|
Gays Mills Flood Pictures g Soldiers Grove Flood Pictures g Steuben flood pictures on this link |
|
Click here for NOAA Mississippi River Stage information CONTACT US for picture reproduction of photos in our paper...reasonable prices! |
PdC School Board has 'windy' discussion School board meetings can often be described as "long winded," but last night's discussion was more than just hot air and potentially much more productive than tilting at windmills. Charlie Schneider of CESA 10 gave a presentation to the Prairie du Chien School Board about "Focus on Energy," and its plan to have a consortium of school districts from throughout the state that would be involved in a wind turbine farm that produces "green" energy. Through Focus on Energy, there are incentives and grants available to districts to help pay for the cost of building a wind farm, said Schneider. Most notably, the Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBS), sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, are available to districts who wish to participate in a wind farm that would be built somewhere in the state of Wisconsin. In addition to a tax reduction, participating districts would also be able to sell its excess energy to an energy company. There would be a potential to make money within a few years, said Schneider. Schneider told board members that there are 14 districts that have been approved for funding and are pursuing the project. Eight others are looking to apply for funding. Mount Horeb is the closest district to Prairie du Chien that is involved. Schneider said that the goal is to have at least 20 districts in the wind turbine consortium. He said that initially, there would be no risk to districts wishing to get involved in the venture. Schneider explained that Focus on Energy is partnering with Johnson Controls, a Fortune 500 company. For example, a school district may opt to receive a $2 million dollar CREBS bond from the IRS, based upon the districts' kilowatt hours of energy use. The district would then pay back the bond at 0 percent interest over 15 years and would be a part of the wind turbine consortium. Schneider said that Johnson Controls would guarantee that each district would make enough money from its portion of the wind farm to make its monthly bond payment. In a few years, the district would probably be making an income from the wind farm. Before the project begins in earnest, Johnson Controls will make a study to determine if the wind farm is a financially viable project. If it is not a viable project, each school district would drop out and their loans would be terminated. At this point, there would be no cost to any district. If it is found to be a viable project, a school district could still pull out of the project, but that district would then have to pay its portion of the $250,000 study. Also, the wind farm project would not affect revenue limits for any district and there is no up front money required. Schneider said that the only real risk would be if Johnson Controls goes out of business, and that there is little chance of that happening to a relatively conservative Fortune 500 company. In addition, an insurance policy could be secured in order to protect against Johnson Controls going out of business. Another potential problem is that there is no law on the books clearly defining if school districts can get involved in a wind farm and in selling electricity. Schneider said, however, that such a law is expected to be passed soon. Schneider also said that by 2010, energy companies will be required by law to get at least 10 percent of their energy from "green" sources such as wind turbines. He said that by the time the Wisconsin Focus on Energy wind turbine farm gets up and running in about two years, the rate at which districts could sell their electricity would be much higher than it is now. In fact, Schneider predicted that there may be a bidding war by energy companies so that they would comply with the "10 percent" law concerning green energy sources. Schneider also said that districts could take advantage for educational purposes in various science classes of the web cams and monitoring equipment that would be installed on the 300-foot-high wind turbines. Board President Brian Edwards said that he is uncomfortable with the whole idea. "It's a bit complicated," he said in part. "We need some time to think about it." Board member Joe Atkins disagreed, saying, "It would make a statement that we do support environmentally friendly energy, which is something we always talk about. There are no expenses and there might be some income down the road." Board member Lonnie Achenbach asked what the life-span of a wind turbine is. Schneider said that the lifespan would be 25-30 years. Board members told Schneider that they would need more time to research and think about the wind farm consortium. The topic may come up and be voted upon at a future board meeting. The deadline to apply for the CREBS bond is July 13. In addition to the Focus on Energy wind turbine consortium, Schneider told the board that he conducted a "whirlwind" tour of each of the district's three school buildings in an effort to find ways in which the district could save on energy costs. "Your buildings are in good repair but there are small, simple things that could save a fair amount of energy," he said. "There are low cost, no cost things to save energy." One way to save energy costs would be to switch to a different type of light bulb. Another step would be to replace all light bulbs in each room all at once when they get about 75 percent used up, rather than replacing each bulb one at time when they burn out. This could be done during the summer or at other such times. In other business, the board reorganized now that there are newly elected board members. Brian Edwards was elected as president. Joe Atkins will be the vice president. Ron Quamme will be the clerk and Mark Forsythe will be the treasurer. The election of the WASB delegate and the CESA delegate will be conducted at the next board meeting. In further business, the board: ´Was informed by District Administrator Jim O'Meara that due to unfunded mandate, the district will need to pay $825 for 11 election voting machines. O'Meara said that he is unhappy that counties and municipalities received grants for such machines, while school districts were left out. He said that he and numerous other district administrators were going to continue to "make waves" about the cost of the machines. ´Teachers Aaron Amundson and Mitch Tollefson gave a presentation to the board concerning the state of the Technical Education Department in the district. The Tech. Ed. department continues to expand in terms of what is offered, training, software and expertise and is in the third year of a $35,000 grant. Amundson and Tollefson said that they would very much like to see more girls in the program, however. Currently, there are none. McGregor, Marquette agree to push ahead on preliminary design for Trail of Two Cities At a meeting last Tuesday, members of the city councils for both Marquette and McGregor agreed to push forward to build the Trail of Two Cities. Unlike previous plans for the walking trail this one will likely run on the deck of a steel bridge instead of on the surface of a filled bank. Mike Davy, of Davy Engineering of La Crosse, Wis., gave a presentation on several design options to members of both councils, mayors and a few citizens last Tuesday. The presentation highlighted the results of a $7,500 design study jointly commissioned by the cities of Marquette and McGregor. Design options for building the trail included several variations on a filled trail, some involving sheet piling driven into the bank to reduce the need for fill, or convincing the railroad to abandon one set of tracks. But only one option appeared to be truly viable. The option Davy recommended is to build a bridge set on pilings between McGregor's Riverfront Park and the DNR boat landing at Marquette. Installing a bridge is more attractive than creating a filled trail, Davy said, because of permitting problems for a filled trail. The Iowa DNR and other federal government agencies prohibit filling in the river along the bank between Marquette and McGregor because this area hosts beds of the Higgins eye pearly mussel, an endangered species. Driving piling into the bank and the riverbed will create less of an impact on the mussel beds, and thus is more likely to get the thumbs-up from the DNR. The bridge, Davy suggested, will be seen as environmentally friendly by permitting agencies. Problems with DNR permits and securing an easement from the railroad caused Vision Iowa, a state development fund, to with draw support for the trail in 2004. Since then, plans for the trail have languished. A bridge also has some other advantages, Davy explained, such as being self-contained with high railings. Trail users could not easily get off the bridge and cross or walk along the railroad tracks; a safety concern for both the railroad and the cities. The bridge would also have an aesthetic dimension, and may be perceived as an attractive addition to the riverfront. The bridge is not the least nor the most expensive option. Davy put the price tag at an estimated $5,886,000. One option for a filled trail with sheet piling was estimated at $7,652,000. The bridge would be made up of 21 prefabricated sections of steel bridge 100 feet long by 12 feet wide, at a cost of about $4,200,000. It would include two bump-out overlook platforms at about $50,000 each. The trail would also include three access points along the route, approximately every 800 feet, for emergency services and to allow the public access from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Center. Just exactly how access points would be constructed, and how the trail will be built around the Isle of Capri Riverboat Casino is unclear at this point. "Bottom line is, it can be done. Its just going to take lots and lots of money," Mike Davy said. He closed his presentation noting that getting government approval, permission from the railroad and funding lined up would be the next steps. McGregor City Clerk-Administrator Norm Lincoln addressed the group next on the issue of funding. Lincoln noted that the trail would become part of the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) which is an initiative to create a marked bicycle route on both sides of the river from the headwaters to the Gulf. Most of the route currently follows existing roads, but some segments are on separate bicycle trails. One trail segment, near Savanna, Ill., Lincoln said, ran into complications with two railroad crossings and a protected prairie habitat. About $4 million in funding was located to complete that project he noted, with the implication that if it could be done there, it could be done here. Other sources of funding he listed included MRT, Great Places and Vision Iowa. And, the project still has about $737,000 in funding from a combination of state Transportation Enhancement and Recreational Trails grants plus a Regional Transportation grant that need to be used, or the funding will be withdrawn. Lincoln said that representatives from the DNR and the DOT are anxious to meet with the city governments and to see the project get moving. He suggested meeting with them informally in June to present the bridge design and get some feedback on how to proceed next. Council members in attendance liked the idea of the informal meeting, and thought perhaps government agencies might be enlisted to get support from the railroad. Cooperation from the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad, (IC&E) is key to the creation of the trail. The IC&E owns the riparian rights and the right-of-way along the riverbank. The trail would likely have little or no impact on the railroad's activities. An earlier preliminary easement agreement with IC&E for the trail expired in 2005. Negotiations with the railroad for the trail would have to begin anew. McGregor Mayor Harold Brooks then addressed the members of the city governments, questioning their commitment to the project. "If this is something we really don't want to do, let's end it right here," he said. Nearly everyone in attendance spoke in favor of the project. McGregor Councilman Roger Knott noted that there was broad public support for the project, and that funding opportunities looked promising. "This trail is gonna happen, and its only going to get more expensive, so we might as well do it now," Councilwoman Lynette Sander said.
Mission trip to
Cambodia was a good experience
"In this country we have so much; to see Cambodians dying from preventable illness and operable disorders is a humbling experience." This is the assessment of Ron Falch, anesthetist at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital, after his return from a medical mission trip to Cambodia. Ron and his wife Bonnie spent two weeks in Phnom Penh, Cambodia this winter, while Ron taught anesthesia at Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope. Falch, who has been a member of the sponsoring agency, Health Volunteers Overseas, for about 10 years, said he had been waiting for the right opportunity to use his skills. This was the perfect opportunity, because the hospital was looking for someone to teach spinal and epidural anesthesia, and that is his specialty. Sihanouk Hospital is a charity hospital, which means there is not a lot of money for anything. Patients don't have to pay, but because there are so many wanting care, they have to draw lots. Every morning, Falch said, there was a crowd drawing lots to see who would be seen that day. If a person's name wasn't drawn, he or she would keep returning until it was. The average Cambodian, he learned, never sees a health worker, and the average yearly spending on health care is a dollar per person. The hospital receives support from different government agencies, including the U.S. through USA Aid, and private and corporate donors. They receive most of their supplies and drugs free from companies that manufacture them or from charity organizations. That means, he explained, that there might be a certain drug in supply one day but not the next. The people who work there have to be adaptable, and that is one reason he wanted to teach epidural anesthesia: it is a good local anesthetic and is less expensive than most other procedures. "You can do a lot with it," he said, "if you know how to do it." Falch did his teaching right in the operating room, working with three local anesthetists. "It wasn't a classroom situation," he said, "it was the four of us working together with real patients." Although the staff understood some English, Falch said, communication was still an issue. "They understood about half of what I said, but I didn't know which half, so we did a lot of repeating." Interestingly enough, the hospital keeps its records in English, and one of the reasons is that there are so many people coming there to teach. Khmer is the native language, and English speaking staff members study Khmer while natives take English lessons. While he was at the hospital, Bonnie taught English as a Second Language at Goldstone School of Hope, a charity school. It was started by a Korean-American who saw the need for education. That individual has been personally supporting the school, which is basically free. The students pay only for their lunch. It started with two grades, and a grade was added every year. At present they offer grades one through six, but eventually want to include high school as well. Although he was teaching, Falch feels he was also receiving an education himself. "In the two weeks I was there, I never heard an angry voice, no shouting, no raised fists, despite crowding and poverty. I have never in my life gone for two weeks without seeing anybody angry." One of the reasons the country is in such bad shape, he said, is that during the 70s Cambodia was controlled by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot; during that regime an estimated 20 percent of the population was either killed or starved, and that included the vast majority of the country's educated people. By the end of that period, there were virtually no educated people left. Then the Vietnamese occupied the country, and while the killing stopped, little was done to rebuild. It's only since their withdrawal around 1990 that the country has been rebuilding its educational system. At present, there are about 1,000 different aid agencies doing work in Cambodia, helping the country to become self-sufficient. Falch stays in touch with one of the anesthetists at Sihanouk Hospital, but has no definite plans to return. Still, he said, "there are other hospitals in the city that could use help, so it's a real possibility." Falch and his wife paid all the expenses for their trip. For anyone seeking more information, he suggested visiting the website of the school, www.gshw.org or the Health Volunteer Organization at hvo.org . High concentration of relatively rare Cerulean Warblers found in Sny MagillSurveys continue to be conducted The hills of Northeast Iowa have an abundance of wildlife and efforts continue to be made to ensure the well-being of the region and its rich diversity of species, game and non-game. An initial survey done last year found that there is a tract of land in the Bird Conservation Area of Northeast Iowa which has a high concentration of Cerulean Warblers. Because of the initial survey, a more concentrated effort has been undertaken to more fully document the heavy population of Cerulean Warblers and other birds in this tract, which is located in the Sny Magill North Cedar Unit, through which flows North Cedar Creek. "It's rare to have one and a half miles of them," said Jon Stravers about the Ceruleans, which are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Concern. "This may be one of the biggest pockets of Cerulean Warblers in Iowa." Stravers, a bird specialist working as a consultant for the Iowa DNR on the project, said that Cerulean Warblers are an indicator. "If you have Ceruleans, you have many other species," he said. If Ceruleans are present so are species such as the Acadian Flycatcher, the American Redstart, the Scarlet Tanager and numerous others. Stravers explained that Cerulean Warblers need a relatively large protected area of land. The tract in the Sny Magill North Cedar Unit would seem to fit the bill perfectly. It is a hilly, old forest area with a significant diversity of trees in age, structure and species. "It's a substantial tract," said Stravers, who noted that the land is laid out in a "slope, riparian, slope" pattern and was purchased by the DNR several years ago. Neighboring properties also feature good wooded areas. Ceruleans migrate to the region each spring and are now nesting. Many other neo-tropical migrants are in Northeast Iowa for only about two weeks as they continue their trek northward. This year's survey is being conducted as part of the Bird Conservation Area Monitoring Program. The survey began in April and will run through July. Stravers noted that the DNR's Forestry Division is planning a selective timber management harvest and that the a survey will be conducted prior to the harvest and after the harvest. The survey is designed to show what effects the timber harvest has on the bird populations of the tract. "We're looking at the history and trying to gain a better understanding of all the factors that go into it," Stravers said. There are 13 points in the tract that Stravers will monitor six times during the breeding season. The monitoring is done from dawn until 10:30 a.m. when the birds are most actively singing. Stravers records every bird he sees and hears for 10 minutes within 100 meters of each point using a "target-like" form to show how far the birds are from a particular point. He also tape records the bird calls. Other bird specialists, such as Kelly McKay of the Quad Cities, along with DNR personnel, such as Northeast District Wildlife Supervisor Jim Jansen, are helping to oversee the program. While Ceruleans are found in such areas as Pikes Peak State Park, the Yellow River Forest and Wyalusing State Park, they are much more heavily concentrated in the Sny Magill North Cedar Unit tract. "I can hear a Cerulean everywhere I stop here," Stravers said. "You can just count on them." Stravers also noted that the land, which is open to public use, is a sort of human refuge also. "You stand here and you don't hear anything else," he said, in noting that one hears no trains, automobiles, river boat traffic, or other noises. Stravers said that there was a movement to have the Cerulean Warbler put on the endangered species list, but with the current political climate, it didn't happen. Stravers said that there is a possibility that more land could be acquired through private assistance to help strengthen the Cerulean population in the region as well as other non-game birds. He also praised the DNR for its concern towards non-game species in the area. Also, Stravers noted that birdwatchers should be thankful for the money ponied up each year by hunters and anglers. Without the funds generated by hunting and fishing licenses, the DNR would not have had enough money to purchase much of the now-protected land in which the birds thrive and birdwatchers can enjoy. |
