Courier Press

By Ted Pennekamp

A natural history documentary about the Driftless Region called “Decoding the Driftless” has gotten its second wind with the coming of the summer season and has been filming in the Prairie du Chien area in recent weeks.

On Sunday, June 16, at 5:07 p.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received a report that several vehicles had struck pieces of an antenna that were lying on Highway 61 in Scott Township near Wheatville Road.
The actual location was on Highway 61 near Old 61 Road.

A northbound 2000 Chevrolet owned and operated by Lukas Tainter, 18, rural Boscobel, struck a section of a TV antenna tower that had fallen from a pickup load of tower sections driven by Brandon Hernan, 23, Boscobel.

The vehicle had heavy damage and was towed from the scene by Fry’s Towing. The accident remains under investigation.

By Correne Martin

Kerrigan Trautsch is turning 14 next month. Other than her youthful appearance and delightful giggle, you would never know she’s barely a teenager.

Well-spoken, poised and perceptive, Kerrigan is especially wise beyond her years when it comes to acting and writing plays.

The Eastman resident and soon-to-be River Ridge freshman, and daughter of Adam and Rita Trautsch, was invited by the esteemed Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) to attend its North Shore Performing Arts Camp July 30 through Aug. 12, 100 miles north of Missoula, Mont., on Finger Lake. Only 115 youth ages 13-15 are accepted into the camp. Each Missoula director group, which travels to all 50 states and several countries, is given only one or two nominations to present to aspiring and talented students participating in their shows, and Kerrigan is the only one in River Ridge history to receive the honor.

All this prestige began at a young age for Kerrigan.

On Thursday, June 22, at approximately 9:10 p.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department was notified of a disturbance and a hit and run crash of two parked vehicles on Cypress Lane in Prairie du Chien Township.

A 2006 Chevrolet Impala operated by Gary J. Siegworth, 31, Dubuque, was attempting to back out of a driveway and onto Cypress Lane. Siegworth got into a physical altercation with his passenger while operating the vehicle.

The passenger was attempting to stop Siegworth from driving due to his level of intoxication. Siegworth continued to operate the vehicle and struck parked cars at a nearby residence. Siegworth then fled the area on foot.