Gretta Stark
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Gretta Stark has been a reporter for the River Falls Journal since July of 2013. She previously worked as a reporter for the New Richmond News from June 2012 to July 2013. She holds a BA in Print and Electronic Media from Wartburg College.
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- Member for
- 3 years 6 months
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Shana Conde described it as a dark time in her family's history, a time of difficulty, frustration and fear. Conde's family moved to Oregon so her husband could start a business with his cousin. Unfortunately, Conde said, the business was a failure. It was time, Conde said, to go back to Osceola, the family's hometown. "We came back to nothing," Conde said. So the Conde family went to the Salvation Army for help and was sent to Grace Place.
St. Croix Central High School in Hammond celebrated homecoming week from Sept. 17 to Sept. 21. SCC students dressed up each day according to that day's theme. Monday was look-alike day, Tuesday was superhero day, Wednesday was class color day, Thursday was salad dressing day and Friday was spirit day. At the homecoming pep-fest on Friday, SCC students held some friendly inter-grade competitions to gear up for the game that night. To see photos of the pep-fest, click the photo gallery link.
In their first official meeting on Sept. 18, the Somerset Community Foundation voted in board officers, including President Jay Emmert, Vice President Paul Wenzel, Secretary Randy Rosburg and Treasurer Joe Green. Other board members include Scott Wells, Brad Nemec and Casey Goessl. The Somerset Community Foundation has been in the works since April and has finally met the requirements to become affiliated with the St. Croix Valley Foundation. This first official meeting has set up the Somerset Community Foundation for operation; however, it was officially founded on Aug.
The Hazel Mackin Community Library and Roberts Ribbon Reapers 4-H Club are teaming up to bring a little extra warmth to Wisconsin military personnel overseas. Storytime at the Hazel Mackin Community Library this week will involve making blankets for overseas Wisconsin soldiers with the help of the Roberts Ribbon Reapers 4-H Club. "We are having themes shaped around themes, and 'b' happens to be 'blankets'," said Krissa Coleman youth services director.
Thanks to a move next door, Lori Mathys said her business' atmosphere is now more relaxing. Mathys owns Perfect Reflections in Somerset, which opened in its new location (705 Rivard St., suite 2) on Sept. 4. In it's old location, Mathys said Perfect Reflection's tanning customers had to walk through the nails area in order to get to the tanning beds. In the new location, manicures and pedicures take place in a room of their own. In addition, there are rooms for facials and massages.
Jan Reynolds has spent 35 years at American Heritage Care Center in Hammond and according to several of her coworkers, the assisted living director continues to go above and beyond the call of duty with her work.
Betsy Burns, of Flutterby Childcare, is working with Michelle Johnson to give kids and adults another place to display their artwork, besides the refrigerator door. The new Community Rainbow Art Program will display the artwork of local children and adults at the library. "I want something where...people can come to the library and enjoy the beauty of adults and children's art," Burns said. Burns said there is a theme for the artwork each month, winter for January, jungle animals and Valentines for February, St.
For its 10th birthday celebration, Grace Place is holding a celebration, and inviting the community to the homeless shelter on Sunday, Sept. 30, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Duana Bremer, Grace Place director, said the event will start with a brief ceremony led by the regional Salvation Army leader. "And then it's going to be fun, fun, fun," Bremer said. We're going to have a big tent outside. We're going to be serving lunch," Bremer said. Lunch, she added, will be pulled pork, coleslaw, baked beans and chips.
School is starting up all around the country, and church Bible study classes and groups are no exception. Riverside Ministries non-denominational church in Somerset has a different approach to Bible studies. Classes began Tuesday at the church's self-accredited Christian Leadership Institute of Minnesota (CLIMB) School. CLIMB began at Riverside's local church in Stillwater, Minn. in 1996 as a basic Bible Training Center.
Jason Rhode has spent many nights on a ladder in St. Croix Central Elementary School, painting the wall. He said he hopes his efforts will promote children's literacy. "Reading is the most important thing for kids to learn," Rhode said. "It's the foundation of everything else they need for math, science..." Rhode, an art teacher at St. Croix Central Elementary, is painting a mural composed of characters from children's books on one of the school's walls. The mural includes characters (and the tree house) from Mary Pope Osborn's "Magic Tree House" series, "Flat Stanley," Junie B.
