Local news in 2023
By James Card
The past year was loaded with entrepreneur activity, creative endeavors and community spirit. Here are the highlights.
Creative highlights
Waupaca native Amelia Ford wins the Wisconsin Area Music Industry’s Best Album of the year award for her debut album, “Wide Wide Open.”
Richard Sweitzer publishes his fantasy novel, “Ode: Scion of Nerikan,” and it has strong sales online.
Author Greg Biba co-wrote a book with his brother Scott Biba, titled “The Witch Trial of Margarethe Faust,” a novel set in 1590s Germany.
Local author Nikki Kallio’s book “Finding the Bones: A Novella and Stories,” was selected as a finalist in the 20th annual Best Book Awards category for outstanding collection of stories.
Local comedian Ben Warren teams with the Chain O’ Lakes Bar & Grill to host the Good Times Comedy Show every third Friday of the month. He kicks off the show and introduces touring comedians.
Shindig, the downtown candy store, has a mural painted on the side of the building by local artist Dory Tischendorf.
Waupaca High School 2020 graduate Holly Maxham released her first EP, “Miscellanea.”
The Waupaca Story Project returned on April 28 after a Covid pandemic hiatus. The event was held at the Danes Hall.
Community highlights
Community First Credit Union donated $250,000 to the Lakeman Field upgrade project. The ball park would be renamed Community First Lakemen Field. Many other donors helped out and the first things to tackle were putting in new lighting and fixing the infield.
A Dec. 4 public hearing at the Lind Town Hall was adjourned for a later date because too many people showed up. The hearing was about the proposed digester at the Brooks Dairy Farm.
The Waupaca Hunger Network rallied donations to bag up 200 Thanksgiving dinners to be distributed to people in need throughout the community.
Aquamos Coffee Collaborative came up with a fundraiser to help out a Our Pack, a dog rescue group. They invented drinks inspired after local dogs. They raised $1,600 and 305 dogs had drinks named after them. The campaign was so popular they are publishing a book with the recipes.
On Nov. 10, police were at the Waupaca High School after a school shooting rumor circulated. The early morning investigation revealed it was a misunderstanding but as a precaution, police checked in students and school resumed as normal for the day.
The Waupaca Humane Society broke ground on a new building. The new one-story building will have an exam room, x-ray equipment, a surgery and recovery room and kennel space. It will be intentionally separate from the current building as an air gap to quarantine animals.
The Waupaca Area Public Library offers U.S. passport services. The benefits are more convenient hours, it’s a revenue stream for the library and people can browse books while waiting on the paperwork.
Landscaping work was finished in October at the Danes hall Plaza at the far end of Main Street. The project merges the historic building with Rasmussen Park.
Eagle Scout candidate Mark Reinke built and installed a Gaga Ball pit at Swan Park as part of his Eagle Scout service project. The pit is a wooden octagon for playing a dodge ball-like game.
The Waupaca Rotary Club hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the city square for a clock they installed to mark their 30th anniversary.
A multiyear renovation project is completed at Whispering Pines Park by Friends of Hartman Creek State Park. Hazardous trees were felled, new signs installed, trails fixed and invasive brush was cleared.
The Middleton House, a women’s shelter on Royalton Street operated by Foundations for Living, nears completion. Most of the exterior work was finished and some interior work remained.
The Red Mill has a new water wheel installed. The new wheel is 24-feet in diameter and had to be hoisted in place by a crane.
Waupaca City Hall and the Waupaca Area Public Library celebrated 30 years of being on the city square. The building was opened in 1993.
The single-point entry construction at Waupaca schools was mostly finished before the start o the school year. The remaining construction at the Waupaca Learning Center and the high school required students to temporarily use a different entryway and make some parking adjustments.
The Waupaca Municipal Airport sets a record in fuel sales during the EAA AirVenture week in Oshkosh and had airplanes from around North America landing and taking off.
The splash pad at Swan Park opened just in time for the Fourth of July weekend and was immediately swarmed by children.
The Rosa Theater reopened after being closed during the Covid pandemic. All four screens were in operation and they expanded their showings throughout the summer.
The Waupaca Chain Skiers, which has performed for more than 50 years on the Chain O’ Lakes, returned to Rainbow Lake after a three-season hiatus because of the Covid pandemic.
The deconstruction of the former St. Mary Magdalene Church took place during the spring and summer, with many of the materials earmarked for recycling.
The city of Waupaca broke ground on the new public works building that will be located at a Haberkorn Field. The building will unify the department’s staff, equipment and vehicles under one roof and make operations more efficient.
Rural Access to Justice won the 2023 Pro Bono Organization of the Year award by the State Bar of Wisconsin.
The Waupaca Historical Society turned 70 and launched a capital campaign to fund new initiatives.
Business Highlights
Mike Koch of Spine and Sport Physical Therapy of Waupaca became one of two practitioners in Wisconsin to be certified to perform a nasal release technique that alleviates concussion symptoms.
Amherst Marine broke ground on a new Waupaca location near the State Highway 10 and County Trunk Q intersection in the town of Farmington.
Tammy Hadlock launches Lizzy’s Liquidations, a bargain-bin model store named after her mother.
Bonnie’s Bloomers closed after seven years of business. Bonnie Timm sold the Property to Par 4 Resort.
Dancing Bear Apiary won an award at the prestigious Black Jar Honey Tasting Contest for its Waupaca Wildflower honey, beating out other honeys from around the world.
European Delights opens in King on County Trunk QQ. Carmen Pewtress bakes pastries from all European cultures.
Camp Elsewhere opens on Gooseneck and McClean Lakes. The former scout camp is refurbished as a rustic yet hip getaway destination and event venue.
U-Haul takes over the old K-Mart building and redesigns it as a 484-unit indoor storage facility and rental center.
Java Jive opens a coffee shop at 120 W. Union.
Klinger’s Real Barbecue opens in King with an eye-catching custom-made smokehouse created out of a tank on a 1966 cabover Freightliner.
Chris Johnson and Stacia Fields renovate and reopen the Weller Store in Rural along the Crystal River, a landmark stop for kayakers, tubers and visitors.
Fall Line Outfitters, a fly fishing shop in Stevens Point, opens up a mobile shop in King during the summer season.
The Gouda Life, Waupaca’s newest and only dedicated cheese shop, opened at 112 N. Main St.
Salt Cove Wellness Spa opened at 418 School St. The spa specializes in halotherapy, a treatment with airborne micro salt particles that helps with respiratory maladies.
Seth Nelson re-creates the board game Monopoly as Chainoply, using real estate, businesses and landmarks from around the Chain O’ Lakes. His goal was to produce the board game with the proceeds going to the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King
Former Waupaca Public Library director Peg Burington launches Tie One On: Haberdashery Reimagined by Peg. She transforms neckties into unique on-of-a-kind handbags.
Back to the Vinyl, a record shop, opens on 102 Water St., right across from the Danes Hall.
Deja Blooms, a floral and gift shop, opened next door to Piggly Wiggly.
La Tabasquena, a Hispranic grocery store, opened at 206 N. Main Street. Aleterantive Edge, a CBD and healthy living store, opened at 203 N. Main St.
The Waupaca Foundry was awarded three Bosch Rexroth Awards, a prestigious industrial recognition. They also won the American Foundry Society’s 2023 Green Foundry Award.
The Klismet family sold their business after 47 years. Three Sqaures Resturant, Waupaca Mobil Travel Center and Waupaca Eastside Mobil Express are under new ownership.
Box Drop Mattress & Furniture of Waupaca takes over the retail space that was once Waupaca Mattresses on County Trunk QQ.
Terri Schulz retired as the president of the Waupaca Chamber of Commerce. She served for three decades.
Turner’s Fresh Market rolled out their first homemade gourmet item on their 60th anniversary. Their jars of ketchup sold out fast and its creation was a community effort with the tomatoes grown on Turner’s farm, chefs gave feedback on the recipe and the label was locally designed and printed.
Michael Cordio starts Recreational Innovations, the first and only kayak launch dealer in Waupaca.