purchase of the property noting he has been told it has been for sale for 20 years and why was it being brought to them now. He said he spoke with mayor Mike Wellner to see if the city had any interest in the property and was told abso-lutely not.

Ewan also focused on the price. I think the price of this land is ridiculous, he said, not-ing that when some people try to sell property to the government there is an impression that the county has deep pockets.

Lemke noted the original price of the land was $210,000 and because Miller used to be in-volved with the fair, he has a soft spot for the event and lowered his asking price to $165,000.

Supervisor Sue Breneman who represents the Gilman area also spoke against the pur-chase. What I have been hearing from tax-payers, they dont think the county should be in business of buying more land, she said.

She also noted the county has plenty of camping and forest opportunities and ques-tioned why the city wouldnt want it because it seems to be the most benefi t to the city. She also said the county has been telling its staff to cut back and said she has a hard time spend-ing the money on the land purchase at the same time.

THE NEWS $1

WMedford, isconsin

www.centralwinews.com

SERVING TAYLOR COUNTY SINCE 1875

STAR

Peace on EarthHoly Rosary Catholic Church and School created this light display as part of the Holiday Magic on the Medford Riverwalk. The display, which

won the Mayors Choice award, shows choirs singing around the manager scene as the wise men wait to arrive. The Holiday Magic on the Med-ford Riverwalk displays will remain lit through Jan. 3.

Lady Pirates snap losing streak

Sports

Area deaths

Medford High School choir concert

Ask Ed

Obituaries start on page 14 for:

James L. Brost Lillian E. HullGerald M. KolasaDagmar Klinner Edna M. MaattaDonna M. Schreiner

Rib Lake High School concert

Page 9

Board says no to county land purchase

December 24, 2015Volume 142 + Number 52

Christmas greetings Third section

photo by Brian Wilson

On-demand care for on-the-go families. Aspirus Medford Walk-In Clinic 0 143 South Gibson St. 0 715.748.8100

OPEN: Mon Fri, 4pm 9pm Sat Sun, 9am 5pm Holidays, 12:30pm 5pm

No appointment needed. Enter/register through main entrance of Aspirus Medford. Emergency care available through emergency department entrance.

50-156237

52

Supervisors vote 12-5 against purchase of land to expand the fairground

Supervisor Dan Makovsky supported purchasing the Ha rold Miller property to the east of the fairground, say-ing it would have economic benefi t. See COUNTY on page 4

to pur-he fair-

Boardhase of Har- to

tgk

g y gmals in the barn, we cant do that now,Lemke said.. He explained that people need to

stay at the fairgrounds to care forand exercise their animals but

that there is no room left.Price played a major role in

the vote. Supervisor Bob Leenoted the property is assessedfor taxx purposes at $56,000. He

objected strongly to thecounty paying three

times the assessed val-ue of the property.

Super-visor

ThursdayMostly cloudyHi 30FLo 18F

FridayPartly cloudyHi 33FLo 27F

SaturdaySnowHi 34FLo 20F

SundayMostly cloudyHi 27FLo 20F

MondayPartly cloudyHi 30FLo 20F

TuesdayFreezingrainpossibleHi 26FLo 14F

WednesdayCloudyHi 22FLo 9F

12/15/2015Hi 35FLo 27FPrecip. 1.2Overcast

12/16/2015Hi 34FLo 28FPrecip. .12Rain

12/17/2015Hi 41FLo 20FPrecip. .11Snowfl urries

12/18/2015Hi 25FLo 14FPrecip. .04Snowfl urries

12/19/2015Hi 18FLo 5FPrecip. 0Mostly cloudy

12/20/2015Hi 24FLo 6FPrecip. 0Overcast

12/21/2015Hi 37FLo 24FPrecip. Tr.Overcast

7-Day Forecast for Medford, WisconsinWeather forecast information from the National Weather Service in La Crosse

Last weeks weather recorded at the Medford Wastewater Treatment Plant.The weather is taken from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. the following day. For example 8 a.m. Tuesday to 8 a.m. Wednesday.

THE STAR NEWSThe only newspaper published in Taylor County, Wisconsin.Published byCentral Wisconsin Publications, Inc.P.O. Box 180, 116 S. Wisconsin Ave.Medford, WI 54451Phone: 715-748-2626Fax: 715-748-2699www.centralwinews.com/starnewsE-mail: starnews@centralwinews.comMember National Newspaper Association and Wisconsin Newspaper Association. Periodical postage paid at Medford, WI 54451 and HKKP[PVUHSLU[Y`VMJL

Last week, Governor Walker signed into law Assembly Bill 388, which elimi-nates the Government Accountability Board on June 30, 2016 and replaces it with two separate commissions to over-see the administration of elections and ethics.

Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel of the G.A.B., said board mem-bers and the staff are prepared to work with the Secretary of the Department of Administration and the new commis-sioners as they are appointed to ensure a smooth transition to the new structure.

We are professionals who care deeply about serving voters, local election offi -cials, candidates and offi ceholders, and

the lobbying community, Kennedy said. Our commitment is to ensure continu-ity of service during the transition.

The legislation sets out a process for legislative leaders and the governor to make appointments to both commis-sions. Once appointed, new commission-ers will serve as non-voting members of the G.A.B. starting in February as part of the transition process. To accommodate this expanded, 18-member body, many G.A.B. meetings will be held in the State Capitol. The new commissions will also be meeting separately to select new agen-cy administrators.

The Secretary of DOA is required to develop a plan for the transition. Under

the legislation, all current G.A.B. posi-tions will transfer to one of the two new commissions, but Kennedy does not have rights to transfer and the current Elec-tions and Ethics Division administrators would have to apply for the new adminis-trator positions with each commission if they wish to transfer.

There are still many questions about how the transition will happen, which

we hope to answer in coming weeks, Kennedy said. 2016 is a busy presiden-tial election year, but we will do every-thing we can to ensure a smooth transi-tion and ensure the new commissions get up to speed.

A page with news and information about the transition has been created on the G.A.B. website: www.gab.wi.gov/transition.

No changes as 3-year pact goes to member towns, city to signby News Editor Brian Wilson

For more than 25 years, the Medford Area Fire Department has been a part-nership between the city and surround-ing communities to provide fi re protec-tion services.

On Dec. 17, fi re commission members voted unanimously to keep that partner-ship in place for at least another three years. They approved the departments joint ownership and service agreement.

The Medford Area Fire Department is made up of the city of Medford and the towns of Browning, Chelsea, Goodrich, Grover, Hammel, Medford and Molitor. The approximately $175,000 cost of run-ning the department is split between the communities based on each mu-nicipalitys percentage of the districts total equalized value. In addition each municipality contributes to an equip-ment replacement fund which allows the department to replace trucks and other equipment when needed. It is up to each municipality to decide how they pass the cost onto their residents. For example, Medford charges a fi re protection fee to all property owners.

Each of the member municipalities has a seat on the board, with the town of

Medford having two seats and the city of Medford having seven seats.

There were no changes made to the agreement with the only question being raised as to if the city was being reim-bursed for snow removal and grass cut-ting at the fi re hall. Fire Chief Mike Filas said those expenses are accounted for in the budget. While for insurance pur-poses, the city owns the fi re hall and the equipment, control of the facility and the department is in the hands of members of the fi re commission, who are appointed by the boards of the member municipali-ties.

Under terms of the agreement, the commission elected a chairman who will serve for the next three years. Clarence Kropp was reelected on a unanimous bal-lot. Lester Lewis was also unanimously reelected to serve as vice chairman. Ar-lene Parent was re-appointed secretary for the next year and Scott Perrin was ap-pointed treasurer.

Commission members also formally concurred with the recommendation of the fi refi ghters to reappoint Filas as the fi re chief. Under the departments by-laws, the fi refi ghters make a recommen-dation, but it is the commission which makes the fi nal decision. In practice, the commission goes along with the fi refi ght-ers choice.

In other business, commission mem-bers:

Received an update on Fed-eral Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants Filas is pursuing for the

possible replacement of a rescue-tanker for the department and replacement of the departments 18 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units at a cost of $147,600. The grant application window opened last week and Filas has until mid-January to submit the applica-tion. He said he was optimistic about the chances for the vehicle because of the age of the current unit, however he was less optimistic for the SCBA gear because it

has a few years before replacement is critical. Lewis reminded Filas to use 2016 to determine the equipment age because FEMA will decide on the grant in 2016. Filas said he expects notifi cation on the grants by late spring. If successful, the grant would cover 95 percent of the cost with a 5 percent local match.

Welcomed Brenda Hedlund as the new member representing the city of Medford on the commission.

Thursday, April 23, 2015 Page 3NEWSTHE STAR NEWS Thursday, December 24, 2015 Page 3NEWSTHE STAR NEWS

51-156948

FARM RECORDS & QUICKBOOKS SEMINAR Come learn how to make QuickBooks work for your Agricultural Business

OPEN TO ANYONE WITH QUICKBOOKS OR FARM RECORDSA good accounting system is your best defense in tough economic times. Learn what your QuickBooks is saying about your business. You can save money, run more efficiently and even increase profit margins!

In the course our QuickBooks ProAdvisors will cover the following and more: Working with and customizing the chart of accounts Entering customers and vendors Recording income and expenses Reconciling bank accounts Creating Reports

Wednesday, January 6th10:00 a.m.NO COST - Lunch will be provided

Please RSVP by January 4th)*#.!% -

Bring Your Questions &

Laptop

Strong partnershipCommission renews operating agreement for Medford Area Fire Department

ReelectedMike Filas (left) will continue as the fi re chief for the Medford Area Fire Department

and Clarence Kropp was reelected to another three-year term as commission chair-man.

photo by Brian Wilson

More questions than answers with state election board shake-up

51-156

949

s!SPIRUS-EDFORDs"ELLA:ENN3ALON3PA%CO"OUTIQUEs#OMMUNITY5NITED#HURCHOF#HRISTs$IAMOND,AKERS(#LUBs&IDELITY"ANKs'ELHAUS$ENTAL#LINICs'ILMAN&",!s(ANDEL!UTOMOTIVEs(OLY!SSUMPTION/RTHODOX#HURCHOF,UBLIN

s+LINNER)NSURANCEs+RUGS"US3ERVICEs-ARSHlELD#LINIC-EDFORD$ENTAL#ENTERs-EDFORD!REA%LEMENTARY3CHOOLnSTANDTH'RADE#LASSESs-EDFORD!REA3ENIOR(IGHn3TUDENTS&ACULTYs-!3(4ENNIS#LUBs-EDFORD+IWANISs-EDFORD0OLICE$EPARTMENTs-EDFORD9OUTH3OCCER!SSOCIATION

s-ERTENS'ARAGEs.ESTLEs.ICOLET"ANKs.ORTHWEST(ARDWOODSs0ETERSON#ONCRETEs/UR3AVIOURSAND3T0AULS%VANGELICAL,UTHERAN#HURCHOF(OLOWAYAND#URTISSs0HILLIPS-EDISIZE-EDFORDs3AINTS0ETERAND0AUL#ATHOLIC#HURCHOF'ILMANs3T0AULS%VANGELICAL,UTHERAN#HURCH

s3CHMIEGE'RAFF,AW&IRMs3IERRA0ACIlC)NDUSTRIESs3TETSONVILLE%LEMENTARY3CHOOLn0RE+NDANDTH'RADE#LASSESs4AYLOR#OUNTY,ITERACY#OUNCILs4AYLOR#REDIT5NIONs4HRIVENT&INANCIALs7ALMARTs7EATHER3HIELD7INDOWS$OORS

THANK YOU to the following local businesses and organizations for their generous support of the 2015 Taylor County Christmas Giving Tree program:

ANDTHANK YOUTOALLTHEHUNDREDSOFPEOPLEFROMOURCOMMUNITYWHODONATEDGIFTSMONEYSUPPLIESANDTHEIRTIMEWRAPPINGGIFTS!LLTOGETHERWEWEREABLETOPROVIDE#HRISTMASGIFTSTHISYEARTOOVERCHILDRENINNEED

THROUGHOUT4AYLOR#OUNTY-ERRY#HRISTMAS

Michael Lindau#OORDINATORn4AYLOR#OUNTY#HRISTMAS'IVING4REEPROGRAM-INISTRY-ANAGERn3T0AULS%VANGELICAL,UTHERAN#HURCH

Page A Thursday, April 23, 2015NEWSTHE STAR NEWS

So what if it benefi ts the city? said supervisor Dan Makovsky. He spoke strongly in favor of the purchase saying it would help bring people to the community. If we dont act on this land, we will miss it, he said.

He said there would be room to develop 27 campsites there, which he said would be more people coming in and shopping in the community throughout the sum-mer. He also noted the additional land would be benefi -cial to the highway department.

The tourism aspect is a valid point, said supervisor Ray Soper, however he disputed any benefi t to the highway department noting neither the highway commit-tee nor the highway commissioner has endorsed the project.

For supervisor Dave Krug, his op-position came down to cost. He said he looked at what it will cost over time to develop and maintain, sug-gesting the buildings and grounds staff would likely need to hire more staff.

Buildings and grounds supervisor Jeff Ludwig said the plan would not be to add any more staff and that any maintenance of the property could be handled by the summer help who already mows the fairgrounds. One of the concerns he said with past offers of park areas was that they are removed from the maintenances base in the city of Medford. This property we could see from the front door of the shop, he said.

For Lee, it came back to price. Has anyone had an appraisal on it? he asked, saying even if the county were to get a stewardship grant for it, they would still

be paying 1.5 times the assessed value of the property.Lemke compared the price to past land purchases by

the city of Medford for industrial park expansion. Supervisor Mike Bub, in his fi rst meeting fi lling the

seat vacated by former county board chairman Jim Metz, also balked at the price. He questioned if there was any discussion of purchasing just the developable high areas instead of the total acreage. Board chairman Chuck Zenner said it was as an all or nothing deal.

Lee suggested that rather than adding to the existing fairgrounds, the better option would be to move the fair-

grounds to a larger space outside the city. Ludwig said he felt that moving the fairgrounds with all its buildings would be impossible given all the infrastructure and buildings in place. I agree with that today, Lee said.

Ludwig supported the purchase of the property and cautioned that

the county may regret not purchasing it. I really think someday someone will be standing in this room, saying if only we had bought that Miller property, he said.

Both supervisors Rollie Thums and Scott Mildbrand voiced objections to the proposed purchase based on, in part, the purchase price coming out of the countys fund balance. Mildbrand noted the countys auditors have told them they need to build the fund balance rather than reducing it.

In the end, supervisors rejected the purchase on a 12-5 roll call vote with Lemke, Diane Albrecht, Gebauer, Makovsky and Zenner the only votes in favor of the pur-chase.

Page A Thursday, April 23, 2015NEWSTHE STAR NEWSPage 4 Thursday, December 24, 2015NEWSTHE STAR NEWS

Continued from page 1

County board rejects purchase of property to expand fairgrounds

Passing the gavelFormer county board chairman Jim Metz passed the

gavel to fi rst vice-chairman Chuck Zenner at the start of the Dec. 22 county board meeting. Zenner will hold the offi ce until the county boards reorganization meeting in April when supervisors will elect the chairman.

photo by Brian Wilson

Deputy warns of fake cop stopping drivers by News Editor Brian Wilson

The Taylor County Sheriffs Offi ce and the Medford Police Department have been made aware of an individual imper-sonating an offi cer, both within the city of Medford and again in rural Taylor County. Both incidents involved a dark colored vehicle with red and blue grill lights stopping another motorist. In both incidents, the individual approached the stopped vehicle and verbally identifi ed himself as an offi cer. He is described as a white male in his 30s, about 6 feet in height, with dark hair and some facial hair. He was wearing plain clothes and identifi ed himself as a detective in the fi rst incident. In the second incident, he

was wearing uniform style clothing with no badge or markings.

Both incidents appear to be random and we do not have anything to indicate this individual is targeting specifi c ages or genders. In both cases, the suspect told the driver why he stopped them and then left after minor conversation, said Larry Woebbeking, chief deputy with the Taylor County Sheriffs Department.

In both cases, this was a dark colored, unmarked car with simple grill lighting. Woebbeking noted that both the Taylor County Sheriffs Offi ce and the Med-ford Police Department have unmarked squad cars. These unmarked squad cars are equipped with more emergency light-ing than two simple grill lights.

At this time, we are simply inform-ing our citizenry so they are aware and we are asking them to report any infor-mation they may have related to an indi-vidual impersonating an offi cer, Woeb-beking said.

Those seeing suspicious behavior should contact either the Taylor County Sheriffs Offi ce or the Medford Police De-partment by calling 715-748-2200 or 1-800-343-2201.

If you are stopped by a suspicious vehicle, you should try to stop in a well-lit area. In rural settings, well-lit areas may be diffi cult to fi nd so you can stop in front of another house or even pull into a driveway to stop, Woebbeking said. If the offi cer is in plain clothes, ask for his

identifi cation and department number so you may call to verify his identifi cation.

These are simple requests that any offi cer should be willing to provide, Woebbeking said.

Woebbeking cautioned that the re-ports of someone impersonating an offi -cer is not a justifi cation to avoid stopping for a law enforcement offi cer. Failure to stop for an offi cer is a crime, he said. He suggested that if motorists are suspi-cious during a traffi c stop, they should dial 9-1-1 or the numbers listed above. A dispatcher will assist you in determining the validity of the traffi c stop, he said.

Fully marked squad cars have not been an issue in these two cases.

Local Thrivent Financial Investment offi ces rep-resented by Michael Plooy (Medford), Bryce Kelley (Colby), and David Hraby (Medford) made a generous $2,000 donation to the Aspirus Medford Foundation.

We were surprised and overwhelmed by their gen-erosity and thoughtfulness, said Catherine Leifeld, executive director of the Aspirus Medford Foundation. What a wonderful gift! Hundreds, thousands of Aspi-rus Medford patients can benefi t from this amount.

The donation was made in honor and recognition of all Thrivent Financial members and volunteers.

Brian Kulas, longtime Thrivent member, was the in-spiration for the request, Plooy said. He was an active volunteer in and around Taylor County, always think-ing of others, and a member or director of numerous or-ganizations, including the Aspirus Medford Foundation and the Aspirus Medford Hospital Board.

We wanted to give to an organization that could give back to thousands, Kelley said. The Aspirus Medford Foundation was a local and logical choice. When you have your health, you have wealth.

Through the Thrivent Choice program, Thrivent members have the opportunity to give back to the char-ity of their choice, which includes the Aspirus Medford Foundation. Every Thrivent member should talk to their advisor about the benefi ts of this program, be-cause they, the members, tell us (Thrivent Financial) to which organization they would like a portion of our charitable grant dollars to be given, Plooy added.

Thrivent Financial donates to Hospital Foundation

Donation accepted Catherine Leifeld (l. to r.), executive director of the Aspirus Medford Foundation, and Mitch Mertens, Aspirus

Medford Foundation chair, accept a $2,000 check from Thrivent Financial investment advisors Bryce Kelley, David Hraby, and Michael Plooy.

See next weeks issue of The Star News for additional reports from the Dec. 22 county board meeting.

submitted photo

Thursday, April 23, 2015 Page 5NEWSTHE STAR NEWS Thursday, April 23, 2015 Page 5NEWSTHE STAR NEWS Thursday, December 24, 2015 Page 5NEWSTHE STAR NEWS

Following evaluation of how fi res are reported and considering the age and condition of the states network of fi re towers, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is implementing plans to remove the towers from service.

In addition, the department will begin making changes to emphasize electronic options for obtaining burn permits.

Over the past year, the DNR fi re man-agement program conducted a broad evaluation of its work including the use of fi re lookout towers for fi re reporting. As part of the effort, the program as-sessed the costs to maintain, repair or re-place the 72 fi re towers currently utilized throughout the state.

These fi re towers were built mainly in the 1930s and 1940s. The conclusion of this assessment is that the towers struc-turally are no longer safe for personnel to be in and the cost of replacement is pro-hibitive. The department has concluded that resources are best spent enhancing aerial detection.

Today, well over 90 percent of the forest fi res that occur in the state are re-ported by citizens, unlike the 1930s when fi re towers were the primary means of forest fi re detection, said Trent Marty, director of DNRs bureau of forest protec-tion. We recognize change is needed and there are opportunities to capitalize on the successes of our aviation program as well as advances in technology for forest fi re detection.

In the early 1930s, DNR had 119 fi re lookout towers throughout Wisconsins wilderness, mostly in the northern half of the state. Towers are typically around 100 feet tall and made of steel with a 7-by-7 foot cab at the top.

Last year, the DNR staffed 60 fi re look-out towers, many of which are located on private property with easement rights. Following its evaluation, Marty said DNR is now in the process of notifying private landowners and presenting options for the future of the towers and the sites.

Marty emphasized that removing the towers from service will not diminish DNRs commitment to fi re protection in the state.

We are proud of the strong history and tradition of our fi re program includ-ing the contributions of our fi re spotters

stationed in these towers through the years, he said. However, in recent years these towers have only been staffed on average of 17 days per year through use of seasonal employees on a limited call-in basis. Going forward, DNR fi re control will rely solely on aircraft and citizen re-porting for the detection of wildfi res.

Going onlineThe fi re management program also

conducted an evaluation of burning per-mit issuance and the emergency fi re warden workforce. As a result of its evaluation, DNR will gradually reduce the number of business-based emergen-cy fi re wardens over the next fi ve years while maintaining key fi re agency part-ners and emphasizing more convenient and effective customer service options. As collaboration with other fi re agen-cies has strengthened over the years, the emergency fi re wardens have primarily served to issue written DNR burning per-mits.

Marty said the department has docu-mented strong public acceptance of the online and telephone burning permit ap-plication process and will move forward with an emphasis on these options. The programs evaluation also found that those who obtained burning permits elec-tronically were more likely to check the daily burn restrictions prior to burning.

The overall goal here is to keep the public and our fi re fi ghters safe, Marty said. We believe this change will im-prove the customer experience in obtain-ing a burning permit and help ensure that the public conducts permitted burns safely.

Currently, the DNR has more than 400 business-based emergency fi re wardens. The program change will reduce the workforce by roughly one-third by the year 2020. Each county will still retain up to three business-based emergency fi re wardens in addition to key agency part-ners (e.g. USDA Forest Service, local fi re departments, municipal government of-fi ces, etc.).

Public involvementDNR appreciates the critical role of

the public in fi re safety and detection and encourages citizens to consider alter-natives to burning debris. Wisconsins traditional fi re season occurs in spring, shortly after the snow melts and prior to vegetation greening-up. The number one cause of wildfi res is related to debris burning. On average, over 4,000 wildfi res occur each year.

Fire towers to get the axe under DNR plan

In Taylor County ..................... $39/year .............. $26/6 monthsElsewhere in Wisconsin .......... $41/year .............. $28/6 monthsOut of Wisconsin ..................... $50/year .............. $32/6 months

P.O. Box 180, Medford, WI 54451

^^ ^JLU[YHS^PUL^ZJVT

Name ___________________________________________________________________Address _________________________________________________________________City/State/Zip ___________________________________________________________Phone # ______________ Email Address ____________________________________Circle One NEW RENEWAL We accept Discover, MasterCard or VISA

Subscription

ONLINE SUBSCRIPTIONS ALSO AVAILABLENEW: Online & Print Bundle

In Taylor County ..... $49/year Elsewhere in Wisconsin..........$51/year Out of Wisconsin..............$60/yearOnline Only......................$39/year

(must be purchased online at www.centralwinews.com)

TF-500231

Department offi cials say aerial observations, calls from citizens enough

Supporting Childrens MuseumThe Star News showed support for Hueys Hideaway Childrens Museum with a

$3,000 donation. Tracey Ziehlke (far left), and Jesse Lukewich (far right) accepted the check from Carol OLeary and Kris OLeary of The Star News.

photo by Brian Wilson

Jump River Electric appoints new director

At a special meeting on Dec. 11 the Jump River Electric Cooperative board of directors appointed Albert (Larry) L. Quinn, Jr. to fi ll the vacant District 5 seat. Quinn has lived in the Bruce area since 1947 and has been a member of the cooperative since 1971. He is active in the community, serving as a fi refi ghter for 33 years, including 12 years as the fi re chief, before retiring from the Bruce Fire Department. He has also been ac-tive in the Blue Hills Trailblazers Snow-mobile Club and the Rusk County Snow-mobile Association, and is active in the Knights of Columbus.

Quinn worked for Indianhead Oil of Rice Lake for many years before becom-ing a real estate agent, from which he retired after 20 years. Quinn has been

a bus driver for the Bruce Public Schools in excess of 20 years.

Quinn will serve as the Dis-trict 5 director through the bal-ance of the three-year term, which runs through October 2018. Dis-trict 5 consists of the towns of At-lanta, Big Bend, Grant, Murry,

Stubbs, Thornapple, Washington, Wilkinson, and Wilson in Rusk County; and Doyle in Barron County.

Larry Quinn

51-157

045

Personal Banker at Fidelity National Bank, retired after 8 years of service.

Please join us in wishing Joyce a very happy retirement!

51-157

045

Personal reti

Pl Joyce

4UI4U.FEGPSEt715-748-5333www.fidelitybnk.com

JOYCE CHRISTOPHERSON,

Congratulations!

Page A Thursday, September 22, 2011OPINIONTHE STAR NEWS

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of Da-vid a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will fi nd a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2: 10-12)

As beginnings go, having angels proclaim great joy for all people is a pretty good one. The familiar gospel story is recited by children in Christmas church programs all over the world, read from pulpits and printed in greeting cards. Those who believe, or at least who were raised to believe, know the story of a young pregnant woman and her fi ance traveling as part of a government-mandated census. How there was no room at the inn so she gave birth in a manager. And how Christs birth brought with it the promise of salvation for all mankind.

As beginnings go, it is a good one. The promise for great things is there just as the sunrise brings hope and promise after a long dark night.

The challenge for all believers is to live up to that promise. As any carpenter can tell you, it is what is done in the light of the day that determines if it was well spent. The bright hope at the beginning is a glimpse of each days potential.

It was Christs work through his life which brought that potential to fruition. He did not raise an army and carve out an earthly empire. Instead Christ taught his fol-lowers to turn the other cheek, and to love thy neighbor as thyself. Through lessons such as the good Samaritan

and the choice to go out and preach to everyone regard-less of race or background even including tax collec-tors Christ set an example for all to follow.

One wonders now, thousands of years after Christs crucifi xion, what He would make of many who claim to follow Him at least insofar as they show up for church on Christmas and Easter. What would Christ think of

those who claim to be Christians, but who leave His les-sons at the church doors.

There are many who claim to be Christians more as a matter of convenience than of faith. They go through the motions in public and are quick to cast judgment on others, while overlooking their own indiscretions. This includes some who loudly speak of the so-called war on Christmas in a country dominated by Christians. Or who somehow think being respectful of another persons culture or beliefs is a personal insult.

Christmas is a celebration of the potential. A savior has come.

As with anything else, it takes effort to make that hope a reality.

The true war on Christmas occurs not over marketing on coffee cups or that someone chooses to be inclusive in wishing those of all faiths happiness in this season of celebrations.

The true war on Christmas is fought throughout the year as people turn away from Christs message and for-get that the good news was not proclaimed in the palaces, but rather in the fi elds among the lowly and forsaken.

The challenge this year, as it is every year, is to make the most of the promise and live the lessons taught by Christ. As Scrooge learns at the end of Charles Dick-ens Christmas Carol, we must learn to live Christmas throughout the year.

Page 6 Thursday, December 24, 2015OPINIONTHE STAR NEWS

Star News Editorials

Members of The Star News editorial board include Publisher Carol OLeary, General Manager Kris OLeary and News Editor Brian Wilson.

Write a Vox Pop: Vox Pops, from the Latin Vox Populi or Voice of the People, are the opinions of our readers and refl ect subjects of current interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address and telephone number of the writer for verifi cation of authorship and should be the work of the writer. Letters will be edited. No election-related letters will be run the week before the election. E-mail: starnews@centralwinews.com.

Today, well over 90 percent of the forest fi res that occur in the state are reported by citizens, unlike the 1930s when fi re towers were the primary means of forest fi re detection.

Trent Marty, director of DNRs bureau of forest protection about the decision to not staff fi re towers this year. See story on page 5

Star News Quote of the Week:

Keep the Christmas message throughout the year

The nativity display at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Medford.

Put the phone down, stop fi ddling with the radio, pay attention to the road.

The holiday season is here and over the next few weeks millions of people will be taking advantage of lower fuel prices and hitting the highways to visit relatives or go on a winter getaway.

Every driver and passenger plans on getting to their destination safely. How-ever, poor choices made by other motor-ists can quickly turn holiday dreams into nightmares.

Distracted driving costs lives. According to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people are in-jured in crashes that are reported to in-volve a distracted driver.

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a persons attention away from the primary task of driving. All dis-tractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distrac-tions include:

Texting Using a cellphone or smart-

phone Eating and drinking Talking to passengers Grooming Reading, including maps Using a navigation system Watching a video Adjusting a radio, CD player, or

MP3 playerThe top two on the list are especially

dangerous because those most likely to

be using hand-held cellphones or texting are younger and more inexperienced drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration (HTSA), 10 percent of drivers under the age of 20 in-volved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.

Drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers in fatal crashes. In addition, according to a study by the Federal Communication Commission, which regulates cellphones, 40 percent of teens say they have been a passenger in a car whose driver used a cellphone in a way that put them in danger.

However, there are potentially deadly activities while driving regardless of age. According to a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Insti-tute, engaging in visual-manual subtasks (such as reaching for a phone, dialing and texting) associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable de-vices increased the risk of getting into a crash by three times.

According to NHTSA at any given daylight moment across America, ap-proximately 660,000 drivers are using cellphones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010. Combining the two statistics, quickly turns any car trip into a game of Russian Roulette. While death and injury are the biggest risks, there is also an economic cost of

distracted driving. In 2013, there were 341,100 motor vehicle crashes reported in the United States which were attributed to texting while driving resulting in mil-lions of dollars in insurance claims.

Cellphones and other electronic de-vices are wonderful tools. They can im-prove effi ciency allowing travel time to be turned into productive time. However, they can quickly become dangerous. The 4-5 seconds someone takes to glance at a phones screen to read a message is more than double the two seconds the Journal

of Adolescent Health says is the maxi-mum amount of time a driver can glance away from the road while safely operat-ing a motor vehicle.

The solution is a simple one. Put your phone down while you are driving and fo-cus on driving. If you do need to use your phone do it hands-free and keep your at-tention focused on the task of driving.

Visiting friends and relatives is an important part of the holiday season. Give everyone the best present by getting there safely.

Get there safely while traveling this holiday

Thursday, September 22, 2011 Page 3OPINIONTHE STAR NEWS

Open waterUnseasonably warm weather and heavy rains in recent weeks has the Millpond Dam still ice-free for the winter.

Anglers and others heading out on the ice should use caution because changing weather conditions can impact ice thickness.

Alex came with me to take pictures at Immanuel Lu-theran Churchs Christmas program Friday night. He had mentioned wanting to go to the program because some kids were talking about it on the bus and he thought it sounded interesting.

It was my sixth program this year and just one of the 19 concerts and programs staff from The Star News at-tend each Christmas season.

Usually my family waves to me as I head out the door to cover meetings or events, but this time Alex wanted to come along.

Chances are, knowing Alex, a pretty girl was involved. Rather than sitting with anyone we knew at the con-

cert, Alex said he was fi ne sitting in a pew by himself while I was working taking pictures of the children sing-ing and reciting the story from Luke about the birth of Jesus. I dont usually sit at concerts, preferring to stand and move around to get different types of shots.

Alex told me later that he kept getting looks from people wondering who this random kid was and why he was there. Overall Alex said he enjoyed the program and lectured me after on why he feels sausage and cheese is a better and healthier option than having a cookie or cup-cake.

Alexs most interesting observation to me was in the car on the way home. He was pointing out all the slight differences between the versions of songs or prayers used at Immanuel compared to what he was used to at Holy Rosary where he goes to school and is an altar serv-er. He cataloged the differences, from not using Thy and Thou in the Lords Prayer to different words in the lyrics of familiar songs.

I remember being about Alexs age and wondering what went on in those other churches in town. My imagi-nation would spin fanciful stories about them and what weird things went on behind their church doors. Of course, at the time I was convinced that kids who acted up in church were taken into our churchs very creepy basement and hung on crosses I blame my older broth-ers and sisters for putting this idea in my head.

The idea of actually talking to one of my friends about the church they attended or actually going to a service at one of them was beyond any thoughts at the time. It was only later after asking questions, studying religion in col-lege and attending many services and events at a variety of churches that I got a broader picture. You see for the most part, what happens in one church happens in all of them each week.

The lessons may be different and the doctrines have subtle variations, but for the most part in Christian churches at least it is like having a debate over New York vanilla and just plain vanilla ice cream. While the dif-ferences between the two can be signifi cant, to someone looking for relief when things get hot, either can be sat-isfying.

Even among all the major religions, there is more that is the same than is different.

Yet people have died and continue to die over those dif-ferences.

Although, in all fairness, most cases of religious dif-ference is just a handy excuse to pick a fi ght with the peo-ple down the road who are not part of your group.

Disliking someone based on how they choose to or not to worship makes about as much sense to me as gang members attacking someone for wearing their base-ball cap at the wrong angle. Provided, of course, that what they are doing doesnt harm me or people I care about.

I fi nd hope that at 9, Alex gets that no matter our dif-ferences, we are all very much alike and equally worthy of love and respect.

Maybe the world isnt as messed up as the politicians and talking heads on 24-hour cable networks would have us believe.

Thursday, December 24, 2015 Page 7OPINIONTHE STAR NEWS

Brian Wilson

Joy to the world

Brian Wilson is News Editor at The Star News.

photo by Bryan Wegter

Calls on people to show support for outstanding teachersVox Pop

The hard work done in our schools and school dis-tricts to educate our children rarely receives the praise it deserves, despite the fact that many teachers and oth-er school employees are worthy of recognition for the work that they do. Recently, one such educator in our community was nominated for a national award as rec-ognition for his/her leadership and positive infl uence. We should take pride in this because, although this is one individual who was nominated, it demonstrates the type of amazing things being done by educators for our students.

I encourage our community to support Megan Olson

by visiting her profi le at www.lifechangeroftheyear.com to leave a positive comment, note of thanks or con-gratulations.

This nomination is a great honor for Megan Olson and for our community and the community she cur-rently teaches in. It shows how hard the people in our schools work to educate our children. Megan attended the Medford School District and brings the education and values to her students every day.

We often take this for granted; this nomination is an opportunity to recognize that hard work.

Lynn Butkus, Medford

Write a Vox Pop: Vox Pops, from the Latin Vox Populi or Voice of the People, are the opinions of our read-ers and refl ect subjects of current interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address and telephone number of the writer for verifi cation of authorship and should be the work of the writer.

I appreciate the article by Dede Strama Whats right in the Medford Area Public school district. It is good for the public to hear the positives instead of negatives. It would be good to have a report like this

after the board meetings, featuring the things that were positively reported, as indicated in the article. Thanks, Dede.

Bonnie Bauer, Medford

Writer says it was nice to see a report of good things in schoolVox Pop

Regarding the editorial of Dec. 17, 2015 on open government, I agree: There is a fundamental danger whenever any politician or government body decides it is above the law when it comes to releasing public information.

How can we try to get that message across to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? She will erase, de-lete, burn, hide, destroy or ignore any information she has decided to keep from the citizens of our country.

Dorothy Seidl, Medford

Says we need to get message of openness to Hillary ClintonVox Pop

The public is fed myths while the governor and his followers have turned Wisconsin government into a ha-ven for themselves, the wealthy, and big business. Bill after bill is passed to give special privileges to politi-cians, developers, and big businesses, while WEDC doles out unknown huge sums of taxpayer money (which should have funded schools and infrastructure) to business, based on the myth that jobs will be created. Yet, Wisconsin ranks 50th in business startups (down from 2014) and job growth is 5.73 percent from 2011-2015 (all surrounding states are higher). The money goes to shareholders.

But if any entity, offi cial, or group dare to refute the GOP myth, they can expect revenge. The governor con-sistently pushes to give more control to himself and special friends, creates laws to avoid his responsibility,

and repeats failed actions. On and on it goes....while citizens pay the price.

Republican legislators pay little attention to the needs of most constituents, while our local govern-ments are deprived of more and more powers and funds to support citizens. The present GOP group appears to view citizens as enemies. Bills are slammed through to avoid public scrutiny, voting rights are slashed. Agencies that helped citizens are defunded. Programs to support elderly, disabled, poor are consistently cut and more restrictions added. Access of citizens to de-cent paying jobs gets harder. Salaries have decreased in most counties. Our minimum wage is disgraceful as are the numbers of incarcerated individuals.

But the myth says Wisconsin is moving forward. Glory Adams, Eau Claire

It is time to stop accepting the myth from MadisonVox Pop

Page A Thursday, April 23, 2015NEWSTHE STAR NEWSPage 8 Thursday, April 23, 2015NEWSTHE STAR NEWS Thursday, December 24, 2015THE STAR NEWS

Christmas spiritHealthview Eye Clinic of Medford constructed this

display (above) of carolers along the Riverwalk as part of the 2015 Holiday Magic on the Medford Riverwalk project. The group has caused numerous double-takes from visitors questioning if they are real.

(Left) The owners of this home on E. Conrad Dr. in Medford got into the holiday spirit with reindeer large enough to pull any sized sleigh. They are among many area people who annually set up lights for the Christmas season.

photos by Brian Wilson

Mike Lindau of St. Pauls Lutheran Church coordi-nator of the annual community Giving Tree program, reports this years drive was a major success.

I just cannot thank people enough for their generos-ity and help in buying, wrapping, and sorting the hun-dreds of gifts. It is truly a huge community effort that takes the work of hundreds to make possible, he said.

We had a record number of applicants and will be able to provide Christmas gifts to a record number of Taylor County children in need, Lindau said. A total of 546 children were in the program this year, the previous record for gifts was two years ago with 524 children.

Volunteers make it happenStudent and community volunteers came together recently to wrap gifts for 546 area children as part of the Giving Tree program. The community-wide program is coordi-

nated by Mike Lindau of St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Medford..

Program continues to help make the season bright

Special giftAmong the hundreds of gifts donated there were

many bikes (above) and games, but one special gift was a new wheelchair. Organizer Mike Lindau said the new wheelchair was all that was asked for on the application.

Record number request gifts through annual Giving Tree program

submitted photos

Thursday, December 24, 2015 Page 9NEWSTHE STAR NEWS

SoloistsKatie Strobach and Andrea Schreiner were soloists during the choirs performance

of a Christmas Choral Fantasy.

Bass clarinet sectionSierra Ulrich, Michael Hempe and Curtis Everson were the bass clarinet players of

the high school band.

Rib Lake High School Christmas concertRib Lake High School Christmas concert

Nutcracker RockThe saxophone section belts out a tune in the Nutcracker Rock during the jazz

bands performance.

A Fireside Christmas Photos by Donald WatsonThe fl ute section during the performance of A Fireside Christmas by the band at

the Rib Lake High School Christmas concert on Dec. 21.

Jazz bandThe jazz band, under the direction of Matt Robisch, performed Traces, Cherry

Point and Nutcracker Rock. Choir performanceMembers of the choir performed Viva La Musica, Angels Carol, Dona Nobis

Pacem and Christmas Choral Fantasy. The choir ended the evenings performance singing The Hallelujah Chorus with members of the audience joining them on stage.

Buy these photos online at www.centralwinews.com

Births

LIVING The Star News December 24, 2015 Page 10

Milestones, Memories, Births, Engagements, Weddings

Berry-Hesselink Jenalee Berry and Ryan Hesselink announce their

wedding engagement. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Rick and Deb Berry of Medford. The groom-elect is the son of Dale and Linda Hesselink of Oconomowoc.

The bride-to-be is a 2004 graduate of Medford Area High School and a graduate of UW Stout with a degree in multi-media design and art education. She is an art teacher at Kewaskum High School.

The groom-elect is a 2003 graduate of Hartford Union High School. He is a CNC machinist at Mantz Automa-tion in Hartford.

The couple plans a June 18, 2016 ceremony in Med-ford.

Jenalee Berry and Ryan Hesselink

Coralyn Michele SchuttApril and Jesse Schutt of Westboro announce the

birth of a daughter, Coralyn Michele, born on December 10, 2015 at Aspirus Womens Health Birthing Center at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. She weighed eight pounds, fi ve ounces and was 19.6 inches long. Her grandparents are Jack and Joanna Schutt of Sandstone, Minn. and Joe and Michele Germain of Green Bay.

Colton Jensen John SchultElizabeth Rantanen and Lucas Schult of Medford an-

nounce the birth of a son, Colton Jensen John, born on December 10, 2015 at Aspirus Medford Hospital - Birthing Center. He weighed seven pounds, four ounces and was 20.5 inches long. He joins a brother, Ashton, age 2. His grandparents are Keva Schult of Medford, Scott Schult of Wausau, Michael Rantanen Jr. of Westboro and Bob-bie Jo Daily of Plymouth. His great-grandparents are Mi-chael and Susan Rantanen of Westboro and Joyce Daily and John Bowman of New London.

Amelia Lynn KrugCourtney and Andrew Krug of Auburndale announce

the birth of a daughter, Amelia Lynn, born on December 11, 2015 at Aspirus Womens Health Birthing Center at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. She weighed eight pounds, 7.3 ounces and was 21 inches long.

THE TIME MACHINE

From past fi les of The Star News

10 YEARS AGO

25 YEARS AGO

50 YEARS AGO

75 YEARS AGO 100 YEARS AGO

Remember When Dec. 2005

The United Church of Christ in Medford staged a nativity scene complete with live donkeys, goats and a calf on Dec. 18. Members of the congregation donned costumes and braved cold temperatures to recreate what the birth of Jesus might have looked like.

December 26, 1940Striking some logs that had slid off

another vehicle earlier in the day and lay on the roadway was the reason for the Herman Niemuth truck going into the ditch Monday afternoon, according to Neal Smith, county traffi c offi cer, who investigated the accident. The accident occurred about 4:45 oclock just over the Marathon-Taylor county line, on high-way A, east of Stetsonville.

December 23, 1965Two young men, 16 and 18 years old,

were arraigned in juvenile court and county court Tuesday, charged with a rash of break-ins and thefts in Taylor and Clark counties. They have been held in the county jail here since Monday, Judge Peter Seidl holding further court action until an attorney is appointed for them.

Brought to Medford Monday by Clark and Taylor County authorities were the 16 year old, whose name is withheld by provisions of state law due to the fact that he appeared in juvenile court, and William Ludwig, 18, Dorchester, who appeared in county court. Clark county authorities and Taylor county sheriffs department offi cers and city of Medford police have been investigating leads since the thefts began, their case break-ing Monday. Missing merchandise was recovered at a farm building near Dorchester.

December 26, 1990A federal regulation requiring all

new shared-ride taxi vehicles to be handicapped accessible has thrown a monkey wrench into plans for a taxi service here.

December 22, 2005Construction of a proposed Wal-

Mart Supercenter in Medford could begin as early as April with the store opening possibly by the end of 2006 said a representative of the companys engi-neering fi rm.

Ryan Swanson of Rockford, Ill.-based ATC Designs said his company was responsible for only about 25 acres of the 34.8 acres of property that were approved for annexation by the Med-ford City Council Tuesday night, but volunteered to answer any questions the council had for the project.

We are satisfi ed we can make it work, Swanson said of the site when asked by Alderman Dave Koester. Sur-veyors have been working on the site already in anticipation of the annexa-tion approval and they are starting to meet with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Department of natural Resources for access and per-mitting.

December 22, 1915Geo. Shattuck has been poorly of

late, and says he is much improved since he began dieting.

A company of friends passed a very pleasant afternoon Friday with Mrs. H. Dumke in honor of her birth anniver-sary. She received many gifts, among them a piece for the dressing table made of old Ivory. A delicious supper was enjoyed, including a delicious birthday cake.

City Planner Bill Graham told the Medford Common Council last week that the state Department of Transporta-tion (DOT) was informed of the require-ment a week ago Monday (Dec. 17) by the UMTA (Urban Mass Transportation Ad-ministration).

This mean vans or buses with ramps and lifts, Graham said. Presently oper-ating service may continue to use vehi-cles that are not handicapped accessible, but all new vehicles must be.

Graham said that Black River Indus-tries, which had recently submitted the winning proposal to operate a shared-ride taxi service, informed him that they cant provide taxi service here for the price they bid if they have to have handi-capped accessible vehicles.

Thanksgiving treatThe "true" meaning of Thanksgiving was shown to

residents at the Golden LivingCenter - Rib Lake by Jar-rett Knutson (far right), proprietor of South Fork Electric Company. With the assistance of Rib River Bar & Grill catering, Knutson purchased a thanksgiving dinner with all the fi xings to be served to the residents at the facil-ity on Wed., Nov. 25. The excitement and apprecia-tion shown on the faces of the residents was a priceless moment, said director Tammy Siroin. The photo also includes the dietary staff and Siroin.

submitted photo

Thursday, December 24, 2015 Page 11

WisconsinPublicNotices.org is a public service made possible by the members of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.

Search public notices published by the :[H[LVM>PZJVUZPUPU[OL6JPHS:[H[L5L^ZWHWLY

The Wisconsin State Journal as well as public notices from

all Wisconsin communities online at

Notice to City TaxpayersResidents of the City of Medford, please take no-

tice of the following tax requirements:(A) Real estate taxes of $100 or more may be paid in

two installments:(1) on or before January 31, 2016.(2) on or before July 31, 2016.

(B) Real estate taxes of $99.99 or less must be paid in full by January 31, 2016.

(C) Should payment by installment be chosen, the fi rst payment must include all personal property, special as-sessment and delinquent tax charges.

(D) Should tax payment by mail be chosen, the date of payment will correspond to the postmark date.

(E) First installment payments including dog licens-ing fees are payable at the City Hall, 639 South Second Street, Medford, WI 54451 by January 31, 2016.

(F) Second installment payments are payable at the Taylor County Treasurers Offi ce by July 31, 2016.

For reasons of security, you are hereby requested to offer tax payments in the form of a check, i.e., personal, cashiers, etc. Should you be unable to meet this request, payment in currency will of course be accepted.

Dated this 3rd day of December, 2015.Virginia Brost

City Clerk, WCPC/MMC(1st ins. Dec. 17, 2nd ins. Dec. 24)50-156493 WNAXLP

City of MedfordNotice of Newly Enacted

Ordinance(s) and/or Resolution(s)Please take notice that the City of Medford, Taylor

County, Wisconsin, enacted the following legislation on December 15, 2015:

Resolution #1789 that authorizes the Citys partici-pation in the Department of Natural Resources Municipal Dam Grant Program.

The full text of Resolution #1789 may be obtained from the Medford City Clerks Offi ce, 639 South Second Street, Medford, WI 54451. The Clerks phone number is (715) 748-1181.

Virginia BrostCity Clerk, WCPC/MMC

51-156934 WNAXLP

Medford Area Public School District Board of Education Meeting Minutes

December 14, 2015Members Present: Brandon Brunner, Paul Dixon, Dave

Fleegel, Barb Knight, Jeff Peterson, Mark Reuter, Mark Temme and Cheryl Wibben Consent Agenda:Approved:

Agenda Secretarys Report (Meeting Minutes of November

19, 2015 - open and closed) Treasurers Report Personnel Report Approval of Simek Recreation Center Requests

Information / Discussion: Student Council Update Good News Reports from MAMS, RVA, SES, MAES,

MASH and Student Services/Special Education Legislative Update Review of the upcoming referendum Update of the food service program Review of the draft 2016-17 budget parameters First Reading Policy - BCH Consultants to the Board,

BD School Board Meetings, BDC Closed Session, lIB Class Size, RVA-IIB School and Class Size, RVA-IKE Promotion Criteria K-8, RVA-IKF Graduation Re-quirements, and Co-Curricular Code of Conduct

Review of the WASB Delegate Assembly Resolutions Action:

Approved / Failed: Approval of Second Reading Policies, including:

BBFA Board Member Confl icts of Interest; BCB Board Offi cers; BCD Board-Administrator Rela-tionships; BCF Advisory Committees to the Board of Education; BCG School Attorney; and GBE Staff Health

Approval of changes to policies JECBD School Open Enrollment, RVA-JECBD School Open En-rollment, Professional Staff Handbook - Section 6.2 - Health Insurance, Support Staff Handbook-Section 6.10 - Retirement Benefi ts & Recognition, and Specifi c Staff Handbook - Section 6.10 - Re-tirement Benefi ts & Recognition

Approval to adjourn to closed session Approval to reconvene into open session Approval of administration contracts as discussed Approval to adjourn

Adjournment:The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m. A complete copy of the board meeting minutes is avail-

able in the District Offi ce or online at www.medford.k12.wi.us.51-157039 WNAXLP

City of MedfordCommon CouncilMeeting Minutes

Tuesday, December 15, 20156:08 PM

Council Chambers, City Hall639 South Second Street

Medford, WI {Subject to Council Approval}

Call to Order/Roll CallMayor Mike Wellner called

the meeting to order with the fol-lowing members present: Dave J. Brandner, Greg Knight, Peggy Kraschnewski, Jim Peterson, Dave Roiger, Mike Bub, and Clem Johnson. Alderperson Parent arrived at 6:11 PM.

City Personnel PresentThe following City personnel

were present: City Clerk Ginny Brost, and City Coordinator/Public Director John Fales. City Attorney Courtney Graff was an excused absence.

Visitors PresentVisitor present was Brian Wil-

son-Star News. Pledge of AllegianceAlderperson Roiger began the

meeting by leading the group in the reciting of the Pledge of Al-legiance.

Open Meeting Law Compli-ance

Mayor Wellner announced that this was an open meeting of the Common Council. No-tice of this meeting was given to the public at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting by for-warding the complete agenda to the offi cial City newspaper, The Star News, and to all news media that have requested the same as well as posting. Cop-ies of the complete agenda were available for inspection at the City Clerks Offi ce. Anyone desiring information as to forth-coming meetings should contact the City Clerks Offi ce.

Citizens and DelegationsThere were no citizens or del-

egations present.MinutesJohnson moved, Roiger

seconded a motion to approve the following meeting minutes as presented and to place the same on fi le in the Clerks Of-fi ce: (A) November 30, 2015 Fi-nance & Personnel Committee; (B) December 1, 2015 Council meeting; (C) December 1, 2015 Council Closed Session #2; (D) December 7, 2015 Special Council; and (E) December 7, 2015 Committee of the Whole. All in favor: All Aye. Motion Car-ried.

Resolution Authorizing Par-ticipation in the Department of Natural Resources Municipal Dam Grant Program

Kraschnewski moved, Pe-terson seconded a motion to suspend Council Rules #14A & #14B, and adopt Resolution #1789 that authorizes the Citys participation in the Department of Natural Resources Municipal Dam Grant Program. Roll Call Vote: Brandner-Yes; Parent-Ab-sent; Knight-Yes; Kraschnewski-Yes; Peterson-Yes; Roiger-Yes; Bub-Yes; Johnson-Yes (7 Yes; 0 No; 1 Absent) Motion Carried.

2015 Hotel/Motel Room Tax Fund Allocation Twisted Threads Quilting Group

Alderperson Parent arrived at 6:11 PM. All vote tallies will now include Alderperson Par-ents vote.

Kraschnewski moved, John-son seconded a motion to ap-prove allocating $1,000.00 of 2015 Hotel/Motel Room Tax funds to offset the cost of Twist-ed Threaders Guiling Groups 2016 Medford Area Quilt Show. Roll Call Vote: Brandner-Yes; Parent-Yes; Knight-Yes; Kra-schnewski-Yes; Peterson-Yes; Roiger-Yes; Bub-Yes; Johnson-Yes (8 Yes; 0 No) Motion Car-ried.

2016 Hotel/Motel Room Tax Fund Allocation National Se-nior Mens Curling Playdown

Kraschnewski moved, John-son seconded a motion to ap-prove allocating $2,000.00 of 2016 Hotel/Motel Room Tax funds to offset the cost of the National Senior Mens Curl-ing Playdown. Roll Call Vote: Brandner-Yes; Parent-Yes; Knight-Yes; Kraschnewski-Yes; Peterson-Yes; Roiger-Yes; Bub-Yes; Johnson-Yes (8 Yes; 0 No) Motion Carried.

2016-2022 Public Works Capital Project Schedule

Johnson moved, Peterson seconded a motion to approve the 2016-2022 public works capital improvement schedule as shown below. All in favor: All Aye. Motion Carried.

2016Reconstruct Gibson Street

from Cedar Street to Conrad Drive.

Surface Maintenance of Jen-sen Drive from Gibson Street to Progress Avenue (Tax Incre-ment District #12).

Surface Maintenance of Lemke Avenue from Urquhart Street to Roberta Street (Local Road Improvement Project).

Dam Repair - Design for Tainter Gates #1 & #2.

2017Reconstruct College Street

from Bruce Street to South Sec-ond Street (650 feet).

Reconstruct North Shattuck Street from Allman Street to Highland Lane (480 feet).

Reconstruct Pine Street from Jackson Street to Shattuck Street (425 feet).

Surface Maintenance - Lu-epke Way from Maple Street to Broadway Avenue.

Reconstruct East Perkins Street from South Eighth Street to 600 East (Tax Increment Dis-trict #12).

Dam Repair - Tainter Gates #1 & #2.

2018Reconstruct South Fourth

Street from Broadway Avenue to South Street (1,580 Feet).

Sanitary - South Fourth Street from Ogden Street to South Street.

Surface Maintenance - Brehm Drive from Roberta Street to End (350 feet).

Finish Road - Peps Drive (Tax Increment District #12).

2019State Street Bridge.Surface Maintenance - Cen-

tral Court from Wheelock Av-enue to End (350 feet).

Booster Pump - Anns Way.2020

Reconstruct East Perkins Street from Bridge to South Second Street (1,100 feet).

2021Reconstruct East Perkins

Street from South Second Street to South Seventh Street (1,300 feet).

Reconstruct South Fourth Street from South Street to Fourth Street End (1,000 feet).

2022Reconstruct East Perkins

Street from South Seventh Street to South Eighth Street (500 feet).

Reconstruct Tee Hi Place from East Perkins Street to East Conrad Street (1,250 feet).

Election Equipment & Funding for the Same

On June 16, 2015, Coun-cil authorized the City Clerk to purchase the Election Systems & Softwares DS200 precinct scanner which includes a back-up jump drive, training, a one year warranty, and trade in of the M100 precinct counter at a cost not-to-exceed cost of $7,025.00 with the monies allocated from the General Fund Designated Unreserved-Election Equipment account.

On October 8, 2015, the Elec-tion Systems & Softwares rep-resentative contacted the City regarding the above purchase of the DS200 precinct scanner. As Election Systems & Soft-wares personnel were loading the fi rmware/software into the Citys DS 200 precinct scanner, it was discovered that the State will not certify the use of both the DS200 precinct scanner and the iVotronic terminal. The State considers the two pieces of equipment as one system even though each machine generates individual tally reports. The fi rm-ware/software in each piece of equipment must be compatible.

On November 17, 2015, Council authorized the Clerk to purchase the Express Vote universal voting system at a cost not-to-exceed $3,500 with the monies allocated from the General Fund Designated Un-reserved-Election Equipment account.

Following the authorization to purchase the Express Vote universal voting system, it was learned that the audio program-ming of the device will cost be-tween $200 to $600 per election depending on the ballot format. Taylor County pays the cost of

programming, and they had not included this additional cost into their budget. One option is for the City to pay the cost of the programming. The program-ming cost was not included in the Citys budget.

Clerk Brost spoke with the Election Systems & Softwares representative regarding op-tions. The City could purchase a new M100 precinct tabula-tor counter for approximately $4,000. The cost includes the tabulator, shipping, training, and a one year warranty.

It is the Clerks recommen-dation that the City purchase a new M100 precinct tabulator at a cost not to exceed $4,000.00 with money allocated from the General Fund Designated Un-reserved-Election Equipment account.

Kraschnewski moved, Bub seconded a motion to autho-rize the Clerk to purchase a new M100 precinct tabulator at a cost not to exceed $4,000.00 with money allocated from the General Fund Designated Unreserved-Election Equip-ment account. Roll Call Vote: Brandner-Yes; Parent-Yes; Knight-Yes; Kraschnewski-Yes; Peterson-Yes; Roiger-Yes; Bub-Yes; Johnson-Yes (8 Yes; 0 No) Motion Carried.

Coordinators ReportThe City Coordinators report

is as follows: (1) An update on public works projects was given. (2) An update on electric util-ity projects was given. (3) Jim Metz has submitted his resigna-tion from the Community Devel-opment Authority Board and the

Police & Fire Commission effec-tive immediately as he is moving outside the City limits.

Communications from the Mayor/Upcoming Events

December/January Meet-ing Schedule The December/January meeting schedule was distributed.

Adjourn to Closed SessionParent moved, Roiger sec-

onded a motion to adjourn to Closed Session at 6:15 PM in accordance with Wisconsin State Statutes 19.85(1)(c) & (e) to consider employment and compensation issues and data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises re-sponsibility and to conduct other specifi ed public business when-ever competitive or bargain-ing reasons require a Closed Session. The purpose of this Closed Session is to discuss strategy for negotiations with the City of Medford Police As-sociation (Local 456). Roll Call Vote: Brandner-Yes; Parent-Yes; Knight-Yes; Kraschnewski-Yes; Peterson-Yes; Roiger-Yes; Bub-Yes; Johnson-Yes (8 Yes; 0 No) Motion Carried. Meeting Adjourned to Closed Session. At this time, the City Clerk and Coordinator/Public Works Direc-tor, and visitors were excused.

Closed Session AdjournmentThe meeting adjourned from

Closed Session at 7:05 PM.Respectfully Submitted,Virginia BrostCity Clerk, WCPC/MMC

(One ins. December 24)51-156933 WNAXLP

NOTICE TO CREDITORS(Informal Administration)STATE OF WISCONSIN

CIRCUIT COURTTAYLOR COUNTYCase No. 15-PR-7

In the Matter of the Estate of Arthur Ludwig.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE:1. An application for informal

administration was fi led.2. The decedent, with date

of birth of October 14, 1922 and date of death of February 6, 2014, was domiciled in Tay-lor County, State of Wisconsin, with a mailing address of 1014 W. Broadway Ave., Medford, WI 54451.

3. All interested persons waived notice.

4. The deadline for fi ling a claim against the decedents es-tate is March 25, 2016.

5. A claim may be fi led at the Taylor County Courthouse, Med-ford, Wisconsin.

/s/ Lindsay RothmeierLindsay Rothmeier, Probate

RegistrarDate: December 10, 2015

(1st ins. December 17,3rd ins. December 31)

50-156883 WNAXLP

PUBLIC NOTICESTHE STAR NEWS

Page 12 Thursday, December 24, 2015

NOTICE OFSHERIFFS SALE

STATE OF WISCONSINCIRCUIT COURTTAYLOR COUNTY

Case No: 15 CV 29Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC

Plaintiffvs.

Daniel M. Luzinski, et al.Defendant(s)

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that by virtue of a judgment of fore-closure entered on May 12, 2015 in the amount of $67,575.16 the Sheriff will sell the described premises at public auction as follows:

TIME: January 12, 2016 at 09:30 a.m.

TERMS: By bidding at the sheriff sale, prospective buyer is consenting to be bound by the following terms: 1.) 10% down in cash or money order at the time of sale; balance due within 10 days of confi rmation of sale; fail-ure to pay balance due will result in forfeit of deposit to plaintiff. 2.) Sold as is and subject to all legal liens and encumbrances. 3.) Plaintiff opens bidding on the property, either in person or via fax and as recited by the sheriff department in the event that no opening bid is offered, plaintiff retains the right to request the sale be declared as invalid as the sale is fatally defective.

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgag-ees attorney.

PLACE: In the Taylor County Courthouse located at 224 S. 2nd Street, Medford, Wisconsin.

DESCRIPTION: A parcel of land located in the Southeast 1/4 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 31, Township 30 North, Range 3 West, Town of Roosevelt, Taylor County, Wisconsin, described as follows: Commencing at a point

NOTICE OFFORECLOSURE SALESTATE OF WISCONSIN

CIRCUIT COURTTAYLOR COUNTYCase No. 14-CV-33

Nicolet National Bank, a na-tional bank, successor by merg-er to Mid-Wisconsin Bank,

Plaintiff.-v-

Tanya M. Sincere Defendant.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that by virtue of a judgment of fore-closure entered on June 5, 2014, in the amount of $60,978.85. the Sheriff or his assignee will sell the described premises at public auction as follows:

DATE AND TIME: January 12, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.

TERMS: Pursuant to said judgment, 10% of the successful bid must be paid to the Clerk of Courts Offi ce at the time of the sale in cash, cashiers check, money order, or certifi ed funds, payable to the Clerk of Courts offi ce. Personal checks can-not and will not be accepted. The balance of the successful bid must be paid to the Clerk of Courts offi ce in cash, cashiers check, money order, or certifi ed funds, no later than ten days after the courts confi rmation of the sale or else the 10% down payment is forfeited to the plain-tiff. The property is sold as is, is not available for viewing, and subject to all liens, encumbranc-es, and unpaid real estate taxes.

PLACE: Taylor County Courthouse, Ground Floor Lob-by, 224 S. Second Street, Med-ford, Wisconsin.

DESCRIPTION: The West Half (W 1/2) of Lot Eight (8), Block Three (3), Morningside Addition to the City of Medford, Taylor County, Wisconsin.

TAX PARCEL NUMBER: 251-00883-0000

PARCEL ADDRESS: 415 E. South Street, Medford, Wiscon-sin

NOTICE OFSHERIFFS SALE

STATE OF WISCONSINCIRCUIT COURTTAYLOR COUNTY

Case No: 15 CV 24PennyMac Loan Services,

LLCPlaintiffvsNathan J. Bauer, et al.Defendant(s)PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that

by virtue of a judgment of fore-closure entered on May 26, 2015 in the amount of $58,833.56 the Sheriff will sell the described premises at public auction as follows:

NOTICE OFFORECLOSURE SALESTATE OF WISCONSIN

CIRCUIT COURTTAYLOR COUNTYCase No. 15-CV-60

Green Tree Servicing LLCPlaintiff,

vs.Laura Hopkins a/k/a Laura

Dopkins, John Doe Hopkins a/k/a Justin Hopkins a/k/a Justin Dopkins and Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics, Inc.

Defendants.PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that by virtue of a judgment of foreclosure entered on Octo-ber 19, 2015 in the amount of $86,280.20 the Sheriff will sell the described premises at public auction as follows:

TIME: January 26, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

TERMS: Pursuant to said

800 feet West of the Southeast corner of the Southeast 1/4 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 31, Township 30 North, Range 3 West; thence North 370 feet; thence West 300 feet; thence South 370 feet; thence East 300 feet to the place of beginning.

PROPERTY ADDRESS: W14480 County Line Road, Thorp, WI 54771

TAX KEY NO.: 040-00652-0000

Dated this 18th day of No-vember, 2015.

/s/ Bruce DanielsSheriff Bruce DanielsTaylor County SheriffJordan C. StaleosState Bar No. 1085629J Peterman Legal Group Ltd.165 Bishops Way, Suite 100Brookfi eld, WI 53005262-790-5719Please go to www.jpeterman-

legalgroup.com to obtain the bid for this sale.

J Peterman Legal Group Ltd. is the creditors attorney and is attempting to collect a debt on its behalf. Any information ob-tained will be used for that pur-pose.

(1st ins. December 17,3rd ins. December 31)

50-156758 WNAXLP

TIME: January 12, 2016 at 09:30 a.m.

TERMS: By bidding at the sheriff sale, prospective buyer is consenting to be bound by the following terms: 1.) 10% down in cash or money order at the time of sale; balance due within 10 days of confi rmation of sale; fail-ure to pay balance due will result in forfeit of deposit to plaintiff. 2.) Sold as is and subject to all legal liens and encumbrances. 3.) Plaintiff opens bidding on the property, either in person or via fax and as recited by the sheriff department in the event that no opening bid is offered, plaintiff retains the right to request the sale be declared as invalid as the sale is fatally defective.

PLACE: In the Taylor County Courthouse located at 224 S. 2nd Street, Medford, Wisconsin.

DESCRIPTION: Lot 12, Block F, McComb`s Racing Park Addi-tion to the Village of Rib Lake, Taylor County, Wisconsin.

PROPERTY ADDRESS: 816 South Front Street, Rib Lake, WI 54470

TAX KEY NO.: 176-00148-0000

Dated this 17th day of No-vember, 2015.

/s/ Bruce DanielsSheriff Bruce DanielsTaylor County SheriffJordan C. StaleosState Bar No. 1085629J Peterman Legal Group Ltd.165 Bishops Way, Suite 100Brookfi eld, WI 53005262-790-5719Please go to www.jpeterman-

legalgroup.com to obtain the bid for this sale.

J Peterman Legal Group Ltd. is the creditors attorney and is attempting to collect a debt on its behalf. Any information ob-tained will be used for that pur-pose.

(1st ins. December 17,3rd ins. December 31)

50-156646 WNAXLP

ATTORNEY INFORMATION: Jensen, Scott, Grunewald & Shiffl er, S.C., Attorney William A. Grunewald, 128 W. Division St., P.O. Box 426, Medford, WI 54451; phone 715-748-2211.

DATED: December 7, 2015/s/ Bruce A. DanielsBruce A. DanielsTaylor County Sheriff Attorney William A.

GrunewaldJensen, Scott, Grunewald &

Shiffl er, S.C. Attorneys for the Plaintiff 128 W. Division Street, P.O.

Box 426Medford, WI 54451 715-748-2211 This is an effort to collect a

debt; any information obtained will be used for that purpose. This communication is from a debt collector.

Sales are subject to can-cellation at any time without notice.

(1st ins. December 17,3rd ins. December 31)

50-156850 WNAXLP

judgment, 10% of the successful bid must be paid to the sheriff at the sale in cash, cashiers check or certifi ed funds, payable to the clerk of courts (personal checks cannot and will not be accept-ed). The balance of the suc-cessful bid must be paid to the clerk of courts in cash, cashiers check or certifi ed funds no later than ten days after the courts confi rmation of the sale or else the 10% down payment is for-feited to the plaintiff. The prop-erty is sold as is and subject to all liens and encumbrances.

PLACE: In the lobby of the Taylor County Courthouse, Med-ford, Wisconsin.

DESCRIPTION: Lots Eleven (11) and Twelve (12), Block Twenty-Seven (27) Ways Plat, Village of Gilman, Taylor County, Wisconsin.

PROPERTY ADDRESS: 485 E. Murphy St., Gilman, WI 54433-9389

DATED: December 10, 2015Gray & Associates, L.L.P.Attorneys for Plaintiff16345 West Glendale DriveNew Berlin, WI 53151-2841(414) 224-8404Please go to www.gray-law.

com to obtain the bid for this sale.

Gray & Associates, L.L.P. is attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. If you have previously received a discharge in a chapter 7 bank-ruptcy case, this communication should not be construed as an attempt to hold you personally liable for the debt.

(1st ins. December 17,3rd ins. December 31)

50-156776 WNAXLP

Public notices

Town Watch items are a brief summary taken from town board meeting minutes. They include major discussion topics, action items, major expenditures, board members in attendance and date of next meeting. For a complete copy of the minutes contact your local township clerk. Meeting minutes remain unoffi cial until approved by the board at the next meeting and are subject to correction and modifi cation by the board. Some towns wait to send offi cial minutes resulting in a delay before the meeting appears in The Star News.

TOWN WATCH/PUBLIC NOTICESTHE STAR NEWS

Regular Town MeetingOct. 13, 2015

Items considered:Discussions were held regarding road

issues, complaints of young people doing doughnuts with ATVs on the roadways, and problems with beavers on Frey Ln.Actions taken:

Following a discussion on funding, a motion to apply a new blacktop over-lay on the fi rst one-half mile on Hall Dr. south as the 2016 TRIP project was unani-mously approved.Attendance:

All board members and six residents were present.

Browning

Regular Town MeetingOct. 12, 2015

Items considered:The board reviewed the draft copy of

the budget. The formal budget hearing will be held in November.Actions taken:

Motion to hire Aryes as consultant for the bridge replacement project on Wren Dr. was unanimously approved. The project is scheduled to begin in May of 2017 with construction of the bridge tak-ing place in 2018.Attendance:

All board members were present.

Holway

Regular Town MeetingSept. 13, 2015

Items considered:Discussions were held regarding road,

recycling and zoning issues.Attendance:

All board members were present.

Little Black

Regular Town MeetingNov. 8, 2015

Item considered:Discussions were held regarding road

report items, recycling, and zoning is-sues.Action taken:

Motion to wait until the next meeting for more information before taking ac-tion on the water monitoring system was unimously approved.Attendance:

All board members were present.

Little BlackRegular Town Meeting

Oct. 13, 2015Actions taken:

Motions to appoint Gary Czarnezki and Stanley Schmidt as election inspec-tors were unanimously approved.

Motion to approve the certifi ed sur-vey application for Dan McNabb, Mike Handel, Tom and Donna Zenner, Ed Brecke Jr. and Paul Dixon as presented was unanimously approved.Bids/Purchases over $5,000:

Motion to blacktop River Dr. from Hites Ln. to Pleasant Ave. as part of the 2015-2016 local roads improvement pro-gram (LRIP) was unanimously approved.Attendance:

All board members and two other peo-ple were present.

Regular Town MeetingNov. 10, 2015

Actions taken:Motion to adopt Ordinance 11-10-15 al-

lowing the clerks discretion in election offi cial work hours was unanimously ap-proved.

Motion to appoint Kim Bernklau, Shirley Pleus, Donna Albers, Karen Sulko, Delores Schmidt, Stan Carbaugh, Elsie Carbaugh, Gary Czarnezki, Stanley

Medford MedfordSchmidt, William Vach, Gertrude Alex-ander, Joyce Balciar, Barb Thomas, Rita Buehler, Vicki Brost, James Brost, Patsy Schmidt, Sally Mauer Jensen and Patri-cia Huber as election inspectors for 2016-2017 was unanimously approved.

Motion to give the road maintenance personnel a 2 percent wage increase was unanimously approved.

Motion to approve the certifi ed sur-vey application as presented for the Handel Family Trust was unanimously approved.

Motion to approve Resolution No. 55 changing the towns regular monthly meeting from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. was unani-mously approved.

Attendance:All board members and two other peo-

ple were present.Regular Town Meeting

Nov. 12, 2015Actions taken:

Motion the board may meet on the roads from time to time during the next month was unanimously approved.

Motion to adopt Ordinance 2015-1 al-lowing the clerk to use her discretion in setting election offi cials working hours was unanimously approved.Attendance:

All board members were present.

Maplehurst

Thursday, December 24, 2015 Page 13

BANKRUPTCY D EBT P ROBLEMS ? N EED A F RESH S TART ?

N O CHARGE FOR INITIAL CONSULTATION S ATURDAY & E VENING A PPOINTMENTS U PON R EQUEST

Easy Pre-Filing Payment Plan

LEIN LAW OFFICES We Are A Debt Relief Agency

15692 U.S. H IGHWAY 63 N ORTH 800-944-3949 H AYWARD , WI 54843 www.leinlawoffices.com cslein@cheqnet.net TF-500100

Two vehicle accidentHarley Danielle P. Mabie and Tenzin A. Botsford

were involved in an accident on Dec. 11 at 2:13 p.m. at the intersection of Hwy 13 and Hwy 64 in the city of Medford. According to the accident report, the Mabie vehicle was eastbound on Hwy 64. The driver failed to yield the right-of-way while making a left turn onto Hwy 13 and the vehicle was struck by the oncoming Botsford vehicle. The Mabie vehicle sustained severe damage to the front, front passenger side and undercarriage, and was towed from the scene. The Botsford vehicle sus-tained moderate damage to the front. Failure to yield the right-of-way by Mabie was listed in the accident report as being a factor in the accident.

One vehicle accidentThe Taylor County Sheriffs Department responded

to an accident on Dec. 16 at 10:40 p.m. on CTH O in the town of Medford. According to the accident report, a vehicle was westbound on CTH O when the driver lost control on the ice-covered roadway. The vehicle entered the north ditch and came to a stop on the drivers side. There was severe damage to the rear and entire drivers side, and the vehicle was towed from the scene. Failure to maintain control by the driver was listed in the re-port as being a factor in the accident.

Deer-related accidentsThe following deer-related accidents were reported:

Dec. 11 at 7:15 a.m. on CTH T in the town of Maplehurst. Dec. 16 at 5:16 p.m. on Hwy 64 in the town of Maplehurst and at 5:20 p.m. on Elm Ave. in the town of Deer Creek. Dec. 18 at 7:16 a.m. on CTH Q in the town of Medford.

Accident reports

Trials slatedThe following appeared in court and entered pleas of

not guilty: Brandon M. Bueller a.k.a. Brandon Michael Bueller, 28, Medford, possession of THC-second or great-er offense (repeater) and possession of narcotic drugs (repeater); Monica J. Eades, 30, Rhinelander, making false/forged prescription order; William C. Hamm IV, 29, Owen, failure to report to jail; Angela H. Grabbert, 38, Marshfi eld, being a party to a crime of theft of mov-able property-equal to or less than $2,500; Aaron M. Brown, 19, Whitehall, possession of narcotic drugs; Dar-rick J. Mueller, 33, Owen, transfer of another persons property (value exceeds $10,000 but does not exceed $100,000); Shelly N. Tomlinson, 34, Westboro, felony bail jumping, theft of movable property-equal to or less than $2,500, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of an illegally ob-tained prescription.

ForfeituresTravis J. Akey, 31, Withee, pled no contest to an

amended charge of a non-criminal ordinance violation of disorderly conduct and forfeited a fi ne and costs of $330.50. The original charge had been a criminal charge of disorderly conduct.

Lacee C. Wollin, 21, Lake Mills, pled no contest to an amended charge of a non-criminal ordinance violation of disorderly conduct and forfeited a fi ne and costs of $330.50. The original charge had been a criminal charge of disorderly conduct.

Chad M. Kuhtz a.k.a. Chad Michale Kuhtz, 37, Rib Lake, pled no contest to operating while under the infl u-ence-fi rst offense with a passenger under 16 years old. Kuhtz was sentenced to serve fi ve days in jail; pay a fi ne and costs of $1,105; his drivers license was revoked for 12 months; and he is to undergo an alcohol assessment and submit to a DNA sample. A charge of operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration (PAC) equal to or greater than 0.08 percent and less than 0.15 percent with passenger under 16 years of age-fi rst offense was dismissed on a prosecutors motion.

Tracy L. Silva, 44, Dorchester, pled no contest to felony bail jumping and operating while revoked, and forfeited costs of $761.

Two unrelated counts of purchasing pseudoephed-rine for another with the intent to facilitate another persons manufacture of meth against Silva were dis-missed but read in.

Deferred prosecutionKathryn L. Retzlaff, 24, Medford, entered into a de-

ferred entry of judgment agreement for a period of one year for a charge of disorderly conduct-domestic abuse. As terms of the agreement, Retzlaff must not commit any criminal offenses during the period of the agree-ment; notify the Taylor County district attorney and clerk of court offi ces of any