By Ryma Lindquist, WWH

BALDWIN, WI – Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) was honored to host a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, to celebrate the opening of the newly expanded Medical Surgical and Obstetrical Departments. Over 100 community members, business leaders, board members, funders, local chamber members, and current and former staff attended this joyous occasion.

WWH CEO, Eilidh Pederson, highlighted the significance of this expansion for the Baldwin area community, praising the talented and compassionate team for making WWH an exceptional place to work and receive care. The event featured a timelapse video of the construction project, generously provided by the General Contractors of the project, Market and Johnson.

Following the ceremony, guided tours of the new Medical Surgical (Med/Surg) and Obstetrical (OB) departments were offered, impressing many attendees with the additional space and enhanced facilities.

WWH extends heartfelt thank-you to everyone who helped make this event a success and to all who attended. Special appreciation goes to the generous funders of the expansion project: Beverly Lightfoot, Mark and Jackie Tyler, Compeer Financial, Titus Strategies, Anderson Corporate Foundation, Pillar Bank, Hardenbergh Foundation, Otto Bremer Trust, Fred C. and Katherine B. Anderson Foundation, philanthropic donors who gave during WWH’s golf events and Rose Gold gala, Kwik Trip, Senator Tammy Baldwin for her support in of WWH being awarded $1M in bipartisan congressional direct spend funding.

The need for this expansion is driven by the lack of access to obstetrical services in surrounding communities and the growing need for hospitalizations, extended stays post-surgery, and transitional care. This expansion will help WWH meet the needs of local patients and the growing communities they serve. The additional spaces allow for families to receive essential medical care close to home.

The region of Western Wisconsin is facing an obstetrical desert, with several hospitals closing their birthing centers over the last few years. River Falls Area Hospital, Mayo’s Hospitals in Barron, and Menomonie, HSHS, and Prevea in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls have all ceased offering these critical services. This has created a significant gap in care that WWH aims to close for residents of our rural communities. Without these services, families have limited or no options for safe childbirth close to home. WWH is committed to sustainably offering obstetrical and hospital-based care for those in need.

The expansion includes three new OB rooms, which are imperative for accommodating the over 400 births expected in 2024. Labor and delivery patients will benefit from a state-of-the-art facility that includes a serene environment. There is a large water birth suite with a birthing tub, access to nitrous oxide for pain management, and beautiful large windows overlooking the community trail and nature, allowing expecting mothers to walk around and experience nature during labor.

The Medical Surgical department has added four additional rooms, expanding WWH’s capacity to allow for more patients without sending them to other medical facilities in larger cities. The private rooms feature large windows and are located close to physical therapy, providing easier access for rehabilitative care. This expansion supports WWH’s goal of keeping patients close to home when they require extended stays for recovery and transitional care services.

WWH continues to see an increase in patient admissions, especially among those who did not receive necessary care during the pandemic. This expansion enables WWH to provide high-quality care for acute patients and those requiring swing bed care, ensuring community members can receive the care they need locally.

“This expansion showcases the beauty of our new spaces and our patient-centered approach,” stated Eilidh Pederson, CEO of Western Wisconsin Health. “By providing a place of healing, we aim to meet the care needs of our community and region. On a national level, WWH is making a bold move to save rural obstetrical care at a time when other facilities are closing. By stepping up to fill this critical gap, WWH is part of the solution, demonstrating that providing rural obstetrical care is not only possible but essential for the health and well-being of our communities.”  For more information, please contact: Western Wisconsin Health at 715-684-1111.

WWH is dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare services to the communities of Western Wisconsin. Our state-of-the-art facilities and compassionate staff ensure that patients receive the highest quality care close to home. WWH continues to expand and innovate to meet the evolving needs of our patients and communities. Western Wisconsin Health is redefining rural healthcare as we strive to achieve our mission of “Building a Healthier Tomorrow, Together.”

Submitted by WDNR

MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare plant, which may result from the Nugget Lake County Park Project in Pierce County.

Incidental take (IT) refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species’ overall population at risk.

Pierce County proposes to dredge portions of Nugget Lake and transport the dredge material through wooded habitat to a nearby agricultural field.

The presence of the state-threatened snow trillium is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some plants.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part of or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the snow trillium are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Rori Paloski at 608-516-3742 or Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the snow trillium by July 24, 2024, to:

Department of Natural Resources
c/o Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist
101 S. Webster St. Madison, WI 53707
Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-3742

Submitted by 2024-25 Syttende Mai Queen Katelyn Gustafson

WOODVILLE, WI – Hi Woodville! Saturday, the 22nd, of June 2024, was a busy day for us!

We started off our day in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, for their Strawberry Fest with a 10 a.m. parade start time! We laughed through the parade as everyone pointed out the dragon on our ship.

The Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest was celebrating 40 Years of Berry Fun! It was a four-day, family focused event that offered something for everyone. An estimated 20,000 to 25,000 people came to enjoy wonderful food, fantastic bands, a carnival and much, much more! Families and friends came to the event to be part of the community while they relaxed and enjoyed the kickoff to summer.

After Strawberry Fest, we spent some time at a park and walked through Main Street in Lindstrom, Minnesota.

Then, we went to Milltown, Wisconsin in Polk County for their Fishermen’s Party. We spent some time at their Queen’s Tea before the Fisherman’s Party Parade at 6 p.m.

The Milltown Fisherman’s Party was organized in 1950, it is a two-day celebration. This publicizes the great number of fishing lakes in the area, 13 of them are within eight miles of Milltown.

We had a lot of fun spending the day together, before our day off on Sunday. Enjoy your summer!

Submitted by Debby Walters

WOODVILLE, WI – While perusing my garden the other day, I noticed that the Pearly Everlasting is in really rough shape, it is decimated. It is a native plant. The top leaves of every plant are bent over and wrapped with silken thread. Lots of little black dots appear on the plant (poop or frass as it is called when from a caterpillar). Upon closer examination there are caterpillars of all sizes covering the plants.  So, the research begins, those caterpillars are American Lady butterflies (Vanessa virginiensis).

These caterpillars are unique because they create nests of the leaves to protect themselves. They take cover on sunny days and come out in the evening or on overcast days to feed. In my garden it doesn’t seem to make a difference, they are gobbling up my plants. Like monarchs, they need a host plant . . . there are two possibilities: Pearly Everlasting and Pussytoes. Pearly everlasting is also the host plant for Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui), but I’ve not spotted those caterpillars . . . yet.

Like monarchs the American Lady also migrate, but not as far. They head to the southern U.S. each fall and their descendants return north each spring.

Soon the caterpillars will make their chrysalis. The chrysalis are green or gray, about ¾” long, and look as though they will be very well camouflaged. As far as the Pearly Everlasting goes, it should recover and look better later in the season.

Pearly Everlasting (“Anaphalis margaritacea”) has silver green foliage and clusters of small white flowers on top. It is about 2 feet tall. Apparently, it used to be used in dried floral arrangements. I planted it primarily for its foliage and because it was a native plant and was not aware of its host plant capabilities. A chewed-up plant is evidence that insects/critters are enjoying the garden. The whole purpose of planting native plants!