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Here are a selection of brief news items from this week's paper edition, and possibly a few news briefs that didn't make it in the paper.
Courier-Life news, ad deadlines earlier for Thanksgiving
News and ad deadlines for the Courier Life will be moved up the week of Thanksgiving. News and display advertising deadline will be 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24. Classified deadline wil be 2:30 p.m. the same day.
The office in West Salem will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27-28.
Holmen Curves offers Holiday Fitness Challenge
Curves of Holmen is launching a Holiday Fitness Challenge that offers women the chance to work out for up to six weeks at no charge.
There is a $30 registration fee for the challenge, but that will be refunded to women who successfully complete the challenge. That means working out three times a week for six consecutive weeks and completing a pre- and post-challenge fitness assessment.
“There is no need to gain weight over the holidays," said Laura Liudahl, who owns the fitness center. “With a good plan, motivation and the proper tools, we can all stay fit through this season."
For more information, call Liudahl at 526-2553. Registration for the Holiday Fitness Challenge ends Nov. 30.
OHS hockey teams plan skating event
The Onalaska High School boys and girls hockey teams will hold their annual Skate With the Hilltoppers event on Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Omni Center. Area youths are invited to meet the teams, have a snack, receive a gift and skate with the teams — all for free.
Registration begins at 6 p.m. At 6:30, the teams will be introduced, then skaters will be on the ice and guests are welcome to join them for open skating. Skate rentals will be available.
A snack will be served and everyone can watch the inter-squad scrimmage, which begins at 7:30 p.m.
Centering Onalaska fundraiser planned
In a one-day fundraiser on Nov. 22, people can save money on purchases at Rockwood Gardens and Floral on Theater Road in Onalaska and support Centering Onalaska, the group responsible for the downtown holiday decorations and other community enhancements.
On Nov. 22, people who ask the cashier for the Centering Onalaska coupon at checkout will save 10 percent off their purchase, with 10 percent of that purchase given to Centering Onalaska for its Christmas decorations, lamp post banners and summer flower basket projects.
People who wish to make an additional monetary, may send checks payable to Centering Onalaska to 1101 Main St., Onalaska, WI 54650.
Sierra Club meeting planned for Nov. 25
The Sierra Club will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the basement of the Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House, Eighth and Main streets, La Crosse.
Thomas Thibodeau, director of the Masters in Servant Leadership Program at Viterbo University, will present “Thanksgiving for the Land.” He’ll use poetry and stories to illustrate people’s relationship to the land and his premise that people cannot care for the natural world unless they have a deep-seated love for it.
All are welcome.
Retired teachers group to meet Dec. 1
The La Crosse Area Retired Educators will meet for lunch at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1, at River Jack’s Restaurant in La crosse. Everyone who has retired from Wisconsin public schools is invited.
Lunch will be followed by a short meeting and a program on “Teaching in Africa” by Jim Liska. Cost is $9.50. Call Karen Broadhead at 788-2485 for reservations.
Red Cross offers pie, movie pass for blood
The Red Cross is thanking its blood and platelet donors by offering a free pie for donors at the blood donation center the week of Thanksgiving.
For those who can’t donate before Thanksgiving, the Red Cross is offering donors a free movie pass Friday and Saturday, Nov. 28-29.
The Thanksgiving pie blood drive will run from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, at the donation center in the Plaza 16 Building, 1427 Hwy. 16, La Crosse.
Movie passes will be distributed at the donation center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, and 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29.
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Eligible donors must be at least 17-years-old, or 16-years-old with a signed Red Cross parental/guardian consent form. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health.
Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or log onto givebloodgivelife.org to make an appointment or for more information.
Genealogy talk focus is Pomeranian trip
The La Crosse Area Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Main Library Auditorium, Eighth and Main streets, La Crosse.
Speaker Susan Douglas will talk about her trip to the Pomeranian region of Germany and the genealogical research she did there.
The business meeting will follow the speaker.
Members are asked to bring an ethnic dessert to share.
Visitors are welcome. Call 782-6277 for more information.
Clinic offers four-week tobacco program
Gundersen Lutheran will offer a program, Getting You Started To Stop, to help people quit tobacco habits.
This program meets for an hour each week for four weeks and cost $45, which does not include medication.
The program will be offered at the clinic in La Crosse on Wednesdays starting Dec. 3 from noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. It also will be offered at the Onalaska clinic on Thursdays starting Dec. 4 from noon to 1 p.m.
For more information or to register, call 775-5442.
Aging program focuses on joyful life
Lisa Radtke will lead a session of Franciscan Skemp’s Successful Aging Program on Tuesday, Nov. 25, focused on reclaiming joy, connecting to a higher power and getting more meaning out of life.
The program will be in the Marycrest Auditorium on the second floor of the La Crosse Campus St. Francis Building, 700 West Ave. S. Free refreshments will be provided from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Radtke’s hour-long talk will begin at 2:30 p.m., with half an hour to follow for questions.
The program is free and open to all.
State offers guide for food marketers
The Wisconsin Local Food Marketing Guide, a new publication for local producers, is now available online and in hard copy.
The guide explains step-by-step how to move products from field to consumer. It covers selling directly to consumers via farmers markets, community supported agriculture, agritourism, on-farm stores, pick-your-own operations and roadside stands and selling through intermediate channels such as restaurants, grocery stores, institutions, and distributors.
The guide also provides information on pricing products, licensing, labeling, regulations, food safety, liability and insurance, and it lists resources to find additional information at the end of each chapter.
Up to five hard copies can be requested from Teresa Cuperus at teresa.cuperus@wi.gov or DATCP-DAD, PO Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911.
The guide is available online also at www.datcp.state.wi.us — search “buy local."
Additional copies may be requested for workshops, classes and conferences for producers in the local foods movement.
Gundersen Lutheran Love Lights on sale
The Partners of Gundersen Lutheran Love Lights Tree is back offering people a chance make a donation to commemorate, honor or thank someone special.
The Love Lights that will adorn the tree in the Gundersen Lutheran Clinic Lobby in La Crosse can be purchased throughout November and December. The names of those honored, thanked and remembered will be displayed in a book next to the tree.
Donations of $3 are suggested for individual commemorations, and $25 for nine or more commemorations.
This year’s Love Lights Celebration will be on Monday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m. in the Gundersen Lutheran Clinic Lobby in La Crosse. All donors and their guests are invited to attend this special ceremony.
All proceeds go to Partners’ charitable contributions.
For more information or to request an order form, call the Partners of Gundersen Lutheran office at 775-3602.
Clinic offers chance to light up season
Franciscan Skemp Auxiliary is celebrating the “Season of Light" with a tree of lights gracing the front of the St. Francis Building on the La Crosse campus. Each light signifies a $5 donation to Franciscan Skemp Auxiliary in the name of an individual or group remembered at this special time of year. Donations fund needy patient accounts at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare.
Gifts can be purchased from now through Dec. 31 and the lights will be illuminated from Dec. 1 through Jan. 1. Names of those honored or remembered will be displayed in the lobby of the St. Francis Building.
To request a donation form, call at 392-9766.
UW to host vegetable business seminar
Aspiring fresh market vegetable growers can learn the fundamentals of the business from veteran growers and other experts at the 2009 Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers to be held Jan. 16-18 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
John Hendrickson, the school’s coordinator, said that demand for fresh, local produce has never been higher. He noted that farmers’ markets are seeking vendors, most community-supported agriculture farms sell as many memberships as they can handle, top chefs are building their menus around fresh, local produce, and grocery stores want to stock these products on their shelves.
The school emphasizes organic production methods and direct marketing, delving into fertility management, use of greenhouses, strategies to extend the season, pest management, equipment, planning and budgeting. There will be ample opportunities to network with others interested in starting a fresh produce business and to peruse a show-and-tell table featuring a variety of small tools and gadgets.
Instructors include veteran organic growers Michael Racette of Spring Hill Community Farm, Tricia Bross of Luna Circle Farm and Jenny Bonde of Shooting Star Farm. They will share their strategies for selling through farmers’ markets and CSAs and directly to restaurants. Other speakers will cover topics ranging from insects to business management.
The fee is $275. Enrollment is limited, so early sign-ups are advised. For more information, contact Hendrickson at jhendric@wisc.edu or (608) 265-3704, or visit the CIAS Web site at www.cias.wisc.edu.
Western partnership earns recognition
Western Technical College’s “Partnering for Success" program was recently awarded with a Promising Practices award from the Wisconsin PK-16 Leadership Council. The award recognizes collaborative efforts that improve student transition in the PK-16 educational system.
Designed to increase understanding of technical college expectations, Partnering for Success provides area high school faculty, counselors, administrators, and students with opportunities to learn about admission requirements, placement and course requirements to encourage more rigorous high school preparation and more seamless transition from high school to postsecondary options.
Western initially partnered with Holmen, Logan, Onalaska and Sparta high schools to provide this program, and has since expanded into Mauston, Necedah and New Lisbon high schools.
Clearwater Farm selling trees, wreaths
Orders are now being taken for Fraser fir Christmas trees and wreaths as part of the sixth annual Clearwater Farm Foundation fundraiser.
Trees pre-ordered by Nov. 15 will get a $5 discount on tree prices, which are $55 for a 6- to 7-foot tree and $80 for a 8- to 12-foot tree. Wreaths are $20.
Tree pickup dates will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13 at Clearwater Farm on Green Coulee Road in Onalaska. On tree pickup days, watch out for the Christmas Elf, who will be peeking out of windows around the farm.
For more information or to order trees and wreaths, call Shari Collas at 783-0675 or e-mail sharicollas@yahoo.com.
EcoPark wants your political yard signs
When the elections are over, people can put unwanted political yard signs to good use by recycling them. Myrick Hixon EcoPark volunteers are collecting them to re-use the wire holders and properly dispose of the signs.
People can drop off old, unwanted political yard signs at the Hixon Nature Center building, 2702 Quarry Road, La Crosse.
For more information, call the center at 784-0303.
Refuge photo contest entries sought
The Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges are taking entries for the 11th annual photography contest.
Photos will be accepted from amateurs or professionals until Dec. 5. Photos should be sent or brought to the Winona District office of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge at 51 E. Fourth St., Room 203, in Winona, Minn.
Contest categories include landscape and wildflowers, people, bird life and other wildlife. All photos must be taken on the Upper Mississippi River, Driftless Area or Trempealeau National Wildlife refuges.
For rules and other information, contact Ranger Ed Lagace at (507) 494-6236 or log onto www.friendsofuppermiss.org.
Disabled American Veterans need drivers, money for new vans
The Disabled American Veterans is mounting a fundraising drive to replace five aging vans of its statewide fleet used to transport veterans to and from VA medical facilities.
In addition, volunteer drivers are needed for the one van per day transporting veterans back and forth between La Crosse and the Tomah facility for scheduled medical appointments.
Volunteers with a regular driver’s license will need to pass a physical and get tested for tuberculosis. They would also undergo a criminal background check and a driving record check.
The DAV is seeking $100,000 in contributions for their New Van Fund. Checks can be made payable to DAV State Department New Van Fund, and send to DAV Department of Wiscon-sin, 130 Dauphin St., Green Bay, WI 54301.
For more information, to donate or to volunteer as a driver, contact Peggy Anderson at the Tomah VA at (608) 372-3971, ext. 66227.
State urges attention to heating issues
The Department of Administration’s Division of Energy Services and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin are urging energy customers to contact their local utility if their heat is currently disconnected.
The agencies are also encouraging residents to take advantage of energy-efficiency programs and the state’s low-income bill payment assistance programs to reduce the burden of their utility bills this winter.
Wisconsin law states that consumers cannot be disconnected during the heating moratorium period from Nov. 1 to April 15, if they are connected at the start of the moratorium. Customers who are currently disconnected must make arrangements with their local utility to pay outstanding bills in order to have their service restored.
If a consumer has not made arrangements to pay an outstanding bill, the utility is not required to reconnect the service until payment arrangements have been made.
There is financial assistance available for eligible households who cannot pay their gas or electric bills this winter. The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program administers low-income and energy assistance programs for the state. WHEAP is part of the state’s comprehensive Home Energy Plus program which also provides assistance with emergency energy needs, emergency furnace repairs, and weatherization and conservation services.
Eligibility is based on income and family size. For example, a family of four that earns $7,743.75 or less in the three months prior to applying for assistance is potentially eligible. For a two-person family the earnings must be $5,133.75 or less. Benefits are based on income levels and energy bills. Consumers do not have to be behind in their energy bill payments to qualify.
For information about WHEAP, including contact information for local energy assistance offices, call 1-866-HEATWIS (1-866-432-8947) or visit www.homeenergyplus.wi.gov.
Tips to conserve energy while staying warm
Worried about winter utility bills? The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin offers the following easy, low-cost steps that can help reduce energy use while staying safe.
Find and repair air drafts from windows and doorways.
Keep heating vents clear of rugs or furniture.
Ensure your furnace has clean air filters.
When doing laundry, use cold water and adjust water levels to fit the load size. Also, clean the lint filter after every dryer load.
Lower water heater temperatures to 115-120 degrees.
Remove window air conditioning units to stop winter drafts from coming through its vents.
Open the drapes or blinds during sunny days to take advantage of solar heat. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.
Turn down the thermostat several degrees when leaving the house for extended periods of time or before going to bed.
Close off rooms of your home that are not used.
Consumers also can help improve energy efficiency in their home by requesting a home energy audit through Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy Program. Focus on Energy consultants visit homes and suggest improvements to significantly lower energy bills, while staying safe and comfortable.
For more information about home energy audits, call Focus on Energy at 1-800-762-7077 or visit www.focusonenergy.org.
For more information about energy conservation, visit the PSC’s website at: http://psc.wi.gov/consumerinfo/conservation/indexConservation.htm.
County homeowners get septic repair grants
The state of Wisconsin has awarded seven La Crosse County homeowners $29,975 this year for replacement of their failing private on-site waste septic system.
The participants came from the towns of Hamilton, Holland, Onalaska and Shelby. Awards granted to county residents since 1983 have totaled $469,690.
The purpose of this program is to help property owners make needed corrections to have their existing system replaced so that it does not cause infusion of sewage into the groundwater or allow sewage to come to the surface and thus, be a health hazard to the individuals and their neighbors.
To be eligible for the program, homeowners must have failing systems and replace that system according to state and local plumbing codes. For more information, contact the La Crosse County Health Department at 785-9872.
Youth club seeks variety of donations
The West Salem branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse is seeking donations of a number of items, including:
Snacks, such as pretzels, crackers, sandwich cookies, cereal, hot dogs, peanut butter, popcorn, mac and cheese, fruits and veggies, juice
Art supplies such as markers, color pencils, crayons, water colors, tempera paints, stickers, glue, pencils, colored paper and coloring books.
Miscellaneous items including gently used furniture and rugs, PG- or G-rated DVDs, Playstation or Xbox games, board games, sports equipment, Band-Aids, Clorox wipes and seasonal decorations.
For more information, call Deana Protz, the club’s site director, at 786-1392.
Duck identification brochure released
“Waterfowlers Know Your Ducks” is the title of a new brochure printed by the La Crosse County Conservation Alliance in partnership with other local conservation organizations and La Crosse Graphics.
The brochure shows the distinguishing characteristics of canvasback and scaup. The reason is because there is no canvasback hunting season this year and the scaup bag limit has been reduced.
The Alliance also converted a VHS video “King of Ducks,” a 16-minute duck identification video, to DVD format.
Both the DVD and brochure are available online at www.Briceprairieconservation.org
Also available at the website is an online version of “Ducks at a Distance,” a waterfowl identification field guide by Bob Hines USFWS.
Paper copies of the brochure also are available.
Senior advocate volunteers needed
The Wisconsin Board on Aging is seeking volunteers to train as advocates for older adults living in La Crosse County nursing homes. For more information, call Karen Price at 789-6366.
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