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• Baldwin man charged with sexual gratification with a cow
• Fire chief wants same pay as EMS chief
• Death Notices
• School Lunch Menu
• Weekend Roundup

A Baldwin man has been charged with sexual gratification and disorderly conduct after allegedly having sexual contact with a calf on the Wahlquist Brother's farm in Rush River Township early last Tuesday morning.

Gary Wilbur Otto, 45, Baldwin, pleaded innocent to the charges St. Croix County Circuit Court. Judge Conrad A. Richards ordered Otto to post a $1,500 signature bond and set a pre-trial conference for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 24.

According to the criminal complaint, Otto was allegedly caught by members of the Wahlquist family running naked in the barn at about 1:30 a.m.

Wahlquist told investigators he saw what appeared to be fresh human footprints in the calf pen area. The complaint said Otto's clothes were found hanging on a stepladder in the heifer barn.

Wahlquist had suspected Otto of having sexual contact with some of his livestock and had set up a motion detector in the milk house which would trigger an alarm in the farm house if anyone entered the area after 12:30 a.m., the complaint said.

When the alarm went off Tuesday morning, Wahlquist in his brothers Robert and James ran to the barn and found Otto, according to the complaint.

Sexual gratification is defined in the complaint as unlawfully committing an act of sex with an animal. It is a class A misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment of not more than nine months or both.

The City Council is expected to discuss wages for officers of the Hudson Fire Department and St. Croix Emergency Medical Services Monday night, Nov. 15.

The question before the Council is whether Fire Chief Dean Rossing should be given a raise to bring his pay in line with that of EMS Chief Glen Hartman's. Rossing also has proposed raises for the fire department's seven other officers.

The fire department and EMS chiefs earned the same pay, $3,703 annually, until this past summer when Hartman's was hiked to $7,391 a year. After reviewing the state's Fair Labor Standards Act, the City Council decided that Hartman was entitled to overtime pay for the five hours a week he serves as the EMS chief. Hartman also is a city police officer.

Hartman was appointed EMS chief earlier in the year following the resignation of Kevin Lagos.

Rossing, an investigator for the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department in his full-time job, has said he deserves the same pay as the EMS chief.

City Administrator Brian Gramentz is recommending not giving the fire department officers the pay increase that would result in an $6,836 increase the department's 2000 budget .

In an issue sheet prepared for City Council members, Gramentz said the fire department and EMS chiefs have only recently been paid the same amounts.

The circumstances surrounding this issue are unique and possibly not ever going to happen again," Gramentz wrote. "...I see no relationship between training requirements, operations or hours worked by both EMS chief or fire chief that would support increasing the fire chief's wages to match the EMS chief's wages."

DOROTHY "DORT" NELSON, 80

Dorothy "Dort" Leola Nelson of Baldwin and CO-founder of Nelson's Super Valu, died Monday, November 8 at Region's Hospital in St. Paul. Funeral services were held Thursday, November 11 at the First Presbyterian Church in Baldwin. Burial will be in the Baldwin Cemetery. O'Connell Family Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

ELAINE CAROL KOOIMAN, 49

Elaine Kooiman of Woodville and formerly of Hammond and Baldwin died Tuesday, November 2 at her home following a battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held Friday, November 5 at 10:30 am at the Christian Reformed Church in Baldwin. Visitation will be from 5-7 pm on Thursday, November 4 at the O'Connell Family Funeral Home in Baldwin and one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Baldwin Cemetery. O'Connell Family Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Elementary Schools.

Included with lunch is fruit and vegetable bar and milk choices.

Friday, November 12: Grilled cheese, Hamburger/bun, peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

Monday, Nov. 15: Italian spaghetti, rib-e-q on bun or peanut butter/jelly sandwich

Tuesday, Nov. 16: Tacos, hamburger/bun or ham sandwich.

Wednesday, Nov. 17: Cheeseburger/bun, pretzel/cheese or peanut butter sandwich.

Thursday, Nov. 18: Chicken nuggets, chilito or turkey sandwich.

Friday: Cheese pizza, hot dog/bun or peanut butter/jelly sandwich.

Raider Caf /Carmicheal Vine Caf .

Main menu is shown. Included with lunch is fruit and vegetable bar and milk choices. Pizza, salad or hot/cold sandwich are main dish alternatives.

Friday, November 12: Dunkers & Pasta

Monday, November 15: Salisbury steak/mashed potatoes.

Tuesday, November 16: Calzone and pasta.

Wednesday, November 17: Han in au gratin potatoes and bread.

Thursday, November 18: Turkey/gravy and mashed potatoes.

Friday, November 19: chicken/cheese crispito and rice.

Saturday-Nov 13

-Musical Comedy: "Peanuts" at the Phipps Center, 8pm. Tickets $13 or $12 for senior citizens and students age 18 or younger. Only children 5 and up may attend. Call 386-8409 for reservations.

--The Lutheran Social Services invites any area people interested in adoption to its Annual Adoption Information Meeting at the Peace Lutheran Church in Baldwin, from 10 am until noon. The church is located approximately one mile south of I-94 on Hwy. 63, a $5 registration fee will be collected at the door. For more information or to register, call 715-833-0992.

--The United Methodist Church is hosting a Bushel Basket Bazaar from 9:30 am until 3 pm at the church, which is located at 1401 Laurel Ave. in Hudson.

Sunday Nov 14

--Musical Comedy: "Peanuts" at the Phipps Center, 2pm. Tickets $13 or $12 for senior citizens and students age 18 or younger. Only children 5 and up may attend. Call 386-8409 for reservations.

--The Swedish Fiddlers, a cultural group within the American Swedish Institute, will perform at 4 pm at Ezekiel Lutheran Church in River Falls. For more information call 425-8294.

--Open House: The Hudson Medical Center will host an open house for the new Specialty Clinic from 1-4 pm. The public can meet specialists, participate in health screenings, register for door prizes and enjoy refreshments. The new clinic may be accessed through the Hudson Physicians Clinic entrance at 402 Wisconsin St.

Check River Falls and Ellsworth daily coverage for events in other nearby communities.

To get your event, meeting, or activity listed in the daily calendar, call Mary at the River Falls Journal, 425-1561 before 11 a.m. for same-day listings, or for upcoming events, you can also leave a message or e-mail daily@rivertowns.net.