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March 5, 2008

Pending review could hold up downtown project

At the meetings of the Prairie du Chien Common Council and Committee of the Whole last evening, the news was mixed. The Committee of the Whole discussed the possibility of a delay in the downtown improvement project, but in approving the purchase of property at the corner of Blackhawk and Main, Prairie du Chien Common Council took one more step toward eventual development of the property for a proposed convention center and hotel complex.

If an archeological and historical study is not approved soon by the Department of Transportation and State Historical Society, it may not be possible to complete the planned refurbishing of downtown Blackhawk Avenue this year. At a Committee of the Whole meeting last night, Kurt Muchow of Vierbicher and Associates, consulting firm for the project, said bids cannot be awarded until the review is completed.

The study, prepared by a firm in La Crosse, should have been ready for submission by Jan. 1, but it was not completed until mid-February.

The goal, said Muchow, was to have contracts awarded in April, but because of the delay, he wasn’t sure that could happen. The Department of Transportation, he said, had suggested splitting the sewer and water project and the streetscape into two different projects, since the study is required only for the streetscape, but that could create problems coordinating the work of two different contractors. It is disappointing, he said, because they city is losing out on prime bidding time and delaying the construction start.

Muchow said the original plan was to have the work completed by the end of September or the first part of October. Council member Kathleen Hein said she did not think the business people would want downtown torn up over the winter. Council member Frank Pintz suggested postponing the project until early next spring. Muchow said the funding for the project, including grants and low interest loans, could all be continued into the next year if necessary.

There is still hope that everything can go as planned, however. City Administrator Jim Gitz said "we have a lot of work to do to see how we can get the project off the ground this year."

City Planner Garth Frable said he feels there is a good chance an arrangement can be worked out so that the review process is speeded up or the city is given permission to seek bids now. The review, he said, would be completed by the time work is ready to begin. The worst case, he said, would be that the project would be delayed a year, but because of all the work that has been done in preparation, it would be best to complete it this year.

At the preceding council meeting, council approved the purchase of the old Stratton property at the southwest corner of Blackhawk and Main as a step toward potential development as a convention center and hotel complex.

Frable said the cost is $250,000, $205,000 of which would be reimbursed from a grant. The developer and the Redevelopment Authority would be responsible for the remainder of the cost. The purchase includes the buildings that were formerly part of Joe’s Service Station, but does not include the house to the south or Willie and Nelly’s. The other properties, said Frable, would undoubtedly be involved in the redevelopment.

Frable also reported on the Block 43 LLC development agreement. In February, 2007, Frable said, the council approved a final agreement to develop the property north of Walgreens, but no agreement was executed. He said he would bring the agreement and a development schedule to the next meeting.

In other business Council:

•Approved a request from Gundersen Lutheran Clinic to close Dousman Street between Taylor and Crawford Streets on May 14 between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m. for a Community Wellness program. There will be a bike safety and family health fair at that location. The medical helicopter from La Crosse will also land in that area and there will be displays from the fire department, EMS and other groups.

•Received the application for establishment of Lucky Park, located beside Rowdy’s Bar and across the street from the redevelopment property, and referred it to committee for further study.

•Approved renewal of a contingency agreement for removal of bio-solids from the wastewater department. The contract is a backup plan in case the wastewater department is unable to do the hauling.

•Approved the appointment of Joe Ruskey, Jaaren Riebe and Terry Meyer to a joint committee to guide work on city storm water project

Trees will lend shade, beauty to downtown streetscape

This is the last of a series on the planned streetscape and sewer and water improvements to be made along Blackhawk Avenue between Main Street and the railroad tracks. Although city officials still hope that the work will be completed by the end of the 2008 construction season, an unforeseen delay may interfere. Refer to today’s council story.

The last stretch of the streetscape to be completed will be from Wacouta east almost to the railroad tracks. It will stop somewhere between Halpin’s and Great Country Motors about 100 feet short of the railroad tracks. Once the Department of Transportation has completed improvements on Marquette Road, slated for 2012, the remaining streetscape will be completed. If it were done now, said Vierbicher consultant Bill Nelson, much of it would be torn up when Marquette Road receives its facelift.

Once this stretch is done, hopefully by the end of the construction season this fall, the view on Blackhawk from the tracks west to the river should be a pleasant one indeed. New trees, streetlights, benches, and other amenities will be set off by a ribbon of colored concrete which runs through crosswalks and the edges of the widened sidewalks all the way to Main Street. The blooming flower baskets hanging from the street light standards may have to wait for the following summer, but just about everything else should be in place.

Four different types trees will be planted along these blocks: Ginko Autumn Gold, Skyline Honey Locust, hybrid elm and linden. All are expected to reach 25 to 30 feet in height in their urban location, and have been selected because they are, according to Vierbicher consultant Patrick Cleary, "fairly indestructible." Ginko Autumn Gold has a unique leaf pattern and possesses characteristics of both deciduous trees and conifers. It is resistant to salt and has a yellow fall color.

Skyline Honey Locust, the fastest-growing of the four, has open branching and small leaves, which should help reduce leaf cleanup. The linden, also a fairly fast-growing tree, has a yellow fall color. The hybrid elm, resistant to Dutch Elm Disease, has a pleasing shape, said Cleary, and does better in a shaded environment.

The trees will offer shade for shoppers and bench sitters. The branches should be high enough so they won’t affect truck traffic, yet low enough to provide good shade.

It is anticipated that the trees will be two to three inches in base diameter when planted, and around eight feet high. Rounded grates, slightly larger than the present tree grates, will be placed around each tree.

Once everything is finished, it should last for some time. Nelson said it appears the last work done on the asphalt, sidewalks and some of the laterals was in the early 1980s, and he believes the existing trees may have been put in at that time. The sewer and water lines, Nelson said, date back to the 1950s, if not before. The utilities should be good for 40-plus years, as should the streets and concrete. If things are done more frequently than that, he said, it’s often more as a facelift than a necessity.

No major flooding predicted along the Mississippi this year

After all of the snow residents of the area have shovelled this year, it may come as a surprise, but major flooding on the Mississippi is not expected in our area this spring.

According to the National Weather Service’s North Central Rivers Forecast Center, chances of a high flood are less than 15 percent this spring in Prairie du Chien-Marquette-McGregor area.

There is about a 55 percent chance of moderate flooding in Dubuque, compared to about a 30 percent chance in Prairie du Chien.

"Right now, we’re not looking at major flooding around here on the Mississippi," said Jessica Brooks, one of 15 meteorologists on staff at the National Weather Service’s La Crosse office.

Brooks noted that it isn’t the snow pack here, but upstream that determines flood levels in our area. Snow levels along the Mississippi north of the Twin Cities are what affect the river here, and they are not that deep, she noted. National Weather Service snow depth maps show only four to eight inches of snow cover in north central Minnesota.

Flooding can also be affected by the snow melt contributed by major tributaries of the Mississippi. Considering snow cover depths, it is the tributaries which may contribute to local flooding this year.

There is little to no snow in southwestern Minnesota along the Minnesota River, which enters the Mississippi at Minneapolis. The St. Croix River, however, runs through northwestern Wisconsin before joining the Mississippi above St. Paul. Snow depth along the St. Croix runs from 16 to 30 inches. Twelve to 16 inches of snow is on the ground on the upper reaches of the Black River northeast of La Crosse. Upper areas of the Wisconsin River also have 20 or more inches of snow.

Flooding predictions can change depending on precipitation and are updated monthly. Anyone with access the internet can keep tabs on National Weather Service flood predictions. To check on the probability of flooding, go to the North Central Rivers Forecast Center at www.crh.noaa.gov/ncrfc/. Then click on the forecast river conditions link on the left side of the page and follow it to the long or short-range flooding predictions. From there, users can click on an interactive map that pinpoints specific locations, including Lynxville and McGregor.

March 3, 2008

PdC District to lengthen its school days

Along with affecting road maintenance budgets of many municipalities, the heavy snowfall this winter will affect area schools as well.

Prairie du Chien Superintendent Drew Johnson said that the main thing that the Prairie du Chien School District is concerned with is hours of instruction.

"After the Easter Break, school will begin at about 8 a.m.," said Johnson, who noted that the public schools of Prairie du Chien will need to begin their school days earlier to make up for instruction time lost due to the numerous "snow days" this winter.

The increased length of the school day will mostly affect the high school, which has to have more hours of instruction per school year than does the middle school or the elementary school, according to rules set forth by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

Due to heavy snowfall, Prairie du Chien has had many closings of school, along with late starts and early dismissals.

ACCORDING to DPI rules:

1. Each school district board shall schedule at least 180 days annually. A maximum of five days may be counted to meet this requirement if they are used for parent conferences or if school is closed by the school district administrator because of inclement weather. The 180-day requirement may be reduced for any days during which the state superintendent determines that school is not held or educational standards are not maintained as the result of a strike by school district employees.

2. Each school district board shall annually schedule and hold at least 437 hours of direct pupil instruction in kindergarten, at least 1,050 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 1 through 6, and at least 1,137 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 7 through 12. The school hours are computed as the period from the start to the close of each pupil’s daily instructional schedule. Scheduled hours under this subdivision include recess and time for pupils to transfer between classes but do not include the lunch period. No more than 30 minutes per day may be counted for recess. In computing the minimum number of instructional hours under this subdivision, days and parts of days on which parent and teacher conferences are held, staff development or inservice programs are held, schools are closed for inclement weather, or when classes are not held may not be counted.

Johnson said that it is better to increase the length of the school day now, rather than wait and have a bigger increase later on, or be forced to add extra days to the end of the school year.

So far, the WAUZEKA-STEUBEN School District has not had to consider lengthening its school day or adding on any days. A district spokesperson said that the district is "maxed out" on its snow days and if there is one more closing, the district would have to decide how to make up for the lost time.

THE RIVER RIDGE School District has not yet decided on the issue. There has been no action taken but the prospect of adding two days has been discussed.

THE SENECA School District has not yet used up its allotted "snow" days and remains on its normal schedule.

Tourism center planning begins

Given the go-ahead last week to use the Welcome Center vacated by the Wisconsin Tourism Department, Prairie du Chien Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bob Moses met Feb. 28 with individuals and organizations interested in keeping the center open as a regional tourism center.

Moses said this was the first of several meetings planned for the coming months and the intent was to "create ideas on how to best prepare for the tourist season beginning May 1."

Those attending the meeting represented a wide range of groups wishing to be partners in planning the center. Representatives included the city of Prairie du Chien, Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization, Inc., Community Development Alternatives, Crawford County and Prairie du Chien Tourism Councils, Marquette-McGregor Chamber of Commerce and Effigy Mounds.

Additional meetings will determine participation, recruiting and training of volunteers, the area to be covered and other needs.

Following a December, 2007 announcement by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Moses volunteered to keep the center open with the help of the Chamber of Commerce, which is located in the same building.

The original offer to the city, which owns the building, was to rent the space for $7,500 a year, 75 percent of what the state paid.

At a Feb. 26 meeting, the Prairie du Chien Common Council voted to forego the rental fee for the remainder of 2008, with a lease agreement and rental fee to be established for the coming year.

The Chamber has also agreed to spend $5,000 to hire part time staff for summer season.

Moses said the next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 7, at 10 a.m. in the second floor conference room of the Crawford County Administration Building. Those interested in learning more about the tourism center are welcome to attend, said Moses.

Brad Williams enjoys his notoriety—so far

Brad Williams, 1972 graduate of Prairie du Chien High School, addressed the Rotary Club Feb. 29 at Huckleberry’s, discussing his newly-found fame as one of three known individuals with hyperthymesia, or superior memory.

Williams, son of Virginia and the late Griff Williams of Prairie du Chien, said the adventure began about two years ago when his brother Eric, a scriptwriter and filmmaker in California, emailed him about a woman in the news, known as A.J., who had a phenomenal memory and was the subject of a research project at the University of California-Irvine. Eric urged him to contact the researchers about his own memory. Since then, he’s been out there twice to meet with the doctors, and has had an MRI of his brain.

Williams says he doesn’t know what it would feel like not to have a good memory, but does recall a time from his childhood when he realized his memory might be considered remarkable. It was, he said, in eighth grade, Friday, March 28, the day Eisenhower died. A memory expert performed at an assembly in the old B.A. Kennedy School, doing memory tricks and bringing people from the audience on stage.

The man wrote a 12-digit number on the blackboard and called students up to see how much of it they could remember. Williams was called up and remembered the entire number. The man then asked him to recite every other number going backwards. Williams did that. Afterwards the man told him no one had ever been able to do that before. "That may be the first time I realized that people were somewhat amazed at what I could remember," he said. The number, Williams recalls, was 259-371-048-378. Asked later how he recalled it, he said he could visualize it and saw himself standing behind the numbers looking at them.

Williams said his memory benefited him as a student, making it easier for him to earn good grades. In eighth grade, he won the state spelling bee and went on to national, lasting until the fourth round.

All in all, he feels having such impressive memory has been an asset. A.J. , the woman in the Irvine study, seems to have flashbacks which she can’t control, he said, but it has not been a problem for him.

Asked if he would be banned from the casinos in Las Vegas, Williams said he hadn’t tested his ability at gambling, "not even at the boat in Marquette." Laughing, he added, "I may be tempted to try, but I won’t tell anyone when I’m going to do it."

For now, he’s enjoying his notoriety. He appeared on the Good Morning America show which aired Jan. 15. He had thought he would be interviewed by Diane Sawyer, he said, but she was interviewing Diane Keaton. He did get to watch that interview, however.

He has been contacted by representatives of Inside Edition, Oprah, David Letterman, People Magazine and others. The Associated Press published an article which appeared last weekend in newspapers in many areas, and he has heard from people in other parts of the world.

The fame, Williams says, has not had any major impact on his life, except to make it much busier. Last Monday, after the AP article appeared, he said it was difficult to finish up his work—he’s a reporter for Mid-West Family Broadcasting in La Crosse—in between telephone calls. "I don’t have any marriage proposal yet," he remarked, "so I don’t think it will change my life. " The most that might happen, he added, is that some interesting job offers could come out of it.

What he does hope is that if researchers determine how he remembers things, it will enable them to help others with memory problems. He and Eric have a theory that everyone has the same amount of memory stored in their brains, but don’t know how to get to it. "Maybe," he said, "I have some wiring that enables me to get to it sooner."

Eric is putting together a documentary about Brad’s memory, titled "Unforgettable," and would like to have it completed by the end of the year for submission to film festivals such as Sundance. Until now, Eric as been writing scripts, two of which were made into movies: "Mad City" and "Out of Synch." Older brother Greg is art director at the Tampa Tribune.

"I don’t know where all of this is going right now," Williams said, but expects at some point it will die down. "Then I’ll go, ‘jeez, maybe no one remembers me anymore.’"

St. Pat’s parade planned for March 15

The Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce announces the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade to be held on Saturday, March 15 at 10 a.m. in downtown Prairie du Chien. Father Jack Wambach is Grand Marshall and John ∞and Joyce Luster will preside as King and Queen of the parade.

Floats are welcome, and all parade participants are asked to register for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade by noon Friday, March 14. Those who register will receive free promotional advertising for weekend specials. Registrations forms may be obtained at any local Prairie du Chien bank, the Chamber of Commerce or on line at prairie du chien.org.

All parade participants will assemble on St. Feriole Island beginning at 9 a.m. The parade will start from St. Feriole Island at 10 a.m., go East on Blackhawk Avenue, then North on Michigan Street, and back to the island.

Parade celebrities will be introduced at Huckleberry’s Restaurant following the parade, where lively Irish music may be enjoyed along with good Irish food. Many area businesses will serve corned beef and cabbage, green beer, and other Irish traditional favorites. Check out the local specials and join the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in Prairie du Chien.

Prairie du Chien native Brad Williams, who has achieved international publicity because of his phenomenal memory, addressed the Prairie du Chien Rotary Club Feb. 29.

Among the small groups brainstorming about the future of the Prairie du Chien tourist information center are Eric Freydenlund, Crawford County Tourism Council; Dale Klemme, Community Development Alternatives; Laura Brown, Crawford County Extension Office, and Bob Moses, Prairie du Chien Chamber of Commerce.