WED., DECEMBER 11, 2013 • VOLUME 81 • NO. 17 • 2 SECTIONS
Santa makes his rounds Currents section
Christmas in Luck See page 23
Leader INTER-COUNTY
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Innocent?
A story of faith CURRENTS FEATURE
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Readership: 13,800
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Horse frost
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Wisconsin Innocence Project reviewing local murder conviction from 1988
A duplicate of this paper online. Subscribe today by going to: the-leader.net
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Worst kind of storm
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Winter storms cost Polk County $3,000 an hour
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Page 19
WEEKEND WATCH
SCF school to go to referendum
• School Christmas programs • Youth conference @ Hertel • Christmas @ Forts • Santa Day @ Milltown • Candlelight service @ Trade Lake Baptist Church • Holiday party @ SCFalls • Santa Paws event @ Siren • See Coming events for details
$1.2 million would go toward student tech over ÀYH \HDUV Page 10
OTHER STORIES
DEADLINE
After nearly a decade, SCF’s “cat house� to be razed Page 18
Deadline for news and ad copy is Monday at 4:30 p.m. for that week’s issue of the Leader. Early copy is appreciated.
Loss of beds at Burnett County Jail to cost even more Page 3
LIVES LIVED
An admission in sexual assaults Page 10 Puppy killing raises questions
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Polk Home Care shutdown complete Page 18
UP FRONT GRANTSBURG – U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s regional representative ZLOO KROG RIÀFH KRXUV LQ *UDQWVEXUJ this Thursday, Dec. 12, from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Grantsburg Village Hall on Brad Street. Constituents will have the chance to meet with staff and request assistance from a federal agency or discuss other federal issues. No appointment is necessary. - submitted
SPORTS Grapplers preparing for another big year
See front page of Sports
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Navigating through the Affordable Care Act And where to find local help
Garth Olson | Staff writer NORTHWEST WISCONSIN - Passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, rolls out some big changes in health care in 2014. The new laws have implications for the already insured, as well, since it boosts coverage on many preventive care items without a co-pay. The Affordable Care Act also prevents insurers from turning away customers because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sick and does not allow insurers to cap the amount they will pay out. Preventive services without co-pay Under the new laws, the following items would be covered by insurance without a co-pay: â&#x20AC;˘ Cancer screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies; Â&#x2021; 9DFFLQDWLRQV VXFK DV Ă X PXPSV DQG PHDsles;
â&#x20AC;˘ Blood pressure screening; â&#x20AC;˘ Cholesterol screening; â&#x20AC;˘ Tobacco cessation counseling; â&#x20AC;˘ Birth control (challenged in court system); â&#x20AC;˘ Depression screening.
Fines for the uninsured ,Q D Ă&#x20AC;QH RU SHUFHQW RI LQFRPH whichever is more, will be added to an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tax on their federal tax return. In 2016, the Ă&#x20AC;QH MXPSV WR SHU DGXOW RU SHUFHQW RI LQcome, whichever is more. Children are required WR EH LQVXUHG DQG Ă&#x20AC;QHV IRU IDPLOLHV DUH FDSSHG LQ 2014 at $285 or $47.50 per uninsured child. Purchasing health insurance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; dos and GRQ¡WV First bit of advice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; jumping on by yourself at the Marketplace or Exchange website at healthcare.gov may not be in your best interest. According to a recent webinar hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, with participation from the Polk County Health Department and Mike Rust of ABC for Rural Health, individuals looking to purchase health care on the healthcare. gov website are advised to have the assistance See Navigating, page 4
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Sherman Carl Jensen Keith Roger Swanson Lewellyn â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lewâ&#x20AC;? Nelson Lynn (Olson) Nickeson Oliver Emil Richard Andren Jr. (Hub) Charlotte Emma Strasen Heidel Lyman Dreier Douglas H. Hughes See Obituaries, 18-19B
OUR WEBSITE â&#x20AC;˘ Sports updates â&#x20AC;˘ Breaking local news â&#x20AC;˘ Event results â&#x20AC;˘ Links to local schools, chambers of commerce Go to the-leader.net
INSIDE Letters 8A Sports 11-16A Outdoors 17A Town Talk 6-7B Events Back of B Letters from home 3B We teach, we learn 4B On the edge of common sense 4B