Sept. 6, 2026
VIROQUA, Wis. — What a busy week for local news. From the historic Vernon Health Board vote to remain independent and the upcoming opening of the new Lansing bridge ahead of schedule to a tragic fatal grain bin accident on a Viroqua farm and the fascinating discovery of a forgotten Cold War fallout shelter on county property, VernonReporter.com highlighted a wide array of local issues over the last week. Our reporting captured Southwest Wisconsin and the Driftless Area in motion, detailing De Soto’s new superintendent kicking off the fall referendum campaign, the launching of countywide sessions on intimate partner violence, and the volunteer call for labor to build the new Eckhart Park playground. Here is a comprehensive look back at the news we brought you over the past week:
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Vote by Vernon Health Board to remain independent marks shift in healthcare landscape for Viroqua, Vernon County
In a major decision that will shape the local healthcare landscape, the Vernon Health Board of Directors voted not to pursue an acquisition by Emplify Health, opting instead to maintain local independence for the critical access hospital. Vernon Health CEO David Hartberg and Public Relations Manager Labecca Schott defended the decision, asserting that remaining locally governed provides the hospital with the flexibility to keep significant healthcare decisions close to patients, recruit and retain providers based on regional needs, and continue investing in local services. Hartberg and Schott expressed confidence that a partnership with a large system is not an absolute necessity to remain viable, pointing to neighboring community hospitals as successful models of independent operations.
The decision has sparked intense local debate, with retired Viroqua physician Dr. Paul Bergquist and several community leaders drafting a joint letter urging both boards to return to the negotiating table over concerns about a small hospital’s ability to remain profitable and recruit specialty practitioners without a larger network. In its written response, Emplify Health reluctantly accepted the split and confirmed it will continue to support Vernon Health’s Epic records license until August 1, 2027, while emphasizing its commitment to maintaining its clinical presence in Viroqua. Vernon Health has already taken an aggressive approach to maintain services, hiring its own general surgeon and podiatrist while expanding midwifery services and clinical outreach in neighboring Soldiers Grove.
Vernon Health announces new Soldiers Grove space to expand access to care
Vernon Health announced plans to expand its rural healthcare footprint by moving into a new facility in Soldiers Grove, a step officials said would expand access to care closer to where patients live. The new location is expected to offer primary care, obstetric care, and pharmacy services, with additional services under consideration as community needs are assessed. To celebrate the transition, the organization hosted a free, family-friendly public open house on Wednesday, September 2, inviting community members to tour the future facility site.
Readstown band Sweet Milk & Peaches release new album, providing “A Stitch in Time” to their lives in Southwestern Wis.
Homesteaders and orchardists Jesse Downs and Liz Voz of the Readstown-based band Sweet Milk & Peaches have released their new album, “A Stitch in Time,” bringing together Downs’s original fiddle tunes and Voz’s heartfelt country-folk songwriting. Reflecting nearly two decades of making music together while raising their kids outside Readstown, the 15-track album offers a window into motherhood, relationships, and Driftless life. The band—which includes Davy Schmitz and Beau Sample—will host their album release show on Monday, September 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the patio at Maybe Lately’s in Viroqua.
Vernon County Health Department launches community sessions on intimate partner violence
The Vernon County Health Department is launching a series of community listening sessions as part of its newly established Intimate Partner Violence Prevention and Response Initiative. Supported by a substantial three-year, $448,487 grant from the Wisconsin Partnership Program at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, the countywide program aims to reduce domestic abuse through early identification, trauma-informed services, and community support networks. Sheriff Roy Torgerson praised the Coordinated Community Response Team’s progress, and health officials are urging residents to participate in upcoming sessions to help map responsive, locally tailored solutions.
Viroqua man dies in grain bin accident
A tragic farming accident claimed the life of 74-year-old Viroqua resident Raymond J. Ackman on Tuesday, September 1, after he became trapped inside a grain bin on his Cherry Grove Road farm. Authorities reported that Ackman had entered the bin to break up caked or “bridged” shelled corn that was blocking the unloading auger, when the grain collapsed and buried him under a large amount of corn. Despite extensive efforts and a swift response by numerous area fire departments, emergency medical services, and volunteers, Ackman was pronounced dead at the scene.
New Mississippi River bridge at Lansing to open ahead of schedule in November
State transportation officials announced that the new $140 million Mississippi River bridge at Lansing is on track to open to traffic in early November 2026, months ahead of its original spring 2027 schedule. Project managers credited lead contractor Kraemer North America and favorable weather and river conditions for accelerating the timeline. Once opened, the new bridge will restore the crucial direct route between Wisconsin and Iowa that was severed when the old Black Hawk Bridge was demolished in December 2025, and the current 12-vehicle car ferry service will be officially discontinued.
Viroqua calls on community for tools and labor to build new Eckhart Park playground
Viroqua’s Parks and Recreation Department is appealing to local residents to loan heavy equipment and donate safety gear for a massive volunteer effort to construct the new Eckhart Enchantment playground from September 29 through October 4. By utilizing a “community build” model guided by Play by Design, the city will secure a $75,000 volunteer credit, reducing the project’s overall cost to approximately $671,000. Organizers specifically need compound miter saws, wheelbarrows, post-hole diggers, and an enclosed trailer to build the composite-wood playground, which replaces the decaying “Dragon Park” demolished in July.
Army Corps of Engineers seeks public comment on Pool 9 dredged material management plan
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ St. Paul District is seeking public comment through October 2 on a draft environmental assessment and long-term dredged material management plan for Pool 9 of the Upper Mississippi River. Spanning from Lock and Dam 8 near Genoa to Lock and Dam 9 near Lynxville, the 20-year plan aims to coordinate the placement of approximately 2.5 million cubic yards of river sand dredged to maintain the river’s 9-foot navigation channel.
Library to host community conversation on Ellen Hopkins’ novel Crank
As part of its yearlong national Books Unbanned campaign, the McIntosh Memorial Library in Viroqua is hosting a community conversation about Ellen Hopkins’ award-winning, frequently challenged novel Crank on Monday, October 5, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.. To encourage participation, the library is giving away 40 free copies of the book to anyone over the age of 13. The program is funded by the Vernon County Opioid Prevention and Abatement Steering Committee and will culminate with Hopkins speaking at the Westby Area Performing Arts Center on October 10.
Emplify Health by Gundersen Hillsboro, Vernon County ADRC to offer Walk with Ease program
Emplify Health by Gundersen Hillsboro Hospital is partnering with the Vernon County Aging and Disability Resource Center to offer the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk with Ease program this fall. The free, six-week course meets three times a week starting September 22 in Hillsboro, combining guided walking with physical education to help people with or without arthritis safely build strength, manage pain, and establish healthy exercise habits.
Westby High School Yearbook Receives National Recognition for Innovative Design
“The Ski,” Westby Area High School’s 2024 yearbook, has been selected as one of only six Wisconsin publications featured in the prestigious 2026 Josten’s Look Book. Under the guidance of advisor Monica Derks and student editors Ali Fortun and Erin Gluch, the student-driven publication was recognized nationally for its basketball feature page, which stood out among more than 1,000 submissions for its photography, color layout, and inclusive coverage.
Nominations now open for 2026 Vernon County Awards
The Vernon County Community Development Department announced that nominations are officially open from September 1 through September 30 for the fourth annual Vernon County Awards. Under this year’s theme, “Stronger Together: Adapting, Innovating, Thriving,” the annual banquet is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, at Willow+Oak at Hillsboro Brewing Company in Hillsboro, and will offer guests a pre-dinner brewery tour.
Free program to help Vernon County seniors prevent falls starts Sept. 28
A free, seven-week fall prevention program called “Stepping On” will launch at the Bethel Home Day Room in Viroqua on Monday, September 28. Organized and funded through free-will donations by the non-profit senior advocacy group Vernon County Over 50, the evidence-based course is proven to reduce falls among older adults by 31 percent by teaching strength, balance, and hazard identification.
De Soto Schools new leader kicks off fall referendum campaign
Newly promoted De Soto Area School District Superintendent Tim Fergot has launched a community campaign to pass a critical $3.6 million operational referendum on the November 3 ballot. Fergot is hosting a series of “Tuesdays with Tim” morning coffee and donut sessions across the district to discuss school funding and explain how the referendum will support local agricultural, technical education, and college-level programs.
McIntosh Memorial Library celebrates Library Card Sign-up Month this September
McIntosh Memorial Library is celebrating the American Library Association’s Library Card Sign-up Month this September with the theme “A Library Card Hits All the Right Notes”. Throughout the month, Library Director Trina Erickson is encouraging residents to sign up for free cards to unlock resources ranging from books and streaming media to their Garden Tool Library, and to participate in the library’s Crank book giveaway.
Long forgotten underground Cold War era fallout shelter discovered on Vernon County property
While performing routine mowing on the Vernon County grounds where the Poor Farm and County Asylum once stood, a highway department worker struck a concrete slab that revealed a forgotten, undocumented Cold War-era fallout shelter. Inside, crews discovered deteriorated beds, tins of surplus government meals, and a passageway leading toward the old asylum basement. The shelter, representing local civil defense initiatives that peaked in the 1950s and 60s, has been sealed by the county to prevent accidents.
McIntosh Memorial Library offers an introduction to the library app Libby
The McIntosh Memorial Library, in partnership with Vernon County Over 50, hosted a hands-on “Libby 101” workshop led by Independence Public Library Director Kayla Mathson. The adult learning program introduced participants to Libby’s free features, including borrowing eBooks, audiobooks, and current magazines directly to their devices using a valid library card.
Lone Rock man charged after random stabbing at gas station
Joseph Schultz, 35, of Lone Rock, has been charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide following a random stabbing at the Lone Rock Shell station on U.S. Highway 14 on August 30. Witnesses successfully intervened to restrain Schultz until Richland and Sauk county deputies arrived, while a 42-year-old Madison man was treated at the scene and hospitalized in stable condition with multiple knife wounds.
Elroy man killed in town of Hillsboro motorcycle crash
A motorcycle crash on County Road W in the Town of Hillsboro on Saturday, August 29, claimed the life of 51-year-old Joseph Allen Sugden of rural Elroy. Sugden failed to negotiate a curve, was ejected from his motorcycle, and was transported to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Drug arrest follows traffic stop in Prairie du Chien, Sheriff says
Michael Dilley, 51, of Woodman, was arrested on drug-related charges after a Crawford County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit traffic stop in Prairie du Chien on August 25. A deployment of K-9 Diego alerted deputies to the vehicle, where a search turned up methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, and Dilley was booked into jail on charges of possession and OWI-controlled substance.
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for the week ending Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office reported several public safety calls, including responding to a report of a burglary in progress on South 3rd Street in Readstown on August 23. Deputies determined that there was no active burglary, but successfully connected the caller with necessary non-law enforcement support resources. Other weekly incidents from this period were not detailed in the provided sources.
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