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RiceLakeOnline.com
- The Chronotype
The Rice Lake Area Newspaper.
| Tuesday, June 22, 2010
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Main Street work begins here Monday
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The end of Aquafest heralds the beginning of
tearing up even more Rice Lake streets.
Work on Main Street begins in earnest Monday,
June 21 said Scot Balsavich of Cooper
Engineering.
Related utility work on Knapp Street between
Main Street and Wilson Avenue has been under way
this week, with detours for eastbound travelers
common.
Reconstruction of Main Street from the south
city limits to Knapp Street and from Knapp
Street west to Kwik Trip will be done under a
$2.5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act grant.
Trierweiler Construction, the primary contractor
on the Main Street project along with the state
Department of Transportation will hold an
informational meeting for businesses affected by
the Main Street and Knapp Street construction
project. The meeting will be at City Hall on
Monday at 6 p.m. The meeting is to answer
questions related to the construction project
regarding access to businesses and parking and
the schedule for the project.
Other ARRA money will be used for work on
Pioneer and Haugen avenues.
Preparatory work on Pioneer Avenue from Hwy. O
to Coleman Street began earlier this week, with
barricades there expected later in the week.
Traffic will be detoured during construction on
Pioneer Avenue to College Drive, said Balsavich.
Work on Haugen Avenue will be from Hammond
Avenue to Lindy Street. That work will begin
after the Barron County Fair, which runs July 14-
18. Traffic will be detoured to Hwy. 48 during
work on Haugen Avenue, which is also Hwy. SS.
Work on Pioneer Avenue will cost about $700,000,
and work on Haugen Avenue will cost about
$300,000.
Balsavich said the overall plan on Main Street
is to do it all at one time, with the outside
lanes of the four-lane street closed to traffic.
Balsavich said traffic on Knapp Street will be
detoured to Tainter Avenue to Marshall Street.
He said the contractor has 80 calendar days to
complete the job, with that time limit starting
on Monday.
Trierweiler will do the work on Main Street, and
Monarch Paving will do the work on Pioneer and
Haugen avenues.
Balsavich said the city expects to post a weekly
update on the city's website.
He said Bob Nelson will be the contact for
Cooper Engineering, and that state Department of
Transportation and contractor field offices will
be set up at the old UBC location on the east
side of Main Street south of the Red Cedar River.
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Full story...
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| Thursday, June 3, 2010
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Sawyer Street bridge replacement set
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People coming into Rice Lake from the east on
Hwy. C could have a detour next year because of
bridge work.
Plans are to replace the bridge over the channel
connecting upper and lower Rice Lake next summer
or the following year.
The project will cost about $1.1 million. Of
that cost, 80% will be from federal funds. The
remaining 20% will be split between the City of
Rice Lake and Barron County. The bridge is on
County Hwy. C, which is also Sawywer Street in
the city.
Only about a half dozen people turned out
Tuesday for a public information meeting at City
Hall about the bridge project. Only one person,
a property owner near the bridge, was there from
the general public.
Chad Schroeder, of MSA Professional Services,
lead the meeting. He said the project has not
yet been funded but that work was expected next
summer. "This bridge is in desperate need of
replacement," he said.
He said the work would take 55-60 working days,
and that there would be a detour during the
construction.
That detour is Hwy. C to Hwy. M to Hwy. O to
Kern Avenue.
Schroeder said the current wooden brige, with
four piers, was built in 1953. It will be
replaced by a wider, longer concrete bridge with
two piers. There will also be a pathway on the
west side of the bridge. Bridge rails will be
decorative steel, and concrete will be molded to
simulate cut blocks.
The roadway will be shifted to the east, with
property acquisition necessary from three
owners. That process is expected to start in the
fall.
Public comments about the project can be
submitted until Tuesday, June 15 to Schroeder at
MSA Professional Services, 1835 N. Stevens St.,
Rhinelander, WI 54501, or to "cschroeder@msa-
ps.com."
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Full story...
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| Thursday, April 8, 2010
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Labor study hints at economic rebound
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Data from a recently completed Barron County
labor market study suggests the local economy
may be on the rebound, said Andrew Dane, Barron
County UW-Extension community development agent.
Dane recently completed the countywide study
with Gary Green of the UW-Extension and David
Miller of Barron County Economic Development.
Fifty-two of the county's major employers were
surveyed to determine the current and
anticipated demand for labor in the region.
Fewer employers are laying off workers, and many
expect to hire more workers in the next year or
so.
Scott Hodek of the Department of Workforce
Development, will present all the findings of
the study Monday at 7:30 a.m. at WITC in Rice
Lake. Afterward, Dane will share results of the
Barron County Green Jobs Study, and Miller will
provide an update on the county's Business
Retention and Expansion Study.
Other key findings from the labor market study
show:
• The largest number of current vacancies and
the largest number of anticipated vacancies are
for commission sales, machine operators,
mechanics and repair and laborers.
• Employee wages are increasing but at a lower
rate than 5 years ago.
• The costs of benefits to employers are also
rising rapidly, about 13% last year, but
employers are not passing on many of these
increased costs to workers. Most employers
continue to see their benefit package as a
critical mechanism for recruiting and retaining
qualified workers.
• The demand for labor in the region has begun
to shift to more skilled work, although not as
quickly as some other regions in the
state. "There appears to be much more demand for
semi-skilled and skilled workers in the area
than there was 5 years ago," said Dane. As
employers adopt new technology and hire more
skilled workers, they will probably need fewer
workers in the future, he said.
• 18% of the workforce is older than 55 years.
• 38% of the employers report they are having
difficulty in recruiting qualified workers. This
percentage has declined significantly from 5
years ago.
• The average worker turnover rate in the county
was 6.7%, which is much lower than the 10% rate
in 2004, and considerably lower compared to 17%
in 2000.
• Almost all of employers offer paid vacations
and health insurance to their employees. Ninety
percent of employers extend health insurance to
employees' family members. However, employees
pay for a majority of the coverage.
There is no cost for attending Monday's
presentation, but registration is suggested. To
register, e-mail "david.miller@co.barron.wi.us"
or "andrew.dane@ces.uwex.edu."
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Full story...
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| Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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City gets grant to modernize lighting.
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Rice Lake is one of 82 Wisconsin communities that will receive a total of $9.5 million in grant awards through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Gov. Jim Doyle announced earlier this week. The grants are for retrofits and lighting projects.
Rice Lake will receive $149,100 of the funds. The city must contribute at least $26,000 toward the projects.
The governor made the announcement in Kenosha County, which is receiving the maximum award of $225,000 for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning retrofit project at its public safety building. These new projects are expected to create about 125 jobs in Wisconsin, according to a news release issued by the governor's office.
Although receipt of the grant has not yet been approved by the City Council, planned projects include:
• Replacing high pressure sodium exterior lights with light emitting diode lights at City Hall.
• Replacing six windows and exterior lights at Nora Cemetery.
• Replacing exterior lights at the skating rink on Main Street.
• Replacing lighting at the airport.
• Replacing lighting at the Street Department building on Main Street.
• Replacing lighting and windows at the fire department.
• Replacing lighting at the city and school tennis courts.
• Replacing lighting at the wells and booster stations and at Rice Lake Utilities and its storage building.
• Replacing street lighting on Craite Avenue from Knapp to Short streets; on Wilson Avenue from Knapp to Short streets; on North Wisconsin Avenue from Knapp to Nottingham streets; and at several city parks.
The grants are funded through the Recovery Act's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The grants were made available to Wisconsin towns, villages and counties that did not receive direct federal funding from the Department of Energy and will be used to retrofit village halls, community centers, libraries and public works buildings.
Since the program was created, Wisconsin has overseen nearly $1.1 billion in Recovery Act expenditures.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, December 1, 2009
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Hospital construction progresses
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Just 3 months to the day following its official
groundbreaking, construction on the new Lakeview
Medical Center hospital reached another
milestone last week as the placement of the
final steel beam was recognized by a traditional
topping off ceremony.
Topping off, a phrase coined by ironworkers in
the 1920s, celebrates the final piece of
structural steel after a building has reached
its maximum height.
About 60 community members and staff
participated in the event during which the beam,
signed by Lakeview Medical Center employees and
patients, community members and construction
crews, was hoisted into place.
As is tradition, an evergreen tree to symbolize
growth and bring good fortune to the building
occupants accompanied the beam along with an
American flag.
Lakeview Medical Center president and CEO Ned
Wolf opened the ceremony by welcoming
participants and thanking them for sharing in
the historic milestone. "It was very impressive
to see all of the signatures on the beam and the
good will of the community towards the new
building," said Wolf.
Some interesting construction facts about the
building include:
• 35-50 workers on site per day.
• 275 tons of rebar.
• 9,700 tons of concrete.
• 875 tons of steel.
• 12 local businesses have been awarded building
contracts.
The project is expected to be completed late
next year. The $43 million hospital will feature
40 larger private rooms with accommodations for
overnight guests, separate emergency entrance, a
chapel and a C-section surgical suite located
between obstetrics and surgery.
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Full story...
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| Sunday, November 1, 2009
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LMC named top value hospital in national report
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Lakeview Medical Center is just one of two
Wisconsin hospitals named among the 100 best
value hospitals in the nation.
Lakeview made the top 100 list in a report put
out by Data Advantage, a nationwide health care
information company specializing in independent,
objective and comprehensive data solutions for
health care providers, consultants, analysts and
suppliers.
The report was based on the firm's analysis of
data from 4,500 hospitals, which account for
nearly 90% of all hospital activity in the
nation. The only other Wisconsin hospital to
make the top 100 was St. Joseph's Hospital in
Bloomer. Minnesota had just one hospital on the
list-Owatonna Hospital in Owatonna.
Lakeview earned a score of 73% on the firm's
Hospital Value Index. The average score on that
index was 53%, and scores ranged from a low of
18% to a high of 85%. The Chippewa Falls
hospital came in at 71%.
None of the other hospitals in Barron County
were part of the index. The other nearby
hospitals that were rated in the index were
Luther Mayo Health and Sacred Heart, both in Eau
Claire. Luther scored 63% on the index and
Sacred Heart 49%.
The index has been touted as the first
comprehensive list to measure the relative value
of hospital care at the local level by
evaluating quality of service, affordability and
efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Hospitals making the list set the bar for the
nation when it comes to value, said Hal Andrews,
chief executive officer of Data Advantage. He
said these hospitals have proven their ability
to deliver high value care and can be looked to
as a model for other hospitals around the nation.
"As legislators consider health reform, we
believe that it will be increasingly important
to recognize and reward those hospitals that
deliver outstanding value," said Andrews.
The index attempts to measure a hospital's
success in four areas:
• Quality as measured by the Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services' core measures data on
patient safety, mortality and readmissions.
• Efficiency, including the relative measure of
cost to the hospital for provided services.
• Affordability based on a relative comparison
of prices charged for services.
• Patient satisfaction using Hospital Consumer
Assessment of Health care Providers and Systems,
which is the first national, standardized,
publicly reported survey of patients'
perspectives of hospital care. It incorporates
many of the recognized measures adopted for
incentive payments in Medicare demonstration
projects
Data Advantage officials say that this kind of
information is becoming increasingly important
for both hospitals and consumers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
has proposed that value-based purchasing be used
to transform Medicare from a passive payer of
claims to an active purchaser of care. At the
same time, health care consumers are shouldering
an increasing burden of the cost of health care,
of which hospital services is a large part.
Data Advantage officials contend the index
enables each stakeholder in the health care
system to compare the value of hospitals in a
comprehensive way.
Looking more closely at the findings for
Lakeview Medical Center, the hospital scored 99%
on what are termed "core measures." The national
average was 88%.
These measures are based on patient records and
attempt to show how well a hospital cares for
certain groups of patients.
Among heart attack patients the hospital scored
at 97%, compared to the national average of 91%.
This score was based on the kinds of treatment
provided for five different categories of heart
attack patients.
In treating heart failure patients, the hospital
scored at 99%, while the average score was 83%
for all hospitals. This score looked at four
specific treatments for heart failure patients.
LMC also received at 99% score in the treatment
of pneumonia patients. The national average was
89%. In this instance, seven treatment options
were measured.
The hospital was ranked at 100% for care of
surgical patients. Nationally, hospitals score
at 89%. Six treatment options were measured.
The index also considered mortality rates and
readmission rates. In those areas the hospital's
score was no different than the national
average.
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Full story...
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| Thursday, October 1, 2009
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Kohl's variances approved
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Three setback variances were granted to Kohl's
by the city's Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday.
The Milwaukee-based retailer, with over 1,000
stores nationwide, plans to build a 64,000
square foot store on the lot east of Menards. A
building site and operational plan will come
before the city Planning Commission on Thursday
at 5 p.m. at City Hall. Kohl's sought variances
for parking, building and sign setbacks. But a
raised sign will be built, rather than a ground
level sign, which eliminated the need for a sign
setback.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, September 1, 2009
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Stimulus grant will help rebuild Main Street
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Rice Lake's Main Street will be rebuilt next
year under an economic stimulus grant awarded to
the city last week.
Other projects under the $3.5 million grant
include work on Pioneer and Haugen avenues. All
projects are scheduled for 2010.
An official announcement of the grant award is
Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at City Hall. Expected
are Rep. Dave Obey, state Rep. Mary Hubler and
state Senator Bob Jauch.
The funds were part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act. That act provides federal
funds to states to help save and create jobs and
restore confidence in the economy.
Reconstruction of Main Street will be from South
Street on the south end to Kwik Trip on the
north end. Work on Pioneer Avenue will be from
Hwy. O to Coleman Street. Work on Haugen Avenue
will be from Hammond Avenue to Lindy Street.
Mayor Dan Fitzgerald said the city does not have
to pay a share of costs. He said the project
specifications must be submitted to the state by
December and that bidding for the projects will
be handled by the state.
Jauch and Hubler praised Gov. Jim Doyle's
decision to allocate $3.5 million in stimulus
funding to Rice Lake.
"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is
helping us to invest in a quality transportation
system that will serve as the foundation of our
state's economy. Good roads are an extremely
valuable economic asset that can play a vital
role in determining where a business will locate
or expand," Doyle stated in a news release.
Jauch and Hubler also praised Obey's role as
Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee
for his leadership in passing the stimulus
package.
"Communities can't grow and they can't provide
decent job opportunities without strong
community infrastructure such as good roads,"
said Obey. "The purpose of this Recovery Act
stimulus funding is to meet community needs,
ease the squeeze on local taxpayers and help
restart the economy by stimulating job growth,
and I am glad to see that these important
efforts in Rice Lake and Barron County can be
completed as planned."
In addition to the Rice Lake projects, Doyle and
Obey recently announced $600,000 for the Turtle
Lake library.
Fitzgerald said Rice Lake submitted a number of
projects for funding, but they were initially
denied. The city then asked Jauch and Hubler to
work toward securing funding. Jauch and Hubler
had several conversations with Wisconsin
Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi and
Doyle's office to encourage stimulus support for
the Rice Lake projects.
Planned for next year
Consulting city engineer Bruce Markgren said
although the projects are still being designed,
the basic outlines are in place.
He said the city has been planning a South Main
Street resurfacing project for a couple of
years, and that Rice Lake Utilities have been
upgrading and repairing water and sewer lines
all summer in anticipation of such a project
coming in the near future. He said only surface
work is planned south of Humbird Street. He said
there may be additional utility repairs from
Humbird to Knapp Street.
He said the concrete pavement and base will be
replaced on Main Street from Humbird Street
north to Knapp Street and on the entire Knapp
Street segment. The concrete pavement from
Messenger to Humbird streets will be refinished
and sealed. The concrete pavement under the
existing asphalt south of Messenger Street will
remain in place.
Markgren said the pavement on Pioneer Avenue is
failing, and that it needs to be addressed
because Pioneer Avenue is a priniciple truck
route. The section from Hwy. O to South Street
is cracked and rutted, and will have the base
and pavement replaced. The section from South
Street to Coleman Street only needs to have the
pavement replaced.
The third project is Haugen Avenue from Hammond
Avenue to Lindy Street. Haugen Avenue is Hwy. SS
on the north side of the city. Markgren said the
concrete pavement underneath the roadway has
joint failure and will be removed and possibly
crushed and used as part of the new base.
Work on Main Street is expected to cost about
$2.5 million. Work on Pioneer Aveneu will be
about $700,000, and work on Haugen Avenue will
be about $300,000
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| Tuesday, August 25, 2009
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Hospital groundbreaking ceremony draws crowd
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A ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Lakeview
Medical Center hospital in Rice Lake was Monday,
Aug. 17 with about 200 people turning out for
the event. The hospital is adjacent to
Marshfield Clinic at the southeastern corner of
the intersection of Hwys. 48 and 53.
Construction of the new $43 million, 130,000
square-foot facility began earlier, with work
currently under way on the concrete footings.
The building is expected to be completed in late
2010 or early 2011.
Master of ceremonies Ned Wolf, president and
chief executive officer of Lakeview, said the
dream of a new hospital began in earnest in 2000
with the search for a new location for the old
Marshfield Clinic and the existing hospital.
Both were on the lakeshore and both had serious
space limitations.
Wolf told the gathering that designing the new
hospital was complex, and that doctors and
hospital staff were involved in the process to
give the best possible patient care.
Dr. Karl Ulrich, Marshfield clinic president and
chief executive officer, told Wolf that
construction of the new hospital was "a
testimony to your vision." Ulrich noted the
current discussion of health care, and said that
Rice Lake "is at the vanguard, the forefront of
the health care change."
Also addressing the gathering was Rice Lake
Mayor Dan Fitzgerald.
"These are exciting times," said Fitzgerald.
He noted the controversy in building the new
hospital, but also said, "There is definitely a
reputation of excellence that Lakeview Medical
Center holds."
Controversy over the new building involved a
payment in lieu of taxes to the city, although
the city and the hospital eventually reached an
agreement in that matter.
The Rev. Jerry Bernecker of the Rice Lake
Ministerial Assn. said a prayer. Also speaking
was Dr. Bradley Bekkum, medical director of the
Northwest Division of Marshfield Clinic.
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| Tuesday, July 28, 2009
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County Board opts to continue with an administrator
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Sam Finazzo
Editor Rice Lake Chronotype
Barron County supervisors reaffirmed their
support for a county administrator in a 22-7
vote Monday, July 20.
The vote came following a free-ranging
discussion about how county government should be
structured after the departure of county
administrator Duane Hebert, whose last day on
the job was Tuesday.
The vote means that the county will begin the
search to hire a new administrator-a process
expected to take months. During the interim the
county's finance director, Jeff French, will
serve as administrator. That decision came on a
voice vote without opposition.
Last month Hebert decided to end his 6-year
relationship with Barron County in favor of a
similar position with Winona County, Minn. At
times that relationship-in the words of one
supervisor Monday-has been "choppy" and the
debate over whether to continue with an
administrator reflected that.
In a prepared statement about Hebert's tenure,
Supervisor Larry Leff of Chetek said, "There
have been many good decisions and some bad ones,
but it only takes a few bad ones to make
citizens forget any good that has been done."
Leff suggested that the board take the time to
thoroughly look at all the options.
"It seems to me that we are trying to run and
catch a train that could be headed for
disaster," Leff said.
Supervisor Ron Novotny of Rice Lake acknowledged
that "there have been good and bad times" over
the last few years, but added that the county is
better off for having made the change to an
administrator form of government. He urged the
board to continue in that direction.
Among the options discussed were to return to
the more traditional form of government when
various committees and a strong County Board
chair directed the various county departments.
But there seemed to be little or no support for
that option.
Supervisor Paul Streif of Clear Lake said the
board had given away too much of its power with
the hiring of an administrator. He and several
others said they prefer returning to an
administrative coordinator.
The primary difference between a coordinator and
an administrator is that the board decides how
much authority a coordinator would have while an
administrator's powers are defined by state law.
Supervisor Ken Jost of Chetek said that with a
coordinator the county could decide whether to
give that individual as much or more power than
an administrator.
He said none of the supervisors want to return
to having day-to-day county operations run by
the board. But he also said he is concerned that
an administrator would give the appearance that
the County Board is being led around by an
administrator.
He, too, urged the board to take more time to
make a decision. With French in charge of day-to-
day operations during the interim, he said
there's no reason not to take 30 to 60 days to
make a decision.
But Supervisor Jim Stavran of Rice Lake said
delaying a decision would send a mixed message
to county employees. "There's no doubt in my
mind that we're better off for having had an
administrator," he said.
He referred to statistics that show that
counties increasingly are hiring administrators
rather than coordinators. He reminded the board
that the county had gone to an
administrator "because we needed to change."
He argued that the county would get a better
caliber of applicants if the administrator
versus coordinator issue was settled.
Supervisor Pete Olson of Barron said Hebert had
the department heads working in the right
direction and added that with 500 employees and
a $40 million budget it would be best if the
county would continue with an administrator.
Supervisor Lee Romsos of Cameron said he
struggled with the decision to retain an
administrator or change back to a coordinator
until he looked at the results of a survey of
department heads.
He said he was amazed by the support for the
administrator from department heads and others
who worked daily with Hebert. Fourteen of 16
responders said they strongly agree with
maintaining a county administrator position.
The same number agreed that under the direction
of the administrator the county has increased
operational efficiency and savings.
Fifteen responders disagreed with the suggestion
that the County Board ought to have direct daily
oversight of each department.
Romsos said that the administrator had put the
county in a good position to continue to move
forward and for that reason he supported
retaining an administrator.
Supervisor Rick Wourenma of Almena said he
objected to the use of the unsigned surveys in
making the decision, calling the survey foolish
and characterizing it as a straw poll.
He also argued for a delay in the decision.
Olson noted that the board already has known for
a year that Hebert was looking elsewhere for an
administrator's position and that it has been 45
days since Hebert gave notice of his decision to
leave. He said further delay is unwarranted,
Novotny moved for the board to adopt a
resolution supporting the hiring of an
administrator.
The seven dissenting votes were cast by
Wourenma, Streif, Jost, Leff, Don Horstman,
Terry Henck and Chuck Christensen, who had all
spoken in favor of a delay and/or the hiring of
coordinator.
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| Tuesday, June 23, 2009
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State proposes extending freeway
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A public hearing addressing making Hwy. 53 a
freeway from 26th Avenue to 30th Avenue in
Barron County is Wednesday, July 1 at 7 p.m. at
the Haugen Elementary School. There is an open
house at 6 p.m.
The hearing is required for the state Department
of Transportation to adopt the official map of
the planned improvements to convert Hwy. 53 from
26th Avenue to 30th Avenue to a freeway. Those
improvements include a new Hwys. 53 and V
interchange at Haugen. The official map shows
the future right of way that would be necessary
to construct the improvements.
Hwy. 53 is currently a freeway south of 26th
Street. The state plans to extend Hwy. 53's
freeway status to 30th Avenue, which is the
Barron-Washburn county line.
The Hwy. 53 intersection at Haugen has had a
high rate of severe injury and fatal crashes. In
2007, the state DOT announced that an improved
at-grade interchange at Hwys. 53 and V at Haugen
was the preferred alternative to deal with the
high fatality rate there.
Estimated construction costs in 2007 were about
$14 million for the entire project, which would
include overpasses at 26th and 30th avenues.
Construction of the total project could take
decades.
The official map enables landowners, the public
and government agencies to plan in ways that
won't conflict with the planned improvements.
The map, which is recorded on deeds, is also a
step in enabling the project to compete for
construction funding.
Official mapping does not involve buying
property. If a person's property falls within
the area shown on the official map, the DOT will
send a formal letter to the property owner. The
property owner then must notify the DOT 60 days
in advance of any alteration to the property or
any structure on the property within the right
of way.
Upon receipt of the notification, the DOT will
make a determination to either buy the property
or allow the alteration to occur. If the
property is acquired at a later date, the owner
will receive compensation for the alteration.
However, a landowner who makes any alteration to
the property without notifying the DOT will not
receive any compensation for that improvement if
or when the DOT decides to buy the property.
For more information about the project, contact
Marc Bowker at WisDOT Northwest Region, 7102
Green Valley Road, Spooner, WI 54801 or at 225-
9306 or "marc.bowker@dot.state.wi.us."
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| Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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City, LMC reach PILOT deal
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Lakeview Medical Center and the City of Rice
Lake have reached an agreement over a payment in
lieu of taxes to the city. The agreement clears
the way for Lakeview to build a new hospital
next to the new Marshfield Clinic building
without the city contesting issuance of a
building permit.
Following approval of the deal by a 7-0 vote at
a special City Council meeting Tuesday, May 5
Mayor Dan Fitzgerald said the deal will allow
Lakeview to "build a great community complex on
the top of the hill that will only bring
community enhancement to Rice Lake."
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| Sunday, April 26, 2009
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Community digs in
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Representatives of some of the public and
private interests that came together to raise
money for a $3.7 million sports complex at Rice
Lake High School break ground Tuesday, April 28
to mark the constuction phase of the project.
Literally digging in are, from left, Rice Lake
School superintendent Paul Vine, Student Council
representative Allison Salisbury, Sports Booster
Club representative John Rae, Mayor Dan
Fitzgerald, Dairy State Bank president Mike
Bock, School Board president Ray VanGilder,
Herman Friess, representing the Foster Friess
family who donated $500,000 to the project,
Rotary Club president Bruce Markgren, Lakeview
Medical Center president Ned Wolf and Marshfield
Clinic-Rice Lake administrator Jolene Anderson.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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Lakeview Medical Center - Building a Healthier Community
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“We thought it important to keep community
members engaged in the process from start to
finish,” said Ned Wolf, CEO, Lakeview Medical
Center. “We provided this web cam to help make
community members feel connected to this process
and their future hospital.”
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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Sports complex plans nearly ready for bids
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Bid documents for a $4 million sports complex at
Rice Lake High School will go out to contractors
Monday, March 9.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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New landing construction in full swing - Opening Sept 27
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Work is well under way on construction of the
new downtown boat ramp just east of Main Street
near the bridge.
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Full story...
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| Wednesday, August 13, 2008
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WI Secretary of Agriculture Visits Rice Lake
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Wisconsin’s Secretary of Agriculture, Rod
Nilsestuen, is coming to Rice Lake this Tuesday
morning, August 12th to announce the Northwest
Wisconsin Regional Food Network’s (NWRFN)
Nourishing Northern Wisconsin Buy Local, Buy
Wisconsin grant award.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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WITC ranked 7th best two-year college in the nation
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As students return to the halls of Wisconsin
Indianhead Technical College’s four campuses, a
recent study has proven they have made the right
choice. WITC ranks seventh among two-year
colleges nationwide, according to a study
published in Washington Monthly.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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Dr. Meyer begins term as WITC president
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On July 1, Dr. Robert M. Meyer, officially begins his term as the president of WITC.
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Full story...
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| Monday, April 28, 2008
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New Marshfield Clinic to open doors Monday
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Full story...
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| Wednesday, November 28, 2007
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Red Cedar Development Corporation Hires Marketing Director
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The position reopened Spring of 2007 by the Red Cedar Development Corporation has been filled by Natalie Robarge. Natalie comes to us from Menards, Inc. At Menards Inc. she was instrumental in marketing and selling many of the excess properties owned by Menards, Inc. Prior to Menards, she served on the executive team of United Way of Macon County and Junior Welfare League. Natalie has an extensive background in non-profits and has lead many fundraising campaigns. At the present time she is fully engaged as an independent consultant working from her home office in Rice Lake - providing marketing, advertising, and strategic planning services to Red Cedar Development Corporation.
Natalie and her husband, Tom, recently moved back to Rice Lake after being away for 20 years. They have 3 children- Derek 14, Lucas 10, and Jacqueline 9. Natalie is very excited to have the opportunity to work with Red Cedar Development Corporation, Rice Lake Utilities, the City of Rice Lake, and the Rice Lake Area Chamber of Commerce as they all continue to develop strategies and execute plans for the development of Rice Lake's newest business park.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, October 2, 2007
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Cooper Engineering - Moves Into New Building
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Cooper Engineering, a fixture in Rice Lake for
more than half a century, moved into a new
building last fall and continues to provide a
wide variety of engineering services to Rice
Lake and many communities throughout northern
Wisconsin.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, September 18, 2007
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Twin Colleges ... One Mission
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Two Campuses side by side, with different
programs, but with one mission providing
educational opportunities to young and old.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, February 27, 2007
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Rice Lake is a “Best” place to live!
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Are you a prospective employer thinking about
relocating your business to Rice Lake but want
to know more about its crime rate?
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, November 28, 2006
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Luther Midelfort to open Rice Lake clinic
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Luther Midelfort-Mayo Health System plans to
expand their health care services to the Rice
Lake area. An outpatient clinic, which will be
part of Barron Medical Center, will open in Rice
Lake in the spring of 2007 in the Town Centre
building on South Main Street, stated a news
release issued by the clinic on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
The Town Centre building is the former
MarketPlace Foods. The new clinic will be about
23,000 square feet.
The new clinic will include a multi-specialty
practice. The actual specialties and number of
providers are yet to be determined, said Brad
Groseth, regional administrator at Barron Medical
Center.
Luther Midelfort has been providing health care
services in Barron County since 1999 through
Barron Medical Center’s hospital in Barron and
through clinics in Barron, Cameron, Chetek and
Prairie Farm. Midelfort has had a clinic at the
Barron hospital since 1978.
“For the past several months we have been in
discussions with Lakeview Medical Center to
better understand the future health care needs in
Rice Lake and the surrounding area,” said Randall
Linton, M.D., chief executive officer and
president of Luther Midelfort, “Through our new
clinic, we’ll be able to work with the hospital
on enhancing health care locally,” he said.
“As a community hospital, we are always
enthusiastic at the prospect of having more
physicians working with us to better serve the
area,” said Lakeview Medical Center president and
CEO Ned Wolf.
“One message we’ve heard from the community is
the desire for more provider choice in Rice
Lake,” said Wolf.
Currently under construction in Rice Lake is a
new Marshfield Clinic near the intersection of
Hwys. 53 and 48. That 138,200-square-foot, three-
story facility will cost about $43 million.
Completion of that clinic is expected in early
2008.
Linton said discussions with the hospital are
ongoing and there are a number of details yet to
be worked out. “Employees, our patients and the
community will be updated as plans continue to
evolve,” he said.
Luther Midelfort includes a network of four
hospitals and 11 clinics, including 200
physicians. It has facilities in Eau Claire,
Barron, Bloomer, Osseo, Cameron, Chetek, Prairie
Farm, Colfax, Chippewa Falls and Mondovi. Working
in partnership with Mayo Clinic, Luther Midelfort
offers a full range of medical services,
including complete cardiac surgery, cancer and
trauma care programs.
Luther Hospital was founded in Eau Claire in
1905. What was then called the Midelfart Clinic
opened in downtown Eau Claire in 1927. In 1995
Midelfort expanded its Eau Claire base of
operation by opening Midelfort Clinic-Luther
Campus, a five-floor medical office building
attached to Luther Hospital.
In 1992, Luther Hospital and Midelfort Clinic
affiliated with the Mayo Foundation in Rochester,
Minn.-10/18/06
RiceLakeOnline.com
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, October 24, 2006
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Work progresses at new Marshfield Clinic
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Building crews are making progress at the new Marshfield Clinic near the intersection of Hwys. 53 and 48 in Rice Lake. Groundbreaking for the three-story building was in June, with completion expected in early 2008. The 138,000-square-foot building will cost about $43 million. That price includes building construction; equipment such as a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging unit, a computed tomography scanner and mammography and other diagnostic equipment; and an ambulatory surgery center.
Marshall Erdman & Associates of Madison, is the designer/builder.
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, August 1, 2006
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Update
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Greetings to all Chamber Members and Affiliates. It has been 6 months since my year as President began. I want to thank all of the Chamber Members, Affiliates, Board of Directors, Chair people, and Staff for all their hard work during the first half of my term.
Much has been accomplished, many projects are under way, and a lot is left to be done. I won’t go into all of our ongoing projects, but I do want to talk about something that I feel is an important and exciting project that your Chamber is undertaking. This is a project that will enhance the value of your membership and also give more visibility and exposure to all of our Chamber Businesses. Your Board of Directors, in response to a request by the Rice Lake Tourism and Retail Development Commission for more visitor information and exposure on our interchanges, has initiated a “Kiosk” program. What this will be is a series of locations, starting with our two interchanges and expanding later, where we will have Kiosks and possibly other printed visitor information, etc. These Kiosks will be interactive with a touch screen so that visitors can find out almost anything about our Rice Lake area. Visitors to the Kiosk will be able to see what is going on in the community, get maps, book motel rooms instantly, check out restaurants, find professionals, retail stores, and the like. It would take too much space to tell you all that theses Kiosks can do, so I will not tell you here. In the future, your Board will be working out all the details and you will be invited to see what all can be done with this systems. Keep watching your newsletter, come to a Board meeting, or call Board Members for more information. We will keep you posted as this exciting project gets underway early this summer. We hope to have all members’ names on the Kiosks and will have other optional items to enhance your presence on the Kiosks. We also hope to offer other services to our Members, along with the Kiosks, like web page design and hosting, etc.
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Full story...
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| Wednesday, June 14, 2006
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Clinic to break ground Thursday
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Marshfield Clinic holds a formal groundbreaking at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, for its new clinic in Rice Lake. The ceremony will be at the site of the new clinic near the intersection of Hwys. 48 and 53. The public is invited.
The 138,200-square-foot, three-story facility will cost about $43 million. That price includes building construction; equipment such as a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging unit, a computed tomography scanner, mammography and other diagnostic equipment; and an ambulatory surgery center.
Chuck Schmoller, director of Marshfield Clinic Facilities and Property, said construction will begin the week of June 19 with completion in early 2008. Marshall Erdman & Associates of Madison, is the designer/builder.
Marshfield’s existing Rice Lake clinic, Indianhead Center, is on Lakeshore Drive, but that facility is out of space. Marshfield also owns the Lakewoods clinic on Hwy. 48 near the new clinic site. That building will be used for psychiatry and behavioral health and clinic support services.
No plans have yet been made for the Indianhead Center facility once the new building is completed.
Currently, there are 43 Marshfield physicians practicing in Rice Lake. Nearly 225 employees work at the two centers.
The new building will accommodate physician practices, ambulatory surgery and the imaging center, including:
• First floor: pediatrics, family practice, patient education, anticoagulation service and ambulatory surgery, with four operating rooms and two procedure rooms.
• Second floor: laboratory services, imaging and diagnostic testing, urgent care, orthopedics, physical therapy, occupational medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, oncology, internal medicine and podiatry.
• Third floor: ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, nephrology, urology, general surgery, otolaryngology, audiology, center administration and space for consulting specialists.
“Marshfield Clinic is a good neighbor in the communities in which it has a presence. This is demonstrated in Rice Lake with the commitment the clinic system is making in the form of this new state-of-the-art facility. Not only will the building project bring resources into the city but it will employ even more area residents as service continues to grow. Having a well-designed building specifically for outpatient care will add to efficiencies in providing health care and that will help keep costs down,” said Indianhead Center manager Jolene Anderson.
Marshfield Clinic system provides patient care, research and education with 41 locations in northern, central, eastern and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.Marshfield Clinic holds a formal groundbreaking at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, for its new clinic in Rice Lake. The ceremony will be at the site of the new clinic near the intersection of Hwys. 48 and 53. The public is invited.
The 138,200-square-foot, three-story facility will cost about $43 million. That price includes building construction; equipment such as a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging unit, a computed tomography scanner, mammography and other diagnostic equipment; and an ambulatory surgery center.
Chuck Schmoller, director of Marshfield Clinic Facilities and Property, said construction will begin the week of June 19 with completion in early 2008. Marshall Erdman & Associates of Madison, is the designer/builder.
Marshfield’s existing Rice Lake clinic, Indianhead Center, is on Lakeshore Drive, but that facility is out of space. Marshfield also owns the Lakewoods clinic on Hwy. 48 near the new clinic site. That building will be used for psychiatry and behavioral health and clinic support services.
No plans have yet been made for the Indianhead Center facility once the new building is completed.
Currently, there are 43 Marshfield physicians practicing in Rice Lake. Nearly 225 employees work at the two centers.
The new building will accommodate physician practices, ambulatory surgery and the imaging center, including:
• First floor: pediatrics, family practice, patient education, anticoagulation service and ambulatory surgery, with four operating rooms and two procedure rooms.
• Second floor: laboratory services, imaging and diagnostic testing, urgent care, orthopedics, physical therapy, occupational medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, oncology, internal medicine and podiatry.
• Third floor: ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, nephrology, urology, general surgery, otolaryngology, audiology, center administration and space for consulting specialists.
“Marshfield Clinic is a good neighbor in the communities in which it has a presence. This is demonstrated in Rice Lake with the commitment the clinic system is making in the form of this new state-of-the-art facility. Not only will the building project bring resources into the city but it will employ even more area residents as service continues to grow. Having a well-designed building specifically for outpatient care will add to efficiencies in providing health care and that will help keep costs down,” said Indianhead Center manager Jolene Anderson.
Marshfield Clinic system provides patient care, research and education with 41 locations in northern, central, eastern and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.-06/14/06
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Full story...
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| Thursday, October 27, 2005
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Red Cedar Development Corporation Hires Marketing Director
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The position opened Spring of 2005 by the Red
Cedar Development Corporation has been filled by
Susan Lemar.
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Full story...
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| Wednesday, July 27, 2005
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2005 is Another Busy Year in Rice Lake
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On a quiet Saturday morning as one travels
through Rice Lake, until about 8:30 am, it is
hard to believe that so much is happening in this
northern outpost. The following is a listing of
just some of the active projects taking place
within our boundaries in 2005:
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, March 1, 2005
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Rice Lake’s Commitment to Growth
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Rice Lake is continuing its strong commitment to growth. Recently, on February 15th, over 20 community leaders met to discuss growth efforts and initiatives in the City. Representatives attended the meeting from City Government, Chamber of Commerce, Red Cedar Development, Retailers, Financial institutions, WITC, UW System, Barron County Economic Development Corporation, Realtors, Rice Lake Utilities, and the Rice Lake Main Street Association.
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Full story...
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| Wednesday, February 23, 2005
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Hiring a Marketing Director for Red Cedar Development Corporation.
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Red Cedar Developmnet Corporation is seeking a Marketing Director. The position is being created under a cooperative effort of Red Cedar Development, The City of Rice Lake and Rice Lake Utilities.
For additional Information click here
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Full story...
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| Tuesday, May 4, 2004
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Technology Park Project Moving Forward
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In the southern portion of the community, an area has been designated as the technology park.
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Full story...
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| Monday, May 3, 2004
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North Industrial Park Land Ready, Now Known as Rice Lake Business Park.
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The project will accommodate facilities needing large sites (over 40 acres) or smaller sites. By early summer of 2004, the site will be ready for occupation.
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Full story...
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| Thursday, June 5, 2003
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Developers seize on Rice Lake's service center growth
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According to BusinessNorth, nine of the top 50 Northwest Wisconsin employers are located in Rice Lake.
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Full story...
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Rice Lake "Business Retention Survey."
PowerPoint Presentation
from 9-15-04
- Save and View File click here
(large file requires MS PowerPoint)
- View as a Web page click here
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