FEATURE: The Life and Death and Life of the State Theatre

Once a shuttered movie palace, the State Theatre became a beloved arts center and a key element of Eau Claire's artistic renaissance.

Tom Giffey, graphic designer by Eric Christenson, photos by Andrea Paulseth, Luong Huynh, Lee Butterworth, Timothy Mather, Caitlyn Berlin, Brandon Jenness, Frank H. Robinson, Kelsey Smith

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Tractors and Pinstriped Overalls

thinking about the things my grandfather did

Mike Paulus, illustrated by Mackenzie Kavanagh

My grandpa on my Mom’s side fixed up old tractors until cancer took him away. That was almost 20 years ago. He and my grandma lived in a Wisconsin farmhouse on a road bearing their name ...

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On the Cover | Aug. 8, 2018

learn more about V1's cover art from Jill Van Sickle

After earning her degree in Fine Arts from UW-River Falls, Jill went on to become a full-time professional artist. Her work is primarily focused on nature, and its intent is to give the viewer a moment ...

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Opening Shot | Aug. 8, 2018

photos by Taylor Smith

TROLLING ON HALF MOON LAKE. Hosted by Hope in the Valley and Mayo Clinic Health System, the annual Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival promotes teamwork as it raises funds for cancer services. The 2018 installment took place Aug. 4 ...

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New Executive Director Takes Helm for Symphony Orchestra’s 44th Season

Lauren Fisher

The Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra will enter its 44th season – the first to hold performances in the soon-to-open Pablo Center at the Confluence – with a new executive director. Jillian Phillips, a UW-Eau Claire graduate with an MA from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, was appointed to the position in July.

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Annual WHYS Bluegrass Festival Turns 11

Julia van Allen

Local radio station WHYS 96.3 FM is hosting its 11th annual WHYS Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Aug. 18, at Lake Altoona County Beach.

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Home Is Where the Heart Is

Ben Shaw records, releases new album in Eau Claire

Bonni Knight

From the beginning, Ben Shaw has understood the power of music. He was drawn from New York to Eau Claire to attend UW-Eau Claire, which, during the ’90s, was one of only two universities in the country offering a degree in music therapy. A self-proclaimed Dead Head ...

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A Super Twist: Local playwright explores loss by ‘unsupering’ heroes

James Johonnott

Fresh off of the revival of her original, madcap comedy “Thieves and Bad, Bad Lies”, local playwright and director Logan Toftness decided to tackle a genre not usually written for stage–superheroes.

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22 Chevaux Is Site of Eau Claire’s Latest Downtown Mural

Emilee Wentland

With help from Will Jannusch, co-owner of 22 Chevaux, Sean Davis painted downtown Eau Claire’s newest mural in just longer than a week.

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Celebrating Rad Women: Writer Jodie Arnold launches WisWomen TV series

Taylor Reisdorf, photos by Luong Huynh

Local writer Jodie Arnold has funneled her desire to promote driven and successful women into a structured television series called WisWomen, which will air on Valley Media Works (Spectrum cable channel 993) in early September ...

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Waterpark

John Hildebrand

My children learned to swim in a tea-colored river with a lazy current and sandy bottom but also hidden drop-offs that changed every year and made me a nervous wreck. Once a summer, though, we’d pack a picnic lunch ...

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Starting the Conversation: New Conversation Kits offer books about diversity

Patti See

Family Conversation Kits contain books for children with an accompanying guidebook for adults or teens with the goal of becoming more comfortable with diversity.

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Bright Lights, Big City: Technicolor light display to cover two more bridges

Lauren Fisher, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Construction is in the works for two new downtown Eau Claire artistic lighting projects, and one more is in the planning stages. The Grand Avenue bridge resurfacing project included a lighting addition similar ...

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Primary Elections (Aug. 14): Here’s What You Need to Know

V1 Staff, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Surprise! If you hadn’t already noticed the yard signs, there’s a primary election just a few days away: on Tuesday, Aug. 14, to be exact.

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Party in the Pines

Festival in the Pines adds more fun, fundraisers

Haley Wright, photos by Andrea Paulseth

The 36th annual Festival in the Pines will take place in Carson Park on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25-26. The festival is back for another year of food, and fun, including craft booths featuring unique handmade items. New this year will be ...

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Grand Avenue Bridge Refab Echoes Downtown Style

Lauren Fisher, photos by Luong Huynh

City Engineer Dave Solberg rapped on his desk – knocking on wood – as he said that construction on the Grand Avenue pedestrian bridge is moving right on schedule for its Aug. 21 completion date ...

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Jump-Start Competition Could Launch Your Business Idea

V1 Staff

If you’ve got an entrepreneurial dream, it’s time to get it off the ground with the help of the 14th Annual Jump-Start Downtown Business Competition sponsored by Downtown Eau Claire Inc. This business ...

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Netty Q’s: A splash of family-driven Italian flavor

Emilee Wentland

Calling all pasta lovers: An Italian fare food truck is hitting up Food Truck Friday. Netty Q’s, based in Menomonie, specializes in Italian dishes from salads to pasta ...

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A Delicious Puerto Rican Meal to Help Heal

Julia van Allen

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which struck nearly a year ago, the island of Puerto Rico needs aid to rebuild the businesses, roads, and homes that were destroyed by the vicious storm. Local organizers and impromptu activists chef Molly Barnes and Jake Lindgren are determined to help.

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Minneapolis-based Bite Squad Coming to Eau Claire

Lauren Fisher

Bite Squad, a Minneapolis-based restaurant delivery service, has partnered with 25 local eateries to offer online and mobile ordering and home delivery.

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The Basics of Beer

lagers, ales, and everything you need to know about your typical cold one

Lauren Fisher

Wisconsin is a beer-loving state, for better or for worse, and with history older than Leinenkugel’s and new breweries coming up every year, the Chippewa Valley is definitely a hub within a hub ...

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Cheese Experts Sound Off

get to know some of the best cheese in the Valley from the local people that put in the work

Lauren Fisher

Get to know some of the best cheese in the Valley from the local people that put in the work ...

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Bygone Brews: Chippewa Valley breweries & beers that are only on tap in the history books

Tom Giffey, photos by Chippewa Valley Museum

The 151-year-old Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Chippewa Falls and the more recent profusion of craft breweries in the Chippewa Valley aren’t the beginning and end of the region’s brewing history ...

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Tiny Store, Big Heart: Nelson Cheese Factory gets new owner, new name

Lauren Fisher, photos by Andrea Paulseth

When Ann Weix started working part time at Nelson Cheese Factory, then just a tiny cheese shop on Harding Ave., in 1987, it was only to make an extra buck while attending UW-Eau Claire. A friend of her mother ...

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A Great Hop-Pertunity

Elk Mound farm takes hops from bed to brewer

Tori Johnson

It’s a long journey to get the beer we love to drink ready to serve. Some folks in Elk Mound have taken on a role in that journey, starting their part of this process in the soil. Scott and Jody Alnes began their own hop farm ...

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Beer Crust or Bust

Beer Hall Pizza unites pizza & beer lovers for unique eats

Hillary Bell

Beer and pizza is at least in the top five for best food and drink pairing, if not the top three. You probably wouldn’t think that it could get any better than that … But a newly designed pizza has come to tell ...

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Rockin’ Reading: Library hosts ’80s themed end-of-summer party for readers

Barbara Arnold

Channel your inner rock star, get your rock star garb on, and head down to the library – YES, you heard it right: the library – for its first-ever, end-of-the-summer-reading program celebration.

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Pure and Simple: Annual Pure Water Days flows from Chippewa Falls

Emilee Wentland, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Experience what life is like under the sea during Chippewa Falls’ 42nd annual Pure Water Days! This year’s theme, “Under the Sea,” will be exemplified during the parade with more than 70 floats ...

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