Around Town
IOLA WINTER CARNIVAL UPDATE: The Iola Winter Carnival is back, bringing our community together for a weekend rich in tradition and memorable moments. This year’s event promises a joyful atmosphere with family-oriented activities, a variety of local vendors, delicious food, and plenty of winter cheer for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Craft Fair — only nine booth spaces remain as of today! Register here. Local artisans and vendors are encouraged to secure their spot by signing up now. Thanks to high demand, online ticket sales for the famous Lutefisk Supper have been extended. Be sure to get your tickets while they last here. Seatings are at noon, 2, and 4 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults and children 6-12 years of age $15.
ALUMNI PEP BAND NIGHT: The Alumni Pep Band Night during the Iola-Scandinavia High School Boys Varsity Basketball game on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Sign up using this link.
Around the County
STATE GRANT: The City of Waupaca has received a major boost for its small business community, securing a $250,000 grant through the state’s Small Business Development Grant Program. Jeff Mikorski with the Waupaca County Economic Development Corporation says the funding will provide meaningful, long-term support for local entrepreneurs looking to strengthen or expand their operations. Read the story here.
PRESS DENIED ACCESS: The Clintonville Tribune-Gazette filed an open records request with the Clintonville School District for a copy of the completed investigation report against Lundt. Regarding that open records request, Clintonville Superintendent Troy Kuhn responded via email, “The investigation report is attorney-client privilege. The only way it can become an open records request is if a board member requests that it become an open record. It would then be redacted, and a vote would need to take place.” Read the Wisconsin Newspaper Association story here.
Around the State
ALDI RECALL: A voluntary recall of holiday chocolate bark sold at Aldi grocery stores nationwide has been expanded after the manufacturer and federal regulators found that mislabeled packages may contain undeclared allergens, posing a risk of serious or life-threatening reactions for people with certain food allergies. Silvestri Sweets Inc. of Geneva, Illinois, on Dec. 22 broadened its earlier recall of two Choceur-branded 5-ounce holiday bark products after discovering additional lot numbers and “best by” dates were affected by a production and packaging error, according to the U.S. Read the Wausau Pilot & Review story here.
SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES: Gross K-12 school property taxes in Wisconsin are rising 7.8% on December bills, the largest increase in more than three decades. As a result of these and tax levies imposed by other units of local government, total tax levies are expected to see their biggest jump since at least 2018. Property tax levies for all Wisconsin K-12 school districts combined are expected to rise by about $476.1 million to $6.58 billion on tax bills. Read The Wisconsin Policy Forum story here.
$900 MILLION IN ISSUES: A financial audit of Wisconsin state government accounting found issues with nearly $900 million in alterations made to Department of Transportation assumptions, issues with the documentation of interest earned on federal funds, and found that the state’s Department of Administration has not properly followed guidance on properly monitoring information technology security across state government. Read The Center Square article here.
