Around Town
SCHOOL REFERENDUM: Community meetings concerning the School District of Iola-Scandinavia’s multi-million-dollar referendum will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and Wednesday, March 18, at the high school. The meetings will start at 6 p.m.
CHICKEN ORDINANCE: The Village of Iola Ordinance Committee met on Feb. 3 and looked at chicken ordinances from Monroe, Waupaca, and Manawa. Sections were chosen from each ordinance and will be compiled to produce a Village of Iola Chickens Ordinance, and will be presented to the Village Board for changes and or approval.
POLICE COMMITTEE: The Village of Iola’s Police, Personnel, Finance & Public Works Committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 16. It will adjourn into closed session to discuss Public Works future hiring wage and benefits, interview applications for patrol officer positions, and discuss the interviews. The committee will go into open session afterwards to take any action regarding these items.
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED: The Waupaca County Senior Nutrition Center needs volunteers to deliver meals in Iola-Scandinavia as part of their Home Delivered Meals program. Home Delivered Meals is a service for homebound seniors who face challenges getting and preparing food. The program brings a hot, freshly packed meal to their door. If you have a free hour or two a month and would like to help, call 715-942-1900.
FISHING PIER: Iola’s American Legion Sheveland- Taylor Post 14 group is raising funds to build a permanent fishing pier that will honor our local veterans while creating a peaceful place for reflection, connection, and community. If you would like to be part of something that will serve Iola for years to come, use this link to donate.
FARM & TRACTOR SAFETY COURSE: This course is designed for youth 12-17 years of age who will be operating tractors or self-propelled implements of husbandry on public roads under direction of their parent or guardian for work-related to their family farm operation and/or 14-15 years of age who will be employed or working without pay on a farm other than their family farm and completes the requirements for a federal certificate of training. Priority registration for participants 12-15 years of age. The course for Iola-Scandinavia youth will be held March 23-27 (Spring Break). For further information, go here.
TATER TOT RECALL: Federal health officials are expanding a recall for tater tot products distributed in more than two dozen U.S. states, including Wisconsin, because they may be contaminated with pieces of hard plastic. Read the story here.
AIR BAG RECALL: An automobile manufacturer that makes cars under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram names issued a “do not drive” warning for over 200,000 vehicles, which still have Takata air bags that haven’t been fixed. The faulty airbags can explode when they’re deployed, hurting or killing drivers and passengers. Read the story here.
Around the County
MARION POLICE OFFICER: On Dec. 8, 2025, the City of Marion City Council approved the hiring of Colton Wegener as a full-time police officer. Officer Wegener has experience working full-time for the Iola Police Department and part-time for the Weyauwega Police Department and the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit.
Around the State
CANDIDATE BOOTED FROM BALLOT: Christine Hansen, an administrative law judge for the state Department of Corrections, was disqualified from running for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District 2 due to a technicality: Her husband notarized her declaration of candidacy, which is contrary to state law. Read the Wisconsin Pilot & Review story here.
COTTAGE CHEESE DEMAND SPIKE: Protein-obsessed Americans are eating more cottage cheese: in bowls, spread on toast, or turned into the latest low-carb dessert. The rising star of the dairy case is also driving new investments in dairy processing in Wisconsin. Read the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.
BEAR HUNTING: Wisconsin hunters will have a better chance to harvest black bears this fall due to a record number of licenses and a higher quota approved Wednesday by the state’s Natural Resources Board. The board unanimously signed off on a quota of 4,160 bears and 15,245 licenses for the fall bear hunt, following recommendations from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Read the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.
GENDER TRANSITION SURGERIES: Wisconsin Senate Republicans passed a series of bills Wednesday, Feb. 11, aimed at restricting gender transition surgeries for minors and which sports teams transgender students can join. All of the bills face an almost certain veto from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Sen. Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee, said children shouldn’t be allowed to make “irresponsible, irreversible decisions when their brains aren’t even completely formed.” Read the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.
RED TAPE RESET: The Wisconsin Legislature has approved four “Red Tape Reset” bills, aiming to reduce 165,000 existing state restrictions. The measures, covering regulatory sunsetting, budgeting, rule limits, and administrative rule challenges, passed the Senate and Assembly this week. They now await action from Gov. Tony Evers. Read The Center Square article here.
Because
FARM ECONOMY: A bipartisan group of former leaders from major farm and biofuel organizations is warning Congress that the U.S. farm economy is nearing a breaking point. In a letter sent last week, the group says administrative policies have caused serious harm, citing doubled farm bankruptcies, rising debt, higher input costs, and a historic ag trade deficit, RFD stated on its Facebook page.
