EXTRA
Your Right to Know: Long waits undercut records law
By Bill Lueders The other day, in my role as an advocate for open government, I heard from a Wisconsin resident who has waited more than five months for records he requested from a local law enforcement agency. He has gently prodded the agency several times,...
Drugs, firearms seized near Mount Tabor
Brandon Robert Sebranek, 30, is facing several drug charges after a search warrant was executed Wednesday, Nov. 20, at a residence on Mount Tabor Road in the town of Forest, according to an announcement by Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson, in partnership with the...
N-O-W has gas leak, but episode doesn’t spur further problems
By Sarah Parker | County Line Editor A valve broke on a 500-gallon LP tank that contained about 300 gallons of LP on Monday at the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District’s construction site, causing an emergency response but resulting in no hazardous incidents. The...
Three local churches to host ecumenical Thanksgiving Eve service
Contributed by Immanuel United Methodist Church Immanuel United Methodist Church in Norwalk will host its yearly Ecumenical Thanksgiving Eve Service. This service has been done for many years in conjunction with St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wilton...
Vernon County seeks residents’ input on housing matters
Vernon County, in partnership with UW-Madison Extension, announces the launch of a housing study aimed at addressing the current and future housing needs of Vernon County. A first step is the release of a housing survey, which launched Nov. 8. This study...
Clifton church to host free brunch for hunters
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, on 30032 County Hwy. A, rural Tomah (just outside of Clifton), will host a free brunch for hunters on opening morning, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. A press release from the church states, “We miss the good ole days when...
Your Right to Know: A fund to fight government secrecy
By JONATHAN ANDERSON In 2022, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council created a designated fund to help cover legal costs associated with fighting to pry records into the public domain. Called simply the WFOIC Legal Fund, it has never had more than $4,000 in its...
NEWS
St. Peter’s, near Clifton, to host Christmas Eve service
Contributed by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church St. Peter’s Lutheran Church would like to offer you a very hearty and warm Merry Christmas! We would also like to invite to one of our most favorite church services of the year: our candlelight Christmas Eve service! We...
Kendall’s cookie walk
The Kendall Public Library put on a cookie walk Dec. 7 at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Proceeds will go toward the library’s movie nights. The following were among the volunteers at the cookie walk (left to right): Jean Jefferies, Joyce Thonesen, Elaine Zinke, Amy...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for Dec. 8–14
Sunday, Dec. 8: Deputies were called to assist the occupants of a car versus deer collision on Highway 14 near Brookville Road in the town of Frankin. The car sustained some minor front-end damage and was able to be driven from the scene. No injuries were reported by...
Norwalk Lions host Santa
The Norwalk Lions Club hosted a visit with Santa on Saturday at the Norwalk Village Hall. Brexley Stoikes, whose parents are Austin and Sierra Stoikes of Elroy, meets Jolly Old Saint Nick. Addie, Jay and Madison Degenhardt, children of Kelly and Joe Degenhardt,...
Sen. Johnson staff to host office hours
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) announced that his staff will be available for mobile office hours at the times and locations listed below. These office hours give constituents the opportunity to meet with Sen. Johnson’s staff to request assistance with a federal...
I&E Club to host program on specialty crops
Contributed by the Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club Have you ever considered growing a specialty crop such as elderberries, honeyberries, currants, aronia berries, hazelnuts or small grains? Join us at the next meeting of the Vernon County Inventors and...
Former KVR director to host book talk
Former Kickapoo Valley Reserve Executive Director Marby West, author of the newly released “Protecting Paradise in the Driftless: How the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Came to Be,” will have a book talk and signing at 12:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Let’s Shine Coffee in...
Norwalk board hears plans for multimillion dollar street project
The Village of Norwalk is looking at a major overhaul of its water and sewer systems that could run into … Read the rest
Ontario celebrates Old-Fashioned Christmas
The Ontario Community Club put on its Old-Fashioned Christmas celebration Saturday at the Ontario Community Center.
Kendall’s country Christmas to remember
The Community Club of Kendall sponsored Tor’s Country Christmas Show on Saturday at the Kendall Community Hall. Tor Eness of … Read the rest
Changing times at Wilton’s The Hitchin’ Post
With its change in ownership, the Hitchin’ Post in Wilton will retain some of its traditional traits, but the new … Read the rest
Ontario Village Board sets caucus date for Jan. 13
The Ontario Village Board Monday scheduled its caucus for Jan. 13 at 6:50 p.m., just before the beginning of its … Read the rest
Holiday happenings slated for December
The following holiday events will be offered in the local area this month.
27 vendors will be at show in Ontario
Twenty-seven vendors will sell their wares Saturday, Dec. 14, at Ontario’s Old-Fashioned Christmas.
Retired N-O-W teacher publishes children’s book
“Charlotte’s Big Adventure,” a children’s book by Susan Case of rural Ontario, chronicles the early days of life from the … Read the rest
Uppena gives update on Royall operational referendum
Superintendent Scott Uppena gave a post-referendum report Nov. 25 at the Royall School District’s board of education meeting, thanking board … Read the rest
Songs of the season
Members of the Brookwood High School choir, along with their teacher, Hunter Evenson, sang Christmas carols Friday at the Wilton … Read the rest
Brookwood theatre sweeps awards at state festival
Brookwood theatre participants attended the Wisconsin State High School Theatre Festival, which was sponsored by Wisconsin Interscholastic Speech and Dramatic … Read the rest
Wilton considers ways to pay for Highway 71 utility reconstruction
Wilton has a few options to pay for utility upgrades along Highway 71, the village board learned from engineering firm … Read the rest
Community
N-O-W in math contest
Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School’s fifth grade team members participated in the Math Knowledge Contest on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at Sparta Meadowview School. The competition started with an individual round of 20 math problems, and after a break, the four students...
Seeing Stars: Golf courses are a way to improve night skies
By Susan Cushing Kickapoo Dark Sky Initiative Concerns about losing our dark night skies is spreading across the nation and around the world. On Dec. 11, the Washington Post had an opinion piece, ‘The Post’s View,” about how quickly we are polluting the night sky but...
Gjefle: Tick-Tick-Tick
Pastor Michael. T. Gjefle Faith Independent Baptist Church, Ontario Do you hear it? Are you paying attention as time comes and goes, moment by moment? Another year is drawing to a close. Does it seem like it has gone quickly? Life happens minute by minute, day by...
Senior menus for Dec. 23 to Jan. 3
Kendall and Norwalk meal sites Monday, Dec. 23: Glazed ham, cheesy hash brown casserole, glazed carrots, Waldorf salad (no nuts), dinner rolls and butter, and cheesecake Tuesday, Dec. 24: Meal site closed Wednesday, Dec. 25: Meal site closed Thursday, Dec. 26: White...
Perspectives: Christmas memories of one-room schools
By Carolene Martalock | rural Ontario The days of our local rural one- and two-room schools left our area of Wisconsin in the mid-1960s. With their demise, we lost loving talents that surprised many of our rural families. Christmas programs are remembered as the...
Obituaries
Ronald William Stoikes
“Daddy’s Home,” that’s the announcement Baby Jackie made to the choir of angels on Dec. 17, 2024. Ronald William Stoikes, 87, of Norwalk, Wis., died at home, the hobby ranch that he and his wife Kathy built in 1972. He was born on Nov. 27, 1937,...
Myrna Jean (Berg) Ottum
UPDATE: Services have been postponed for Myrna Ottum and will be announced at a later date. Myrna Jean (Berg) Ottum, 71, of Kendall died on Dec. 15, 2024, at home. She was born Aug. 21, 1953, in Viroqua, Wis., to Lawrence and Leona (Hanson) Berg. She married...
Bonita Louise (Brueggen) Hemmersbach
Bonita Louise (Brueggen) Hemmersbach, “Bonnie,” 88, of Cashton, Wis., passed away Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, surrounded by her family, at the Morrow Memorial Home in Sparta, Wis. Born Sept. 30, 1936, Bonnie was the first of five children of Aloysius and...
Frances M. (Mike) Thompson
Frances M. (Mike) Thompson, 69, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, at his home. He was born June 7, 1955, to Frances and Genevieve (Roberts) Thompson in Harvard, Ill. Being the oldest of six siblings, his younger years were spent growing up on the family farm. This...
Jerry D. Lowrey
Jerry D. Lowrey, 79, of Hillsboro, Wis., passed away Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at the Tomah VA Medical Center in Tomah, Wis. He was born Aug. 30, 1945, in La Farge, Wis., to Everett and Irene (Campbell) Lowrey. Jerry graduated from La Farge High School and proudly went...
Opinion
Letter to the editor: Christmas bird count is this week
By Ben Johnston | Wilton ‘Tis that time again... local Christmas Bird Counts are Saturday, Dec. 21, for the Norwalk-Wilton-Ontario area, and Saturday Dec. 28, for La Farge. Please remain calm if you see a slow-moving car of birders with binoculars pointed at your...
Letter to the editor: Thank you for remembering high school English teacher
By Lyda Lanier | rural Norwalk Thank you, Mr. Bob Breidenstein, for acknowledging the impact and the influence Mrs. Woods had on your life as your English teacher in high school. You remember those quotes from Thomas Moore and Shakespeare you had to memorize. You...
Letter to the editor: A new day is upon us
By Dena Eakles | rural Ontario A new day is upon us. Rejoice. Black youth received messages telling them they will be taken back to plantations to pick cotton. Check CNN and other legacy outlets for details — while you still can, of course. News outlets that...
Letter to the editor: A glance at the past and a peek at the future
By Bob Breidenstein | rural Ontario “Oft in the stilly night, Ere slumber’s chain has bound me, Fond memory brings the light of other days around me.” — Thomas Moore County Line, Oct. 3, I left the Ontario High School class of ’56 in limbo, 16 years old, on the cusp...
Letter to the editor: Nation is experiencing critical moment
By Rosalind Woodward | Madison Our country is experiencing a critical moment where a powerful leader, shaped by personal struggles and survival instincts, has gained significant political influence. This leader’s rise reflects deeper, unresolved issues within our...
Sports
Royall leads in conference, division
The Royall boys basketball team has a strong lead in the first two weeks of the season. The Panthers opened their conference schedule by traveling to Cashton on Dec. 10. Seth Brandau found a quick open lane to rush the ball as the team led 8–0 in the first opening...
Mack lands five 3-pointers, not enough to edge Bangor
The Brookwood boys basketball team hosted Bangor on Dec. 13 and gave the home crowd an exciting game down to the last few seconds. Julian Cunitz sweeps through the lane toward the basket to open the first couple minutes of play. (Tasha Mueller photo) Brennen Mack...
Brookwood marks first conference loss
The Brookwood girls basketball team hosted Necedah on Dec. 6 in its first conference game of the season. Ruby Muehlenkamp steadied the ball at the start of the second half; Brookwood was down 32–5 at halftime. (Tasha Mueller photo) Reagan Muehlenkamp keeps the ball...
Brookwood names athletes of the month for November
The following Brookwood High School students were named athletes of the month for November. Coaches’ comments follow the students’ names. CROSS COUNTRY • Samantha Markee: “Samantha qualified for and competed in the state cross-country meet in Wisconsin...
Royall girls retain possession over W-C
The Royall girls basketball team began its season conference schedule by traveling to Wonewoc-Center on Dec. 6, taking a 10-point lead at halftime 22–12. Bria Gruen passes the ball along the baseline and led in scoring 14 points. (Tasha Mueller photo) Kylie Rick makes...
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
N-O-W composes poems for the season
Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School second-graders wrote the following poems: Max grinch dog nice little funny cute puppy Max By Kohen Santa nice elves good fat red powers sparkles Santa By Teagan Christmas Tree pine green ornaments lights tall pokey...
N-O-W hosts leadership conference
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District hosted an eighth-grade leadership conference Nov. 14 at the Wilton Community Center gymnasium. Ten schools took part in the event. The speaker, Carl Olson, “encouraged the students to make a difference in their schools and be...
RMS students in honors choir
Hillsboro hosted a middle school honors-choir event Nov. 15. The following Royall students were invited to attend. Front row (left to right): Ronan Brunner, Jaxon Velazquez, Brynleigh Trankle, Hannah Biermeier, Kolton Hauge and Kellen Brown. Second row: Lola Palmer,...
Royall madrigal performs at school board meeting
Members of the Royall High School madrigal performed an a capella version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” at the board of education meeting Nov. 25. The group had performed the song at its fall concert.
Royall National Honor Society conducts fundraisers
Above — During its Hurricane Relief Coin Wars, the NHS raised $309, which will be donated to Samaritan’s Purse. Back row (left to right): Mason Morrissette, Carter Uppena, Ben Crneckiy and CJ Anderson. Front row: Piper Pursell, Sylvia Rafajko and Maddison Peterson....