Around Town
VARSITY FOOTBALL: Local readers voted Tanner Kampert of Iola-Scandinavia the Stevens Point Journal midseason football MVP. Congratulations!
ALL-CONFERENCE CROSS COUNTRY: Iola-Scandinavia High School cross country runners named to All-Conference teams include Revyn Schrank (1st Team, 5th Place), Nola Mae Vater (1st Team, 7th Place), and Evan Linjer (2nd Team, 13th Place). Congratulations!
IOLA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: The Iola Historical Society will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, in its Machine Shed. The business meeting starts at 5:30 p.m., the membership meeting at 6:30 p.m., and the program at 7 p.m. For the program, Lee Halverson Takes A Bingo Attendee Participation Approach to Recapturing Iola History from the 1940s, 50s …
SCHOOL REFERENDUM: Discussions about the Iola-Scandinavia School District referendum dominated the latest Scandinavia Town Board meeting. District Administrator Chris Nelson presented key logistical and financial details about the non-recurring operational referendum, which will go to local municipal voters on the upcoming Nov. 3 election ballot.
Job Opportunities
BART’S PIZZA PUB is hiring cooks. Must be 16 years of age and available to work evenings and weekends. Apply in person.
SCHMIDT’S CORNER is hiring bartenders, cooks, and cross-trained bartender/cook. Apply in person.
Around the County
WAUPACA — The Waupaca Common Council voted to suspend the city’s use of automated Flock safety license plate reader cameras during its latest legislative session. The suspension follows a review of operational policies and ongoing data privacy evaluations within municipal limits. (Source: WBAY)
NEW LONDON — The New London Board of Education approved an initial draft of the 2026-27 district budget, projecting a 3.75% increase in the municipal property tax levy. Officials attribute the hike to rising operating costs and a 2.4% projected increase in overall district spending. (Source: WFRV Local 5)
CLINTONVILLE — City officials and the state Department of Revenue issued a joint public warning after multiple residents targeted by an active property tax scam reported receiving fraudulent collection notices overnight. Local police departments are tracking the source of the illicit digital communications. (Source: FOX11)
NEW LONDON — Municipal emergency managers concluded a regional infrastructure evaluation, confirming that local Wolf River water levels have stabilized after earlier seasonal stresses. Local teams remain on standby this morning to monitor critical low-lying drainage zones. (Source: NBC26)
WAUPACA — The City of Waupaca finalized a new municipal sex offender residency ordinance to tighten distance restrictions near public parks and local schools. The Common Council passed the measure after a public commentary period to enhance public safety. (Source: WLUK)
Around the State
Here are the top overnight news stories from across Wisconsin:
WOMEN FARMERS DAY will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 17, by the Wisconsin Farmers Union from 2-6 p.m. at the Stayer Dining Room at Marian College in Fond du Lac. Admission is $10. It is also the International Year of the Woman Farmer. For more information, go here.
According to new guidelines the Wisconsin Elections Commission adopted Thursday at a special meeting, federal law enforcement officers should not be present at polling sites this November unless they are voting or responding to emergency calls. Local clerks must alert officials if federal agents arrive. (Source: Channel 3000 / WISC-TV)
A SUSPICIOUS envelope discovered Thursday afternoon at the Wisconsin Elections Commission office in Madison prompted an investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement. Staff flagged the package, fearing dangerous powders seen in other states, but field tests found no hazardous materials, and no injuries were reported. (Source: WKOW)
TWO MORE Madison alders announced Thursday they will vote to fire the city’s interim independent police monitor, Cheryl Glass, bringing total public council support for her removal to nine. The upcoming Tuesday vote follows continued controversy surrounding Glass after a recent police shooting. (Source: Channel 3000 / WISC-TV)
A FREEZE warning is in effect from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday for south-central, east-central, and southeast Wisconsin. Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28 degrees are expected to impact inland areas away from Lake Michigan, potentially killing crops and damaging unprotected outdoor plumbing. (Source: WKOW)
PILOT ERRORS and icing conditions are under scrutiny after aviation investigators said a small plane reported severe icing before crashing Tuesday night in Sauk County. A grandmother, her two daughters, and a 13-year-old grandson were among the six people killed in the Delona crash. (Source: WISN 12)
INCREASED PATROLS are underway in Sheboygan after a string of overnight garage burglaries. Local police warned residents Thursday that thieves are specifically targeting detached garages to steal gasoline and fuel containers, and officials urged the public to lock all doors. (Source: WBAY)
A SCHOOL bus driver was arrested Thursday for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Madison. Authorities pulled over the driver during a traffic stop while students were actively being transported, though no injuries were reported during the incident. (Source: Channel 3000 / WISC-TV)
HEALTH OFFICIALS in Dane County urged residents Friday to get flu shots immediately as influenza activity rises earlier than expected. Public Health Madison & Dane County reported a sharp increase in early-season cases compared to previous years. (Source: WKOW)
GOVERNOR TONY Evers announced a $6.6 million grant package Thursday to train thousands of Wisconsin workers. The state will distribute the funds to dozens of employers to build workforce skills in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. (Source: WKOW)
A DANE County man was sentenced to two years in federal prison Thursday for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Federal prosecutors said the Madison resident was arrested after law enforcement recovered a handgun during an investigation. (Source: Channel 3000 / WISC-TV)
Today in History
Here are notable moments from Today in History:
1793 — QUEEN MARIE Antoinette of France was executed by guillotine in Paris during the French Revolution. The 37-year-old former monarch was convicted of high treason by the Revolutionary Tribunal after a brief trial. Her execution marked a turning point in the Reign of Terror.
1923 — THE WALT Disney Company was founded in Los Angeles by brothers Walt and Roy Disney. Originally named the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the enterprise began by producing the live-action and animation “Alice Comedies” series, eventually growing into a global media and entertainment conglomerate.
1962 — THE CUBAN Missile Crisis began when U.S. President John F. Kennedy was shown aerial photographs revealing Soviet nuclear missile sites under construction in Cuba. The discovery triggered a tense, 13-day geopolitical standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, bringing the superpowers close to nuclear war.
1964 — CHINA SUCCESSFULLY detonated its first atomic bomb at the Lop Nur test site in Xinjiang, becoming the world’s fifth nuclear power. Code-named “Project 596,” the test signaled China’s entry into the global nuclear club amid growing Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union and the United States.
1968 — AMERICAN SPRINTERS Tommie Smith and John Carlos staged a silent civil rights protest at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City. As they received their gold and bronze medals in the 200-meter dash, they raised black-gloved fists during the U.S. national anthem, drawing international attention and controversy.
1978 — CARDINAL KAROL Wojtyla of Poland was elected pope by the Vatican college of cardinals, taking the name John Paul II. He became the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years and began a historic 26-year papacy that significantly influenced global politics and Catholic theology.
1986 — AMERICAN MOUNTAINEER Reinhold Messner became the first person to scale all 14 of the world’s mountains taller than 8,000 meters. He completed the historic feat without supplementary oxygen after summiting Lhotse in the Himalayas, cementing his legacy in alpine history.
1995 — THE NATION of Islam organized the Million Man March on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Led by Minister Louis Farrakhan, the massive rally drew hundreds of thousands of African American men for a day of political advocacy, spiritual renewal, and community commitment.
1997 — THE TOYOTA Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger car, debuted in Japan. The innovative sedan combined a gasoline engine with an electric motor, pioneering modern eco-friendly automotive technology and establishing Toyota as a leader in the global hybrid vehicle market.
2021 — NASA LAUNCHED the Lucy spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a 12-year mission to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. The probe will fly past eight asteroids, giving scientists their first close-up look at these ancient remnants of the early solar system.
