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Menomonie News Net
July 23, 2025, Issue 36
Local News Group
July 23, 2025
Welcome to Issue 36 of Menomonie News Net. If you missed previous Issues, you can catch up HERE.
This issue features our county fair this week, a class of ‘77 MHS grad and a preview of the fall sports season. Thanks for reading.
Comment this week from a reader: “I love your newspaper!” And we love our members/subscribers. Thank you for telling others you enjoy MNN…and encouraging them to subscribe and/or donate.
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Editors: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Advisory Board Volunteers; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz
In this Issue…
Dunn County Fair to Feature Festive Planters among ‘Stars, Stripes and Summer Nights’
Dunn County Fair Runs through Sunday
Menomonie — The Dunn County Fair is turning up the charm this summer with the debut of its Planter/Container Decorating Contest, bringing bursts of color and creativity to the fairgrounds.
Local organizations have been invited to craft festive, themed planters inspired by this year’s theme: “Stars, Stripes and Summer Nights,” said Deb Gotlibson, President of the Dunn County Fair Board.
The fair returns this year on Wednesday, July 23, and concludes on Sunday, July 27. Since 1885, the residents of Dunn County and western Wisconsin have been able to enjoy the Dunn County Fair in July.
Scattered throughout the grounds this year, the planters will serve not only as eye-catching decor but as a celebration of community spirit, Gotlibson said.
“Adding the planter contest is a simple idea with a big impact,” Gotlibson said. “It creates a welcoming visual experience while showcasing the creativity of groups across Dunn County.”
Participating organizations can use anything they want for the container and will receive a $20 donation for their participation. Judging takes place Tuesday afternoon, July 22. The planters then will be distributed among the fairgrounds, and the organizations can retrieve them after the fair.
Gotlibson also said she is excited that a petting zoo, replete with a bearded dragon, will be back at the zoo. It will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
“It will be an assortment of animals, and they will switch them out as needed so the animals get a break,” she said.
Admission remains at $5 for the day or $15 for the season. Children six and under are free, as is parking.
“You can come here and get a lot of fun for just $5,” Gotlibson said.
The usual popular fixtures such as the grandstand entertainment and midway rides are back.
Spectrum Carnival is providing rides on the midway. An economical way to purchase ride tickets is through either the Mega Pass Ride Armband ($90 in advance or $110 at the ticket booth) for the 40 hours of riding at the fair, or the Daily Unlimited Ride Wristband for $25 in advance and $35 at the ticket booth. All rides are $2 on Thursday.
The acts on the iHeartMedia Free Stage are Home Grown Tomatoes Band, 6 p.m., Wednesday; Boots & Bling, 6 p.m., Thursday; Tucker Baker Band, 7 p.m., Friday; Bear Creek Band, 7 p.m. Saturday; and The Memories Gospel Show, noon, Dunn County 4-H Awards Ceremony, 1 p.m., and The Memories Variety Show, 2:30 p.m., Sunday.
Click here for details on the iHeartMedia Free Stage performers.
Red Cedar Races will be held at the grandstand at 7 p.m. July 24 and July 25, while the National Tractor Pullers Association Regional National Tractor Pull will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26. Gotlibson said they have dropped the prices for the national tractor pull to allow more people to attend. A demolition derby will be held at 3 p.m. July 27.
Summer Showdown beef judging will be at 1 p.m., Friday, July 25. The popular meat animal auction will be held at 5 p.m. July 26, and the Little Britches Show will be held at 10 a.m. July 27.
As for that ever-popular fair food, Gotlibson said, “We have at least one new food vendor. We have some great fair food here.”
Volunteers are always needed to help with the fair, Gotlibson said. She encouraged people to visit the website at dunncountyfair.org for details and for forms to enter the various judging classes.
Fair Schedule here.
Source: News Release
Used Book Sale
Dunn County Association for Home & Community Education (HCE) will be holding a Used Book Sale at the Dunn County Fair. It will be held in the Fanetti Room of the Hockey Arena. Hours: Thurs-Sat: Noon to 7 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 3:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the sale will go to sponsor the Bookworm Program which puts sets of 7 books into the hands of Dunn County 4-year-olds each year. Volunteers from local HCE clubs read the books to children in their classroom (one a month for seven months) and the books are then sent home with the children for them to keep.
For more information email [email protected]
Source: HCE
Menomonie is in a Local News Desert: Here’s Why That Matters
by Toby Mohr
MENOMONIE (WQOW) - Dunn County is in a 'local news desert' according to a new report, leaving community members working to fill the gap.
The Local Journalist Index report by Muck Rack and the nonprofit Rebuild Local News calls it a "stunning collapse in local news reporting" around the country.
In 2002, U.S. counties averaged 40 full time journalists per 100,000 residents. Now that average is just 8.2 journalists per 100,000 residents, a 75% drop according to the report.
In Dunn County, the index reports 0.1 full-time-equivalent journalists in the county.
"The information is not going to get out there unless someone writes about it," said UW-Stout journalism and mass communication professor Kate Roberts Edenborg.
She says the lack of local news affects the county at both the government and the community levels. Without local news, people are less informed about what their government is doing.
"There's access to the information, there always has been," Roberts Edenborg said. "The agendas and minutes are there, but to sift through all that as a community member is a pain."
That's what journalists do: sift through that public information and ask questions to find out what it means for residents. They also tell stories about the people living in the community, helping people connect with their neighbors.
"There's obviously value in both, but I think there's that missing piece of connection within the community because we don't have that," Roberts Edenborg said.
There are people in Dunn County who report the news, but don't meet the full-time criteria of the Local Journalist Index, click here to read about the methods used in the report.
The Library of Congress lists two active newspapers in Dunn County, The Dunn County News, which is a satellite of the Chippewa Herald, and The Colfax Messenger, which lists one writer on its website. Roberts Edenborg says community members are working on their own to fill the gap.
"There's not probably a lot of journalists per se, but there's a lot of people trying to do the work of journalism," she said.
Menomonie News Net is a nonprofit news outlet run by volunteers and other citizens use websites to write about what's going on.
Roberts Edenborg works with UW-Stout journalism students to write stories about the community, but she says it can be difficult for individual people to reach wide audiences.
"I see sometimes another website or there's a couple of other podcasts that are related to informing the community," she said. "So there's information out there, it's just figuring out how to pull it all together."
Dunn County, and other parts of western Wisconsin face some geographical challenges for local news. Most of Dunn County is closer to Eau Claire, but the county technically falls within the Twin Cities TV market.
Pepin County faces the same problem, also counting just 0.1 full-time journalists per 100,000 residents.
Eau Claire County counts 22.1 full-time-equivalent journalists per 100,000 residents. Wisconsin as a whole counts 11.4. Click here for the full nationwide report.
Toby Mohr, from Sparta, is a multi-media journalist at News 18.
Click here to read the full article. (Published with permission).
Editor’s Note: An additional segment of this WQOW story featured Menomonie’s Kathy Weber, Menomonie Minute and Steve Hanson, Eye on Dunn.
Dunn County Officials Hail Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision Involving Child Sexual Assault
MENOMONIE - Dunn County officials are hailing a unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court decision that reinstated a Dunn County 2017 child sexual assault conviction.
Dunn County District Attorney Andrea Nodolf said the case, which she prosecuted, illustrates how critical the testimony of child victims is in these types of cases. Sensitive cases are dramatically weakened if the victim can’t testify or declines to take the stand, she said.
“As a prosecutor, I would never force a child to testify,” Nodolf said. “Some children can handle testifying and some can’t. That means, unfortunately, we have to make plea agreements in sexual assault cases because the victim is unavailable for testifying."
Nodolf was the prosecuting attorney when a Dunn County jury in 2017 convicted Jobert Molde of two child sexual assault charges. Those charges were set aside by the 3rd District Court of Appeals after Molde claimed his attorney was ineffective for not challenging expert witness testimony.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 7-0 decision, soundly rejected that argument and reversed the appellate court, reinstating the convictions. The decision was released on June 13, 2025.
Nodolf applauded the decision and noted that a unanimous decision is unusual. Nodolf added that the concurring opinion by now Chief Justice Jill Karofsky is a huge win for young victims.
“Justice Karofsky’s opinion explains the problems we face every day in prosecuting these crimes and the pressure it places on victims, especially when they are children.” Nodolf said.
The Supreme Court said the testimony of the victim was “crucial evidence” in convicting Molde. Karofsky said she wrote her concurring opinion “to elevate the voice” of the child victim, “whose courage and perseverance allowed her to overcome the ‘herculean task of reporting sexual abuse.’ “
The victim was assaulted at eight or nine years old, Karofsky said, and five years later “found her voice” to report the crimes, restate her story during a forensic interview, and relay it again on the witness stand.
Of note, Chief Justice Karofsky was critical of the appellate court rejecting the credibility of the witness because of a lack of other evidence, the time it took to report the crime and other factors.
“These assertions are as disconcerting as they are misguided,” Karofsky wrote. “They are predicated upon damaging and victim-blaming misperceptions.”
The victim, Karofsky said, “defied the odds in reporting her abuse,” adding, “Child sexual assault victims must overcome near insurmountable barriers to reporting abuse and achieving justice. When these brave children speak, courts must ensure they are heard.”
Contact: District Attorney Andrea Nodolf 715-232-1687
Andrea Nodolf
Source: Dunn County News Release
Benefit for Dunn County Historical Society
Menomonie Moose Lodge will hold a chicken dinner on Saturday, July 26 from 5-7 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Dunn County Historical Society.
Source: Facebook Page
Ben Seguin Earns Wisconsin 4-H Key Award
Submitted photo
Madison - Ben Sequin of Menomonie, Wisconsin has been selected as the University of Wisconsin, Dunn County 4-H’s Key Award winner for 2025.
This prestigious award is one of the highest recognitions that a 4-H member can receive. Earning the 4-H Key Award is an honor of distinction that only a select few 4-H participants may obtain. Because Ben has already earned the 4-H Citizenship, Achievement, and Leadership awards, he qualified for the Key Award, but what set Ben apart was his increased participation in 4-H, and his development of leadership skills that he learned through his active involvement in his club and community.
Ben has been an active member of the Cedarlings 4-H Club for 12 years. During that time, he participated in the Youth Action Council, was a camp counselor for the Tri-County 4-H Camp at the Wisconsin Farmer’s Union Kamp Kenwood and exhibited at the Dunn County Fair. Some of the Projects that he has done is Aerospace, Arts and Crafts Photography, Woodworking, music, Mechanical Sciences, Shooting Sports, Quilting, Foods and Nutrition, plus Flowers and Houseplants. Besides exhibiting, Ben has also helped the fair judges and superintendents with tasks such as moving projects and stapling ribbons onto the winning projects.
During Ben’s time as a 4-H member, he has held several offices. He has been a Club Historian, Club Secretary, Club Treasurer, and Club President. He also served as Youth Action Council President for two years.
At a national level, Ben attended Citizenship Washington Focus where he participated in leadership training, toured museums and monuments and met 4-H’ers from around the country
.“4-H has taught me many skills. I have been deeply involved in 4-H activities at all levels. I enjoy 4-H because I get to meet people from many different places I wouldn’t have met otherwise” – Ben Sequin
For information contact Zachary Rozmiarek, Dunn County 4-H Educator, 715-308-8616.
Source: News Release
MHS Grads: Where are They Now?
Leila Heise - Class of 1977
By Judy Foust This week’s spotlighted MHS graduate is Leila Heise from the class of 1977. This interview was conducted by phone to Leila in Dallas, Texas. Leila’s fondest memories of life at MHS revolved around the theater. Her dream was to be an actress, as evidenced by the fact that she performed in every play that was produced during her high school years. We specifically talked about her starring role as Winifred the Woebegone in the musical “Once Upon a Mattress” directed by one of Menomonie’s premier teachers/directors—Ellwynn Hendrickson. Forensics—so closely related to drama—was another important part of her life at this time.  Senior picture Submitted photo After graduation Leila attended UW-Stout for one semester and then transferred to Yankton College in Vermillion, SD, where she majored in theater. During her sophomore year, she went to the Black Hills Playhouse to gain acting experience. Unfortunately, Leila dislocated her knee the first week she was there so was unable to do any acting. But fortunately, she began working with Dean Mogle, costume designer with the University of South Dakota-Vermillion and the Black Hills Playhouse. Seeing promise in her sewing abilities and creativity, he encouraged her to go into costume design. Following Mogle’s advice, she earned a BFA in costume design and construction from Yankton College. In 1986 Leila moved to Dallas, Texas, where she still resides today. She first worked with the Dallas Theater Center, one of the most noted regional theaters in the country. In the late 1990’s, Leila began working in the film industry, starting with two children’s series “Barney” and “Wishbone.” Among the movies she has worked on are “Prison Break,” “Chase,” and “Good Guys.” While she was working on a Chuck E. Cheese promotional video, Leila received a call from the producer of a | crowd-funded religious series. She signed on as the costume designer for “The Chosen,” a series about the life of Christ, and has been with the series for its six seasons.  from “The Chosen” Submitted photo Leila said that one of her most amazing experiences on this series was the month she spent in Matera, Italy. Matera is located in the “heel of the boot” of the country and was built in 1200 B.C. While working in Italy, she also got to visit Pompeii, the ancient city which was buried by the 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Because of her career demands, Leila is unable to visit relatives and friends in Menomonie often but is planning to return in the late summer or early fall.  Submitted photo Leila Heise’s story is dramatic, adventurous, and fulfilling…all because of a dislocated knee!  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] |
New Book Provides Compelling Example on Becoming an Environmental Leader
Menomonie, WI — Local author Mark Leach tells the stories of “Mr. Prairie Enthusiast”, Gary Eldred, in the new book, Healing Wounds: Giving Back to Nature. Set in the Wisconsin driftless area and prairies of the American Midwest, this memoir invites readers into a richly drawn landscape filled with tradition, resilience, and the healing capacity of native prairies.
Gary Eldred grew up without the training you might expect from a leader, but through his determination to “give back to nature” he fostered a regional non-profit, The Prairie Enthusiasts.
Two public release events will be held on Wed July 30: at Dragon Tale Books, 216 Main St. East at 2 pm; and at Brewery Nonic, 621 4th St W, at 6 pm. Attendees will enjoy a live reading, Q&A session, book signing, and the chance to connect with the authors.
Source: News Release
SDMA Impacted by New State Budget
School Crossings Column for July
By Joe Zydowsky
Local impacts of the newly signed 2025-2027 State Biennial Budget:
School revenues funded by local property taxes increased by $325/student each year
Reimbursements for mandated special education expenses funded by the state increased to approximately 40%
Open enrollment program costs increased (estimated to cost the SDMA budget $86,000)
Private school voucher program costs funded by local property taxes increased to over $1.1 million in the SDMA
Earlier this month, Governor Tony Evers and a bipartisan group of legislators in Madison agreed upon a new biennial budget that will determine state spending for the next two years. In a race against new federal legislation which would have limited the state’s ability to increase health care funding, months of negotiations and advocacy were quickly whittled down into a compromise that appears to fall short of adequately supporting schools and local taxpayers.
Coming into this year’s budget negotiations with a large state surplus, school officials were hopeful that state lawmakers would finally fix Wisconsin’s inequitable school revenue limits and address years of inadequate funding for mandated special education services. Since the early 1990’s, inequitable revenue limits have created a big disparity in how much funding school districts across Wisconsin are allowed, while state and federal funding covers less than half of the costs for educating children with special needs. This results in Menomonie’s revenue being about $4 million less than it should be, and the SDMA is forced to transfer about $5 million each year to cover underfunded expenses in the special education budget. Clearly, this is not a fair or sustainable way to fund our schools!
Based on the previous biennial budget, Wisconsin schools will be allowed to raise revenue by $325 per student during each year of the 2025-2027 biennium, but nothing was included in the new state budget to address inequities in the revenue limits or to ensure that school funding will keep up with inflation. Lawmakers did not use any of the large state surplus to provide state funding for the revenue limit increases, which means that new school revenues will need to be fully funded by increases to local property tax levies.
Thankfully, an increase to special education reimbursement rates should reduce how much the SDMA needs to transfer from the general fund to pay for special education services. The new reimbursement rates are only about half of what was requested by school officials, but it is projected that $415,000 of expenses in the SDMA will now come from the state budget instead of the general fund.
Major reductions have already been made to the SDMA budget to adjust to new funding levels, but the current school district budget is not sustainable. In addition to eliminating the French program and building-level technology support, the district has cut budget contingencies and deferred funding for capital maintenance. Closing Downsville Elementary School will reduce a small part of the 2025-26 budget, but unless the district continues to cut expenses by eliminating programming and services or by letting facilities go into a state of disrepair, a referendum will almost certainly be needed in the near future.
If school families or community members have any questions or concerns about the school district, please do not hesitate to email [email protected], call 715-232-1642 ext. 11111, or visit with me at the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue.
Joe Zydowsky is the SDMA Administrator.
Public Meetings: Week of July 23 - 30
Staff photo
City of Menomonie
No meetings scheduled
Click HERE for full calendar.
Click here to view July 21 City Council meeting. (Thanks to Steve Hanson, Eye on Dunn, videographer).
School District of Menomonie
Mon 7/28 - Board of Education @ 5:45pm - ASC Board Room
Click HERE for full calendar additional details.
Click here to view July 14 School Board meeting. (Steve Hanson, Eye on Dunn, videographer)
Dunn County
Wed - 7/23 - Executive Committee @3:30pm
Thur - 7/24 - Health & Human Services Committee @6:00pm
Mon - 7/28 - Judiciary & Law Committee Meeting @4:30pm-5:30pm
Wed - 7/30 - Dunn County Board of Supervisors @7pm-8pm
Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting
Menomonie Events at a Glance
Photo: Debra Bell
Wed July 23 Farmer’s Market- 10am - 6pm; Dunn County Fair
Thur July 24 - Mansions & Tea Trolley Tour 1 - 4pm; Music Over Menomin - 7 pm - Wilson Park (Weapons of Brass Destruction); Dunn County Fair
Fri July 25 - Dunn County Fair
Sat July 26 - Farmer’s Market - 8am - 1 pm
Sun July 27 - Dunn County Fair
Tue July 29 - Ludington Guard Band Concert - 7:30 pm - Wilson Park
Wed July 30 - Blood Drive - First Congo Church - 9am-3pm; Farmers Market 10am - 6pm
Football Season Just Around the Corner
Mustangs, Blue Devils Prep for 2025 Season
The 1922 Menomonie High School football team. Photo: H. Larson, Mpls
By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor
MENOMONIE — With NFL training camps underway, the return of football is being felt at all levels — including in Menomonie.
Menomonie High School recently updated its athletics website, with athletic director Matt Riley noting that while a few technical issues remain, it should be fully functional in the coming weeks. The new site, produced by PlayonSports, is more user-friendly and will be a key resource during the school year.
In addition to schedule updates, Menomonie football history is getting a boost. Chad Zutter, the “Voice of the Mustangs” since 2019, has compiled a 40-page book titled Menomonie High School Football History & Record Book: 130 Years of Menomonie Football. The book features season-by-season results dating back to 1895, records against opponents, and a summary of the program’s history. It is expected to be available on Amazon in early August.
Among Zutter’s findings is a pair of 1906 games between Menomonie High School and a Manual Training team believed to be UW-Stout’s predecessor. Menomonie won the first game, 6-0, and the teams tied 0-0 in the second.
Menomonie opens its 2025 season Thursday, Aug. 21 at home against Eau Claire North. The Mustangs travel to Marshfield on Aug. 28 and begin Big Rivers Conference play against Hudson on Sept. 5. Homecoming is Sept. 26 vs. Eau Claire Memorial, and the regular season wraps up Oct. 17 vs. Chippewa Falls. The WIAA playoffs begin Oct. 24.
UW-Stout kicks off its season with home games against the University of Dubuque (Sept. 6) and Wartburg College (Sept. 13), both at 1 p.m. WIAC play begins Oct. 4 at UW-Eau Claire. The Blue Devils host UW-Stevens Point for Homecoming on Oct. 25 and conclude the season Nov. 15 against UW-River Falls.
To see the complete 2025 MHS football schedule click here. For the UW-Stout football schedule click here.
Layne Pitt is the retired UW-Stout Sports Information director and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.
Football Season Just Around the Corner 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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