Truck rollover in Waupaca County

A man was killed in a crash shortly after midnight Friday, July 19, in the town of Matteson.

According to the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office, the driver was southbound in a pickup truck on Jepson Road about one-quarter mile north of Anton Road.

When the truck entered the west ditch, it overturned and came to rest upside down.

The 27-year-old Clintonville driver was thrown from the truck.

The Waupaca County medical examiner pronounced him dead at the scene.

The driver was the only occupant of the truck.

His name is not being released until after the sheriff’s office has notified the family.

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Shiocton woman transported to hospital

A Shiocton woman suffered life-threatening injuries after a motorcycle versus car crash in the Town of Ellington on Thursday, July 18.

The 43-year-old female was a passenger on the motorcycle and was transported by helicopter to a local hospital.

Shortly before 4 p.m., the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the crash on Kettner road, 0.3 miles North of Center Valley Road.

A northbound four-door car turned left in front of a motorcycle that was southbound on Kettner Road.

The driver of the motorcycle, a 47-year-old male from Shiocton, put the bike down in order to avoid contact with the car.

The motorcycle driver sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

No helmets were worn by the driver or passenger on the motorcycle.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by Ellington Fire and First Responders.

Kettner Road was closed while the sheriff’s office investigated the crash.

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Three more films scheduled this year

By Bert Lehman

The first Movie Night in the Park, held June 28 in W.A. Olen Park, attracted more than 100 people.

“I’m actually expecting that number to go up” at future movie nights, Clintonville City Administrator SharonEvelandtold the Clintonville City Council at its July 9 meeting. “This one was a little later than ideal with younger kids due to how late the sun goes down here in the end of June.”

Movie Night in the Park features family-friendly movies shown at the park on an inflatable projector screen.

O’Connor Sales & Realty sponsored the June 28 Movie Night in the Park event. Schutt Industries and Deluxe Plastics will sponsor two of the next three movie nights.

“I’m really excited that we have this, and Justin has done a good job setting this up,” Eveland said, referring to Clintonville Parks and Recreation Manager Justin Mc Auly.

The next Movie Night in the Park date is Aug. 9, with the showing of “Smallfoot” at 8 p.m.

The remaining nights are Aug. 30, with “How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World” at 7:30 p.m., and Sept. 20, with the showing of “Aquaman” at 7 p.m.

The program is free. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and bug spray. Chairs can be set up behind the ground-level/blanket seating area.

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Scandinavia Corn Roast set for Aug. 2-4

By Holly Neumann

Madison Kent will reign as Fire Queen for the 2019 Scandinavia Corn Roast.

The corn roast will be held Friday through Sunday, Aug. 2-4.

“I was very surprised to be selected,” said Kent. “I am excited to be able to help out and represent the amazing fire department our community has.”

Kent has many fond memories of the corn roast weekend.

“Every year, my family has a get together Saturday night of the corn roast, and we all eat corn for breakfast Sunday morning – a tradition I intend on keeping,” she said. “I hope everyone comes to the corn roast and enjoys all it has to offer.”

As fire queen, she will sell raffle tickets all day on Saturday, Aug. 3 and at the firemen’s ball.

The drawing for prizes will be held on Saturday night.

“The corn roast is important because it raises money for our local volunteer fire department, which helps get new equipment or helps with equipment upkeep,” Kent said. “It also brings the community together by providing things for people of all ages to enjoy.”

The daughter of Dave and Stacey Kent, she is a 2019 graduate of Iola-Scandinavia High School.

In the fall, Kent will attend Fox Valley Technical College.

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Waupaca County supervisor resigns after vote

By Robert Cloud

Supervisors amended Waupaca County’s public health and nuisance ordinances when the board met Tuesday, July 16.

Sections of Chapter 10 regarding health hazards were repealed and replaced with a new Chapter 52 that deals with public health.
Sections of Chapter 10 concerning public nuisances were also repealed and rewritten.

One supervisor questioned the changes, then resigned from the board after a 20-6 vote approved them.

Supervisor John Smith asked why the revised ordinance removed “noxious fumes and odors” from the list of nuisances.

“There’s no way for us to measure that or determine that,” according to county Planning and Zoning Director Ryan Brown.

“That alarms me because we all know that there’s certain pits in Waupaca County that get complaints about noxious fumes,” Smith said. “So now these people don’t have a leg to stand on. There’s nothing in the ordinance that can enforce that.”

Smith suggested Brown visit the properties along Bear Lake where residents are coping with the fumes of an asphalt plant.

“You can smell it and you know you don’t want to live there,” Smith said.

“The way it was written before, a substantial number of people, a substantial portion of the population would have to be affected by those odors,” Brown said, adding that the county could not determine the portion of the population that would be affected.

Smith noted there were complaints coming “from all across Bear Lake.”

The language about noxious odors and fumes was taken out “because it was unenforceable,” Brown said.

“It’s unenforceable because we choose not to enforce it,” Smith said. “It’s enforceable.”

County defines junk

Supervisor Pat Craig questioned the restrictive nature of what the county considers a nuisance.

“This is … wow … strict,” Craig said. “Junk is defined as five days within any 30-day period.”

“Scrap metal, glass, paper products, metal alloy, wood, perishables, refuse, aluminum, steel, tires, concrete, synthetic material, including but not limited to tanks, barrels, cages, pallets, wire/cable, furniture, culverts, bricks, appliances, electronics, plastics, batteries, hot tubs, bathroom fixtures, plumbing products or bottles,” are among the items that the ordinance lists as junk.

If these items are visible from the road for five days within a 30-day period, county zoning officers can begin to take legal action.

If the junk is screened from public view, there is no violation.

“Screening could include a solid fence, an evergreen planting of no less than eight feet in height, behind or inside closed buildings, or in natural depressions,” according to the ordinance. “Covering junk with tarps or like materials is not considered screened.”

Craig said Waupaca County modeled its nuisance ordinance after Shawano County’s, but left out some important language.

Shawano County says its “ordinance is not intended to prohibit the orderly storage of firewood for fuel.”

“As I drove here, there are many places that have wood sheds that do not have sides,” Craig said. “It’s not in an enclosed building where people keep it. Rather it is placed outside where people cover it with a roof.”

Craig said she was concerned because a large number of people store firewood outdoors, and it could be considered a public nuisance.

While county supervisors voted unanimously to approve creating Chapter 52 dealing with public health, the vote in favor of Chapter 10 changes was 20-6.

Voting against the amendments were Jim Smith, Dick Rohan, Joe McClone, Sue Golding, David Morack and Bernie Ritchie.

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Police say two suspects stopped for a smoke while stealing from Weyauwega-Fremont High School.

William A. Mingorance, 30, Milwaukee, is charged with burglary and theft.

David A. Speck, 43, Germantown, is charged with burglary and theft, as well as possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

At 3 a.m. Thursday, July 11, Weyauwega Police Officer Elmer Keberlein was on patrol behind Weyauwega-Fremont High School, when he noted lights on in the shop.

According to the criminal complaint, Keberlein saw two men leaving the building. The older man, identified as Speck, carried a black box, while the younger man, identified as Mingorance, carried a garbage bag.

The men allegedly placed the box and the bag down on the ground and walked away to smoke cigarettes.

Keberlein arrested them when they returned.

The officer found welding equipment inside the box and a grinder tool inside the garbage bag.

Keberlein took the men to jail where officers reported finding suspected cocaine and two cut plastic straws in Speck’s possession.

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Irene C. Wanta, age 84, of Clintonville passed away Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at Greentree Health & Rehabilitation Center, Clintonville.

The former Irene Cecelia Ploeger was born on May 22, 1935 in the Town of Elderon, Marathon County, to James and Cecilia (Verkuilen) Ploeger. She was united in marriage on June 12, 1954 to William M. Wanta at Holy Family Catholic Church in Wittenberg. The couple lived in Galloway and moved to Tigerton in 1977; they settled in Clintonville in 1992. In her early years, she was a seasonal worker at the Vlasic Pickle Company in Bonduel. Irene also cooked and drove bus for some years for the Head Start Program in Wittenberg and Tigerton. More importantly, she was a homemaker who was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a proud grandmother. Her husband preceded her in death on March 1, 2006. Irene is a former member of St. Joseph in Galloway and St. Anthony in Tigerton; and is currently a member of St. Rose Church in Clintonville. Family was always number one whether it was spending time with her children, grandchildren, or siblings. Irene enjoyed dancing, listening to polka music, playing cards, baking, and sewing. Irene was also an incredible cook, known best for her wonderful homemade chicken soup. She also liked going up north fishing in the Rolling Stone and Pickerel Lake areas. In her later years, she loved coloring, winning at Yahtzee, and reading the obituaries in the newspaper.

Survivors include seven children: Pat (Bob) Laurent, Cheryl (Herb) Pehlke, Linda Wanta, Mike (Carri) Wanta, Mary Tullberg, Michelle (Ron) Olson, and Julie (special friend Terry Quaintance) Fry. There are 27 grandchildren: Brian, David, Jeremy, Amanda, Wayne, Paul, Tim, Ryan, Dan, Brandon, Nathaen, Colby, Loghan, Josh M., Jason, Chris, Kyle, Karl, Dalton, Jasmine, Austin, Dylan, Brianna, Josh F., Elizabeth, Jacob, and Brayden. She is further survived by 15 great-grandchildren; a sister Ann Cayo; two sisters-in-law, Diane Ploeger and Betty Wanta; two brothers-in-law, Gerald (fiancée Pat Kriesel) Wanta Sr. and Robert (Delores) Wanta; and many other relatives and friends. Irene is preceded in death by her parents, her husband William Sr., son William Jr., daughter Renee Meyer, infant grandson Alex, daughter-in-law Laura Wanta, son-in-law Michael Fry, and infant great-granddaughter Hope Malueg. She is further preceded by a sister Marie (Edmund) Rzentkowski; and three brothers, Jerry, Donald, and James (Regina) Ploeger.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 22nd at 10:30 a.m. at St. Rose Catholic Church, Clintonville. Rev. Timothy Shillcox, O. Praem, will officiate and burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Beil-Didier Funeral Home, Clintonville, and on Monday from 9:30 a.m. until time of mass at the church.

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Little Falls is a popular hiking destination on the South Fork of the Flambeau in the Flambeau River State Forest. The forest includes miles of undeveloped shoreline along the river's north and south forks. Greg Seubert Photo

Heading north to Flambeau River

By Greg Seubert

It’s probably not on most vacation destination lists, but the Flambeau River State Forest should be.

Covering more than 90,000 acres in northern Wisconsin’s Sawyer, Price and Rusk counties, the forest is the second-largest state-owned property and includes 75 miles of the Flambeau River’s north and south forks.

Both stretches of the river – especially the South Fork – have been popular with canoeists and kayakers for years. One of the most popular stretches of whitewater is the Little Falls/Slough Gundy area on the South Fork. A parking area is located on County Trunk M, about halfway between U.S. Highway 8 and County Trunk W. A canoe and kayak landing is located at the County M bridge, about a mile north of the parking lot.

Kay Meyer led a hike to the area July 13 that included visits to Little Falls, a Class V rapids, and Slough Gundy, a stretch of river upstream with Class II and Class III rapids.

She and her husband live in Wausau and have a cabin about an hour away from the forest near Hayward.

“We’ve been going up to the Birkebeiner every winter for 40 years,” said Meyer, who grew up in Bonduel. “My dad was quite a sportsman. He made many trips to the Flambeau area for the fish and maybe some hunting.”

Meyer’s group included three hikers. Besides leading them to both rapids on the river, she also pointed out some of the area’s unique plants, including several large hemlocks and white pines and a number of different species of ferns.

“When I was a little kid growing up in Bonduel, we’d always go to the outskirts of town to the creek during the summer,” she said. “I was an explorer. As an adult, I realized that earth is unique and how fortunate we are to live on earth. As long as we have that tiny amount of time to be here, I want to be out there and enjoy every minute I can.”

Master Naturalist training

A white pine reaches for the sky along a trail that leads to Little Falls.
Greg Seubert Photo

Meyer attended a Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program volunteer training course at the Cable Natural History Museum in Cable in June 2017.

The course is a 40-hour series of classes and field trips that covers geology, ecology, plant communities, wildlife, interpretation, water, water life and human impacts through lectures and field trips with local experts.

Another volunteer training class will be held Monday to Saturday, Aug. 5-10, at Hartman Creek State Park near Waupaca.

“I took it in one week,” Meyer said. “Our cabin made it easy for me to do that. The Cable Natural History Museum has an excellent reputation, so I was happy doing it there. They bring in a lot of professors from Northland College in Ashland and all over. We got such a good overview. I think there were 24 (participants) and they were from all over. I am so glad I did it.”

Master Naturalists are required to complete eight hours of advanced training and provide 40 hours of service each year to maintain their certification.

The tour was part of Meyer’s 40 hours of service.

“A lot of people will just take the class for the information they get there and then be done with it,” she said. “If you want to continue to be a Master Naturalist, they offer advanced classes. They want you to participate 40 hours a year in three different areas: education, citizen science and stewardship.

“Education is giving talks to adults and children, kind of like I did today,” she said. “There are so many opportunities in Wisconsin to participate in citizen science if it’s frogs or dragonflies or birds or mushrooms or bats. You can count them, you can observe them, you can record them. The opportunities are endless. Stewardship is maybe my favorite thing. I like to get rid of invasives or make a place more beautiful. That’s where I try to do my volunteer hours. It’s how I love spending my retirement.”

Meyer has also volunteered in other areas of the state.

“I have done some duck hunter education in the fall as they put in their boats at the Mead Wildlife Area,” she said. “I worked at Shawano Lake last year checking for invasives at various landings and we did find a number of them.”

Meyer has some advice for anyone thinking of signing up for the Master Naturalist course, which are held throughout the state.

“I would say, ‘Don’t hesitate, do it right away,’” she said. “The information you get in the classes you will use for the rest of your life. You also meet people who are nature geeks just like you and that is wonderful. With the connections you have with people, you find out so much more and find out about so many more places to enjoy Wisconsin.”

State campgrounds

Besides canoeing and kayaking, the state Department of Natural Resources also operates campgrounds on Connors Lake and Lake of the Pines, as well as a picnic area on Connors Lake on County W. The forest headquarters are located at W1613 County W, Winter, where the highway crosses the North Fork.

The forest also has 14 designated riverfront campsites for paddlers on the North Fork, with five of them located north of County W.

There are also four canoe and kayak landings on the North Fork; one on the South Fork; and two on the Flambeau River south of where the two forks meet.

North Fork landings can be found on State Highway 70 (Nine Mile), Oxbo Drive (Dix Dox), County W and Camp 41 Road (Camp 41). The South Fork landing on County M is known as Fisherman’s Landing. The Flambeau River launches are on Hervas and Beaver Dam roads.

“If you’re looking for those off-the-beaten path places, they’re just an hour or two away or maybe four, but they are here,” Meyer said. “You just have to look for them.”

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Marlene Rae Ferge, age 75, New London passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Manawa Community Nursing Center.

She was born on February 7, 1944 in New London, daughter of the late Clarence and Martha (Rast) Ferge. Marlene loved the Green Bay Packers, collecting teddy bears and donating toys to the needy in New London for Christmas. She enjoyed doing yard work, getting together with friends for coffee and going to Bible class. She was a life-long member of Emanuel Lutheran Evangelical Church in New London.

Marlene is survived by close nephew and long-time caregiver, Richard (Anne) Ferge, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Marlene was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers and two sisters.

The Christian Funeral for Marlene will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New London with Rev. Marcus Schulz officiating. Visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be in the Floral Hill Cemetery. The Cline & Hanson Funeral Home in New London is serving the family. www.clinehansonfuneralhome.com

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Friends and neighbors chipped in to help remove a tree that fell and damaged Rhoda Engle's home at 803 Royalton St. in Waupaca. Several other homes along Royalton Street and throughout Waupaca County were damaged shortly before noon July 20 after storms rolled through the area. Greg Seubert Photo

High winds cause extensive damage, power outages

Cleanup is underway throughout Waupaca County following weekend storms.

Across the state, more than 150,000 customers were without power on Saturday, July 20.

By Sunday afternoon, utility companies had restored electricity to 98,000 customers.

In the Waupaca area, 6,622 Wisconsin Public Service customers lost power.

Most had their power restored by Sunday afternoon.

Central Wisconsin Electric reported more than 5,700 customers had lost power following the storm Saturday, July 20.

“The damage to the central Wisconsin area has been extensive and extended outages are expected,” CWE reported on its Facebook page. “Crews have been hampered by the trees that have fallen onto roads making them impassable.”

As of 12:43 p.m. Monday, July 22, 4,789 CWE customers were still without power.

A utility pole on North Water Drive near Bear Lake was snapped in half during Saturday’s storm.
Photo Courtesy of Carol Peterson

Residents around Bear Lake south of Manawa saw extensive damage.

As of Monday afternoon, 36 Alliant Energy customers were still without power.

According to Alliant, electricity in the Manawa area is expected to be restored by 7 a.m. Tuesday.

More than 100 Alliant customers in the Iola-Scandinavia remained without power Monday afternoon, with no estimate on when power may be restored.

The Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office set up an emergency command center and received more than 100 storm-related 911 calls over the weekend.

Callers reported power outages, downed power lines, sparking transformers, trees in roadways, burning trees and closed roads.

Sheriff Tim Wilz sent out a press release urging residents to report power outages to the utility companies rather than to 911.

He also asked that people call 211 for assistance.

The American Red Cross opened a reception area for those in need at the Waupaca Expo Center Saturday night and all day Sunday.

The recycling center located in Waupaca, just north of the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 22, will be open 24 hours for at least one week. The drop-off cost for tree-related storm damage will be waived.

Residents describe damage

Justin Stemwedel, Weyauwega, said there are trees down on nearly every block in Weyauwega.

He was home when the storm hit.

“My phone gave me a tornado warning alert, so I went and looked outside and said, ‘Yeah, it’s getting pretty bad.’ It was pretty dark and I stepped out on the porch and it was blowing pretty good from right to left. It wasn’t hailing or anything. I could hear trees snapping. There are trees down on pretty much every block,” Stemwedel said.

He said the storm lasted about 10 minutes.

“I didn’t go in the basement or anything, but there were a couple times when I thought I should.”

He eventually went inside.

“About 15 minutes after the storm, you could hear chain saws,” Stemwedel said.

Dave Mork, president of the Scandinavia Village Board, was cleaning up at his home on Main Street Sunday afternoon.

There was damage to a maple tree in front of his home and to a willow tree behind it.

Mork had been on vacation and returned home Saturday after the storm passed through Scandinavia.

He knew what to expect because a neighbor sent Mork photos from the storm’s damage.

Mork did not have power as of 4:20 p.m. Sunday when he spoke with the Waupaca County Post.

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Dorothy A. Nottelson, age 94, of Oshkosh, went to the embrace of her Lord on Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Bethel Home. She was born on August 8, 1924 in Sheboygan Falls, a daughter of Louis and Lilly Osborn Rahn.

Dorothy lived a full life in the joy and passion of teaching (starting in Costa Rica and continuing until she was 90 years old under the Foster Grandparent program). Very early in life, her teaching led to her love of speaking Spanish and experiencing the Latino culture. Everyone experienced her teaching, whether in a classroom or in a chance conversation at the grocery store. She lived a joyous life in her enduring and profound love of music (she would wake her children singing “wake up, wake up” in her operatic voice; directed both junior and senior church choirs for many years to the total joy of the congregation; sang, performed, and worked tirelessly for the musical production company, Maestro Productions).

Dorothy loved to share her passion for food, as you’d often find her planning her days around some type of meal she was looking forward to both preparing and enjoying. She lived a life of dauntless courage when faced with life’s many obstacles (she passed this on to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, thousands of students and friends; she loved to raise her arm into the air, exclaiming, “I am a warrior!” and we all knew what she meant–to be strong in the face of adversity, but also to be strong and fight for those who cannot). Many took inspiration in her exuberance, her spirited life perspective, her belief in one’s self, her dignity of carriage, and her confidence that success is always possible. But for all this, it was her lifelong trust and faith in the comfort of her Lord’s love. “How precious is your unfailing love, O God!” Psalms 36:7

She is survived by her children: Lupe (Dick) Carper, Jon (Patsy) Munoz, Patricia (Shashi Upadhyay) Champion, George Nottelson, six grandchildren: Michelle (Steve) Strobel, Eric (Kari) Carper, Jody (Sandy) Munoz, Jonathon Munoz, Jennifer (Chris) Schwirtz, Stephanie Nottelson, 12 great-grandchildren, two sisters, Bernadine Christenson, Carita McIlnay, and special friend Mark Bloedow. She was preceded in death by one brother Orlan Rahn, two sisters, Elaine Buck, Marjorie Jacobson, and a grandson Karna Upadhyay.

Funeral services for Dorothy were held on Monday, July 22, 2019 at 4 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (2450 W. 9th Ave.) with Rev. Greg Koepsell officiating. Visitation was held at the church from 2 p.m. until the time of the service. A memorial has been established to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and the church choir

The family would like to thank the loving staff and residents at Bethel Home; her personal physician, Dr. Eric Duwell; and her many friends, from near and far, who sent her loving thoughts and prayers.

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Marjorie J. Gretzinger, age 89 of the Township of Waukechon, Shawano County, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 21, 2019 at the Maple Lane Health Care Center in the Town of Belle Plaine, Shawano County.

Marjorie Jean Danley was born on March 8, 1930 in Clintonville, daughter to the late Silas S. and Martha E. (Carlson) Danley. She was raised in Clintonville and later married to Frank J. Gretzinger on September 27, 1947. They had a large dairy farm and raised Christmas trees. Marjorie loved her time in the kitchen and keeping a home while she raised her 11 children and granddaughter. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Survivors include: her daughters, Sharon Gretzinger, Shawano; Kathy (Tom) Magee, Clintonville; her sons: Bob (Pam) Gretzinger, Clintonville; Frank Gretzinger Jr. (special friend, Sarah “Lynn”Amundson), Pulaski; Eugene (Tammie) Gretzinger, David (Debbie) Gretzinger, Donnie (Melody) Gretzinger, Rodney (Maranita) Gretzinger, Todd Gretzinger and Tim Gretzinger all of Shawano, and Roy (Sharon Green Gretzinger) Gretzinger, Leopolis. There are 24 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law, John Garofalo; sisters-in-law, Marcella Gretzinger and Delores Danley. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Frank on June 1, 2011; a grandson Jeff Gretzinger, sisters, Blanche Garofalo and Donna Mae Schimmelphenning, a brother Clarence Danley, a brother-in-law Earl Schimmelphenning, and a grandson-in-law Justin Kleczka.

Marjorie’s funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, July 25, 2019 at the Calvary Apostolic Church, Clintonville with Rev. Leslie Dunn officiating. Interment will take place at Graceland Cemetery in Clintonville. Visitation will be held at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory, Clintonville is assisting her family with the arrangements. www.eberhardtstevenson.com

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Margaret M. Fredrick passed away unexpectedly on Saturday July 20, 2019.

Margaret was born on September 19, 1946 in Texas to the late Barney and Marie (Dodd) Lopez. Margaret married the love of her life, Raymond, September 3, 1968. They enjoyed 47 wonderful years together until he passed away on September 3, 2015. Margaret worked as a CNA for many years. She loved to help people and developed many lifelong relationships with clients and fellow staff members. Margaret was an avid bowler. She bowled for many years on the women’s league at Nelson’s Strike Zone in Waupaca. She traveled all over for state and national competitions. She made many friends and shared a lot of great memories with those who knew her. She had a love for shopping which was easily passed down to the younger generations. She also had a love for painting, puzzles, her computer games, and just spending time with her family.

Margaret is survived by her daughters, Laura (Michael) and Tammy; her sister, Beverly; her granddaughters: Alisha (Jaime), Erica (Gregory), Desiree (Trevor); her great-grandchildren: Kaelynn, Rowan, Carter, Lillian, Eliza, Mason, and Willow Margaret; special friend, Bethany Wohlt, as well as, many other loving friends and family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother, Estelle; her husband, Raymond; sister, Wanda; sister-in-law, Carol; her nephew, Raymond; her brother-in-law, Ricky, and her beloved dog Fluffy.

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Diana Thompson, age 63, of Waupaca, WI, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at her home in Waupaca, WI.

She was born April 6, 1956 in Chicago, IL; daughter of Zachary and Agnes (Tusz) Cichecki. On January 11, 1992, Diana married Philip J. Thompson in Knox, IN. She worked as a certified nursing assistant at the Wisconsin Veterans Home for 25 years. Diana loved rummage sales, both in having them at her home and going to each one that she drove past. She had a love of cats and enjoyed nature where she fed the birds each and every morning. It would take her close to two hours every morning just to walk around her yard to each feeder. Most of all, Diana loved spending time with her family and traveling to Illinois and California to visit her sisters. She shared a special bond with them all and will be dearly missed by all of her loving family and friends.

Diana is survived by her loving husband, Philip Thompson of Waupaca, WI; a stepson, Elliot Thompson of Weyauwega, WI; four grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sisters, Liz (Steve) Roman of Chicago, IL; her twin sister, Barb (Dan) Elvart of River Forest, IL; Teresa (Tony) Kozlowski of Rossmoor, CA, and Lodean (Billy) Fisher of Elmwood Park, IL; three nephews, Tim Elvart (her godson) of Kansas City, MO; Zach Elvart of River Forest, IL, and Alex Kozlowski of Rossmoor, CA; one niece, Samantha (Jonny) Zink of Beverly Hills, CA; her aunt, Lottie Zabawa of Broadview, IL; and her best friends, Toni (Tom) Young of Waupaca, WI and Joanne (Dennis) Cisczon. She was preceded in death by her parents, Zachary and Agnes Cichecki; her daughter, Elisa Banicki; and a granddaughter, Yolanda.

A Memorial Service will be on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Holly Funeral Home in Waupaca, WI. Reverend Larry Gross will officiate. A visitation will be held on Saturday from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Holly Funeral Home. The Holly Funeral Home of Waupaca is assisting the family with arrangements.

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Julie Ann (Niebling) Holbrook passed away peacefully at the age of 54 on June 8, 2019 in Wausau, WI.

Julie was born July 11, 1965 in Milwaukee, WI to Donna Hein; then shortly after was adopted by Bill and June Niebling. In 1985 Julie married Paul Holbrook.

They raised three sons and three daughters: Adam (wife Nurita McGlone), Tyler (wife Alyssa Krueger), Elijah, Shelby Nead (husband Jordan), Cassandra Salber (husband Dustin), Vickie Hovel (husband Austin). Besides the above surviving Julie, there is Paul Holbrook, husband of 35 years; her adopted parents, Bill and June Niebling; her sister, RaeLynn Mielke, as well as six grandchildren with one more on the way.

Julie is finally free of pain after a courageous 19-year battle with cancer. She continued to demonstrate unwavering faith and joy in Jesus throughout her struggles which led many people to Christ by her inspiring example. Her prayer was always for everyone to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. John 3:16-17

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Roger R. Beyer, age 86, of Manawa went to his heavenly home on Sunday, July 21, 2019, at ThedaCare Hospital in New London following a year-long battle with cancer.

He was born on May 28, 1933 in the Township of Lebanon, the eldest son of six children, to the late Arthur and Edna (Rohde) Beyer. Roger grew up on a farm in the Township of Lebanon. He graduated from Manawa High School in 1950. Roger served his country in the Korean conflict as Private 1st Class – Army, maintaining communication lines. Roger married Muriel Much in Marion on June 26, 1954, recently celebrating 65 years of marriage. Roger and Muriel started their dairy farm with seven cows, building the herd to 70 and raising five children: Cindy, Rod, Russ, Randy and Denise. Through the years Roger was active as a Little Wolf volunteer firefighter, served on the St. Marks Finance Committee, and was awarded the Waupaca County Progressive Farmer in 1977. Roger enjoyed neighborhood card parties, hunting deer in the ‘creek bottom’, fishing, especially trips to the ‘cabin’ in Nelma, WI, ice fishing with friends/family in Minnesota, bowling, ‘cheating’ at cards, attending Country USA, and ‘collecting’ pens.

He is survived by his wife, Muriel; children: Cindy (Rick) Squires, Rod (Jackie) Beyer, Russ (Sheri) Beyer, Randy (Joyce) Beyer and Denise (Jeff) Buschke; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; siblings: Lucy Noffke, Earl Beyer, Leroy (Jane) Beyer and sister-in-law, Cheryl Beyer. He is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Betty Jensen; brother, Bob Beyer; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Beyer and great-grandson, Hunter Donnelly.

The funeral service for Roger will be held Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 11 a.m. at St. Marks Lutheran Church, Symco, WI with Rev. Jeffery Smiles officiating. A Visitation for Roger will be held directly at the church on Thursday from 9 a.m. until time of service. Graveside Military Honors will be held following the service at Little Creek Cemetery in the Township of Little Wolf. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

A special thank you to the staffs at ThedaCare Hospital in New London, Dr. W. Conkright, and Jen W. Appleton Oncology and Theda Care Hospice.

Cline Hanson Dahlke Funeral Home in Manawa is serving the family.

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Summer community musical opens July 27

Waupaca Community Theatre will present Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka” as its 22nd consecutive summer musical production.

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27; 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 1-3; and 2 p.m. Sundays, July 28 and Aug. 4, at Waupaca High School.

Tickets are $12 and will be available at the box office prior to each performance.

The scrumdidilyumptious adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory light up the stage in this adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale.

The musical features the songs “Pure Imagination,” “I’ve Got A Golden Ticket,” “I Want It Now,” “Cheer Up Charlie,” “Oompa-Loompa” and “The Candy Man” from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder, as well as several new songs.

The story follows Willy Wonka, as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his candy bars. Those who find these tickets win a free tour of the Wonka factory and a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats: the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket.

Waupaca Community Theatre will present “Willy Wonka,” beginning Thursday, July 27, at Waupaca High School. Shown above (from left) are Eric Conner as Willy Wonka, Matthew Bonikowske as Grampa Joe and Claire Jacquet as Charlie Bucket. Robert Cloud Photo

Cast

Eric Conner plays Willy Wonka, Joshua Barnett is The Candy Man, Claire Jacquet is Charlie Bucket, Dale Dobbe is Mr. Bucket, Jodi Alix is Mrs. Bucket,

Matthew Bonikowske is Grandpa Joe, Claire Wicinske is Grandma Josephine, Jerry Hurst is Grandpa George, Kay Ellingson is Grandma Georgina, Alexander Lederer is Augustus Gloop, Lori Zelinske is Mrs. Gloop, Twyla Alix is Veruca Salt,

Dave Larson is Mr. Salt, Connor Loken is Mike Teavee, Lori Bauer is Ms. Teavee, Erin Harger is Violet Beauregarde, Carmen Riebel is Mrs. Beauregarde, Madysen Waid is Philomena Trout, AJ Elm is James, Rylynn Eskildsen is Matilda, and there is an ensemble of 18 as Oompa-Loompas, Squirrels, Cooks and Townspeople.

This family show is intended for audiences of all ages and includes a full pit orchestra.

Tamara Jacquet will be making her directing debut with Jessica (Fletcher) Hauser as assistant director.

The Waupaca Community Theatre is a division of the Waupaca Fine Arts Festival.

For more information, visit www.fineartsfestival.org and the Waupaca Community Theatre on Facebook.

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Manawa woman selling cheesecakes

By Holly Neumann

Jennifer Popke has always loved to cook and bake.

“Baking was always my favorite,” she said. “One day, I was scrolling through Pinterest for a rum cake recipe and saw pictures of fancy cheesecakes. So I thought I would just try to make a cheesecake instead.”

She headed to the store to buy a springform pan and gave it a try.

“Well, the cheesecake was a failure,” she said. “I didn’t know how to take it out of the pan. It was over cooked and burned on top.”

After trial and error and suggestions from friends on what to do differently, a light bulb went off.

“I figured out that cheesecake is a custard. Basically you’re steaming the cheesecake in a water bath very slowly at a low temperature, so it will not burn,” she said. “Now I can create any flavor of cheesecake you can dream of.”

White chocolate raspberry is her signature cheesecake.

“I also have turtle, bittersweet triple chocolate, peanut butter, lemon and pumpkin,” she said. “My most famous cheesecake so far is the key lime cheesecake that I just made live on Living with Amy.”

Popke loves putting a smile on the faces of her customers after they take their first bites.

“I live to see their expression,” she said. “I love feeding people.”

Her cheesecakes have all fresh ingredients and no preservatives.

“The cheesecakes in stores do not compare,” she said. “My favorite part of the cheesecake is the final presentation of the special dessert. I like them to be full of flavors and lots of toppings.”

Cake Dreams does not have a storefront at this time. She rents a commercial kitchen for the baking.

Cake Dreams may be found on Facebook. There is a menu and also pictures of the cheesecakes Popke has created.

Popke may be reached at 920-359-0403.

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Kadin Wanty heads for home plate during the Waupaca Legion baseball team's 11-6 win over Oconto Falls July 19 at a regional tournament in Clintonville. Greg Seubert Photo

Tournament starts July 26 in Westby

By Greg Seubert

Don’t pack up the gloves, bats, uniforms and cleats just yet.

Waupaca’s American Legion baseball team is heading back to state for the first time since 2005.

A 9-1 win over Bonduel in the championship game of a regional tournament in Clintonville July 22 means the team will compete in the state Class A tournament, which starts Friday, July 26, and runs through Tuesday, July 30, at Veterans Memorial Field in Westby.

Waupaca will open the eight-team, double-elimination tournament at 4:30 p.m. Friday, July 26, against Prairie du Chien, which won the Prairie du Chien Regional.

Waupaca opened the Clintonville Regional with an 11-6 win over Oconto Falls July 19 and followed that up with a 7-5 win over Bonduel July 21. Clintonville handed Waupaca its only loss of the tournament – 13-3 – July 21.

Waupaca 11, Oconto Falls 6

Waupaca had a 6-2 lead after three innings after coming up with three runs in the first, one in the second and two in the third.

Oconto Falls cut the lead to 6-5 with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, but Waupaca added to its lead with a five-run sixth.

Waupaca 7, Bonduel 5

Waupaca headed into the seventh inning down by four runs after Isaac Banker, Bryce Weier and Dylan Burch scored on Jordan Boldt’s hit in the sixth that gave the Grizzlies a 5-1 lead.

Clintonville 13, Waupaca 3

Waupaca never recovered after the Diamond Cats scored 10 runs in the first inning.

Waupaca 9, Bonduel 1

Bonduel committed five errors that led to Waupaca’s 7-0 lead.

Waupaca scored two runs in the each of the first two innings before added three more in the fourth.

The Grizzlies scored a run in the fifth, but Waupaca added two more in the sixth.

“In big games, you have to take advantage of anything,” coach Jay Krcmar said. “Put the ball in play and see what happens. We did that early and often and that was a big part of the game.”

Jack Erspamer picked up the win despite walking seven batters in 4 2/3 innings.

“He was always behind in the count, but he did make the pitch when he had to,” Krcmar said. “We made some nice defensive plays and turned a double play that was big. Even at 2-0, you can get a hitter out. I thought he came back and got sharper as he was behind.”

Krcmar returned this year to coach the team. He took Waupaca teams to the Class AA state tournament in 2004 in Waterford and the following year in Kimberly. He coached the team for 10 years before taking 10 years off.

“It means a lot for the kids,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for them to build memories of something that not everyone gets a chance to do. As a player, I always wished that I could get there, but never got a chance to be there. I think they need to realize it is pretty special to get there and enjoy every second of it because it goes fast.”

This year’s team includes several recently graduated players.

“The great thing is the seniors came out this summer,” Krcmar said. “They came out to play and they were rewarded for it. That builds it for the future because those guys could’ve said, ‘Hey, I’m going to college, I’m done.’ They wanted to play baseball and when you want to play baseball, good things can happen when you put it together.”

Waupaca’s competition during the regular season included Ashwaubenon, which qualified for the Class AA state tournament, and Oshkosh, a state qualifier in Class AAA.

“It made us step our game up,” Krcmar said. “We got to see some new teams and sometimes, you see teams that you play all the time. We saw some new pitching. We didn’t see any of these pitchers (at Clintonville) in the regular season and I think we had a good approach at the plate. We drove the pitch count up on guys and we were very picky early in the count.

“That’s what our goal is: drive that pitch count up, but also be selective,” he said. “When you get a good one, hit it, but don’t be afraid to take pitches and get your pitch early in the count. These guys respond well to that. There are good curve ball and off-speed pitchers out there. We want to make sure we’re being aggressive on the right pitch early in the count.”

Tyler Tischendorf was Waupaca’s designated hitter in the team’s 11-6 win over Oconto Falls.
Greg Seubert Photo

Krcmar said Waupaca will face some of the state’s top Legion programs at state.

“There are going to be a lot of good pitchers and the key is putting the ball in play,” he said. “Sometimes, the pressure gets to teams and you have to just play the game and play as loose as you can. The game is the same. They still give you three outs and you still have to throw strikes. The team that can throw the most strikes and play the best defense are usually the teams that advance deep.

“When you’re playing a double-elimination (tournament), you can’t get too high and you can’t get too low,” he added. “Our kids do that. We were down four runs in the seventh the other night and you couldn’t tell if we were winning or losing. We came from that and that will help you during those pressure situations in a state tournament.”

State Class A Baseball Tournament

July 26-30
Veterans Memorial Field, Westby

July 26 schedule
10:30 a.m.: West Salem Regional champion (West Salem or Arcadia) vs. Waupun Regional champion (Waupun or Ripon).

1:30 p.m.: St. Mary’s Catholic Regional champion (St. Mary’s Central or Wrightstown) vs. Baldwin/St. Croix Central Regional champion (Altoona or Osceola).

4:30 p.m.: Clintonville Regional champion (Waupaca) vs. Prairie du Chien Regional champion (Prairie du Chien).

7:30 p.m.: Marathon Regional champion (Medford) vs. Westby/Coon Valley.

July 27 schedule
Games scheduled for 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

July 28 schedule
Games scheduled for 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

July 29 schedule
Games scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

July 30 schedule
Games scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and, if necessary, 4:30 p.m.

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Suspect accused of felony vandalism

Ocean M. Vistain, 17, Redgranite, is charged with felony criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

At 4:47 a.m. Saturday, July 13, Waupaca County Deputy Sara Besel was dispatched to a campground at a music festival on Bestul Road in the town of Lebanon.

When she arrived, Besel saw a group of people holding a naked man down on the ground.

The naked man, identified as Vistain, was struggling to get free, yelling profanities and talking nonsense, according to the criminal complaint.

Vistain’s mother was trying to calm him down.

A witness took Besel to his 1981 Ford Econonoline van where he had been sleeping that night.

On their way, they passed several wooden signs that gave visitors directions.

One of the signs had been pulled out of the ground and was found near the van.

He said he was startled awake by a rear van window being shattered.

Vistain allegedly continued slamming the sign into the sides of the van.

The man said he did not know Vistain and he did not know why Vistain began slamming the wooden sign into his van.

The van’s owner said he chased Vistain and tackled him.

Other campers held Vistain to the ground and attempted to calm him down.

After more than an hour trying to control Vistain, the campers decided they needed help.

The damage to the van is estimated at $15,000.

Vistain was released on a $1,000 signature bond with the conditions that he not consume illegal drugs and maintain absolute sobriety.

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