EXTRA
Your Right to Know: Want a closed session? Explain yourself!
By Tom Kamenick Probably the most commonly used — and, in my opinion, abused — exemption in our state’s Open Meetings Law is the one that lets governmental bodies meet behind closed doors “whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session." The...
Springtime birding on the Kickapoo
By Charlie Luthin of Lodi, Wis. The month of May brings fresh rains to the Kickapoo Valley, and paddlers ready themselves for their spring float or paddle down this iconic Driftless Area River. May also brings...
Narcan training will be offered in Elroy
SAFE in Juneau County will be hosting a FREE community Narcan training in Elroy at the Elroy Public Library on Thursday, June 12th at 5pm. This training will teach participants how to take life-saving steps in the event of an opioid overdose. Participants will...
County Highway U scheduled for resurfacing
County Highway U in the towns of Jefferson and Wells in Monroe County, between Nemo Avenue in Cashton and County Highway XU, 7.9 miles in length, will be restricted to alternating one lane of traffic beginning Wednesday, June 4, and continuing for about two...
DNR responding to manure spill near Norwalk
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is responding to a recent manure spill near Norwalk in Monroe County, according to a press release prepared by the DNR. Spill response began over the weekend, and DNR staff continue to monitor the situation. The DNR...
Brookwood to offer shuttle bus for graduation Friday
Brookwood High School will host its graduation for the class of 2025 on Friday, May 23, at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Due to construction, parking is a bit limited, but there will be a shuttle-bus service provided from the Ontario Pavilion to the school....
County Highway P in Sheldon, Wellington scheduled for resurfacing
County Highway P in the towns of Sheldon and Wellington in Monroe County, between the Vernon County line and County Highway Z east of Ontario, will be restricted to alternating one lane of traffic effective Tuesday, May 27, to facilitate rehabilitation and resurfacing...
NEWS
Rails to Trails to host 5K and 1-mile runs
The inaugural Black Squirrel 5K Scamper and 1-Mile Runs will be sponsored by the Rails-to-Trails Marathon Organization on Saturday, Aug. 9. This event will happen in Norwalk on the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, starting at the DNR parking lot. Proceeds from this...
St. Luke’s Cemetery vandalized
Contributed by St. Luke’s Auxiliary In what appears to be a senseless act of destruction, a large section of the newly installed, commercial-rated fence at St. Luke’s Cemetery in rural Elroy was destroyed by a vehicle either late Friday, June 13, or early Saturday,...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for June 8–14
Sunday, June 8: Deputies responded to a one-vehicle crash on Highway 56 in the town of Liberty. The driver left the scene and was later found walking eastbound. Deputies determined the driver was impaired; the driver was processed for operating while under the...
Wildcat offering monthly hikes on Hemlock Trail
As part of the Wildcat Mountain State Park nature program, the Kickapoo Valley Plant Lookers will offer a hike on the Hemlock Trail from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month through September. The hike will offer the opportunity to learn more...
Kendall movie night slated for June 20
The Kendall Public Library’s June Movie Night will be on Friday, June 20, t 6:30 p.m. at St. John’s Church fellowship hall. The featured movie will be “Ephraim’s Rescue” and tells the true story of one of the Mormons’ handcart migrations to Utah in...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for June 1–7
Sunday, June 1: A deputy responded to a residence on Sag City Road in the town of Franklin for report of an unknown truck parked fully on the lawn. A male party was found passed out in the driver’s seat with the truck running. The deputy detected the odor of...
Friends of Wildcat to offer program on raptors
The Friends of Wildcat Mountain State Park will host a program on raptors at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at the Wildcat amphitheater. Abbey Krumrie of River Valley Raptors will give the interaction program, during which participants can meet live raptors and learn...
N-O-W’s construction project continues
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District’s wide-ranging construction project continues to make headway, general contractor Market & Johnson representative Craig Nameyst told … Read the rest
Kendall American Legion donates to kitchen project
Kendall’s kitchen renovation project got a boost Tuesday when the Kendall American Legion donated $2,000 toward the project.
Whitestown board will vote on quarry Tuesday
The Town of Whitestown Hall was filled to capacity Tuesday evening when the board hosted a public hearing on Kale … Read the rest
Adventures in Ontario
Ontario churches put on their Adventure Day for kids on June 7 in the Ontario square and pavilion and the … Read the rest
Police chief warns Ontario is going to the dogs
According to Ontario Police Chief Dave Rynes, the Village of Ontario has a problem with dogs running at large and … Read the rest
Donations sought for new playground equipment in Ontario
Wilmer Pearson of Ontario is seeking donations for new playground equipment at Palen Park in Ontario.
Swiss student lives as American teenager during year at Brookwood
When Alina Vogel of Lucerne, Switzerland, prepared to spend a year in the United States, she aimed to live as … Read the rest
BHS’s state track competitors continue a legacy and find personal benefits
Since it was established in the 1960s, Brookwood’s track and field program has consistently represented the school and the communities … Read the rest
Norwalk marks Memorial Day
The Norwalk American Legion hosted ceremonies at 11 locations on Memorial Day.
Wilton remembers the fallen
The Wilton American Legion hosted a Memorial Day ceremony at the Wilton Veterans Memorial.
Kendall puts on Memorial Day program
The Kendall American Legion gave its annual Memorial Day program at Glenwood Park.
Royall hosts commencement 2025
Royall put on its graduation ceremony Saturday morning. Below, see a photo gallery of the event.
Community
Kendall dramatic club, circa 1900
This circa 1900 photo shows members of “Finnegan’s Alley,” which was an amateur dramatic club in Kendall. Seated, from left to right, are Mamie Moote and Clarence S. Dodge. In back are Mayne Daily, Louis H. Felker, Edward DeBarr, Walter F. Houk, Roy Ebert and Mayme...
‘Magic of Isaiah’ set for June 25 in Ontario
By Rachel Conner | Ontario Public Library director Do not miss “Magic of Isaiah” on Wednesday, June 25, at 3 p.m. at the Ontario Pavilion (weather permitting). Prepare to be amazed! Guaranteed to laugh! The show will be presented by the Ontario Public Library as...
Wilton Public Library to offer programs this month
By Kelly Lupton | Wilton Public Library director The Wilton Public Library will host the following events: • 10 a.m. Friday, June 20: Current-Events Discussion Group • 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 23: Lego Club • 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24: Book Club for Adults with...
Vernon County Museum Notes
By Kristen Parrott | Vernon County Museum curator Summer is here, and the Vernon County Museum and History Center is now on its summer hours. From June through September, we will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday,...
On Campus
• The following local students were named to the spring dean’s list at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: Bryce Gruen, Charis Jacob and Abigail Schreck, all of Elroy; Russell Jackson, Danica Lee, Nick Murray and Aria Schnurr, all of Kendall; Maggie Muehlenkamp of...
Obituaries
Harold “Buzz” Jensen
Harold “Buzz” Jensen, 82, of Elroy, Wis., passed away on Monday, April 28, 2025, at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. Buzz was born Aug. 2, 1942, in Plymouth, Wis., to Lawrence and Cora (Smith) Jensen. At...
Kent Louis Hendrickson
Kent Louis Hendrickson, 73, of rural Ontario, Wis., passed from this life to be forever with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, April 26, 2025. He was born to Earl Henry Hendrickson and Geneva Merle (Gardner) Hendrickson on Sept. 29, 1951, joining...
Leila Helen Moseley
Leila Helen Moseley, 95, of Cassville, Wis., formerly of Tomah, died April 19, 2025, at Eden Vista, Madison. She was born Oct. 27, 1929, to Alloth and Helen (Mahoney) Westpfahl in Tomah, Wis. She was a member of the Tomah High School graduating class of 1947. ...
Deanna Rae Bell
Deanna Rae Bell, 78, of Kendall, Wis., passed away on April 15, 2025. Born on Feb. 24, 1947, to Everett and Donna (Severson) Walter, Deanna spent her early childhood in Minneapolis, Minn. At the age of 7, she moved to a family farm outside Kendall, where she was...
Metro Palamaruk
Metro Palamaruk, 94, of Kendall, died Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Touch of Home. He was born Feb. 7, 1931, to Konstantine and Victoria (Mamoff) Palamaruk in Fort William, Ontario, Canada. After graduating high school, he served in the Canadian Armed...
Opinion
Letter to the editor: Bluebells
By Lyda Lanier | Town of Ridgeville In her column “South Ridge News,” Alice Brandau always brought us up to date in the spring when the bluebells were in bloom. This year, Carolene Martalock encouraged readers of the County Line to take a drive in Vernon County...
Letter to the editor: Democracy has been deteriorating
By Kent Gallaway | Readstown Democracy in America has been deteriorating for decades from corruption, inequality, and a flawed campaign election process. The accumulating causes have resulted in a dangerous election of a power-hungry character, Donald Trump....
Letter to the editor: Kennedy documents may reveal more about assassination
By Kent Gallaway | Readstown With the disclosure of the Kennedy assignation documents , hopefully we will learn more about he murder of a peace president on the streets of Dallas. There have been so many conspiracy theories and misinformation on the...
Letter to the editor: ‘Hands off’
By Lee D. Van Landuyt | Hillsboro On April 5, there were massive, coordinated national protests involving over three million angry citizens. This protest was entitled “Hands Off!” Sign-carrying protesters rejected massive cuts to essential government programs relied...
Guest view: Wisconsin residents at risk as federal low-income home energy assistance program employees abruptly fired
Contributed by Couleecap A program that keeps Wisconsinites safe by ensuring homes stay warm and cool during extreme temperatures is at risk after abrupt actions by the federal government. Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fired all...
Sports
Brookwood names athletes of the month
The following Brookwood High School students were named athletes of the month for May/June. Coaches’ comments follow the students’ names. BASEBALL • Julian Cunitz: “Julian led the team in batting with .480 average for May. He also was one of our most reliable...
Local athletes named all-conference
The following local high school athletes were named to the Scenic Bluffs All-Conference Teams: BASEBALL First team — Braeden Pasch, Owen Wang and Jackson Cunitz, Brookwood; and Seth Brandau, Jackson Bender, Trey Wildes and Cole Eberhardt, Royall Second team — Ben...
Falcon softball claims regional title
The Brookwood softball team claimed the WIAA Division 5 regional title with a 15–5 win in six innings over No. 6 Kickapoo on May 29. In the regional semifinal, Brookwood hosted No. 7 Wonewoc-Center on May 27 with a 12–0 wn in five innings. Brookwood traveled to No. 1...
Royall softball runs to regional final
The No. 4 Royall softball team hosted No. 5 Cochrane-Fountain City on May 27 in the regional semifinal WIAA Division 5 tournament game. Kenady Olson catches a quick ground ball and tosses to first for an out in the fourth inning, as Royall led 6–1. (Tasha Mueller...
Falcon baseball flies past CFC
The No. 4 Brookwood baseball team hosted No.13 Cochrane-Fountain City on May 29 in the first round of tournament play in the WIAA Division 4 regional. Braeden Pasch bats a fly out to centerfield in the second inning. Drew Thurston fueled a homerun to bring in four...
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
Kendall dramatic club, circa 1900
This circa 1900 photo shows members of “Finnegan’s Alley,” which was an amateur dramatic club in Kendall. Seated, from left to right, are Mamie Moote and Clarence S. Dodge. In back are Mayne Daily, Louis H. Felker, Edward DeBarr, Walter F. Houk, Roy Ebert and Mayme...
Wilton Memorial Day parade, 1965
Herbert Anderson of Wilton (1887–1989) captured these photos of the Wilton American Post’s Memorial Day parade in 1965. Along with the legion members, the Royall High School band took part in the event. Do you have more information on these photos? Contact the...
Bill Karis Shoe Store, Norwalk, circa 1910
The Bill Karis Shoe Store, located at 105 Main St. in Norwalk, circa 1910. Left to right: Joe Wepfer, Alvin Wruck and William Karis. More historic photos are available at the Monroe County Local History Room’s website at www.MCLHR.org. In its April 24 issue, the...
Tuttle Hill, 1910s
Men construct the road on what is now County Highway ZZ, on Tuttle Hill, just southwest of Ontario, most likely in the 1910s. The back of the photo has the inscription, “Grandpa Phil Bolden driving 1st team working on Tuttle Hill.” Do you have more information about...
Wilton baseball, 1937
WILTON BASEBALL 1937: The village of Wilton’s baseball team won the Milwaukee Sentinel’s state championship in 1937. Left to right, kneeling, are Hunts Steffen, Don Harrison, Vern Ferries (manager), Bud Martalock, Bud Schneider and Bill Heilman. Standing are Bud...
School
Royall seniors receive scholarships
The following 2025 Royall High School graduates received the following scholarships and awards: • Royall Alumni Association Scholarship — CJ Anderson, Tyler Marshall, Maddison Peterson and Piper Pursell • Royall Booster Club Athletic Scholarship — Jackson Bender, Seth...
Brookwood’s night of musical magic
The Brookwood music department put on its pops concert May 13. Jocelyn Pacheco Pastrana and Drew Powell play with the high school band, which performed the main theme from “Mandalorian,” “Defying Gravity” from Broadway’s “Wicked,” and “My Shot” from Broadway’s...
Brookwood students named to honor roll
The following Brookwood Junior/Senior High School students were named to the fourth-quarter honor roll: SENIORS High Honors: Payge A. Clark, Deja S. Jimenez and Hunter A. Zimmerman Honor Roll: Emma J. Baldwin, Camden L. Brueggeman, Marshall C. Doll, Savannah Groom...
Brookwood High School seniors receive scholarships
The following members of the Brookwood High School class of 2025 received scholarships: • Bank of Ontario — Emily O’Rourke • Bohle Family Memorial — Deanna Wallace and Carter Arbuckle • Bredlow-Ewing American Legion — Deanna Wallace, Payge Clark and Emily...
N-O-W fourth graders in Heritage Fair
Fourth graders at Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School recently completed their required Heritage Fair research project. Students selected a topic relating to Wisconsin and prepared an in-depth presentation. They were given the option to present in front of the...