EXTRA
Royall to host ‘Meet the New Superintendent’
The Royall School District will host an opportunity to meet its new superintendent, Scott Uppena, at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the school’s patio lounge between the middle school and high school wings. If weather doesn’t allow for an outdoor meeting, it will be...
Man arrested after hit and run in Norwalk; shot fired
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported hit-and-run traffic crash at about 8:38 p.m. Wednesday at Main and S. Water streets in Norwalk. Eduardo Gomez Jimenez Police later located the suspect vehicle behind an address on Main Street in Norwalk....
Man hurt in single-motorcycle crash
A man sustained injuries in a single-motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon in the town of Portland, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The Monroe County 911 Communications Center received the 911 call regarding the crash at about 3:23 p.m. The operator,...
Court appearance for Barton changed again, postponed until July
A preliminary hearing for Leigha Barton, the former Wilton clerk/treasurer accused of embezzling from the village, was postponed to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, in Monroe County Circuit Court. Leigha Barton Originally, the hearing had been set for next Tuesday, and then...
Norwalk man sentenced to 42 years in prison for child sex crimes
Monroe County District Attorney Kevin D. Croninger announced Tuesday that Monroe County Judge Richard Radcliffe sentenced 46-year-old Jonathan L. Ellenburg to a 42-year term in the Wisconsin prison system. Jonathan L. Ellenburg After completing his 42-year term,...
Brookwood graduate wins $1,500 poetry prize from Winona State
Jack Mulvaney, a Brookwood graduate, recently won a $1,500 prize from the Winona State University English Department for his poem, “Airing Out My Poetry.” Jack Mulvaney, a Brookwood graduate, won a prize from Winona State University for a poem he had composed....
Vaccine clinic will be offered in Wilton
Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers and the Monroe County Health Department have undertaken a collaborative effort to host a community vaccine clinic on Wednesday, April 10, from 2–6 p.m. at the Wilton Public Library, 400 East St. The clinic will provide access to...
NEWS
Norwalk gas-station remodel
Renovations are underway at 71 Express in Norwalk. The facility will get new underground tanks and gas pumps.
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for April 14–20
Sunday, April 14: A citizen reported someone banging on the door and ringing the doorbell at their residence in the town of Bergen. A deputy made sure the residence was secure. He searched the area and did not come across anyone. Sunday, April 14: A deputy was...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for April 7–13
Sunday, April 7: The sheriff’s office was notified of four horses running in the roadway on Highway 82 in the town of Union. A deputy responded and assisted the caller with locating the owner of the horses. The owner was notified. Sunday, April 7: Two fly fishermen...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for March 31 to April 6
Sunday, March 31: Sheep were reported out on a property along Bohland Hollow Road in the town of Wheatland. The deputy spoke with the owner of the sheep and gave him a warning for animals running at large. Monday, April 1: The Zzip Stop in Genoa reported a gas...
Retired Royall teacher receives musical delight through Milestone’s ‘Dare to Dream’ program
Contributed by Milestone Senior Living of Hillsboro At Milestone Senior Living of Hillsboro, residents are like family. Each month, the community aims to make a resident’s dream come true. In March, the spotlight was on Verda Jean Miller, a beloved member of the...
Monroe County Health Department: Are you vaccinated against measles?
Contributed by the Monroe County Health Department There has been a recent increase in cases of measles in the United States, the most recent cases in Illinois. Wisconsin currently has no confirmed measles cases, but it is important to be prepared and ensure...
A scramble for eggs: Ontario hosts its annual Easter egg hunt
Ontario put on its Easter egg hunt Saturday morning, March 30.
Wilton woman marks 100th year
N-O-W’s health insurance premiums drop by 15%
Norwalk grapples with reports of homelessness, unsafe living situations
Celebrating 105 years
N-O-W board approves $22.9M in second round of bids
By Pat Mulvaney | For the County Line The N-O-W School Board at a special meeting last week approved $22.9 million in bids for the remaining part of the referendum project set to get underway this spring. According to Superintendent Travis Anderson, the project is on...
Kendall OKs new parks ordinance
Sewer-rate increase set for Wilton
Ontario board resolves cut-electrical-line issue
Date changed for Barton’s hearing
Wilton’s Easter festivities
Norwalk celebrates Easter
Preliminary hearing for Barton set for April 16
Community
Ontario to host program on Water Action Volunteer program
By RACHEL CONNER | Ontario Public Library director Ontario Public Library invites you to hear about “WAVing the Summer Away” from Ben Johnston on Monday, April 29, at 4 p.m. In the Water Action Volunteer program, citizen scientists collect baseline information for...
Norwalk Public Library announces schedule for May
By JESICA HELGREN | Norwalk Public Library director The Norwalk Public Library will host these events: • 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25: Teen craft. Pick up a pin-making kit to take home with you! • 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27: Bring what you’re...
Wilton Public Library to offer programs
By KELLY LUPTON | Wilton Public Library director The Wilton Public Library will host the following programs: • 10 a.m. Friday, April 26: Current-events discussion group • 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 1: Preschool story hour • 10 a.m. Friday, May 3:...
South Side News for April 25
By MYRNA FAUSKA Last week was a rather quiet one here the valley as we entered the third week of April. The weather fluctuated from early spring to late winter, which kept many of us close to our warm hearths most of the time except for brief forays into town for...
Gjefle: ‘Skunks and Opossums’
By Pastor Michael T. Gjefle Faith Independent Baptist Church, Ontario Genesis 1:24 — “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.” How do we...
Obituaries
Lora E. Dunwald (full obituary)
Lora E. Dunwald, 90, of Ontario, Wis., passed away on April 22, 2024, at Vernon Memorial Healthcare in Viroqua, Wis. Born on April 3, 1934, in Vernon County, Wis., to James and Alma (Hatfield) Skarda, she lived a life marked by kindness, devotion to her family, and...
Lora Dunwald
Lora Dunwald, 90, of Ontario, Wis., passed away Monday, April 22, 2024, at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua, Wis. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 4, at Grace Community Church in Ontario. Family and friends are invited to the church from 9...
Kathleen Good Stubrud (full obituary)
Kathleen Good Stubrud of Cadot, Wis., formerly of Kendall, died suddenly and unexpectedly at her home on Oct. 5, 2023. Kathy was born on July 1, 1951, to parents Dorothea and Grant Good. Kathy grew up in Kendall and graduated from Royall High School in 1969....
Michelle Ann DeWitt
Michelle Ann DeWitt, 62, formerly of Ontario, Wis., passed away on April 18, 2024, at her beautiful new home in Nekoosa, Wis. She was born on June 20, 1961, in Janesville, Wis., to Michael Lee and Ilene (Martin) DeWitt. A proud 1979 graduate of Brookwood High...
Kathleen Stubrud
Kathleen Stubrud, 72, died Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at St. John Ev. Lutheran Church, 297 E. South Railroad St., Kendall. Larry Neitzel will officiate. The Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home is assisting with...
Opinion
Your Right to Know: Shine more light on open investigations
By Kelly Lecker A horrific scene played out in February in an apartment complex in Middleton, a Madison suburb. A woman and her two young children had died. The tight-knit community mourned for this family as its members asked: How could this happen? Kelly Lecker...
Letter to the editor: We give praise and thanksgiving to the memory of Karen Parker
By Gary and Phyllis Winkler | Ontario It is with a heavy heart that we learn of the loss of our dedicated community publisher, Karen Parker. We first started reading her BackTalk years ago when we were only weekend campers here, enjoying them so much that we would...
Letter to the editor: State policies run against monitoring water quality
By J. Farrar | rural Ontario In 1974, the Environmental Protection Agency first began monitoring the quality and quantity of Wisconsin waters. Over the past 50 years, the contamination level has been going up while the groundwater level has been going down. Most...
Letter to the editor: Are you better off?
By Dani Sulik | Kendall Republican candidates are asking, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” Well, I haven’t had to go on a scavenger hunt for toilet paper. We have effective protocols for Covid. We didn’t experience the projected recession. We’ve...
Letter to the editor: Trump: Man or Beast?
By Kay Ziegahn | Richland Center What would our world be like if it was ready for a heavenly existence? I believe all humanity would be living in peace and equality, without the fear, hate, hunger and wars that plague so many now. Then that would actually be...
Sports
Royall’s Gruen selected as WIAA Scholar-Athlete
Royall High School student Marah Gruen recently was selected as one of 32 statewide finalists for the 2024 WIAA Scholar-Athlete Award. Only four boys and four girls from each of the four WIAA divisions were selected based on both athletic and academic achievement....
Brookwood girls capture second at Cashton meet, boys place fourth
Track athletes competed at the Cashton Invitational on April 20, through cold temperatures and wind gusts. Brookwood’s Gavin Havlik and August Rueckheim place eighth and ninth, respectively, in the boys 1,600-meter run. (Tasha Mueller photo) Royall’s Jackson Bender...
Inaugural game at Wilton’s new softball field
The Brookwood High School softball team played its first-ever game on the new softball field owned by the Village of Wilton. The Falcons defeated Mauston 15–0. Above is Bella Erickson; and below, Reagan Muehlenkamp. (Kathy Nelson photos)
Brookwood track-and-field competition
Brookwood’s track team recently competed at Royall. Marshall Doll Wyatt Maurhoff Ava Gruen and Amelia Muellenberg Ruby Muehlenkamp
Brookwood, Royall athletes selected for All-Star team
Marah Gruen Vanessa Anderson, a senior at Brookwood, and Marah Gruen, a senior at Royall, both have been selected by the WBCA (Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association) to play on the WBCA Division 5 South All-Star team. They will play against the Division 5 North...
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 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...
Palen Park: Before and after
Although Ontario has diminished since the August 2018 flood and the subsequent removal of many downtown buildings, one bright spot remains. Pictured above is Palen Park in 2012. Below are photos from last August featuring the gardening skills of Ontario resident...
St. Luke’s to be placed on National Registers
Contributed by MARIE SCHAUER FINDLAY Descendant of St. Luke’s founders On Saturday, Oct. 1, St. Luke’s Church, located at 30013 Oxford Road in rural Elroy, invites everyone to join them to celebrate being officially listed on both the State and National Registers of...
School
Brookwood trap club hosts fundraiser
The Brookwood Trap Club hosted a fundraiser at the Wilton Fire Station on Sunday, selling brat and hot dog plates. Students Marshall Doll and Allison Maulsby assemble brat and hot dog plates. Dustin Pasch serves the fundraiser attendees. Deagan Halderman and Amyia...
Brookwood names artists of the month
The Brookwood High School artists of the month for March are Alexis Lacy, Bella Erickson and Marcos Djibouti-Gander for their fiber arts. Lacy felted bees, Erickson constructed a string art hummingbird with flowers, Djibouti-Gander felted a Mohawk ducky and crocheted...
N-O-W staff takes to the skies with the USAF
The F-35s are refueled during the mission. (Contributed photo) Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District staff members Jeremy Mack, business agent; David Gruber, N-O-W maintenance team and Air Force veteran; and Superintendent Travis Anderson “had the amazing...
Royall FFA makes donation
The Royall FFA recently decided to donate all of the money collected from its Kiss the Critter contest and part of the money from its pancake breakfast to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Left to right: Sylvia, Makayla, Teagan, Gemma, Marah and Alex....
N-O-W hosts spelling bee
Twenty-four students spanning grades four through eight engaged in the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton District Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 7. Emerging as our 2024 Spelling Bee Champion was Violet Havlik, a fifth-grader, with Linus Arndt, a sixth-grader, securing the...