Rachel Helgeson
Primary tabs
Rachel Helgeson
Contact Email
History
- Member for
- 11 months 2 days
Author Content
A Prescott man is being charged with strangulation and suffocation, false imprisonment and disorderly conduct after verbally abusing, threatening and strangling a woman, according to Prescott police. 35-year-old Eric P. Keeler had been reportedly drinking all day May 19 and threatened the woman by making statements about murdering her and her family before strangling her in a bedroom. Keeler's daughter walked into the room, prompting Keeler to release the woman.
The Pierce County Finance and Personnel committee approved to forward a recommendation to amend Chapter 240 to allow domestic fowl on residentially zoned parcels. The amendment would also clarify and better define which agricultural uses are allowed in specific zoning districts. "This was a big deal in Pierce County, many an agenda was filled with it," said Jeff Holst, chair of the county board and finance and personnel committee. The following amendments were unanimously approved: Section 240-35: Agricultural uses • Cultivation agriculture
As Prescott continues to grow, the face of downtown may be seeing a few upgrades. The Prescott Parks and Public Properties Committee held a meeting June 4 to discuss potential future development projects and allow citizens and business owners to give initial input. Amongst the many ideas floating around during the meeting, Cedar Corporation presented a draft plan of a deck parking lot which could be implemented on Dakota Street North behind Freedom Valu Center.
River Falls youth and families showed up with smiles and celebrated 2019 Town 'N Country Day June 9 despite getting little sunshine. In honor of agricultural heritage in the River Falls area, the annual event welcomes the community to participate in activities, listen to live music and chow down from Dick's Fresh Market food stand. Future Farmers of America students from River Falls High School invited children to pet farm animals in the Dick's Fresh Market parking lot while St. Croix County Collector's Association gave children the opportunity to sit on tractors.
Tears were shed and applause was granted as Prescott School District teachers and staff were honored for their many years of employment and retirement. Twelve teachers were recognized for decades of service to the district which included: Paula Kenow and Aaron Marshall for 10 years; Corey Morning, Mike Kosmalski, Mike Hoikka and Marcy Westphal for 15 years; Tina Stenroos, Patty Orf, Helen Raebel and Jeff Poliak for 20 years; Donalee Meyer for 25 years and Jeff Ryan for 30 years.
It was Spring Valley High School sophomore Jordan Arriola's first time performing CPR in the real world. Arriola had learned CPR when he was a freshman at Spring Valley High School, just last year, in a health class. Because of Arriola's quick and brave response to begin chest compressions on his father Jose Garcia in their home after Garcia collapsed in the bedroom, a life was saved on March 25, 2019.
The Ellsworth Village Board unanimously approved the following street and sidewalk projects at a June 3 village board meeting with a 50/50 cost share between the village and property owner: • Quinn's Motors: 132 feet of curb and gutter on Oak Street and 990 square feet of sidewalk on Main Street • Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9060: 450 square feet of sidewalk on Plum Street • Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating and AC: 450 square feet of sidewalk. • Humble Avenue, grind/ relay, Terrace Ave. grind (mill)/ relay, Crest Lane micro seal.
Since January, the Plum City American Legion and the Pierce County Historical Association have been shaking their heads at a mysterious hand-painted curtain found tucked away in the Legion's ceiling. Electricians who were working on the Legion on Pine Avenue near the ceiling discovered the 18-foot-wide art: A large curtain of canvas fabric intricately painted with many advertisements for local businesses in Plum City, Durand and Arkansaw, which border a landscape painting of a lake, some trees and wildlife.
In 2014, National Public Health funding was still below pre-recession levels with expenditures almost 9% lower per person than they were in 2008, according to a 2015 study by the Public Health Economics. Wisconsin, however, is especially low on the per-capita expenditures totem pole, according to a 2014-2015 analysis of State Investment in Public Health by Trust For America's Health. Wisconsin only spent $15 per capita in 2014-2015 on public health, ranking 40th in the nation, just above Minnesota which spent $14.60 ranking 41st.
Friends, family and fellow colleagues gathered to recognize retirees and long-time employees of the Ellsworth Community School District May 28 during the annual recognition dinner at the Ridgetop banquet facility. Those who were retiring were honored with stories and speeches filled with some funny, heartfelt and empowering messages given by coworkers and friends. Retirees thanked the district and their "family" of supporters who have been by their sides throughout their many years of employment.