Construction projects account for five of the Top 10 news events of 2015, as decided by the staff of the Oconto County Times Herald. A complete list follows.
1. Construction starts for law enforcement center
A new law enforcement center is under construction north of the courthouse in Oconto. Demolition of 14 properties occurred in the spring, and construction of the facility began in August and will last an estimated 18 months. The $30 million project will include sheriff’s offices, a 911 center and a jail with capacity for 150 to 175 inmates.
In June, county supervisors secured a 10-year, $10 million loan at an interest rate of 2.32 percent. Taxpayers saw the impact on their property tax bills in December at a rate of 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
2. Stadium opens for Panthers
ST Paper Stadium, the football field and track built at Oconto Falls High School, was dedicated Sept. 6. The stadium was built with $1.1 million in referendum funding approved by voters in 2014. ST Paper donated $100,000 to the project. The football field at the stadium bears the name of Dan Rider and the press box was named after Gary Just.
On Sept. 11, playing the first game on the new field, the Panthers snapped a 30-game losing streak by beating Green Bay West 42-13.
3. Suring celebrates its centennial
The village of Suring celebrated its centennial year with special events throughout 2015. The Suring Area Historical Society started the celebration on Jan. 18 with a lumberjack breakfast, then hosted a centennial banquet in April. The Suring Labor Day celebration included an all-school reunion for graduates of Mountain and Suring high schools and centennial-theme floats in the Labor Day parade.
4. Highway 22 work ends in Oconto Falls
Reconstruction of a 1.6-mile stretch of Highway 22 in Oconto Falls began in late April and ended in mid-November. The $3.95 million state Department of Transportation project included pavement removal and replacement, curb and gutter, sidewalks, storm sewer, street lighting, pavement marking and street signing from West Highland Drive to East Highland Drive. The Oconto Falls Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 7 at City Hall, then people walked on Highway 22 from City Hall to the Oconto Falls library.
5. Traffic fatalities high
Oconto County recorded 15 traffic fatalities in 2015, as of Dec. 24, including a triple fatality on Oct. 24 at the intersection of state Highway 22 and County Road I in Oconto Falls. On Dec. 21, a pedestrian walking along County Road S in Sobieski was killed by a hit-and-run driver now facing multiple charges.
6. Suring voters support referendum
The Suring School District has an additional $3.5 million to use for educational resources, equipment and technology over the next five years. By a 787-475 margin, voters on April 7 approved a referendum proposal to exceed the state-imposed revenue limit by $700,000 for each of the next five years, beginning with the 2015- 16 school year. Property owners can expect to pay an additional $116.15 annually for property valued at $100,o0o.
7. Leadership changes at Falls schools
The Oconto Falls School District hired Dean Hess, a Wausau middle school principal, to replace Dave Polashek as superintendent of the Oconto Falls School District. Polashek retired June 30 after a 45-year career in education, including 22 years as the Oconto Falls superintendent. On Nov. 18, he announced he’s running as a Democrat for state Senate. Hess began his career as a science teacher and also served in the military, spending 20 years in the Army Reserves and the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He holds a doctorate in education leadership.
8. Health care facilities erected
Three facilities opened in Oconto Falls this year: the Medical Services Building at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital and The Cottages at MeadowLands Memory Care opened in January, and Bellin Health Oconto Falls in September.
The Medical Services Building, 853 S. Main St., includes a 36,000-square-foot Prevea clinic, plus space for Green Bay Oncology, Advanced Pain Management and HSHS St. Vincent Dialysis Center. The Cottages at MeadowLands Memory Care, 751 E. Highland Drive, has 16 private units for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The 9,000-square-foot Bellin Health Oconto Falls features internal medicine and family practice services, X-ray, lab and physical therapy.
9. Renovations planned at Memorial Field
A baseball field will replace the football field and track at Memorial Field, in the first of a multi-stage plan to repurpose the city’s park. The City Council on Nov. 10 agreed to the first stage of a five-stage proposal, to build a hardball field where the track and football field are located. The proposal was presented by Oconto Falls Parks and Recreation Director Sheila Manns, who will work with representatives of Panther Pride for project support.
10. Christmas tree selected for White House
Dave and Mary Vander Velden, of Whispering Pines Tree Farm in Oconto, have been selected to present a Christmas tree to the White House in 2016. The Vander Veldens earned the honor after their Balsam fir was named co-grand champion of the National Christmas Tree Association’s 2015 National Christmas Tree Contest.
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