By Casey Krautkramer Kole Kaldunski always looked up to his older cousin, the late Andy Kaldunski, while growing up in Marathon. After all, Andy was one of the best hitters in the history of Marathon High School and American Legion Post 469 baseball. Andy was only 25 years old when he passed away on April 3, 2015, after a three-year courageous battle with brain cancer. Kole, who is the youngest

Connor Handrick finally made his debut as Edgar varsity baseball head coach on Friday, after the 2020 spring baseball season was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. He was excited for both himself and the trio of seniors including Austin Miller, Tyler Westfall and Dakota Stahel to experience playing baseball games against an opponent for the first time this year. “It felt really

By: Mark Walters Barron/Polk County Getaway Hello friends: This past week I have had a lot on my mind as at first I had bad news, which was followed up by a fun camping and fishing trip with my good buddy Paul Bucher. Paul owns and manages The Cumberland Advocate and the week ended with good news. Friday, June 12 High 77, low 44 I am driving on Interstate 94 and then 53, the same roads I

By Casey Krautkramer Athens native Nathan Belisle believes the mental and physical toughness he endured during his Division 2 college football-playing career should help him become a successful accountant. He earned the nickname “Ironman” by starting in 45 straight football games, while playing right guard on the Minnesota State University Moorhead’s offensive line, during his fouryear

By Casey Krautkramer Tom McCarty, Edgar middle/high school principal, will be the new Wildcat girls varsity head basketball coach pending final approval from the school board at its meeting on June 17. He takes over the Edgar girls basketball program from Betty Urmanski, who retired this spring after coaching the Wildcats for the past 17 seasons. McCarty was the Mosinee girl’s varsity

By Casey Krautkramer Mazie Nagel led the Stratford High School volleyball team to consecutive appearances in the WIAA Division 3 state tournament, including a state runners-up finish in her senior 2018 season. She then took her volleyball talent to the next level by playing for UWStevens Point last fall, but now she’s ready to help coach Stratford’s varsity volleyball team this year. Her

By: Mark Walters Good News for Stan’s Puckaway Resort Hello friends: This week’s column is another happy one and happy is always good! So from 1969 to 1990, my dad, the late Robert Walters, loved camping and sometimes renting a cabin at Stan’s Puckaway Resort at Marquette in Green Lake County. There is only one other place where I have camped more than Stan’s and that is my deer camp.

By Casey Krautkramer Marathon native Nathan Stoffel will switch college football positions, from playing tight end to defensive end, for the Division 1-FCS South Dakota Coyotes this year. He was recruited by South Dakota’s coaching staff to play tight end in college, which he did during his first two seasons in the program as a redshirt freshman in 2018 and as a freshman in the 2019 season.

By Casey Krautkramer A few years ago, Athens senior Johnathon Nowacki never imagined he’d develop himself into a good enough runner to receive a Division 2 college athletic scholarship. Johnathon, who is the son of Robert Nowacki and Jennifer Kramas, is taking his talented running skills to UWParkside in Kenosha, which is located in the southeast corner of Wisconsin. He’ll compete in both

By: Mark Walters Brookies on the Buffalo Hello friends: One of my best and most successful buddies is an anti-technology guy like myself. Musky Joe Flater is the owner of Flater’s Resort, which is located where the Chippewa and Flambeau rivers meet. It has been owned and operated by the Flater family since Joe’s grandpa Harry Flater started it in 1938. This past week I spent two days