|
Click here for NOAA
Mississippi River Stage information
Link to LEGALS
CONTACT US for
picture reproduction of photos in our paper...reasonable prices!
| |
Rotary turns ordinary students into seasoned
world travellers
When Ryan Knapp
was 16, he spent a year in the city of Mosbach, Germany, living with several
different families as a Rotary Exchange student. At the time, Ryan was a junior
at Prairie du Chien Senior High School and he had two years of high school
German classes under his belt. Was he prepared for what lay ahead of him? Not
exactly. Would he have rather stayed home? No way. "It was a tremendous
experience," says Knapp, 24, who now works in financial services and lives in
Madison. "It made me who I am today." While many foreign exchange students have
visited Prairie, Knapp is the only Prairie du Chien Rotary Exchange student to
visit another country. The language barrier was difficult at first. Ryan said
that even though his hosts spoke English, they spoke German to him to force him
to learn the language. At first he had to translate everything in his head which
was time consuming and frustrating. He knew he was getting better when he
noticed he began to dream in German. Like all Rotary Exchange students, Ryan
lived at no cost with several different families throughout the year. Some were
middle and working class families, but one family he stayed with was quite
affluent. Ryan attended the local college-prep high school, where he said the
students worked very hard, much harder than in the U.S. There were no
extracurricular activities or clubs at the school, and students walked, rode
bicycles or took public transit to school. Students also enjoyed more freedom,
he said, such as an open campus. Due to the language barrier, Ryan was graded
only on participation for the first part of the school year. He did receive
credit towards graduation back home. According to Knapp, the best thing about
his year away was the lifelong friendships and connections he made, not only
with the families he stayed with, but with Rotary Exchange students from all
over the world. Ryan was fortunate enough to enjoy a three week European tour
with other international students during spring break. One of his host families
paid for the trip. Ryan says that he stays in regular contact with four or five
people he met during that year, including some members of his host families. He
says he savors the Œlittle memories, like friends who helped at school, the
kinds of things you take for granted at home." Anuj Gupta, a Rotary Exchange
student from Mumbai (Bombay), India, has been living in Prairie du Chien this
year. He says he has really enjoyed his stay here. "People are really friendly,"
he said. He also enjoys the "easy-going lifestyle." He said he was surprised,
however, at how little many Americans know about the rest of the world. Anuj is
in his senior year. He came to Prairie back in September and will leave for home
in June, where he will begin college classes in computers and information
technology at Jai Hind College in Mumbai. Like most Rotary Exchange students, he
too will have the opportunity to visit a number of cities in the U.S. He has
already had a tour of the East Coast and new York City. Next he will visit Los
Angeles, Las Vegas and St. Louis. He also plans to visit Rice Lake, Wis., where
his brother was an exchange student a few years ago. Anuj says that when you
stay someplace for a year, you are not really a visitor. "You see so much more,
the exchange thing is totally different [than taking a trip somewhere]." One
thing both Anuj and Ryan agree upon is the quality of the Rotary program
compared to other student exchange organizations. The primary cost to
participants is airfare to and from the host country and incidental costs such
as passport application fees. Housing, meals and spending money are provided by
Rotary, and some Rotary host families, like Ryan's give even more. Another bonus
of the program is the way it builds connections. "Rotary's program is strong in
connecting Rotary exchange students [with each other]," said Ryan.
Currently, the Prairie du Chien Rotary Exchange program is handling an
application from a girl in Mexico to come to Prairie for the coming school year.
And they are seeking an adventurous student from the area who would also like to
become a world traveller.
Advice from an expert: Go For It! By Anuj Gupta
Does traveling to another part of the world and
experiencing a different lifestyle sound like fun to you? If you're a high
school student, you may be eligible for Rotary Youth Exchange. Through this
program, you can go to another country of your choice for a whole school year.
Unlike just visiting another country, being an exchange student really gives you
the opportunity to "live'' a different lifestyle. Over the course of a year, you
get to live with three to four different families. I myself am an exchange
student from India and have been here in Prairie du Chien since last fall. From
my own experience, I can say that if you go with the right mind, having a great
time, learning a new lifestyle and learning to live independently is guaranteed!
Living in another country, you learn to compare and contrast other cultures to
your own. You also realize that people all over the world are alike in so many
ways. In my opinion, the best time to go for the exchange is between your
freshman to junior years, as graduation is a time when we want to be with our
own family and friends. If this interests you, think about it! Prairie du Chien
Rotary Club is seeking area students who are interested in Youth Exchange. For
all questions, you can call the Youth Exchange Officer for the Rotary Club of
Prairie du Chien, Bob Travis, at 326-4421. To learn more about what it's like to
be an exchange student, you can also contact me at the same number. You can take
my word for it, this is an experience you will never forget. Anuj Gupta is a
Rotary Exchange student visiting Prairie du Chien from Mumbai, India.
Faulkner guilty
in "shaken baby" case
A 29-year-old Prairie du Chien man, Jesse R. Faulkner, was found guilty
Tuesday morning in Crawford County Circuit Court of second degree reckless
homicide in the death of 15-month-old Miles G. Davis, of Prairie du Chien.
Faulkner had been originally charged with first degree reckless homicide on Dec.
26, 2003. At Tuesday's plea hearing, Faulkner entered a plea of no contest to
the amended charge of second degree reckless homicide, a charge that was reached
through a plea agreement. Grant County Circuit Court Judge Robert P. VanDeHey,
who had been substituted in the case in place of Crawford County Circuit Court
Judge Michael Kirchman, found Faulkner guilty and ordered a pre-sentence
investigation to be conducted. VanDeHey set Faulkner's sentencing hearing for
Friday, June 10 at 9 a.m. in the Crawford County Courthouse. "There is a factual
basis in the record for a finding of guilty," VanDeHey said just prior to
stating the verdict. In discussing the pre-sentence investigation, VanDeHey told
Faulkner, "There is a high probability of a prison sentence." Faulkner replied
that he understood. The maximum sentence for second degree reckless homicide is
25 years in prison (15 years of confinement, followed by 10 years of extended
supervision) and a $100,000 fine. Before the plea agreement was reached,
Faulkner's trial on the charge of first degree reckless homicide was scheduled
to begin Tuesday morning. First degree reckless homicide carries a maximum
sentence of 60 years in prison. According to the criminal complaint, Miles G.
Davis' mother, Delaine Hurda, took the boy to Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital
at about 1 p.m. Dec. 17, 2003. Hospital personnel then called the Prairie du
Chien Police Department to investigate the "suspicious" death. Lieutenant Erich
Ahrens observed some abrasions and contusions around the head and neck of the
boy and it was decided that an autopsy would be ordered. The autopsy was
performed by Dr. Michael Stier of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine at the University Medical School in Madison. Dr. Stier reported that
the boy had sustained several injuries, including an acute subdural hemorrhage,
severe; gross perioptic nerve hemorrhage, bilateral; and cerebral edema, severe.
Dr. Stier concluded that the cause of death was "homicidal shaking in a battered
child," consistent with "shaken baby syndrome." Dr. Stier said that the death
was homicidal rather than accidental. According to the complaint, Delaine Hurda
went to work at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2003. Hurda said that
Faulkner was baby-sitting the boy while she was at work. Hurda said she called
home twice to check on the boy because she was somewhat concerned about the way
the child was acting. Hurda returned home from work at approximately 2 a.m. Dec.
17, 2003 and set up a vaporizer in the child's room because his breathing seemed
congested. Hurda said that she checked on Miles again at about 4 a.m. Hurda said
she went back to bed and awoke again at about noon to check on the boy. Hurda
noted that the child was lying in the same position as he was throughout the
night. She stated that she picked the child up and that he was stiff and cold to
the touch, according to the complaint. On Dec. 18, 2003, investigators
interviewed Faulkner, who had been living with Hurda for about two months.
Faulkner told investigators that on Dec. 15, 2003 at about 8 p.m., he began
watching a football game on television. At approximately 8:30 p.m., he went into
the bathroom and while in there, Faulkner heard a "thump." He came out of the
bathroom and found Miles sitting on the floor, crying and shaking his head, the
complaint said. Faulkner told investigators that he then picked up the boy and
shook him "to get him to quit crying." Faulkner said that he shook the child "for
a minute or two" until he stopped crying. Faulkner said that after the boy
stopped crying, he put the child on some pillows on the floor. Faulkner said
that the child appeared "dazed," according to the complaint. Faulkner said that
he stopped watching the football game at about 10:30 p.m. and went into the
computer room. Faulkner said that he then heard another thump. The child
appeared more dazed than before, Faulkner said. He then picked up the boy,
changed him and put him to bed, according to the criminal complaint.
Faulkner is free on $10,000 cash bond.
|
Wellness Day: A Seneca tradition of healthy
learning
For fifteen years Seneca students have some a welcome time off from
regular classes. But it's not exactly a day off. It's Wellness Day.
Wellness Day offers students an opportunity to learn about basic health
and safety issues that affect them, such drugs, alcohol and tobacco. But
it also offers a chance to delve into other aspects of living well, such
as goal setting, understanding media messages and money management. All
of these topics and more were offered to students in 40 minute
workshop-style mini-sessions throughout the day, as well as two keynote
speakers. Entertainment was provided by the La Crosse Central High
School Show Choir. About 200 students in grades six through twelve
participated in the event. Seneca is the only school in Crawford County,
and one of the few in the state, to offer this type of event. The event
is sponsored by a student organization, Students Helping Area Resistance
Efforts, or SHARE. Student involved in SHARE attend a training workshop
at a camp in Rosholt, Wis., then create an action plan of two or three
events for their school for peer teaching about drugs and alcohol.
Wellness Day has been a primary SHARE event for all of it's fifteen
years. Jennifer Brandes is an eighth grader who has been involved in
SHARE for about two years, and she likes it. "They [other students]
wonder why I want to stay after school. I say I like learning new things
and helping others," Brandes said. SHARE students do stay after school,
and they do help others. Students logged about 80 hours of volunteer
time to put on the Wellness Day. Students are involved in all aspects of
they event. They write the $1,000 mini grant that helps fund the event.
Older students, like senior Elliot Stevenson, did a lot of work back in
December contacting presenters by phone, and lining them up. Others help
with set-up and tear-down. As a reward for their efforts, any student
who logs 15 hours of volunteer time is eligible to participate in an
overnight get away at a motel in Prairie du Chien with a pool, games and
movies. Students who have fewer volunteer offers may also attend, but
they have to pay. Like other SHARE events, the motel overnight also
requires that the students put in a little work time. They must tally
the results of the evaluation forms students filled out on the Wellness
Day presentations. The evaluations help them choose which presentations
are worth a repeat performance for next year's Wellness Day. Taking an
active part in creating an event as big as Wellness Day helps SHARE
students build skills. Stevenson, who will attend the University of
Minnesota at the Twin Cities campus this fall, says his six years years
in SHARE has helped build his confidence and networking abilities. Plus,
he says, "It's a way to give back to the community. My parents always
taught me that," he added. Some of the presenters at the workshop, such
as the keynote speakers and the show choir, charge for their services.
Many others, such as Prairie du Chien School Resource Officer Chad Abram
and Crawford County Domestic Violence Coordinator for Catholic
Charities, June Hoeger, give presentations as part of their regular
duties at no charge. Abram gave a presentation entitled "Teens and the
Law," and Hoeger gave one on dating and teen violence. While students
typically looked a little bored during most of the presentations, that
doesn't mean they weren't listening. Brandy Poltrock, a sophomore, said
that she felt the dating and violence presentation was the most useful
for her. "I'm going to watch out more about who I date, and my friends
too," she said. She also enjoyed the program on Lifetime Wellness that
focused on goal setting, working hard and keeping a positive attitude. "I
learned how goals are always changing throughout your life, and to think
about goals," she said.
Eastman game farm owner in litigation with DATCP
over CWD ruling
The owner of an Eastman game farm that was found to have one deer
with chronic wasting disease (CWD) has gone into litigation with the
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
A 19-month-old whitetail buck that died from respiratory causes tested
positive for CWD on Jan. 21. The animal was one of a herd of 40 owned by
Curtis Christensen. The herd was immediately put under quarantine
because the rest of the animals have been exposed to CWD. Quarantine
stops the movement of live deer off the farm. Since Jan. 21, the herd
has remained under quarantine and State Veterinarian Dr. Robert
Ehlenfeldt has revoked the CWD Monitoring Program status of the farm.
Through the litigation, Christensen is challenging the revocation of his
CWD Monitoring Program status, without which he cannot bring live deer
onto the farm nor ship live deer off of the farm. DATCP Public
Information Officer Donna Gillson said that the case will be heard
before an administrative law judge within the department. The
administrative law judge will then make a recommendation to DATCP
Secretary Rod Nilsestuen, who will issue the final ruling. The
litigation process could take months. Some cases have been known to take
years. If Christensen is not satisfied with the department's ruling, he
can then take the case to court, Gillson said. Prior to April 9, 2002
(when CWD was discovered in the wild whitetail herd in Southern
Wisconsin), the CWD Monitoring Program was voluntary for game farms. On
April 9, 2002, the CWD Monitoring Program became mandatory as an
emergency measure for all game farms that wanted to bring in and ship
out live deer or elk. Also, much more stringent rules were implemented
concerning the CWD Monitoring Program. In June of 2003, permanent rules
that are even more strict were implemented for the CWD Monitoring
Program. "You have to account for every single deer or elk on your
property," said Donna Gillson about farm-raised animals. Gillson noted
that no matter how an animal dies, it must be tested if it is 16 months
old or older. Also, game farmers must do an annual herd census and must
notify DATCP as to why their herd population went up or down. In
addition, in order to import live animals, game farmers must import them
from other farms that have been in a state-sanctioned monitoring program
for at least five years. There are also several requirements for the
maintenance of proper fences to keep farm-raised deer in and wild deer
out. Gillson said that game farmers bear the cost of testing for CWD on
their farms. She noted that there have been more than 10,000 deer tested
on Wisconsin game farms, with 28 testing positive for CWD to date. One
of the infected animals was an elk and the rest were whitetail deer.
Seventeen of the animals that tested positive were from one hunting
preserve in Portage County, Gillson said. Those animals were tested
after being shot by hunters on the preserve. It is not illegal to ship
deer carcasses, said Gillson. She also stated, however, that most of
those hunters on the preserve were probably not interested in deer
carcasses, but rather were interested in obtaining a trophy rack.
In 2004, there were 724 game farms with deer or elk in the state of
Wisconsin. In all, 20 herds in Wisconsin are under quarantines related
to CWD. Ten of those herds are related to on-farm CWD cases. The rest of
the herds may have been exposed to CWD because they are within the
Department of Natural Resources disease eradication zone.
The deer herd owned by Curtis Christensen of Eastman remains under
quarantine and the case remains under investigation in order to
determine if the infected buck was born on the farm or if it was brought
in from somewhere else. DATCP staff are tracing the movements of deer
onto and from the farm in an effort to find out if other herds may have
been exposed. Gillson said that, to date, no other herds have been
quarantined as a result of the finding on the Christensen farm.
When the 19-month-old buck on the Christensen farm died, Christensen
reported it, as he was supposed to do in accordance with CWD Monitoring
Program rules. The deer was tested by the National Veterinary Services
Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, which reported the CWD positive results on
Jan. 21. |
|
|
|
