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Minding their own business:
Women own many McGregor shops and restaurants

If you visit many of the downtown McGregor businesses, you may notice a certain feminine flair. You can find it in a beautiful window display, or a playful shop sign or a colorful store interior. About a dozen of the primary downtown businesses in the town are women-owned. According to the membership rolls of the Marquette-McGregor Chamber of Commerce, 12.3 percent of 2005 member businesses are woman owned, and 17.2 percent are couple owned, often with the woman playing a lead role in the business. Husbands often play a critical supporting role in the businesses, helping out with the financial capital to start businesses, and supporting their wives' work and ideas.

The number of businesses owned by women is on the rise across the U.S., and in McGregor and Marquette. According to U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) statistics, women-owned small businesses grew by 20 percent in the period from 1997 to 2002, while all other businesses grew at a rate of 10 percent. And SBA numbers show that women-owned businesses are usually in the service and retail sectors of the economy, which includes the shops, restaurants, and hospitality businesses such as bed and breakfasts that are prevalent in the area.

Carolyn Corbin, economic development coordinator for Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission says that typically, about 30 percent of the business start-ups she assists are women. Upper Explorerland works with area county economic development initiatives to help people start new businesses and help existing businesses grow. "We make an effort to reach out to women-owned businesses," Corbin said.

Many women have made major investments in their businesses to remodel a building, stock the shelves and open the doors. Paper Moon Books is a good example.

Louise White got out of the antique business and started her bookstore in 1994. She never considered taking a job working for someone else. "Once [retail] get in your blood, it's there," she explained. And over ten years later, her store is beating the odds ‹ most small businesses close within three years. And the retail book business is even tougher. But since Paper Moon is the only full-service bookstore within 60 miles, Louise thought she could fill a niche. And with a fun selection of jewelry and quirky gifts added to the store's inventory, she has.

White can tell any prospective business owner, woman or man, about what it takes to succeed. Long hours and solving problems is all part of a days work. For example, White knew she was losing a lot of heat from the big drafty old display windows at the front of her store, so she sewed her own heavy duck cloth shades to cover the windows at night. She says it has saved her $500 in heating costs. Daughter Jennifer returned to the area from Madison about eight years ago to help her mom in the store, and they have two part-time employees. Still, "you work on a minimum of staff, it's a lot of hours," White notes. Understanding the details of expenses and profits within a business is also a key to her success. A daughter-in-law with a master's degree in business administration helped Louise work out a business balance sheet. "I know exactly how much every square foot of this store cost me," she said.

The Twisted Chicken is another high-profile woman-owned business in McGregor. Kim Hayes' gourmet restaurant that features fresh and local foods opened in 2002. Since the restaurant brought a new kind of dining to the area, Hayes has had to build a niche clientele, which can be a difficult task while still paying the bills. "You have to have locals, you have to have regulars," Hayes says, especially in winter. And the locals bring in more than their money, she says. Hayes finds a sense of community among the people who come to her restaurant, "I've met so many fantastic and wonderful people," she added She feels that women may value and work harder to create a communal atmosphere in their businesses. Still, she says she has built a reputation for great meals that visitors remember, and they come to the Twisted Chicken whenever they are in the area. She also hosts parties and special dinners for area companies and business groups. Hayes says that staying flexible and responding to customer requests is important., and is something she thinks women may do better.

Some women gather regularly during weekday mornings at Dianna Berry's McGregor Coffee Roasters coffee house. It's an informal group, but within it Berry gets to visit with many of the town's enterprising ladies and hear about many different ideas. Besides town shopkeepers, Berry says that there is a whole unrecognized group of women working out of their homes, some who are quite successful with fine crafts or selling custom clothing on e-Bay. Berry sees something growing in the area, for women especially. "It's so powerful. You see that there's a momentum that's building, and it's infectious," she says. Berry's is excited that her shop is part of the momentum ‹ her business appears to be growing steadily. "I've made a financial commitment to the area," she says of her shop, which opened earlier this year.

Reaching out yields powerful personal experience for Greg Clark

Greg Clark has learned a lot in the last couple months. Greg, of Great River Counseling in Prairie du Chien, said that his recent experience in New Orleans was so powerful that he'd like to share it with others.

Greg spent Nov. 1 - 14 in the Katrina destroyed southern city providing comfort, counseling and even just an ear to listen to survivors of the terrible storm. "Every day was a new assignment," said Greg of his duties. His team, made up of 15 counselors, traveled to shelters in outlying areas, Red-Cross shelters or just about anywhere that evacuees were being housed and offered whatever services were needed to be filled.

Greg, who has devoted more than 22 years of his life to trauma counseling, is also a Vietnam War veteran, and felt a very strong urge to help out in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina came through. "I felt very frustrated and helpless just watching everything," he said. So when he received an email from a major counseling association announcing that they were looking for qualified volunteers to send to New Orleans, Greg said he knew right away that it was an opportunity he didn't want to miss. Apparently many others felt the same way. Greg said about 1000 people applied to be sent, and he was one of 200 that were selected.

"I put faith in God that what I'd done all these years would help. I wanted to find [those people's] needs one person at a time," Greg said when asked how he prepared himself for the trip. "But, I also knew enough to know I shouldn't expect anything...I just went in with an open mind."

Although Greg, along with the rest of the world, saw images of the devastation of the storm all over his TV and computer screens, he said that it never "became a real thing" until he neared New Orleans on his plane ride there. When flying over the city, he said that two of the first things he noticed were all the boats in the medians of the roadways and the blue roofs on all of the houses. As they flew lower, Greg's suspicions were confirmed as he could plainly see that the mysterious bright blue color atop all of the rooftops was indeed plastic tarp. "That was the beginning of a change for me," said Greg.

While there, he said that their goal was not to get into any long-term counseling, but mainly just to be there if people wanted to talk. Greg said that along with helping evacuees, they also provided assistance to staff members at the shelters. "The Red Cross is set up to handle two to three weeks of service. This was the 11th week," he said. "They were tremendous...Everyone was just doing what needed to be done," Greg said, referring again to the Red Cross.

Greg said that one of the most difficult things for many people was that they had been moved from shelter to shelter. Some people, Greg said, were on their sixth shelter. He explained that this was very hard on people because as soon as they started forming close bonds and friendships with other evacuees at a shelter they would have to move to a new one and start the process all over. He also said that when he got to New Orleans it had been almost three months since the hurricane. "The people that were left in the shelters were the ones that had the least amount of coping skills and resources to get out," said Greg, "and they were the ones that were asked to put up with the most."

Despite all that the New Orleans residents had dealt with, Greg said that the overall attitude of people in the shelters was not grief or despair, but one of endurance mixed with hope and frustration. He said that they all expressed much appreciation of what was being done.

As for Greg's attitude about the over-all experience: "Absolutely gratifying...A very meaningful experience," he said.

Greg also said that he would be happy to share his powerful experience through stories and pictures. To reach him for more information call Great River Counseling at (608) 326-0420.

PdC teacher's contract approved

Six years of problems fixed says union negotiator

The Prairie du Chien School District and the Prairie du Chien Education Association have finally gotten together and a contract for the teachers has been ratified. The ratification of the new contract at Monday night's School Board meeting resolves six years of dispute between the district and the teacher's union.

The teacher's union ratified the contract by a vote of 79-4 and the School Board unanimously approved the contract Monday night in the meeting room at City Hall.

"This contract fixes six years of problems and questions," said the union's lead negotiator Jeff Riter, who noted that the teachers have not had a contract since the 1999-2001 school years. The newly approved contract is for the 2003-2005 period. "We still do not have a working contract," said Riter, who explained that the contract for the period of 2005-2007 will still need to be negotiated.

Major changes in the newly ratified contract include a raise in the base salary for teachers from $26,165 to $29,350. In past years, the School Board had voted to impose the qualified economic offer, which involved a total-package increase of 3.8 percent for the teachers. District Administrator James O'Meara said that the new contract involves a new salary schedule rather than a percentage increase.

Under the new contract, the five emergency days plan has been eliminated and replaced with a flexible bereavement plan. O'Meara said that the flexible bereavement plan involves a "per occurrence" basis should an emergency, such as a death in the family arise.

The new contract also gives teachers two personal days, which do not count as sick days. The old contract allowed for one personal day and one day that counted as sick leave. In addition, the teacher taking the sick day had to pay the district for the cost of the substitute teacher.

Riter said that the new contract also provides an insurance change, whereby teachers can opt for a "point of service" plan.

With the approval of the new contract the teachers have agreed to drop their Act 11 lawsuit, which involved several grievances. All of the teachers who had had a "pay step" taken away will be given that step back by the district, said Riter. In addition, the district will reimburse each teacher who had lost a pay step. The total amount of reimbursement is approximately $85,000, Riter said.

In other business at the School Board meeting Monday night, the board approved a one-year pay raise of $500 for management. Management includes the head custodian, the food service manager, the administrative secretary and the bookkeeper.

Discussion of the 2005-2006 administrative salaries was tabled.

Plans for vacated first floor of courthouse being worked out

The move of several departments from the old Crawford County Courthouse Building into the new County Administrative Offices Building was completed about two months ago. The move has left the first floor of the Courthouse Building vacant and the question now is ‹ how will that space be utilized?

During a County Board meeting two months ago, Crawford County Circuit Court Judge Michael Kirchman expressed his displeasure with the board over the fact that the board had no finalized plan in writing as to what will be done at the Courthouse.

Kirchman said that he realizes that there is no money in the county budget right now that can be used for possible renovations at the Courthouse but he would like to see a final plan approved and a timetable set up before any county departments move in and set up shop on the first floor.

Kirchman and the county's Public Property Committee have been meeting for the past several months in an effort to create a plan. Kirchman said that the county's tentative plan "doesn't adequately address the courts needs and doesn't meet court approval." He noted that any plan has to meet the approval of District Chief Judge Michael Rosborough where court facilities are concerned.

County Attorney Mark Peterson said that the law requires that the courts have input and participation in creating a plan and that the plan has to be approved by the Chief Judge concerning court facilities. Peterson said that court facilities involves courtrooms, conference rooms, the clerk of courts office and all related personnel.

Kirchman said that the county's plan and the court's plan are not very far apart in their differences and that he will continue to work with the Public Property Committee to come to a resolution. Kirchman said that he is asking for a second courtroom and a conference room on the first floor of the Courthouse Building.

"I would like to see space allocation and a timetable approved up front before anyone starts occupying or remodeling," said Kirchman, who noted that the District Attorney's Office, the Juvenile Court workers and the Child Support Office would, quite naturally, like to move from the basement up to the first floor.

County Clerk Janet Geisler said that a priority of the county's tentative plan calls for the District Attorney's Office, Child Support and the Juvenile Court workers moved up to the first floor on a temporary basis for safety reasons. "The basement does not provide for the most secure setting," Geisler said. Geisler said that it is not known when the departments in the basement will be moved up to the first floor.

The tentative plan will remain in effect until the county has the proper funding and a final plan can then be approved, Geisler said. Depending upon the final plan that will eventually be approved by the full County Board, the departments occupying offices on the first floor may or may not be affected by relocation or renovation.

Some painting and other work has been done recently on the first floor of the courthouse building, including the removal of a portion of a wall between the former Treasurer's Office and the 911 Coordinator's Office. It is not yet certain what these rooms will be used for.

The first courthouse in Wisconsin was built in Prairie du Chien in March of 1835 on a lot donated by B.W. Brisbois. In 1867-68, a substantial limestone, three story building was constructed which housed the sheriff's residence and jail apartments in the lower level. The next floor was divided into offices and jury rooms, while the upper level constituted a spacious courtroom. This building still serves as the Crawford County Courthouse.

Area athletes test their skills by competing in Wisconsin Special Olympics

Some Prairie du Chien athletes made their mark last weekend as they competed in the 2005 Special Olympics Wisconsin Fall Sports Tournament.

Adam Heiring, Heidi Miller and Keith Richert all competed in the singles bowling event in Waukesha on December 3. Heiring took home a second place medal in his division, Miller received fourth place and Richert earned the sixth spot in his competition.

"They all had a great time doing it and definitely want to do it again next year," said the team's coach, Bob Niedziejko.

According to Niedziejko the team began with 23 members and began practicing on September 1, bowling twice a week at Timber Lanes in Prairie du Chien. Their first meet took place the first weekend in October in La Crosse. Prairie du Chien had 21 athletes compete there, with the top six qualifying for the next round of action in Madison.

Besides Heiring, Miller and Richert, Morris Corlett, Chuck Prucha and Michelle Cooper also advanced to the second round of the tournament.

During the first weekend in November, the six individuals traveled to Madison to face their competition. From there, the top three went to Waukesha to the Center Court Sports Complex, AMF Bowlero Lanes and AMF Waukesha Lanes to get the ultimate test of their abilities.

According to Niedziejko, the competitors are broken down into divisions according to their disabilities. They are then matched with individuals from other teams with the same disabilites, making for the most evenly matched contest.

Also competing at the state level from Crawford County was Ryan Haas of Bloomington. He also paricipated in the bowling singles division and took home the sixth place medal.

Special Olympics Wisconsin holds five state tournaments per year and provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for nearly 10,000 individuals with cognitive disabilities. To become a coach, helper, or to become involved in any way, contact Darci Knapp at Lori Knapp, Inc. for more details.