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January 27, 2010 |
By Ted Pennekamp
Members of a Prairie du Chien youth organization are showing concern for their peers by fighting against tobacco products and seeking to lower youth smoking rates.
"Smoking is definitely an issue for youth," said Prairie du Chien senior Kyle Picha, a representative of FACT (Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco).
Picha, who has been a member of FACT since the eight grade, said that there are a dozen members in Prairie du Chien and approximately 4,000 statewide.
Wisconsin businesses will go smoke free on July 5 per state law which was signed in May of 2009. In an effort to draw attention to this development, FACT is a co-sponsor of a statewide campaign called SevenFive10, which will end on July 5.
"Each year, we develop a new campaign," said Picha, who noted that a state organization called the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program will help fund the SevenFive10 multi-media campaign against big tobacco. Picha said that the campaign will include advertising on television, radio, newspapers, the internet and other media in an effort to expose the marketing manipulation by tobacco corporations targeting youth.
"The tobacco companies spend millions of dollars in pretty advertising to make their deadly product look good for you," said Picha. "I don’t want my friends to be manipulated."
Picha noted that some examples of tobacco products marketed toward youth include candy-flavored tobacco products such as flavored cigarillos and smokeless tobacco and the Camel No. 9 cigarettes, which have attractive pink packaging and are advertised in magazines popular with teenage girls.
FACT strives to expose, empower and understand, said Picha. "We expose their lies, empower youth to stand up against the industry through activism and understand that even though it is the smoker’s choice, the industry is culpable in part because of their marketing," Picha said.
Picha said that anyone who is 13-18 years old and a Wisconsin resident can become a member of FACT. FACT has adult advisors at the state level and at local levels but the youth make all of the decisions, said Picha.
In the past, the Prairie du Chien FACT has created messages with chalk on sidewalks near the schools and by arranging plastic cups in the fence during Homecoming Week. Depending upon its budget, other ideas such as a T-shirt campaign and local radio and newspaper spots may be forthcoming. "One of the greatest parts of working with a youth organization is that there is never a shortage of ideas," said Picha.
Picha said that he became a member of FACT following a retreat he attended while in eighth grade. He became a member of the organization’s Youth Board of Directors during his freshman year.
In addition to fighting for a good cause, youth involved in FACT gain teamwork and leadership skills as well as learning about advertising and marketing strategies, said Picha.
Anyone seeking more information about FACT, can log onto its website at fightwithfact.com, where interested youth will be offered the opportunity to join.
By: Jen Schultz
The 35th annual Eagle’s Telethon will be airing on the local cable Channel 6 on Saturday, January 30 from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
According to Tom Nelson, there’s plenty of great talent to watch, including:
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The Ding-a-lings, a musical group from the Womens Auxillary of Eagles. |
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The Prairie du Chien Wrestlers will be doing their 10th year of push-ups for pennies. |
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The Prairie du Chien Jazz Choir will close out the show. |
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Other activities on air will include the Sew-Wats quilt raffle, Memory Wall, caricature drawings by John Mundt, and more. |
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The list of auction items to be sold on air continues to increase by the hour. Some of the items include: |
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Five yards of concrete from Prairie du Chien Ready Mix. |
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One night stay, golf, and a cart for two people at the Deer Valley Lodge. |
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Family membership plus a gas cart to the Barnyard 9. |
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Half day rental of a pontoon boat from Boatels. |
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Two tickets for UW Marching Band Concert on April 13 from Warco Transportation. |
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Full day pontoon rental on a 13 passenger boat from the McGregor Beer and Bratz Garden & Marina. |
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Tickets for two on the Mississippi River from the Mississippi Explorer. |
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Two Adironack Chairs built by Bill McClary, one adult size and one child size. |
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An auction package from Blackhawk Junction that’s worth over $1,100 worth of retail merchandise. |
If you don’t have access to cable Channel 6, come to the Eagle’s Club for the pork roast dinner with all of the fixings.
The Eagle’s Club is located at 200 S. Beaumont Rd. For information call 326-6012.
The 60th Annual Ice Fisheree will be held February 6 and 7, with headquarters at Lakeview Restaurant & Bar. Fishing is open to bodies of water in the Prairie du Chien area, with concentration on Gremore Lake. The GRAND PRIZE for the tournament is a $250 gift card compliments of Cabela’s. Fishing prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Walleye/Sauger, Northern Pike; Large and Small Mouth Bass; Sunfish (to include Bluegill, Pumpkin Seed, Yellow Perch, and Rock Bass); and Crappie (to include Black Crappie and White Crappie).
Registration forms are available at prairieduchien.org, People’s State Bank, Stark’s Sports Shop, Cabela’s, Lakeview and the Chamber of Commerce.
Raffle tickets are available also at Stark’s, Lakeview Bar and the Chamber of Commerce and also from Jaycees and American Legion Baseball Team representatives. Advanced sales are very important to the success of this event.
The Grand Prize for this year’s raffle is a 40" Bravia S-Series HD Television, co-sponsored by Althof’s Television Center in Prairie du Chien, along with other raffle prizes which include: $200 Cash, Garmin GPS, $50 Wal-Mart Shopping Spree, Fishing Merchandise, Weekend Get-a-ways & More!
Don’t forget to bring the family along as we have special Kid’s Prizes for children 12 and under!
After the fisheree enjoy the sounds of "Uncle Sam’s Band" performing at 8 p.m. at Lakeview Bar and Restaurant.
To receive registration information or to purchase raffle tickets, contact the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce at 326-8555.
January 25, 2010 |
Program helps parents in prison
By Ted Pennekamp
Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution has a school and many programs aimed at helping inmates ready themselves to re-enter society. Perhaps one of the least known programs to the general public is the Family Support/Parenting Program.
The institution opened in 1997 and the Family Support/Parenting Program began in 1998 explained Parenting Program teacher Christine Ingham.
"We are trying to help these gentlemen to realize their responsibility to their children," said Ingham. "They don’t necessarily have to be in the home, but they need to some way be involved in their child’s life."
Ingham said that she currently teaches two parenting classes, which meet five days per week for approximately 12 weeks. There are a total of 32 inmates in the parenting program, 16 in each class. Each class meets for about 45-55 minutes per session.
Ingham said that the program is run in accordance with Department of Corrections guidelines and is a part of the overall Re-entry Program that was established in 2008 in order to hopefully make each inmate’s re-entry into society more successful through educational training, job skills training, parenting education and many other areas.
"Many of these inmates come from families with no male influence," said Ingham. "We want to build stronger relationships between child and dad."
Ingham’s course teaches the inmates about the numerous aspects of parenting. To help her in this task, there is a network of volunteers who go into the institution on a regular basis to help the inmates.
Crawford County Extension Family Living Agent Jane Schaaf is one of these volunteers. Schaaf talks to the inmates about proper childcare. "She is just outstanding in working with these men," said Ingham.
People from Options in Reproductive Care of La Crosse also talk to the inmates about such topics as birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and good communication within the family.
Randi Harris of Catholic Charities discusses domestic abuse issues with the inmates, many of whom grew up in abusive situations.
Deb Mason of the Prairie du Chien Family Resource Center talks about several topics including sudden infant death, shaken baby syndrome, and the free services that are available.
Miguel Morga of the Crawford County Child Support Agency teaches the inmates all about child support, and helps each individual with their specific child support issues. He also explains the need for child support and tries to dispel the notion that child support is something that the "woman" is doing in order to "get them" and make them miserable.
"He’s really a pleasure to work with and is a very informative man," said Ingham about Morga.
County Nurse Gloria Wall visits the men to teach them about the importance of immunizations and where they are available for free in each county. "She is very generous with her time," said Ingham.
Other topics include pre-natal care, how to parent from prison, how to stay involved in the child’s life, their role as a parent and their rights and responsibilities as a parent.
"Many of these men don’t know what it is to have a dad, let alone be a dad," said Ingham. "Parenting is a never-ending job."
Ingham said that she has received good comments from inmates within the institution who have taken her course. They’ve told her that they enjoyed the class and that their family situations have improved significantly in the form of increased visits, letters and phone calls.
"I think that when they show true sincerity in their efforts to be better dads, they get a better response," said Ingham.
Because no communication is allowed, there is no way for Ingham to get feedback about an inmate’s progress as a parent once he is released back into society. There is always hope, however, that her parenting program is making a difference.
"If we can make a difference in one person’s life and in one child’s life, then I guess that is the reward," she said.
Bypass construction to begin soon
By Jen Schultz
It might seem as if the Prairie du Chien U.S. Hwy. 18 relocation project, also called the Main Street Bypass Project, has been going on forever. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Project Design Leader, Jaime Boado, the process began in 2000.
Ten years later, citizens of Prairie du Chien and people traveling through will start to see the construction.
Presently, the DOT is in the process of purchasing real estate for the process. "We’re hoping to have bidding for the construction starting in April and construction to begin around June of this year. The project should be completed by August 2011," Boado stated.
This relocation project which currently uses existing South Main Street and La Pointe Street corridors, will start at the intersection of West Wisconsin Street and Main Street and end at the intersection of Marquette Road and La Pointe Street.
As part of the DOT’s Corridors 2020 route, the bypass will reduce the amount of truck traffic traveling through downtown Prairie du Chien, providing a much more direct route for U.S. Hwy. 18 through traffic, thus reducing or eliminating any delays associated with traveling through Prairie du Chien and provide a grade separation crossing of the railroad tracks and serve existing and planned development.
"Affected adjacent property owners will have access to their properties at all times," noted Boado.
"The city and DOT have been working together with area businesses so that the road construction will have minimal impact on the downtown during the tourism season," stated Terri Meyer, co-manager of Prairie du Chien’s public works.
Although the project length is only 2.1 miles, the cost of the overall project is budgeted at approximately $10 million, up from 2007’s proposed $8.4 million.
Due to budget cuts, the DOT will not be posting updates in reference to the bypass. The Courier Press will continue to cover this story.
Main Street manager resigns
The Board of Directors of Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization, Inc., has announced the resignation of Main Street Manager Rogeta Halvorson. Halvorson, a resident of McGregor, Iowa, has been with the organization since September, 2008. Details regarding recruitment for her successor are in the process of being formulated and will be announced at the organization’s Annual Meeting at Kaber’s Supper Club on February 9.
Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization, Inc. was organized in 2005 when the City became a designated Wisconsin Main Street Community. The organization, headquartered in the historic Knowlton House at 109 West Blackhawk Avenue, is affiliated with the State of Wisconsin Department of Commerce and the National Main Street Program and provides guidance for economic development, historic building façade restoration, signage and other programs that help preserve the historic character of rural and urban downtowns.
