Today is Saturday, August 8th.
Patrick John Peterson, 39 of Richland Center, died August 1st at the family cabin in Wild Rose.
A celebration of Patrick's life will be held today at 11 o'clock at the Clary Memorial Funeral Home in Richland Center.
Friends may call today at the funeral home from 10 until the time of the service at 11.
For Patrick John Peterson,
39 of Richland Center.
Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center, died on June 24th.
A celebration of a life will be held on Sunday from noon until four at the Coon Valley American Legion.
Barrow will be in the Viola Cemetery.
The Vasateg Larsen Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family.
Of Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center.
Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86 of Spring Green, died Thursday at Greenway Manor.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the SOC and Iowa County Humane Societies.
The Richardson Stafford Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.
For Gerald C. Gerald Hansen, 86 of Spring Green.
And in birth news from the Richland Hospital, Angelina Ruckheim and Christopher Wilson had a son, Cohen William Benjamin, on Tuesday.
Here are today's vital statistics.
Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center died June 24th.
A celebration of life will be held tomorrow from noon until four at the Coon Valley American Legion.
Burial will be at the Viola Cemetery.
The Vosetag Larson Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family of Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center.
Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86 of Spring Green, died Thursday at Greenway Manor.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Sauk and Iowa County Humane Societies.
The Richardson Stafford Funeral Home is assisting a family with arrangements.
For Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86 of Spring Green.
In birth news from the Richland Hospital, Angelina Ruckheim and Christopher Wilson had a son, Cohen William Benjamin, on Tuesday.
Today is Saturday, August 8th.
Good morning for WRCO News.
I'm Caitlin O'Connell.
The Richland School District Board of Education has officially scheduled a special meeting for Monday.
The meeting is set to commence at 6.30 and will be held at the Richland School Board Conference Room, situated at 1996 US Highway 14 West in Richland Center.
The primary focus of the evening's agenda involves a motion to convene in closed session.
This session is intended to conduct a pupil expulsion hearing and to allow for the necessary deliberations concerning the matter as permitted by state statute.
The board is expected to take formal action during this closed portion of the meeting.
In addition to the expulsion hearing, the Board will review and consider potential revisions to previous orders of pupil expulsion that have been issued.
Furthermore, the members will evaluate a specific request for the expungement of an order of pupil expulsion.
Once the Board has addressed all items on the agenda or declined to take further action, the meeting will conclude with a motion to adjourn the meeting from the closed session.
The Village of Spring Green Board of Trustees will convene for a meeting on Wednesday at 7 o'clock.
During this session, the board will address new business, specifically the discussion and potential action regarding proposed amendments to order 180 concerning bicycle and play vehicles.
Additionally, the meeting will feature an information session regarding the 2027 budget timetable for the Village of Spring Green.
Now that August is underway, that means a new school year will be arriving soon.
The Richland School District will be holding an upcoming event to help students prepare for the school year.
Dr. Johnson is Director of Curriculum at the Richland School District.
This coming Tuesday, August 11th is when we have super registration, so it's a time when families can join us at the high school.
All students and their families can come and they would
come there to make sure that they have all of their paperwork finished for the school year to know that they're enrolling.
And that information is coming out soon.
They should receive some communication soon on how to do that because they can do that part virtually if they want, if they've been a former student of ours previously.
If they're a new student, they for sure should join us at this time because they can get enrolled on the state also.
While attending super registration, if you need assistance, there will be plenty of help available.
We will have people there helping with online registration.
We'll have people helping with paper registration.
We'll have people there helping with logins.
If families are like, oh, I don't want to do this because I'm not a log in.
We have people there for that.
We have people there who can speak Spanish.
We have people there who will
help with fees.
There will be representatives of organizations and groups available to answer any questions about transportation, extracurricular activities, sports, and more.
You can also get your class picture taken at the event.
Along with registering and getting questions answered, there will be other activities at super
registration.
There's going to be food trucks that are going to be out there that you can come and get ice cream or food.
You can check out the building, not a full building tour, but you can at least see the commons and you can see the gym if you're new to the area.
It's always, I'm impressed by our facilities and I think it's always great for people to come out and see our maintenance staff.
They've just done this amazing job with all that's happening.
They're still rocking it when it comes to making sure our facilities look so new.
Super registration for the Richland School District will get underway Tuesday morning starting at eight o'clock at the Richland Center High School.
You can find out more information on the Richland School District website or by calling the district office at 608-647-6106.
The USDA reports for the week ending August 2nd, Wisconsin experienced 5.7 days suitable for field work.
While southern and eastern regions received much needed rainfall, dry conditions persisted in the northwestern areas.
Tapsoil moisture conditions were rated 9% very short, 21% short, 68% adequate and 2% surplus.
Subsoil moisture conditions were similar with 7% very short, 20% short, 70% adequate, and 3% surplus.
Corn progress was steady with 72% silking, which is on par with a 5-year average.
and 16% reaching the dough stage.
Corn condition remained strong with 72% rated as good to excellent.
Soybean development was slightly ahead of schedule with 86% blooming compared to the 81% average and 53% setting pods.
The soybean crop maintained a 70% good to excellent condition rating.
Oats were 93% coloring, outpacing the 90% average, and 41% had been harvested.
The overall condition of oats was rated 77% good to excellent.
Winter wheat harvesting reached 69% completion, matching the 5-year average.
Haye production continued with the third cutting of alfalfa reaching 50% completion ahead of the 47% average.
The condition of all haye was rated 70% good to excellent while pasture and range condition was rated 54% good to excellent.
That's all for the week ending of August 2nd.
A benefit for Jolie Newkirk will be held tomorrow from 3 until 8 at the Buna Vista Bicentennial Park in Gotham.
There will be a car cruise, a silent auction, and a bucket raffle along with some other raffles.
There will also be barbecue chicken dinner at 5 o'clock.
All proceeds will go to Jolie Newkirk.
If you'd like to donate, please contact Jessica Wanakie at 608-604-1396.
or LORI RIP summer at 608-485-1272.
A new policy proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services has sparked significant concern among early childhood advocates in Wisconsin, who warned that the rule could effectively dismantle the Head Start program.
Published yesterday, the federal regulation aims to simplify requirements and reduce administrative burdens, but local leaders like Jenny Maurer of the Wisconsin Head Start Association argued the changes would roll back essential standards for teacher qualifications, classroom staffing ratios, and family support services.
Maurer contends that these rollbacks would undermine the quality of care and jeopardize the future of funding for a program that currently serves over 12,000
Wisconsin families.
The potential impact is particularly acute in rural Wisconsin with nearly 70 percent of children already residing in daycare deserts.
And many of these communities head start remains the sole licensed provider of early childhood education.
Maurer fears that the proposed rule represents a dangerous progression toward losing these vital services entirely in rural areas.
Furthermore, the regulation introduces a rigid language requirement that would mandate all education be conducted in English.
Advocates point out that this is highly impractical for regions like western Wisconsin, where many classrooms consist of Spanish-speaking three-year-olds who require native language support to effectively transition to English literacy.
While federal officials maintain that the changes are necessary for cost reduction and accountability, critics of the program point to pass reports highlighting high costs and inconsistent long-term results as justification for reform.
Mauri acknowledges that while improvements can always be made, the current proposal threatens the very elements that made Head Start successful.
As the program continues to grapple with funding delays and regional closures, the next 60 days will be a critical window for community members to participate in the public comment period and voice their perspectives on the future of the Head Start program.
Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin and Senator Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, along with a group of colleagues, have introduced a supporting underserved and strengthening transparency accountability and integrity now 340B Act.
This bipartisan legislation seeks to reform the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which provides discounted prescription drugs to healthcare providers serving vulnerable
and underserved patients.
The Act aims to bring greater stability, clarity, and transparency to the program by establishing several key reforms.
These include redefining eligible patients and covered services, clarifying the use of contract pharmacies, and introducing new annual reporting requirements for covered entities.
The legislation also proposes establishing a 340B data clearinghouse to prevent duplicate discounts and diversions.
while requiring covered entities to adopt standardized financial assistance policies for patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Furthermore, the bill strengthens program integrity by gaining the Department of Health and Human Services authority to enforce compliance and establish oversight procedures for child sites.
The Senate 340B bipartisan working group, which has supported the program for over a decade,
developed this legislation following feedback from stakeholders.
By addressing concerns about program ambiguity and ensuring patient first care, the Sustain 340B Act intends to sustain the benefits the program provides to eligible providers and the communities they serve.
Today is Saturday, August 8th.
Good morning, or excuse me, good afternoon for WRCO News.
I'm Caitlin O'Connell.
WRCO's Walk With Grace auction wrapped up yesterday and was a huge success.
The five-day auction raised a total of $32,916 for the Greater Richland Area Cancer Elimination.
shattering last year's total of $26,730 by over $6,000.
Thank you to all who bid, donated items and money.
It was greatly appreciated.
The Walk with Grace ceremony will be held this coming Friday in Croscut Park.
Authorities are investigating a tragic workplace accident that occurred on Friday morning.
resulting in the death of a construction worker.
The Grant County Sheriff's Office report received a 911 call at approximately 8.10 Friday morning regarding an incident on County Road Q where a worker had fallen while performing repairs on a farm building.
According to preliminary reports, a construction crew was actively working on the roof of the structure when one member, a 44-year-old man, fell through the roofing material.
The individual plunged approximately 30 feet before striking the concrete floor below.
Although co-workers and responding emergency personnel from Highland EMS and the Wisconsin State Patrol provided immediate medical assistance and life-saving measures, the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Grant County Coroner's Office.
The identity of the deceased is currently being withheld pending the notification of Next of Kin.
A comprehensive investigation is now underway led by the Grant County Sheriff's Office in coordination with the U.S.
Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Grant County Coroner's Office.
Multiple agencies including the Iowa County Sheriff's Office and the Darlington Police Department assisted at the scene.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced on Friday that Wisconsin is filing an appeal to ensure affected communities receive the federal disaster aid they need to rebuild and recover after the severe storms and flooding caused significant damage to public infrastructure back in April.
Nine Wisconsin counties received public assistance, including Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Rock, and Vernon counties.
However, five other Wisconsin counties, including Saw County, were denied federal assistance.
In response to the denials, Governor Evers directed the Wisconsin Emergency Management to gather additional information and assessments to file an appeal.
While four of the five denied counties determined they did not require additional public assistance at this time, the needs in one county remained.
The governor's appeal comes as earlier this summer, Governor Evers slammed the Trump administration for playing politics with federal disaster aid by denying Wisconsin's application for FEMA public assistance for the five Wisconsin counties and hazard mitigation statewide after the April 13th through the 23rd
Severe storms and flooding cause millions of dollars in damages to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure throughout the state.
The governor's appeal also comes as President Trump and the Trump administration have repeatedly come under fire for slashing funding for emergency preparedness and response at FEMA while also prioritizing Republican-run states to receive disaster relief.
Recent reporting indicates that it is three times harder for Democratic-led states to get disaster funding under the administration than Republican-led states, with the administration rejecting disaster aid for Democratic-led states at the highest rate in the history of FEMA.
The governor's latest appeal for federal support for Wisconsin comes as the Trump administration failed to justify its denial of federal public assistance
to help communities respond to and recover from severe, similar severe weather and flooding that occurred across the state in 2025, causing over $27 million in damages to roads, public buildings, utilities and community infrastructure.
The USDA reports for the week of August 2nd, Wisconsin experienced 5.7 days suitable for field work.
While southern and eastern regions received much needed rainfall, dry conditions persisted.
in the northwestern areas.
Topsoil moisture conditions were rated 9% very short, 21% short, 68% adequate and 2% surplus.
Subsoil moisture conditions were similar with 7% very short, 20% short, 70% adequate and 3% surplus.
Corn progress was steady with 72% silking which is on par with the five-year average and 16% reaching the dough stage.
Corn condition remained strong with 72% rated at good to excellent.
Soybean development was slightly ahead of schedule with 86% blooming compared to the 81% average and 53% setting pods.
The soybean crop maintained a 70% good to excellent condition rating.
Oats were 93% coloring outpacing the 90% average and 41% have been harvested.
The overall condition of oats was rated 77% good to excellent.
Winter wheat harvesting reached 69% completion matching the five-year average.
Hay production continued with the third cutting of alfalfa reaching 50% completion ahead of the 47% average.
The condition of all hay was rated 70% good to excellent, while pasture and range condition was rated 54% good to excellent.
A new policy proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services has sparked significant concern among early childhood advocates in Wisconsin who warned that the rule could effectively dismantle the Head Start program.
Published
On Friday, the federal regulation aims to simplify requirements and reduce administrative burdens.
The local leaders, like Jenny Maurer of the Wisconsin Head Start Association, argue the changes would roll back essential standards for teacher qualifications, classroom staffing ratios, and family support services.
Maurer contends that these rollbacks would undermine the quality of care and jeopardize the future of funding for a program that currently serves over 12,000 Wisconsin families.
The potential impact in particular is particularly acute in rural Wisconsin, where nearly 70% of children already reside in childcare deserts.
And many of these communities headstart remains the sole licensed provider of early childhood education.
Mauer fears that the proposed rule represents a dangerous progression toward losing these vital services entirely in rural areas.
Furthermore, the regulation introduces a rigid language requirement that would mandate all education be conducted in English.
Advocates point out that this is highly impractical for regions like Western Wisconsin, where many classrooms consist of Spanish-speaking three-year-olds who require native language support to effectively transition.
to English literacy.
While federal officials maintain that the changes are necessary for cost reduction and accountability, critics to the program point to past reports highlighting high costs and inconsistent long-term results as justification for reform.
Mauer acknowledges that while improvements can always be made, the current proposal threatens the very elements that made Head Start successful.
As the program continues to grapple with funding delays and regional closures, the next 60 days will be a critical window for community members to participate in the public comment period and voice their perspectives on the future of the program for the Head Start program.
Now that August is underway, that means a new school year will be arriving soon.
The Richland School District will be holding an upcoming event to help students prepare for the school year.
Dr. Johnson is director of curriculum at the Richland School District.
This coming Tuesday, August 11th is when we have super registration.
So it's a time when families can join us at the high school.
All students and their families can come and they would
come there to make sure that they have all of their paperwork finished for the school year to know that they're enrolling.
And that information is coming out soon.
They should receive some communication soon on how to do that because they can do that part virtually if they want, if they've been a former student of ours previously.
If they're a new student, they for sure should join us at this time because they can get enrolled on the state also.
While attending super registration, if you need assistance, there will be plenty of help available.
We will have people there helping with online registration.
We'll have people helping with paper registration.
We'll have people there helping with logins.
If families are like, oh, I don't want to do this because I'm not a log in.
We have people there for that.
We have people there who can speak Spanish.
We have people there who will help with fees.
There will be representatives of organizations and groups available to answer any questions about transportation, extracurricular activities, sports, and more.
You can also get your class picture taken at the event along with registering and getting questions answered.
There will be other activities at super registration.
There's going to be
food trucks that are going to be out there that you can come and get ice cream or food.
You can check out the building, not a full building tour, but you can at least see the commons and you can see the gym.
If you're new to the area, it's always I'm impressed by our facilities.
And I think it's always great for people to come out and see our maintenance staff.
They've just done this amazing job with all that's happening.
They're still rocking it when it comes to making sure our facilities look so
new.
Super registration for the Richland School District will get underway Tuesday morning starting at eight o'clock at the Richland Center High School.
You can find out more information on the Richland School District website or by calling the district office at 608-647-6106.
A benefit for Jolie Newkirk will be held tomorrow from 3 until 8 o'clock at the Buna Vista Bicentennial Park in Gotham.
There will be a car cruise, a silent auction, and a buck a raffle along with other raffles.
There will also be a barbecued chicken dinner at 5 o'clock.
All proceeds will go to Jolie Newkirk.
If you'd like to donate, you can contact Jessica at 608-604-1396 or Lori at 608-485-1272.
Today is Saturday, August 8th.
Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center, died on June 24th.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday from noon until 4 at the Coon Valley American Legion.
Bear will be at the Viola Cemetery.
The Vasateg Larson Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family.
Lyle Barnes is survived by two daughters,
Judy and Dan Kirkhoff of French Island, and Amy and Gary Barr of St.
Joseph Ridge.
Along with the two grandsons, two step-grandsons, a brother, James Barnes of Arizona, and other relatives and friends.
Lyle Paul Barnes, 98, of Richland Center.
Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86 of Spring Green, died Thursday at Greenway Manor.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In Louis Flowers, please consider donations to the Salk and Iowa County Humane Societies.
The Richardson Stafford Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Jerry Hansen is survived by his wife, Judy Simon Hansen, daughters Abby Schultz and Kristen and Terry Fry.
Stepson Hamilton-Arenson and Ann Cain, along with four Gurian children and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86, of Spring Green.
In birth news from the Richland Hospital, Angelina Ruckheim and Christopher Wilson had a son, Cohen William Benjamin, on Tuesday.
I'm Phil Ney with news.
Iowa County Sheriff Michael Peterson reports that the Iowa County Sheriff's Department is currently working with an oversized load on State Highway 130 south of Linux Hill Road near Avoka.
State Highway 130 is currently closed from State Highway 133 to State Highway 23.
You can access side roads, just don't use the road near the incident on the large hill.
Authorities are investigating a tragic workplace accident that occurred the morning of August 7th, resulting in the death of a construction worker.
The Grand County Sheriff's Office reported receiving a 911 call at approximately 8.10 regarding an incident on County Road Q where a worker had fallen while performing repairs on a farm building.
According to preliminary reports, a construction crew was actively working on the roof of the structure when one member of 44-year-old man fell through the roofing material.
The individual plunged approximately 30 feet before striking the concrete floor below.
Although co-workers and responding emergency personnel from Highland EMS and the Wisconsin State Patrol provided immediate medical assistance and lifesaving measures, the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by the
County Coroner's Office.
The identity of the deceased is currently being withheld pending the notification of next of kin.
A comprehensive investigation is now underway led by the Grant County Sheriff's Office in coordination with the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA and the Grant County Coroner's Office.
Multiple agencies including the Iowa County Sheriff's Office and the Darlington Police Department also assisted at the scene.
WRCO's Walk With Grace radio auction wrapped up yesterday and it was a big success.
The five day auction raised a total of $32,915 for greater Richland area cancer elimination.
while shattering last year's total of $26,730 by over $6,000.
Thank you to all who bid, donated items, and money.
It was greatly appreciated.
The Walk With Grace ceremony is coming up this Friday at Crosskill Park, getting underway with the opening ceremony at 6 p.m.
Now that August is underway, that means a new school year will be arriving soon.
The Richland School District will be holding an upcoming event
to help students prepare for the school year.
Dr. Sherry Johnson is Director of Curriculum at the Richland School District.
This coming Tuesday, August 11th, is when we have super registration.
So it's a time when families can join us at the high school.
All students and their families can come and they would
come there to make sure that they have all of their paperwork finished for the school year to know that they're enrolling.
And that information is coming out soon.
They should receive some communications soon on how to do that because they can do that part virtually if they want, if they've been a former student of ours previously.
If they're a new student, they for sure should join us at this time because they can get enrolled on the state also.
While attending super registration, if you need assistance, there will be plenty of help.
We will have people there helping with online registration.
We'll have people helping with paper registration.
We'll have people there helping with logins.
If families are like, oh, I don't want to do this because I'm not a log in.
We have people there for that.
We have people there who can speak Spanish.
We have people there who will help with fees.
There will be representatives of organizations and groups available to answer any questions about transportation, extracurricular activities, sports, and more.
You can also get your class picture taken at the event.
Along with registering and getting questions answered, there will be other activities at super registration.
There's going to be food trucks.
that are going to be out there that you can come and get ice cream or food.
You can check out the building, not a full building tour, but you can at least see, you know, the commons and you can see the gym.
If you're new to the area, it's always, I'm impressed by our facilities and I think it's always great for people to come out and see our maintenance staff.
They've just done this amazing job with all that's happening.
They're still rocking it when it comes to making sure our facilities look so new.
Super registration for the Richland School District.
We'll get underway Tuesday morning starting in 8 at the Richland Center High School.
You can find out more on the Richland School District website or by calling the district office at 608-647-6106.
A benefit for Jolene Newkirk will be held tomorrow from three until eight at the Buna Vista Bicentennial Park in Gotham.
There will be a car cruise, a silent auction, and a bucket raffle along with other raffles.
There will also be a barbecue chicken dinner at five.
All proceeds will go to Jolene Newkirk.
If you would like to donate, please contact Jessica Wanakie at 608-604-1396 or Lori Ruppsummer.
at 608-485-1272.
The USDA reports for the weekend ending August 2nd, Wisconsin experienced 5.7 days suitable for field work.
While southern and eastern regions received much needed rainfall, dry conditions persisted in the northwestern areas.
Topsoil moisture conditions were rated 9% very short,
21% short, 68% adequate and 2% surplus.
Subsoil moisture conditions were similar with 7% very short, 20% short, 70% adequate and 3% surplus.
Corn progress steady as well with 72% silking, which is on par with the five year average and 16% reaching the dose stage.
Corn condition remains strong with 72% rated as good to excellent.
Soybean development was slightly ahead of schedule with 86% blooming compared to the 81% average and 53% setting pods.
The soybean crop maintained a 70% good to excellent condition rating.
Oats were 93% coloring, outpacing the 90% average as well.
The condition of all hay was rated 70% good to excellent, while pasture and range condition was rated 54% good to excellent.
A coordinated multi-agency investigation has led to the arrest of David P. Sheldon in connection with a series of intentionally set fires across the La Crosse and Onalaska region.
The investigation involved the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse Fire Department, La Crosse County Sheriff's Office, Onalaska Police Department, and Onalaska Fire Department.
The incidents began on Tuesday, July 28th when law enforcement and fire personnel responded to numerous fires reported in
close proximity in both La Crosse and Alaska.
Earlier that day, the La Crosse Police Department had investigated an entry and theft on State Road 16 where a vehicle key was stolen and a vehicle was entered.
Sheldon was identified as a person of interest in that case and was taken into custody early Wednesday, July 29th.
As the fire investigation continued, collaborative efforts, video footage and evidence collected at the scenes linked Sheldon to the crimes.
Fire Chief Jeff Schott emphasized that arson is a violent crime that endangers citizens and first responders, noting that this arrest reflects the success of local agencies working together.
Police Chief Sean Kudrun also credited the quick resolution to strong partnerships and critical tips from the community.
Sheldon currently faces two accounts of arson of property other than a building from the La Crosse Police Department is considered innocent until proven guilty.
While the investigation remains active, inquiries regarding the Onalaska portions of the case should be directed to the Onalaska Police Department.
Here are today's vital statistics.
Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center died June 24th.
A celebration of life will be held tomorrow from noon until four at the Coon Valley American Legion.
Burial will be at the Viola Cemetery.
The Vosetag Larson Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family of Lyle Paul Barnes, 98 of Richland Center.
Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86 of Spring Green, died Thursday at Greenway Manor.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Sauk and Iowa County Humane Societies.
The Richardson Stafford Funeral Home is assisting a family with arrangements.
For Gerald C. Jerry Hansen, 86 of Spring Green.
In birth news from the Richland Hospital, Angelina Ruckheim and Christopher Wilson had a son, Cohen William Benjamin, on Tuesday.