FREE PRESS AMERY
1892 - 2017
125 YEARS STRONG
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017
VOL. 121 NO. 35 www.theameryfrepress.com $1.00
SPORTS: Three Amery wrestlers headed to State Tournament PAGE 20
City hires new attorney, engineer for lift station BY TOM STANGL TSTANGL@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM
family to oversee Amery’s last wishes and final arrangements. In his own years he’s watched the funeral industry change drastically. What was once a dark and morbid experience decades ago, has evolved into an emotional ritual of celebrating people’s lives. Something that’s required Williamson to be part counselor and
The replacement of the Flag Park lift station took its first step last week. The Amery City Council selected the engineering firm of Cedar Corp to do design work for the station, located in the city’s flag park, directly east of North Twin Lake and Hwy. 63. Cedar Corp. will be paid $23,900 to do the design work and bid specifications for the project. The firm was not the low bidder, but the city has worked with the firm on the Griffin St. lift station and feels comfortable working with the engineering company. Public Work Superintendent Allen “Bones” McCarty told the council that the four bids received for the project were bid “apples to apples,” meaning that they could be compared side by side. McCarty said that he had no problem with any of the firms. He noted that the city is currently using Cooper Engineering for the boat landing and new industrial park projects. The Flag Park lift station is one of nine wastewater lift stations in Amery. McCarty says that the majority of the homes in the north end of Amery are serviced by this lift station, constructed in the
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JESSICA DE LA CRUZ | AMERY FREE PRESS
Chuck Williamson and three generations before him have proudly served as Amery’s funeral directors. He officially retired on December 31, passing the legacy on to Ed White and Tyler Kilcoyne. He’ll maintain his license to fill in as needed.
A different kind of goodbye BY JESSICA DE LA CRUZ EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM
Chuck Williamson reflects on his forty years in the funeral business with very little regret. He officially retired from his position at Williamson-White Funeral Home on December 31. Williamson is the last of four generations of his
Three households displaced in Monday afternoon fire BY JESSICA DE LA CRUZ EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM
A multi-unit dwelling owned by Richard and Mary Nordquist is a complete loss after burning to the ground Monday afternoon. Amery Fire crews responded to the scene of the fully engulfed structure at 527 95th Street in Amery around 1:00 Monday afternoon. The home contained three rental units currently occupied by tenants Mike Carlton,
Lee Murphy, and Jared and Emma Greenebaum. No one was inside the structure at the time of the fire. Although one occupant reported having smelled smoke earlier before vacating the residence. Despite the rainy weather, fire crews had difficulty getting water to the scene. A malfunctioning pump on the responding fire truck left crews with empty hoses for a large portion of the response. JESSICA DE LA CRUZ | AMERY FREE PRESS
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Amery Firefighters battle a blaze at the rental property of Richard and Mary Nordquist.
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