Welcome to Menomonie News Net Vol 2, Issue 21. You can read and search for archived issues and articles HERE.

Today we share observations from the recent election. Your vote does count.

Inviting you to stay informed, connected, engaged…

Editorial Team: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Advisory Team Volunteers; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz

Donate online HERE  OR by mail - check to MNN, PO Box 63, Menomonie

Website: www.menomonienewsnet.org

Submit story ideas to: [email protected]

In this Issue...

• April 7 Local Election Results

• Special City Council Meeting Thurs April 9

• MTG’s Fiddler on the Roof Opens May 1

• Dunn County Highlights Critical Need for Social Wo …

• Women’s Giving Circle Hosts Membership Meeting

• UW-Stout Theater Presents ‘Something Rotten!’

• Don’t Kill the Spiders

• ADRC Staff Present at Local Conference

• The Neighbors: Salad Fundraiser & Adopt a Garden

• Public Meetings: Week of Apr 8-15

• Menomonie Events at a Glance Apr 8-15

• MHS Extracurricular Activities

• Menomonie Collegians: Dylan Norby

April 7 Local Election Results

Matthew Crowe Wins Mayoral Race

By MNN Staff

Unofficial results of the April 7 Spring Election are posted on the Dunn County Clerk’s website. You can view HERE.

A few observations…

Voter Participation: Menomonie saw 10,598 votes cast which is 39% of total registered voters.

Mayor: Matthew Crowe received 2105 votes to Randy Knaack with 1488 votes. Crowe carried nine of the 11 wards with Knaack carrying Wards 1 and 2 (North Menomonie). Crowe becomes only the fourth mayor since the city returned to the mayoral system in the mid-1980s with Chuck Stoke, Dennis Kropp and Randy Knaack preceding him.

City Council: Diane Edwards defeated Matthew Crowe 218-157 in Ward 2. In Ward 4, Gretchen Yonko defeated Lynn Schneider, 87-47. In Ward 6 Leland Schwebs defeated Casie Sulzie, 157-134. In Ward 8, Camden Hargrove defeated Mary Solberg 118-70. In Ward 10, Ryland Erdman defeated Cheryl Bean, 281-177.

Menomonie School Board: Dale Dahlke: 3901 votes; Amy Riddle-Swanson: 3695 votes; Jay Edenborg: 3174 votes; Josie Pillman: 2118 votes; Joseph Eliason: 1960 votes. Incumbents Dahlke and Riddle-Swanson along with newcomer Edenborg will join the board.

Dunn County Board: In District 3, a write-in race since no one filed, Albert Kelly won by two votes, 20-18! Votes do count…

Wisconsin Supreme Court: Chris Taylor received the most votes in Dunn County with 5966 votes to 4390 for Maria Lazar.

Once again, complete results can be found at the Dunn County Clerk’s Webpage.

Special City Council Meeting Thurs April 9

Purpose: to gather input on Data Center Industrial (I-4) District Zoning

The City of Menomonie will hold a Special City Council Meeting on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:00pm in the City Council Chambers (1st Floor, South Wing, City Hall, 800 Wilson Avenue) to gather public input on the Data Center Industrial (I-4) District Zoning.

Community members who wish to provide input are encouraged to attend. Comments received during this meeting will be included in the public record and considered during the drafting of the amendment to the Data Center Industrial (I-4) District Zoning code.

This meeting is for discussion purposes only. No action will be taken.

Source: City of Menomonie Facebook page

MTG’s Fiddler on the Roof Opens May 1

MENOMONIE - Menomonie Theater Guild is thrilled to announce the final production of their 2025-26 season, Fiddler on the Roof, to be performed on the Mabel Tainter Stage on the weekends of May 1-3, and 8-10.

Fiddler on the Roof is a beloved musical classic, with themes that resonate with audiences as meaningfully today as they did at its premiere on Broadway over fifty years ago. Set in the village of Anatevka in Imperial Russia, the show follows Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, as he grapples with upholding religious traditions against a backdrop of encroaching modernity and rising anti-Semitism. He is challenged as his three eldest daughters defy arranged marriages for love, forcing the family to confront the shattering reality of forced emigration from their homeland.

The show explores themes of tradition vs. change, faith, family, and persecution, all symbolized by the image of a fiddler on a roof, trying ever so carefully to maintain a precarious balance. Fiddler on the Roof is filled with memorable music, and theater goers will be treated to well-known songs such as "If I Were a Rich Man", "Sunrise, Sunset", and "Tradition", performed by talented members of our local community.

This production marks a milestone for Director Courtney Eberle, who makes her directorial debut with Menomonie Theater Guild. Typically found center stage, with previous MTG roles including Cinderella in Cinderella and Grace Farrell in Annie, Courtney is excited to take on the challenge of bringing this classic show to life. Courtney invites you to “experience the joys of the music and story while internalizing how themes are prevalent in modern day.”

Tickets are on sale now, and audiences are encouraged to secure their seats early for this highly anticipated production. Join Menomonie Theater Guild this May for an unforgettable theater experience celebrating community, resilience, and the power of tradition!

Tickets: Visit menomonietheaterguild.org or the Menomonie Theater Guild Box Office on Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:30-3:30, for tickets. Prices are $25 for adults, and $23 for students/seniors/military and include all fees.

All performances will take place at the Mabel Tainter Theater, located at 205 Main Street, Menomonie.

Performances: May 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 7:30pm; May 2, 3, 9 and 10 matinees at 2pm.

Menomonie Theater Guild is a nonprofit community theater organization committed to bringing high-quality theatrical productions to the Menomonie area.

Source: News release

Dunn County Highlights Critical Need for Social Workers

MENOMONIE - March was National Social Work Month, and Dunn County Human Services officials say it has become difficult to recruit the social workers who work to protect children, support families, respond to crises and provide mental health care. 

“There are so many good things involved in being a social worker,” said Paula Winter, county Human Services Director. “You are helping in the community, serving your neighbors and seeing people working for recovery and change.” 

However, Winter said, a number of issues are working against finding enough applicants to fill vacant positions. “It’s not the kind of job where you just do your work and go home without thinking about it,” she said. 

Current staffing levels and vacancies include: 

• Family and Children's Social Workers/Case Workers/Managers, which cover programs of child protection, youth justice and family treatment court: 17 positions with one vacancy. “It is pretty typical for us to have a vacancy, or a newly hired worker or two consistently,” Winter said.   

• Crisis/Adult Protection Unit Social Workers/Case Workers/Manager: eight positions with three new workers and one vacancy. “The manager has less than six months in the position,” Winter added. 

• Licensed Mental Health Therapists/Licensed Behavioral Health Manager: six positions with one current vacancy. 

It appears that fewer people are choosing to go into the profession or are having a hard time finding an appropriate educational pathway to a bachelor or master’s social work degree, Winter said.  As a result, fewer candidates are applying for vacant positions. 

“We had one position that only had three applicants,” Winter said.  “That’s a pretty big trend.” 

As a result, she said, counties have had to alter their position requirements.  

“In the past, most counties mandated at a minimum a four-year degree in the field and a social work certification,” Winter said.  “With the limited number of applications and eligible social workers, most counties have moved to a four-year degree in related field as a minimum.” 

For more information, visit the Dunn County website https://dunncountywi.gov/ for current job postings and application instructions. 

Contact: Paula R. Winter, Director of Human Services [email protected] 715-231-2750.

Source: News release

Women’s Giving Circle Hosts Membership Meeting

MENOMONIE - The Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) of Dunn County will host its first event of the year, the Annual Membership Meeting, on Thursday, April 23 at 5:00 p.m. at Kyote’s Den, E2399 WI-29, Menomonie.

This gathering marks the first time members will come together since the organization’s Fall Gala last October, offering an opportunity to reconnect, celebrate past impact, and look ahead to the year’s philanthropic efforts.

The WGC, a group of the Community Foundation of Dunn County (CFDC), brings together women who are passionate about improving the lives of women and children through collective giving. By pooling resources, members support local nonprofits and initiatives that address critical community needs across Dunn County.

The meeting will include updates on upcoming initiatives and provide space for members to engage in meaningful discussion about community priorities. The event will also offer opportunities for networking and welcoming new members interested in joining the WGC.

Register HERE by April 15.

Cost to Attend: $20/member; $10/each additional guest (taco bar meal included).

Community members interested in learning more about the WGC or becoming a member are encouraged to attend.

For additional information, please visit cfdunncounty.org/wgc or call the CFDC at 715-232-8019.

The Women’s Giving Circle of Dunn County is committed to strengthening the community through collective philanthropy. Members contribute annually to a shared fund that supports grants for programs benefiting women and children across Dunn County, while also building a lasting endowment for future impact.

Source: News release

UW-Stout Theater Presents ‘Something Rotten!’

UW-Stout University Theater presents their spring musical, ‘Something Rotten!’ opening on Friday, April 10 and running through April 18. Location is Harvey Hall Theater.

‘Something Rotten!’ is a hilarious 2015 Broadway musical comedy set in 1595, following brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom as they struggle to produce a hit play while living in the shadow of the "Renaissance rock star" William Shakespeare. Desperate for success, they consult a soothsayer to invent the world's first musical.

Performances:

April 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th and 18th at 7:30 p.m & April 12th at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets HERE.

Note: Active and Retired Armed Forces are Free (Must show Military ID at the door).

Source: Facebook event page

Don’t Kill the Spiders

By John Wilkerson, MNN Contributor

As part of MNN’s monthly series, John Wilkerson invites you to give journaling a try in ‘Don’t Kill the Spiders.

When you clean windows for a living, you see the same businesses again and again. Some days you’re working downtown Main Street. Other days you’re in the back recesses of an industrial park, dragging a ladder through an office building or climbing over conveyor belts.

One shop I cleaned was a light fixture dealer. When you walked in, you were hit with the brilliance of a thousand bulbs, all glowing with competing intensity. There were no curtains. Nothing to block the view. At night, the place stayed lit like a beacon. Light fixture stores don’t turn off their lights when the workday ends.

Cleaning the inside glass was easy. The outside was not. The windows were always encrusted with spider silk and bugs. Layers of it. Enough that the business paid a premium to keep the glass clean.

One day I had a new employee working with me. Her job was to clean the window frames after I finished the glass. I didn’t pay much attention at first. Then I noticed her swinging a broom along the side of the building. She was chasing spiders.

The same spiders that had built the webs and caught the bugs I’d just cleaned off the windows. I watched her for a minute longer than necessary.

Something about it didn’t sit right, because if she did a good job, if she cleared every spider from that wall, I knew exactly what would happen. In a few days, maybe a week, those windows would be worse than before.

No spiders. No webs catching bugs. Just bugs, all attracted by the nighttime light, stuck and smeared across the glass with nothing to control them. That was the moment I understood the job. The spiders weren’t the problem. They were part of the system that kept the problem manageable.

When we write, we tend to focus on the window and not the spiders. We want to fill the page with words and feel the joy of knowing our word count mattered. What we tend to forget is that the words may need some help.

Consider the spiders. When you remove them, when you avoid them, when you swat them away, what you’re left with is a page full of surface noise. Random thoughts with nothing holding them in place. When you leave the spiders alone, when you let them stay and even study them, something different happens. They begin to organize your thinking. They catch what matters.

As you think about your own journaling, start looking for the spiders. The thoughts that repeat. The questions that won’t go quiet. The patterns that show up whether you invite them or not.

A question I ask myself repeatedly is this: Am I in front of the wall or behind the wall? The wall is where my mind is thinking from. Am I letting rumination lead my day, or am I stepping forward with mental intent.

Seed your pages with the same questions for a week. Let your answers shift. Let them contradict each other. Let them evolve.

Here are a few of mine:

• What’s the loudest thing in my head?

• Did I speak or write a truth I usually withhold?

• Three things I’m grateful for

• If I could bury one old belief today, what would it be?

• Where did my mind travel today that was fantasy, longing, or fear?

• Three accomplishments for the day

• What’s the next calibrated risk I’ll take?

You don’t need lots of questions or a page full of words. You need the right questions to stay long enough to do their work.

Don’t kill the spiders.

John Wilkerson works most days writing and fiddling with his computer. His new, old, home in Menomonie is constantly subjected to DIY mayhem. His background includes ghost writing, newspaper reporting, and a stretch in marketing and advertising. John may be contacted at [email protected]

ADRC Staff Present at Local Conference

The Neighbors: Salad Fundraiser & Adopt a Garden

Fundraiser Salad Sale April 22

• Order HERE by Friday April 10.

• Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, blue cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, poppyseed dressing, dinner roll (gluten free option available)

• $10 per salad

• Pick up at central (yellow) building lobby on Wed April 22, 10:30am - 1pm

• Proceeds go toward cost-free resident engagement in the community.

As the weather gets nicer, we are looking for volunteers to ‘adopt’ the gardens in front of our households (wings). There isn't a set time, so volunteers can come whenever they wish.

Our residents love looking out the dining room windows to enjoy the plants and flowers, so we’d love to keep them looking nice throughout the year.

Households that have yet to be adopted include: Tender Hearth, Eastbrook, Inglenook, Red Cedar, Deerview and Fireside.
.
If you or your group are interested in ‘adopting’ one (or more) of our household gardens, contact Alyssa Stelter [email protected] for more details.

Source: Facebook post

Public Meetings: Week of Apr 8-15

City of Menomonie

Mon Apr 14 Recreation Advisory Board, 7 pm, Leisure Ctr, 1412 6th St E

Wed Apr 15 Urban Forestry Meeting, 1 pm

Thur Apr 9 Special City Council Meeting - Input/Discussion Data Ctr I-4 Industrial District Zoning, 7pm, PACKET

Click HERE for full calendar.

School District of Menomonie

Mon Apr 13 School Board Meeting, 5:45pm, ASC

Click HERE for full calendar additional details

Dunn County

Tues Apr 14 Executive Committee, 3:30pm

Wed Apr 15 Planning, Resource & Development Committee, 8:30am

Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting

Menomonie Events at a Glance Apr 8-15

Compiled by MNN Staff

Wed Apr 8 Philosopher’s Cafe, 7pm, Brewery Nonic

Thur Apr 9 Red Cross Blood Drive, 10am-4pm, UW-Stout; Kody Green Mental Health Event, 6:30-8:30pm, Mabel Tainter Theater; MAKEit Thursdays, 5-8pm, Rassbach Museum; Pet Adoption Event, 1-4pm, Fleet Farm

Fri Apr 10 Something Rotten, 7:30pm, Harvey Hall UW-Stout; Live Here Now Comedy Show, 8pm, Mabel Tainter Theater

Sat Apr 11 Meet the Author: J Winter, 11am-1pm, Dragon Tale Books; “Screen-Free” Group, 1pm, Public Library; Something Rotten, 7:30pm, Harvey Hall UW-Stout

Sun Apr 12 Something Rotten, 7:30pm, Harvey Hall UW-Stout

Mon Apr 13  MHS Jazz Ensemble with Chase Bucheger, 7:30pm, Mabel Tainter

MHS Extracurricular Activities

Compiled from MHS Daily Announcements

Wednesday, April 1

Congratulations to the Boys Track and Field Team for their outstanding performances at the BRC Indoor relays. 2nd place finishers include Myka Fox in the high jump, and the 4x200m relay team of Javan and DJ Butler, John Gruber and Rylan Holmstadt. First place event winners were DJ Butler in the long jump, Karter LIvingston in the 1600m run, the 4x800m relay team of Evan Olson, Noah Winder, Logan Topper and Owen Pelzel and the throwers 4x200m relay team of Preston Witter, Grant Nigon, Ryan Rood and Rylan Holmstadt. Great job.

The Girls Track and Field Team had a very successful night at the Big Rivers Conference Relay meet on Monday. Event winners included Addison Schuler in the 1600 meter run, the 4 by 400 meter relay team of Addison Schuler, Sydney Norby, Claire Mikesell and Lauren Ohman. The 4 by 800 meter relay team of Bella Drake, Bree Barfknecht, Bennett Schmitt and Lauren McCalla. And the Distance Medley relay team of Bree Barfknecht, Lauren Ohman, Bennett Schmitt and Lauren McCalla. The 4 by 800 relay and the Distance Medley teams both also set new indoor school records and earned All-American status from the National Coaches Association. Congrats to the team and especially Bree, Lauren, Bennett, Lauren and Bella for being All-American athletes! 

Many of the music students participated in District Solo and Ensemble last Saturday. Congratulations to those who had outstanding performances on their class A solos and advanced to state: Eleanor Trotter, Luke Ray, Emma Jacobson and Lucy Dolan.

Tuesday, April 7

Congratulations to the Boys Track and Field Team for their outstanding performance at the UW Stout Elite Meet. The boys finished 2nd of 26 teams. Third place finishes were Myka Fox in the high jump, Luke Ray in the 3200m, Owen Pelzel in the 800m and the 4x400m relay team of Evan Olson, Everett Paulson, Noah Winder and Owen Pelzel. 2nd place finishes were Noah Winder in the 800m while Evan Olson finished first in the 800m run. Special congratulations to freshmen Javan Berg who qualified for all-American status in the 55m dash with a time of 6.63 in the preliminary round. Great job boys team.

Congratulations to MHS Band students who auditioned and were selected for the Wisconsin School Music Association’s Honors All-State Ensembles! Weston Wiersgalla was selected for the Orchestra on bassoon. Treyson Falkner was selected for the Jazz Ensemble on trombone. Noah Olinger was selected as an alternate saxophonist in the Band. Being chosen for these prestigious ensembles recognizes these students as some of the top high school musicians in the state of Wisconsin. Congratulations!

Menomonie Collegians: Dylan Norby

MHS Graduate Dylan Norby Dives on National Stage at Zone A Meet

By SUNY-Binghamton Sports Information

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Junior Dylan Norby represented SUNY-Binghamton at the NCAA Division I Zone A Diving Meet in March 9-11 at Kinney Natatorium on the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy, highlighting a strong showing for the program on the national stage.

Norby, a Menomonie High School graduate who earned a Wisconsin High School state diving title, was joined by freshman Samuel Pikofsky-Christiansen and senior Elizabeth Tirado at the meet, which features top qualifiers from across the region. There are five NCAA Zone Diving Meets held annually, with divers earning spots by reaching qualifying standards during the regular season.

On the men’s side, competitors must score at least 300 points in the one-meter event or 320 in the three-meter competition to qualify. Norby met those marks during the season, as did Pikofsky-Christiansen and sophomore Jacob Koclanis.

This year marks the first time since 2022 that Binghamton has sent divers to the NCAA Zone Meet. The program also set a new benchmark with four total qualifiers between the men’s and women’s teams, the most in school history.

Norby entered the meet following a strong conference performance, where he was a finalist at the America East Championships. He also earned America East Diver of the Week honors multiple times during the 2025-26 season.

“This season was one for the books,” Binghamton diving coach Heather Colby said. “We have been endlessly proud of our ability to stick together in times of hardship and in triumph. We have been so committed to the team and sport. It’s been a gift and I can’t wait for next season.”

The NCAA Zone A meet included 70 men’s divers and 93 women’s divers, representing programs from across the Northeast.

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].

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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