FEATURE: Diverse Perspectives

Circles of Change initiative seeks to move from dialogue to action

Patti See, photos by Patti See, Bill Hoepner

I’m at the front of the pack in this bonding exercise, “Move Forward, Move Back.” To start, all of us lined up along the hallway, shoulder to shoulder as equals. I predicted I might end up in the middle, since I was a working-class kid and a first-generation college student. Another white woman is at the front with me ...

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The Potential of a Party

Nick Meyer

The neighborhood block party can be a simple yet powerful community-building tool. On page 46 we have the story of “Bluegrass on Badger,” a neighbor-created event with music, games, a food truck, and more in late May on Eau Claire’s Eastside Hill. It became an instant breakout success ...

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In Defense of the Video Store

you can have your Netflix algorithms; I’ll rely on a clerk named Keith

BJ Hollars, illustrated by Janae Breunig

I walk into the video store on a Tuesday in May, and there, stretched before me, is the exact same scene I’ve enjoyed for decades: shelves chock full of eye-catching DVDs amid bins of microwave popcorn, yardsticks’ worth of licorice, and goo-candy ...

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Rain Will Fall and Take It Away

on the river banks, below the streets, under the trees

Mike Paulus, illustrated by Serena Wagner

You could call it a waterfall in that it’s literally falling water. But I told my kids to stay out of it all the same, especially the hole at the bottom where the water had collected into a milky puddle ...

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On the Cover | June 14, 2017

learn more about V1's cover art from Jen Schultz

"In general, I want my work to have a little humor and a bit of an unsettling quality as well, kind of like a nervous laugh. There may be a theme or certain feeling I work from, but the meaning of the piece is up for interpretation by the viewer ..."

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Opening Shot | June 14, 2017

photos by Andrea Paulseth

A WHEELIE GOOD TIME. Part of Bike Week 2017, “Bikes, Bridges, & Brews” brought together bike lovers June 10 for a ride over some of Eau Claire’s most beautiful bridges with stops at local breweries.

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Who ARE These Guys?

traditionally low-profile teams have risen to top of the NBA, NHL

Luc Anthony

The month of June brings the championship series of two of the four or five major pro sports leagues in America: the NBA Finals, and the NHL’s Stanley Cup Final. As with any league, there are legendary franchises ...

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Their Very Own Fest

with the help of some musician friends, an Eau Claire couple throws a sonic shindig in their own backyard

Tom Giffey

The Chippewa Valley is abuzz with music festivals this time of year. You’ve got relative newcomers like Eaux Claires and Blue Ox as well as older standbys such as Country Jam and the two Fests (Rock and Country, respectively).

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Grand Prex

Prex Claires lineup of local music is pretty crazy

Eric Christenson

This year, in the shadow of Eaux Claires comes a collaborative effort between Downtown Eau Claire Inc. and Blugold Radio 99.9FM which hopes to shine a collective light on all of the pre-fest events happening on June 15, the night before the big fest, when you can catch local music at different ...

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Pushing Through the Ceiling

sister trio LASKA grows and evolves on new album

Marie Anthony, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Something in their song, Creatures, pulled that memory out of the darkness. Try as I might, I couldn’t put it to sleep again. In the course of four and a half minutes I felt things that I forced myself to lock away ...

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Belting It Out

hard-touring hardcore band Conveyor releases new disc at home

Hillary Bell

After traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada multiple times, hardcore punk band Conveyer is making its way back to its roots in good old Eau Claire for the release of a new album, No Future ...

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Eight Decades of Art

retrospective features Susan Phelps Pearson’s paintings, assemblages

Haley Wright, photos by Andrea Paulseth

80 for 80: A Retrospective of the Art of Susan Phelps Pearson debuts at the Heyde Center for the Arts in Chippewa Falls on June 14 and runs through July 12. As its name suggests, the show features more than 80 works of art, focusing principally on paintings and assemblages ...

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Run Like a Boss

Blugold alum creates running app to give your workouts a musical push

Tom Giffey

When it comes to getting fit, most of us could use some encouragement, whether it’s from a personal trainer, a digital device, or some upbeat tunes in our earbuds. BOSS Running, an iPhone app developed by a UW-Eau Claire alum ...

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Founding Females

Red Letter Grants awarded to women-owned startups

Tom Giffey, photos by Eric Christenson

Two female-fronted Eau Claire-area startups – Odd Brand Strategy and Melnaturel LLC – have been selected as the first recipients of grants from The Red Letter, a campaign to boost the number of women-owned businesses in the Chippewa Valley ...

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Block Full of Bluegrass

neighborhood parties can be easy: just add yard games, some food, and a few banjos

Tom Giffey, photos by Dan Zerr

A big music-and-food infused block party on Eau Claire’s Badger Avenue grew out of a small idea Josh Rizzo had: “One night as I was playing guitar, I wondered what would happen if I had a band up on this porch.”

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Stage a Shindig in the Street

the City of Eau Claire is making it easier to block off your block and throw a party

Tom Giffey, photos by Dan Zerr

Have a hankering to throw a backyard barbecue this summer? Maybe a few burgers and a couple of lawn chairs?

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One Sock in Front of the Other

18-year-old decides to walk from N.Y. to California to give socks to the homeless

Emily Kinzel

When some people graduate high school, their first thought is “Freedom!” They apply to college or get ready to enter the workforce. However, Dayton Nash, an 18-year-old Chippewa Vallian, instead plans to travel across the country from New York to California on a charitable journey ...

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Farewell, Family Ownership

after 136 years, Leader-Telegram sold to newspaper chain

Tom Giffey

The Leader-Telegram – which was one of the few remaining family-owned daily newspapers in the United States – has been sold to a Minnesota-based chain. The newspaper’s parent, the Eau Claire Press Co., announced the sale to Adams Publishing Group on May 31 ...

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Minor Gets Major Job Leading EC Chamber

V1 Staff

Eau Claire’s top business group has a new top leader. David Minor has been hired as president and CEO of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, the group announced May 30 ...

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EC Attorney Will Lead Board of Regents

V1 Staff

An Eau Claire attorney has become the first president of the UW System Board of Regents from the Chippewa Valley and the board’s youngest-ever president-elect. The 18 members of the Board of Regents ...

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University System Approves New UWEC Dorm

V1 Staff

The UW System Board of Regents has given a thumbs up to UW-Eau Claire to build a new $35 million dorm on upper campus. The six-story residence hall, which has been designed to hold 432 students ...

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You're a Grand New Flag

the votes have been counted. Now it’s time to salute the People’s Flag of Eau Claire

V1 Staff

The people of Eau Claire have spoken, and now the people have a flag. After thousands of votes were tallied, a design by Mike Berge titled “Clear Water Revival” emerged as the winner in the People’s Flag ...

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Grant Will Help Clean up Event Center Site

V1 Staff

A university-affiliated foundation will receive a $400,000 federal grant to help clean up the future site of an event and recreation complex on Menomonie Street. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced May 31 ...

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FEATURE: Diverse Perspectives

Circles of Change initiative seeks to move from dialogue to action

Patti See, photos by Patti See, Bill Hoepner

I’m at the front of the pack in this bonding exercise, “Move Forward, Move Back.” To start, all of us lined up along the hallway, shoulder to shoulder as equals. I predicted I might end up in the middle, since I was a working-class kid and a first-generation college student. Another white woman is at the front with me ...

Add a Comment »

Eat That Sandwich!

when trying to lose weight, restriction rarely works, but moderation and substitution do

Kyle Frank

Finally, the time has come to wake up from our winter hibernation, pack away the sweat pants, turn off Netflix, and get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and all that Wisconsin and the Chippewa Valley has to offer ...

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Friendly Food

restaurateurs keep it fresh, classic at Westside Bar & Grill

Max Martinson

The Westside Bar and Grill has been open for only a few weeks, but the owners are taking steps to making it an Eau Claire favorite. Sandy Blake and Mark Wingad opened up shop with the hope of making a clean ...

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Cheers to Beers

Leinie’s Family Reunion celebrates 150 years of beers

Eric Christenson, photos by Neal Bennett

The Leinenkugel brothers invite you to their annual ragin’ get-together at the Leinie Lodge to say thank you to Leinie loyalists and beer-lovin’ Wisconsinites of every walk of life. Enjoy family, food, beer ...

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Our Taste Buds Are Ready for Restaurant Week

Tom Giffey

A brand-new celebration will highlight the Chippewa Valley’s ever-evolving culinary scene later this year. The first-ever Chippewa Valley Restaurant Week, Sept. 15-24, will include special deals and unique menus at participating eateries, plus the First Taste Culinary Crawl, a ticketed event in Banbury Place ...

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Ignition Achieved

new gym sets fire to metabolisms, adds to downtown Eau Claire growth

Tom Giffey, photos by Andrea Paulseth

The fitness professionals behind Eau Claire’s FitELITE want to light a fire under your workout regimen with their new gym in downtown Eau Claire ...

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Chasing Mom

reluctant runner follows in her mother's footsteps – and her socks, too

Madeline Gray

I ran a marathon in my mother’s socks ...

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Rock, Run, & Roll

Charity Classic levels up with food trucks and live music

Barbara Arnold, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Run, walk, bike, do whatever you need to do to get yourself over to Phoenix Park on Saturday, June 24 for Rock the Riverfront featuring the Charity Classic. This year for the first time ever, the Royal Credit Union Foundation is turning the Charity Classic – its longstanding annual, early morn charitable run/walk ...

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One-Stop Fest Prep Shop

Red’s Mercantile brings in friends for Back Alley Market

Eric Christenson

With music festivals looming, it’s good to prepared, and when it comes to festival preparedness, look no further than the Back Alley Market hosted by Red’s Mercantile on the day before the Eaux Claires festival, June 15 ...

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