Happy (almost) New Year!

Thanks for checking out Issue 7 of Menomonie News Net! If you missed Issues 1-6, you can catch up HERE.

A recent reader commented… “I read every word, even on the topics I’m not so interested in.” But whether you read every word or just one story we’re glad you’re here!

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In this together - news for the community by the community…

Editors: Layne Pitt & Becky Kneer; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz

Website: https://menomonienewsnet.org

Submit News: [email protected]

In this Issue…

• Menomonie Police Dept announces officer death

• American Red Cross offers local sites to donate blood

• Latest Rec Dept winter/spring brochure

• The Menomonie Singers Hold Auditions

• Menomonie Library News - Helen Hullberg

• UW-Extension offers free virtual strength training program

• Menomonie Collegians - Isaiah May

Menomonie Police Department announces passing of Officer Sam Miller

MENOMONIE - The Menomonie Police Department is saddened to announce the unexpected off-duty death of Officer Sam Miller. Officer Miller served with the Menomonie Police Department since January of 2024 and had prior law enforcement experience starting in 2014 with the Pepin County Sheriff Department, Durand Police Department, Boyceville Police Department and the Dunn County Sheriff Department.

Due to the sudden and unexpected death of Officer Miller, the Menomonie Police Department has requested assistance from neighboring law enforcement agencies to assist with the public safety needs in the City of Menomonie for the next several days. You will notice police vehicles from partnering law enforcement agencies in the community to help ensure law enforcement services continue without disruption.

As the staff at the Menomonie Police Department processes the grief of losing Officer Miller, we ask for the patience and understanding from the community and to respect the privacy of Officer Miller's family.

American Red Cross offers many local sites to donate blood

The American Red Cross is seeking blood donors.

To find upcoming blood donor drives in Menomonie, and/or to make an appointment click here. The next donor drive in the area is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 7 at New Hope Lutheran Church in Downsville, 11am - 5pm.

Latest Rec Department winter/spring brochure lists Jan 6 registration

The City of Menomonie Recreation Department’s new Winter/Spring brochure can be found by clicking here. Registration begins on Monday, Jan 6.

The Menomonie Singers Hold Auditions

MENOMONIE - The Menomonie Singers will hold auditions for all sections (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) on January 20 and 21, starting at 6:00 pm, at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 420 Wilson Avenue, Menomonie.

The Menomonie Singers has been in existence since 1989 and presents four regular concerts of choral music per year. Under the leadership of Brian Klein, conductor, the choir will present concerts on April 26 and 27.

The choir is hoping to expand to 45 members. Participants must be 18 or older or post high school. Previous choir experience is helpful but not necessary.

There is no need to prepare a piece; the audition will include the following: a range check; a sight-singing exercise; musicality showcase (asked to sing one of the following: Silent Night, Happy Birthday, or My Country Tis of Thee).

Weekly rehearsals for the spring season begin Tuesday, January 28 at the UW-Stout Applied Arts Bldg, Room 315.

Juliana Schmidt, Executive Director may be contacted to set up an audition appointment or for more information:

[email protected] 715-505-3525

Menomonie Library News

Remembering local library advocate Helen Hullberg

Helen A. Hullberg, a Menomonie Library employee for 38 years, passed away on September 30, 2024. To help honor Helen, Margo Hecker, a local writer, graciously donated her time to write about Helen’s life. Click here to read the article.

Free Community Yoga begins Jan 6

Community Yoga at Menomonie Public Library resumes on Monday Jan 6 and runs through March 24. (No class Jan 20). Sessions begin at 9 am with two options: either in-person (Library Meeting Room) or via zoom (link provided day of session). Bring your own mat. Co-sponsored by Menomonie Public Library and Mayo Clinic. For more info click here.

UW-Extension offers virtual strength training program

 By Karie Johnson

UW-Madison Extension Health and Wellbeing and FoodWIse Program is offering an evidence-based FREE virtual strength training program titled StrongBodies using a zoom platform.  No experience is necessary, and exercises are adaptable for all levels.  

Next session class dates: January 6 – March 26. Class times: Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00 am – 10:20 am (60-minute class plus 20-minute optional education/socialization)  

To register click here. You will receive an email with zoom link.

If you are unable to join a class and want to complete the exercises on your own, you can follow along to this video. Or refer to this document that lists all the exercises.

Karie Johnson is a UW-Extension FoodWise Nutrition Education Coordinator

[email protected]

Menomonie Collegians

Isaiah May parlays love of music into a career

By Layne Pitt

MENOMONIE - Isaiah May is no stranger to the Menomonie music scene.

“I grew up playing gigs around the area so I have done events, weddings, my own shows, funerals, dances, recitals, you name it I've probably played it in this area,” May said.

A third year student in a four-year program at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass, the Menomonie native is scheduled to perform at the Spirit Room, Saturday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.

“At my January 4 show people can expect to hear covers of some of my favorite songs, some new originals and some songs off of my EP that I put out earlier this month,” said May. (Editor’s Note: To listen to May’s work, go to his Instagram account where you can find the link in the bio.)

Isaiah always had an affinity for music, even while still in the crib, his mother Stephanie May said.

“We noticed Isaiah had a strong musical inclination by the time he was 10 months old.  He could easily hold a rhythm by that time,” Stephanie May said.  “We kind of wondered if we were going to have to channel that in some way.  Turns out we were right.”

May has been playing the violin since he was five-years-old, but the violin wasn’t his first choice.

“I actually originally wanted to play trumpet but some of my cousins went through the Suzuki method on violin and so they had a few violins laying around that weren't being played ,” Isaiah May said. “So we got them for free and I started taking lessons from a family friend of ours.”

In addition to the violin, May took voice and piano lessons as a youngster. He also plays the mandolin and “a little bit of a bunch of others.”

When the homeschooler started to look at colleges, Berklee intrigued him.

“Berklee has always been a very forward thinking, industry focused school with great relationships with musicians and companies within the music industry,” May said. “Berklee is a very open minded school with lots of very unique programs.”

May is studying a new major at the school - Independent Recording and Production, a major focused on the future of recorded music and the move from recording music in massive expensive studios, to being able to record equivalent work out of a home studio due to the advances in audio software.

“Currently my dream is to be a producer, co-songwriter and general collaborator working out of my own studio,” May said. “I love the collaboration process and I find so much joy from simply tossing ideas around with other people.”

To read the complete story, go to our website, Menomonie News Net, and look under the Schools category.

And speaking of music, 2023 MHS graduate Sam Seguin is a member of the University of Minnesota Gophers Marching Band. The band is slated to perform at halftime of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl Friday, Jan. 3, when Minnesota takes on Virginia Tech at 6:30 pm. (Central). The game is scheduled to be broadcast by ESPN.

Layne Pitt is the retired UW-Stout Sports Information director and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.

Menomonie Collegians is a regular feature of Menomonie News Net. The column is not limited to student-athletes, but may be a former Menomonie area student in a play, forensics, music or any type of collegiate competition. If you know of a Menomonie Collegian, please email [email protected].

The column Menomonie Collegians by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Menomonie Mustangs Athletics and Activities | UW-Stout Blue Devil Athletics 

For a Calendar of Events in the Menomonie Area, visit Kathy Weber’s Menomonie Minute.

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