ANN DRAVIS

City Council President Ann Dravis announced last week that she'll be a candidate for mayor.

Westside School 4th grader Alex Larson spent 2 years saving coins. At first he thought he might grow the collection and use it toward college. Then he saw a more pressing need: the planned playground addition for Westside. So Alex, surrounded by gleeful classmates, donated close to $50 in pennies, nickels and quarters to help build the playground. "I want a different playground, and I want to be able to use it before I leave this school," Alex said. Westside's PTO already has raised more than $27,000, but the playground's projected cost is $90,000.

Last school year's $800,000 budget deficit wasn't known until this fall. Now, later this fall, district officials know another deficit is coming.

Ashley Williams recently completed writing and illustrating a unique children's book "The Best of Friends."

Ashley Williams has learned about cultural diversity firsthand.

An 11-year tradition aiming to make the holidays brighter for local needy families is underway.

Stunning, frustrating, and heartbreaking are all words that can used to describe the UW-River Falls hockey team's 5-4 loss to UW-Superior Saturday night, but none of them would

A two-vehicle crash on N. Main Street resulted in a rollover, injuries and a traffic citation last week Friday noon. A northbound Toyota pickup driven by Scott R. Ergen, 18, Annandale, Minn., allegedly rearended Timothy M. McAndrew, 25, Boyceville, as he waited to turn into the Westconsin Credit Union's parking lot, 1207 N. Main St. McAndrew said he saw the crash coming and accelerated at the last second. Ergen's truck flipped over after the collision. Ergen, given an $83.20 fine for inattentive driving, was also taken to the hospital and treated for injuries. His passenger, Heather B. Ruprecht, 106 Prucha Hall at UW-RF, was also hospitalized.