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• Hudson residents grandfather featured in Ken Burns film
• Hudson homecoming queen candidates announced
• DMV offices closed Monday

Lisa and Jeff Szumilas of Hudson have been watching the Ken Burns film "The War" with more than the usual interest. Lisa's grandfather, Charles Mann of Luverne, Minn., is one of the WWII veterans featured in 14-hour documentary. Another grandchild, Scott Mensen, also lives in Hudson.

The Hudson families attended the premiere of the film in Luverne in September and met Burns and the others associated with the project. Mann was the first soldier from Rock County, Minn. where Luverne is located to be wounded in the war. Lisa said her grandfather had put together a personal memoir of his experience in the U.S. Army from January 1942 to June 1945. He enlisted following the Pearl Harbor attack and served in combat in North Africa where he was wounded.

Lisa, who is a nurse at the metro Veterans Hospital said, "It was a great experience to see my grandfather on the big screen. There are so many war heroes that I enjoy taking care of at the VA, and a lot of them are never recognized. It was an unforgetable and wonderful feeling in my heart to see my grandfather recognized for the hero that he was and is. We are all proud."

Repeats of the PBS broadcast are scheduled through this weekend. For more information go www.tpt.org.

Hudson High School seniors who are queen candidates for this week's Homecoming celebration are Chelsea Bouzard, Callie Gilbert, Laura Haslup, Hillary Inman, Whitney Knopps, Alli Lampman, Cassie LeFever, Stephanie Sutmar, Gillian Yoerg and Ella Zak. Voting will take place at the school on Oct. 5. Coronation is Friday night at 6:15 at Newton Field prior to the Homecoming football game with Eau Claire North.

Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicle offices across the state will be closed on Oct 8 (Columbus Day) for staff training, according to DMV officials.

The closure will also affect all phone centers.

DMV officials say the training is for front-line customer service representatives in technical process and procedural updates.

While offices and phone centers may be closed DOT officials point out that DMV's automated phone system will remain available so that motorists can still make road test appointments and have access to recorded information.

DMV officials also say that customers can go on to the DMV Web site at www.wisconsindmv.gov for services that don't require a visit to a service center.