In mid-October 2026, a criminal complaint was filed in Minnesota regarding Dr. Mary Lynn Donaldson, who recently became employed as a special education teacher by the School District of Phillips. The charges are first-degree and third-degree criminal sexual conduct. These charges stem from a former student in Minnesota and not from anyone in Phillips. (The article continues after the graphic.)
Graphic credit: School District of Phillips
The "welcome" graphic that was posted on the School District of Phillips' Facebook page, but has since been removed, mentioned Dr. Donaldson coming from Alaska to teach in Phillips. There is no mention of her time in Minnesota.
Looking at some of her work history, she was at a school in Wisconsin in 2016. According to the Sevastopol Board of Education minutes for January 7, 2016, there was a motion for the Board to exercise its right to "not extend the contract of Mary Donaldson under the terms of Paragraph 2 of the existing contract. Under this provision, the contract may be extended at the sole discretion of the Board of Education." She was placed on administrative leave in February 2016 and resigned in April 2016. A misuse of federal funds, budget issues, problems with elementary staff, and numerous performance issues were the reasons for her departure, according to documents obtained by Door County Advocate.
The current charges, however, come from her time at a school in Minnesota, located in Hennepin County, before she worked in Sevastopol. The complaint alleges that the person, who is now an adult, was a teenage boy at the time when he moved in with Donaldson, who was the school's principal. The alleged victim told police that the sexual abuse started when he was 14 or 15 years old. Allegations are that she bribed the student to keep him from reporting the abuse. Robbinsdale police received the report of the alleged abuse in December 2025 and charges were filed in October 2026. Her first court appearance is reportedly scheduled for November 9, 2026.
Thanks to a news tip from a resident of Price County, My Price County became aware of this situation. Residents shared concerns and questions as the School District of Phillips was allegedly not giving information to parents. The morning of Monday, October 26, 2026, My Price County sent the following questions to Superintendent Rachel Hoffman regarding Dr. Donaldson.
Is Dr. Donaldson the person who has charges filed against her in Minnesota for allegedly sexually abusing a student?
What dates was she employed with the School District of Phillips as the elementary special education teacher?
Did she go by the nickname of "Doc" with students?
Her "welcome graphic" on the Facebook page of the School District of Phillips mentioned she was coming here from Alaska, but there was no mention of her time teaching in Minnesota. On her application, did she omit being employed in Minnesota?
How did the School District of Phillips learn of the accusations against Dr. Donaldson?
Were parents notified of her departure and the allegations? If so, how? If not, why not?
Were there any reports of her being inappropriate with students in the School District of Phillips?
Was she fired, just allowed to resign, or how was her employment ended with the School District of Phillips? If just asked to resign, as has allegedly been the case with other staff members accused of misconduct in the past, how do other school districts, where these individuals may seek future employment, know they were accused of misconduct? If a district does not know about allegations, such as Phillips potentially not knowing about Dr. Donaldson's allegations against her from Minnesota, how does that not continue the possible threat to more children, especially when staff members have the mandatory reporting obligation?
Some parents state that Phillips is not transparent when staff members are accused of sexual abuse of children, drug charges, or other things that parents feel they should know about. Is there going to be more transparency in the future with these topics? If so, how? Will you issue press releases on these situations? If not, why not?
Superintendent Rachel Hoffman was asked to reply by 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, but she missed the requested deadline. If My Price County receives a reply, this article will be updated with her response. However, she sent the following message to parents and staff at 6 p.m. on Monday, October 26 (after My Price County sent the questions to her):
Dear School District of Phillips families and staff,
As some of you are aware, one of our teachers is facing criminal charges in Minnesota. Because law enforcement in Minnesota investigated and then filed the charges, there is probable cause supporting the allegations. But I also note that there is a presumption of innocence. As a result, on the advice of legal counsel, we have suspended the teacher without pay pending resolution of that criminal matter.
Because the alleged criminal conduct did not involve any of our students, and, in fact, did not even occur in Wisconsin, the District will not investigate. But, once the criminal matter is resolved in Minnesota, the District will reevaluate the teacher's employment status. In the meantime, we have taken steps to ensure that the teacher's students will continue to receive a quality education.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If My Price County receives more information, this article will be updated.
The midterm election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
In Wisconsin, there are three statewide ballot measures. The first question deals with state executive powers, the second question has to do with religion and constitutional rights, and the third question is about affirmative action and constitutional rights.
A "yes" vote would prohibit the governor from using the partial veto to create or increase any tax or fee when signing a bill. A "no" vote would keep the language as it is.
In approving an appropriation bill in part, the governor may not create a new word by rejecting individual letters in the words of the enrolled bill, and may not create a new sentence by combining parts of 2 or more sentences of the enrolled bill.
If it passes with a "yes" vote, it would be amended to state:
In approving an appropriation bill in part, the governor may not create a new word by rejecting individual letters in the words of the enrolled bill, may not create a new sentence by combining parts of 2 or more sentences of the enrolled bill, and may not create or increase or authorize the creation or increase of any tax or fee.
QUESTION 2: "Freedom to gather in places of worship during an emergency. Shall section 18 of article I of the constitution, which deals with religious liberty, be amended to prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from ordering the closure of, or forbidding gatherings in, places of worship in response to a state of emergency, including a public health emergency?"
Currently, the governor has the power to issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency for a disaster, imminent threat of a disaster, or public health emergency. For example, the governor declared a state of emergency in Wisconsin on March 24, 2020, in regard to COVID-19, which was initially set to expire one month later on April 24, 2020.
A "yes" vote would prohibit the state, counties, or cities from closing or stopping gatherings in places of worship in response to an emergency, which would include public health emergencies. A "no" vote would keep the language as it is.
Section 18 of Article 1 currently states:
The right of every person to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any person be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, without consent; nor shall any control of, or interference with, the rights of conscience be permitted, or any preference be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship; nor shall any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of religious societies, or religious or theological seminaries.
If it passes with a "yes" vote, the article would be amended to state:
The right of every person to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any person be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, without consent; nor shall any control of, or interference with, the rights of conscience be permitted, or any preference be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship; nor shall any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of religious societies, or religious or theological seminaries; nor shall the state or a political subdivision of the state order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health.
QUESTION 3: "Governmental entity discrimination prohibited. Shall section 27 of article I of the constitution be created to prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration?"
A "yes" vote would create Section 27 in Article I of the Wisconsin Constitution, and it would stop government entities from either discriminating against or giving preferential treatment to anyone based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration. A "no" vote would not create Section 27.
Section 27 would be added and state:
Section 27 (1) In this section, “governmental entity” means the state, its political subdivisions including municipalities, the University of Wisconsin System, the Technical College System, any public college or university, any public school district, and any office, department, independent agency, board, commission, authority, institution, association, society, or other body in state or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.
(2) A governmental entity may not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.
(3) This section does not prohibit action that must be taken to establish or maintain eligibility for any federal program, if ineligibility would result in a loss of federal funds to the governmental entity.
(4) Nothing in this section prohibits bona fide qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary to the normal operation of public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.
(5) If any part or parts of this section are found to be in conflict with the United States Constitution or federal law, the section shall be implemented to the maximum extent that the United States Constitution and federal law permit. Any provision of this section held invalid shall be severable from the remaining portions of this section.
There are federal, state, and local races on the ballot. Be sure to exercise your right to vote.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced that Dollar General Corporation is being sued by the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and nineteen other states.
The allegations are that Dollar General is "engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices by routinely charging customers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, price tags, and advertisements, costing Wisconsin and other consumers millions of dollars," according to a press release. It is also alleged that there was corporate knowledge of the problem, which was not corrected with proper policies and procedures.
Attorney General Kaul said, "The prices that folks see displayed when they’re shopping should be the same as the prices they’re charged when they check out. If the prices charged in the checkout aisle are higher than the prices on the shelves, there should be accountability.”
The FTC alleges that these practices violate the FTC Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Wisconsin alleges these practices violate Wisconsin consumer protection and weights and measures laws.
The other states joining in the FTC lawsuit include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah.
OCTOBER 10, 2026 - SHOTS ALLEGEDLY FIRED FROM VEHICLE ON WEST HACKETT ROAD
Scanner information indicates that the Price County Sheriff's Office received a call about a man, who is allegedly a convicted felon, shooting from a vehicle. The caller indicated the man was shooting toward an individual and a home on West Hackett Road. The information does not state that anyone was hit by bullets; only that shots were allegedly fired.
Police were told the name of the man, (who is from Price County, according to reports), and were looking for him around 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
It was stated that he has history of resisting, making threats toward law enforcement, domestic abuse, and has an armed robbery conviction. His motor vehicle registration shows he owns a black Chevy Silverado with Wisconsin plates, so law enforcement was searching for that vehicle and the man.
The Price County Sheriff's Office has not confirmed this information with a press release, but the information was shared on the scanner. My Price County will update this article if more information is received from authorities.
UPDATED OCTOBER 28, 2026
At 5:56 p.m. on October 10, 2026, dispatch audio stated, "Price County got a call about a guy, convicted felon, shooting from a vehicle, and then he apparently was shooting toward an individual and that individual's house and they're currently looking for him." The call stated it was a white male who has "a caution indicator on his return for a history of resisting, making threats toward law enforcement, domestic abuse, and has an armed robbery conviction." The call also stated the male has a black Chevy Silverado with a Wisconsin plate registered to him.
According to the Price County Sheriff's Law Incident Media Summary Report, an hour prior to the audio dispatch, at 4:57 p.m., an Appleton man "called 911 to report a large male in an older gray Chevrolet pickup was shooting from the roadway. [The caller] stated he was following the male who was still shooting from the roadway at birds. [The caller] stated he attempted to confront the male. [The caller] said the male threatened him. Dispatch instructed [the caller] to discontinue pursuit of the subject and meet a deputy at a business nearby. Deputies Alexander Schmidt and Craig Calzavara responded."
It is unclear if these two incidents are related, but there is no other mention of a person with a gun in a vehicle, and there is no mention of someone reporting being shot at on October 10, 2026. It is unknown why a summary record of this dispatch call does not exist.
My Price County asked Executive Technician Leslie Hauschild, Chief Deputy Sheriff Robert Hawn, and Sheriff Brian Schmidt the following questions on October 10, 14, and 19, respectively.
Please let us know more information about the situation where shots were fired on West Hackett Road.
1. Was the man a felon?
2. Was he located?
3. What was he doing? Was he firing shots from a vehicle? Was he firing a gun at someone?
4. If he was possessing a gun as a felon, did he get arrested for that?
5. If he was "road hunting," as some people wondered, were any legal actions taken?
As of publication of this follow-up article on October 28, 2026, none of the staff members we contacted at the sheriff's office have responded. If they do respond, we will update this article.
The Price County Sheriff's Office is conducting a death investigation near the area of County Road N and Big Falls Road in the Township of Kennan.
At approximately 10:51 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026, a 911 call was received reporting that a male subject shot and injured an individual before leaving the residence.
According to the sheriff's office, "Another 911 call was received reporting the same male subject was at another location causing a disturbance. When officers arrived on scene, the male subject was found deceased."
There is no known threat to the community, and this is an ongoing investigation. Additional information will not be released at this time.
Agencies assisting the Price County Sheriff’s Office with this investigation include the Phillips Police Department, Price County Coroner, Price County Health and Human Services, Prentice Ambulance Service, and Central Price County Ambulance Service.
Congressman Tom Tiffany, a Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate, was at the La Crosse County Lincoln Day dinner on Saturday, September 12, 2026. On his way home, the Beechcraft K35 that he was in, which was piloted by Lenny Boltz, lost power and had to make an emergency landing on Lake Wausau.
As the only two men on the plane, the pilot told him, “We are going down. Pull your seat belt tight.” About ten seconds later, the plane hit the water. After landing, they called 911. The plane began to submerge, and they exited the aircraft and swam about 100 to 150 feet to a shallow area. At that point, emergency responders reached them via boat.
According to a press release, “Tom suffered a laceration above his right eye that required [twelve] stitches and was released from the hospital last night. The pilot was also released. Tom and his family thank God that neither suffered more serious injuries and are grateful for the exceptional care he received at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
“Tom also wants to again thank the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, law enforcement, first responders, and everyone who helped get them safely off the water.”
In a press conference on Sunday evening, Congressman Tiffany said, "We are just really fortunate. We’re really fortunate that God was looking after us last night. We’re also really fortunate that the first responders, those behind me, the fire department, the sheriff’s department, as well as the City of Wausau Police, for their quick response. We’re really fortunate for what they did, and I can’t thank them enough for helping us in this situation.”
He credited Boltz’s experience and quick decisions with helping them survive the landing. “We’re just really fortunate that we had a skilled pilot who knew what he was doing as we were going down after we lost power."
He talked about the profound impact it was having on him at the press conference. “The gravity of this is probably just hitting me at this point....It just gives me great appreciation to be here another day, to be able to be with my wife and family.”
He added that his campaign will continue as he aims to be the next governor of Wisconsin.
On Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at approximately 4:02 p.m., the Phillips School District notified the Phillips Police Department of a threat. A male juvenile made a verbal threat regarding the safety of the school.
Officers responded immediately and made contact with the juvenile and one of his parents.
According to Police Chief Blaine Peterson, "Officers completed a thorough investigation, and the juvenile was taken into secure custody without incident. The investigation is still ongoing, and information is still being reported and followed up on.
"Currently there is no active threat to the school or the public. The matter is being referred to the Department of Health and Human Services."
The Phillips Police Department was assisted by the Phillips School District, Price County Sheriff’s Office, and Price County Health and Human Services.
The Phillips Public Library, located at 286 Cherry Street in Phillips, has lots of activities and events planned for this month. Visit the library's website for more information.
The Price County Fair was held August 20-22, 2026. My Price County put together some highlights from the ending of the amazing 26-minute-long fireworks show from Palas Pyro LLC, the elephants, Dirt Dash, rides, animals, and exhibits. Click here to view the video.
On Friday, September 4, 2026, the Price County Dispatch Center received a call from a man staying at a business in the Township of Lake. According to the sheriff's office, he reported "suicidal/homicidal ideations and had made terroristic threats.
"At the time of the call, Governor Tony Evers was scheduled to visit the Chequamegon School-South Campus. The Price County Sheriff’s Office worked with the Wisconsin State Patrol and Governor Evers’ staff. Governor Evers’ visit was subsequently canceled due to this incident. At this time, it does not appear that this incident was related or in response to Governor Evers’ scheduled visit."
Law enforcement from the Price County Sheriff’s Office, Park Falls Police Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol responded to the scene.
The sheriff's office further stated, "Due to this call’s close proximity to the Chequamegon School-South Campus, the Price County Sheriff’s Office worked with administrative staff of the school. Out of an abundance of caution, the school was placed in a “secure hold” status and a law enforcement presence was maintained at the school."
At approximately 9:18 a.m., the man was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Price County Jail. At that time, the school’s secure hold was lifted.
The Price County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Park Falls Police Department, Park Falls Fire and Rescue, Park Falls Ambulance Service, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Park Village offers affordable, active living in a park-like setting for those 55+ and disabled persons in Park Falls. Rent is based on 30% Adjusted Gross Income. Small pets under 30 pounds are welcome. Contact Park Village at 715-762-4747.
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