http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/ Fern, WI News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/0dc1ee9e7800c4d927fcd13d5c98e152.html We asked for cookies and we struck gold Nearly 200 recipes for cookies of every stripe and shape were entered in the Journal Sentinel's Holiday Cookie Contest Here are the winning recipes and finalists http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/4bae5316276536dc6d82079700dd98fa.html Two cited after fourvehicle accident http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/a6c4bdcbcf8def3b0dbe71a445207ae3.html MARSHFIELD When the founding fathers of First Presbyterian built their church in 1925 they probably never suspected that more than 80 years later hippies pirates movie characters vegetables witches and monsters would be whooping it up from the rafters to the basement http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/be9c8be4b411e7de3533c4aac18bfa33.html Although construction of the Milwaukee Palomar Hotel and Residences project http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/36acc25e37cc7fe0bc7e5aab25f6e9ef.html There were several reasons Scott Fern was amazed last week while participating in the transformation of a home in southeastern Minnesota for an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home EditionFern 21 a junior at the University of Minnesota and former Eau Claire Memorial High School student was on hand as the Susan and Dirk DeVries family returned to their rebuilt home near Albert Lea as part of the ABC television programFern a pitcher with the U of M baseball team was one of about a halfdozen players at the celebration But he also was interested in the construction of the home given that he is majoring in construction managementIt still blows my mind the kind of planning and support that they have to actually do it in one week said Fern whose father Mike is a contractor in Eau Claire It only took them 100 hours to complete it That's crazy Fifteen electricians 42 carpenters and an estimated 450 more volunteers helped demolish the former DeVries residence and erect a new one in a weekI didn't get a chance to look inside but it sure looks good from the outside Scott Fern said It's hard to imagine how they do that so fastThe DeVries family lives about 13 miles east of Albert Lea Other family members are April 17 Derik 15 and Hanna 12Dirk 50 lost an arm in a farming accident at an early age and now works as a mechanic for a recreational vehicle company Susan 42 is a music and reading teacher band director and bus driver for a nearby Christian schoolDirk suffers from arthritis while Susan has a severe heart condition that causes her heart to beat at a fast pace The family has enthusiastically backed Minnesota sports teams which is why Fern and other players were on handIt was a great experience; a very memorable thing for me just to see the big crowds there and to get ready for the family to come back Fern said It was great to get back into the community and be visible to the community but they are the ones who give us funding and cheers us on It was our turn to cheer for them onceMembers of the Minnesota Gophers baseball team the Gophers marching band and cheerleaders took part in the celebration as well as Minnesota Vikings cheerleadersThe Gophers entourage arrived about 9:30 am Oct 7 Players handed out Gophers items to the large crowd but as of 4 pm the family had not yet arrived and the players had to leave before their arrivalFern said the crowd rehearsed its response with a practice family and moving of a bus primarily to provide film footage He said the day was cold and rainy but he and the other players didn't mind having to wait with the cheerleadersWe just had to get back for classes and other things he said It got to be a lot longer than we thought but I was glad I wentPhil Isaksson formerly of Eau Claire North and also a pitcher with the Gophers had other commitments and could not attendThe Gophers basketball and football teams could not be part of the celebration because of commitments Fern saidWe'd heard the family has done great things in that area and that they are big Gophers fans Fern said We also heard the boy supposedly has his room filled with Gophers stuff so being there was fun for usAttempts to contact the DeVries family were unsuccessful and a coworker with Dirk said Tuesday that the family has orders from television show officials not to talk with the mediaA friend of the family had recommended the DeVries family to the television programThey were astounded Derik DeVries said about his parents' reaction to being selected according an Albert Lea Tribune account They don't know what to say They're completely amazedThe house was not the only overwhelming gift the family received Other items given to the family by various people and groups included a fouryear fulltuition scholarship to Waldorf College in Iowa for April; a 2008 Ford F150 crew cab truck; two years of paidinadvance utility bills; an Arctic Cat Prowler; 1000 gift card from a scrapbook store; and fitness passes prom dress clothes warranties on appliances and many other itemsRupnow can be reached at 8305831 8002367077 or chuckrupnowecpccom http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/88645069814d65681adea212801b59dd.html Cash bail of 5000 was set today for Cortez Tucker 18 of Janesville the man who allegedly fired several shots during a robbery gone bad in Albion Wednesday Dane County Court Commissioner Todd Meurer told Tucker and four codefendants in the robbery they were lucky they weren39;t facing charges of firstdegree murder and being party to the crime of murder for the shooting which came after a botched attempt to rob a person who http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/a6a86b0cb5ec8213b946f19aa7286f1e.html An odor will still come out of the Smithfield Beef plant next spring but company officials think theyve found a way to make it less bothersome to area residents http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/fern/content/22754e27eb48a18b0beec7ed7a4f7b2b.html The sheriffs departments in Marquette and Adams counties are investigating the theft of electrical wiring and other construction materials