News - Pierce County Journal

High speed chase ends safely in RF with arrest

A high-speed chase resulted in the arrest of a young woman who allegedly stole a Land Rover from a family member in Ellsworth. Stream Lynn Black, 22, St. Paul, was ordered to pay $1,000 cash … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 8/11/26

Mobile bookstore coming to Elmwood

ELMWOOD — Gilda Bour had a request to park a book trailer store at 116 S. Main St. in Elmwood a few times each month approved at Monday’s meeting of the Elmwood Village Board. “My goal is … more

By Andrew Harrington | 8/11/26

Officer Madelin Cody (center) is pictured in October 2025 at the swearing in ceremony with (from left) Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Brad Roy, Village President Becky Beissel, Officer Kyler Castano, and Police Chief Eric Ladwig.

Ellsworth officer recognized for lifesaving efforts

ELLSWORTH – Madeline Cody, who was hired full-time by the Ellsworth Police Department in October, saved a resident’s life at 4 a.m. after he went into cardiac arrest just before the end of … more

By Andrew Harrington | 8/5/26

Charity Lubich, PPCS VP Member Relations & Human Resources (left), and SwiftCurrent Connect Customer Relations Representative Donna Taranto (right), present Janice Ottman, Margy Balwierz, Kendall Vingva and Sophie Koch (left to right) of Staying Put Inc. with a $1,000 check to support their transportation necessities in Spring Valley and Elmwood areas.

Pierce Pepin Cares Awards $4,300 in Third-Quarter Community Grants

ELLSWORTH — Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services (PPCS) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Pierce Pepin Cares grants for the third quarter of 2026, awarding a total of $4,300 to four local … more

8/5/26

Northwest Journey's Prescott location is housed at 125 Elm St. N. The company would like to expand programming at the site to include ages 14-17.

Northwest Journey wants to expand Prescott program

PRESCOTT – The Prescott School Board heard a presentation from Northwest Journey at its July meeting; the program wants to expand its services to 14-17-year-olds in its Prescott location, which is … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 8/5/26

The Prescott City Council approved the installation of four historic interpretive signs along the riverfront. Each will detail the city’s ties to the rivers, railroad, bridges and timber industry, as well as steamboats and ferries.

New historic signs will line Prescott’s riverfront

PRESCOTT – Visitors and residents may notice new sign installations around Prescott soon, which the city council approved at the July 27 meeting. City Administrator Matt Wolf provided some … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 8/5/26

Champion Traditional Dancer Shane Mitchell at the Bear River Pow Wow.

Community Ed trip to Lac du Flambeau largest ever

The largest summer delegation in the 25-year history of Prescott Community Education's trip to the Lac du Flambeau Reservation traveled to northern Wisconsin earlier this month, continuing a … more

8/5/26

The Journal is a smaller tabloid size due to a change in printing plants, with more pages, but the same amount of content.

Honey, they shrunk the Pierce County Journal!

As you’ve already noticed, your local newspaper is a little smaller and more pages. Our previous printing partner closed as of July 31. Our new printing partner strongly encouraged us to … more

By John McLoone | 8/5/26

WISPOLITICS-STATE AFFAIRS: Little doubt on where Wisconsin voters stand on data centers

Polls results are often subject to interpretation. There is debate over the sample, the sample size, the margin of error, the methodology and the number of undecideds. Voters’ opinions on data … more

By WisPolitics-State Affairs | 8/5/26

Open Class Photography sets new judging date

ELLSWORTH – The Pierce County Fair is right around the corner and this year, Open Class Photography entrants will see a change meant to improve efficiency and accessibility. Longtime Supt. … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 8/5/26

UW-River Falls Assistant Professor of Marketing Communications David Bonko and Benjamin Gust, a professor of social media and digital communication at THM, a university of applied sciences in Giessen, Germany, pose for a photo at THM in May. Bonko and Gust visited each other’s respective universities and gave guest lectures as the two schools explore further cooperation through the Hessen Wisconsin Partnership, an exchange designed to enhance international knowledge, cultural competencies and linguistic skills among the peoples of the two sister states.

Building bridges: Hessen Wisconsin partnership brings UW-River Falls and German university THM together

RIVER FALLS — A longstanding partnership between Wisconsin and the German state of Hessen will help provide rich academic and cultural experiences for students and faculty at … more

8/5/26

RF doing ‘due diligence’ on purchase of St. Croix Gas

RIVER FALLS — The River Falls City Council gave staff the go ahead to do due diligence on the purchase of St. Croix Gas during the July 28 meeting. Utility Director Kevin Westhuis presented to … more

By Andrew Harrington | 8/5/26

UW-River Falls senior Annie Loss is getting a head start on her career working as a chemical operator at Crystal Finishing Systems while completing her degree. Loss was connected to the opportunity through the University Business Collaboration Center (UBCC) at UWRF.

Falcon Futures: UW-River Falls biochemistry student gets an early start on career

RIVER FALLS — When Annie Loss from Brainerd, Minn., began working on her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, she was expecting to have a bit of a wait to … more

8/5/26

Chad Koranda (left) and Mike McFadden will be on the partisan primary ballot in the Aug. 11 election for Pierce County Sheriff.

Pierce Co. Sheriff candidates sound off

Two candidates will appear on the Aug. 11 partisan primary ballot for Pierce County Sheriff: Incumbent Chad Koranda and current Pierce County Patrol Sgt. Mike McFadden, both of whom are running as … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 8/5/26

This rendition depicts Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services/Swift Current Connect as a Pierce County Fairgrounds sponsor, if the county agrees to an internet partnership.

New internet proposed for Fairgrounds

ELLSWORTH – Pierce County Fair Manager Liz Dietsche asked the board to consider a proposal from Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services/Swift Current Connect to install high speed wireless internet at … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 8/5/26

Season 2, Episode 10 featured Wagner’s Sugar Bush, a Wisconsin syrup producer.

Ellsworth graduate part of team producing ‘Farms of America’

Luke Cipala, a 2018 Ellsworth graduate, may come from a farming community, but that is never where he saw life taking him. When he got a job producing for Mediastash, his boss reeled him into a … more

By Andrew Harrington | 8/5/26

The Geving-Keehr family operated Geving & Keehr Furniture and Funeral Service in Spring Valley for decades.

O’Connell Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services acquires Keehr Funeral Home

SPRING VALLEY – On July 15, one of Spring Valley's longest-standing family businesses began a new chapter as Keehr Funeral Home became part of O'Connell Family Funeral Homes & Cremation … more

8/5/26

Robert “Bob” Loberg is celebrating 50 years in law and Loberg Law Office recently opened a new building in Crossing Meadows in Ellsworth.

Loberg’s 50 years in law have gone by in a flash

ELLSWORTH — Robert “Bob” Loberg of Loberg Law Office may not be born and raised in Ellsworth, but after spending his entire career in law in the village, he has become a cornerstone of the … more

By Andrew Harrington | 8/5/26

Early in-person voting now open for Aug. 11 primary

It’s a wide-open primary come this Aug. 11. With federal level races and Pierce County Sheriff races covered in separate articles and early in-person voting as of Tuesday, July 28, the choices for … more

By Joseph Back | 7/30/26

Firefighters check test vehicles for radiation contamination as they enter the reception center practice event.

Emergency services go through nuclear power plant emergency training

ELMWOOD – Emergency service workers gathered at Elmwood High School July 23 to go through training on what would happen in case of an emergency at the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant. The … more

By Andrew Harrington | 7/29/26