We get it, all you magazines who keep saying that the Chippewa Valley is such an amazing place to live. You’re all correct, of course, but we have several features that fail to make your big fancy articles. Our school system, for example, boasts hundreds of teachers who have proven their dedication to the community’s kids during the pandemic. And, OK, much has been written about our natural features, from rivers to forests to the rolling hills that surround our communities. But you definitely forget to mention Chippewa Falls’ Irvine Park Zoo. Continuous investment has made Irvine Park a destination worth visiting. –Eric Rasmussen