VIROQUA, Wis. — From crucial municipal and county infrastructure decisions to severe public safety reports, grassroots environmental conservation, and deep-seated community traditions, VernonReporter.com highlighted a wide array of local issues over the last week. Our reporting captured a region actively grappling with multi-million-dollar utility battles, high-stakes school referendums, and major historical preservation milestones, while simultaneously rallying around beloved neighbors and preserving cherished local institutions. Here is a comprehensive look back at the stories that shaped Southwest Wisconsin and the Driftless Area over the past week.
Gretebeck family keeps beloved local food tradition alive with purchase of ‘Hub’s Fries’
A cherished local food tradition will return to regional fairs this autumn following the purchase of “Hub’s Fries” by Tucker and Becky Gretebeck. The Gretebecks, who operate an organic dairy farm and pumpkin patch in neighboring Monroe County, finalized the purchase at the end of July, preserving a 50-year-old business that has been a cornerstone of local fairs like the Westby Syttende Mai, the Viola Horse & Colt Show, and the Vernon County Fair since Lowell “Hub” Hubbard founded it in 1975.
The transition represents a passing of the torch between parallel families, as the Gretebecks’ college-aged daughter, Lana, and her friend Savannah are currently registering for state food safety management certification to run the trailer. To maintain the stand’s legendary quality, the Gretebecks are keeping everything identical, including the vintage 1956 mobile trailer, the Idaho Russet potatoes, and the secret frying ingredients. The stand will make its practice run at the Cashton Fall Fest in early September before its official debut at the Vernon County Fair.
Vernon County Historical society appeals for restored funding as county budget planning begins
Vernon County supervisors and local museum leaders are engaged in an ongoing dialogue to restore financial support for the Vernon County Historical Society. The historical society made a formal, detailed presentation to the County Finance Committee seeking to restore its annual county contribution to $50,000. The county had previously slashed its funding by 25 percent during a contentious 2025 budget cycle.
While County Finance Director Anne Lockyer noted that the county’s fiscal health was much stronger in previous years due to now-unavailable federal stimulus funds, historical society staff highlighted the immense economic benefits of local heritage tourism. Members of the county’s Economic Development Committee recently toured the museum to review its archives and properties. Finance Chair Kay Stanek advised the society to remain realistic and plan for flat funding, though a final decision on department budgets will be considered this fall.
Coon Creek Watershed event highlights research, practices that promote healthy soil and water infiltration
More than 30 local land managers and conservationists recently gathered at the Munsch Farm in Coon Valley for an evening focused on how managed grazing can build soil health and combat regional flooding. Farm owner Jim Munsch shared his personal conservation journey on land with steep slopes reaching 20 percent. After transitioning his corn and grain acreage to managed grazing in 1993, Munsch has managed to raise his soil organic matter from 1 percent to over 5 percent, completely eliminating his need to purchase fertilizer for more than 30 years.
The event also featured researcher Lexi Wellman, who shared her Master’s thesis findings from the neighboring Tainter Creek Watershed. Wellman’s study concluded that adopting managed grazing on less than 1 percent of the watershed’s land resulted in a nearly 14 percent reduction in surface water phosphorus concentrations compared to adjacent streams. To help scale these practices, organizers highlighted cost-share funding available through the Coon Creek Community Watershed Council for local producers making their own grazing transitions.
Rare coming together of political reps at transmission line town hall
An unusual show of bipartisan unity occurred at a packed Retreat Sportsmans Club on Monday evening, where five political leaders spanning different ideologies joined local residents to address the proposed high-voltage transmission lines slated to cross the Driftless Area. The panel featured U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Viroqua Mayor Krista Browne, Independent Gubernatorial Candidate Dr. David King, State Sen. Brad Pfaff, State Rep. Tara Johnson, and State Rep. Travis Tranel.
The discussion centered on the $900 million MariBell Transmission Project and its eastern BECI continuation, which propose 200-foot-tall towers cutting through fragile Driftless soils. All panel members strongly opposed the use of eminent domain to seize private land for corporate utility profit. Sen. Pfaff and Rep. Johnson highlighted co-sponsored legislation requiring developers to follow existing public infrastructure corridors and bury lines where possible, while Rep. Tranel criticized the state’s guaranteed 10 percent rate of return that incentivizes massive utility builds.
De Soto Area School Board will ask voters to approve a $3.6 million referendum this November
The De Soto Area School Board voted unanimously to place a $3.6 million operational referendum on the upcoming November ballot. The three-year, non-recurring resolution seeks to exceed revenue limits by $500,000 in 2026-27, $1.4 million in 2027-28, and $1.7 million in 2028-29. The funds are intended to cover the district’s budget deficit, maintain instruction, transition the school to a cloud-based phone system, and upgrade network technology and security cameras at the Middle & High School.
According to the district’s financial advisor, Baird Public Finance, De Soto faces financial challenges common to rural districts, with 82 percent of Wisconsin schools experiencing declining enrollment. Despite having the third-lowest mill rate in CESA #4 at $5.66, this will be De Soto’s fourth referendum attempt in three years after previous requests failed. The board has spent the last year gathering resident feedback and implementing $750,000 in budget cuts to build community trust before the November vote.
Viroqua Historic Preservation Commission named national 2026 Commission of the Year
The Viroqua Historic Preservation Commission received the nation’s highest preservation honor, being named the 2026 Commission of the Year by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC). Presented during the biennial FORUM conference in Minneapolis, the award recognizes the commission’s nearly three decades of work using historic preservation to strengthen community identity and drive economic development.
Since its founding in 1996, the Viroqua commission has designated 33 local landmarks. Key achievements cited by the NAPC include the successful rehabilitation of the historic Hotel Fortney, which reopened in 2023 as a cornerstone of downtown Viroqua, and the ongoing $700,000 restoration of the city’s WPA-era bathhouse to serve as a welcome center. The commission also recently adopted a comprehensive citywide Historic Preservation Plan.
Vernon County hires outside law firm to oppose MariBell transmission line project
The legal battle over the proposed MariBell transmission line has entered a critical phase, with the Vernon County General Government Committee voting unanimously to approve an agreement with Progressive Law Group LLC for specialized legal services. Newly appointed Corporation Counsel Brian Weber and Administrative Coordinator Nate Torres reported that the specialized firm will represent the county’s interests as a formal intervener in the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) proceedings.
The western MariBell project, which spans from Marion, Minnesota, to Bell Center, Wisconsin, has sparked intense local opposition due to plans for 200-foot-tall towers cutting through the unglaciated landscape. While the county board previously passed resolutions declaring its outright opposition, officials recognized they lacked the legal “teeth” to stop the line. Coordinated legal representation will allow Vernon County to submit expert testimony and cross-examine utility witnesses in joint cooperation with Crawford County.
One person med-flighted, U.S. Highway 14 temporarily closed as a result of two-vehicle crash in Richland County
One person was airlifted with severe injuries following a major two-vehicle collision at the intersection of U.S. Highway 14 and Twin Bluffs Drive on Monday afternoon. According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, a sport utility vehicle driven by Andres Ixta, 38, of Gotham, Wisconsin, failed to come to a complete stop and entered the highway from Twin Bluffs Drive, where it was struck by an eastbound commercial truck.
Ixta was ejected from the SUV during the collision, sustaining severe injuries, and was flown to the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison by UW Med Flight. The driver of the commercial truck, Wesley Nelson, 59, of Dodgeville, was uninjured and cooperated with investigators. Authorities reported that the SUV had been called into dispatch shortly before the crash for operating illegally on a gravel bicycle trail between Gotham and Twin Bluffs.
Coon Valley plans benefit to support beloved local nurse battling rare condition
The Coon Valley community is rallying behind Cammie Jaekel, a beloved local clinical nurse specialist who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome in April. Cammie, who spent 30 years caring for others, developed tingling in her limbs that quickly progressed to full-body paralysis. Although she is making progress and is now breathing and eating on her own, her mobility remains severely limited, requiring five hours of physical therapy every day.
To support Cammie, her husband Tom, and their family, community members are hosting a benefit starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, at the American Legion in Coon Valley, featuring a meal and silent auction. Cammie’s cousin and best friend, Sam Jaekel, noted that while the family has insurance, the policy limits physical therapy coverage to just $3,000 per year, far below what is required for her recovery.
Recalling the midnight birth of his first born, a childhood diagnosis, and a lifetime of “moments of awe”; Grouse Hollow Journal for August 17, 2026
In his latest “Grouse Hollow Journal” column, Greg Koelker shares a nostalgic, deeply personal look back at the birth of his first-born son, Benjamin, on August 17, 1979. Koelker vividly describes the 2 a.m. wake-up call from his wife Ellen, the frantic car ride in their Chevy Vega over the bluff to Gundersen Labor and Delivery in La Crosse, and the sudden presentation of their new baby to the local TV media.
The column charts Ben’s growth into an expert hiker of Colorado’s fourteeners, culminating in his beautiful 2019 wedding to Christine Labadie under the ancient walnut tree at Grouse Hollow, surrounded by family, giant sunflowers, and a white tent next to their historic 1901 tobacco shed.
Businesses, commuters, and local residents feel the absence of the Lansing bridge as construction is underway
Ten months after the demolition of the landmark Black Hawk Bridge, Lansing residents and business owners are continuing to navigate the severe economic and personal impacts of losing their primary river crossing. The bridge, which connected Iowa and Wisconsin for nearly a century, was imploded in December 2025 to make way for a modernized, 40-foot-wide truss look-alike scheduled for completion in Spring 2027.
Lansing Mayor Mike Verdon noted that the closure has severely impacted daily commutes, medical visits, and downtown main street commerce for approximately 8,200 area residents. To provide relief, the Iowa Department of Transportation has established a vehicle ferry service operated by Newt Marine Services, which transports 675 to 700 vehicles per day. However, businesses must prepare for additional challenges when a major Main Street rehabilitation project begins in 2028.
Viroqua Common Council sends old City Hall park design back to committee over safety concerns
The Viroqua Common Council has paused plans to build a public park at the busy intersection of Main and Decker streets, voting to send the concept back to the park committee over pedestrian safety concerns. The corner became vacant in 2024 when the city demolished Viroqua’s 88-year-old old City Hall to widen the intersection and improve visibility for turning semi-trucks.
Following the demolition, the Viroqua Historic Preservation Commission proposed converting the lot into a local historic park. However, during council debates, local resident Aaron Parker raised safety concerns regarding vehicle traffic and suggested that the city incorporate large limestone blocks along the park’s berm to act as a physical protective barrier for pedestrians.
Minn. man charged in Westby stabbing incident
A 30-year-old Bigfork, Minnesota, man is being held on a $500,000 cash bond after being charged in connection with a violent stabbing in Westby. The suspect, Brandon Pifher, was arrested after he drove a 45-year-old Westby woman to the Emplify Health emergency room in La Crosse on August 12. The victim had sustained multiple stab wounds to her body and feet, but her injuries are reported to be non-life-threatening.
Westby Police Chief Scott C. Stuber reported that investigators determined the violent altercation occurred at the victim’s residence in the City of Westby. Pifher has been formally charged through the Vernon County District Attorney’s Office with first-degree reckless injury, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, and strangulation and suffocation.
Annual August Reading Challenge underway at McIntosh Memorial library
The McIntosh Memorial Library in Viroqua is continuing its annual “Read to Win” Challenge through September 4, 2026, in collaboration with the Vernon County Agricultural Society. The popular summer initiative encourages local children and teens, from birth to age 18, to dive into books during the month of August.
By tracking their reading progress and turning in their game bookmarks to youth services staff, participants can earn a free gate entrance pass or a free ride pass to the upcoming Vernon County Fair, scheduled for September 16-20. Youth Services Director Emilia Jury celebrated the program as a rewarding community tradition that successfully links a love of literacy with a special local experience.
Vernon County Sheriff’s Report for the week ending Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office reported several public safety incidents over the past week. On August 9, deputies investigated a traffic incident on State Highway 35 near De Soto and arrested a Westby man on Coon Prairie Avenue for domestic disorderly conduct and felony bail jumping.
The weekly report also detailed the arrest of an Iowa man for Operating While Under the Influence (OUI) while operating a boat on the Mississippi River near Lock and Dam 8 in Genoa, with assistance from the Wisconsin DNR. Additionally, a Wheatland resident was cited for animals running at large after their pit bull damaged a parked motorist’s vehicle tire and plastic molding on State Highway 82.
Governor Tony Evers honors Viroqua Library Director Trina Erickson as exemplary neighbor
Governor Tony Evers officially recognized McIntosh Memorial Library Director Trina Erickson as an exemplary neighbor as part of Wisconsin’s Year of the Neighbor 2026 initiative. Erickson was celebrated for her outstanding contributions to community strength, literacy, and community programs. Under her leadership, the McIntosh Memorial Library has achieved numerous accolades, including being named the “Best Library in the State of Wisconsin” in 2023.
Erickson’s tenure has seen massive local milestones, including the completion of the library’s courtyard transformation and the grand launch of the Viroqua Mural Walk on August 14, 2026. The walk features nine downtown murals, including a new native plant and bird mural painted by Sarah Peterson, complete with talking trail QR codes.
Free small business clinic returns to Viroqua Aug. 27
Southwest Wisconsin entrepreneurs will have another opportunity to seek professional guidance when Viroqua hosts a free small business clinic on August 27, 2026. The returning clinic is designed to provide local small business owners and prospective startups with free, confidential consulting services to support business planning, financial analysis, and overall growth within the Driftless Region.
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