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August 2, 2006 |
Heat wave takes toll on PdC businesses
The summer temperatures have soared to new highs this past week, scorching well into the 90s. Monday's high was a steamy 97 degrees, while Tuesday's was 96, with a heat advisory in effect until 7 p.m . All this following on the heels of a very hot weekend.
Several businesses in the Prairie du Chien area were hit hard by the heat and humidity, causing some of them to cut down on the work hours of their employees.
3M said that because of their Alliant Energy power agreement, they were required to shed power on Monday, which meant an afternoon off for some employees. Jeff Nack, the Plant Engineering and EHS Manager, said that a lot of the operations continued to run, but some were forced to slow down. Nack added that some of the employees who were scheduled to work the second shift starting at 2 p.m. were called and told not to come in to work. On Tuesday, employees continued to work as usual.
At Cabela's distributing center, 807 employees were sent home at 11:30 a.m on both Monday and Tuesday after the heat index reached 100 degrees.
The distribution center has several barn and exhaust fans, but no air conditioning.
"When it gets this hot out, we offer the employees additional breaks along with gatorade, popsicles and cold neck wraps," Cabela's General Manager Corey Anderson said. "When the heat index reaches 100 degrees, we shut down."
This was the first time this summer Cabela's was forced to shut down because of the heat; however, they have shut down in past years as well.
"We just want to say thank you to all our employees for working as hard as they do during these warm months," Anderson said.
Anderson added that the rest of the shifts at Cabela's were moved back to let the area cool down.
Results of the hot and humid weather were visible at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital as well. Emergency room supervisor Betsy Thorson said that there has been a definite increase this week in heat related illnesses.
"Patients have been coming in with dehydration and sickness to the stomach over the last few days," Emergency Room staff member Kathleen Novey said.
Relief may be in sight, as the heat is expected to break today (Wednesday), with thunderstorms likely and a high of just 80 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in La Crosse.
'Tales of the Last River Rat' up for two Emmys Awards
The wildlife documentary "Mississippi: Tales of the Last River Rat," filmed by local cinematographer Neil Rettig, continues to garner critical acclaim. The 50-minute film, which has aired in the United Kingdom and in North America, has now been nominated for Emmy awards in two categories.
Neil said that he found out about the nominations while he was in Alaska recently and he is quite naturally a bit excited.
"The Discovery Channel is going to fly us out to New York for the awards," said Neil, who has won four Emmys and numerous other awards throughout his career. Neil said that the film's producer, Andrew Graham-Brown of Bristol, England, may also be on hand for The News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City on Sept. 25.
"Tales of the Last River Rat" chronicles the uncomplicated and easygoing lifestyle of Kenny Salwey who has lived for most of his life in Whittman Swamp in the Mississippi River near Alma, Wis. Much of the filming was done in the Prairie du Chien area and shows familiar critters and birds such as bald eagles, muskrats, beaver, snapping turtles, sturgeon and king fishers in exquisite slow motion and surface level or below close-ups.
The film has been nominated for best cinematography and for best sound, which includes music and all of the other sound in the film.
In addition to the two Emmys, "Tales of the Last River Rat" has also been named one of three finalists for the best wildlife documentary at Wildscreen in Bristol, England in mid-October. Wildscreen is the largest international wildlife film festival in the world.
"Andrew thinks that we have a great chance of winning at Wildscreen," said Neil, who said he is also very hopeful of grabbing two more Emmys.
Since its premiere on the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom in November of 2004, "Tales of the Last River Rat" has garnered rave reviews and has won several awards including the prestigious Grierson Award for the best documentary on science or the natural world, the Royal Television Society award for best cinematography in a documentary, best cinematography at the Jackson Hole Wildlife International Film Festival, and best cinematography at the International Wildlife Film Festival in Missoula, Montana.
While he is quite pleased with the success of "Tales of the Last River Rat," Neil is now engrossed in his latest project, involving birds of prey, which was filmed mostly around the Prairie du Chien area.
"It's really exciting," said Neil about the film which is wrapping up production this week. "It's looking really good." The film is being done for National Geographic and the Public Broadcasting System.
Neil noted that the film has a working title of "Raptor Force" and involves high-definition and unique point-of-view shots showing the flight dynamics of eagles, falcons and other raptors. Flight dynamics of birds of prey are being used by scientists in the development of articulating (morphing) wings and other fighter jet technology.
"This is the most action-packed film that I've ever worked on," said Neil. "It keeps you riveted to the seat."
The film is very fast-paced and much of its visual excitement is derived from a three-ounce camera mounted on the back of eagles and peregrine falcons, giving an astonishing eagles' eye view that humans would otherwise never experience.
"It is very much unlike the ïRiver Rat' film," said Neil. "It couldn't get more opposite."
Fans who enjoyed the award-winning, lingering, languid shots of "The Last River Rat" now can look forward to the edgy feel and rapid fire fury of "Raptor Force."
Little Britches Rodeo moves to Children's Ranch
Area cowboys and cowgirls will get the chance to strut their stuff this weekend as the 18th annual Little Britches Rodeo takes place.
While it will still be filled with all the same events, the rodeo's location will be moved from Wauzeka to the Prairie Hills Trail Rides, The Home of the Children's Ranch, at 61011 Sebastian Lane, Prairie du Chien.
The rodeo will feature cowboys and cowgirls ages 6-18 from all over the state, including several from the Children's Ranch.
Rodeo events taking place include saddle bronc riding, polebending, tie down roping, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping, break away roping, barrels, goat tying and bareback riding.
Winners will be awarded buckles.
"The rodeo is just good family fun," Chris Roelofsen, of Prairie Hills Trail Rides, said.
The rodeo will be a two-day event beginning at 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday (rain or shine) with a $5 admission fee. A lunch stand will be provided by the Prairie du Chien Wrestling Club. Entertainment will follow Saturday's performance.
The Children's Ranch is a summer program that matches children up with a horse. The ranch offers riding lessons and pony rides. The ranch also teaches horsemanship.
"We show the kids how to practice safe horsemanship," Roelofsen said. "We teach them everything from feeding to riding to saddling the horses. It is a wonderful program."
City Council votes to charge for fire dept.calls
The Common Council of the City of Prairie du Chien considered a full slate of agenda items, including a few that generated some questions and discussion.
Early in the meeting, the council voted on an ordinance which fire chief Mark Hoppenjan helped to draft which establishes a fee that will be charged to homeowners in the event of a fire call. The new ordinance calls for a charge, not to exceed $500.
Steve Hendrix approached the podium and asked, "Is it correct to say that there is a $500 charge for a house fire in town?" Hoppenjan replied, "Yes." Hoppenjan said that more and more cities in the state were moving to some kind of a fee system as a way of covering costs and creating a revenue stream. Mayor Cheryl Mader noted that the fees are covered by homeowners insurance in most cases. Some council members expressed concern that the fees might discourage people from reporting a fire, but Hoppenjan said that there was no evidence for this. Hoppenjan also indicated that he was working on a similar ordinance for business and commercial fires.
The council took up two resolutions that will provide for the relocation and redevelopment of the Dr. Thompson building on Marquette Rd. The building, which was sold to Blair Dillman, is currently jacked up onto a dolly to be moved one block north on Marquette Rd. Dillman plans to redevelop the structure for retail. The resolutions that council considered will provide for the vacation of a part of Park St. between Marquette Rd. and the railroad tracks to facilitate the redevelopment. The city will retain some access rights, for things such as utility work. The resolution passed last night must undergo a thorough public review process and will be subject to a public hearing to be held Sept. 19.
Steve Hendrix, representing the Harbor Commission, addressed the council on several issues, including repairs to the Marina boat landing, funds to repair the stone wall along the levee at Lawler Park, and to seek approval for the creation of a 20-year harbor improvement plan. The council had a number of questions for Hendrix on all of these issues.
Hendrix sought authority to spend $6,000 to $10,000 on temporary repairs to the stone wall at Lawler Park. He noted that very low water conditions provided an opportunity to shore up the mortar on the lower sections of the wall, and that the wall had about 40 or 50 good-sized holes in it. Councilwoman Kathleen Hein questioned the wisdom of spending such a large amount on a temporary repair. Mayor Mader explained that the wall, which is historic, will need significant repairs in the near future, at a cost of perhaps $500,000, which the city will need time to find funding and grants for. The council passed a motion to pay for the repairs.
Next Hendrix asked for authorization to spend about $25,000 for repairs to the Marina boat landing. Hendrix explained that the low water conditions again posed an opportunity to solve a problem. The concrete ramp at the landing is exposed, and a hole at the foot of the ramp created by the action of power loading Ð using the power of the boat motor to move the boat onto a trailer Ð should be repaired. Hendrix explained that the money would be used to install an extension onto the concrete ramp to create better low water loading facilities and to eliminate the hole at the foot of the ramp created by power loading.
Hendrix indicated that funds were available for both of these projects from the fees collected at boat ramps. Additionally, he said that the Commission planned to apply for a $5,000 grant to assist with the costs for the boat landing. "That's why we have the fees, to fix things," noted Councilman Collins. The council passed the measure.
The council also approved the Harbor Commission's initiative to write a 20-year harbor improvement plan. Hendrix said that the Commission would be seeking lots of public input on the plan, and that it would provide a plan for dealing with expenses such as the ones currently before the council, instead of handling them on a case-by-case emergency basis.
Near the close of the meeting the council went into closed session. According to city administrator Gordon Gallegher, the closed session was for the consideration of a potential land acquisition by the city. No details have been made public yet, but they may be released within the next two weeks.
July 31, 2006 |
New Chamber director on the job
Last Monday Bob Moses, the new executive director of the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce, started his job. On Tuesday, he was seated at the head table with elected officials and community leaders for the Governor's "Capital for the Day' breakfast reception. "It was an exciting and a little overwhelming way to start the job." It was a little chaotic in the office, but Sharon made everything at the event go smoothly. It was a great success," Bob said.
During the rest of the week, Moses was training with outgoing Chamber Director Sharon Dearborn, who organized the Governor's breakfast. Moses was planning a vacation, but decided that he didn't want to miss the opportunity to spend some time in the office with Dearborn to learn as much as he can from her.
Moses, 44, left his position as chamber director for McGregor-Marquette after four and a half years to come to Prairie du Chien. This means that his new job has both continuity and change. "I have a lot of connections, some businesses are members of both Chamber organizations," Bob explained. According to Moses, about 16 percent of the Prairie Chamber members are in Iowa. But with a membership of 450, the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber is much larger, and there are a lot of area businesses and business owners Bob admits he needs to familiarize himself with. "I'm going to make a large effort to meet the membership. I plan to visit several businesses every week," Bob said. He knows it will take a little time to settle into his new position. "I don't plan any big changes in the near future, I just want to get to know the community better," he said.
Moses says he is excited about the opportunities his new position offers. "There are so many things happening in Prairie. I'm looking forward to a larger Chamber and the scope of my duties," he noted. Moses is also very interested in carrying on with Leadership Crawford, a leadership skills training and development program that Sharon Dearborn initiated. "I'm excited about the Leadership Crawford program, and getting to know it better. It's very important to the community," Bob said. "The Chamber wants to work collaboratively with the community for growth," he noted.
A hectic first week on the job was made easier, Bob said, by many congratulatory phone calls and e-mail messages. "Everyone has been so supportive," he added. No one has yet been hired to fill his former position in McGregor, Bob said, but he feels that the two chamber organizations can work together in the future.
With members to meet and the regular slate of Chamber-sponsored events to plan and organize, Bob knows his plate will be pretty full in the months to come. "I will try to live up to everyone's expectations," he said.
PdC prison guard under investigation for allegedly stalking via the Internet
A prison guard at the Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution is being investigated for allegedly using the Internet to talk about sex and show photos of his genitals to people whom he thought were 13 and 14-year-old girls, according to a search warrant filed July 25 in Dane County Circuit Court.
The "girls" were actually adult men who are members of a group called Angels in the Web, which targets Internet predators and passes the information to law enforcement agencies. Angels in the Web members have said that they are dedicated to protecting children who use the Internet.
No formal charges have been filed and no arrests have been made, but guard Bruce Fisher, 35, of Mount Sterling, was placed on paid administrative leave on July 6 while the state Department of Corrections conducts an investigation. Fisher is a sergeant at the Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution and has been a prison guard since 1996.
The state Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) along with the Crawford County Sheriff's Department is conducting the criminal investigation.
Fisher, who is also a volunteer emergency medical technician for the Prairie du Chien Rescue Squad, has been suspended from the squad pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
The warrant was requested by the DCI and signed by Dane County Circuit Judge John Albert on July 14. The warrant seeks information stored on servers belonging to the Internet service Yahoo, including chat logs, friends lists, dates and times a particular user name was logged in and out, the contents of stored e-mails and other information, which would be used to identify the person associated with a user name for a particular account.
The warrant was executed on July 24 at Yahoo's headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif.
According to the warrant, Paul Stensrud of Clarksville, Ind., the president of Angels in the Web, told authorities that he posed as a 13-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversation with a man he later identified as Fisher on May 22, May 25 and on June 8.
According to the warrant and a report by the Crawford County Sheriff's Department, another man who is a member of Angels in the Web posed as a 14-year-old girl and "talked" to Fisher in a Web chat room on June 8.
The warrant and the Sheriff's Department report state that Fisher also used a Web cam to display his face and his genitals. According to a chat log, Fisher, at one point, asked whether the purported 13-year-old girl was a police officer.
The criminal investigation began on May 29 when the Sheriff's Department received a phone call from a member of Angels in the Web. After receiving the information, members of the Sheriff's Department went to the District Attorney's Office and were told to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the DCI, who have law enforcement officers and task forces trained in the investigation of these types of crimes, something the Sheriff's Department doesn't have.
On May 30, the DCI was contacted and the information that was received from Angels in the Web was turned over to them by the Sheriff's Department.
DCI said that chats that Angels in the Web had saved could not be used and law enforcement would have to attempt to engage in chats with Fisher. DCI then began to investigate Fisher and worked jointly with the Sheriff's Department.
On July 5, the man from Angels in the Web felt that the DCI and the Sheriff's Department weren't doing enough on the investigation, according to a Sheriff's Department report. The man from Angels in the Web then contacted Fisher as well as numerous people in the community and the Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution and instructed them to log onto the website where they could view chats between Fisher and the "underage girls."
Because Fisher, his employers and numerous people in the community were contacted by the member of Angels in the Web, the criminal investigation by the DCI and the Sheriff's Department was then compromised, said a Sheriff's Department report.
On July 6, Captain Dale McCullick then talked to Fisher, who voluntarily surrendered his home computer for the investigation. The computer was then turned over to the DCI for analysis. The DCI has said that they will have no comment on the investigation until it is completed.
Tang Soo Do expert has ties to PdC
Pat and Bob Schlake's grandson isn't somebody you want to mess with. Ben Kahler, an eight year old living in Evart, Mich., is the youngest person in over 20 years to earn a black belt in Tang Soo Do, a form of martial arts.
While Ben has never lived in the area, Ben's parents, Steven and Julie (Marduass), are originally from Prairie du Chien, and met each other during their college careers in La Crosse. The two ended up moving to Evart, where they settled down and eventually had Ben. Steven's mother Pat, and stepfather Bob, continue to live in Prairie du Chien, and couldn't be more proud of their grandson.
Although he is only eight-years old, Ben's life has already proved to be nothing short of amazing.
Born three months premature, Ben spent his first few months of life in the intensive care unit of the hospital and was found to be allergic to both milk and formula.
Ben fought his way past the many obstacles his life had given him early on, and went on to become a successful student, both in academics and martial arts.
"He is already learning algebra," his grandmother said. "He's a very smart little boy."
Ben began participating in karate classes when he was four-and-a-half years old, learning the arts of Tae Kwan Do and eventually Tang Soo Do.
"The past couple years he has really picked up Tang Soo Do," Julie said. "He worked his way up to a black belt, practicing everyday for at least an hour."
When attempting for his black belt, Ben had to do his forms and marching drills. He also had to spar with another student and break two boards, using his elbow and his foot. He also had to complete a written test (Pioneer News Network).
Ben said that although it takes up a great deal of time, he never gets tired of practicing.
"I wanted something fun to do and this is really fun," Ben said.
Ben's mother said that she is proud of his accomplishments and that he has learned about confidence and discipline by being involved with Tang Soo Do.
From the looks of it, Ben will continue to stay involved with Tang Soo Do for quite some time.
"I want to earn my second degree and become a Grandmaster someday," Ben said.
Ben and his family have not been back to Prairie du Chien for almost five years. They have been busy building a new house. The families keep in touch by talking on the phone once a week.
"We usually get to see them about once a year," Pat said. "Ben always has something new to show us that he has learned."
Sounds like his grandparents will have a lot of catching up to do next time they see Ben.
