Monroe County Herald

08/09/2026

By JENNIFER RODRIGUEZ MORAN Contributing writer Sparta residents may know Ryan Crain from youth basketball games, community events, or simply as a friendly neighbor with a warm smile and a …

08/08/2026

30 Years Ago (1996)
The Brackett School building is currently serving as the West Beaver Community Club. It was moved from its original site, which is now the home of Bill and Allene Richgruber. The Richgruber home, located on Highway 27, is easily spotted by a sign saying, “Welcome to Brackett Valley.” Harold Wegner and Lila Busse Saverda were members of the 1926 eighth-grade graduating class of Brackett School. The one-room country schoolhouse closed in 1962.

08/08/2026

Post 8278 Honors Three Bangor Area Veterans with Quilts of Valor

Clements-Anderson Leis VFW Post 8278 in Bangor honored three area veterans with Quilts of Valor (QOV) during the community's Independence Day celebration on July 4th. QOV was started in 2003 to "cover service members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor." Over 10,000 volunteer members in all 50 states have awarded over 4,000 handmade quilts to date. QOV emphasizes that this is an award, not a gift.
This year’s recipients included: Army Vietnam veteran Bill Arentz; Air Force Vietnam veteran John Hammes; and Navy veteran Kevin Koller. QOV State Coordinator Karen Demaree from Platteville wrapped each quilt around the recipients' shoulders with thanks for their service saying, "the quilt we are awarding you is meant to offer comfort, warmth, peace, and healing, and to let you know you are forever in our hearts."

Front row: Bill Arentz, John Hammes, Kevin Koller. Back row: QOV State Coordinator Karen Demaree, and Post 8278 Adjutant and local QOV Chairman Gary J. Althoff. Contributed photo.

08/08/2026

If you are at Sparta’s Farmers Market today, look for Susy Peruvian cuisine Before she sells out of food. You will love it. Incredible infectious happy personality and incredible food.

Authentic Peruvian cuisine here in Wisconsin

08/08/2026

There's a difference between liking a sport and finding your passion. Sparta High School student Eli Kemp enjoys lifting weights, but somewhere along the way he discovered he wasn't just interested …

08/08/2026

Because the law did not apply, the OSC said it did not investigate the allegations and “made no determination as to whether such activity would have violated the Hatch Act.”

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has closed a complaint alleging Monroe County Chief Deputy Christopher Weaver violated the federal Hatch Act during his 2026 campaign for Monroe County …

08/07/2026

55 Years Ago (1971)
A Sparta man has offered to donate a building to the city or county if it will be used to house a historical museum. John W. Kress, Sr., 411 West Main Street, offered the former Western Supply Building. (The building located at 301 E Oak Street has been the company’s registered address since 1958 and remains an active business under John W. Kress III.)

08/07/2026

Former Village of Wilton Clerk/Treasurer Leigha Lynn Barton was sentenced Monday to a combined 10 years of probation, 30 days in jail, and ordered to pay more than $35,000 in restitution after being …

08/06/2026

90 Years Ago (1936)
The bridge on East Avenue, which has been a source of worry ever since the flood last summer, will be torn out and replaced with a modern structure. The new bridge will have a span of 100 feet and will be of the most modern design.

08/06/2026

Evans took a moment to collect himself before saying, "None of this would have been possible without my wife. Through the long hours, the difficult decisions, and the ups and downs of owning a business, she was always by my side. Her support and patience made this journey possible."

You have heard the rumors; now we can finally tell the story. After more than a decade of owning Evans Print & Media and the Monroe County Herald, Hillsboro Sentry, and Cashton Record, …