The Weather Outside Is Frightful

in the Chippewa Valley, Halloween can sometimes look a lot like Christmas

Jim Jeffries

Last Oct. 31 marked the day that I had spent more of my life in Wisconsin than in Indiana. The date seems appropriate since my interview in the summer was a total treat. I went from the soupy, boiling ...

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Halloween Dreams

if you’re gonna scare, you might as well scare big

Mike Paulus, illustrated by Michelle Roberts

Let’s hear it for the good people of the Chippewa Valley going all out on Halloween decorations. I raise my cauldron of foggy potion to you, good sirs and madams, for you are out there frighting the good fright ...

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On the Cover | Oct. 17, 2018

learn more about this week's cover art from Jeremy Borchert

My mission as an artist is to create work that inspires a need for adventure. For me, the best thing about creating is drawing characters, vehicles, armors, and weapons that bring new worlds to life ..."

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Opening Shot | Oct.17, 2018

photos by Luong Huynh

HOO THINKS WE SHOULD JUST WING IT? Northern Saw-whet Owl migration is underway and the Beaver Creek Bird Banders are once again opening the banding station at Beaver Creek Reserve, allowing you to see the charismatic night flyers ...

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I Dream of Japanese Toilets

For some, hitting midlife means buying a sports car. One writer seeks a more private luxury.

Caroline Akervik

For my 50th birthday, I want a Japanese toilet. Having researched the options, the toilet of my dreams is of the “washlet” variety. According to Wikipedia, a washlet toilets “include many advanced features ...

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Mothers of Music

3 chippewa valley women at the frontlines of music culture

Tori Johnson

The Chippewa Valley has a thriving music scene that has been cultivated for decades. Woman leadership is invaluable to this community, driving forward creative and educational movements. Check out three of these awesome ladies and see what drives them ...

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Time to Rock: Developing Young & Female Musical Talent

Haley Wright

On Oct. 27, the Girls Rock Band Experience will debut. The Experience is the result of collaboration between the Eau Claire School of Music and Sawdust City Limits ...

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Music Quick Hits |October 2018

Eric Christenson

S. Carey recently dropped a cool mini-documentary shot over the days leading up to his latest tour for his album Hundred Acres. The film, which was shot and edited by filmmaker Peter Eaton, shows the band rehearsing and hanging ...

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Heavenly Endeavor

Wealthy Relative’s new record, visuals come in their own video game

Eric Christenson

The list of Dan Forke’s artistic endeavors is, to put it simply … big. For one facet, the Eau Claire native has been steadily making thoughtful, trippy, and forward-thinking hip hop music as Wealthy Relative for the better part of a decade ...

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Wayward’s Friends 2 Bops With the Best

by Rayna DeJongh

Local hip-hop group WayWard has released its long-awaited second album, Friends 2. Consisting of two longtime pillars of the Chippewa Valley hip-hop scene – Fathom and Mr. Pizzy – along with DJ BluePauly2 ...

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The Unseen Faces of 'Forward'

Eau Claire native hopes to draw national attention to the Wisconsin music scene

by Rayna DeJongh

If Spencer Wells is passionate about anything, it’s printed media and Wisconsin-based musicians. Growing up in Eau Claire, Wells found himself admiring the diverse sound of local musicians ...

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Chippewa Valley Concert Band Celebrates 25th Season

Abby Norton

As holiday season nears, you may find yourself with Thanksgiving or even Christmas on the brain. If you’re looking for something to daydream about other than Mom’s cooking or tacky (endearing?) decorations, perhaps music is what you’re missing. Members of the Chippewa Valley Concert Band ...

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Return to Laramie

UWEC stages documentary-style play about Matthew Shephard’s murder

Tom Giffey, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Matthew Shephard has been a martyr for almost as long as he was a living person. Shephard, a 21-year-old college student, was viciously beaten, robbed, and left to die tied to a fence outside Laramie ...

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The First Rule of Fright Club ...

wrestling + comedy = Halloweekend madness

Broc Seigneurie

At first glance, the worlds of stand-up comedy and professional wrestling may not appear to have much in common. Comedy gives the audience sharp wit and observation, while wrestling is built on theatrics and physical skill. But what both art forms do offer is unfettered entertainment ...

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Making Menomonie Laugh

Last Comic finalist Erin Jackson headlines the Mabel

Abby Norton

Once known for performances at local universities and comedy clubs on the East Coast, Erin Jackson has quite a made a name for herself at comedy clubs and theaters all over the U.S. ...

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Book Fest Q&A: Nickolas Butler

noted local author to give taste of his latest at UW-Stout

V1 Staff, photos by Luong Huynh

While it draws authors from all over the United States, one of the strengths of the Chippewa Valley Book Festival is it’s ability to spotlight some of the talented scribes who live in our own backyard ...

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‘Nanowrimo’ Encourages Writers to Put Words on the Page

Katie Venit

In November, more than 400,000 people will do the writerly equivalent of running a marathon: writing a novel in 30 days as part of National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). In the Chippewa Valley, NaNoWriMo ...

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Fifteen and Change

young adult novel in verse tackles fair wages

Cassandra Kyser, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Writing under the pen name Max Howard, Emily Anderson of Eau Claire released a novel in verse, Fifteen and Change, on Oct. 1. Published by West 44 Books, the novel is part of a “hi-lo” book series: high ...

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Board & Brush Whips up Wood-Painted Signs

by Rayna DeJongh

new creative studio has opened in Eau Claire. Board & Brush, 1402 S. Hastings Way, offers a variety of arts and crafts activities for anyone seeking a creative outlet or great gift. Board & Brush hosts wood sign-making ...

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Around the World in a Single Theater

Eau Claire World Film Festival returns for second year

Abby Norton

The Eau Claire World Film Festival is back for its second year and is once again vowing to take viewers “Around the World in a Weekend.” Taking place on Oct. 19 and 20 at Micon Downtown Cinema, 315 S. Barstow St., this year’s festival will feature shorts such as Ice Dwellers, where ...

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Childhood Halloween

Thomas Smith

The sexy, the transgressive, the political // costumes are well and good, but nothing // can bring back our childhood Halloweens, // no matter how many plastic gravestones ...

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Empowering Local Businesswomen

women's business center encourages entrepreneurship

Emilee Wentland, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Starting a business requires the proper tools, skills, and determination. On top of that, those looking to start their business ventures need proper financing – something that could be hard ...

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Not on My Watch

woman founded & staffed organization fights human trafficking

Lauren Fisher, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Timing is everything. Trust is essential. Everything happens for a purpose. These are some of the phrases you might hear in the offices of Fierce Freedom, an Eau Claire-based organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking ...

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Powering Pablo: Female leaders are the new arts center’s not-so-secret weapons

Tom Giffey, photos by Andrea Paulseth

When the curtain rose for the first time at the Pablo Center at the Confluence on Sept. 22, it wasn’t just a big moment for the performers on stage: It was a fulfilling, emotional crescendo for those who have been working for months to open downtown Eau Claire’s new arts center ...

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Seniors, Don’t Skip This Day

Senior Americans Day offers a spectrum of activities for 55-plus crowd

Tom Giffey

Next June 4, the UW-Eau Claire campus will be overrun with seniors – and we don’t mean the kind who are a few credits away from graduating from college. We mean the kind of seniors ...

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Big Ideas for Downtown

three developers include new children’s museum in their plans for Block 7

Tom Giffey, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Developers have stepped forward with proposals for a pair of downtown Eau Claire lots that have remained undeveloped as new apartments, office buildings, and a parking ramp have risen ...

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Welcome Thoughts

new organization encourages residents to connect with newcomers

Tori Johnson

Moving happens. Whether prompted by a career, spontaneity, or the desire for a fresh start, you may someday find yourself living in a strange new place. Many people are moving into our community ...

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Werthmann Seeks Top City Council Post

Tom Giffey

Andrew Werthmann would like to drop the word “acting” from his title: He wants to be elected president of the Eau Claire City Council in his own right next April. Werthmann, vice president of the Eau Claire City Council ...

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A Helper with a Happy Heart

retired psychologist advocates for inclusivity and humane society

Lauren Fisher, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Dr. Katherine Schneider likes to celebrate big birthdays with big projects. It started with her 60th, for which she organized a fundraiser potluck to raise money for the pet food delivery program she founded in 2006, We All Love Our Pets ...

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New River Prairie Eatery Offers Latitude

44 North aims to offer a complete dining experience

Emilee Wentland, photos by Andrea Paulseth

44 North, a recently opened gastropub in River Prairie, is looking to change up how people dine. The 12,000-square-foot building in Altoona has a gaming and sports bar area on the lower level called Vs. (pronounced “versus”), whereas the upper level ...

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On a Roll: Chippewa Valley Roller Derby Evolves

Laura Buchholz , photos by Andrea Paulseth

For years, the Chippewa Valley Roller Derby (formerly Chippewa Valley Roller Girls) has wanted to have multiple home teams. This is the year that will happen. On Friday, Oct. 12, the Chippewa Valley Roller Derby (CVRD) ...

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Planning to Get a Move On?

how to feel good about downsizing and opening the next chapter of your life

Connie Kees

The kids are gone, the big yard needs mowing, the snow needs removing, and you have too much stuff that used to serve a purpose. There is never enough time to just relax ...

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Age: When It Isn’t Just a Number

ageism keeps us from embracing the gift of growing older

Jennifer Speckien

A quick Google search of “anti-aging” gives you 13.6 million results. The entire first page of results includes things like anti-aging diets, anti-aging skin creams, etc. – a plethora of consumer goods ...

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Working to End Alzheimer’s

Eau Claire ophthalmologist Dr. Tom Dow will open center to treat dementia risk

Barbara Arnold

I moved back to Eau Claire in 2004 to facilitate firsthand the care for my mom who had developed dementia. I asked Dr. Tom Dow of the Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic if my mom and I could have our appointments ...

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County Falls Behind in Mammograms

Eau Claire County trails state in share of women who get this vital cancer screening

Eau Claire City-County Health Department

Mammograms save lives. Yet many women in the Chippewa Valley are not getting into the clinic for this routine breast cancer screening. Today we know much more about this disease than we used ...

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It’s Time to Look at Medicare Changes

four things seniors need to know about the Medicare annual election period

Josh Sterling

Each year the Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP) occurs between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. This is a crucial time for Medicare beneficiaries to review their current Part C (medical) and/or Part D (drug) plans. This can be confusing, so here are four things you need to know ...

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Don’t Be Afraid of Being ‘Old’

research finds that people who have a positive perception of aging live longer

Leslie Fijalkiewicz

A few weeks ago my friend Chuck was bemoaning the fact that he was having his 60th birthday. He talked about “being old” and “feeling old” as though he had no control over what was happening to him ...

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Opening the Center

The Center marks fifth anniversary with open house

Abby Norton

As construction season ends and winter approaches, you may find yourself stuck in something of a personal rut. Maybe your back-to-college excitement has worn off or the seemingly endless stream of overcast ...

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