715 Rundown: Chippewa Falls Murder Case, WI Tourism Stats, Kwik Trip Merch, and Should You Make Your Bed?
Our locally-focused audio snippet this week provides updates on the Lily Peters homicide case, our state’s tourism numbers about recreation and the moola behind it, some pretty snazzy Kwik Trip merch just in time for the holidays, and how making the bed affects your psychology.
Thanks to Morgan at 715newsroom.com for this update!
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Mark Your Calendar For The Show Pig Symposium
The Wisconsin Pork Association and the Division of Extension will be hosting a Show Pig Symposium on Jan. 11 at the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells.
Show pig breeders, swine exhibitors, and allied industry members are invited to attend this exciting educational and networking event.
This workshop will assist attendees in maximizing the effectiveness of their production skills to achieve their greatest production efficiency and show ring success. Attendees will get practical, real-life insight from some of the industry’s most skilled professionals and can ask their most challenging questions.
The event will kick off at 10 a.m. with lunch at 12 p.m. The symposium will wrap up at 3 p.m.
This will be a tremendous opportunity for both swine exhibitors, breeders, and allied industry members to gain valuable information on all things related to show pigs.
Agenda Topics
- Selection – Ben Kronberg, Kronberg Genetics
- Traceability and AgView – John Heins, National Pork Board
- Nutrition – Krisha Geffert, ADM Showtec
- Supplemental Heat Advancements – Alberto Lacayo, Animal Lamps
- Biosecurity and Secure Pork Supply- Jeff Morris, UW-Extension & Wisconsin Pork Association
- 2025 WSPA Show Season Update – Wisconsin Show Pig Association Board Members
- Fun, Interactive Youth Activities – Wisconsin Show Pig Association Junior Board Members
- Daily Pig Care
A block of rooms is available until Dec. 15. To book a room, call 608-254-8366 and reference the booking ID# K75038 – Show Pig Symposium.
The cost to attend is $5/person in advance or $10/person at the door (based on availability) and includes lunch.
Register by Jan. 3: https://wppa.org/youth/youth-show-pig-symposium
Holiday Concerts to Enjoy in the 715
The 715 - spanning from vibrant communities like Eau Claire to Chippewa Falls and beyond - is alive with the sounds of the season! From classic carols to festive orchestral performances, our area is brimming with opportunities to experience the wonder of Christmas through music. The holiday spirit is in full swing - read on to find the next opportunity for you and your kin to experience some holiday magic!
UW-Eau Claire
50th Annual Holiday Concert
Sunday, December 8th at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Pablo Center At The Confluence
The UW-Eau Claire Foundation and Department of Music and Theatre Arts present the 50th annual Holiday Concert. The concert will include performances by the UWEC Wind Symphony, University Orchestra, Concert Choir, Women's Concert Chorale, the Singing Statesmen, Symphonic Choir, and more. Proceeds from the Holiday Concert are used to support scholarships for UW-Eau Claire students involved in the music department.
More info: https://foundation.uwec.edu/news-events/foundation-events/holiday-concert/
Songs Of The Season
Memorial High School
Monday, Dec. 9th at 7 p.m.
Memorial High School Auditorium
The Memorial Madrigals are in their 60th year spreading holiday cheer throughout the Eau Claire area and will be performing at the concert. The concert will end with their tradition of singing the Hallelujah Chorus by Handel with alumni joining on stage for the performance of the song. They will also be singing Night of Silence with Silent Night, conducted by a senior student. The concert will last about 1 hour and it is FREE!
More info: https://www.ecasd.us/Memorial-High-School/Activities/Music-and-Arts/Choir
Handel's Messiah Singalong
UW-Eau Claire Voice & Choral Activities, UWEC Music and Theatre, & Chippewa Valley Voices
Tuesday, December 10th at 6:30 p.m.
UW-Eau Claire Haas Fine Arts Center
Come sing Handel's Messiah alongside musicians from UW-Eau Claire and the greater Chippewa Valley – all are welcome! Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance for warmups and a brief rehearsal. Although primarily a singalong, seats will also be set aside for audience members who wish just to listen. Singing participants may bring their own scores or borrow from UWEC (on a first-come, first-served basis). Approximate runtime: 1 hr. Featuring UW-Eau Claire's Symphonic Choir.
More info and tickets: https://www.facebook.com/events/500985859191901
The Master Singers
Lessons & Carols 2024: Be Still, My Soul
Friday, December 13th at 7:30pm
First Congregational United Church in Eau Claire
Saturday, December 14th at 1:00pm
Saint Charles Borromeo Church in Chippewa Falls
Featured in this concert are many pieces by past commissioned composers of The Master Singers including Andrew Steffen and Elaine Hagenberg. The Master Singers will perform “O Nata Lux” composed by Andrew Steffen and commissioned by The Master Singers in 2011, “Sussex Carol” composed by Elaine Hagenberg, and a piece sang in Catalan, a language spoken in areas of Andorra, Spain, France, and Italy, titled “En les Nits de Desembre” composed by Josep Olle I Sabate.
More info and tickets: https://www.themastersingers.net/
Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra
A Christmas Jubilee: Celebrating 50 Years of Music
Saturday, December 14th at 2:00 p.m.
Pablo Center At The Confluence
Ring in CVSO’s 50th holiday season with this delightful performance for the whole family, including a trio of sleighride pieces by Mozart, Prokofiev, and Anderson. Then, CVSO will be joined by top high school choristers from around the Chippewa Valley for Robert Shaws’ The Many Moods of Christmas.
More info and tickets: https://www.pablocenter.org/events/detail/cvso-a-christmas-jubilee-559956
Regis Middle & High School
Christmas Band Concert
Monday, December 9th, 7 p.m.
Fr. Dowd Auditorium at Regis High School, Free Admission
This concert will feature the 6th Grade Band, the 7th/8th Grade Band, and the High School Band.
More info: https://www.regiscatholicschools.com/parents-students/co-curricular/
Regis Middle & High School
Christmas Choir Concert
Monday, December 16th, 7 p.m.
Fr. Dowd Auditorium at Regis High School, Free Admission
This concert will feature the 6th Grade Choir, the 7th/8th Grade Choir, and the High School Choir, as well as an audience singalong on "Silent Night."
More info: https://www.regiscatholicschools.com/parents-students/co-curricular/
North High School
Sounds Of The Season Concert
Thursday, December 19th, 7 p.m.
North High School Auditorium
This concert features the top band, choir, and orchestra groups from Eau Claire North and serves as a fundraiser for the ECN Music Scholarship fund. You'll hear familiar holiday tunes including a sing-along of some of the classics. The concert is free for the public, with a free-will donation at the door.
More info: https://www.ecasd.us/North-High-School/Academics/Music
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Wisconsin Takes Home North American Dairy Quiz Bowl Title
Wisconsin 4-H youth have been busy traveling to the North American International Livestock Exposition held in Louisville, KY in November. During this event Wisconsin had several teams go down to represent their project and Wisconsin 4-H. One of them being for the Dairy Bowl competition.
While in Louisville, the Polk County 4-H was able to bring home Wisconsin’s 4th national dairy bowl win in the last 15 years. For the competition the team was asked oral questions. The questions were about dairy cow biology, genetics, nutrition, and other questions related to the dairy industry.
The team that made the trip down to NAILE was the winning senior team from the state dairy bowl competition. The winning team of 4-H members from Polk County were Kallie Andersen, Evelyn Braaten, Suki Gatica, and Darby Trent. The team was coached by Patti Hurtgen and Gwen Dado.
Congratulations to the team from Polk County and their coaches for all of their hard work and dedication. You have made Wisconsin proud!
715 Rundown: Holiday Weight, EC City Council, Hunting Season, Brook Trout Scarcity, and Smart Cookies
Our 715 Rundown this week has got it all! From the holiday weight that comes from a few extra Christmas cookies, City Council members seeking reelection, and hunting season stats, to our Wisconsin fish population, and an accomplished high schooler who has an Associate’s degree before graduating high school, we’ve got it all!
Thanks to Morgan at 715newsroom.com for this update!
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Festival of Toys is ON – Help Give a Happy Holiday to Local Children in Need
The annual Festival of Toys aims to make the holidays brighter for children in the Chippewa Valley, with help from the community through donations of new, unwrapped toys, as well as monetary donations!
You can donate new, unwrapped toys at these locations:
- Festival Foods Stores in Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls
- LE Phillips Senior Center – 1616 Bellinger St – Eau Claire
- Merchant’s Bank – 2728 Mall Dr – Eau Claire
- Morrie’s Subaru – 3443 WI-93 Trunk – Eau Claire
All donations collected will be distributed to Families in need by Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley with some additional help from Boys and Girls Club, Salvation Army, Spirit of Christmas, and Jason’s Presents.
Want to make a donation? Click Below! No amount is too small, even $1 helps provide area families with a happier holiday. ANY donation is appreciated.
Come SEE US at these locations December 3rd – 6th to drop off donations:
- December 3rd – 7am to 11am – Festival Foods, Chippewa Falls
- December 4th – 7am to 11am – Festival Foods, Birch Street Eau Claire
- December 5th – 7am to 11am – Festival Foods, North Clairemont Eau Claire
- December 6th – 7am to 11am – Festival Foods, Mall Drive Eau Claire
Checks can be made out to:
Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley (or just FPCV). They can be dropped off in person at the above locations and times. Please write FESTIVAL OF TOYS in the memo line on the check.
Do you or someone you know need assistance putting gifts under the tree this holiday season? You can apply to be a recipient of Festival of Toys here.
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On Giving Tuesday, Compeer Donates To Local 4-H
Pictured: (from left) Glenn Wachtler, Compeer team member; Lance Kamm, Compeer Financial’s Wisconsin Giving Tuesday contest winner; MaKayla Weyer, Wide Awake 4-H Club member; Stella Kamm, Wide Awake 4-H Club treasurer; Lilly Peterson, Wide Awake 4-H Club president.
The Baldwin Wide Awake 4-H Club received a $2,500 donation through Compeer Financial’s 2024 Giving Tuesday contest. The funds will support the club’s mission to foster leadership, community involvement, and agriculture awareness in the community.
“Part of our mission is to educate the community and our members about agriculture,” says Lilly Peterson, president of the Wide Awake 4-H Club. “Today’s youth aren’t as involved in agriculture as they used to be, so welcoming younger kids into our club helps spread awareness and keeps them connected to the community.”
The club’s contributions to Baldwin include volunteering at American Legion events, engaging with nursing home residents, and participating in community cleanup efforts. Their dedication has earned them recognition from local leaders. This includes Baldwin-Woodville High School teacher Lance Kamm, the Wisconsin winner of Compeer’s Giving Tuesday contest.
“For me, the help they provide our American Legion is incredible,” says Kamm, whose daughters are club members. “They do so much throughout the year in the Baldwin community.”
Kamm selected the Wide Awake 4-H Club as the donation recipient, confident the funds would enable new opportunities for service. For members like Peterson, who is in her final year with the club, the donation provides a chance to inspire the next generation and sustain the group’s legacy.
“This year, our club has been getting more young members, which is great to see,” she says. “It’s important to keep them involved and excited about what we do.”
How to Support Otto Family Law’s Mitten Tree
The holidays are all about giving, and Otto Family Law is making it easy to spread some cheer while keeping our neighbors warm this winter. For the second year in a row, Otto Family Law has put up a Mitten Tree in their lobby, and it’s a beautiful way for our community to come together for a great cause.
From December 2nd through January 6th, you can stop by their Eau Claire or Rice Lake offices and donate new hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, or monetary gifts. Each monetary donation will add a festive paper mitten ornament to the tree in the lobby – and here’s the best part: Otto Family Law will match monetary donations up to $1,000! All donations will be equally split between two amazing local organizations:
- Bolton Refuge House of Eau Claire, which provides vital services and support to people impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Benjamin’s House of Rice Lake, which offers shelter, food, and resources to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Last year’s Mitten Tree collected 116 items, many of them lovingly handmade by members of our community. This year, Otto Family Law is setting their sights on doubling that number and every donation helps them get closer to that goal!
Here’s how you can help:
Monetary Donations
You can call the Eau Claire office at (715) 832-2040 or you can mail a check to:
Otto Family Law
4252 Southtowne Dr, Suite A
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Drop-In Donations
Bring your items to the Eau Claire or Rice Lake offices between now and January 6th.
This season of giving is about more than gifts – it’s about showing kindness and care to those who need it most. Let’s rally together as a community to make this year’s Mitten Tree bigger and better than ever. Every scarf, glove, and donation is a warm hug to someone in need.
Swing by Otto Family Law’s lobby, hang a mitten on the tree, and help spread the love. Together, we can make the Chippewa Valley and beyond a little warmer this winter – inside and out.
We visited Lauren at Otto Family Law last year to talk about their first ever Mitten Tree, watch below!
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Behind The Scenes Of The FFA Fruit Boxes
All the assistants here at the Mid-West Farm Report — Stephanie Hoff, Charitee Seebecker, and Ben Jarboe — sold fruit boxes as FFA members as part of their annual fundraiser.
MyFruitSale.com operates one of the fundraising platforms for these famous FFA Fruit Sale Fundraisers, and they’ve been doing it since the 1980s. President Matt Johnson says this is a tradition that’s been going on even longer than that.
He says in that time, families have gotten smaller and tastes have changed. The popular fruits today are apples, pears, and mandarin oranges. But the snack foods and Wisconsin cheeses go faster than the citrus. They’ll be packing boxes to fill 50 semis to go to school fundraisers to go out after Thanksgiving.
Matt says a great fundraiser would generate about $15,000 for an FFA chapter — so a total of about $50,000 in total sales. In 2023, he went to the National FFA Convention and saw first-hand how important these dollars are for chapters to compete at and attend these life-changing events.
Domino’s Funds $100,000 in FFA Scholarships
Domino’s Pizza Inc. has funded scholarships for FFA students for seven years. This year, the company is expanding its scholarship program for the 2024-25 cycle. Domino’s will fund 10 scholarships worth $10,000 each for FFA members pursuing a college degree in agricultural education. The goal is to help these students become agriculture science teachers.
The new scholarship program addresses a critical need identified by FFA leaders and industry professionals. There is a shortage of agriculture teachers to support FFA students and future leaders in agriculture.
“National FFA values Domino’s support through their sponsorship and partnership,” said Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation. “These scholarships help cultivate the talent pipeline for agricultural education and develop future teachers who will positively impact the industry and the world.”
FFA high school seniors or FFA alumni in college can apply for the scholarship through FFA’s website by Jan. 9, 2025. One application will give access to multiple scholarship opportunities, totaling nearly $2.5 million. Winners will be notified in late April, and funds will be distributed in July for the fall 2025 semester.
“When Domino’s first committed to FFA, we acknowledged that without farmers, there would be no pizza,” said Carrie Ballew, Domino’s vice president and chief procurement officer. “To support future farmers, we need to empower agriculture science teachers. They are critical to FFA and the agriculture industry. We’re grateful for the chance to offer this scholarship to those pursuing careers in agricultural education.”
