News

Local author, Christine Gowey will celebrate the release of her most recent book, “Five Legged Louie,” by hosting a book signing at Ginny’s Cupboard on Oct. 13. Herald photo by Nicole Vik.

Local author to host book signing

Monday, October 8, 2018 - 12:30pm

Local author, Christine Gowey has a whole arsenal of healthy messages packed into a stack full of children’s books that she has written collectively with her daughter Dr. Brandie Gowey, a naturopathic doctor who is also a Sparta High School graduate. Gowey will be presenting her latest release on...

Golden Eagle Roofing owner Reuben Miller, on right, joins roofers Rene Zimmerman (on left) and Ronnie Pitsenbarger as they tackle the backside of the new Evans-Bosshard Park restrooms built by the Sparta Shovelmen and leader Reinhardt Mueller. Herald photos by Tim Evans.

Free property attracts new roofing company to Sparta

Monday, October 8, 2018 - 12:00pm

Reuben Miller says he’s been roofing since he was 17 years old. Now, the rural Cashton native is in the fourth year of owning his own business and will be breaking ground next spring on two acres in Sparta’s east-end Industrial Park area. Miller moved his business to Sparta in mid-summer, settling...

Meredith Cherry and her horse Apollo made a stop in Sparta last Tuesday before continuing on their journey toward Illinois.

One woman, one horse, one goal

Monday, October 8, 2018 - 11:30am

It’s not unusual for a Mustang to be parked in front of Ginny’s Cupboard on Sparta’s North Water Street, but on Tuesday it was a surprise to see a Peruvian Mustang named Apollo, under a 70-pound pack, standing patiently at the corner of the building while his rider ate lunch. A cluster of...

Posing in front of the new milling machine at Meadowview Middle School are front, from left, representing local businesses David Eitland, Scott Jenkins and Tom Arendt. Pictured, back row, from left, Assistant Principal Bob Sanders, Principal Bill Ott, High School Tech Ed teacher Jason Schmitz, eighth grader Brayden Seeker, eighth grader Connor Macklin, teacher Steve Schauf, Superintendent Dr. Amy Van Deuren and Director of Teaching and Learning Jodi Brueggeman. Herald photo by Nicole Vik.

Middle school minds start milling

Monday, October 8, 2018 - 11:00am

The Ag/Tech Lab at Sparta Meadowview Middle School has a new miniature CNC milling machine sitting among an entire room full of technological advancement bringing Agriculture and Technology Education teacher Steve Schauf’s classroom one step closer to what he calls a real world setting. Schauf says...

Quinonez Lopez sentenced to life in prison for Cashton homicide

Thursday, October 4, 2018 - 11:03am

Adalberto Mateo Quinonez Lopez, 36, of Cashton was sentenced to life in prison last Thursday after he was found guilty of 1st degree intentional homicide. Quinonez Lopez plead guilty at a plea hearing on Aug. 7 when a pre-sentence investigation was ordered and later filed on Sept. 24. On Jan. 12,...

Pictured is the Korn Dam, which was one of three flood control dams in the Town of Portland that failed during the September 28 rain storms that dropped over 12 inches of rain on the area in less than eight hours.

Failed dams leave area vulnerable

Thursday, October 4, 2018 - 11:00am

Residents of the Town of Portland are well aware of what Mother Nature's fury can wreak. On September 28, a line of thunderstorms hammered the township, located on the southwest border of Monroe County, with over a foot of rain in a six to eight hour period. That unprecedented deluge resulted in...

Wesco's new owners, Mark and Marla Hellman, left, stand with former owner John Kress at the store's service counter.

Wesco changes hands: Same place, new owners

Monday, October 1, 2018 - 10:39am

Customers visiting Wesco over the past month likely haven't noticed a change in the home furnishings store, but there is big one. The store has new owners. Mark and Marla Hellman purchased Wesco in early September from long-time owner John Kress. Mark has worked for Wesco for the past 11 years as...

JoAnn and George Topness, of Rochester, MN were honored to be selected as this year’s Honorary Citizens by the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce.

Sparta Honorary Citizens program celebrates 20 years

Monday, September 24, 2018 - 11:17am

Flocks of past Sparta Honorary Citizens visited Sparta last week from all over the country to join the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce and the Sparta Ambassadors in celebrating the programs 20th year. George and JoAnn Topness of Rochester, MN were thrilled to be selected as this year’s Honorary...

Katie Bennett, director of Sojourner's Journey, a homeless shelter for women, stands in from of the organizations new location at 111 S. Water St.

Sojourner's Journey moving, evolving

Monday, September 24, 2018 - 11:13am

After seven years of being located at the old farm house at Rolling Hills, Sojourner's Journey, a homeless shelter for women, has found a new home and a revised mission. Katie Bennett, who founded the organization in 2011, is moving the shelter to 111 S. Water St., above a store front currently...

From left: Manny, Amy, Mike and Sam Hedrick.

Bound to the land by 160 years of history

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 9:30am

Mike Hedrick has an abiding attachment to an eighty-acre tract of farm land that stretches across the top of Summit Ridge in the Monroe County Town of Ridgeville. The acreage itself hasn't changed much over the last century and a half. Like always, its crops tussle with a vigorous breeze as they...