The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is accepting applications for 2025 Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants through Sept. 13. These grants are awarded to producer-led groups to help support and advance producer-led conservation solutions and farmer participation in local watershed conservation efforts. The total program budget for 2025 is $1 million.

With the 2024-2025 school year fast approaching, I am excited to share our vision, goals and work that is taking place at the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District. Our district vision is to prepare every student to excel and achieve at their maximum potential based on their individual talents and interests. Students have different interests and talents.

Northcentral Technical College announces two newly developed programs based on industry and community feedback that begin during the fall 2024 semester. There will be a respiratory therapy associate degree, which will prepare learners to work in a team of health care professionals to evaluate, treat and manage patients of all ages with respiratory illnesses and other cardiopulmonary disorders in a variety of clinical settings.

Forty-two employees at a Mattoon veneer and plywood manufacturer are without a job after the company gave a one-day notice of its closure. Wisconsin Veneer and Plywood, 610 Railroad St., Mattoon, was closed effective Aug. 2. Also shuttered that day were two other facilities owned and operated by Besse Forest Products Inc.

Only five of the expected more than two dozen The Store convenience stores and gas stations closed at the end of July. Locally, the Lena store has closed, while the Oconto and Shawano operations remain open for business as usual. In the spring, it was announced all operations of The Store would cease as of July 31, following the declaration of bankruptcy by Mountain Express Oil Co., the company that owns its buildings and land. At this time, the

• Scott P. McKeever, 61, Bonduel, pleaded no contest July 29 to two counts of possession of THC (second or subsequent offense) and four counts of felony bail jumping. Judge William Kussel Jr. sentenced him to 240 days in the county jail. • Zachary M. White, 42, Menasha, pleaded no contest July 29 to possession of THC (second or subsequent offense) and a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (third offense).

The Gillett School District hopes to have bids by Aug. 13 from local law enforcement agencies interested in providing a school resource officer (SRO) program. Superintendent Nathan Hanson appeared at the Aug.

You ask for a record from your local government, you get it. You want to attend a meeting of a public body, you can walk right in. Much of the time, it’s that simple. Wisconsin’s open records law entitles citizens to most records regarding the affairs of government, and its open meetings law creates a default presumption that all governmental meetings are open. But what happens when things get complicated?

Honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in Wisconsin as of Jan. 1 totaled 31,000 colonies. This was up 15% from 27,000 colonies on Jan. 1 last year but down 37% from 49,000 colonies on Oct. 1, 2023. The maximum number of colonies during the January-March 2024 quarter was 55,000. Honey bee colonies lost for operations with five or more colonies for the January-March 2024 quarter was 1,600, or 3%.