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Menomonie News Net
January 28, 2026, Vol 2, Issue 11
Local News Group
January 28, 2026
Welcome to Menomonie News Net Vol 2, Issue 11. If you missed previous Issues, you can catch up HERE.
It’s been hard to watch/hear the news from Minneapolis these past days. Today’s issue highlights as usual the happenings in Menomonie, knowing that many in our community are feeling the effects as well.
Thank YOU to our subscribers and donors. We couldn’t keep this publication free for all without you. Donations welcome online or by mail: checks to MNN, P.O. Box 63, Menomonie. (Options for gifts: in memory or in honor of, recurring, anonymous, RMD).
Editorial Team: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Advisory Team Volunteers; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz
Website: menomonienewsnet.org Submit News: [email protected]
In this Issue…
Jan 30 Candlelight Ski is On!
Annual Candlelight Ski will be held this Friday. Photo: Facebook
By Ellen Ochs, Friends of the Trail
The annual Candlelight Ski, put on annually by the volunteer group Friends of the Red Cedar State Trail/Hoffman Hills, is loved by the whole community. What’s not to like? A candlelit groomed X-C ski trail; candlelit ice falls, a candlelit snowshoe trail with snowshoes to try out, and even candlelit walking trail north of the Depot. And of course, bonfires and free hot chocolate!
For the past two years, this event had been canceled due to a lack of snow. Then came 2026—with snow at last. Hooray!
But just a week ago, DNR Trail Manager Calvin Kunkle emailed volunteers with terrible news: the furnace at the trailhead Depot had failed overnight. Frozen pipes, damaged bathrooms, and ice covering the floor meant the Depot was unusable.
Determined to save the event, Friends President Bill Kryshak floated the idea of moving it to an alternate date in February. Unfortunately, many key volunteers wouldn’t be available.
Then Bill reported that the City of Menomonie could provide porta-potties for the original date of January 30—and suddenly everything changed.
So bundle up, everybody.
The Candlelight Ski is on! Friday, January 30, 6-9 pm. Red Cedar Trail Depot, 824 Hudson Rd, Menomonie.
For more information visit: Friends of the Red Cedar Trail Facebook page
Tickets Available for Menomonie Theater Guild’s Production ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’
Menomonie - Get ready for an evening of nonstop laughter as Menomonie Theater Guild’s production of The Play That Goes Wrong comes crashing onto the stage of the historic Mabel Tainter Theater this winter. The production is directed by Bob Butterfield, a longtime and experienced director with Menomonie Theater Guild, whose most recent MTG success was the popular comedy Clue.
From the moment the curtain rises, The Play That Goes Wrong delivers pure comedic mayhem. Presented as a well-meaning but disastrously unlucky community theater production, the play follows the Cornley Drama Society as they attempt to stage a classic murder mystery. Unfortunately, everything that can go wrong… does.
Falling sets, missed cues, forgotten lines, and escalating mishaps turn the evening into a brilliantly choreographed catastrophe. As the chaos intensifies, the determined cast presses on, clinging to the belief that “the show must go on,” no matter how dire the circumstances become.
Hailed by critics as “a gut-busting hit” and “the funniest play Broadway has seen in years,” The Play That Goes Wrong combines physical comedy, razor-sharp timing, and theatrical in-jokes that delight both seasoned theatergoers and newcomers alike. It is a fast-paced, high-energy celebration of live theater—and a reminder that sometimes the biggest laughs come when absolutely nothing goes according to plan.
Tickets
Tickets available at MTG Box Office, 502 2nd St W, Menomonie. (Open Mondays & Wednesdays 11:30-3:30). 715-231-7529. Or click here for online tickets. Prices are $20 for adults, and $18 for students/seniors/military.
Location: All performances will take place at the Mabel Tainter Theater, located at 205 Main Street, Menomonie.
Performance Dates & Times: Fri Feb 20 @ 7:30 PM; Sat Feb 21 @ 7:30 PM; Sun Feb 22 @ 2 PM; Fri Feb 27 @ 7:30 PM; Sat Feb 28 @ 7:30 PM; Sun March 1 @ 2 PM
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.
Source: Menomonie Theater Guild News Release
Free Clinic Celebrates 21 Years
Gifts of the Heart Gala Saturday Feb 14
By Ann Schram, Clinic Director
As we begin 2026, we are proud to celebrate a significant milestone: 21 years of service to our community. Since opening our doors in 2005, the Free Clinic has provided compassionate, high‑quality care to individuals with no other access to healthcare. Over the past two decades, we have served more than 4,315 unique patients and completed over 14,175 visits—each one a testament to our mission and the generosity of our supporters.
Our patients come to us during some of the most uncertain times of their lives. Some need help just once; others rely on our support for months or even years, depending on their personal situations. Every six months, patients complete an eligibility intake and receive guidance on local resources and insurance options when available.
Thank you for the Free Clinic. Without it, I don’t know where I would go for healthcare.
This sentiment is echoed throughout our clinic. From the moment patients arrive, they are welcomed by dedicated volunteers who make our work possible. Our providers offer not only medical care, but also a listening ear and a sense of hope. Many patients come to us after months of being unable to afford a doctor’s visit or needed medications—often facing heartbreaking choices between feeding their families or paying for prescriptions such as antidepressants, blood pressure medications, or insulin.
Eligible patients receive medication refills, laboratory testing, limited radiology exams, and specialty referrals through Mayo Clinic Health System—all at no cost. We are also grateful to our community partners: Menomonie Eye and Optical and Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic & Optical for providing eye‑care referrals, and the Dunn County Community Foundation, whose generous grant has allowed us to continue offering dental referrals.
As we celebrate 21 years, we remain committed to our mission and thankful for the volunteers, donors, and partners who make our work possible. Your continued support ensures that we can keep providing care, compassion, and hope to those who need it most.
How to Connect with the Free Clinic
To Schedule an Appointment:
Call 715‑308‑3808
Visit www.menomoniefreeclinic.org for eligibility criteria
Join Us: Gifts of the Heart Gala
Celebrate the care we bring to our community with an elegant evening featuring a live and silent auction, exceptional cuisine by UW‑Stout Catering, and live music by Rich Schroeder.
Date: Saturday, February 14
Time: 5–8 pm
Location: UW–Stout Memorial Student Center, Fireside Terrace
Click to order tickets
Listen to Our Story
Hear more about the Free Clinic on a recent episode of Menomonie Talk, a podcast presented by Jackie Hunt, State Farm Insurance.
You may make a donation to The Free Clinic HERE.
Ann Schram, RN is the Free Clinic Director [email protected] 715-308-3808
Comedy Show at UW-Stout
Aiko Tanaka show is free and open to the public
Facebook photo
Blue Devil Productions Thursday, January 29 from 7 - 8pm for a comedy show at the MSC Terrace with Aiko Tanaka Comedy. The events free and open to the public.
Find out more about Aiko Tanaka on her website
Source: Blue Devil Productions webpage
Spring Election Update: Sample Feb 17 Primary Election Ballot
By MNN Staff
Includes:
Glenwood City School Board (Towns of New Haven, Stanton, Tiffany and Village of Downing)
Mayor (City of Menomonie)
Interview with WI Supreme Court Justice Candidate Maria Lazar
Submitted photo
By Jan Morlock
In April, Wisconsin will elect a new Supreme Court Justice. The League of Women Voters of the Greater Chippewa Valley invites all voters to join us to meet the candidates in person.
Interview with candidate Maria Lazar will be on Wed, February 4 at 5 - 6:30 pm in Harvey Hall Theater, UW Stout, 721 3rd St E, Menomonie.
On December 6, candidate Chris Taylor joined us for an in-person interview. You can view that event here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJeU1WjBUSU
Maria Lazar is Judge of the WI Court of Appeals for District II, based in Waukesha. Candidate Chris Taylor is currently Judge of the WI Court of Appeals for District IV, based in Madison.
Event co-sponsors are the Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation at UW-Stout, Community Conversations, and The League of Women Voters-St. Croix Valley Chapter.
Parking is suggested at meters on the street, or in metered spaces in the City of Menomonie Lot 2, in the 300 block of Wilson Avenue by the AT&T Telephone building. Please note that public parking in UW Stout lots is limited to pay-to-park areas only.
Questions are welcome to Jan Morlock at [email protected]
Public Hearing for Proposed Housing Ordinance at Feb 2 City Council Meeting
By Reba Krueger, GROWW
Menomonie - On Monday, February 2, Menomonie City Council will hold a public hearing on a new proposed renter protections ordinance, Menomonie SHIELD (Safe Housing, Inspections, Enforcement and Landlord Development). This ordinance would initiate a proactive rental inspections program to improve the quality and safety of rental homes around the city.
If passed, SHIELD’s rental inspection program would initially focus on a small area south of the university and hold property owners accountable to a minimum standard of health and safety, while offering time and opportunity to make repairs.
This ordinance was originally proposed by members of GROWW (GrassRoots Organizing in Western Wisconsin). In the summer of 2024, GROWW launched a campaign to study housing in Menomonie where they engaged 250 members of the community through a mix of door knocking, listening sessions, digital outreach, and one-to-one meetings.
Two thirds of residents in Menomonie are renters. In a Community Housing Report renters shared that some landlords had been unresponsive to maintenance requests or that they avoid requesting or reporting important issues out of fear of retaliation.
Prior to a change in state legislation in 2017, every rental in Menomonie was inspected yearly. However, in the past five years, the city has only inspected five percent of the rental properties in city limits.
The public hearing for the SHIELD ordinance will be held Monday, February 2, at 7:00 pm in the City Council Chambers, 800 Wilson Ave.
Reba Krueger may be reached at [email protected]
By Judy Foust
Dear Readers,
I apologize for not having a column ready for you this week. And I'm not blaming the graduate! Rather, I'm blaming my laptop which decided to roll over and play dead on Saturday. Try as I might, I couldn't convince it to come back to life. Since I wouldn't be able to get my laptop repaired for several days, I tried to compose the article on the small screen of my iPad. Two frustrating hours later, I realized that this was not going to work.
My computer returned home repaired Tuesday night- but too late for writing the column.
I encourage you to read the interesting story of next week's MHS graduate. I assure you it will be well worth the wait!
Judy Foust
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]
Red Cross Hosts Local Blood Drives During February
Six scheduled blood donation opportunities in Menomonie
By MNN Staff
There are six Red Cross blood donation opportunities in February being offered in Menomonie:
Wednesday, Feb 4: Dunn County Govt Ctr, 9am - 3pm
Thursday, Feb 5: Phillips Medisize, 11am - 5pm
Thursday, Feb 5: Christ Lutheran Church, Noon - 6pm
Monday, Feb 9: Alliance Church, 11:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday, Feb 10: Cedarbrook Church, 10am - 4pm
Friday, Feb 13: Menomonie Leisure Ctr, 9am - 3pm
For more information visit the Red Cross scheduling page.
From The American Red Cross….
The national blood supply remains at critically low levels, the storm putting additional strain on our ability to rebuild the blood supply. The storm has canceled more than 100 blood drives in nearly every state where the Red Cross collects blood ─ more than 3,500 blood and platelet donations have gone uncollected.
Individuals are urged to give blood now. Visit redcrossblood.org for more information.
Compiled by MNN Staff
City of Menomonie News Releases
Nonprofit Financial Assistance Grants Application Now Open
MENOMONIE – The City of Menomonie is now accepting applications for its Nonprofit Financial Assistance Grant, a funding opportunity designed to support local nonprofit organizations working to enhance the quality of life for Menomonie residents.
This competitive grant program provides financial assistance for projects or programs that deliver clear, measurable community benefits and align with the City’s priorities for civic enrichment, equity, sustainability, and overall livability. Eligible nonprofit organizations may apply for funding of up to $20,000 per award.
Priority consideration is given to initiatives that:
Improve quality of life for a broad segment of the Menomonie community
Promote equitable access to services and opportunities
Encourage innovation, collaboration, or cultural enrichment
Enhance Menomonie’s appeal as a vibrant and welcoming community
To ensure responsible use of taxpayer resources, applicants must demonstrate a clear community need, identify the public benefit of their proposed initiative, and outline a plan for long-term sustainability beyond City funding. Organizations that have previously received City funding are required to describe steps taken to reduce reliance on municipal support.
Eligible applicants must be registered nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) or equivalent that operate within or directly benefit residents of the City of Menomonie. Organizations that have received economic development financing from the City are not eligible to apply.
Complete application details, required documents, and the Nonprofit Financial Assistance Grant Program Fact Sheet are available on the City’s website through the Newsflash and the City Council webpages.
Completed applications and all required attachments must be submitted via email to the Office of the Mayor at [email protected] by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Grant award decisions will be made by the Menomonie City Council, with funding determinations issued no later than the second Council meeting in March. Applicants will be notified following Council action.
Ward 9 Alderperson Vacancy and Call for Applicants
The City of Menomonie is accepting applications to fill a vacancy in the Ward 9 Alderperson position.
The individual appointed will serve the remainder of the current term through April 2027, at which time the position will be filled through the regular election process.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and must currently reside within the boundaries of Ward 9, which is generally located on the southeast side of the City. A map of the City’s ward boundaries is available on the City’s website or may be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 800 Wilson Avenue, Menomonie, Wisconsin 54751.
Interested residents should submit a Letter of Interest to the City Clerk in person, by mail, or by email to [email protected]. Letters of Interest should include the applicant’s name, address, and a brief biography and must not exceed two pages in length.
Letters of Interest must be received by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Late submissions will not be considered.
The Menomonie City Council will review all Letters of Interest at its February 16, 2026 meeting, at which time it will consider appointing a replacement Ward 9 Alderperson.
Read the formal notice linked below for more information.
Source: City of Menomonie webpage
Public Meetings: Week of Jan 28-Feb 4
Staff photo
City of Menomonie
Mon Feb 2 City Council, 7pm
Click HERE for full calendar.
School District of Menomonie
No meetings scheduled.
Click HERE for full calendar additional details
Dunn County
Wed Jan 28 Facilities Committee, 5pm
Mon Feb 2 Fair Board Meeting, 5:30pm
Wed Feb 4 Planning, Resource & Development Committee, 8:30am
Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting
MHS Extracurricular Activities
Compiled from MHS Daily Announcements
Compiled by MNN Staff
Wednesday, January 21
Congratulations to Lauren McCalla on being named the 2025-26 Gatorade Wisconsin Girls Cross Country Player of the Year. Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes McCalla as Wisconsin’s best high school girls cross country athlete, and she joins an elite legacy!
On Monday the Girls Basketball Team took on Elk Mound. After falling behind 14-0 The Mustangs came back to win 66-55. Jordan Ohman led the Mustangs with 26 points, 9 Rebounds and 8 Assists. Lauren Ohman added 18 points in the victory.
The Boys Hockey Team got hit with a handful of injuries & sickness so the JV game was canceled against New Richmond. In the Varsity game, goalie Davin Ellis played phenomenal, seeing nearly 50 shots. Cooper Marincel started off the scoring with a goal and then 2 more by Brekkin Cody. The game went into double overtime and ended in a 3-3 tie.
The CFM Girls Hockey Team battled hard and earned a conference win over the Hudson Raiders 2-1. Scoring for the Sabers Avery Lindstrom from Chi Hi and Allison Xu from MHS.
Congratulations to the Boys Basketball Team on their 64-53 win over Chippewa Falls. Leading all scorers was Trevor Robert with 24.
Last night the Boys Swim Team went on the road and defeated the Wausau East Lumberjacks. The team of Thomas Seim, Eric Zydowsky, Ryan Rood, and William McKnight started off the night taking first in the 200 Medley Relay, while the team of Seim, Rood, McKnight, and Eirik Erickson finished the night taking first place in the 400 Freestyle Relay. The teams battled back and forth for first overall throughout the night, but with Menomonie's first place finishes coming from McKnight in the 50 Freestyle and 500 Freestyle events, Rood in the 100 Freestyle, and Zydowsky in the 100 Backstroke the team swam away with first place overall.
Monday, January 26
Congratulations to the Varsity Dance Team. Their performances at regionals this weekend earned them a spot in the state tournament. They placed 4th in D3 pom and 2nd in D2 hip hop. Jess Mensing and Marci Braatz also placed in the top half with their solos and will be advancing to state for all state finals.
The Girls Basketball Team won their 10th game of the season on Thursday beating the visiting River Falls Wildcats 70-50. The Mustangs had 4 girls scoring in double digits. Jordan Ohman had 26 points, Lauren Ohman had 15, Emmi Marlett added 14 points and Reece Barfknect added 10 points. Barfknect also added 8 rebounds and 5 assists in the victory.
Congratulations to the CFM Sabers Girls Hockey Team on a HUGE section win against Black River Falls Tigers 2-1! Aubrie Dowd had an amazing game in net stopping 40 shots! Scoring by Rhylee Buesgen from Chi Hi and Allison Xu from Menomonie.
Boys Varsity Hockey went to Hudson knowing they were facing the top team in WI. The Menomonie boys did not give up and played hard, ending the game with a respectable loss of 5-2. Goals by Brekkin Cody & Liam Wachewicz.
McCalla Adds Gatorade Honor to Growing Resume
Menomonie Senior Caps Dominant Cross Country Season with Top State Honor
Menomonie’s Lauren McCalla won every cross country meet she ran last fall on Wisconsin soil, including capturing the Division 1 crown by 15 seconds. McCalla recently was selected as the Wisconsin Gatorade Cross Country Athletic of the Year. Photo: Joel Anderson
By MNN Staff
MENOMONIE - Lauren McCalla's trophy case is getting pretty full.
The Menomonie High School senior distance runner was selected as the 2025-26 Gatorade Wisconsin Girls Cross Country Player of the Year. The award recognizes McCalla as Wisconsin’s best high school girls cross country athlete.
The 5-foot-6 senior won the WIAA Division 1 state meet last fall with a class meet record time of 17:26.4, breaking the tape 15 seconds ahead of her next-nearest competitor in leading the Mustangs to a fourth-place team finish. A two-time First Team All-State selection, McCalla broke the state 5k record at the Old Abe Invite by clocking 16:52.0. She won 9 of her 13 races during the season, also placing 16th at the Brooks Cross Country Championships.
McCalla has volunteered locally as an instructor for Run N’ Fun class each summer, working with middle school and elementary school students in building healthy activity habits. She has also donated her time with Mind Over Matter, a local non-profit initiative that organizes road races for the fundraising purpose of providing scholarships for underserved youth to attend summer camps.
In the classroom, McCalla has maintained a 3.99 grade point average. She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to run at the University of Washington this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate.
Menomonie Collegians
College Men’s Track and Field Season Underway
Menomonie native David Brown is a junior on the Anderson, S.C., University men's track and field team, competing in the multi-events. Photo: Anderson University
By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor
ANDERSON, S.C. - David Brown has built a versatile collegiate track and field career as a multi-event athlete and pole vaulter, competing extensively in the heptathlon, decathlon and individual events for NCAA Division II Anderson University in Anderson, S.C..
Brown, who homeschooled but competed at Menomonie High School, recorded a career-best 5,360 points in the decathlon at the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Outdoor Championships, placing seventh overall while earning top-five finishes in the long jump and high jump and a third-place mark in the discus. Indoors, Brown posted a career-best 4,322 points in the heptathlon to finish third at the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Championships, adding a fifth-place finish in the individual pole vault.
Starting off the 2026 season, the junior has continued to improve in the pole vault, clearing a personal-best 4.35 meters (14-3.25) at the 2026 Tryon Winter Classic, Jan. 17 and also set a personal-best in the 200-meter (25.08 seconds). At the Orange and Purple Invitational at Clemson University Jan. 23, Brown set a personal-best in the 60-hurdles (8.91 seconds) and was fractions of an inch short of his personal-best in the long jump.
Josh Boyette has developed into a versatile multi-event athlete for the UW-Stout, competing in both the heptathlon and decathlon during his collegiate career. As a sophomore in 2025, he posted a season-best 4,474 points in the heptathlon to place 10th at the WIAC Indoor Championships and added a ninth-place finish in the decathlon at the WIAC Outdoor Championships with 5,921 points, recording season bests in the 110 hurdles, discus and 1,500 meters. During his freshman season, Boyette gained valuable championship experience, scoring 5,344 points in the decathlon at WIAC outoor championship. A 2022 Menomonie High School graduate, he was the Big Rivers Conference pole vault champion and part of Big Rivers Conference championship teams in 2021 and 2022. Boyette competed in the Blue Devils' season opener at UW-La Crosse, Saturday, competing in the pole vault.
Peter Cimino gained valuable experience during his freshman cross country season, competing in five meets for the Blue Devils. He opened the year with a 20th-place finish at the Toni St. Pierre Invitational and posted his top 8K finish with a 22nd-place showing at the Interregional Invitational. In his freshman year last fall, Cimino capped the season at the WIAC Championships, recording a time of 26:41.6. The Blue Devils return to action this weekend when they host the annual Warren Bowlus Open, Jan. 30-31 in the UW-Stout Sports and Fitness Center.
Grant Burns is looking forward to making his debut for Taylor University in Upland, Ind. Burns was a freshman member of the Taylor cross country team, but sat the season out as he worked his way back from a foot injury. In December, Burns was optimistic he would be able to begin workouts for the indoor season with the intent to return to competition for the outdoor track and field season. Burns was a seven-time letterwinner as a distance runner for the MHS boys cross country and track and field teams.
Layne Pitt retired as the longest-serving sports information director UW-Stout 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/
For a Calendar of Events in the Menomonie Area, visit Kathy Weber’s Menomonie Minute.
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