Changes include daily and annual permits as officials address safety, noise complaints and misuse of facilities By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher The Barron County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved changes to its parks and recreation ordinance Monday, Oct. 19, establishing new regulations and permit fees for county-operated shooting ranges in an effort to address safety concerns, noise complaints and ongoing misuse of the facilities. The ordinance was approved

By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher Declining student enrollment could lead to staffing reductions, changes in school configurations and adjustments to educational programs in the Rice Lake Area School District as administrators examine the district's long-term financial outlook. During the School Board's October 12 meeting, Randy Drost, school district superintendent, presented enrollment projections extending approximately five years into the future, outlining challe

By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher The Rice Lake Area School District is continuing to examine its financial outlook as declining enrollment, rising operating costs and proposed changes to employee retirement benefits remain among the issues facing district officials. During the October school board meeting, members received an update from the district's Finance Committee, which has been reviewing enrollment projections, spending pressures and potential cost-saving meas

PTA questions projected savings, district spending and past boundary changes; community calls for five-year plan to preserve Rice Lake district's last rural elementary school By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher What began as a discussion about declining enrollment at a small rural elementary school has grown into a much larger debate over school district spending, financial accountability, educational priorities and the future of an entire community. At the Rice Lake Are

Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher The 2026 Wisconsin youth deer hunt has wrapped up, and we’d like to hear how it went for young hunters in Barron County. Did your child get a first buck? Was it a memorable day in the woods with a parent, grandparent, mentor or other family member? Maybe the best part was simply seeing deer, learning something new or spending time together outdoors. The Barron County Free

By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher A new report from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism puts a number on a troubling trend: 170 newspapers closed or merged across the country in the past year. That’s more than three a week, up from 136 the year before. The 2026 State of Local News report also found that 26 more counties became news deserts, bringing the total to 238. A news desert is a county without a locally based professional news source. Barron Co

Barron County native finds her calling in helping others find a place to call home By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher For Kortney Nanstad, real estate is about much more than buying and selling houses. It's about helping people navigate some of life's biggest decisions, overcoming obstacles and ultimately finding a place they can call home. Born and raised in Barron County, Nanstad has spent the past six years building a career in real estate, guided by a passion for he

By Joe Morey Free Press Editor/Publisher From longtime family-owned businesses to new entrepreneurs opening their doors, Barron County has no shortage of business stories worth telling. The Barron County Free Press plans to bring those stories to readers each week through its new Barron County Commerce section. The weekly business page will highlight the people, businesses and economic developments shaping communities throughout Barron County. Readers can look forward to stor

Free Press Staff The Cameron Community Center offers area residents a welcoming place to gather, socialize, participate in activities and host special events throughout the year. The year-round facility is heated and air conditioned and features a fully equipped commercial kitchen with a large island, two gas stoves, commercial refrigerator, dishwasher and cleanup sink. Additional amenities include a sound system, overhead projector, fireplace, restrooms, a separate quiet roo

Today, we have more information available at our fingertips than at any other time in human history. Yet strangely enough, I believe it has become harder in many communities to find out what's happening right down the road.