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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.
Onalaska library friends plan event
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PET OF THE WEEK: Brewer is a 2-year-old spayed female Labrador cross. Brewer has so much to offer. She is loving, playful, social and good spirited. Brewer and her new owner can enroll together in a training class for free at the humane society, something that is offered to anyone who adopts a dog from the humane society. Brewer lived with a cat in her former home and they did very well with each other, so she might be the perfect choice for a home that has a resident cat. She may also do well with other dogs. We have been working with Brewer on jumping. She tends to jump a lot as she is happy, loves life and simply has not yet been taught that there are other ways to express this (training classes can help remedy this). Because of this, though, we suggest that families with children only consider Brewer if their children are approximately 8 and older. For more information on any of the animals at the Coulee Region Humane Society, call 781-4014 or stop by 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday or 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
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The Friends of the Onalaska Library and the Onalaska Public Library staff will hold an open house with coffee and cookies Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will be the last day the library will be open until it reopens Feb. 11, when the construction of the expanded and remodeled library will be completed.
Kids can meet Santa Claus and Library Dog at 1 p.m. The Friends also will have for sale on this day, book lovers desktop calendars that they are selling for $10 as a fundraiser for needed items for the new expanded library.
OHS to host college financial aid talk
As the cost of post secondary education grows, the need for students and parents to find funding sources for college becomes more and more necessary. To make the financial aid process less complicated and confusing, the financial aid director from Viterbo University will talk to students and parents on the financial aid process and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form on Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. in the OHS commons.
This 90-minute presentation will walk families through the step-by-step process of applying for financial assistance and answer questions related to college aid.
AAUW monthly meeting set for Dec. 13
The La Crosse branch of the American Association of University Women will meet Dec. 13 in the Ward Room or UW-La Crosse’s Cartwright Center.
The program will be Tales of Wisconsin Holidays presented by the Bluff Country Talespinners.
The cost is $9.25 which includes a buffet of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage links, special bread, fruit tray, orange juice, coffee and tea.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., with brunch served at 10 and the program beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Reserve a spot at the meeting by Dec. 10 by contacting Erica at (608) 366-1509 or moogs56@hotmail.com or Jane at (608) 534-6330 or ajja701@triwest.net.
AAUW is open to any person with an associate or equivalent degree or a bachelor or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Undergraduates in two- or four-year educational institutions may join as students. For membership information, contact Pat Staupe at 788-7439 or attend the meeting.
Shepherd’s Voice now in new Crosseroads Center space
Shepherd’s Voice Parable Christian Store reopened Tuesday in its new space in the Crosseroads Center along Highway 16 in Onalaska. The Christian store traded places with the China Inn restaurant in the shopping center.
Shepherd’s Voice operated from a tent in the shopping center parking lot from July until about Nov. 1, then was closed for 2 1/2 weeks while its new space was remodeled.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to serve the greater La Crosse area even better than we did before,” said Tim van Eijl, who with his wife, Sarah, has owned the store for 5 1/2 years. The store’s grand reopening probably will be in February.
It sells Christian books, gifts, music, greeting cards and other items. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The store also is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays through Christmas. For information, visit www.shepsvoice.com.
Art reception to benefit EcoPark
Gallery La Crosse and Myrick Hixon EcoPark will host a free art reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at Gallery La Crosse, 320 Main St., La Crosse. The evening of art, environmental education and hors d’oeuvres will feature “Fish, Flora, Fauna, & Natural Beauty of the 7 Rivers Region.” Participants will decide which art piece is the “People’s Choice” (each vote costs $1). A percentage of the entry fees, voting fees and art purchase fees will be donated to the Myrick Hixon EcoPark.
The artwork will be on display through Dec. 6 at Gallery La Crosse.
Hixon bird seed sale set for Dec. 13
Myrick Hixon EcoPark’s annual bird seed sale will be held Saturday, Dec. 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Black sunflower seed, Audubon mix, niger, sunflower bits, cracked corn, specialty mixes and safflower seed will be on sale.
The event also will provide an opportunity for people to check out the nature center’s huge inventory of unique feeders, feeding accessories and shirts. The Myrick Hixon EcoPark Nature Center is just off Highway 16 on Quarry Road.
The bird seed sale is the major fundraiser for Myrick Hixon EcoPark. For more information call 784-0303 or e-mail info@mhecopark.org.
Infant loss service set for Dec. 15
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group will hold its annual Christmas Candlelight Memorial Service beginning at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at Franciscan Skemp Health-care, Marycrest Auditor-ium (second floor, St. Francis Building, 700 West Avenue South, La Crosse).
This event is for the families who have experienced early pregnancy loss, stillbirth or newborn death. Parents, grandparents, siblings, extended families and friends are invited to attend this free event. People are encouraged to bring an ornament for the tree trimming.
This event is for the families who have experienced early pregnancy loss, stillbirth or newborn death. Parents, grandparents, siblings, extended families and friends are invited to attend this free event.
Cancer survivor to share stories
Professional storyteller and two-time cancer survivor Sara Slayton will share healing stories at the Franciscan Skemp Healthcare Cancer Center on Thursday, Dec. 11.
Slayton will demonstrate the restorative power of stories by sharing her own experiences, sharing world-wide stories of healing and by helping participants begin their own healing through stories.
This free program is part of the Cancer Center’s “Pathway to Wellness” series for people living with cancer and their families. Register by Dec. 8 by contacting Marti Runyon at (608) 392-7647.
Mall collects items for humane society
During December, Valley View Mall is holding a wish list drive to benefit animals at the Coulee Region Humane Society. For each item donated from the list of items below, Valley View Mall will match the donation up to $500 total.
A collection box will be located near the area where photos are taken with Santa Claus. The box is clearly marked for the Coulee Region Humane Society and was crafted by area students to aid in this effort. Donations may also be dropped off at the Mall Management office during normal business hours.
Items needed include bleach, cat litter, canned loaf-style dog and cat food, dry dog and cat food (Purina, Science Diet, Eukanuba, etc.), paper towels, new or gently used dog and cat toys and dog and cat treats/bones.
For more information, call Valley View Mall at 781-4700 or Coulee Region Humane Society at 781-4014.
Mindoro craft show set for Dec. 6
The 26th annual Mindoro Community Craft Show is set for Saturday, Dec. 6, at Cindy’s Banquet Hall in Mindoro. The show, which is coordinated by the Burr Oak 4-H Club, runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event includes a showcase of talent from area crafters and entrepreneurs. There is also a planned visit from Santa.
Admission is free and there will be hourly door prize drawings and a holiday raffle.
Proceeds from the event help to sponsor 4-H educational events and a community project.
For information about the event, call Carmen Stello at (608) 857-3508.
Honda dealer sets monthly seminars
International Motor-werks at Fourth and Cameron streets in La Crosse will hold a seminar the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. on alternative fuel and other fuel efficient vehicles.
Topics include compressed natural gas vehicles and the refueling system available for installation in your home, hybrid vehicles and how they work, neighborhood electric vehicles that run completely on electricity, fuel cell vehicles that use zero gasoline and clean diesel vehicles that are efficient and environmentally friendly.
Mall seeks books, pajamas for kids
Valley View Mall is taking part in Operation PJ Pile Up to collect new pajamas and/or new books for children in need this holiday season. Collection bins are located in the mall’s Customer Service Center through Dec. 31.
The Barnes & Noble store at the mall also has pledged to collect a minimum of 1,000 books to donate to the Pajama Program and their local beneficiaries in the effort to encourage children’s literacy.
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.
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.
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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