A new name for a local park, 5 years ago

In 2013, the La Crosse park department was debating whether to keep the name Hood Park on public property along 5th Avenue South. There was a concern that the name ‘Hood’ suggested crime, even though the park and a nearby street were named after William Hood, an early surveyor of La Crosse. One alternate name proposed for the park was that of George Poage, the first black athlete to compete in the Big 10, and a past Olympian. By 2016, the Poage name became official on the remodeled park.

The village of Holmen had to decide whether to put fluoride in its drinking water or not. A referendum two years earlier had approved fluoridation for Holmen, but the system was put on hold because of concerns about how much of the cavity-fighting chemical would actually be placed in the drinking water.

It was not a good baseball season for either the Brewers or the Twins. Both teams finished fourth in their divisions in 2013, well out of playoff contention. The American League shut out the National League in the All-Star game at Citi Field in Queens, the home of the Mets. Time to play ball 5 years ago, 2013, yesterday in La Crosse.