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Sept. 25, 2002

Teacher's union files another prohibitive practice complaint
On Sept. 6, the Wisconsin Education Association Council filed another prohibitive practice complaint against the Prairie du Chien School District on behalf of a Prairie du Chien Education Association member. The prohibitive practice complaint alleges that the school district discriminated against Bluff View teacher Jim Schilling when the district denied Schilling's requests for emergency leave due to family illnesses. The complaint also alleges that the district violated the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The complaint states that Schilling was denied emergency leave during a time period when other teachers were granted emergency leave for a variety of reasons, many of which were identical to or similar to the reasons provided by Schilling. The complaint documents many of the reasons other teachers were granted emergency leave, such as father's illness, son's illness, no reason provided, daughter's illness, son's head lice, child's illness, etc. Schilling's three requests for emergency leave, along with one other request by a Prairie du Chien Education Association member for 1/2 day leave for the reason of picking up her sick son while her husband was out of town on business, were the only requests denied, according to the complaint. Schilling's three requests for emergency leave were denied by the Prairie du Chien School Board following a closed session of an April meeting. The Prairie du Chien Education Association had previously taken legal action against the district by filing a prohibitive practice complaint on Jan. 25, alleging unfair labor practices. Hearings will be conducted with the district and the education association each presenting its case before a Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WRC) examiner. If the WRC examiner rules against the district, the district may have to pay restitution to the teachers and attorney's fees for the education association. The district could also be ordered to post signs in all of its buildings stating that the district has conducted unfair labor practices.

City Council approves Cliffwood Drive bid, cable franchise agreement
During a special meeting of the Prairie du Chien Common Council Tuesday night, a $1.1 million bid for the Cliffwood Drive Project was approved. Following closed session, the council approved the low bid from Lunda Construction of the Black River Falls area for the Cliffwood Drive railroad overpass and the street construction. The project is expected to be completed by July 2003. The council also reached a tentative agreement with MediaCom, which would approve the cable franchise for 15 years. The agreement is non-exclusive, meaning a competitive business could also offer services in the city in the future. The agreement includes all the audio/visual equipment which is needed in the new city hall in order to air meeting on local cable channel 6. The meetings should be aired by early winter.

Family trees transplanted to Ft. Crawford Museum
One of the newest displays at the Fort Crawford Museum in Prairie du Chien will have those interested in family history quite excited. Family trees created by Phil Gokey for the St. Jacque, DuCharme, Lessard, Valley, LaBonne and Gokey families are now on display. Gokey explains how the trees came to be: "These trees were created for two reasons only: Because I had the information, and I wanted to see if I could get it all onto single and large displays. Over the years from about 1976 to 1984, I wrote about 650 letters to family members to get genealogical information and photos to put into a family book I was compiling. "There were 50 copies printed in 1985 and they are in the hands of family members except for one copy which is in the Prairie du Chien Public Library. The Family Book is simply a little text about PDC and family stuff, and family trees (with photos) of the descendants of my great-grandparents: Francis and Mary Gauthier [Gokey]; Leander and Victoria Lessart; Toussaint and Julia St. Jacque; and Antoine and Mary La Bonne. There are about 3,200 people in the trees and about 1,400 photos in the book. "My sister, Marie, had all the family photos in her possession, and asked me to put them together into an album. When I started looking at the photos, I realized I had heard the people referred to, but did not know their relationship. So I started writing letters. It grew and grew and became the Family Book. "Once the tree information was all compiled, it was natural to want to see it graphically in one large chart. So I put the above four families into chart form, and then did one more for the Valley family. Mary Martell had given me much information about the Valleys and because some of them had married into my antecedents' families, I made the Valley chart as well." About the time he completed the last one in the mid-1980s, the congregation of St. Gabriel's Church was celebrating the parish's sesquicentennial (150th). The family trees were put on display as part of a museum collection for the celebration. The family trees stayed in that museum until it closed, and they then went back to a local Gokey family. Phyllis Gokey, Phil's sister-in-law, donated the trees to the Fort Crawford Museum in his name. Last year, Phil looked at the charts at the museum, and found the ink had faded on them, and they also had smudges from handling. With their permission, he took his charts to his Monona, Wisc., home and re-inked all the lettering on all the charts. "Believe me, it's more difficult to over-write, than to do the original!" he said. He then had them Phil Gokey, formerly of Prairie du Chien (now residing in Monona, Wisc.) created this family trees during the 1970s and 1980s. They are now on display at the Fort Crawford Museum. The photo to the right shows a full tree, below is the detail of the names on each branch.

Nelsons, Ritchies honored by Chamber of Commerce
The Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Dinner Meeting on Tuesday evening. More than 125 Chamber members and guests were in attendance. Nancy Ashby, Office Manager, was recognized for 25 years of service to the Chamber by Executive Director Sharon Cuchna. Tina Stoeffler, Chamber President, presented the 2002 Chamber President's Award to Tom and Cathie Nelson. The presentation was a surprise to the Nelsons. Tom and Cathie are avid supporters of activities to improve and beautify Prairie du Chien (not afraid to role up their sleeves and get their hands dirty in the process). They willingly appear on television and speak on the radio to promote the area and entertain audiences. They strive to keep their business property, Willy & Nellie's Place, well-maintained to create a pleasant atmosphere for those who visit the grounds and those who drive by on their way to beautiful St. Feriole Island. Tom and Cathie devoted many long hours of labor, along with other dedicated community volunteers to enhance the island. They, and some of their close acquaintances, got together and had a vision for a special New Year's Eve event in Prairie du Chien. And as we all know, the New Year's Eve Carp Drop was initiated with national and international press coverage and all the jokes and fun that were to follow. Lyle Ernst, Past President of the Chamber, presented the 2002 C.F. La Pointe Award to Don and Edith Ritchie. The C.F. La Pointe Award is the most prestigious and long-standing award the Chamber bestows on its members. It is named for Fred La Pointe, who was the Chamber's Executive Director for 17 years. For the past 51 years Don Ritchie has opened the doors of his store, Ritchie's Jewelry to provide quality products and services to our area. Originally, Don was from Postville, Iowa. His family moved to Prairie du Chien during his school days where he graduated from Prairie du Chien High School in 1944. Edith was from the Eastman area. They met while Don was training and pursuing his watchmaking career, and Edith was in college. They were married in October of 1950 at St. John's Catholic Church. In November 1951, Don opened Ritchie's Jewelry Store across from the Post Office. In 1959, he moved to store to its present location at 123 East Blackhawk Avenue. Don and Edith's marriage was blessed with four children: -Kim, Ross, James, and Janet. The Ritchies' have seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. One very important facet in the life of the Ritchie Family has been the Opportunity Center and things related to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. They have been, and continue to be, a blessing in the lives of many.

Sept. 23, 2002

BBC film makers visit area
Two men enjoy Prairie du Chien while working on natural science documentary
The Prairie du Chien area played host to two globe-trotting film makers in recent weeks. Glenn Carwithen, a special effects expert from England, and Colin Stafford-Johnson, a wildlife film maker from Ireland, visited Prairie du Chien for approximately nine days in early September to film part of a natural history documentary for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The pair were in Prairie du Chien to film a Harpy Eagle being kept by local natural science film maker Neil Rettig at his residence on Highway 27. Since Harpy Eagles live in the jungles of South America and are rare in captivity, and because Rettig is a falconer and a well-respected wildlife film maker, Glenn and Colin were naturally drawn to Prairie du Chien. "This is the first time we've been to America and the first place we come to is Prairie du Chien," said Colin. "It's an amazing place with the river and the scenery. And the people are so friendly." "The work that Neil has been doing is incredible," said Glenn, "He gets the bird to do just the right stunts and poses." Colin filmed the Harpy in various poses against a blue background so that Glenn could add the landscape scenery and special effects later. The pair explained that they will use the 9-pound Harpy, the most powerful eagle on earth, to imitate its distant and extinct relative the Haast Eagle, which lived in New Zealand about 1,500 years ago. Judging by skeletal remains, the Haast Eagle weighed approximately 30 pounds and was capable of killing humans, Glenn and Colin said. Glenn and Colin will use the Harpy Eagle to portray the Haast Eagle as it attacked and preyed upon an 11-foot-tall ostrich-type bird of the time, the Moa Bird, which humans also hunted. Glenn, Colin and a large team of other specialists, will combine the film of virgin landscape shot in Australia and New Zealand with wildlife film, computer graphics, actors and animatronics (very sophisticated "puppets") to create a reenactment of the interactions of humans and wildlife in New Zealand 1,500 years ago. Actually, the whole project, tentatively titled "Monsters I've Met," consists of three 50-minute programs that chronicle how "modern man" interacted with various animals through the millennia. Modern man first came out of Africa and as he traveled to new continents, he encountered strange, new environments and animals. Colin and Glenn said that the first program is set in Australia about 50,000 years ago, after the dinosaurs, and as early animals were developing. Colin and Glenn spent about a month in Australia's Northwest Territory filming landscape and actors. They delved into Aboriginal history and will depict man interacting with various animals, such as what was known as "The Demon Duck of Doom," a 10-foot-high duck-like creature, as well as a 35-foot-long lizard, Megalania. The second program concentrates on what is now North America about 13,000 years ago. This was the period during which people crossed over the Bering Strait, via a land bridge, part of which remains today as the Aleutian Islands. Colin and Glenn shot this program in The Yukon and in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It depicts the period of mammoths, sabre-toothed tigers, 10-foot-long short-faced bears and huge buffalo herds. Colin and Glenn said that the Clovis people, whom the Clovis Point (spearpoint) is named after, dominated the era, migrating from what is now Alaska to the bottom of Argentina in about 300 years. The Clovis Point enabled the people to thrive upon the many species of animals they encountered and to establish themselves in North and South America. The third program, part of which Glenn and Colin shot near Prairie du Chien, will feature what is now New Zealand during a period of about 1,500 years ago. Along with the three 50-minute programs, there will also be a concluding program designed to sum up the events depicted in the previous three segments. The three programs and the conclusion will air in the United States sometime in 2003, possibly on The Discovery Channel, said Glenn, who noted that it will take a large team six months to edit, add special effects and put the finishing touches on the project. The BBC could not yet give a broadcast date, Glenn said. Glenn and Colin have traveled to all parts of the world and said they find their jobs quite interesting. Glenn has worked making commercials for about 15 years, has made numerous art and music programs and many school documentaries. Colin has been a wildlife film maker for about seven years. Prior to coming to Prairie du Chien, he was in India for six months filming tigers. "They're the most extraordinary animals," Colin said. "When you get up close, it's a pretty amazing feeling." Colin said that in one instance, he went into a temple, when a short time later he felt a presence, turned and saw a large tigress about five paces away. "I just stood there, turned white and my legs turned to jelly," he said. The tigress growled a few times as she then slowly walked out the door. Both Glenn and Colin said they enjoyed the Prairie du Chien area and people so much, they will definitely return. In fact, recent word has it that Colin will be back Sept. 26 in order to take in some of the area's natural beauty, and to also do some filming of the Mississippi River. Glenn said he may be back in a year or two to try his hand at flyfishing in some of the excellent trout streams of the region.

PdC man dies as a result of injuries
Steven L. Knight, 28, of Prairie du Chien died Sept. 18 as a result of injuries he received in a automobile accident on Sept. 3. Knight was in the passenger seat of a van driven by his wife while travelling on Highway 18 in Patch Grove Township when he exited the vehicle, which was travelling at about 40 miles per hour. He sustained serious head injuries when he struck the highway and was flown by medical helicopter to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse.

City not satisfied with new material for streets
The city of Prairie du Chien tried something new to maintain streets this year, but according to Street Department Superintendent Rodney Fishler they probably won't be doing it again. Fahrner, a contractor from Waunakee, was hired to place "boiler slag" on all or portions of Blackhawk Avenue, N. Wacouta Avenue, Webster Street, Wells Street and Dousman Street. Boiler slag is a by- product of power plants after the coal is burned. It is comparable in price to the traditional chip seal used on streets, but it does have some advantages such as the dark color aiding snow melt in the winter. The disadvantages are that in high traffic areas such as Blackhawk Avenue, there ends up being a lot of loose material at the street edges and at intersections. The Street Department has swept the areas which had the boiler slag applied, and this did seem to help the problem of loose material quite a bit. Fishler says they are not completely satisfied with how the project turned out and next year they will likely use "slurry seal" instead, which is a type of super wet asphalt. The disadvantage to this material is that the streets it is applied to will have to be closed for about four hours. Slurry seal does cost about $1 a square yard, as compared to 75 cents a square yard. Fahrner did guarantee their work for one year, and if any defects are found they will fix the areas at no cost to the city. The work will likely be done in the spring.

HawkWatch - A migration celebration
Autumn is a glorious time of year in our part of the world, one that the local people eagerly await. Along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River, there is another event, both mystifying and exciting Ð hundreds of thousands, even millions, of birds are migrating along the Mississippi River flyway. Four main migration pathways are the highways followed by the majority of birds as they head south toward their wintering grounds. The Mississippi River Valley is the largest of these flyways. Ducks, geese, swans, and pelicans are the better known migrants, but the raptors including hawks, falcons, eagles, and vultures migrate in great numbers throughout the fall. Migration is one of those natural phenomenon that is so steeped in mystery it is impossible not to want to learn more. HawkWatch at Effigy Mounds, Saturday and Sunday Sept. 28 and 29, is a free, family-oriented event in celebration of the annual fall hawk migration. The event offers a diversity of opportunities that can be enjoyed by people with little knowledge of birds of prey or those who consider themselves experts. Throughout the weekend several presentations are scheduled that will feature live hawks and owls. There will also be opportunities for learning about raptor rehabilitation, the lives and behavior of owls, identification techniques, and the art and sport of falconry Ð hunting with hawks, and endangered species like the Red-shouldered Hawk. HawkWatch operates a banding station to collect data on migrating birds. Hawks are trapped, banded with a US Fish and Wildlife band, and data is recorded. They are then brought to the visitors center, where brief programs about the bird will allow everyone to have a close-up look at a wild hawk. The bird will then be released to continue its journey. Activities for kids are a major part of the event. Teachers and volunteers help children with activities such as dissecting owl pellets, learning about making tracks, figuring out a hawk-oriented treasure hunt, and drawing birds of prey. If they are lucky kids will get a chance to talk to "Strix" the Spirit Owl, or "Regal" the Bald Eagle. The activities are fun and educational. HawkWatch operates a count site where Iowa DNR staff, Audubon members, Iowa Nature Mapping staff and volunteers identify and count wild migrants as they fly overhead. Typically several hundred migrants are counted each day, including Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, Red-tailed, Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, eagles, vultures and others. Spotting scopes will be set up around the area, and there will be people to assist in using them and identifying the hundreds of hawks flying over the park. All the HawkWatch activities are located at the visitors center of Effigy Mounds National Monument. There are educational displays to help people learn more about migration and birds of prey. A HawkWatch store is available, as well as the National Park Service store within the visitors center. The monument also offers a museum, hiking trails, lookouts over the Mississippi River and, of course, the prehistoric effigy burial mounds. The event starts on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 8 a.m. with a bird hike led by Dennis Carter of Upper Iowa Audubon. Hawk watching activities begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. on both days. Saturday evening there will be a benefit concert for the HawkWatch event featuring Big Blue Sky with blues and original folk tunes. The concert will be held at the Scenic View Ridge Barn, #378 State Highway 76, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Upper Iowa Audubon Chapter, Audubon's Upper Mississippi River Campaign, Effigy Mounds National Monument, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources cosponsor HawkWatch. For more information, contact Pam Kester, HawkWatch Coordinator at kestrel@alpine com.net or 563-873-1236, or look under HawkWatch at www.nps.gov/efmo/. Just prior to the event there will be a program schedule available. Effigy Mounds is located in northeastern Iowa on Highway 76 just north of Marquette.