Gridiron lite, passion heavy: how 8-player football is saving small-town Friday nights

The lights still shine just as brightly on Friday nights, but the math under them is changing across Wisconsin high school sports. This season, Iola-Scandinavia is shifting to 8-player football. Faced with dwindling enrollments and shrinking rosters, a growing contingent of small rural schools has abandoned traditional 11-player football. Instead, they have found salvation in […]

Monday Iola-Scandinavia news items

Around Town NEW PASTOR: Freddie Kirk is the new pastor at Iola United Methodist Church. She and her husband, Harry, have a dog and a cat. Welcome to Iola-Scandinavia! IOLA-SCANDINAVIA CHAMBER announced the third annual Back to Class Family Week, running Aug. 22-28 at 180 S. Main St. with localized programming, promotions, and family activities. […]

Friday Iola-Scandinavia news tidbits

Around Town STRATEGIC PLANNING TASK FORCE: Volunteer to help plan the future of Iola-Scandinavia School District and complete the form to be considered for its Strategic Planning Task Force at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ISplanning by Wednesday, Sept. 2. NO GRANT FOR WEEDS: The Iola Lake District did not receive grant funds which would pay for a new weed […]

Tuesday Iola-Scandinavia news briefs

Around Town LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION: Station Iola LLC has applied for a combination Class “A” retail beer and intoxicating liquor license for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The application, filed by agent Himmat Dhillon, covers sales at 140 Depot St. in the Village of Iola, Waupaca County. The Iola Village Board of Trustees […]