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• About 200 attend service for UW-Stout students who died in fire
• Ellsworth Village Board slams ultimate fighting with new ordinance
• McMahon ends 13-year tenure as Ellsworth creamery manager

About 200 people held a candle-light vigil in Menomonie Monday night, to remember the three University of Wisconsin-Stout students who died in a weekend fire.

The head of the campus ministry, Christine Warloski, said the gathering moved the community from, "the darkness of tragedy to the light of hope."

Funeral services will be held Wednesday for Amanda Reif, 20, in her home town of Chaska, Minn.

The funeral is Thursday for April Englund, 21, in the St. Paul church where her father is the lead pastor.

Services are planned Friday for Scott Hams, 23, of Hayward, but those arrangements are still being made.

Investigators are still trying to determine what started the house fire, but foul play is not suspected.

Englund lived there, and the others were sleeping over.

City records showed that the building was inspected last fall, and all the alarm systems were working.

Like Englund, most of Stout's 8,500 students live off-campus and many are taking it hard.

The school's normal counseling operations have been halted, so staff members can help grieving students. Mike Lubke, head of the Student Senate, said the tragedy is just now sinking in.

By Jason Schulte, RiverTowns staff

Last month's Ellsworth Village Board meeting was the opening act in a debate over whether ultimate fighting would be allowed in the village.

Monday night was the main event, as an ordinance was on the agenda to prohibit the sport on any village-owned property or premises.

It all started last month as Jason Marks, owner of Broz Bar, came to the board asking for a time change on a street dance July 12, so he could have ultimate fighting before the dance. The request was denied.

Between last month's meeting and Monday night, Village President Gerald DeWolfe said he was in contact with the village's insurance carrier and the carrier recommended no ultimate fighting, which is how the ordinance arose.

Marks, who was in attendance Monday night, said he had collected the names of 46 businesses and over 140 residents who were opposed to the ordinance and felt the ordinance was in place because of the board's personal wishes.

DeWolfe said 10 residents called him, saying no to ultimate fighting, while Trustee David Deiss said that, from everyone he's spoken to, a majority were also against such a request.

The debate then became similar to last month's, as Marks was promoting it as a benefit for the community that could bring revenue, while board members were discussing liability concerns.

"No state agency regulates it in the State of Wisconsin," said Trustee Neil Gulbranson, explaining why he voted no.

"We're looking out for residents against a potential lawsuit," said DeWolfe.

For more please read the April 9 print version of the Pierce County Herald.

Ken McMahon, CEO/Manager of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, gave formal notice last week to the creamery's board of directors stating his resignation.

"I feel that I am leaving Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery in the best financial state of its impressive history and find it difficult to leave. However, I feel it is time to step aside due to some health concerns at this time."

The board accepted his resignation and "thanked him for his unselfish dedication and commitment to the cooperative's unprecedented success during his 13-year tenure.

Ellsworth Dairy Cooperative is based in the heart of Wisconsin's Dairyland in the town of Ellsworth, Wisconsin, and was proclaimed the "Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin" by Gov. Anthony S. Earl in 1984. Its 500-plus proud dairy farm family owners live near Ellsworth, throughout Wisconsin and into Minnesota.

The cooperative creamery was initially formed to manufacture and sell butter. In 1966, they began their first expansion by making cheese. Two years later, they began a second expansion by selling packaged cheddar cheese curds.

Today, 100 percent All Natural Premium Cheddar Cheese Curds are their specialty product and being sold nationwide. Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery also manufactures whey powder, fluid milk and sweet cream.