EXTRA
16-year-old dies, 17-year-old seriously injured in rural Elroy accident
A 16-year-old was killed and a 17-year-old seriously injured in a single-vehicle crash occurred at about 12 a.m. Sunday in rural Elroy, in the town of Hillsboro, according to Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson. A 17-year-old male was operating a Ford F-250...
Kendall man injured in town of Stark single-vehicle accident
A single-vehicle crash occurred on Saturday, Aug. 31, at about 7:30 p.m. in the town of Stark, according to Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson. Kyle Ray Stout, 25, of Kendall was operating a 2000 Dodge Dakota pickup westbound on Highway 82, near Spry Road, east...
Tomah Health Hospice Touch to offer grief support series
Contributed by Tomah Health Hospice Touch Grief is a normal emotion but can be difficult to understand and deal with, especially after losing a loved one. That’s why Tomah Health Hospice Touch/Palliative Care has scheduled a six-week grief group to help those who have...
Four youth injured in town of Viroqua UTV accident
A UTV crash occurred at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, in the town of Viroqua, resulting in injuries to four minors, according to Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson A 14-year-old from rural Viroqua was operating a side-by-side UTV, traveling east on Upper Maple...
Monroe County to begin work on County Highways T and A
Beginning Monday, Aug. 12, and continuing through Friday, Aug. 16, the Monroe County Highway Department will resurface County Highway T between Highways 131 and in the towns of Sheldon and Ridgeville (5.36 miles in length) and County Highway A between Highways 16 and...
Brookwood’s grand opening for new athletic facility is Aug. 17
Brookwood High School will host a grand opening for its new athletic facility Saturday, Aug. 17. The school's flier for the event is posted below.
Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District releases school-supply lists
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District has released its school-supply lists for the 2024–25 school year. Also, the district notes that Walmart and Walgreens no longer print school-supply lists, so shoppers must bring their own. Printed copies are available at...
NEWS
Suicide prevention task force to host ‘Be the Light Run/Walk’ on Sept. 7
Contributed by Monroe County Suicide Prevention Task Force September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It is a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, those who have struggled with suicidal ideation, and to acknowledge the individuals, families, and...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for Aug. 25–31
Sunday, Aug. 25: A deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Highway 14 in the town of Coon. The driver received a citation for traveling 74 mph in a 55-mph zone. Monday, Aug. 26: The sheriff’s office was notified of a vehicle accident on Storbakken Lane in the...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for Aug. 18–24
Sunday, Aug. 18: Logan Buckles of De Soto was traveling south on Easy Street in Stoddard when he struck a legally parked vehicle owned by Tristan Batwinski of Stoddard. Buckles continued driving to his residence. He was later located and stated he was unaware that he...
Monroe County CWD summit slated for Sept. 5
A chronic wasting disease summit, a free event open to the public, is set for 4–6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Sparta Free Library, 124 W. Main St. (enter on northwest corner of building due to construction). DNR biologists, landowners and hunters will give...
Tor Eness and Friends to perform at Kendall Gathering
Contributed by Lynette Vlasak Get ready for some good music and fellowship at Kendall on Saturday, Aug. 31, to kick off this year’s Labor Day weekend. Tor Eness will be on stage in Kendall on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kendall...
Elroy’s Pickle Fest is set for Sept. 7
Elroy’s Pickle Fest is slated for Saturday, Sept. 7, at Schultz Park. The pickle contests will be from 8–11 a.m. and will be judged in four categories: dill, non-dill, fridge and non-cuke (drop off entries at the Elroy Public Library before the event or at the...
Elroy Lions Club seeking vendors for Sept. 7 race event
Contributed by the Elroy Lions Club The Elroy Lions Vendor Affair is excited to announce another year at the Apple Dumpling Day Race. The Elroy Lions Vendor Affair is seeking local artists, craftspeople, services, and small and home businesses to...
N-O-W School Board gets first look at budget
After experiencing a dip in state funding last year, Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District officials are expecting an $11.46% increase in state … Read the rest
Project Hero makes annual stop in Wilton
By Pat Mulvaney | For the County Line Around 30 weary bicyclists paused to recharge at the Wilton American Legion last Thursday in what has become an annual stop for this inspiring group of riders. They were members of Project Hero, who had set out on their six-day...
Royall to run operational referendum
Facing a predicted $500,000 shortfall this year, the Royall School District will ask voters to approve a $1.5 million operational … Read the rest
New Kendall School owners eager to be part of the community
Nine months after purchasing the former Kendall Elementary School, the new owners are readying the property to host its first … Read the rest
Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School Board fills teaching positions
With the N-O-W School Board approving two new teaching contracts at its meeting Aug. 19, all positions are filled for … Read the rest
An inaugural lap: Brookwood hosts grand opening of new athletic facility
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District hosted a grand opening Saturday evening for its new outdoor athletic facility. Toward the conclusion of … Read the rest
Kendall Village Board meets
The Kendall Village Board focused primarily on maintenance and infrastructure issues at its meeting Aug. 12.
Norwalk puts on a parade!
Norwalk hosted a parade Friday as part of its annual tractor pull.
Wilton residents take issue with parking rules, ordinance enforcement
A group of residents, many of whom live on Main Street, attended the Wilton Village Board’s meeting to object to … Read the rest
Wilton grapples with finances
Wilton’s efforts to untangle its finances continue in the wake of allegations that former clerk/treasurer Leigha Barton embezzled roughly $128,000 … Read the rest
Norwalk marathon canceled
Long a robust fundraiser for the village, the Norwalk Rails-to-Trails Marathon will not be offered this year due to a … Read the rest
Partisan primary election: local results
The following is local municipalities’ results from Tuesday’s partisan primary election.
Community
Ontario Public Library to show ‘Arthur the King’
By Rachel Conner | Ontario Public Library director Please join the Ontario Public Library for a Monday Movie Matinee showing of “Arthur the King” on Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. The movie is free of charge, and popcorn will be provided! Based on an incredible true...
Senior menus for Sept. 9–13
Kendall, Norwalk and Wilton meal sites Call 463-7622 (Kendall), 343-3158 (Norwalk) or 487-6130 (Wilton) 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 will close...
Summer readers can pick up grand prizes at Ontario Public Library
By Rachel Conner | Ontario Public Library director Congratulations to all the terrific readers who participated in Summer Reading 2024 at the Ontario Public Library! Grand prizes can now be picked up at the library. If you missed the prize drawing but still...
Senior menus for Sept. 2–6
Kendall, Norwalk and Wilton meal sites Call 463-7622 (Kendall), 343-3158 (Norwalk) or 487-6130 (Wilton) 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 will closed...
Gjefle: Two Important ALLs
By Michael T. Gjefle Faith Independent Baptist Church, Ontario Isaiah 53:6 — “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 700 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born, the...
Obituaries
Gerald Daniel Schmitz
Gerald Daniel Schmitz, “Jerry,” 87, of Hartford, Wis., passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at the Kathy Hospice in West Bend, Wis., on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was born in Ontario, Wis., on Nov. 27, 1936, the son of George and Helen (nee Sullivan) Schmitz....
Eugene H. Degenhardt
Eugene H. Degenhardt, “Gene,” 84, of Norwalk, Wis., passed away Sunday, June 30, 2024, at his home. Gene was born May 22, 1940, to Leonard and Margaret (Schmitz) Degenhardt in Norwalk. After graduating from high school, Gene proudly served in the United States Army....
Alma F. Kortbein
Alma F. Kortbein, 89, of Wilton passed away Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, at her home. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. at St. John the Archangel Catholic Church, 504 Enderby St., Wilton. Father John Ofori-Domah will...
Mary Rose (Dwyer) Welch
Mary Rose (Dwyer) Welch, 78, a resident of Wilton, Wis., went to her eternal home Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. Mary was born to Robert and Margaret (Gregor) Dwyer in Sparta, Wis., and grew up in Kendall, Wis. Mary graduated from Royall High School in the class of 1964 and...
Cheryl A. Vlasak
Cheryl A. Vlasak, 72, of Janesville passed away Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, at home. She was born in Lancaster on July 23, 1952, the daughter of Charles and Geraldine (Needham) Kilby. She was a 1970 graduate of Parker High School. Cheryl married Roger D. Vlasak on...
Opinion
Letter to the editor: A special THANK YOU
By Lucas Bender | President, Community Club of Kendall “Turn out the lights, the party’s over,” or so they say. As president of the Community Club of Kendall, I want to THANK all of our SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS, DONORS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, and of course, YOU, the...
Letter to the editor: Money on border wall could have been better spent
By Rose Eddy | Onalaska “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, … Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” This quote is from a poem, assigned to our Statue of Liberty, meant to be a...
Letter to the editor: Broken glass
By Danell Sulik | Kendall There’s always been the glass ceiling, an invisible and often impenetrable barrier, devised by men to control and hold women back. Told they were too physically or mentally weak, there were many things women simply weren’t allowed to do....
Letter to the editor: Already great
By Danell Sulik | Kendall MAGA Republicans would have you believe America is one big dumpster fire and Trump’s the only one who can put it out. From now until the election, Republicans will be constantly bombarding us with their hell-in-a-handbasket gloom and doom...
Letter to the editor: A glance at the past and the spinning wheel of time
By Bob Breidenstein | rural Ontario It was the best of times. It was the worst of times — 1952. The country was deeply involved in Korea and what President Truman called a “police action” and others called “war.” The boys who were dying there were just as gone...
Sports
Brookwood Athletic Notes
Contributed by Ken Clinton | Brookwood athletic director BROOKWOOD FALL SPORTS START DATES • Tuesday, Aug. 6: High school football (4 p.m.) • Monday, Aug. 19: High school/junior high cross country (8 a.m.), high school volleyball (3:30 p.m.), and junior high...
Royall succumbs to one run in sectional final
The Royall baseball team was just one run away to making a state baseball appearance close to a quarter-century in the making. With receiving a first round bye, Royall, the No. 2 seed in the WIAA Division 4 baseball bracket, hosted No. 7 seed Brookwood on May 28 in...
Brookwood athletes compete at state track
Four Brookwood students competed in the WIAA state track meet in La Crosse last weekend: Marshall Doll, 400-meter dash; Wyatt Maurhoff, high jump; Elijah Johns, 110-meter hurdles; and Cooper Powell, 3,200-meter run. Maurhoff placed fifth. Elijah Johns competes in the...
Royall baseball wins regional
Royall’s baseball team defeated Seneca to win the regional championship on May 29. The team advanced to sectionals, defeating De Soto but falling to Eleva-Strum, just missing a trip to state.
Track stars make strides at conference, regionals
Brookwood’s Sophie Teynor claimed the track regional championship in the girls triple jump when teams competed at Cashton on May 20. Teynor jumped 31-6.50. When Royall hosted conference, Teynor placed fifth at 29-10.25. (Tasha Mueller photo) The top four individuals...
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
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)
Vernon County Museum Notes: Reflections on early Ontario, Whitestown
By KRISTEN PARROTT | Vernon County Museum curator Summer is winding down, and that means that the historic Sherry-Butt House at 795 N. Main St. in Viroqua is coming to the end of its season. The house is open for tours from 1–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Labor...
School
Brookwood names artists of the month
Fernanda Garcia Barr (top), Deja Jimenez (middle) and Sophie Teynor (below) were the Brookwood High School artists of the month for April. Sophie painted an album cover using acrylic paint, Deja created original portraits of the members of the Prom Court using an iPad...
Brookwood students put on concert
Brookwood put on its pops concert May 19.
N-O-W highlights for fourth-quarter
By Travis Anderson | N-O-W Superintendent Wow, what a great year the 2023–2024 school year was thanks to all of our wonderful students, staff, and our supportive community.One thing I mentioned in my graduation speech this year was that the old saying rings true, “It...
RMS musicians perform in spring concert
The sixth grade general music group opened the Royall Middle School spring concert May 13 with playing ukuleles to Johnny Cash’s top hit “Ring of Fire.” (Tasha Mueller photo) The sixth-graders have fun throwing pieces of homework in “I’ve Lost My Homework." (Tasha...
Brookwood club hosts trap shoot
The Brookwood trap club recently hosted its trap shoot. The follow are members of the trap club. Front row (left to right): Wyatt Maurhoff, Tim DeWitt, Mason Rex, Jennafer Fennigkoh, Taylor Fennigkoh, Saleen Ford, Zaida Carpenter and Katherine McElhose. Back row:...