News

Tiffany Jenkins uses humor to tell her life story and the struggles she faced with addiction, anxiety and depression. Herald photo by Nicole Vik.

Recovering addicts share their testimonies at Sojourner’s annual fundraiser

Monday, March 16, 2020 - 9:58am

Sojourner’s Journey hosted the mini-celebrity Tiffany Jenkins of Juggling the Jenkins at its annual fundraiser late last week. Despite the fact that many families and individuals are keeping to themselves these days, the Sparta American Legion was packed full of attendees eager to hear from the...

Monroe County Administrator Tina Osterheim talking with Robert Nigh, member of the Wisconsin State Farm Bureau Board and the Governors Climate Change Task Force, and Gregg Wavrunek from Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office talking with Monroe County Conservationist Bob Micheel. Contributed photo

Monroe County leads the flood monitoring charge

Monday, March 16, 2020 - 9:52am

Monroe County is leading the charge in the Driftless Area regarding development of a stream monitoring and flood forecasting system. At their meeting in Sparta on Wednesday, March 11, members of the county’s Climate Change Task Force heard from members of the county board present that they believed...

Eau Claire PR specialist hopes to take on Kind

Monday, March 16, 2020 - 9:50am

Jessi Ebben, a 30-year-old public relations specialist from Eau Claire, is hoping she will be the candidate who can unseat 3rd Congressional District Rep. Ron Kind this coming November. Ebben stopped at the Herald last Wednesday as she traveled across the 3rd District. While she admits Kind is a...

Miranda Turner, left, was promoted to Sergeant First Class in a ceremony in St. Louis last October. Also pictured is her commanding officer, Maj. Richard Hopkins. Contributed photo

Norwalk soldier rising in the ranks

Monday, March 16, 2020 - 9:48am

A 2001 Brookwood High School graduate is moving up in the military. Miranda Turner, the daughter of Jeff and Karen Berendes of Norwalk, was promoted to Sgt. First Class in a ceremony last October in St. Louis, where she serves with the Army Active Guard Reserve. Turner enlisted into the Wisconsin...

Artist Norb Brown, right, presented Sparta community activist Reinhard Mueller with a painting of the Five Shovelmen Bridge at an unveiling Wednesday at Ginny’s Cupboard in Sparta. Herald photo by Pat Mulvaney.

Nothing says thank you like art

Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 10:42am

Local artist and business owner Norb Brown expressed his gratitude for one of Sparta’s biggest supporters the best way he knows how – with his art. Brown held an art unveiling at Ginny’s Cupboard in downtown Sparta Wednesday evening, where he presented Reinhard Mueller with a painting of one of...

Several individuals were honored Wednesday night for their quick actions in the code save of Sparta paramedic Dann Schamens. Pictured, from left, were Mike Foster, Darlene Merow, Joel Ames, Rob Conroy, Steven Arnold, Dennis Whitehead, Schamens, Brandon Perron, Kyle Erickson, Ellen Fink, Dylan Smith, Dee Dee Johnson and Josh Meyer. Not pictured were Zach Fischer, Andrea Zebell and Joshua Oxborrow. Herald photo by Nicole Vik.

Sparta paramedic saved by fellow emergency personnel

Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 10:38am

In the early morning hours of Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, dozens of emergency personnel responded to a house fire where a mother and daughter barely escaped with their lives. While providing standby at the two-story residence, a paramedic with the Sparta Area Ambulance Service, Dann Schamens collapsed...

Tomah superintendent candidate forum set

Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 10:34am

Members of the Tomah school district electorate will have the opportunity to questions the three finalists for the superintendent position. The candidates will participate in an open community/staff forum as part of their final interview process. The forum will be Wednesday, March 18 at the Tomah...

Incumbent Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly hands Dave Steinert of Tomah a get-well card Tuesday at a campaign stop at the Cork & Barrel in Downtown Sparta. Steinert broke his wrist while helping place campaign signs for the candidate around Monroe County. After visiting the ER, the 81-year-old Steinert rejoined the crew later in the day and resumed placing signs. Kelly quipped that he was sincere about the get-well wish because “we need more signs put up.” Herald photo by Pat Mulvaney

Incumbent Supreme Court justice stumps in Sparta

Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 10:31am

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly drew a stark contrast between himself and challenger Kelly Karofsky in downtown Sparta Tuesday afternoon. Kelly was speaking to a group of around three dozen supporters at the Cork & Barrel, saying he would follow the Constitution while Karofsky, a...

The Gustavus Wind Orchestra features 2019 THS graduate Lauren Buss. She is pictured in the fifth row from the bottom, third from the left among the flute/piccolo players. Contributed photo

Gustavus Wind Orchestra coming to THS

Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 10:26am

The Gustavus Wind Orchestra from Gustavus Adolphus College is making a stop at Tomah High School Tuesday, April 7. The group is a premiere collegiate ensemble, said THS band director Charlie O'Brien. "It's a pretty big deal that they are coming on tour to Tomah," O'Brien said. The concert is free...

The Guardians of the Children, who prefer to remain anonymous, provide support, resources and protection to children and families who are victims of abuse. Contributed photo by Kathy Richer.

Valor, truth and integrity is the Guardian way

Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 10:24am

Guardians of the Children (GOC) Castle Rock Chapter live by a powerful motto, “Don’t let your silence drown out their cries.” GOC is a national biker organization dedicated to protecting victims of child abuse, which includes emotional, neglect, physical, sexual and medical abuse. The GOC exist to...