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SDRF proposes increase to tax levy, decrease to mill rate

The River Falls School District unveiled a 5.44% increase to total tax levy at the Sept. 28 annual board budget hearing. The mill rate would decrease, keeping the district below the state average. …
Diaper Drive QR code

RF Diaper Drive is full swing

RIVER FALLS – Four years ago, River Falls Rotarian Linda Yde heard a story that made her spring into action. It was about a mother who had to ration her baby’s diapers because their family …
An example of the orchid species Agrostophyllum lkou growing in Palau.

UW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in Palau

RIVER FALLS – A University of Wisconsin-River Falls faculty member has discovered a previously unknown species of orchid found only on an island in the western Pacific. Assistant Professor of …

USDA food safety leader Mindy Brashears to speak at UW-River Falls

RIVER FALLS – U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears will discuss food safety issues during a public presentation at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls …
Tula, an assistance dog in training, listens attentively after arriving at UW-River Falls Monday. Tula is one of 10 dogs being trained on campus in the Falcon FETCH program, a partnership with Can Do Canines.

Assistance dogs arrive at UWRF for semester of student training, campus life

RIVER FALLS – Ten assistance dogs in training arrived at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Monday, beginning a semester where they will live in residence halls, attend classes and experience …
Government

Adding new slow-no-wake zone possible, but not without challenges

PRESCOTT – When following up on a resident request extend the no wake zone along Lake Street, Prescott city staff learned it may be possible, but not without a lot of red tape. At the Sept. 14 …
Crime

RF man charged with child porn possession

Roman Serbesku
A man found living in the woods in River Falls is accused of possessing hundreds of child pornography images on a cell phone. Roman James Serbesku, 35, homeless, River Falls, was ordered to pay …
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Most read stories
Business

Wieser Concrete Products acquire Bush Concrete Products in Muskegon

Wieser Concrete Products recently acquired Bush Concrete Products in Muskegon, Mich. This is Wieser’ fifth production facility and eighth location.

MAIDEN ROCK — Wieser Concrete Products, Inc., a family-owned and operated manufacturer of precast concrete products, has acquired Bush Concrete Products, Inc., of Muskegon, Michigan, effective Oct. …

Local sports

Shots From the Hip: Girls golf has another outstanding season

If the Prescott girls golf team was looking for three seniors to carry the Cardinals through a wild WIAA Division 1 regional, Macy Reiter, Layla Salay and Lily Vesperman were happy to oblige. Reiter …

Cardinal golf does it again, team heading back to Madison

Prescott girls golf is returning to State on Monday and Tuesday, as the team secured conference, Regional and Sectional titles over the last few weeks to reach the biggest stage. Prescott and …

Cats show flashes, Hudson’s consistency too much to keep the jug

HUDSON — River Falls came to play against a Hudson team tearing through its schedule with a 6-1 overall record, but Raider quarterback Grant Bjerke’s 400 total yards and three touchdowns made the …
Senior Logan Auth and Assistant Coach Cory Brathall talk during a timeout about an upcoming fourth down play call.

Wolves execute in all phases for crucial win

ELMWOOD — Elmwood/Plum City got into a memorable battle against Osseo-Fairchild on Friday night, and the hard-nosed style of football they chose to play gave them the edge 20-15. “It was a …

Around the County: Playoffs, postseasons and the chase for them

Girls Golf Prescott’s 341 score at the Superior Regional was narrowly enough to get the team victory, beating the host team by four strokes. Seniors Macy Reiter, Layla Salay and Lily Vesperman …
Girls Golf Prescott won the Middle Border Conference title and Ellsworth finished fourth of eight at the conference championship meet in Amery. Seniors Layla Salay and Macy Reiter of Prescott …
The Elmwood/Plum City, Spring Valley and Ellsworth middle school cross country teams were welcomed to Vino in the Valley Sept. 17 for the inaugural Tuscan 2 Miler meet.
Pierce County’s rolling hills and valleys offer a lot, but new to the mix is a middle school cross country meet hosted by Vino in the Valley. The inaugural Tuscan 2 miler welcomed Elmwood/Plum …
Ellsworth tennis is in the midst of a massive season, led by seemingly endless upperclassman leadership.
ELLSWORTH — The end of the season has arrived, and the Ellsworth girls tennis team is preparing for battle in the Middle Border Conference Tournament and beyond. Thursday marked a special day, …
Congratulations to Chad Salay and the Prescott girls golf team on winning their seventh consecutive Middle Border Conference Championship last week with an impressive 31 shot victory over …
Community
Eight-year-old Georgia Jones, of Ellsworth, was crowned MAC Victory Sweetheart at the Miss American Coed National Pageant in Orlando. She also won five Optional National titles.

Ellsworth’s Georgia Jones wins national pageant titles

Eight-year-old Georgia Jones of Ellsworth recently traveled to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the Miss American Coed National Pageant, where she proudly represented Miss Great Lakes Sweetheart. …

AAUW collecting books for book sale

Book donation bins for the River Falls AAUW Book Sale will be available from Oct. 12 to Nov. 7 at Ptacek’s Family Market and Family Fresh in River Falls, and Hudson Co-op Grocery (1802 Ward Ave.) …

Joy Lutheran's Tailgate Party!

PRESCOTT – Joy Lutheran Church celebrated its Second Annual Tailgate Party the Friday before the Prescott v. Osceola varsity football game. The event drew in families and community members to enjoy …
Tylldalen Church in Norway.

PAHS presents ‘Norway & Sweden 2026: Through the Eyes of a Photographer, Historian and Musician’

PRESCOTT – Join the Prescott Area Historical Society at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, for a multi-media presentation by Chris Falteisek: “Norway & Sweden 2026: Through the Eyes of a Photographer, …

Storytime and Nature Day at Trimbelle Recreation Area on Oct. 9

ELLSWORTH – Families are invited to enjoy a day of outdoor fun, exploration and discovery at Storytime and Nature Day at Trimbelle Recreation Area on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. The morning begins …
Education
Ethan Baker is this week's Prescott Community Club Student of the Week.

Prescott Community Club Student of the Week: Ethan Baker

The Prescott Community Club Student of the Week for Oct. 7 is Prescott High School junior Ethan Baker, who was nominated by teacher Shana Clauson. “I am proud to nominate Ethan for Student of …

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Features
A view of the lock at lock and dam 2 showing the Hastings bridge in the distance.

Lock and Dam 2 installs four new Tainter valves

Lock and Dam 2 at Hastings above Prescott on the Mississippi will soon feature four new Tainter valves, replacing ones first installed in the 1940s. The new steel valves began the design process in …

Opinion
Columns

Kaul: More money is needed for records access

Requesting public records in Wisconsin can sometimes mean waiting weeks, months and even longer for government officials and agencies to respond. What could help speed things along? At the state …

Woodworking Again: Fate of the jokesters

The government and its mega monsters have me worried sick about the fate of humorists in America. We have a fine tradition of such folks beginning with guys like Philip Freneau, who called himself …

From the editor’s desk: It’s time to get uncomfortable

News headlines have been dominated by “the Cornell 7.” A former Cornell University student, filing under the pseudonym Jane Doe, alleged she was drugged and gang-raped by seven fraternity members …

Woodworking Again: The thrashing adventure, Part II

Last week I recorded my family’s preparations to revert to an old-fashioned way of harvesting oats, a real adventure for me and a pain in the neck for my dad back in 1943 when gas was rationed and …

From the editor’s desk: One step forward and two steps back

Last week I wrote about putting one foot in front of the other and how my rheumatologist believed we were on the right track in treating my Ankylosing Spondylitis. AS is an autoimmune disease, an …

Barth column: Respect roles that serve American freedom

Sometimes life leads to what might seem unlikely pen pals. Wait. Is that still a recognizable phrase in the age of social media? It harkens to a time when people put thought into words that …

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Letters
 Letter to the editor: Misleading referendum questions
To the editor, Don’t miss the referendum questions on your November ballot, and certainly don’t miss their misleading elements. Ill-intentioned legislators have approved misleading …
Letter to the editor: Tiffany for Dog Catcher
To the editor, As an independent voter, I must pay attention to whether our elected officials deserve my vote. I am appalled that Tom Tiffany ignores the needs of his constituents in favor …
Letter to the editor: Look under the hood
To the editor, In the market for a used car? You wouldn’t buy a “previously owned” car unless you did your research — no matter what the seller told you. You’ll want to see the …
Letter to the editor: You had your chance
To the editor, I was reminded of the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me,” when I heard that Vice President J.D. Vance had recently appealed to voters to …
Letter to the editor: Skyrocketing healthcare costs
To the editor, Twelve years ago, Democrats created Obamacare, for the American people. Since then, the costs of healthcare and insurance have skyrocketed. Here are five reasons why Obamacare has …

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Obituaries
Mary Wiskerchen
Mary Lynn Wiskerchen, 85, of River Falls, Wis., passed away peacefully surrounded by her family following a nine-month battle with cancer. Mary Lynn was born Nov. 24, 1940, in Durand, Wis., to …
Patrick 'Rob' Sullivan
Patrick “Rob” Robert Sullivan, 56, of Hager City, Wis., passed away unexpectedly on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at his home. He was born Aug. 12, 1970, in Baldwin, Wis., to Jerry and June (Fandrich) …
Matthew 'Matt' Koderick
Matthew “Matt” Koderick, age 34, of Belle Plaine, Minn. passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. Matthew Joseph, the son of Michael Koderick and Rebecca (Roesler) Koderick was born …
Charlotte Eaton
Charlotte (Fiedler) Eaton, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 13, 2026, at the age of 98, surrounded by loved ones. She lived a full and rich life with her husband, Harley. They were married for …
Betty Brenner
Betty Ann Brenner, age 89 of Ellsworth, Wis., passed away on Sept. 26, 2026 at her own home. A Mass of Christian Burial for Betty will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at St. Francis …

Read more obituaries

Web Extras
What are typical mistakes homeowners make when refinishing hardwood floors?
(BPT) - Key takeaways:Homeowners value hardwood floors because of their warmth, beauty and endurance.It's important to protect the appearance, value and lifespan of hardwood floors by …
17 therapist-approved tips for dealing with seasonal depression
Talkspace reports on 17 therapist-approved tips to cope with seasonal depression, including therapy, hydration, sunlight, and exercise, aiding in symptom relief.
5 common mistakes homeowners make refinishing hardwood floors
(BPT) - Key takeaways:Hardwood floors are valued for their beauty, warmth and endurance.Refinishing protects the lifespan, appearance and value of hardwood floors.Zack Clavin, Bona's "Floor Doctor," …
Rediscover the lost secrets of history, one mystery at a time
(BPT) - Where is Alexander the Great really buried? What led to the disappearance of the dodo? And how much do we truly know about the Neolithic cultures that shaped the earliest chapters of human …
5 Meaningful Holiday Gifts That Give Back All Year
(BPT) - The holidays are approaching, which means it's time to start thinking about what you'll give your loved ones. This year, go beyond traditional presents and give your friends and family a …
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