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New solar farm powering hundreds of Scenic Rivers members


The Mount Hope solar farm went live on property owned by Bob and Sharon Wood, north of U.S. Highway 18, in February. The solar array is owned by SoCore and the electricity is contracted to Dairyland Power and Scenic Rivers Energy cooperatives.

By Correne Martin

The solar farm near Mount Hope has been attracting quite a lot of attention in recent months. It just went live in February. The 1.25 megawatt solar installation is said to power about 300 homes for one year, according to Steve Lucas, CEO of Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative, of Lancaster.

Dairyland Power Cooperative has a 25-year purchase power agreement with owner and solar developer SoCore Energy, of Chicago. Scenic Rivers also has a 25-year contract, for .25 megawatts, or 250 kilowatts.

Dairyland is a La Crosse wholesale electricity provider that serves distribution cooperatives and municipal utilities across Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. Scenic Rivers is a retail service provider servicing 13,000-plus members in the counties of Crawford, Grant and Lafayette and the neighboring communities. Dairyland will direct its 1 megawatt of power generated at the farm to Scenic Rivers.

Mon
20
Mar

Semi rolls over inside the city


Truck driver Richard Snitker, of Monona, Iowa, was uninjured when the semi he was traveling in rolled over in Prairie du Chien last week. He was attempting to avoid a collision with a passing vehicle when the accident occurred. (Photo by Correne Martin)

A truck driver was uninjured in a semi rollover in the city of Prairie du Chien Wednesday afternoon, March 15, according to the Prairie du Chien Police Department.

At about 1:45 p.m., the police department was notified of the rollover at the intersection of Pine Street and State Highway 35, across from 3M. Officers learned, Richard Snitker, 59, of Monona, Iowa, was traveling south on Highway 35 in a 2003 International semi and attempting a left turn onto Pine Street when he observed a vehicle passing him on the highway. In Snitker’s attempt to evade a collision with the passing vehicle, the semi rolled over on Pine Street into the grassy area near Design Homes.

Officers said there were no injuries in the accident, though the passing vehicle remains unidentified. Snitker was operating a 2003 International Semi.

Wed
15
Mar

Stream Bank Restoration

 

Land Conservation Department 

helps landowners with stream bank projects

By Ted Pennekamp

 

There are various stream bank restoration programs each year in Crawford County and the Crawford County Land Conservation Department is one entity that can help landowners with projects. 

Wed
15
Mar

Two vehicles in accident

On Monday, March 13, at 7:52 a.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department was notified of a two-vehicle crash with injuries on Highway 27, just south of Kendall Lane in the village of Eastman.

Jordan Cipra 19, Eastman, and her passenger, Jamie Crusan, 18, Eastman, were traveling north on Highway 27 in a Ford Expedition. Cipra lost control of her vehicle while negotiating a curve and went off the east side shoulder.

While trying to regain control of the vehicle, Cipra started sliding on Highway 27, which caused the vehicle to cross the center line into the southbound lane.

Brita Prew, 31, Eastman, was traveling south on Highway 27 in a Chevrolet Traverse. The Prew vehicle was unable to avoid striking the Cipra vehicle in the rear passenger side, causing both vehicles to come to rest along the guardrails. The guardrails sustained minor damage from the crash.

Wed
15
Mar

Man, woman arrested in drug bust

On Monday, March 6, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotics related search warrant at 51153 County Highway B in the township of Utica. The search warrant was the result of a narcotics investigation which spanned nearly six months dating back to September 2016.

Through the course of the investigation, law enforcement discovered the renters of the residence Kayla Odegard, 28, and Samuel Clark, 33, were involved in the illegal sale and distribution of marijuana, prescription medication, and methamphetamine.

Items found and seized during the search warrant were prescription medication, marijuana, marijuana paraphernalia, methamphetamine paraphernalia, and items associated with the distribution of narcotics.

Clark and Odegard were home along with their four children, ages 3, 6, 9, and 11, at the time of the search warrant. Odegard and Clark were subsequently arrested in connection with this investigation.

Wed
15
Mar

City library fountain may cease, Bridgeport ends incorporation


The century-old artesian well and fountain in front of the Prairie du Chien Public Library is leaking water and poses a long-term liability issue to the future of the library. It may not be able to be saved as part of the library renovation and expansion project. (Courier Press file photo)

By Correne Martin

It’s looking like the artesian well and fountain in front of the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library may not be saved in the facility’s planned 2017 renovation and expansion project. The Prairie du Chien Common Council learned Tuesday night that the well, which is a century old, is leaking water and poses a long-term liability issue to the future of the library.

“It’s leaking deep underground and they don’t know where it’s going,” Mayor Dave Hemmer said.

The project is now expected to include a plan to cap the well, according to a memo provided to the council by the former city administrator, Aaron Kramer, before he vacated his post last week.

“That’s a pity because it’s kind of iconic,” Alderman Ron Leys stated. “I hate to lose that fountain; people love it.”

Wed
15
Mar

Students win River Ridge $25,000 in technology

By Correne Martin

River Ridge seventh graders David Nies and Sam Reuter were recognized Monday afternoon, March 13, at a special school assembly for winning the district $25,000 in technology through Samsung. They were the Wisconsin state winners for the Solve for Tomorrow Contest, which focused on how Science, Technology, Art, Engineering and Math (STEAM) could be applied to help improve the local community. Being one of only 51 winners across the country, among 6-12 grade students, put them in the running for a share of $2 million in technology products.

“These students spent some time, not on the court, not on the field, but in the classroom, doing some research,” Middle/High School Principal Clay Koenig said during the assembly. “This is really unheard of for us to win a contest of this magnitude.”

Mon
13
Mar

La Soirée gala supports life-saving hospital equipment


Medical Lab Technicians Trina Springsteen (left) and Abbi Perkins are pictured in Crossing Rivers Health’s laboratory department. The staff is looking forward to adding the molecular analyzer to the array of state-of-the-art equipment used to provide valuable information to providers to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Monica Preston, RN, uses the current portable ultrasound unit in the emergency department to locate a patient’s vein and start an IV. (Submitted photos)

By Correne Martin

The annual La Soirée fundraising gala for the Crossing Rivers Health Foundation will support life-saving, diagnostic equipment that can further ensure quality health care in Prairie du Chien. La Soirée Royale is scheduled for Saturday, April 8, at 5 p.m., at the Dousman House.

The two pieces of equipment in demand are a molecular analyzer for the laboratory department and an ultrasound unit for the emergency department.

Currently, Crossing Rivers’ tests have been sent to an outside lab and results aren’t returned for two to three days.

“With the molecular analyzer on-site, we would have results back within one hour,” said Sasha Dull, chief development officer. “A lot of times, that’s very important to ensure fast, targeted treatment of illnesses, such as Sepsis (blood stream infections), gastrointestinal pathogens such as Salmonella, and bacteria strains of E. coli.”

Mon
13
Mar

Bagley man arrested in meth bust

On March 7, the Richland Iowa Grant Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 12503 Cooley Ln., in the town of Wyalusing for a suspected methamphetamine lab. Members located numerous items associated with the manufacturing of methamphetamine including eight, one-pot methamphetamine labs in a trailer house on the property.  

Deputies arrested Christopher John Kivi, 41, Bagley, for offenses relating to the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Kivi is in the Grant County Jail awaiting formal charges by the Grant County District Attorney’s Office.

The task force was assisted by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Clandestine Lab Team,  the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office,  the Prairie du Chien Police Department, the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office, the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, the Bloomington Fire Department and Chicago Crime Scene Cleanup.

Mon
13
Mar

Driver allegedly steals vehicle for 3-county joyride

On March 4, at 12:49 a.m., a Crawford County deputy was patrolling the area of Highway 60 and Highway 131, when the deputy noticed parts off of a vehicle lying on the double yellow line of Highway 60.

The investigation found that a vehicle was traveling westbound on Highway 60, crossed the center line and hit the guardrail located on the southwest side of the highway, which caused severe damage to the guardrail. The deputy also found a license plate left at the scene belonging to a 1997 Toyota Rav4 registered to Bradly P. Blaskowski, 51, Madison.

Further investigation found that Blaskowski’s vehicle was stolen from Double K’s Bar in the city of Boscobel an estimated 12 minutes before the crash scene was found by the Crawford County deputy.  

A Prairie du Chien Police Department officer overheard the radio traffic and remembered seeing the vehicle in question crossing over the Highway 18 Bridge heading into Iowa.

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