EXTRA
Brookwood students named to honor roll
The following Brookwood Junior/Senior High School students were named to the third-quarter honor roll: SENIORS High Honors: Taylor R. Freed, Alexis J. Lacy, Amelia R. Muellenberg, Kylie Powell and Sophie Teynor Honor Roll: Vanessa A. Anderson, Timothy J. DeWitt, Jaden...
Two injured in two-vehicle crash near Ontario
A two-vehicle crash occurred Friday afternoon, March 29, in the town of Forest in rural Ontario, according to Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson. Vernon County Sheriff's Office photo At about 12:45 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch Center was notified of the...
Monroe County to give information on Medicare
Alice Ackerman, elder benefit specialist with the Monroe County Aging and Disability Resource Center, will be give a presentation on the different sections of Medicare and will explain what each letter of Medicare covers, from hospital costs to prescription...
Royall students named to honor roll
The following Royall High School students were named to the honor roll: • Freshmen — Jett Bender, Alex Brunner, Anna Crneckiy, Nadia Degner, Jason Johnson, Layla Marty, Kenady Olson, Kolten Morrissette, Kayla Rick, Kylie Rick, Wyatt Simons, Jaiden Walters and Lily...
Monroe County to host its Mental Wellness Fair
In honor of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the Suicide Prevention Task Force, the Mental Health Coalition, the Safe Community Coalition, and the Nutrition Coalition will be host their Mental Wellness Fair from 2–6 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at Mueller Square in...
Juneau County group to provide Narcan training
SAFE in Juneau County will host a free community Narcan training in Wonewoc at the American Legion, 108 Center St., on Tuesday, April 2, at 5:30 p.m. This training will teach participants how to take life-saving steps in the event of an opioid overdose....
Meet the Wilton candidates
Six candidates will vie for three spots on the Wilton Village Board next Tuesday: Challengers Becky Hahn, Cindy Short and Jen Wallman and incumbents Sam Wildes, Ed Wilde and Roger Wilchinksi. Profiles follow of Wallman, Wildes, Wilde and Wilchinski. JEN WALLMAN What...
NEWS
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for March 24–30
Sunday, March 24: Chase Montgomery of Plainview, Minn., was traveling northbound on County Highway P in the town of Christiana when he came across a snowplow traveling southbound on County Highway P. Montgomery attempted to move over to make room for the snowplow, and...
Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club: Articulating your company’s purpose
Contributed by the Vernon County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club A company’s mission statement, core values, and purpose are all important elements that define the company’s overall goals and beliefs. A mission statement is a brief statement that summarizes the...
Program on Palestine set for April 4
Driftless Palestine Solidarity will present “Palestine: A Deeper Look” from 6–7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at the Vernon County Museum, 410 S. Center Ave., Viroqua. A guided slide and film presentation, which will be open to community questions, will examine how the...
Ridgeville church to host special Easter events
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ridgeville will host the following events on Easter (Sunday, March 31): • 8–9:15 a.m. — Easter breakfast • 9:30 a.m. — Easter church service • Easter egg hunt to follow the service
Gundersen St. Joseph’s to offer free health screenings
Gundersen St. Joseph’s will offer free health screenings at the La Valle Center on Tuesday, April 16, and the Elroy Clinic Community Room on Wednesday, April 24. Appointments can be scheduled from 7–11 a.m. both days. Screenings will consist of a free...
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for March 17–23
Sunday, March 17: The Boscobel Rescue Squad reported hitting a deer on Highway 14 in the town of Franklin. No injuries were reported. The ambulance received some minor damage but was drivable. Monday, March 18: The sheriff’s office received an alarm for a property...
Norwalk churches to host worship during Holy Week
Contributed by United Methodist Church, Norwalk Please join us for worship during Holy Week at the--Norwalk and Salem United Methodist Churches — “the church with the clock.” Everyone is welcome. • Sunday, March 24 — Palm Sunday--Service at 10:15 a.m. at Immanuel...
New trustees to join Wilton Village Board
Wilton to raise sewer rates to offset cost of plant upgrades
BHS showcases talent
Royall board hears budget forecast
Strains of spring
Brookwood Junior/Senior High School hosted its spring concert Thursday. Esther Wooten and Drew Powell provide percussion for the senior high band, which performed Robert W. Smith’s “Encanto,” Eric Whitacre’s “The Seal Lullaby,” and Hector Berlioz’s (arr. Custer)...
Pretrial conference for Barton yields no updates, more charges possible
Monday’s pretrial conference for former Wilton clerk/treasurer Leigha Barton, who was charged in January with counts related to embezzlement from the village, resulted in no new developments, according to Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger.
Royall hires new principal
Crowd attends meeting on Ontario development projects
No one quite expected the crowd of about 25 people to show up at Monday evening’s Ontario’s regular monthly board meeting. What drew so much interest was a hearing held about the new 12-unit apartment building under construction on Church Street.
Kendall OK’s $2.1 million downtown project
Norwalk police chief resigns
N-O-W School Board approves expenditures, applications for college-credit program
Wilton board candidates take part in reception
Community
A sign of spring
Daphne Arndt helps work on the foundation plantings Sunday at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wilton.
Entrepreneurship on a sunny day
Jeremiah Nerison and Samuel Menn sell lemonade in Ontario on a recent afternoon.
Ontario to host night-sky program
By RACHEL CONNER | Ontario Public Library director Mark your calendar for “Protecting Our Night Skies” at 4 p.m. Monday, April 22, at the Ontario Public Library. Join electrical engineer and master electrician Scott Lind to learn about the Kickapoo Valley Dark...
Wilton Public Library to offer activities
By KELLY LUPTON | Wilton Public Library director The Wilton Public Library will host these events: • 10 a.m. Friday, April 19: Current-events discussion group • 4 p.m. Monday, April 22: Lego Club • 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 24: Preschool Story Hour •...
South Side News for April 18
By MYRNA FAUSKA Here I am, in the middle of April this Monday morning, and I’ve had a wonderful week, which I will tell you about after I share the news of the neighborhood with you. The weather has finally decided to behave and act spring-like, so read on. At the...
Obituaries
Alrita Ornes
Alrita Ornes, 89, of Norwalk, Wis., passed away peacefully at the Morrow Memorial Home in Sparta, Wis., on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. She was born Jan. 7, 1935, in the quaint town of Dell, Wis., to William and Loretta (Brueggen) Laufenberg. She graduated...
Mary Jane Parkhurst
Mary Jane Parkhurst, 93, of Elroy passed away Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Tomah. She was born Feb. 14, 1931, to Clyde and Annie (Blaha) Winchel in Vernon County. Mary was a person of high integrity and was never afraid to “tell things as they are.” Although she could...
Karen K. Parker (full obituary)
Karen K. Parker, 77, of Ontario, founder of the County Line newspaper, died April 1, 2024, at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse. Karen was publisher and later publisher emeritus of the County Line newspaper for 40 years. She documented life in the...
Karen K. Parker
Karen K. Parker, 77, of Ontario, a longtime publisher of the County Line newspaper, died Monday, April 1, 2024, at Mayo Health System in La Crosse. A full obituary is pending. Private services will be held at a later date. The Torkelson Funeral Home of Ontario is...
Donald R. Stedman
Donald R. Stedman, 86, of Powell, Wyo., and formerly of Ontario, Wis., passed away Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Ontario. He was born Aug. 25, 1937, a son of Carl and Ethel (Maitland) Stedman in Vernon County, Wis., and graduated from the Ontario High School. Donald...
Opinion
Letter to the editor: Political parties and other things
By MIKE ERICKSON | Elroy To start this rant or whatever you want to call it, I will tell you outright that political parties are dangerous to our liberty and money. During my 81 years of life so far, I have seen what these parties do; mostly they are all self...
Letter to the editor: Reproductive rights
By MICHAEL T. GJEFLE | Ontario That sounds good, doesn’t it? In our current world, that pertains to a woman’s right to kill the baby in her womb. My wife and I have been blessed with eight wonderful children; we have been even more blessed with lots of...
Letter to the editor: Is Big Brother already listening?
By DANI SULIK | Kendall When George Orwell’s novel 1984 was published in 1949, it was seen as a fictional cautionary tale about a dystopian future. Among other things, 1984 is about authoritarianism and the manipulation of facts and truth to completely control...
Letter to the editor: Vote no on constitutional amendments
By JOAN KENT | La Farge Some things are not what they appear. Like the two constitutional amendments on Wisconsin’s April 2 election ballot. They sound fine: to not allow private donations and grants in conducting any election, and to allow only election officials...
Letter to the editor: Oath/pledge
By LEE D. VAN LANDUYT | Hillsboro An oath is a solemn promise regarding one’s future action or behavior. Our Pledge of Allegiance commits us to our country and Constitution that unites and protects us. All military recruits pledged “The Oath of Enlistment”: “I, _____,...
Sports
Scenic Bluffs announces all-conference list
The Brookwood girls basketball team held its end-of-the-season basketball banquet on Thursday, March 21, and the following awards were handed out on behalf of the Scenic Bluffs Conference (left to right): Kymber Kaiser, Scenic Bluffs Conference Sportsmanship Award;...
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 • Brady Hansen: “Brady has been a treat to work with all season. During February, especially the last half...
Royall falls short in sectional semi-final
The Royall boys basketball team are greeted by their biggest fans as they run onto the court. The team played for a sea of fans at Adams-Friendship on March 7 in the WIAA Division 5 sectional semi-final against Columbus Catholic. (Tasha Mueller photo) Tucker Wildes...
Brookwood boys downed by Cashton in regional play
The Brookwood boys basketball team traveled to Cashton on Feb. 27 for the first round of WIAA Division 5 regional action. In its third meet up this season, No. 15 Brookwood didn't back down a 30–16 halftime deficit over No. 2 Cashton. Brady Hansen tosses up a shot...
Brookwood girls stop at regional semifinals
The Brookwood girls basketball team hosted the first round of regional play Feb. 20 in the WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal. For the third time this season, No. 8 Brookwood faced No. 9 Wonewoc-Center as the teams split the matchups in the regular season. The...
Backtalk
Looking back on our 40th year, 1983–2023
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita Certainly one of the things that has changed a lot over 40 years is deer season. On the plus side, I no longer have to sit in a bar all day, waiting for a deer to photograph that was shot by a local hunter. Alas, when...
Private insurers insert profit-over-patient mentality into Medicare
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita I met Dave Zweifel many years ago, at a Wisconsin Newspaper Association Convention. He had just stepped down as publisher of The Capital Times. We bonded immediately. We were both Swiss and from Green County, he from New...
Does the Parents’ Rights Act ensure any new rights?
By KAREN PARKER County Line Publisher Emerita It has been a curious sight last week watching the House of Representatives boot out its speaker for the first time in American history. It was reminiscent of when the kids were ordered to clean their rooms, and then spent...
Medicare Advantage reflects power insurance companies have over Congress
By KAREN PARKER County Line Publisher Emerita If you ever had any doubt about the power insurance companies have over Congress, look no further than the Medicare Advantage plan. Yes, here we are again, open-enrollment period. It’s worse than election years. We will...
Celebrating Wildcat’s 75th: The Lord brothers are two intriguing figures from Ontario’s history
By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita Of all the colorful and eccentric characters in local history few are as intriguing as two brothers, Ed and Charles Lord. Wildcat Mountain State Park overlook In old photographs, Ed appears in overalls, every bit the...
E-Edition
Pictures from the Past
An icy day in Wilton in 1922
Tuesday marked the 100th anniversary of a severe ice storm that swept the area. Herbert Anderson took this photo of downtown Wilton on that day. (Photo contributed by Alice Brandau)
Monroe County Retired Teachers Association, 1992
Pictured here is a 1992 photo of the Monroe County Retired Teachers Association. First row (left to right): Wilma Tucker, Doris Deno, Elly Jacobsen and Ethel Molstad. Second row: Margaret Kortbein, Helen Peterson, Julia Peterson, Vera Evans, Margery Schumacher,...
A remembrance: Elroy’s opera house
The Elroy High School class of 1931 gathered for a photo in the Elroy Opera House. An advertisement from Aug. 24, 1905 The Elroy Opera House before its recent demolition. There’s an empty corner lot on Elroy’s main street these days. But in an earlier time, it would...
Oil City country school, 1948–49
These students attended the Oil City country school in 1948-49. Front row (left to right): Bonnie Thomas, Duane Wallace, Art Lee, Iris Wruck, Verna Vitcenda and Dorothy Beier. Middle row: Ardene Ellefson, Virginia Wruck, Marge Wruck, Ann Wallace, Betty Vitcenda,...
F&M Bank, 1929
Manager George H. Robertson stands in Farmers & Merchants Bank in Kendall in 1929. Robertson also was the Monroe County Superintendent of Schools and the Kendall School’s principal.
School
Brookwood names artists of the month
The Brookwood Junior/Senior High School artists of the month for February are Sophie Teynor (top photo), Toby Eness (middle photo), Dawson Thieman and Lydia Voigts (bottom photo). Sophie, a senior, made a drawing of a Star Wars Storm Trooper, using colored pencils,...
N-O-W competes in invention fair
Contributed by N-O-W Elementary School — Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School third-graders finished a unit looking at inventions and inventors. Some even became inventors themselves by presenting a unique idea at the Invention Fair on Feb. 13. There was lots of...
N-O-W competes in Battle of the Books
Contributed by the N-O-W School District — Several fourth- and fifth-graders from the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District have been reading above and beyond their normal classroom requirements. They have been participating in a statewide program in which teams of...
Brookwood FFA competes in leadership development events
Brookwood FFA members competed at District Leadership Development Events in January at De Soto. The Junior High Quiz Bowl team competed and was 2 points away from moving on to Sectionals. Miranda Arndt placed third in Creed Speaking, and Skylar Hanson placed second in...
Royall racers take second
Royall Schools recently took second in the High School Racing Association, a statewide stock-car group. Curts was the track champion at the Dells, and Ryatt was the track champion at Tomah. Left to right: Curtis, Landin, Ghage, Ryatt, and Trenton. (Contributed photo)