Sunday Summary: Local stories carried on VernonReporter.Com over the last week

Aug. 30, 2026

VIROQUA, Wis. — From high-stakes school referendums and federal disaster recovery efforts to intense debates over municipal policy, environmental conservation, and deep-seated community memorials, 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 critical decisions by county and city boards, public safety reports, and milestones in regional agriculture and healthcare. Here is a comprehensive look back at the news we brought you this week.

Viroqua Common Council approves old City Hall park plan despite budget confusion
The Viroqua Common Council voted to move forward with the “Viroqua Green” public park project at the corner of Decker and Main streets, despite a lengthy debate over shifting budget estimates and uncommitted funding sources. Sponsoring the motion, Alderperson Seth McClurg urged approval to secure a preliminary $50,000 state Vibrant Spaces grant. The total design cost is budgeted at $103,500, covered by the state grant and $53,500 in Tax Increment District 6 (TID 6) funds.

The corner lot has been vacant since 2024, when the city demolished its 88-year-old historic City Hall to widen the tight highway intersection. While the Common Council voted to advance the park, the decision was not unanimous; Alderperson Tanja Birke cast the sole dissenting vote, raising concerns about uncommitted in-kind donations and which municipal departments would absorb labor and material costs if donations failed to materialize. City staff must still resolve several outstanding questions regarding department budgets and construction management before breaking ground next spring.

Viroqua Common Council adopts resolution opposing MariBell Transmission Line
The Viroqua Common Council voted unanimously to adopt a formal resolution opposing the proposed 765-kilovolt double-circuit MariBell Transmission Line project, joining a growing list of Driftless Area municipalities fighting the massive electrical infrastructure. Sponsoring presenters Tim Woodhouse of Genoa, representing the Coalition Against MariBell 765 Inc., and Michael Browne, representing No 765 Line Inc., warned the council that the project threatens the region’s fragile unglaciated ecology, organic farming, and local tourism.

Dairyland Power Cooperative government relations representative Luke Fuller argued that co-locating the lines on new steel towers allows regional cost-sharing to subsidize the necessary replacement of the existing 161-kilovolt local line built in the mid-20th century. However, local residents expressed intense opposition to the potential use of eminent domain to seize private land for corporate utility profit. Viroqua City Clerk Lori Polhamus noted that the approved resolution will be formally recorded and transmitted to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to represent the city’s voice in upcoming state docket hearings.

Viroqua Common Council rejects tax bill voucher disclosure proposal
On August 25, 2026, the Viroqua Common Council voted 9-0 to reject a proposal to add details to local property tax bills showing how much public tax revenue is diverted from the Viroqua Area School District to fund private school tuition vouchers. Sponsoring the presentation, public education advocate Kristina Reser-Jaynes argued the disclosure was necessary because voucher costs are currently bundled into the public education portion of property tax bills, which she described as misleading.

School district representatives explained that because they are billed for voucher payments by the state, they must claim a state-allowed revenue limit exemption that passes the financial burden directly to local property taxpayers. However, council members raised concerns over “targeted transparency,” questioning why voucher payments were singled out over other private expenditures. School District Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Hill also cautioned that because the school district spans several neighboring townships not bound by city-only resolutions, disaggregating the data would be highly difficult.

Vernon County Board rules overhaul sparks debate
The Vernon County Board of Supervisors approved a modernized overhaul of its official legislative procedures at its August 20 meeting, though a controversial proposal to restrict supervisors from speaking during public comment sessions was sent back to committee. Sponsoring the amendment to remove the restriction, Supervisor Nathaniel Slack suggested the proposal be returned to the General Government Committee.

The board also debated changing the threshold required to end a debate (the “calling the question” motion) from Robert’s Rules standard of a two-thirds majority to a local simple majority. Corporation Counsel Brian Weber confirmed the county has the legal authority to deviate from standard parliamentary manuals. However, Supervisor David Strudthoff strongly opposed this custom change, arguing that deviating from standardized rules would confuse future boards.

Richland County juvenile dies in farm equipment accident
A juvenile boy tragically died following a farm accident involving a skid loader on Thursday morning, August 27, 2026, in Ithaca Township. Richland EMS and Ithaca First Responders were dispatched to the scene around 7:08 a.m., where they found the juvenile suffering from a severe head injury and immediately began life-saving measures.

The boy was transported to Richland Hospital before being flown by medical helicopter to the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The Richland County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident. Due to the victim’s age, authorities have not released his name or any identifying details.

Vernon County Board approves employee weapons and personal property policies after months of debate
The Vernon County Board of Supervisors finalized a months-long effort to overhaul its building security and workplace guidelines by approving revised employee weapons regulations (Policy 708) and a new personal property policy (Policy 829). Revisions to the workplace violence policy (Policy 707) were also approved without dissent to align with the county’s public firearms ban passed last April.

Policy 708 establishes guidelines for employees carrying concealed weapons; notably, the board declined to implement an internal registry of armed employees due to security and public record concerns raised by Chair Lorn Goede. Policy 829 requires employees to receive approval prior to bringing valuable personal items that could impact operations into the workplace, with the county reserving the right to deny or remove those items. Human Resources Director Trisha Lepke noted she would notify department heads and email all staff members regarding the updates.

Vernon County board votes to name new emergency facility for beloved community pillar Ted Harris
The Vernon County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at its August 20 meeting to name the county’s nearly completed emergency storage building on Railroad Avenue in Viroqua as the Ted Harris Emergency Management and HazMat Facility. Naming the facility honors Ted Harris, who died on July 9, 2026, at age 86, and served the community as Viroqua police officer, chief of the Viroqua Fire Department, sheriff’s deputy, and evidence specialist.

Emergency Management Director Brandon Larson and Local Emergency Planning Committee Chair Greg Lawton presented the resolution, noting that the selection of the resolution number itself carried a special, unplanned significance. Resolution 43 was Ted Harris’s badge number during his patrol career. Harris was also a science teacher for 36 years, high school principal, founding member of the hazmat team, and a premier national wrestling official.

VIDEO: At Organic Valley stop, Project Hero riders thank farmers and share message of resilience and hope
Approximately 40 injured military veterans and first responders participating in Project Hero’s 2026 Great Lakes Challenge made a special rest stop at Organic Valley in Cashton. The grueling, six-day bicycle journey from St. Paul to Madison is designed to support the recovery and resilience of wounded service members and first responders dealing with physical and invisible injuries.

This year’s ride featured a unique “Thank a Farmer” theme to connect riders with the rural communities that support the nation. Organic Valley employees and farmer-owners welcomed the riders with recovery snacks. Coon Valley Legion Commander Roger Mathison greeted the cyclists, emphasizing the ride’s role in destigmatizing mental health assistance and encouraging veterans to reach out for support.

DOT public information meeting scheduled for State Highway 33 project in Vernon County
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation scheduled a public involvement meeting for Wednesday, September 9, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Ontario Municipal Fire Station. The meeting is designed to discuss proposed improvements on WIS 33 extending from the north Vernon County line to the Kickapoo River in Ontario.

The construction project, scheduled for 2028, will consist of milling and overlaying the asphalt, widening paved shoulders, updating bridge beam guards, and grading slopes to meet modern safety standards. Adjacent property owners are encouraged to attend the meeting or submit written comments to WisDOT Project Manager Paul Valenti.

Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for the week ending Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office reported a variety of incidents, including assisting on August 17 in the Town of Union with a report of a large herd of sheep damaging crops in a field, and investigating railroad trespassing in Genoa. On August 18, a motorist experiencing a medical event was stopped on Highway 14 after almost hitting a gas pump in Readstown, and a group of teens on bikes was contacted in Viola for disturbing residents.

On August 20, a disorderly conduct call was reported at a public meeting in Readstown. On August 21, a burglary was reported in Kickapoo, and a female was arrested in Coon for operating a firearm while intoxicated. On August 22, a male was arrested in Westby for domestic battery and disorderly conduct.

Westby School Board proposes operational referendum for November ballot
The Westby Area School District Board of Education has voted to place a new operational referendum question on the upcoming ballot in November. The proposed measure seeks to replace the district’s current operational referendum, which is now in its third and final year.

Under the new proposal, the district is requesting voter approval to exceed its revenue limit by $1.6 million for the 2027-28 school year, $1.7 million for 2028-29, and $1.8 million for 2029-30. Even if approved, local school taxes and property tax mill rates are projected to decrease over the next three years due to the scheduled retirement of existing school district debt in 2027. The district serves about 1,150 students across four schools in Westby and Coon Valley.

Vernon Health invites community to meet first podiatrist Dr. Anila Rafiq
Vernon Health is expanding access to specialty care with the addition of Anila Rafiq, DPM, the organization’s first podiatrist. CEO and administrator David Hartberg emphasized that this addition helps make high-quality specialty care more accessible locally.

Dr. Rafiq treats common and complex conditions including heel pain, plantar fasciitis, ingrown toenails, diabetic foot concerns, and wounds. She is board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine and board-qualified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. The community was invited to meet her at an open house on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Vernon Health Specialty Clinic in Viroqua.

Coon Creek Community Watershed Council celebrates soil health, flood resilience, and five years of grassroots conservation
The farmer-led conservation nonprofit CCCWC is celebrating its fifth anniversary this fall, as well as the 93rd anniversary of the nation’s first watershed conservation project. The local conservation nonprofit will mark the occasion with live music, a locally-sourced farm dinner, and a program on September 2nd at the Bakkum Farm in Westby.

Speakers include Vernon County Forester Steve Pulaski sharing forestry best management practices, and Vernon County Conservationist David Hettenbach speaking about county-sponsored cost-share options. Host Orlan Bakkum highlighted that different properties require tailored conservation and soil health techniques to control runoff and avoid erosion.