Elmwood/PC postprom a big success

To the editor,

The parents and guardians of both the Elmwood and Plum City junior classes would like to acknowledge and thank the businesses and individuals who gave so generously to make the vent a huge success.

Rock 'n Roll To Go provided the inflat ables and DJ for the night; these were a big hit with the kids and adults. Sara Asher, Amy Luther and Jenny Forster-Woodard ran a very busy "couee bar" while students threw bean bags and lounged in the halls. Jarrod Luther was cooking fresh cheese curds from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery and a taco and dessert bar were also available.

The movie room was busy with students who needed some down time while Al White and Krissa Holt taught kids how to play blackjack. There were 112 students signed up to attend post-prom and all students present received a cinch-sack with a small Bluetooth speaker, Wolves lanyard and some goodies. We had more than 70 door prizes available: Brody Bleskaceck won the Smart TV, Frank Weix the Monster Rockin’ Roller and Derek Lifto the Monster Rockin’ Sport.

The following list is this year’s donors. If I forgot anybody, I apologize as there were so many people contributing!

Welcome Home Assisted Living, Bauer Built, Elmwood PTO, Mattison Contractors Inc., Dan & Sonja Flory, Spring Valley NAPA, Dunn Energy Cooperative, BS Construction, John & Lexi Forster, Forster Farms LLC, Tim & Julie Houman, Tom & Sue Mil liren, Ken & Trudy Rew, Lonnie Larson/REMAX, Brian & Robin Spangler, Wieser Concrete, Rock Elm Methodist Women, Grange Hall Auto Inc., Heritage of Elmwood, Eau Galle Cheese Factory, Elmwood Rod & Gun, Plummer Concrete, Spring Valley Dentistry, Water Care Services, Tom & Sharon Weber, Schuler Insurance, David & Donna Niemczyk, RoChelle Smaller, Hartung Electric, Pierce Pepin Cooperative, Citizens State Bank, Spring Valley Drug, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Asher Custom Harvesting, Pax Building Services, Gentle Dental Clinic, Bob & Gwen Huebel, Cindy & Steve Bates, Menomonie Theater, Molly’s On Main, Heike Pharmacy, ConAgra, Valley View Eye Clinic, Sailer’s Food & Meat Processing, Hudson Cinema, Chipotle, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Watkin’s Locker, Krissa Holt, Jeu & Sara Asher, Dea na Pretzer, The Shack, Beav’s, JR’s, BIC, McDonald’s, Advent Health, Scheel’s, China Buuet, The Cottage, Target, Exile Bar.

Becky Weix

Post-Prom Committee Elmwood

River Falls community celebrates sustainability

Despite the cold and windy conditions, more than 1,000 people gathered in Glen Park on Sunday, April 24 to experience Earth Fest 2022. The event featured live music, free locally-sourced food samplings, children and family activities, electric vehicle display, clothing swap, Covid-19 “heroes” recognition, and sustainability pledge signing. More than 45 organizations also participated in the sustainability fair, sharing information and interactive activities with attendees, and Allina Health’s Free Bikes 4 Kidz gave away over 100 bikes to community members.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the entire planning team, vendors, entertainers, volunteers, event attendees, and the River Falls community for their support.

This event was entirely grant and donation funded, so we’d like to recognize and give a special thank you to the following people and organizations who made Earth Fest 2022 possible: Hope for Creation, River Falls Community Foundation, River Falls First Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Bridget’s Church, River Falls Garden Club, Rotary Club of River Falls, River Falls Municipal Utilities, City of River Falls, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Ovce of Sustain ability, River Falls Chamber of Commerce, School District of River Falls & RF Community Education, River Falls Public Library, Kinni Corridor Collaborative, Carpenter Nature Center, Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Our Neighbor’s Place, Julie Larson, Kwik Trip, Mei Mei’s Cookies & Creamery, Whole Earth Market Co-op, Chris Silver, River Falls High School Unstrumental Acapella group, UWRF Pep Band, Drive Electric Earth Day, and Chippewa Valley Technical College.

Earth Fest 2022 was truly a collaborative, community endeavor, and we are grateful to be a part of a community that can come together (especially on such a cold day!) to celebrate the past, present, and future sustainability initiatives. Sincerely,

Tom Westerhaus and Mark Klapatch- Mathias

Co-chairs of Earth Fest 2022

Censure Robin Vos

To the editor,

Speaker Robin Vos has been in- fluenced by the dark side of the force, like count Dooku in Star Wars. He has gone along with the WEC to break the laws that govern election integrity in Wisconsin by placing unsupervised ballot collection boxes against state law. While the law states that absentee ballots must be received in person from municipal clerks and returned in person, Vos has broken the state law as a state lawmaker.

He claims he’s a conservative Republican who follows the law, but not so. Vos is acting like a tyrant Democrat who do as they please. Vos is supposed to represent the state of Wisconsin and his constituents, but he’s representing himself and his de- ceitful ways. In his Facebook profile, he's blocking his critics from commenting on his tyrannical actions. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos was more intimately involved in the creation of ballot drop boxes than was previously known. These drop boxes were part of the key to stealing the 2020 election from President Trump and Vos was in on it. Robin Vos does not represent the constitutional principles that founded the United States. He needs a challenger or removed from the speaker's ovce. The Republican party of Racine County needs to censure and remove Robin Vos from the Republican party. He’s just another Liz Cheney, a corrupt RINO.

Sanjeev Dhawan

Ellsworth

Thank you, National Guard

To the editor,

The Pierce County Board of Health has recently resolved to commend the Wisconsin National Guard for their significant contri bution to Pierce County during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a member of the Pierce County Board of Health, I wish to bring your readers’ attention to the help the Wisconsin National Guard provided to residents of our region during a stressful and challenging time. I also want to express my personal thanks to the Guard service members who have served in Pierce County during the Covid-19 pandemic. Starting as early as May 2020, Wisconsin National Guard service members provided Covid-19 testing in Pierce County free of charge.

In May 2020, exactly two months after Pierce County's first Covid-19 case, Wiscon sin National Guard members hosted a testing event in River Falls. In October 2020, Wisconsin National Guard members began offering weekly testing in Ellsworth. This was especially helpful because home testing kits were not available at that time and medical facilities were extremely busy.

The Ellsworth testing site closed in March 2022, as cases and hospitalizations decreased, and more centers for testing and reliable home test kits became available. Testing was always free and ouered to anyone who arrived to be tested. Pierce County residents who used the service reported that National Guard members were kind and evcient in their work.

Many National Guard members serving in Pierce County were not from this area of Wisconsin. They spent time away from their families and jobs in order to serve our residents.

The Pierce County Board of Health is deeply appreciative that the Wisconsin National Guard provided this service. If you are a Guard member, please accept my per- sonal thanks as well for the time and euort you spend to be ready to help Wisconsinites in many situations such as the aftermath of floods and severe storms, and in this case the Covid-19 pandemic. If you know a Guard member, please remember to thank them personally.

Sincerely,

Becky Kleager M.D.

River Falls