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June 14, 2006 |
Skateboard park to be set up at Bluff View
Skateboard enthusiasts will be encouraged to know that there will be a skateboard park in the city this summer.
At its regular meeting Monday night, the Prairie du Chien School Board unanimously approved of setting up a skateboard park for the summer in the bus parking lot at Bluff View.
Eight skateboarders and three adults were on hand as State Trooper Lori Floyd of the Children's Advisory Council gave a presentation to the board asking for the skateboard park.
"This will give the kids something to do. It will help keep them on the straight and narrow," said Floyd, who noted that the Prairie du Chien City Council two weeks ago gave their approval of a permanent city skateboard park to be set up in the future.
Floyd said that the skateboard park had been set up for the past few summers in the parking lot of the Four Square Cornerstone Church, but since Pastor Brad Keller left, that is no longer possible. Since then, the skateboard equipment, which is relatively new and in good condition, has been stored at La Riviere Park.
Various board members brought up liability issues but Superintendent Jim O'Meara and Floyd said that studies have shown that skateboarding is no more dangerous than other sports such as football or basketball and that the park will raise the district's insurance by only $500 for the summer. Floyd told the board that the Children's Advisory Council would pay for the $500 insurance increase.
Signs will also be put up explaining that skateboard park users will do so at their own risk. The signs will also advise skateboarders to wear helmets and the proper padding. Floyd also noted that the Prairie du Chien Police Department will conduct a regular patrol of the area.
The park will be open to skateboarders and roller-bladers only. No bicycles will be allowed on the equipment.
"I just want to commend these young folks and their parents for sticking with this," said Brenda Yager, a member of the Children's Advisory Council. "This is what they need and deserve."
The ECHOES school building has been vacated and all of the school equipment has been moved to BA Kennedy Elementary School and Bluff View Intermediate School in Prairie du Chien.
The School Board unanimously approved of a delay until Aug. 1 of transferring ownership of the building back to the village of Eastman. The delay was approved because there is a chance that the building will be used as a place to display artists' works. Superintendent O'Meara said that Dale Klemme of Community Development is currently working on a grant for the proposed artists' project.
The board accepted the resignation of Joe Zydowsky as assistant high school principal, athletic director and community program coordinator, effective July 18. Zydowsky has taken a position with the Cassville School District.
The board denied requests from the Seneca and Wauzeka school districts to allow those districts to send buses into the Prairie du Chien School District in order to pick up open enrolled students.
"There would be a liquidation of students from Eastman," said board member Lonnie Achenbach if the bussing were allowed. The Prairie du Chien District would lose approximately $8,000 in state aid per student for each student that open enrolled into another district.
The board discussed a number of facility projects, most notably the roofing project. The roof at the high school will be replaced by a fully-adhered, rubber roof system that has a 30-year life expectancy. The district is preparing to open bidding on the project and the board took no action at Monday night's meeting. A special meeting on the issue will likely be set up in the near future.
In further business, the board:
´Accepted the resignation of Guy Kopp from all coaching positions and from the high school technology education position.
´Hired Mitch Tollefson as the high school technology education teacher.
´Approved a reduction in the number of teacher assistants by five.
´Accepted the resignation of Lisa Lewke as safety patrol advisor.
Prairie Villa Rendezvous offers history, education
Yes, it's that time of year once again. The teepees and tents are going up on St. Feriole Island and the smell of fry bread and walking tacos will soon fill the air. The 31st annual Prairie Villa Rendezvous is officially here. The opening invocation will take place tonight (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. The camp will then open to the public at 9 a.m.
"The Rendezvous is an event you can take the whole family to," Kris Mullikin, historian of the Big River Long Rifles club, said.
The Rendezvous, which is sponsored by the Big River Long Rifle club and by the Prairie du Chien Jaycees, offers activities for all ages and has proven to be an educational experience for all those who attend.
"You can always learn something new," Norma Smith, secretary of the Big River Long Rifle club, said. "Kids can learn a lot and take part in some of the hands-on activities that are going on."
Some of the events that will be taking place this weekend on historic St. Feriole Island include blacksmithing, pottery, weaving and flint knapping demonstrations, women and children's knife and hawk contests, primitive cooking contest, black powder competition, and primitive bow shoot.
The Rendezvous, which draws over 400 campers each year, is free to the public.
The large crowd returns year after year, as well.
"People like the atmosphere," Mullikin said. "The location is a part of history ƒpeople have been coming for years and it's a joy for them to be able to bring their kids, too."
This year's list of events also include the dedication of the fire ring and sculpture at the Sculpture Park, the Pies-A-Plenty pie auction, Fire and Brimstone church service and the Jaycees buffalo burger stand.
The Rendezvous will take be open to the public Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"This is one of the few events left that do not require an admission fee," Mullikin said. "That is quite rare nowadays."
Gingerich plans condo development in McGregor
There can be no doubt that Dan Gingerich is moving forward. The owner of the Holiday Shores Motel has endured several years of struggle, with the failed development of a timber frame banquet center, flood damage in 2001, and bankruptcy. But Gingerich knows that no one is making anymore riverfront property in McGregor, and the land occupied by his family's aging motel is valuable. Last winter Gingerich formed a partnership with developer Marc Rhodes, of Waukesha, Wis., to redevelop Holiday Shores into a six-story, 40-unit condo-tel.
The condo-tel is an emerging type of recreational property that offers both motel-hotel rooms for rent and a number of larger condo units for purchase as private residences. Purchasers of units also have the option to rent their units out through the condo-tel management when they are not using them. The concept is popular in established resort areas such as the Wisconsin Dells. Condo-tel units are typically larger and include kitchens. Two bedroom loft condo units on the top floor will be 1,400 square feet. All units will have decks overlooking the river, and there will be amenities such as an indoor swimming pool and a conference meeting room. Parking will be located at ground level, under an elevated first floor. "This is a motel on steroids," explained Gingerich.
As proposed, the $8 million development has the potential to increase the tax base for the city of McGregor by one-third of its current value, Gingerich says. Units will sell for between $200,000 to $400,000.
Gingerich knows that while the development can offer significant benefits to the city, it also has the potential to be controversial, since it is a new kind of development for McGregor. Many people are not familiar with the condo-tel concept, or the idea of a high-rise building in small-town McGregor. Gingerich points out that rooms will still be available for overnight guests, a concern for a town living off a tourist economy, and that the development will help bring and keep people in the town throughout the year. As far as the high rise is concerned, Gingerich admits that it will be a change for the town, but he plans to keep the building architecturally compatible with the historic character of the town. "Our project has to fit McGregor," Gingerich notes.
He also says that even though the building will be six stories, it will not really block the view of the river from downtown any more than the existing buildings of the motel do, as the structure will occupy a similar footprint. He points out that train traffic and other downtown buildings already block the view of the river now.
The proposed development is currently in the permitting and approval stage. The McGregor Planning and Zoning Committee have given a preliminary nod to the condo-tel, and Gingerich plans to bring his proposal before the McGregor City Council at their next meeting, on June 21. Other permits from the DNR and the Corps of Engineers would have to be secured. Construction would not begin until 50 percent of the units are sold, which could take six months to a year and a half, Gingerich says.
June 16, 2006 |
A pair of unique Mississippi River tours embarked from Prairie du Chien Saturday morning. About 70 people, many of whom were birders, enjoyed the sight-seeing and educational backwater tours, which highlighted the birds of this region as well as wetland restoration projects.
The two tours were conducted jointly by the Wisconsin Wetlands Association and the Audubon Mississippi River Campaign. A birding focus tour departed from Lawler Park aboard the Mississippi Explorer piloted by Captain Jack Libby at 8 a.m and returned at 10 a.m. A wetlands and birding tour departed at 10:30 a.m. and returned at about 12:30 p.m.
Jon Stravers, an area river naturalist and birding guide known as "The Hawkman," gave a presentation as a member of the Audubon Campaign and Jeff Janvrin, a Mississippi River specialist with the Wisconsin DNR, talked about island restoration projects that have been conducted in the Prairie du Chien area and in other parts of the Upper Mississippi River National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
"The Upper Mississippi River Refuge was created in 1924 and is significant for our region, significant for our continent and significant globally," said Stravers, who noted that the 261-mile refuge is part of one of the world's great migratory flyways.
"This is it for birds," said Stravers, in explaining that many species have made remarkable recoveries and increases in population from only a few decades prior. Stravers pointed out that there was only a single bald eagle nest in this region in the 1970s but now eagles are thriving, as well as pelicans and a variety of other species. Stravers cited the Clean Water Act and the banning of DDT as important factors.
"This area is rich in history, human history as well as geological history," said Jeff Janvrin, who noted that there are more than 150 species of fish in the Mississippi River Refuge, which he referred to as "America's longest wetlands."
Janvrin told audience members that the islands in this region, known as the Driftless Area, are remnants from long ago and are thousands of years old. In fact, Janvrin noted that an arrowhead found on one of the islands in the Prairie du Chien area is more than 9,000 years old.
Janvrin and Stravers said that the islands and floodplain forests provide great habitat for a variety of birds, fish and wildlife. Some of the birds seen or heard on the tour included bald eagles, Baltimore orioles, waterfowl, finches, prothonotary warblers, redwing blackbirds and others.
Stravers also noted that this year has been an outstanding year for red-shouldered hawks in the region with 13 out of 14 nests being successful this spring. "This is a big pocket for redshoulders," said Stravers, who has tracked red-shouldered hawks for many years. "This is by far my best year ever."
One highlight of the trip was when the boat pulled up under an eagle nest that has been active for several years in Ambrough Slough. The nest contained a pair of eaglets that were estimated to be 50 days old and who are getting ready to leave the nest.
In addition to bird populations, Janvrin pointed out that restoration projects in the area have been quite successful as well in improving water quality, vegetation and fish populations.
Janvrin said that the restoration of Tilmont Peninsula has altered water flow and helped stop erosion and the installation of a stop-gap culvert has increased oxygenation in Gremore Lake, which in turn has led to an increase in bluegill and largemouth bass populations in the lake.
Prior to the culvert, oxygen levels in Gremore Lake were too low to support a bluegill and largemouth populations over the winter months, said Janvrin.
Islands are restored by the use of rip-rap, dredging and the planting of willow trees. Janvrin said that islands can be built by laying down a sand base and then putting fine material such as silts and clays on top.
Janvrin said that there are currently 40 such restoration projects underway in the Upper Mississippi Refuge on a budget of approximately $9 million per year in order to improve fish, wildlife and waterfowl habitat.
Along with success stories, there are also some problems, said Stravers and Janvrin. Stravers noted that silver maples have become the dominant tree species on the islands. "We're in a bit of a danger of a monotypic forest," Stravers said.
Janvrin cited zebra mussels and Asian and head-butting carp. He said that because of their huge numbers zebra mussel respiration is the number one cause of depressed oxygen levels in some areas. He also noted that Asian and Bighead (also known as head-butting) carp have been found in the area of Lock and Dam 19 and are on their way up river. "They're on their way and it's just a matter of time," he said.
The Upper Mississippi River Refuge continues to be a vital area for fish and wildlife habitat as well as a variety of human uses and the people aboard each two-hour tour seemed to enjoy the scenery as well as the informative aspects.
Following the pair of tours, the organizers enthusiastically discussed having similar tours in the future.
North Crawford graduate headed back to New Orleans
Brian Shipley has done his share of traveling. The 17-year old was born in Mobile, Ala., and then moved to New Orleans, La., where he spent the last 11 years. That is, until last August, when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit.
Brian has spent the last 10 months living with his grandparents, Leo and Lorraine Hansen, of Seneca, while attending and graduating from North Crawford High School.
Brian and his family had been living in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, known as Algiers. When word of the hurricanes spread throughout the city last August, Brian, along with his mother, father and little sister, immediately evacuated their home to travel to Jackson, Miss., where Brian's older sister attends college. After the family found out how much damage had been done by the hurricane, they decided they would have to move yet again, at least until they found out how bad their home and neighborhood had been hit.
The family decided to travel northward to Wisconsin, where Brian's two sets of grandparents live. Brian's parents, Benton and Deana, were originally from Wisconsin, but moved south because of Benton's job in the oil industry. Brian's other set of grandparents, Ronald and Mary Lou Shipley, live in Prairie du Chien.
After arriving at the Hansen's, the family continued to wonder about their old home and neighborhood, and even schools.
His family depended on satellite pictures to see whether or not their house had been damaged during the hurricane.
"We found out that our home and the school where my younger sister goes and my mother teaches at was unharmed by the storm, so they, along with my father, moved back to New Orleans. My high school, however, was left heavily damaged after the hurricane."
Brian then took on the challenge of starting his senior year of high school in a new state and a new school.
"We got to Wisconsin the Monday after Labor Day weekend, so I started going to school at North Crawford then," Brian said. "Everyone was really welcoming; they treated me pretty well."
While at North Crawford, Brian was involved with the National Honor Society and the Tech Crew. He graduated this spring with 62 other classmates.
Brian had been attending Holy Cross, a private Catholic high school whose graduating class would have had 65 students. He said that the school sustained eight feet of flooding and was so badly ruined that it will have to be rebuilt in a new location.
Brian got the chance to see firsthand how bad the destruction of the hurricane was when he went back to New Orleans for New Year's.
"It was devastating to seeƒthere was looting going on and on all of the houses you could see the water marks from how high it had gotten (it reached the doors) and a lot of places still didn't have power," Brian said.
Hurricane Katrina was reported as a category five hurricane that flooded 80 percent of New Orleans. According to the American Red Cross, 200,000 housing units were destroyed in that city alone. Brian will soon get to see if things have gotten any better, as he will be flying back home to New Orleans Tuesday, for good.
As for his future plans, Brian said he will be attending the University of Louisiana-Lafeyette, majoring in electrical engineering.
Soggy conditions didn't dampen spirits for Country Hoedown, Showdown
Despite cold and rainy conditions, the Colgate Country Showdown was a hit Saturday night. The event, which was sponsored by Colgate and WQPC/WPRE as a part of Prairie du Chiens Downtown Revitalization, Inc., drew a crowd with an estimate of 500-700 people, according to Craig Moser, PDRI program manager.
Dan Moris, assistant program director for WQPC/WPRE, said the event was a huge success and that the block was filled with people.
Moris said the promotions committee debated on whether or not to move the competition inside, because they thought the rain would stop according to the radar.
"We had a light rain throughout parts of the show, but it was never threatening," Moris said.
The showdown, which featured eight finalists, was won by North Carolina native, Suzanne Shaw. Shaw sang Sugarland"s hit, "Something More." It was a close finish, as only one point separated first and second place. Taking second place was Prairie Du Chien"s own Chellanie Adams, who recently moved to Nashville to pursue her singing career. Shane Hazen, also from Prairie du Chien, finished third.
Shaw received a prize package from WQPC/WPRE and will advance to the state competition, which will be held in West Allis August 3 at the Wisconsin State Fair. Shaw will compete against six other qualifiers and if she should win, she would claim a $1,000 grand prize and continue with the competition by moving on to regionals, which is held in South Dakota.
Earlier in the day, the Downtown Hoedown took place, with many events for children and families.
"Our Promotions Committee did a great job putting this event together, and they had a lot of fun along the way. It would have been fantastic if the weather would have cooperated, but even with the cold and rain I think a good time was had by all," Moser said.
