EXTRA
April 1, 2025, preliminary election results | Pasch, Muellenberg win N-O-W race
Challenger Damian Pasch and incumbent Matt Muellenberg will assume seats on the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School Board. Three candidates vied for two positions: Pasch received 764 votes; Muellenberg, 752; and incumbent Cari Keith, 420. The results are unofficial until...
County Highway Z in Wellington to close
County Highway Z in the town of Wellington, 1.45 miles east of Highway 131 and south of Wilton, will be closed effective Monday, April 7, to facilitate the replacement of a bridge over Poe Creek. The project is expected to be complete and the highway reopened...
Senior menus for March 31 to April 4
Kendall and Norwalk meal sites Call 463-7622 (Kendall) or 343-3158 (Norwalk) by noon one day before to reserve a meal. Suggested donation is $4 per meal. One-percent milk is served with each meal. Note: The Wilton meal site closed permanently Sept. 6. Monday, March...
Meet local candidates
The County Line received responses to questionnaires and comments from the following local candidates. NORWALK-ONTARIO-WILTON SCHOOL DISTRICT Carolyn Keith (incumbent) 1) What prompted your decision to seek a school-board position? Having been involved in the current...
Only two local races are contested
The following candidates in local races will appear on the April 1 ballot. CONTESTED RACES • Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School Board (two spots) Incumbents Matt Muellenberg and Carolyn Keith and challenger Damian Pasch • Village of Ontario (president’s...
Brookwood hires new athletic director
Contributed by Travis Anderson N-O-W School District superintendent As he has done a great job for 22-plus years as the Brookwood Junior and Senior High School athletic director, I would like to thank Mr. Ken Clinton for his many years of dedicated service to the...
New DPI webpage tracks federal funding for schools, libraries
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has launched a new webpage dedicated to providing real-time updates, information, and resources related to federal funding for public schools and libraries across the state (dpi.wi.gov/policy-budget/federal-funding). The...
NEWS
Vernon County I&E Club to offer program on open-source technology
Contributed by the Vernon County Economic Development Association The next meeting of the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club will be Wednesday, April 9, at the Food Enterprise Center, 1201 N. Main St. in Viroqua. Open-source software is abundant these days, it's...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for March 23–29
Sunday, March 23: While on patrol, a deputy initiated a traffic stop on Highway 131 just outside of La Farge, heading toward Viola, on a truck with a loud exhaust that was weaving within its lane. The deputy determined the driver was operating while impaired. The...
The dangers of online child sextortion: A presentation
Contributed by Gundersen St. Joseph’s Some topics are difficult to talk about. The issue of online child grooming and sextortion is growing and has recently made the headlines in Wisconsin when a teen died by suicide after becoming the victim of online sextortion....
Monroe County Local History Room to host program on JFK on April 24
The Monroe County Local History Room will host a public history program, “Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary that Launched a President and Changed the Course of History,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24. Author BJ Hollars, a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire English...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for March 16–22
Sunday, March 16: Sheriff’s deputies, along with officers of Viola Police Department, responded to a residence in Viola for a missing juvenile. Kickapoo Valley Rescue Squad and Viola Fire Department also were on standby to assist with the approximate two-hour search....
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for March 9–15
Monday, March 10: A property owner called into dispatch, reporting an ongoing issue with two dogs running at large on his property on Green Acres Road in the town of Franklin. A deputy responded, and citations were issued to the dog owners. Monday, March 10: Deputies...
Tomah Health to offer canning class
Tomah Health, along with UW-Extension Monroe County and Community Education Group (HCE), will host a class in which attendees will learn the basics of pressure and water bath canning. “The Canning with Confidence” class will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday,...
Wilton Legion honors Vietnam veterans
March 29 is designated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
Royall may start school earlier next year
The Royall School District will ask the state to allow it to start classes one week before Labor Day weekend … Read the rest
N-O-W change order approved
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School Board accepted a $106,281 change order March 17 for its expansive building project, which voters approved in … Read the rest
Royall just shy of state berth
The Royall boys basketball team traveled to Prairie du Chien on March 13 to take on North Crawford in the … Read the rest
N-O-W hosts Dennis Kelly Memorial Tournament
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District hosted its annual Dennis Kelly Memorial Youth Wrestling Tournament on March 7. Kelly was a longtime … Read the rest
Kendall’s public works director resigns
Longtime Kendall Public Works Director David Gruen resigned from his position at the regular village board meeting March 10, as … Read the rest
Federal actions leave school funding unsettled
Federal decisions have sparked uncertainty at the Royall and the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton school districts over the last few weeks.
Vernon, Monroe counties’ MMR vaccination rates among lowest in the state
Measles-mumps-rubella vaccination rates in Monroe and Vernon counties rank among the lowest in the state, according to figures released by … Read the rest
USDA funding may not be available for Kendall project
The new federal administration has cut the staff administering Wisconsin’s USDA funding program by 30 percent, according to a letter … Read the rest
Village of Wilton’s new website is now live
The Village of Wilton now has a new municipal website at www.villageofwilton.com.
Overtime lands Panthers regional title
The Royall boys basketball team steadied toward its third-straight regional title after ousting No. 3 Highland on March 8.
Ontario resident helps village board navigate electrical project
The Ontario Village Board tabled a discussion Monday on running electrical power into the Woodland Heights addition after a resident … Read the rest
Community
Brookwood grad awarded
Rick and Kristi Heinz received an Amana Dealer of the Year award for their business, Bill’s Heating & AC in Warrens, Wis. Rick Heinz is a 1993 Brookwood High School graduate. (Contributed photo)
Norwalk library awarded grant for Inclusive Teen Internship Program
By Jesica Helgren | Norwalk Public Library director The Norwalk Public Library is one of only seven libraries in Wisconsin that was awarded a grant to hire a local teenager for a summer internship program. The goal of the Wisconsin Teen Internship, based on the...
Ontario Public Library will offer movie matinee for adults
By Rachel Conner | Ontario Public Library director Join us for a movie matinee for adults at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at the Ontario Public Library! Come to see “White Bird,” the story of a young Jewish girl’s attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War...
Kendall Public Library to show ‘Unsung Hero’
Contributed by Lynette Vlasak The Kendall Public Library’s April movie night will be Friday, April 11, at St. John’s Church in Kendall. The movie will begin at 6:30 p.m., there is no charge, and everyone is welcome. As usual, there will be free pop and...
Wilton Public Library to host events in April
By Kelly Lupton | Wilton Public Library director The Wilton Public Library will host the following events: • 10 a.m. Friday, April 4: Current-Events Discussion Group • 10 a.m. Saturday, April 5: Books with the Bunny • 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8: Book Club...
Obituaries
John Robert “Bob” Clements
John Robert “Bob” Clements peacefully passed away on March 31, 2025, at the age of 76 at Lakeview Health Center in West Salem, Wis. Bob was born March 25, 1949, to John E. and Beulah (Swanson) Clements and grew up in Cashton, Wis. After graduating from Cashton...
Esther D. Bohnert
Esther D. Bohnert, 90, of Black River Falls passed away Thursday, March 20, 2025, at Meadowbrook Nursing Home in Black River Falls. She was born May 9, 1934, in Glendale, Wis., to Robert and Nyna (Hunt) Woolever. Esther D. Bohnert lived a life full of love,...
Mark R. Munz
WILTON, Wis./LODI, Wis. — Mark R. Munz, 67, passed away unexpectedly due to a recent illness on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Beloit Memorial Hospital. He was born into a large family on April 7, 1957, in Madison, the son of Cletus and Dorothy (Thistle) Munz. Mark grew...
Joyce Marie (Von Ruden) Beier
Joyce Marie (Von Ruden) Beier, 76, died at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg, Wis., on Oct. 23, 2024. She was a Wilton resident. She was born April 2, 1948, in Sparta, Wis., to Lyle and Mary June (Calhoun) Von Ruden. She attended elementary school at Dorset Valley...
Dominic Puechner
Dominic Puechner, 89, passed away peacefully March 10, 2025. A devoted husband, father, brother, and friend, Dominic lived a life of service, faith, and love. He dedicated much of his life to protecting and serving others as a member of the military, a police officer,...
Opinion
Letter to the editor: Federal government cuts program for food pantries
Editor's note: Couleecap leases and independently operates the food pantry at Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center in Norwalk; therefore, the Norwalk food pantry will be impacted by the program cuts. By Hetti Brown | Couleecap executive director Last week, Wisconsin...
Letter to the editor: Consider voting for incumbents in school board election
By Debbie Tainter | Ontario This morning my husband woke me up so I could see the beautiful display of orange and red before the sunrise. Breathtaking ... what an inspiring way to start the day, I thought. But then, as I often do, I turned my...
Letter to the editor: He counts on you
By Dena Eakles | rural Ontario Do you so want a savior that any savior will do? He said you would love him even if he killed a man on Fifth Avenue, and you said, “Yes.” He said he gets away with grabbing women, and you said, “Yes.” He said reporters who challenged him...
Vote for Susan Crawford
By Don Foy | La Farge There are many good reasons to vote for Judge Susan Crawford in the April 1 Wisconsin Supreme Court race. She has experience as a prosecutor, lawyer, and Circuit Court Judge, and supports public schools, women’s rights, workers’ rights and...
Letter to the editor: April 1 decision!
By Lee D. Van Landuyt | Hillsboro Elon Musk purchased Donald Trump’s presidency for “nearly $300 million” (AP/March 5, 2025), allowing Trump to avoid ongoing court cases and ended additional convictions and possible prison time. This is why Trump desperately needed to...
Sports
Brookwood halted in first round of play
The No. 15 Brookwood boys basketball team traveled to No. 2 Royall on March 4 in the first round of the WIAA Division 5 regional tournament. Here, Jackson Cunitz leads an offensive play early in the first half. (Tasha Mueller photo) Brennen Mack started the game...
Brookwood students named athletes of the month
The following Brookwood High School students were named athletes of the month for February. Coaches’ comments follow the students’ names. BOYS BASKETBALL • Julian Cunitz: “Julian has really put all the pieces together to finish off his sophomore season on a...
Brookwood girls conclude season
The Brookwood senior girls basketball members (left to right: Deanna Wallace, Emily O'Rourke, Willow Pasch, and Alice Wiedmeyer) were honored at their last home game of the season Feb. 18. The team traveled to Cochrane-Fountain City on Feb. 25 in their first round of...
Royall girls stop at first-round tournament play
The No. 10 Royall girls basketball team traveled to No. 7 Hillsboro on Feb. 25 in the first round of regional tournament action. Elizabeth Klipstein steadied the early first-half pace, and the game was close going into halftime. (Tasha Mueller photo) Kayla Rick posts...
Panthers remain flawless
The Royall boys basketball team remained victorious in its conference journey, gaining its final win over Hillsboro on Feb. 24. The team faced its biggest competition Feb. 18, when North Crawford traveled to Royall. Karter Olson kept a steady hand on the ball as...
Backtalk
It will be a seemingly endless campaign season
By KAREN PARKER County Line Publisher Emerita I would imagine if Eric Hovde has secured any demographic in his campaign for Wisconsin Senate, it would be lonely ladies over 40 swooning over his rugged, Marlboro-man-lookalike appearance. You may have noticed that a...
A vibrant press is essential to democracy
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita Sadly, there was no obituary in the paper for the Vernon Focus. You likely did not know Vernon, but in his past life, you might have known him as Foxxy Shopper. In my salad days, the Foxxy Shopper was the 800-pound...
America’s bent toward fascism
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita Imagine living in a country where the simple act of gathering together to lay flowers after the death of a prominent person could result in a two-week jail sentence. Worse yet, two weeks in a Russian prison possibly...
In 2024, remember that politics were ugly 100 years ago, too
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita Good grief! We are barely into the new year, and I am ready to go back to 2023 or leap ahead to 2025. Are we really in for an entire year of presidential election babble? While they exerted monumental efforts to convince...
Looking back on our 40th year, 1983–2023 (part two)
By KAREN PARKER County Line Publisher Emerita Forty years is a long time. Sadly, it’s long enough for most of our area business to have gone away. It’s hard to believe now, but in 1983 Ontario had two bars, two grocery stores, three gas stations, a variety store, and...
E-Edition
Pictures from the Past
Ontario, 1915
This 1915 photo depicts the road from Hillsboro into Ontario, past the Charles Lord house (a pillared house that's still in place), as the road turns the corner into Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Bob Breidenstein)
Wilton senior quartet, 1955
The following students were members of the senior quartet at Wilton High School in 1955: Orvis Schindler, Roger Pasch, Charles Zellmer and Merlyn Eckelberg. This photo appeared in the Wilton High School yearbook, “Wiltonian.”
Kendall High School class of 1934
Photo courtesy of Dean Hutchens
Ontario High School basketball, 1949–50
The 1949–50 Ontario High School basketball team sits on the Ontario Community Hall stage. Back row (left to right): Roger Budde, Donald Breidenstein, Bob Bassett, Stan White and coach Joe Ott. Front row: Dale Thomas, Bill Calhoun, Dick Olson, Bill Jantz and Bob...
Pictures from the past: Early 20th century Ontario
These undated, early 20th century images depict Ontario. Can you offer more information on the photos and what they portray? Contact the County Line at (608) 337-4232 or countyline@centurytel.net. (Photos courtesy of Aldis Strazdins)
School
Brookwood puts on spring concert
Kendall McDonald, Ztormie Faith-Zbawa and Ellyanna Shegonee sing “Like a Mighty Stream” with the junior high choir. The group also performed “When I am Silent,” a song dedicated to young people whose lives are taken unjustly; and “Tecolote,” a folk song from New...
BJHS Battle of the Books teams compete in Viroqua
Back row (left to right): Brittney O’Rourke, Linus Arndt, Grant Muellenberg and Jonas Rueckheim. Front row: Matt Hyatt, Emma Wiedmeyer, Bently Myers and Luis Jeronimo-Hernandez. (Contributed photo) Two of three Brookwood Junior High Battle of the Books teams competed...
N-O-W Elementary volleyball competes at Kickapoo
On March 22, Brookwood’s fourth and fifth grade volleyball team traveled to Kickapoo, where they competed against Reedsburg’s red team, Kickapoo’s red team, and Hillsboro’s orange team. Front row (left to right): Allison Helgren and Nora Mack. Back row: Leia Johnson,...
N-O-W Battle of the Books season ends on high note
Many fourth and fifth graders from Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School participated in the Battle of the Books season that began at the beginning of the year. Each team was tasked with reading the same 20 books and was challenged with several “battles” to...
N-O-W spelling bee winners
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District hosted the District Spelling Bee for qualifying students in grades four through eight on March 12. Thirty-three students competed for the title “District Spelling Bee Champion,” with Linus Arndt (right) coming out on top....