A former 15-year veteran of reporting local news for western Wisconsin TV and radio stations, Salina Heller also volunteers in community theater, helps organize the Chippewa Valley Air Show, and is kept busy by her daughter’s elementary school PTA meetings. She is a UW-Eau Claire alum.
Salina Heller
Latest from Salina Heller
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Banned Book Backlash: How Wisconsin Libraries Are Fighting to Keep All Books on Shelves
In Altoona, staff members at the public library are working to set up a display for Banned Book Week. “It’s kind of sad we even have a ‘Banned Book Week’ in this country,” Library Associate Kim Butnick told UpNorthNews. “It’s important to remember that every book isn’t for everyone. And that’s okay—just don’t tell others…
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3 Reasons Wisconsin’s Renee Halvorson Wright Should Win the Heart of ‘The Golden Bachelor’
While Wright has lived a lot of life in her first 67 years, the Middleton resident is ready to write her next chapter, starting with a stint on ABC’s dating show spinoff. Renee Halvorson Wright is one of 22 ladies between ages 60 and 75 competing for the heart of 71-year-old Indiana-native Gerry Turner on…
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Cranberry Crazies Pack Warrens for the Tiny Town’s Giant Fest
The annual Cranberry Fest isn’t only about the 1,200 vendor booths, three days of shopping, and hundreds of cran-filled foods. It’s the 140,000 visitors that make the event what it is. “I’ve told my family that no one can get married, give birth, or die that weekend because I will put them on ice and…
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Go Big or Go(urd) Home: Giant Pumpkin Growers Compete for Wisconsin’s Top Prize
Every year, growers from across the state enter their colossal pumpkins in Altoona’s Ginormous Pumpkin Festival, hoping to have grown the heaviest. Fond du Lac’s Tom Montsma took home the top prize and set the state record at last year’s Altoona Ginormous Pumpkin Fest. So, what did his giant gourd weigh? A whopping 2,046 pounds!…
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The Reason Behind Wisconsin’s Referee Shortage? Unruly Spectators.
Games are being rescheduled, postponed, and even canceled because there aren’t enough officials available, and the WIAA is pointing to parents as the problem. On a typical Thursday or Friday night, Matt Atkinson of Eau Claire can be found on a football field or basketball court. Now starting his 24th year as an official for…
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3 Ways to Get Involved in Your Local School District
For all of the talk about ‘parents’ rights,’ there are already many opportunities for community members to become personally invested in their local schools and find out first-hand what’s happening.
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Q&A: Everything You Need to Know About Wisconsin’s New COVID Boosters
The state’s hospital admissions have been rising since July, according to the latest CDC data. The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but there are still thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in the U.S. each week. Hospitalizations have been increasing since late summer, so the just-released booster shot comes at perfect time.…
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Pedestrian Crashes Are Up in Wisconsin: What Drivers, Walkers Need to Know
Plus–one city’s flashy solution to fix it. Many Wisconsin communities are extremely walker-friendly. But the state Highway Safety Association is issuing a warning: the number of car-pedestrian crashes is growing. Fatal crashes grew by 50 percent in 2022, according to a report by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association. That’s in line with the national trend:…
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Wisconsin School Districts Face Another Year of Staff Shortages
The number of public school teachers in Wisconsin has held at about 64,000 for the past few years, but school districts statewide say it’s not enough to overcome a shortage of teachers in classrooms.
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Wisconsin School Year Start Dates–Explained
Why some districts start mid-August, while others wait ‘til after Labor Day. Over the years, there’s been a lot of discussion over the school start date being before or after the September holiday. By state statute, the school start date is Sept. 1. Why Sept. 1? First, it gives families a few more weeks to…
