News

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Sauk Prairie Healthcare as a 2022-2023 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy). This is the highest award a hospital can earn for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. 

With just a few days before the New Year, the Star News revisiting the top stories of the last year. Here they are:

Heights single campus ushers in changes

A major winter storm has been predicted and is expected to slow travel ahead of the Christmas holiday.

“Our winter storm criteria is typically six-inches of snow falling in a 12 hour period,” explained Tim Halbach, National Weather Service Milwaukee Warning Coordination Meteorologist.

Nearly a year after allegedly killing a bicyclist with his work van, Patrick Nachreiner, 61, of Plain, will face a jury. Nachreiner’s trial is scheduled for July 10 through the 14^th. Nachreiner is charged with “Hit and Run, resulting in death” and faces fines of up to $100,000 and up to 25 years in prison if he is convicted.

Please note that the closure dates for Ferry Bluff State Natural Area have changed for the upcoming 2022/2023 winter season. The entire northern unit, consisting of Ferry Bluff and Cactus Bluff, will be closed beginning December 1st, 2022 until March 31st, 2023 to protect Bald Eagles that communally roost (i.e.

As the year draws to a close, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services- in partnership with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI)- has made the difficult decision to end operations of all local mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics effective December 14, 2022. 

Some vandalism and thefts have occurred in the Black Earth and Mazomanie areas recently.

On December 1 at 7:40 a.m., a vehicle driven by a Circle Pines, MN man left the roadway of Highway 12 near the eastern approach to the Wisconsin River and landed in the river. The river’s current took the vehicle approximately ¼ mile downstream. The driver was able to escape from the SUV and was assisted to shore by Sauk City Fire Rescue.

At 7:40 a.m., December 1, Dane County Sheriff’s deputies, along with the Sauk County Sheriff’s deputies, Sauk Prairie Police and the Sauk City Fire Department, responded to a single vehicle crash in the town of Roxbury.

With respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV circulating at high levels nationwide, the 2022-2023 respiratory season has the potential to be severe, especially for young children and older adults.