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Jim and Cathy Geister, recognized for their commitment and volunteerism at Prescott American Legion Post 61.

Prescott American Legion announces 2026 Volunteer of the Year

PRESCOTT – The Prescott American Legion Post 61 has named Vice Commander Jim Geister as its 2026 Volunteer of the Year in recognition of his outstanding leadership, dedication and commitment to the …

Prescott Community Club Student of the Week

The Prescott Community Club Student of the Week for Nov. 11 is PHS sophomore Brynn Duffy, nominated by FACE/health teacher Angela Boles. “Brynn serves as a standout leader in Food and …

UWRF horticulture students win championship at regional competition

RIVER FALLS – Students from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls earned first-place team honors at the Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society (MACHS) Conference Horticulture Competition …

UW-River Falls to celebrate GIS Day with open house

RIVER FALLS – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls will celebrate GIS Day with an open house Nov. 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the UWRF Geographic Information Science (GIS) Lab , Room 301, …

Prescott School Board approves tax levy, budget

PRESCOTT – The Prescott School Board unanimously approved the proposed 2026-27 budget and tax levy at the Oct. 28 meeting. An increase in the tax levy this year of $124,789 brings it to …
Government

SV levy to see fractional decrease after budget conversations

SPRING VALLEY — The Spring Valley Village Board approved a 2027 budget that would decrease local tax levy by 0.28% to $572,796. According to information shared at the October Village Board …
Crime

Hager City man arrested after leading police on chase

Randy Ray Wilkens
TOWN OF OAK GROVE – A high speed pursuit winding through Oak Grove township resulted in the arrest of one Hager City man during the early morning hours of Oct. 25. Randy Ray Wilkens, 41, was …
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Most read stories
Business

Serranos Mercadito officially opens new storefront

Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce members celebrated Serranos Mercadito’s grand opening in the Ellsworth’s Midway district on Wednesday, Nov. 4 with a ribbon cutting. Congratulations to Shubel, Ruth and Vladimir Vento who are operating the family-owned business.

Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce members gathered Wednesday, Nov. 4 to welcome Serranos Mercadito, located at 191 E. Main St., Ellsworth. The store sells not only Serranos delicious hot food items, …

Local sports

Shots From the Hip: All-Conference honors, boys BB rankings

Congratulations to defensive lineman Charlie Rohl and offensive lineman Gabe Turner on being named 2026 Middle Border All Conference. It is the second time Rohl has been named to the team and the …
Senior captain Cahlilah Lindquist initiating the offense for the Falcons.

Falcons survive early tests as defending champs

RIVER FALLS — Winning back-to-back-to-back National Championships put the target on the backs of the UWRF women’s hockey team, and they are taking that in stride. The Falcons are 4-0 after …

RF swim and dive places well at Sectionals

River Falls swimming and diving wrapped up its season at the Rice Lake Sectional with scores and times that went toe-to-toe with the area’s best. River Falls secured a handful of top finishes, …

Spring Valley XC coach named wrestling coach

Chase Arens was recently approved as the next Spring Valley/Elmwood wrestling coach. Arens just wrapped up his first year as the Spring Valley cross country coach and is ready for the winter sports …
Despite being just a freshman for the Gophers, George Rohl has already found his way into the tight end rotation.

Rohl makes leaping grab for first collegiate touchdown

George Rohl, now a freshman tight end for the Minnesota Gophers, had the words Ellsworth, Wisconsin, ringing through televisions nationwide, rising up to grab a touchdown to tie the score at 17 in …
Senior cross country runner Kyra Dix finished second at last weekend’s WIAA State Meet in Wisconsin Rapids, ending a truly remarkable high school career. Since joining the team as a sophomore in …
Prescott senior Kyra Dix poses with the Cardinal mascot after finishing fifth at the Griak Invitational back in September.
Prescott senior Kyra Dix took second, Ellsworth senior Adolfo Mendez took fourth and River Falls sophomore Micaiah Black placed 13th in what turned out to be an excellent State cross country meet …
The River Falls block rises up to make a play on the ball during the Sectional Semi-finals in River Falls on Thursday.
RIVER FALLS — The Wildcat volleyball season was an excellent one in 2026, finishing second place in a stacked Big Rivers Conference with just one conference loss. River Falls entered Sectionals …
River Falls senior Ryker O'Keefe celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the playoffs against Brookfield Central on Friday.
Spring Valley and River Falls saw their football seasons come to a close Friday night, each dropping games in the second round of the postseason. Both teams rode strong senior classes into battle …
Community

UWRF Masquers presents ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’

RIVER FALLS –The University of Wisconsin–River Falls Student Organization Masquers proudly presents the classic family comedy “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde, a ridiculous …

UWRF to present comedy, ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] {again}’

RIVER FALLS – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls Music and Stage and Screen Arts Department will present “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] {again},” a …

Art Beat: UWRF Student Show features 8 artists

RIVER FALLS – The UWRF Student Art Halloween show invaded the Art’s House Gallery Thursday, Oct. 29, for a brief three-day show. It brought it new energy, emergent talent and new twists to old …

PAHS to discuss ‘Fashion From Prescott Over The Years’

Join the Prescott Area Historical Society for its final Prescott Sharing and Show-and-Tell gathering of 2026 at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at the Prescott History Center (235 Broad St.) Facilitated by …

Senior Gathering Place activities: Nov. 11-18, 2026

PRESCOTT – Here we are in mid-November and Thanksgiving is on the way. Just a quick reminder for all seniors that Gathering Place will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 25 until Tuesday, Dec. 1 as the …
Education
Gov. Tony Evers participates in a geography lesson in Jeff Ryan’s classroom at Prescott High School. Ryan invites governors, senators and representatives to visit his students when they can.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers makes second visit to PHS

Prescott High School students had a special visitor last week when Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers returned for his second visit to the school, spending time with students in two classrooms and …

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Features
Winners from the costume contest included, from left, grand prize winner Nova Valorshon, of Hager City, dressed as a Mushroom Queen (ages 9-17); Jill Halvorson, of Hager City, and Layla Ingli, of River Falls, dressed as Dumb and Dumber (group costume); Christy Aufderhar, of Beldenville, as Little Shop of Horrors (adult category); and Sydney Hove, of Ellsworth, as a giant Dachshund (ages 8 and under). Not pictured: Zach Sloan, of Beldenville, dressed as Freddy (ages 9-17 finalist).

GALLERY: First Haunted Fairgrounds is ‘spooktacular’

ELLSWORTH - The inaugural Haunted Fairgrounds Festival, the brain child of Melissa and Gregg Nelson of Ellsworth, drew thousands of visitors to the Pierce County Fairgrounds Saturday, Oct. 31 for a …

Opinion
Columns

Woodworking Again: Who needs hyperbole?

Hyperbole—an obvious and intentional exaggeration.  -- Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary I don’t know why, but I possess a hyperbolic streak down my back as wide as a skunk’s and my …

From the editor’s desk: Progress’ is not always better

Dave Beck’s column this week on the demise of deer registration stations got me thinking. What else is gone or has majorly changed that, in my opinion, isn’t necessarily better. The answer is, a …

Back Home: Winter preparations when it feels like summer

When it comes to the weather, I come from a long line of seasonal pessimists who expect the worst and prepare for it. Even in the height of summer my great grandfather would comment that the …

Ask Andrew: Play to win the game

Growing up in a big family, pretty much everything was a competition. Having fun was a competition, waking up was a competition, eating was a competition, being the favorite kid was a competition. …

Village President column: Seeing Ellsworth through fresh eyes

Well, it only took me 45 years, but I finally received a compliment on my outfit at Ellsworth High School. As someone who made it through four years of high school without earning many fashion …

Woodworking Again: A ‘Wimseycal’ dinner party

One of my favorite fictional movie characters is the not so dashing Lord Peter Wimsey, best performed by Ian Carmichael. He’s often portrayed dining at the Savoy and consuming an inordinate amount …

Read more columns

Letters
 Letter to the editor: Thank you, election workers
To the editor, I want to offer a big thank you to all involved in the election process — from worker to voter — for supporting our democracy by keeping it safe, fair, and civil.  …
Letter to the editor: Let’s welcome new business
To the editor, After months of logistical delays and filing for appropriate permits and other paperwork, Serranos Hispanic grocery store is finally open! They are stocking up with South of the …
Letter to the editor: The Democratic Socialists of America
To the editor: The great Thomas Sowell once said, “It doesn’t matter how smart you are, unless you stop and think.” Democrats are endorsing the individuals running as Democratic Socialists …
Letter to the editor: Voting matters
To the editor: Politics matter. Voting matters. If you have not yet, go to myvote.wi.gov. check out your ballot. Study your candidates and investigate the three constitutional amendments on the …
Letter to the editor: Unmasking our political reality
To the editor, At this point, I am done with disingenuous political commercials and chicken littles who write in to the PCJ to twist facts and cherry-­pick data to sway public opinion across …

Read more letters

Obituaries
Dale Strom
Dale Norman Strom, age 83, of Spring Valley, Wis., passed away peacefully on Oct. 30, 2026, at Spring Valley Nursing and Rehab, surrounded by the love of his family. Dale was born on March 14, …
Leslie Waxon
Leslie Eugene Waxon, age 89, of River Falls, Wis., died on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at his home in River Falls. Les was born on Dec. 29, 1936 in Hudson, Wis. He grew up in River Falls, graduating from …
Joanne Denzer
Joanne Denzer, age 88 of River Falls, formerly of Martell Township, died Oct. 23 at Region’s Hospital in St. Paul. A Celebration of Life is being planned. Please see oconnellfuneralhomes.com for …
Casey Follansbee
Casey Alex Follansbee, age 40, of River Falls, Wis., passed away on Oct. 21, 2026. He was born on Sept. 13, 1986, in Red Wing, Minn., to Clinton and Cindy Follansbee. The youngest of four siblings, …
Bernice Mary Gruber Schneider-Kiene
Age 94 of Oak Park Heights, died peacefully on Oct. 15, 2026. Bernice is survived by her husband, Ernest Kiene; her children Gary (Lynn) Schneider, Mark (Jeanne Fink) Schneider, Leanne (Scott) …

Read more obituaries

Web Extras
The Thanksgiving NFL archive: 5 statistical anomalies that defy decades of football logic
SBD reports on five Thanksgiving NFL statistical anomalies, highlighting remarkable performances, odd trends, and historical records from Turkey Day games.
5 ways to manage minor aches and pains to keep running this fall
(BPT) - Fall is arguably one of the best seasons for running. The crisp, cool air brings runners a much-needed reprieve after a summer of sweaty miles and serves as a reminder to make the most of the …
American AI Models Must Become the Global Default
American AI Models Must Become the Global Default
(NewsUSA) - Leadership in artificial intelligence may come down to adoption: technological leadership matters only if American AI becomes the default choice for governments, companies, and …
4 retro-fueled room designs for fresh inspiration today
Houzz reports on four retro-inspired room designs blending past styles with modern touches, showcasing 1920s Art Deco, 1950s charm, 1960s Space Age, and vibrant 1990s aesthetics.
What causes a food coma, and how to beat it this Thanksgiving
Naturepedic reports that food comas, or postprandial somnolence, occur after large meals, causing drowsiness.
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