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Local man dies of injuries from accident A 56-year-old Prairie du Chien man died yesterday of injuries sustained in a May 5 traffic accident. Dennis Morovits was riding a moped when he collided with a van at the intersection of Wells and Dousman streets Saturday afternoon. According to the police report, Lawrence Novinski of Fennimore, was driving a van on Dousman when he failed to yield after stopping, and drove into the path of Morovits' moped headed down Wells Street. The moped struck the van in the intersection, and Morovits was thrown to the pavement, suffering serious head injuries. He was taken to Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital by local EMS and later transferred to La Crosse by Med-Flight due to the serious nature of his injuries. Novinski was cited for failure to yield the right of way from a stop sign. The accident remains under investigation. Historic preservation guide in final stages Months of hard work and careful attention to detail will soon be at an end when the Prairie du Chien Design and Preservation Commission finalizes the guidelines for preserving and restoring the city's historic buildings. Once that is completed, the commission is hopeful that owners of many historic buildings in the city would find it easy to restore them in a manner authentic to the period in which they were built, and perhaps seek historic designation for these buildings. The benefits of historic designation are several, said City Planner Marty Larson. "It increases property value, brings additional tourism money to the area and increases the city's beauty." In addition, there are tax credits available for people who invest in their historic buildings. Prairie du Chien already has a number of buildings listed on the National Registry as National Historic Landmarks or Historic Sites. The commission has been working on the guidelines for the past year, and at the last meeting adopted their first rough draft. They expect, said Larson, to add further refinements at their next meeting and have it printed and available to the public soon after that. An introduction tells people how they can use the guidelines to their benefit and includes a history of the city written by local historian M. Stemper. The commission worked hard, said Larson, to produce a document that will function as a guide rather than a mandate. Some years ago an attempt to establish guidelines for the city's historic buildings failed, at least in part, because it was presented as a mandate, and property owners rejected it. "The new guidelines," said commission member Kathleen Hein, "will function as a resource for property owners to help take advantage of the historical assets they have and make them aware of what grants, tax credits or loans are available to them." The new document, Larson explained, will provide suggestions on appropriate ways to rehabilitate historic structures. It contains definitions of historic structures, information about such things as roof and window styles, roof lines, landscaping, and additions and tells how to research historical colors and paint types. Said Larson, "For a community as old and rich as Prairie du Chien it makes sense that we have a document that preserves our history." Computer program looks to create new wave of line-stretching excitement for area anglers Like a big bass erupting on the smooth serenity of the surface, a recent technology hopes to explode on the scene and create a new wave of excitement for area, regional and nationwide anglers. Fishlogix, a revolutionary computer program, will be introduced online on May 15 and hopes to create a ripple effect for anglers wishing to catch more and bigger fish. "It tunes into what really affects fish at any given moment," said the inventor of Fishlogix Paul Halter, an avid angler from La Crosse. "It narrows down your search quite a bit and puts you on a workable pattern very quickly." Halter noted that Fishlogix is an easy-to-use computer program designed to help beginners and experts alike by generating a customized fishing plan for any given day, on any given body of water, under any given conditions. There are two programs, Basic and Professional, which will be offered to the public. "It's a great new option," said Halter. "It's like talking to the local guy at the baitshop or a professional guide. It will increase the learning curve for any angler, especially if they are on unfamiliar waters or if they are going after a species they normally don't concentrate on." Halter explained that Fishlogix helps the angler create a plan based upon numerous factors, including the time of year, the species sought, the time of day, the body of water, the water temperature, the water clarity, the air temperature at sunrise and sunset, the cloud cover and many other factors. Halter explained that Fishlogix is a computer software program for Windows that identifies the best times, places, lures and techniques to catch more than 25 species of fish. Fishlogix shows where the fish will be and how to catch them. It creates custom, detailed fishing plans for each day of an angler's fishing trip and tells him or her what strategies will produce the best action hour by hour, even as conditions change, Halter said. Halter said that he created Fishlogix because the biggest challenge anglers face is the decision of when and where to fish, what to use, and how to use it. "I read a lot of fishing books," he said. "And, I found that there were too many factors to keep straight in my head." Faced with countless lure choices, widely varying lakes and rivers, and endless combinations of conditions, choosing a productive fishing strategy is often very difficult. An expert guide can find effective patterns and help clients achieve much more consistent success than the average angler. The expert guide relies on an in-depth understanding of how fish react to environmental factors throughout each day of the season, plus a vast knowledge of fishing equipment and techniques. This same expertise and reasoning has been captured in Fishlogix and Halter said that anglers can now achieve consistent success without the cost of hiring a guide, or the many years of experience and study required to develop that level of expertise. Fishlogix creates fishing plans and printouts that an angler can take along in his boat that are easy to follow and designed to increase the angler's success in catching bass, walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskies, sunfish, crappie, perch, trout, salmon, catfish and more. Fishing advice for any freshwater location in the continental United States is readily available. Halter said that the program also gives valuable suggestions on fishing techniques, type, size and color of lure and bait, advice on rods, lines, sinkers and other tackle, and a detailed packing list of tackle to bring on your fishing trip. Fishlogix even takes into account the phases of the moon, peak feeding temperatures, where baitfish are likely to be at a given time of year or time of day, and what time of day certain species are more likely to be active. Fishlogix is available in multiple versions, noted Halter. The Midwest Basic, Western Basic, Southern Basic, Southeast Basic, and Northeast Basic editions each provide planning for a number of states. The Professional Edition works for the continental United States and contains special features for the most serious anglers, including multi-species planning, multiple-day fishing trip plans, and a powerful trip planning calendar to help the angler pick the best fishing days for whatever type of fishing the angler likes to do. Halter said that experienced or expert anglers often can get themselves in a rut or one-dimensional pattern by always relying upon old tried and true methods. Fishlogix, he said, can help experienced anglers to consider a wider range of options that they might otherwise overlook. "It often helps to show the fish something different, to try an atypical technique or pattern," he said. Halter noted that the angler can create a highly customized plan, concentrating on just one species or a wide open plan for multiple species throughout the day. An experienced angler can create a plan through Fishlogix that can complement the angler's intuition, said Halter. The Basic and Professional versions of Fishlogix will be available at discounted prices on May 15 only. It will be available at regular prices from May 16 onward. Fishlogix can be purchased at www.outdoorintellect.com, either on CD ROM or for download.
Construction of joint
dispatch center to begin
Construction of the Joint County-City Dispatch Center will soon begin. In fact, the room that housed the former city of Prairie du Chien Police Department Dispatch Center is being cleared and prepped. "I'm just glad to see the results of all the planning finally coming together," said Crawford County 911 Coordinator Julie Cipra, who noted that construction will begin on May 9 by Steiner Associates of Prairie du Chien, who won the bid for the project. Cipra said that construction is expected to take about three weeks. A wall will be taken out to enlarge the room. In addition, a HVAC unit will be installed, painting will be done and ceiling and floor work will be completed. Electrical work will be done by Rich Picha of Ken's Electric of Prairie du Chien. The completion deadline for construction is June 1, said Cipra. "We hope to be fully operational by the end of June," she said. After construction is completed, furniture and equipment must be installed. Among other things, the new Joint Dispatch Center will receive phone equipment, security equipment, computer equipment, radio consoles, and dispatch work stations. Cipra said that there will be a period of time for all of the new equipment to be tested to make sure that everything is properly functioning. It has been estimated that it will cost $370,000 to construct the new dispatch center and get it up and running. The costs will be split on a per capita basis between the city and the county, which means that the city would pay roughly one-third and the county two-thirds. There are 17,493 residents in Crawford County and a little more than 6,000 in the city of Prairie du Chien. The city and the county will split the costs of the yearly operation of the joint dispatch center in the same way. A rough estimate of the yearly costs is $600,000. The joint dispatch center will have to be up and running for a year before the true operational costs will be known. When the new joint dispatch center is up and running, all dispatchers will be county employees. There will be either eight or nine dispatchers, depending upon the work schedule that is adopted. There will be two dispatchers on duty at any given time. Rivertown Reliques tour will be May 13 The Fort Crawford Museum's Rivertown Reliques tour will be held on Sunday, May 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. This year's event, a self-guided walk or drive, highlights two blocks of the historic neighborhood south of Blackhawk Avenue between Beaumont Road and Wacouta Avenue. It also includes inside visits to the Mullheim House currently owned by the Layne and Susan David Family and the former Methodist Church Parsonage currently owned by the Rich and Tammy Stovey Family. Both families are life long residents of Prairie du Chien and members of the Prairie du Chien Historical Society. The tour will introduce newcomers and reacquaint old-timers to names of the town's past, names such as Lawler, Brunson, Fay, Savage and Grelle. Some houses date back to the 1850's. At least seven mayors have lived in this neighborhood. Many doctors, lawyers and businessmen resided here. This two-block neighborhood has a rich history and an interesting story to tell. Take a walk through it and visit with our neighbors from the past. Tickets including a detailed tour booklet can be purchased at the Fort Crawford Museum's Visitor Center, 717 South Beaumont Road, on Sunday, May 13th. For more information call the Museum at 326-6960. Daily hours for the Museum are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Downtown sewer, water main reconstruction planned Kurt Muchow and Bill Nelson of Vierbicher Associates outlined a tentative plan for reconstruction of downtown sewer and water lines at an April 23 meeting in City Hall. The project, tentatively scheduled for construction in 2008 and 2009, includes Blackhawk Avenue from Main Street to Illinois Street, Beaumont Road from Wisconsin Street to Frederick Street, Main Street from Wisconsin Street to Washington Street and Prairie Street from Iowa Street to West Louis Street. On Blackhawk the existing water main will be replaced with a 10 inch diameter main which should help improve the city's overall water distribution system. New water services will be installed from the new water main to the building walls. To accommodate the needs of the merchants, the city will attempt to phase in the project in a series of steps. The existing sanitary sewer main will be replaced with 10 and 12 inch diameter mains located in the center of the street, and new sanitary sewer laterals will be installed from the new sewer main to the building wall. On the other streets, replacement will take place only as far as the inside of the curb. On Beaumont, the existing water main will be replaced with an eight inch main and new water services will be installed from the main to the tree bank. The existing sanitary sewer main will be replaced with eight and 10 inch mains in the center of the street and new laterals will be installed from the new main to the tree bank. The existing street width on Beaumont will be modified from 35 to 40 feet between Louis Street and Washington, but will remain the same elsewhere. On Main Street, a six inch diameter water main will be installed, and sanitary sewer mains will be eight and 18 inches in diameter. Additional questions which need to be addressed for Main Street are: should the street be widened to accommodate a future truck route; should the elevation be raised to reduce flooding and should a house at the southwest quadrant of Washington Street be razed and the intersection widened. A new six inch main will be installed on Prairie Street, and sanitary sewer main will be replaced with an eight inch diameter main. New laterals will also be installed on Main Street and Prairie Streets. The project will include restoration and/or replacement of existing streets. Total cost is estimated at $3,272,081, but it is anticipated that a grant from the state, not yet determined, will reduce the costs. Kurt Muchow and Bill Nelson of Vierbicher Associates outlined a tentative plan for reconstruction of downtown sewer and water lines at an April 23 meeting in City Hall. The project, tentatively scheduled for construction in 2008 and 2009, includes Blackhawk Avenue from Main Street to Illinois Street, Beaumont Road from Wisconsin Street to Frederick Street, Main Street from Wisconsin Street to Washington Street and Prairie Street from Iowa Street to West Louis Street. On Blackhawk the existing water main will be replaced with a 10 inch diameter main which should help improve the city's overall water distribution system. New water services will be installed from the new water main to the building walls. To accommodate the needs of the merchants, the city will attempt to phase in the project in a series of steps. The existing sanitary sewer main will be replaced with 10 and 12 inch diameter mains located in the center of the street, and new sanitary sewer laterals will be installed from the new sewer main to the building wall. On the other streets, replacement will take place only as far as the inside of the curb. On Beaumont, the existing water main will be replaced with an eight inch main and new water services will be installed from the main to the tree bank. The existing sanitary sewer main will be replaced with eight and 10 inch mains in the center of the street and new laterals will be installed from the new main to the tree bank. The existing street width on Beaumont will be modified from 35 to 40 feet between Louis Street and Washington, but will remain the same elsewhere. On Main Street, a six inch diameter water main will be installed, and sanitary sewer mains will be eight and 18 inches in diameter. Additional questions which need to be addressed for Main Street are: should the street be widened to accommodate a future truck route; should the elevation be raised to reduce flooding and should a house at the southwest quadrant of Washington Street be razed and the intersection widened. A new six inch main will be installed on Prairie Street, and sanitary sewer main will be replaced with an eight inch diameter main. New laterals will also be installed on Main Street and Prairie Streets. The project will include restoration and/or replacement of existing streets. Total cost is estimated at $3,272,081, but it is anticipated that a grant from the state, not yet determined, will reduce the costs. Kurt Muchow and Bill Nelson of Vierbicher Associates outlined a tentative plan for reconstruction of downtown sewer and water lines at an April 23 meeting in City Hall. The project, tentatively scheduled for construction in 2008 and 2009, includes Blackhawk Avenue from Main Street to Illinois Street, Beaumont Road from Wisconsin Street to Frederick Street, Main Street from Wisconsin Street to Washington Street and Prairie Street from Iowa Street to West Louis Street. On Blackhawk the existing water main will be replaced with a 10 inch diameter main which should help improve the city's overall water distribution system. New water services will be installed from the new water main to the building walls. To accommodate the needs of the merchants, the city will attempt to phase in the project in a series of steps. The existing sanitary sewer main will be replaced with 10 and 12 inch diameter mains located in the center of the street, and new sanitary sewer laterals will be installed from the new sewer main to the building wall. On the other streets, replacement will take place only as far as the inside of the curb. On Beaumont, the existing water main will be replaced with an eight inch main and new water services will be installed from the main to the tree bank. The existing sanitary sewer main will be replaced with eight and 10 inch mains in the center of the street and new laterals will be installed from the new main to the tree bank. The existing street width on Beaumont will be modified from 35 to 40 feet between Louis Street and Washington, but will remain the same elsewhere. On Main Street, a six inch diameter water main will be installed, and sanitary sewer mains will be eight and 18 inches in diameter. Additional questions which need to be addressed for Main Street are: should the street be widened to accommodate a future truck route; should the elevation be raised to reduce flooding and should a house at the southwest quadrant of Washington Street be razed and the intersection widened. A new six inch main will be installed on Prairie Street, and sanitary sewer main will be replaced with an eight inch diameter main. New laterals will also be installed on Main Street and Prairie Streets. The project will include restoration and/or replacement of existing streets. Total cost is estimated at $3,272,081, but it is anticipated that a grant from the state, not yet determined, will reduce the costs. |
