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Menomonie News Net
July 16, 2025, Issue 35
Local News Group
July 16, 2025
Welcome to Issue 35 of Menomonie News Net. If you missed previous Issues, you can catch up HERE.
Recently WQOW TV News 18 ran a story entitled “Dunn County is in a Local News Desert - Here’s Why That Matters.” Menomonie News Net was highlighted as helping to fill the news gap! Click HERE to view the segment.
Editorial Team: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz; and Local News Group teams
In this Issue…
Let’s Paint the Town July 19
7th Annual Red Cedar Film Festival July 17-20
MHS Grads: Where are they Now? David Whitman Class of ‘99
Dunn County Fair July 23-27
2025 Community Resource Guides
Menomonie Theater Guild Presents Spongebob Musical
Community Conversations at the Library
Public Meetings: Week of July 16 - 23
Menomonie Events at a Glance July 16-23
Menomonie Collegians - Bella Jacobsen, Mary Berg
“Let’s Paint the Town” July 19
Wilson Park will be the location of “Let’s Paint the Town”, a FREE community event on Saturday, July 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entertainment includes The Ludington Guard Band at 10:30 a.m. and The Dweebs at 1 p.m.
Craft market, food court, children’s play area, bouncy houses.
Free admission and free parking.
Source: Read more on the event Facebook Page
7th Annual Red Cedar Film Festival July 17-20
MNN Staff
This weekend the Red Cedar Film Festival is being held in Menomonie at the Mabel Tainter. It’s the 7th year for this annual festival.
Interesting facts…
59 independent films from 10 countries will be shown/screened this year.
Film makers began the process of applying in early 2025 for their chance to make the list for this festival.
Festival director, Peter Galante, is an internationally published, award winning designer, photographer and filmmaker. Dr. Galante has taught a broad spectrum of media and communication courses in addition to maintaining an extensive professional practice spanning more than four decades. Presently, he holds the title of Professor Emeritus at UW-Stout.
Two events do not require tickets…the Community Screening at 8pm on Saturday, and the Awards at 2 pm on Sunday. A great opportunity to try on this festival.
From the event news release:
“This year’s international flair includes a special appearance by London-based filmmaker Darren Statman, whose gripping short Land Mine will screen during the Premiere Party on Thursday evening at Brewery Nonic— a brand new kickoff event starting at 5 p.m. He will also be part of the Friday evening Q&A sessions.’
Highlights Include:
Premiere Party & Screenings at Brewery Nonic — Thursday, July 17, 5 p.m.
Filmmaker Q&A Sessions — after each film block when a filmmaker is attending
NEW: The Director’s Lounge — An all-new gathering space in the Mabel Tainter’s Billiard Room where filmmakers and fans can connect between screenings
Learn more and get your tickets at https://redcedarfilm.org (or purchase onsite during the festival).
Attendee Information
Single tickets $10; students/seniors $7.50. (Onsite tickets sales will also be available during the festival). Festival passes: $100 General; $75 students/seniors. Premiere Party & Screening: $15; students/seniors $12.50
Theater seating is not assigned and will begin approximately 20-30 minutes prior to each screening start.
Film Festival Schedule
Thursday, July 17: 5pm – Premiere Party at Brewery Nonic; 6pm – "Global Voices" / International Shorts showings
Friday, July 18: 4:30pm – "Midwest Roots" / Heartland shorts showings; 7pm – "Midwest Roots" / Heartland drama showings; 9:30pm – Cinema of Trauma and Healing showings
Saturday, July 19: 11am – World of Animation showings; 2pm – Heartland documentary showings; 5pm – "Date Night" / Romantic drama showings; 8pm – Free community cinema night
Sunday, July 20: 11am – "Next Frame" / Student spotlight showings; 2pm (approximately) – Festival awards
The Red Cedar Film Festival Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support and development of independent film, media and theater arts. The RCFF seeks to advance the impact of independent creative voices and to introduce audiences to their new work.
Sources: News Release, website
MHS Grads: Where are They Now?
David Whitman - Class of 1999
By Judy Foust This week’s spotlighted MHS graduate is David Whitman from the class of 1999. He graciously took the time to answer my questions online. We all love to hear what our alumni’s strongest memories are from their years at MHS. Among his positive memories are Badger Boys State, Junior Varsity Baseball and working in the dish room at UW-Stout during his freshman year in high school. David also worked at Lammers and had a Leader-Telegram paper route while at MHS. But he notes that making and spending time with so many great friends was one of his main highlights. Yet David’s primary memories strongly revolved around his participation in various music programs at school and within the community. As he stated in this interview, “My junior year in high school saw me choosing music over computers, and I set my heart on becoming a musician.”  MHS 1999 graduation photo Following through on that desire, David participated in Band, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Concert Band, Pep Band, and the Ludington Guard Band. In addition, he was in a punk band, played a drum set for MHS musicals, as well as in musicals at the Mabel Tainter Theater. As if that wasn’t enough, David toured with the UW-Stout Vocal Jazz Ensemble and won the Esprit de Corps Award at the state Marching Band Competition. It’s fair to say that he actively began the pursuit of his life’s dream during his time at Menomonie High School! When it came time to choose the next step after graduation, David stated that while in high school, UW-Eau Claire Jazz Band had won awards from DownBeat magazine for Best College Big Band. That’s when he set his sights on UW-Eau Claire. He had also received a scholarship from a local music booster organization to attend the Shell Lake Indianhead Arts Center Summer Jazz Camp the summer before he started ninth grade and had connected with UW-Eau Claire music faculty during that summer and following summers. In David’s words, “The summer between high school and college was spent touring the country with a Drum and Bugle Corps from Madison called Capitol Sound, which took me away from high school two weeks early and caused me to miss high school graduation. “When I arrived at UW-Eau Claire as a freshman there were 6 jazz bands. I auditioned into the very last band. I would attend the rehearsals for the top jazz bands so the faculty and students knew I meant business. The summer after my freshman year I auditioned to win a job playing in a band at ValleyFair Family Amusement Park in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region.” “That summer while others were playing video games in the trailer between shows, I first would practice through the entire George Lawrence Stone book Stick Control every day. After working in that band and practicing hard I auditioned in to Jazz II the next semester, and Jazz I the semester after that---a band that I played in until I graduated in 2005. “At UW-Eau Claire I was very active in all the music ensembles, and I supported myself by working as a musician in the area. Before graduating I had played professionally with or at The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, 5-By-Design, The Great American History Theater, Valley Fair, as well as up to 7 nights a week in bars, VFWs, and clubs in the area with jazz musicians, wedding bands, and the like, including for classic acts like the then 90+ year old trumpeter and jazz band leader Conrad Johnstad. “At UW-Eau Claire I wrote a student research grant to fund study in the NYC area with Dave Brubeck’s legendary drummer, Joe Morello. I stretched the funding out by driving and studied with Joe regularly for one academic year. “After graduation, I auditioned successfully to play in the jazz and show band on a Carnival Cruise Ship. While working as a musician on the Liberty I was offered a position as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Kansas State University, where my duties would include writing for and teaching the drum line for their marching band, and working with the bands and percussion areas broadly, including teaching private lessons, percussion ensemble, and so forth. I worked very hard for the band director, helping to run a gigantic band program, as well as manage the local Manhattan Municipal Band (like the Ludington Guard Band). K-state is in Manhattan, KS, affectionately dubbed ‘the little apple.’ “ | “While at K-State, I received the Outstanding Musician award from the top concert ensemble there, received a unique special recognition award for outstanding service to the marching band, performed a marimba concerto with their Wind Ensemble, published my first article in a journal as well as a marching percussion arrangement, and served on the Graduate Student Senate.” “My vision for being a professional player in an urban area was solidified at this time, and to pursue this I felt I needed to further develop my skills---this led to me immediately pursuing my Doctorate in Music Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi right after graduating with my Masters in the same from K-State. “Once again I was able to attend on a full tuition scholarship and Graduate Teaching Assistantship. After two required years of residency coursework for the degree, I moved to San Diego, CA to hunker down and research and compose my dissertation, which was two lecture recitals and corresponding analysis.” David earned his Doctorate in the spring of 2011, and was teaching at San Diego State University. Following true to form, during the 14 years that he has been there, David also has been involved in developing and teaching many different courses. Meanwhile he was also continuing to actively pursue his performance dreams. In 2016 he self-released his debut album as a jazz musician, Oh, Clara! The album won Best Album: Jazz Instrumental at the Independent Music Awards at the Lincoln Center. followed by three subsequent highly-reviewed albums—Soul Flow (2019), Oh, Hugo! (2022), and Ode to Joe (2023)—dedicated to Joe Morello. Oh, Clara!, Soul Flow, and Oh, Hugo! each were nominated in the first round for GRAMMYs in the jazz area, with Oh, Clara! receiving the most nominations for GRAMMYs at 4 - Best Instrumental Jazz Album, Best Engineered Album - Non-Classical, Best Instrumental Composition for the song “Quiet,” and Best Improvised Jazz Solo for Geoffrey Keezer on the song “Struttin’ Home.” In addition to the jazz albums and concerts, David has performed with the San Diego City Ballet, Pacific Lyric Opera, The San Diego Symphony Orchestra, The Temecula Symphony Orchestra, The San Diego Winds, The Who, Weird Al Yankovich, California Chamber Orchestra, many world premieres of significant works (including Broadway shows Bhangin’ It and The Outsiders), Johnny Mathis, Broadway tours as a local hire in San Diego for Wicked(2xs), Ain’t Too Proud, Anastasia, Alladin, and The King and I, Roger Nierenberg, The National Strauss Symphony of America, Tommy with the original cast and Peter Townsend, Opera Neo Festival Orchestra, The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy Symphony Orchestras, Meridian Symphony Orchestra, Geoffrey Keezer, Francisco Torres, Sal Lozano, Bob Sheppard, and many other amazing artists.” ‘In July 2024 my first book The Daily Drummer was published. It has frequently been on the Amazon best seller lists in percussion and jazz. In 2019 UW-Eau Claire awarded me their highest alumni honor, a President’s Award for “success in one’s chosen field.” It really has been an honor and I aspire to continue to serve the community through music.”  2025 “I have enjoyed traveling the world and performing. It has been a privilege to be able to be able to be a percussionist and drummer. My home is in San Diego. My wife Nobuko is from Tokyo and we have been able to spend a good bit of time there. My children are even able to enroll in school there on summer vacations from school in America. I’m thankful for my family—my wife Nobuko, my two children Hugo and Clara, my parents Marvin and Rhonda, and my brother Kurt. I couldn’t have done it without them.”  Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her or to request an interview she may be contacted at [email protected] |
Dunn County Fair July 23-27
By MNN Staff
The Dunn County Fair with the theme “Stars & Stripes and Summer Nights” is happening next week.
The Dunn County Fair has been entertaining people since 1885. Stop out this year and enjoy the music and other entertainment on the free stage, play a game or take a ride on your favorite carnival ride, visit with vendors, attend the Truck and Tractor Pull, Red Cedar Races, and other grandstand attractions, free stage shows, view outstanding exhibits by county youth and adults, and of course the awesome fair food!
Visit Fair website HERE
Admission: $5 per person; $15 season pass per person; kids 6 and under free.
Parking is free.
iHeart Radio Free Entertainment Stage Schedule HERE
Fair Judging Schedule HERE
Contact: [email protected] Dunn County Fair Office: 715-308-8659.
Source: Dunn County Fair Website
NEW 2025 Community Resource Guide
By Becky Kneer, MNN Staff
The Spring 2025 Dunn County Community Resource Guide (CRG) is being distributed throughout Dunn County!
Good to know…
this is the 5th annual publishing of the guide; first time was during the pandemic with a grant from Health Dunn Right
CRGs can be picked up at numerous locations around the county
the Dunn County Health Department funded the cost of printing this year
the printed guide contains approx 150 resources; the companion online guide contains approx 450 resources dunn.myresourceguide.org
continuous changes/updates are made on the online guide, but only once a year on the paper guide
a Spanish version is also available
both versions contain a QR code with how to submit corrections/updates, add a resource, etc; we do accuracy checks each spring but we rely on the public to help us out
New this year….
The back of the paper guide gives a simple way to know who to call in various situations…
Becky Kneer, RN serves on the Mental Health & Wellness Action Team for Health Dunn Right (Dunn County’s Health Coalition) which oversees updating and distribution of the CRG.
For more information or questions contact [email protected] at Dunn County Health Department.
Menomonie Theater Guild Presents Spongebob Musical Aug 1-3
Menomonie, WI – Get ready to dive under the sea with Menomonie Theater Guild as they bring the beloved world of Bikini Bottom to life in The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition. This bright, hilarious, and heartwarming production will take the stage August 1–3, 2025, at the historic Mabel Tainter Theater in downtown Menomonie.
Directed by Katie Talberg, The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition is the culmination of Menomonie Theater Guild’s popular three-week summer theater camp. Young performers from across the region have come together to sing, dance, and act their hearts out in this joyful musical that celebrates friendship, courage, and community.
Based on the hit Nickelodeon animated series, this youth adaptation of the Tony Award-nominated Broadway show features original songs by artists such as Panic! At the Disco, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, David Bowie, and more. When SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total destruction of their undersea world, chaos erupts—until an unlikely hero rises to the occasion.
“SpongeBob the Musical has something for everyone,” said director Katie Talberg. “Between bright colored costumes and sets, music by popular artists, and an important message, audiences are bound to walk away with a smile on their face! We are so excited to bring this fantastic story to life.”
Tickets for the show are $15 for adults | $13 for children/seniors, and are available now at menomonietheaterguild.org or in-person at the MTG box office located at 502 West Second Street in downtown Menomonie, open Monday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Don’t miss your chance to see these young stars shine in a show that’s fun for the whole family. Join us under the sea for a musical adventure you won’t forget!
Performance Schedule:
● Friday, August 1, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
● Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
● Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
● Sunday, August 3, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
All performances take place at the Mabel Tainter Theater, 205 Main Street, Menomonie.
About Menomonie Theater Guild: Menomonie Theater Guild is a nonprofit community theater organization committed to bringing high-quality theatrical productions to the Menomonie area. Since its founding, the Guild has fostered local talent, nurtured creativity, and provided a space for the community to come together through the power of live theater.
Contact: LeAnne Talberg, Menomonie Theater Guild, 715-231-7529
The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Community Conversations at the Library July 19 by Menomonie native
“A Patient’s Perspective on German Healthcare” presentation Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
MNN Staff Photo
By Lorene Vedder
On Saturday July 19, Brendan Ryan, will give a presentation: “A Patient’s Perspective on German Healthcare” at 12:30 - 2:30 in the Menomonie Public Library Community Room.
Speaker Background: Brendan Ryan, moved to Menomonie at age 3 with his mother, Margo Hecker, and his 2 sisters. A 2011 Menomonie High School grad, Brendan earned a BA degree from UW-Madison in German and Linguistics and a MA in European Linguistics from the Univ of Freiburg, Germany. He and wife Anna, a practicing pediatrician, and their 3 daughters are visiting family in Menomonie and Elk Mound.
Brendan has offered to share his perspective about German healthcare as he has experienced it.
Presentation Background: Germany’s healthcare system is funded by insurance contributions from everyone residing in Germany. Health Insurance is mandatory, either public and private. Premiums on the public insurance are based on income levels. Germany has the oldest national health insurance related to social legislation developed under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the 1880s. The 3 principles behind this legislation are that (1) the government is responsible for ensuring access to healthcare to those who need it; (2) Implementation of healthcare should be done with the smallest political and administrative influence; (3) Healthcare professionals should set procedures for the healthcare system. Mandatory healthcare has expanded from low income workers and government employees to now cover the majority of residents and citizens in Germany.
Lorene Vedder is a retired physician and the originator of Community Conversations. She may be contacted at [email protected]
Public Meetings: Week of July 16 - 23
City of Menomonie
Wed July 16: Urban Forestry Board - 1 p.m.; Airport Commission - 6 p.m.
Mon July 21: City Council - 7 p.m. (Council Chambers)
Click HERE for full calendar.
School District of Menomonie
No events scheduled
Click HERE for full calendar additional details
Dunn County
Wed July 16 - Planning, Resource, and Development Committee - 8:30 a.m.; Facilities Committee - 5 p.m.
Thur July 17 - The Neighbors Committee - 9 a.m.
Mon July 21 - Board of Adjustment - 10:30 a.m.; ADRC Advisory Committee - 1 p.m.
Tues July 22 - Housing Workgroup - 11 a.m.; Committee on Administration - 3 p.m.
Wed July 23 - Executive Committee - 3:30 p.m.
Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting
Menomonie Events at a Glance July 16-23
Photo: Debra Bell
Thur July 17 - Music Over Menomin - 7 p.m. - Wilson Park (Sue Orfield Band); Red Cedar Film Festival
Fri July 18 - Red Cedar Film Festival
Sat July 19 - Farmer’s Market - 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Wilson Park; Let’s Paint the Town - 10 to 5 p.m. - Wilson Park; Red Cedar Film Festival
Sun July 20 - Red Cedar Film Festival
Tue July 22 - Blood Drives: Compass IL 9-3 & Phillips Medisize 11 - 3; Ludington Guard Band Concert - 7:30 p.m. - Wilson Park (Tuesdays thru Aug 5)
Wed July 23 - Community Song Bath (by Threshold Singers) - 6 p.m. at Brewery Nonic. Free.
Menomonie Collegians
Menomonie’s Bella Jacobsen, Mary Berg Earn Academic Honors
Bella Jacobsen is a member of the University of Wisconsin women's cross country and track and field teams. Photo: UW-Madison
Menomonie High School graduates Bella Jacobsen and Mary Berg collected academic honors as the collegiate year came to an end.
Jacobsen, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, was named to the 2024-25 Academic All-Big Ten teams for women’s cross country and women’s track and field, and was also selected to the 2025 Academic All-District® Women’s Track & Field Team, as announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC).
A biology major, Jacobsen met the eligibility requirements for Academic All-Big Ten honors by maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and being enrolled full-time for at least 12 months. She was among 28 UW track and field athletes and one of 178 total spring sport Badgers to receive the distinction. She also earned the award for cross country last fall. Jacobsen first earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2023.
On the track, Jacobsen delivered a standout outdoor season. She earned a podium finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, placing eighth in the 10,000 meters with a personal-best time of 33:34.26. She went on to place 23rd in the same event at the NCAA West First Round (35:03.48). Earlier in the season, she notched personal bests in the 5000 meters, including a fifth-place finish at the Badger Challenge (16:12.42).
In cross country, Jacobsen earned all-region honors with a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional (19:59.8), one of three sub-20 minute 6K performances on the season. She capped the year with a 146th-place showing at the NCAA Championships in November.
The CSC Academic All-District® Team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined excellence in the classroom and on the field of competition.
Jacobson is a 2023 graduate of Menomonie High School.
Menomonie freshman Mary Berg played in all of the Blue Devils games this year. Photo: Jeremy Cwan, UW-Stout Sports Information
Menomonie’s Berg was one of 21 UW-Stout student-athletes selected to the 2024-25 Blue Devil Academic Top Scholar list for compiling the highest-grade point average during the 2024-25 academic school year in their respective sports.
Berg, a freshman guard on the women’s basketball team, was part of a historic team for the Blue Devils (23-8) as the team advanced to the first NCAA Final Four in school history. Berg saw action in all 31 games. Berg is majoring in business administration-marketing.
Five seniors, five juniors, seven sophomores and four first-year students across the 23 varsity sports comprise the 2024-25 Blue Devil Academic Scholar list, which is the tenth year the list has been put together. The grade point average (GPA) is determined from the fall and spring semesters, along with the January term.
For the academic school year, 533 of 691 NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) certified UW-Stout student-athletes earned a GPA of 3.0 or better; 405 had a GPA of 3.5 or better; and 32 had a 4.0 for the school year. The combined student-athlete GPA (3.37) exceeded the general student body GPA (3.16) for the 15th consecutive school year.
Chat GTP assisted in the creation of this story.
Layne Pitt is the retired UW-Stout Sports Information director and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.
Menomonie Collegians by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
For a Calendar of Events in the Menomonie Area, visit Kathy Weber’s Menomonie Minute.
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