Goodwill NCW remains a great holiday option for budget conscious consumers
December 8, 2025 Goodwill NCW remains a great holiday option for budget conscious consumers The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts that holiday spending is expected to reach $1 trillion for the first time during the winter holidays. NRF’s latest holiday survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, found consumers plan to spend just over $890 per person on average on core holiday items including gifts, decorations, food and other holiday-related purchases this year. This year, 91% of
UW-Stout Game Expo, Senior Show, STEMM Student Expo cap fall semester with public demos, showcases
Students design custom controllers for unique racing games, puzzles, AR experiences Story Link Photos attached FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dec. 8, 2025 Menomonie, Wis. – An Aesop’s fables-inspired racing game, a haunted hotel and a futuristic repair shop are all on the menu for players at the Stout Game Expo, western Wisconsin’s largest game developers’ event, featuring the creative works of about 250 University of Wisconsin-Stout students. SGX is from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the
Pushing through
CVTC nursing student to graduate after enduring heartache, brain surgeryBy Alyssa Van DuyseChippewa Valley Technical CollegeRIVER FALLS – After heartache, perseverance and a previous teaching career, Sean Mormino will receive a nursing degree from Chippewa Valley Technical College during commencement on Thursday, Dec. 11. What makes the 33-year-old’s graduation extraordinary is what he survived to get here.His father passed away on his first day of finals during his first semester at CVTC. In his second
From jail inmate to graduate
CF woman earns HSED with help from CVTC When 36-year-old Krista Harel walks across the stage during Chippewa Valley Technical College’s graduation ceremony on December 11, she won’t just be accepting a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED). She will be celebrating courage and the belief that she is capable of more than she ever thought possible. “I didn’t think I could do it,” Harel said. “The other women in class, and my teacher… they made me believe I could.” Harel completed her HSED this summer
CVTC nursing student juggles priorities, digs deep to graduate
By Alyssa Van Duyse Chippewa Valley Technical College It’s no surprise that Nicole Bateson will graduate from Chippewa Valley Technical College this month as a registered nurse. For the better part of a year, she has been the primary support person for a family member who is struggling with mental health. “It has been an emotionally, physically, and financially taxing year,” she said. “To say I have been concerned for their well-being and life would not be an understatement.” However, Bateson,
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Third-Generation Success
CVTC student to graduate, join father in automation career By Alyssa Van Duyse Chippewa Valley Technical College For Thomas Sabelko, learning has always been about figuring things out. “I like to learn how stuff works, whether that’s building something from scratch or troubleshooting what went wrong,” he said. “You’ve got to use your resources. That’s how I’ve always learned best.” Sabelko, 21, of Eau Claire, grew up homeschooled, where learning often meant exploring beyond textbooks, sometimes
Goodwill NCW makes it easy to make an impact on Giving Tuesday
WISCONSIN – On Tuesday, December 3, Goodwill North Central Wisconsin (NCW) will join millions by participating in the global generosity movement known as Giving Tuesday. Through its mission, Goodwill NCW makes it easy to make an impact locally. Our communities’ generous donations and purchases fuel programs for individuals who have a goal of learning new skills to achieve sustained employment and improved financial stability. Last year, individuals served by Goodwill NCW’s mission programs increased
Invitation to Know Your Candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court
Dear Friends and Colleagues, Please share this invitation with your members and constituents. In April, Wisconsin will elect a new Supreme Court Justice. The League of Women Voters of Greater Chippewa Valley invites all voters to join us to meet the candidates in person.Interview with candidate Chris TaylorSaturday, December 6, 2026 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Interview with candidate Maria LazarWednesday, February 4, 20265:00 to 6:30 p.m. Both events will be in the Harvey Hall Theater on the UW Stout
UW-Stout students collaborate across degrees in community project for The Neighbors
Construction, interior design, technology education majors build garden products for senior living home residentsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov. 20, 2025 Menomonie, Wis. – In a cross-disciplinary collaboration, four groups of students in Lecturer James Bunkelman’s Light Construction Methods class are designing and building two raised garden beds, one raised tool bench and one raised tool holder for a senior living home. The project is part of a service-learning activity, as their final products will
Serving those who served: UW-Stout among top 25 in Midwest on annual Best for Vets list
University lauded by Military Times for services to vets, their families Nov. 19, 2025 Menomonie, Wis. – University of Wisconsin-Stout can add another medal to its collection, having been named to the 2025 Best for Vets Colleges list by Military Times for its commitment to serving veterans and their families. UW-Stout was honored on the annual list, announced on Nov. 17 by Military Times, ranking first in Wisconsin among traditional and online universities. UW-Stout was among four of the 13
Fastest in the world: UW-Stout alum soars to heights of supercomputing on El Capitan project
Gina Norling has left her mark on projects to create world’s fastest machines Nov. 18, 2025 Menomonie, Wis. –Thanks to the legendary Seymour Cray and his eponymous company, supercomputing has deep roots in the Upper Midwest. UW-Stout alum Gina Norling is ensuring those roots continue to flourish as she manages teams that are engineering the fastest supercomputers on Earth. As senior engineering program manager for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Norling oversaw the complex work streams of more than a
DoW SMART Scholarship recipient Benningfield guaranteed employment upon graduation
UW-Stout mechanical engineering senior honored to ‘protect our country’ as federal employeeNov. 17. 2025 Menomonie, Wis. – University of Wisconsin-Stout mechanical engineering senior Heidi Benningfield received more than tuition and an internship through the U.S. military’s SMART Scholarship program: After graduation, she’s guaranteed a job with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Alabama. The Science, Mathematics, and Research for
News Release: 6/18/2025
The Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce now has an ambassador representing Northwest Wisconsin.WVCC Ambassadors - WVCC Meet: Georgia Lee Arts Georgia Lee Arts is a 24-year U.S. Air Force veteran with a career spanning active duty, civil service, and the Air National Guard, specializing in training, coaching, leadership, and air and space operations. During the Gulf War, she served as an airborne surveillance technician on the E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, executing deep-look surveillance operations
