By Jen Schultz

Prairie du Chien Police Chief Michael King has been temporarily suspended as of the Tuesday, June 1 meeting of the Police and Fire Commission. The Commission voted 4-0 with one absent to temporarily relieve Michael King of his duties as Chief of Police pending an investigation and audit into the Prairie du Chien Scholarship Fund and Prairie du Chien Canine Fund. Both of these funds are operated by the Prairie du Chien Police Department. The scholarship fund is shared with the Sherif" Department, but that agency is not part of the investigation, according to City Administrator Aaron Kramer. Kramer issued the following statement on Wednesday: "Our duties and responsibilities to the public will continue as they always have. We will treat this matter, which I stress is not criminal at this time, with the seriousness it demands. This is a focused, narrow investigation, not a department- or city-wide investigation would like people to remember that a person is innocent until proven guilty." Sergeant Chad Abram will be the interim acting police chief during the investigation. Police Chief Michael King responded to the accusations by stating, "We in law enforcement work in a profession in which the mere suggestion of impropriety can have devastating and long-lasting effects. Our internal system of investigation tends to be one of "guilty until proven innocent and the smallest mis-step can wipe out decades of dedicated work with rumor and innuendo. With this said, I will cooperate fully with city government during this event and let the facts speak for themselves."

Katrina Ellis of River Ridge qualified for the State Meet in the shot put.

Several area track athletes have qualified for the State Track Meet in La Crosse on June 4 and 5. The top four finishers in each event at Sectionals qualify for the State Meet.

TJ Valley of Prairie du Chien finished fourth in the 300 hurdles in a time of 40.65 at the Division 2 Boscobel Sectional May 27 to qualify for the State Meet.

Tanner Roach of Prairie du Chien took fourth in the long jump at 20-2 to qualify for State.

Kaliann Bauer of Prairie du Chien was third in the pole vault at 10-0 to qualify for State.

The Prairie du Chien boys' team scored 16 points at the Boscobel Sectional to tie for 19th.

The Prairie du Chien girls scored 10 points to take 21st.

The River Ridge boys' team won the Division 3 Bangor Sectional with a total of 69 points.

Cody Martin of River Ridge took third in the 100-meter dash in a time of 11.36 to qualify for the State Meet as an individual.

Tom Osterday was second in the 200 in 23.21 to qualify for State.

River Ridge was second in the 800 relay in a time of 1:32.75. (Cody Martin, Weston Nemitz, Ron White, Tom Osterday -alternates Jake Martin and Jordan Red-man).

River Ridge was second in the 1600 relay in 3:30.91. (Osterday, Jason Foster, Martin, White -alternates Derek Sprague and Zach Raisbeck).

River Ridge took fourth in the 3200 relay in 8:31.28. (Jake Lindberg, Foster, Jesse Scott, White - alternates Zach Raisbeck and Jeremy Cliff).

Derek Sprague was third in the high jump at 6-0.

The River Ridge boys' track team won the Bangor Sectional Thursday, May 27. In addition to winning the sectional, 12 individuals from the boys' team will be headed to the State Track Meet.

Prairie du Chien track athletes Tanner Roach, Kaliann Bauer and TJ Valley qualified for the State Track Meet after competing in the Boscobel Sectional May 27. (More track photos are in the Sports Section.)

Katrina Ellis of River Ridge qualified for the State Meet in the shot put.

The River Ridge boys' track team won the Bangor Sectional Thursday, May 27. In addition to winning the sectional, 12 individuals from the boys' team will be headed to the State Track Meet.

Prairie du Chien track athletes Tanner Roach, Kaliann Bauer and TJ Valley qualified for the State Track Meet after competing in the Boscobel Sectional May 27. (More track photos are in the Sports Section.)