By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
You could say it all began with a tractor and a posthole digger.
At least that’s the way the legend goes. In 1952, John Dougherty of Wilton was the first man in the area to have a posthole digger attachment for his tractor. But what’s a nice piece of farm equipment without a woman to go with it?
He already had his eye on Florence Brehmer, and when an opportunity came along to make some extra cash digging holes for fencing at Volk Field, John hurried off to Camp Douglas.
“At 10 cents a hole, I made enough to buy a ring in two days,” he says.
By LYNETTE VLASAK | Special to the County Line
Leila Friske will close in on the century mark on her birthday, Monday, Jan. 14.
A longtime resident of Kendall, but now living at Heritage Manor in Elroy, Leila will celebrate Sunday, Jan. 13, with family and friends at her home church, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kendall.
Leila Ella Anna Moe was born Jan. 14, 1913, in the town of
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
“The shelves are looking a little empty right now,” volunteer Rose Eddy said about the food pantry at the Cashton Cupboard & Closet on Saturday.
But if the shelves were not exactly overflowing with food, the hearts of the nearly 75 volunteers overflow with kindness.
About 110 families make their way to the Cashton
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
Mobs of motorcyclists and hordes of touring Corvettes were basking in the riot of fall color on the last Saturday of September in the Kickapoo Valley.
Amid this exhibition of the combustion engine, Bob Erickson of Westby plodded along behind Bernice and Olga at a heady few miles an hour.
Although he was the slowest-moving vehicle on the road, not even a dedicated Harley owner could match the pride and enthusiasm Erickson has
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
It may not have a lake, but Joe Fieweger admitted he was still very impressed when he visited Wildcat Mountain State Park.
Like many natives of Wisconsin, Fieweger was surprised to find a landscape unlike any other part of the state. He liked it so much he took the job as Wildcat Mountain State Park’s new manager, leaving behind a six-year stint with Pike Lake,
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
After a 14-month dry spell, Ontario once again has a restaurant.
The Milk Jug Café opened six weeks ago, replacing the Garden Street Café, which closed in April 2011.
Cheryl and Eirik Eness of Ontario are the new owners, and their lifetime of farming is reflected in many of the menu items. While Cheryl serves as the primary operator of the restaurant, Eirik stays back on the farm with their
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
Not everyone would take a tumble down a steep set of stairs, break both hands, and then take up a new craft – designing and creating jewelry.
But it was while Yvonne Burns was recovering from her accident that she decided to quit her job at Walmart and open her own shop, Krazy Girl Kreations, in Kendall.
Just down the street from Burns’ store is her mother Cathy Smialak’s shop,
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
It doesn’t take too much imagination to picture what the Ottervale Store might have looked like in the 1890s.
The shelves were no doubt lined with the basic staples a Kickapoo Valley housewife might have needed: flour, sugar, salt, basic spices, liniments and creams for the home medicine cabinets and likely a pickle barrel and a cracker barrel. Whatever it contained, it no doubt beat taking the much longer trip into
Owner has local roots
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
Ask Shirley Vitcenda what drew her to the stately house at 210 E. South St. in Norwalk, and she will tell you its size was the allure.
“I love big, old homes with lots of rooms,” she said.
But a retired couple doesn’t need all of those rooms. Consequently,
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
Taking a job at Wildcat Mountain State Park to be closer to family in Baraboo, Wis., seemed like a good idea in 1979, but it turned into a 33-year career for Ron Campbell of Ontario.
Although he retired this year, don’t be surprised to see him at Wildcat. Letting go has been a bit challenging. Although he spends a great deal of