“Your county has a lot of orange barrels and cones.”

Tony Kemnitz, of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, made that understatement of the year when he summarized the road construction projects underway in Shawano County this summer.

Kemnitz spoke at the July 21 meeting of the Shawano County Highway Safety Commission.

First he addressed the state Highway 29 project from County Road J to the area of Spruce Road.

To alleviate traffic congestion on a major state highway and ensure residents along Fairgrounds Road maintain access to their driveways, a new traffic route will be established for the Menominee Nation Contest Powwow.

The new traffic route will be in effect July 31, Aug. 1 and Aug. 2.

It’s been more than three months since the anti-poverty nonprofit Newcap closed, laying off 90 employees and leaving more than 100 low-income households on the brink of homelessness. For Shawano County residents, that means losing their only year-round shelter.

UW-La Crosse

The following area students completed degree requirements at UW-La Crosse in May.

Abrams: Jamesen Sophie Engel, bachelor of science, elementary/middle education and special education, honors.

Birnamwood: Luke Stanley Brown, bachelor of science, political science.

Bonduel: Ava Jean Pleshek, bachelor of science, international business.

Bonduel School District’s star is ascending, with enrollment numbers defying state trends, but popularity is causing problems with families skirting the district’s residency requirements.

Butterflies are nothing new for anyone changing jobs, but when your new co-workers genuinely welcome you, it makes your first days go a lot smoother.

That’s what Stacy Cicero said when shen started just weeks ago as the new administrative coordinator for Shawano County.