Features - Pierce County Journal

Ellsworth High School students (from left) Josie Pechacek, Morgan Kolodzienski, Carolyn Trannel and Arianna Starbuck are this year’s Ellsworth Gift Box Program elves.

Ellsworth Gift Box is integral part of the season

Character education is an important part of the fabric at Ellsworth High School and that tradition continues with the annual Gift Box Program. Spearheaded this year by seniors Josie Pechacek and … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 11/22/23

Valentyna Benson, the stepmother of Ellsworth educator Melinda Casper, sits at Casper’s kitchen table communicating with a translation app. The bow is one of many that she crafts and sells to raise money for her family in Ukraine.

Ukrainian woman uses talents to help family back home

Valentyna Benson sits at the table in her stepdaughter Melinda Casper’s kitchen in Ellsworth, communicating with her American family through a mixture of limited English, hand gestures and a … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 11/16/23

The Ellsworth and Bay City American Legions and Auxiliaries took part in the Ellsworth Middle School Veterans Day program Friday, Nov. 10. The Color Guard led the ceremony.

Ellsworth Middle School hosts Veterans Day program

Eighth grade choir students hold an “Army” during “A Tribute to the Armed Services,” asking those who had served in the Army to stand up for recognition Friday, Nov. 10. … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 11/16/23

New book by best-selling Hastings author set close to home

Longtime Hastings resident MaryJanice Davidson’s new book hits close to home. MaryJanice Davidson is a New York Times best-selling author. She likes to set her fiction where her heart is, … more

Pierce County Journal newsroom | 11/16/23

Pierce County Veterans Service Officer Melissa Hildebrandt

Pierce County VSO is there for all veterans

When veteran Melissa Hildebrandt applied for and received the open Pierce County Veterans Service Officer position and learned what the duties entailed, she knew she was in the right place. The … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 11/9/23

Diane Carlson Evans worked for more than a decade to get the Vietnam Women's Memorial installed in Washington DC.

‘So they didn’t die alone:' The Vietnam Women’s Memorial made possible by former RF veteran

This week commemorates the 30-year anniversary of the Vietnam women’s memorial in Washington DC, an endeavor that was made possible by a former River Falls resident, Diane Carlson Evans, who … more

By Joe Peine | 11/9/23

River Falls High School senior Nolan Tody with the crew of volunteers he assembled to help him Oct. 21 with his Eagle Scout trail project on Kinnickinnic River Land Trust land.

RF Scout conquers Eagle Scout trail project

RIVER FALLS – River Falls High School senior Nolan Tody is well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout after coordinating and completing a Kinnickinnic River trail clearing project. Tody … more

11/9/23

The Power of 100 Ellsworth $10,000 award winner for the organization’s October impact meeting was Pierce County Friends of the Fair. Pictured are (from left) Melissa Ryden, Bob Traynor, Kaydi Sobottka, Amy Loberg and Deanna Hines.

A night of surprises: Power of 100 Ellsworth selects impact winner

HAGER CITY – The Power of 100 – Ellsworth fall impact meeting, held Oct. 12 at The Bluffs in Hager City, was a powerful night full of surprises. The three finalists chosen to make … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 11/9/23

Brynlee and Blair Hoikka made a cute pair of International tractors at Saturday’s Ellsworth Funsters Pumpkin in the Park event. Their parents John and Bailee Hoikka of Ellsworth led them along.

GALLERY: Pumpkin in the Park moves inside

The annual Ellsworth Funsters Pumpkin in the Park event wasn't about to be deterred by a little frigid weather. The event moved from East End Park to the toasty Seyforth Building on the Pierce County … more

11/2/23

Pierce County Looks Back for Oct. 18

10 years ago THE PRESCOTT JOURNAL Oct. 16, 2008 Comparing incidents and tactics with their British counterparts, Officers Robert Funk and David Grass played host to Trevor Keenan, a … more

10/19/23

The Maiden Rock High School Class of 1953 recently held their 70th class reunion. Pictured are (standing) Dorothy Julin Meyers, May Olson Ramberg, Shirley Gilbertson Wicklund, Manley Olson, Ron Gray, Harriet Johnson Rothe, Louise Stein Erickson; (seated) Helen Thorson Egland, Nancy Williams Bishop.

Maiden Rock Class of 1953 celebrates 70 years

In 1953 the average life expectancy was 70 years. While the high school in Maiden Rock lasted only until 1956, the Class of 1953 is still going strong. Of the 27 class members, 10 survive and eight … more

10/19/23

Samantha Augustine receiving her County Sheep Project Award pin from Club Leader Shari Turvaville.

Busy Fingers celebrate club achievements

The Busy Fingers 4-H Club Annual Achievement Banquet was held on Sunday, Oct. 8. We began with a welcome and invocation by Club Leader Shari Turvaville. We ate dinner and then began the program with … more

10/19/23

River Falls Rotary members (front, from left): Linda Yde, Terry McKay, Tony Pedriana, Randy Cudd; (back) Kellie Burrows, Karla Thoennes, Rick Heuertz and Tony Jilek.

RF Rotary/Ezekiel Lutheran kick off diaper drive

The River Falls Rotary Club and Ezekiel Lutheran Church, in a collaborating effort with St. Croix Valley United Way, are conducting a community-wide diaper and baby wipes drive. The drive will take … more

10/12/23

Ellsworth High School Homecoming Queen Aubrey Wittenberg and King Andrew Gutting toss candy to parade goers at the annual parade Friday preceding the football game.

GALLERY: EHS Hoco parade shows Panther pride

Panther pride ran far and wide during the annual Ellsworth Homecoming parade Friday, Oct. 6. The public was then invited to the chili feed before a Panther victory over the Prescott … more

10/12/23

Prescott High School alum David Greske's latest book.

PHS alum releases latest horror book

Class of ’76 Prescott graduate David Greske is proud to announce the release of his latest work, “Road Trip and Other Highway Horrors,” a 13-story collection of terrors waiting on … more

10/12/23

Bob Gilbertson diligently works on a tiling project at a shelter in Myslowice, Poland housing Ukrainian refugees.

RF residents volunteer at Ukrainian shelter in Poland

When she arrived in the refugee post of Katowice, Ludmyla Tkachenko said to a National Geographic reporter: “Half my heart I left behind, half I brought with me .” She and her … more

By Dan Woll | 10/12/23

UW-River Falls marching band members perform during the Sept. 2 football game at David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field. UWRF restarted its marching band program this fall after it was discontinued in 1990.

Banding together: UWRF revives its marching band program

RIVER FALLS – Horns blare and drums pound amid loud, boisterous music filling David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field as several thousand fans enthusiastically dance and clap along to the sounds of … more

10/5/23

City Forester Mike Noreen, Forestry Intern Lauren Schmelzer and Public Works Maintenance Worker Troy celebrate the unveiling of the city’s community orchard at Highview Meadows Park.

Innovative city forestry project bears fruit for all to enjoy

In 2016, the City of River Falls Green Team, an internal team dedicated to enhancing sustainability in city operations, found inspiration in a news story out of Seattle. The city had taken an … more

By Kathryn Paquet, City of River Falls | 10/5/23

The 2023 Elmwood Homecoming Court: (top row, from left) King Seth Loga, Queen Cori Wood and juniors Tyce Thiry and Riley Ginsbach; (bottom, from left) freshmen Allison Sauve and Brewer Link, sophomores Alayna Pazurek and Jack Steinmeyer.

GALLERY: Homecoming Weeks abound in Pierce County!

Pierce County schools welcomed back alumni and the community for annual Homecoming festivities, a tradition that signifies fall, football, and fun. more

10/5/23

UW-River Falls student Grace Johnson shows Copper, a dog she will help train to be an assistance animal, her open hand after feeding him a treat after Copper and other dogs were dropped off at UWRF Sept. 14. Johnson is one of 21 students who will work with 10 assistance dogs on campus as part of the new Falcon FETCH (Fostering Education Through Campus Hosting) program.

UWRF students begin training assistance dogs

RIVER FALLS – The 21 University of Wisconsin-River Falls students gathered outside the Lydecker Living Learning Center on Sept. 14 come from different places and have diverse future plans. They … more

9/28/23