PdC teen, Iowa man die in head-on collision
A Prairie du Chien teen and a 88-year-old Independence, Iowa man died as a result of injuries they received in a head-on collision on Tuesday, Oct. 10. At about 4:15 p.m. Clint Shedivy, 16, was driving northbound on Highway 35 near Mill Coulee Road, about five miles north of Prairie du Chien, when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a southbound vehicle. The southbound vehicle was driven by Robert Wiediger, 88. His wife, Mildred Wiediger, 82, was a passenger in the vehicle. Shedivy and the Wiedigers were transported to Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital. Shedivy was later pronounced dead as result of his injuries. Both Robert and Mildred Wiediger were transferred to La Crosse Gundersen Lutheran Hospital, and Robert was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. Mildred is listed in serious condition.

PdC HS vocal jazz students selected to perform at Carnegie Hall

The Prairie du Chien high school Vocal Music Department is usually quite active during a typical school year, but this year will not be quite so typical because the vocal jazz groups have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the Fourth Annual Vocal Jazz Festival on April 9, 2001. Prairie du Chien is one of up to 12 schools from the United States and Canada that were invited to perform for this event. Director Phil Stiemke received the invitation in July and called the organizers in New York to get more information. He informed them that there is more than one (actually three this year) vocal jazz groups at Prairie du Chien and they suggested that he combine them into one unit for this event. That combined unit, known as “Riverside Mix’’ is preparing for a truly historic event. Here is how this all came to be. Last year, “Out to Lunch’’ performed at the Star of the North Vocal Jazz Festival in Lakeville, Minn. Phil Mattson, one of the biggest names in vocal jazz, was the guest clinician for the Minnesota event. The people in New York contacted Mattson to get his recommendations for quality groups to invite to Carnegie Hall, as he hears many throughout the year, and Prairie du Chien was on his list.

Board approves several field trips
The Prairie du Chien School Board voted unanimously Monday night to approve a trip to Carnegie Hall in New York City for 21 Prairie du Chien High School vocal jazz students. The trip is scheduled to take place from April 6 through April 10. The board also approved a field trip request by Jennifer Smith and Roberta Dillman to the Wisconsin Lions L.I.F.E. Team Leadership Camp in Rosholt, Wis., for Oct. 8-10 and a trip to the 73rd National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ken., Oct. 25-28.

'The cycle of abuse can be broken'

 "We just want to let people know that we are here and that the cycle of abuse can be broken," says June Hoeger, Crawford County Domestic Abuse Prevention Coordinator. In recognition of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, Hoeger wants to let women, men and children who are being abused to know that there is help available. Hoeger will provide short term counseling, crisis intervention, ongoing support and referral to appropriate agencies for all county victims of domestic violence. She also works toward community education by working with the schools, churches, and all other groups requesting such programming. Hoeger is part of the Crawford County Domestic Abuse Task Force, which was formed in 1994. She also works closely with the victim witness coordinator, Gayle Patraw. Patraw focuses mostly on the legal aspects of domestic abuse, such as court proceedings and retraining orders. Hoeger works as an advocate to help women get linked up other services they may need - medical, housing, etc. There are currently two support groups which meet in Prairie du Chien, one is a group for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, which meets at 6:30 every Tuesday evening, and the other is a group for male perpetrators. For more information about these groups, contact Hoeger at (608)326-1616 or toll-free at 888-200-8426. "We are doing whatever necessary to reach women," says Hoeger, citing examples of church bulletin inserts and posters in womens' restrooms. Once domestic violence victims get in contact with Hoeger, she discusses all of their options with them. "The person doing the abusing isn't necessarily a bad person," she says she tells victims. "They are doing bad things and only they can change their behaviors." Help is available to victims of domestic violence, to their families, friends, and employees through: Crawford County Domestic Abuse Coordinator, 608-326-1616 or 888-200-8426. Crawford County Department of Human Services, 608-326-0248. Crawford County Victim/Witness Coordinator, 608-326-0299. Crawford County Public Nurse, 608-326-0289. Crawford County Sheriff's Dept. 608-326-8414. Prairie du Chien Police Dept. 608-326-2414.

A Healing Vigil will be held at the Crawford County Court House on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. to recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Stories, poems and experiences will be shared and heard. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Sheriff saves 3-year-old from potential drowning

Crawford County Sheriff Bob Ostrander is being heralded as an angel by the parents of a three-year-old which he saved from a potential drowning last week. On Tuesday, Oct. 3, Ostrander was driving home after work along Hwy. 35 when he noticed a young boy on the boat dock at Withey's Pond near Lynxville. He thought the boy appeared young to be so close to the water alone. Then he saw the head of another young child in the water. When Ostrander got down to the water's edge, he saw a little boy that he knew. Nathan Withey was up to his neck in the pond which filters into the nearby Mississippi River. Ostrander says he was thankful he came along when he did because one slip and the boy could have gone under. Even if the boy had known how to swim, his heavy boots, pants and sweatshirt would have weighed him down.

Lynn Withey, said Nathan later told her he was in the pond because he had gotten his boots dirty and wanted to wash them off. Lynn and her husband, Mark, called WPRE/WQPC the next morning and dedicated the song "Angles Among Us" to Ostrander. Ostrander says a lot of things came into play that afternoon. He sometimes takes Hwy. 27 home instead of Hwy. 35 or there could of been more traffic which would have distracted him from looking toward the pond. "But fortunately I saw them," he says. Ostrander doesn't think of himself as an angel, he says that he was just lucky that day. "Realistically, all law enforcement officers are angels every day."

Wauzeka man travels to Russia to meet internet penpal

Bob Welsh with his Russian penpal Wadim Yastrebov. It all started with a novel Bob Welsh and a friend found at a garage sale about Nicholas of Alexander, the Czar of Russia. "I couldn't put the book down," says Bob, "and later I couldn't get it off my mind." A couple of years later Bob started collecting coins from that period of Russian history, when he found a 1898 Russian ruble, with a portrait of Nicholas II, at a rummage sale. One day he was on the internet auction site eBay bidding on an old piece of Russian currency. The bidding was getting high, when suddenly a person cut in to him with an email. The message apologized for interrupting his bidding, and the person then wrote that they had the currency he was bidding on and more, and they would sell it for $2 apiece. "I almost ripped off my keyboard getting back to him," Bob said. Little did this 62-year-old Wauzeka man know that it would be the beginning of a great friendship. Wadim Yastrebov and Bob started chatting on a regular basis over the internet. Over a year and a half they developed a strong friendship. One night while they were writing, Wadim suggested that Bob should come visit him in Russia so he could see the things they were talking about. On Sept. 1, Bob left Chicago and flew to New York, then Helsinki and on to Moscow for his week-long journey. During his flight, Bob met a man from Finland, who ended up inviting him to visit his family. "I'm gonna have to win the lottery to keep travelling like that," Bob says with a laugh. Wadim and Bob recognized each other through their clothing. Wadim was wearing a Wisconsin Badger t-shirt that Bob sent him, and Bob wore a t-shirt for a Russian website which Wadim had sent him. Traveling on the subways and buses (which are free to older people) they went "everywhere." Bob saw Red Square, the Kremlin, many beautiful cathedrals and numerous museums and memorials (many of which have military themes). "It was just awesome," says Bob. "Some of it was like I expected, but most was totally unlike anything I had ever seen."