NEWS 

KUWS News Archive - 2002-2003
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UWS international students celebrate the holidays together

Many staying with local families 12/24/2003
International students took part in the annual Christmas Festival at UW-Superior. Tom Mahlen reports that many are sharing their own traditions with each other.

Christmas music played as students from all over the world gathered with friends from UWS. Miguel Cisneros from Barcelona, Venezuela has been studying at UWS for three years. He says he will be spending Christmas in Superior. “Christmas for us is actually a big holiday. Everybody gets together—the whole family, like all the relatives, and we have a big meal around nine o’clock, then all the kids go to bed and wait for Santa Claus to bring them their gift.” Cisneros says Christmas festivities are spectacular. “We do have Christmas tree—lot of decoration. A lot of firework. Actually that’s when we use the firework, actually, is the 24th at night, and New Year’s Eve.” 

Khuyen Vo from Ho Chi Minh City says holiday celebrations are more casual in Vietnam. “We don’t really have a party or a family meetings on Christmas, but it’s more for friends. And people usually go out to have dinner, or just walk on a street because in my city, always, the weather is very nice.” 

Yadamini Guuawardena grew up celebrating Christmas in Sri Lanka. “Sri Lanka is mainly, it’s based on a Buddhist culture, but we do celebrate Christmas because we were under the British for a hundred and fifty years. It’s a festive season in Sri Lanka as well. We do the decorations, we celebrate Christmas Eve, there’s feasting in churches.” He says Sri Lanka sees its share of visitors this time of year. “Since the weather in this part of the world is so severe, it’s a tourist season so most tourists come there and they celebrate the Christmas in Sri Lankan tropical weather so. It’s more of a festive environment, there’s a lot of celebrations, partying, carnivals, sports activities going on.” 

International Programs Director Bob Kosuth organizes the event. Although UWS is the smallest four year campus in the UW System, it boasts the second largest per capita international student population, second only to Madison. Students from 36 countries come to Superior. He says they’ve been getting together to share diverse ways of celebrating Christmas for several years. “This particular time when people come together it’s very clear, more than other times, what international students contribute to the campus community. But this is only the particular time when it’s especially noticeable—when everyone’s together. But we certainly do want to remember that we have these people with us all year around, and they contribute things by their presence in classes by their presence in the residence halls, by their presence just on campus.” Several of these students will stay in Superior, and celebrate Christmas with local families during the school break.

Counties may vote again on letting power line on public property

Votes expected next month 12/23/2003
Counties along the path of the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line will probably debate whether or not to let the line be built on county property. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The counties voted against letting American Transmission Company build on county property before, but this time around it might be different. Douglas County is the northernmost of the half dozen counties the 240 mile long line will cross. County Board Director Doug Finn expects the issue to come up again next month. "Many people believe that sooner or later you're going to see this power line build in northwestern Wisconsin. If that's the case, then we've got to do all we can to protect the interests of property owners in Douglas County and the Douglas County taxpayers as a whole." 

But Finn says there's a great deal of bitterness over this issue, so he's not sure how a new vote would turn out. In neighboring Washburn County, Robert Lester heads the ad hoc committee on the transmission line. He too expects another vote by the board. "I've said this all along, the line is inevitable. The ad hoc committee has said that it's inevitable. The thing that we have to do as a committee for the county is to see that the county is compensated properly, that's the main concern." 

American Transmission Company will pay each county and landowner for property used for this line. But Marathon County Administrator Mort McVane says that's not their primary concern. "The bigger question for us is what is the right thing to do? Would it be right for us to let the line run through the county property or absolutely on principles say 'no, we do not want the line at all'." McVane says Marathon County's vote may be close next month, but he says issues including stray voltage, aesthetics, bisecting farmland and health concerns haven't changed for many people. 

American Transmission Company officials would like to begin construction early next year, but if counties ban them from their land, it will have to change its route. ATC doesn't have the authority to condemn public property.

Lost dog found with help of local businesses

All but one chipped in to find Ernie 12/22/2003
A Superior man feared the worst when his dog disappeared last month. He turned to local businesses for help, and got it. All except for one. Tom Mahlen reports.

Chad Lowney lives in Superior with his best friend Ernie, a one-year-old Yorkshire terrier. Lowney says he was afraid Ernie would get run over when he ran away. “It was Saturday and I was getting ready to... a bunch of us were going to go on a four-wheeler ride and I was letting my dog Ernie out, and as I was coming in the back door, I didn’t notice that it was ajar a little bit, well, he saw an opportunity and he ran out. I chased after him for about four hours, and finally after four hours I was getting so tired that I just lost him and I couldn’t keep up with him any more, ‘cause he didn’t want to come back.” 

Lowney says the Ernie T. Dog often goes out exploring, but always comes back. This time he didn’t. “I stayed up most the night, calling out the door for him, hoping he’d come back ‘cause then it snowed that night, and I got really worried. So the next morning I found a picture of him, made a bunch of copies and started off right down by Perkins there, and started making our way right down highway two stopping in East End.” Lowney went door to door at local businesses in Superior’s East End, asking to put a sign in the window asking people to help find Ernie. He’s pleased with the concern most of the businesses had for Ernie. The folks at President’s One Stop convenience store on Highway 2 seemed to care a lot. “They were just more than helpful, I mean, they felt bad for me, and I don’t know if I looked pitiful or anything but they sure wanted to help out a lot.” 

President’s One Stop manager Terry Waterman says helping people is part of their business. “Well we tend to try to be responsive to the community needs when we can be. And so we did—we let him put up the sign on the door saying he was looking for his dog. Most of us who have a pet wouldn’t want to lose it. It’s just human nature, try to take care of things you care about.” Lowney says Culver’s Restaurant was the only business that wouldn’t let him post a flier. They wouldn’t comment for our story. It does have a happy ending. Lowney says a woman picked up Ernie. He located her after she ran an ad in the newspaper looking for Ernie’s owner.

Cookies on the way for soldiers in Iraq

Locals bake and bake and bake 12/21/2003
People are helping to brighten the holiday season for local military families, both for the troops in Iraq and friends and family here at home. Josh Weir has the story.

While Superior’s National Guard unit is stationed in Iraq, their friends, family, and others are trying to spread a little holiday cheer to the 724th engineering battalion. They are baking cookies, making greeting cards, and wrapping them up in shoe boxes to send to the soldiers. “Are these done yet? We need a trained cookie eye”. 

Mary Hudachek is helping make greeting cards to put in the boxes. Her son Nicholas is in Iraq with the Army’s 4th Infantry division. She says it’s always hard to be away from your family for the holidays, and things like this help a lot. “My son has said the things that keep him going are the pictures from home, the cards, and especially from people he doesn’t even know. So to receive a box of cookies from people that he doesn’t even know is a real morale booster for those guys, it means a lot to them, for sure.” Hudachek says it’s also a boost for the families. “Sometimes we feel so helpless here when we know what they’re going through there, and so it gives us an opportunity to just get together and do something …for them.” 

Mentor with the Kinship program Kathy Dekiep is putting sprinkles on some of the cookies and getting them ready for the oven. Although she doesn’t personally know any of the soldiers who will be getting these boxes, she can sympathize… “This would be hard for them, and for their families, so we do what we can do to bring them a little cheer. They won’t let me sample any yet! It’s awful hard, I know if it was at home I’d have a few already!” Postal employees stopped at the armory in the morning to get the boxes in the mail as soon as possible. They should be in Iraq by Christmas.

Superior family scammed/have no money for Christmas presents

Police warn others to beware 12/20/2003
A phony loan agency has already taken one Superior family’s holiday money, and Ashland police say to be wary. Kate Houlihan has the story.

Frederick Vandevenner of Superior answered an ad in the Superior Daily Telegram from Burks Financial that said they would pre-approve him for a loan. Burks asked for driver’s license numbers, social security numbers, and bank account information. All Vandevenner had to do was wire $900 to Canada. The loan would show up in his bank account in five days. Instead, over $1400 was removed. 

Ashland police department investigator Jim Gregoire says they’re investigating, but companies like Burks are hard to nab. “Generally what these companies do is pay for advertisements through the local papers using stolen credit cards. Once the money is wired out of the country, there’s not a whole lot local agencies can do. So I forwarded my report to the FBI in Eau Claire, who is forwarding it to their connections in Canada.” 

Gregoire says an almost identical case happened in Price County in October. The victim’s money was not recovered in that case. Gregoire says people need to be wary. “Burks Financial was actually on the Better Business Bureau website as a red flag, as being a scam. And if they ask for money, and especially if they ask for personal information, bank accounts, that kind of thing, don’t give them information like that – they shouldn’t need it.” 

For the Vandenner family, step-daughter Tashina Hoff says they have no money for Christmas presents. Police say it’s best to remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Sleep on the streets for Street People

15th year of setting up on Tower Ave and 16th 12/19/2003
Eight people will hit the streets of downtown Superior tonight (Fri), to sleep in boxes and raise money for homeless and less fortunate people. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Don Garner-Gearhardt is one of the self-proclaimed fools of the street to raise money for local charities. He says they have one goal tonight. "Not to freeze to death. Course that's our goal every year. No, we never really set a goal and say this is what we want to hit." With wind chills expected to be below zero tonight, Garner-Gearhardt says they'll be bundling up. 

Matt Christy of Superior says even that won't stop that warm feeling he gets inside. "I just really enjoy this time of year, being able to give something back to people in need in this area and especially for organizations that do directly impact the residents that we have in the surrounding area. It's just one of those good feelings that we have during the holiday season to be able to put on and for me to help out with a program like this." The eight men, including Superior Mayor Dave Ross, will collect toys, food, and money for the local homeless shelter, women's shelter and Boy's and Girl's Club. They break camp at noon on Saturday.

CASDA Clean Sweep Fundraiser/Need help for full shelter

Looking for cleaning materials and supplies 12/18/2003
The Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse in Superior is hosting a different fundraiser involving mops and brooms. Kate Houlihan has the story.

The CASDA shelter is full now, and it has been since last spring, causing cleaning supplies to be used quickly. Up to eight women with children can be housed at a time. A tight budget is making it harder for CASDA to buy new supplies, so they’re hosting a Clean Sweep fundraiser. They’re hoping people will give basic things such as surface cleaner, plastic bags, and paper towels. 

CASDA shelter advocate Shannon Jarecki says so far there have been some surprises. “The Campus Volunteer Group actually used the money they had, some of the money they had, from their Homeless Sleepout fundraiser to buy just a load of various products. I think they got almost one of everything on the list we had submitted.” Approximately 120 items have already been donated, but Jarecki says hopes for more. 

Volunteer coordinator Valerie Coit says fewer jobs and options for alternate housing are available in Superior, which could be one reason why the shelter has been full for so long. She says fundraisers like these are necessary for day-to-day operations. “It’s amazing how much stuff we go through in terms of cleaning supplies when you have people coming in and out and you need to keep the rooms in good condition and really clean as the next person comes in.” The drive will continue until December 19th at the Rothwell Student Center on the UW-Superior campus.

Solid Rock Haven continues 70 years of helping the homeless

Started during the Great Depression 12/17/2003
As temperatures plummet in northern Wisconsin, one homeless shelter in Superior is doing its best to help those in need. Tom Mahlen reports.

Donated Christmas lights and a small tree adorn the entrance to the Solid Rock Safe Haven in Superior. Staff members are doing anything they can to brighten the holidays for their residents - homeless men from all over northern Wisconsin. 

Staff Coordinator Jerry Terrance says 9 of Safe Haven’s 22 beds are already full, and their busiest season is yet to come. “I’ve got people coming in next week—I’ve got about five or six guys, so we should be full, probably right before Christmas. Aw there’s many reasons. Rent, jobs, wages, they’re just not making it. Money’s probably about the biggest issue.” Terrance and the crew at Safe Haven make two “bread runs” every day to Super One and Jubilee Foods. Both stores provide the shelter with baked goods. Terrance says nothing goes to waste—any extra food is offered to the public. “We have breakfast for the residents, lunch and dinner are for the open public. We’ll have like 17,000 meals served this year.” 

Terrance says they serve meals to anywhere from 20 to 50 non-residents each day. Along with three meals a day and a place to sleep, Solid Rock Safe Haven has showers, a laundry room and a television room. Residents can stay for up to one month, during this time they will participate in community work and try to find a job. Terrance says the shelter, which first opened in the 1930s and was called the Union Gospel Mission then the Solid Rock Mission, gets most of its money from donations. Folks interested in helping out should stop by the Solid Rock Safe Haven at 1004 North Sixth Street in Superior. 

Salvation Army getting Christmas baskets ready to help families in need 

Give-away is set for Friday 12/16/2003
Thanks to the Salvation Army, families around the Northland who need a little help this Christmas will have plenty to eat. Kate Houlihan has the story.

The Salvation Army is putting together their annual Christmas baskets for families in need. Superior Salvation Army Captain Rosemary Mattson says all sorts of tasty treats get put in the baskets. “It’s usually a turkey, or for a single person they often give a ham. And you know, dressing, and pies, and cookies, and vegetables, and fruit, and butter, and bread. Just all the things that are needed to make a real nice Christmas dinner.” 

Mattson says families have to meet income guidelines to receive a basket, but around Christmas they aren’t as strict. She says it’s important to remember why they’re giving the baskets away. “We aren’t real, real strict at Christmas because we feel that the need is there. Especially if people have children. The need is there. With the high prices of rent and heat right now, and lights, we need to be helping people.” Mattson says money from the kettles and the community are used to pay the baskets. She says their normal food shelf gives food away to up to 300 families per week, so the baskets make a big difference during a holiday season. Mattson says they try to make it festive. “We give out scarves and mittens, and then we work with the fire department on Toys for Tots also, and give the extra out on a certain day.” 

Baskets will be given away on December 19 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Mariner Mall. People interested in receiving a basket can call 394-7001 to see if they are eligible.

Transmission line approved

Vote unanimous 12/15/2003
The Duluth to Wausau transmission line has been approved. Mike Simonson reports.

In a unanimous vote by the three person Public Service Commission yesterday, the 420-million dollar line will proceed. But many property owners and power line opponents at the Madison hearing say they won’t let the line be built. At one point, the meeting was halted as citizens spoke out. The meeting was halted for about 10 minutes until some people were removed. Commission Chairwoman Burnie Bridges later said this is a tough decision. Commissioner Avie Bie voted for the line because she says Wisconsin is at risk for power outages, including several recently in northern Wisconsin. The 240-mile long line would be the first through northern Wisconsin, with one temporary substation to be built in Stone Lake.

News release to KUWS: PSC to decide on Arrowhead Weston Monday

Wisconsin Public Radio will cover the meeting in Madison 12/15/2003
A decision on the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line is expected Monday afternoon at the Public Service Commission meeting in Madison

Here's the notice from the PSC:
The Arrowhead-Weston case will come before the Commission at its open meeting on Monday, December 15 at 3:00 p.m. in Madison, Wisconsin. At that time, the Commission will review the issues in the case and deliver its verbal decision. We will be issuing a press release after the meeting which will outline the key decisions made and include comments from the Commissioners. If you are interested in attending the meeting, it will be held in the Amnicon Falls hearing room located on the first floor at the Public Service Commission. Otherwise, you can listen to the meeting live from our website at http://psc.wi.gov/event/openmeet/ind_om.htm.

Anonymous donor drops $500 in red kettle but Salvation Army giving is off this year

Goal is $70,000 in Superior 12/14/2003
Salvation Army bells continue to ring throughout Superior, but totals aren’t looking so bright. Still, Kate Houlihan reports that one Superior mystery donor dropped $500 in one red kettle.

At the end of week two, Salvation Army Captain Rosemary Mattson says totals are down about $200 from last year. But she still thinks they’ll reach their goal of $70,000. “We’d like to get above last year. We’ve had a lot of people sign up. We’re hoping that the people will hear, and will call, and will want to ring the bells.” Totals may be down, but Mattson says some surprises have kept smiles on their faces. “Somebody put a $500 check in a kettle, so that was real nice. And then somebody threw a precious gem accidentally into the kettle, and came back for it. Last year twice we got $500 in $100 dollar bills, and we’re just kind of hoping that somebody will do that again this year.” 

Popular sites in Superior include WalMart, Kmart, Target, Super One, and both Jubilee stores. Mattson says she loves seeing what goes on around the red kettles. “Watching the people ring the bells, some are out there with their music and others are out there with groups and little Boy Scouts opening up the store doors for people. And there’s a real good spirit out there. So I know the money just has to come in.” Mattson says the Salvation Army is grateful for the kindness stores have shown them. She says they’re all going above and beyond the call of duty.

Superior mayor joins other Great Lakes mayors: Clean up the Great Lakes

Meeting in Chicago Friday got mayors together for the first time 12/13/2003
Mayors from around the eight Great Lakes states met in Chicago Friday, and delivered a unified message: They want a voice in the future of the Great Lakes. Mike Simonson reports.

The mayors are pushing for Congress to pass a $4-billion clean-up bill pending in the House. Superior Mayor Dave Ross tells us from Chicago that only the federal government has the resources to do the job right. "It's a great burden on local governments and municipalities to take on the burden of water quality. Many small cities such as Superior, that would be an enormous financial burden. We certainly need financial help from outside sources, and of course the federal government would be a prime source." 

Ross says mayors from Wisconsin will lobby Senators Kohl and Feingold to support similar legislation in the Senate. "We can't do it ourselves. We can't do it alone. Forty million people live on the Great Lakes. One new invasive species being found in the Great Lakes system each year. If this continues at the rate it is, we're going to destroy the Great Lakes." Until this meeting, Great Lakes mayors haven't been organized. Now they want to be part of the federal Great Lakes Advisory Board to have a voice in the clean-up of the Great Lakes.

Governor visits Superior school: Tells kids to shape up

Appoints Ashland health nurse to new council 12/12/2003
Governor Jim Doyle stopped by Superior Thursday to talk about nutrition and fitness. He also got the chance to “get down” with the students. Kate Houlihan has the story.

Doyle says he’s tired of having Wisconsin rank last among students who eat a healthy school breakfast. He’s proud that Great Lakes Elementary takes part in the federally funded breakfast program, but more can be done. “We have great schools and we do great things, but this is just not . . . you know, if West Virginia can get it right, Wisconsin can get it right, and I really want to make sure kids get off to a good start in the day with a good breakfast.”

 Doyle’s Healthy Kids Initiative would have Wisconsin schools focusing on lifetime sports in their physical fitness classes. He wants technology to help make this happen. “We’re working to provide websites where kids can go on and can interact. They can put their own times in. They can measure themselves against themselves. They can measure their improvement. So, by the use of technology, and by really focusing on, in addition to the good team games, which are very important as well, but also developing the kinds of skills they can do on their own and do over a lifetime.” 

Doyle also got the chance to go to class by participating in a dance exercise that encourages movement with first graders. After doing “the robot”, an Irish jig, and the Mexican Hat Dance, he told students breakfast and exercise are the keys to success. Doyle also appointed public health nurse Sue Bietila of Ashland to the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Health. She’ll help spread the word to schools about the benefits of breakfast and exercise.

Bayfield, Ashland, Douglas Counties run out of flu vaccine

Early cases of flu already reported 12/11/2003
The flu is hitting northern Wisconsin earlier than usual this year, and flu shot supplies are gone. Tom Mahlen reports.

Douglas County Nursing Director Judith Walker says they gave out 3600 vaccinations this year. “We are totally out except we have a few left for extremely high-risk infants and children. That’d be children with lung disease, kidney diseases, metabolic disorders and things like that. Severe medical problems that might put them at high risk.” 

Walker says nineteen cases of influenza have been confirmed in Douglas County already. “First of all, this year, people are getting the flu much earlier. Usually the peak seems to be around January, and so it’s peaked a lot earlier, and many many people are concerned because of the reports that have come from the west and the south about the severity of this particular virus.” Walker says Douglas County won’t be ordering any more of the vaccine this year. 

Bayfield County Health Department Administrator Millie Lindsey says they gave out 1300 flu shots this year. “We ran out the second week of November and re-ordered after that an additional five hundred doses I believe it was at that particular time and ran out of that as well.” In Ashland County the vaccine has also been used up. A flu shot clinic planned for this week was cancelled due to the shortage.

Salvation Army ringing in Bayfield and Ashland County teaches giving

Raises money for people in emergencies 12/10/2003
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and the Salvation Army bell ringers are in the ‘ho-ho-ho’ spirit after a good start to their fundraising. Kate Houlihan has the story.

Ashland coordinator Delbert Larson says they’ve raised about $5,000 so far, which is about where they were this time last year. Larson is optimistic that the amount will increase throughout December. “The nearer to Christ’s birth, the more that comes in. Spirit seems to move in more when we get closer to what it’s all about.” 

Iron River coordinator Ginger Weyandt says all money raised in Bayfield and Ashland counties goes to Milwaukee. It is then given back to the counties as needed. Weyandt says when the money does come back to the area it is put to good use. “They use it for people who have to stay over, someone that’s sick, needs medicine and can’t afford it, people who need fuel assistance, and a host of other things.” 

Larson says the joy of bell-ringing comes not in seeing how much money gets put into the kettles, but in seeing how people learn about giving. “Especially when a little boy that may be less than three feet tall comes down with his grandpa and then he’s wondering what we’re doing. We can tell him, ‘Well, that’s for a little boy maybe like you that needs some food or needs some clothes or a bed to sleep in. Anyway, he would ring the bell, and then I got a letter from grandpa and he said, ‘You know what he said? He said the other night, ‘Grandpa, I’ve got to get to bed early, I’ve got to ring the bell tomorrow!’” 

Both Larson and Weyandt say more volunteers are needed to man the kettles. People can call (715) 682-3238 in Ashland and (715) 372-4337 in Iron River to find out more about being a bell-ringer.

"Locks of Love" gets lots of locks

Hair-raising drive at WITC in Superior 12/9/2003
People left WITC in Superior on Monday with a brand new hairdo. The locks they left behind are for sick children who need the hair wigs. Kate Houlihan reports.

Jan Nelson of Lake Nebagamon has had people in her life die from cancer. She wants to honor the memory of those friends, and celebrate the lives of survivors, by giving her hair to children who might need it for that very reason. She says the new “do” will surprise her friends. “Probably the people in my church, I didn’t want to announce that I was doing this. I figured later on I could let them know I wanted to give the gift of love.” 

Marcy Keup of Sarona came up with the hair drive idea. She got twelve inches cut off. She says it feels great to have short hair again – but it feels even better knowing a child will get all her locks. There were even a few kids there, determined to help other kids. Seventh-grader Kylie Cochran came with her mother. She donated a ten inch pony tail. “It makes me feel really happy they have this program that people can donate to.” Cosmetology instructor Mary Beth Keifer says eight heads of hair came in by 9:00, with more expected. 

Her students, like Jamie McGivrn, were nervous. But once she started cutting, McGivrn says it got easier. “I was kinda nervous cause this was the shortest this girl’s hair was ever, and it was really long, so I don’t know, I was afraid I was going to cut it too short for her, but it wasn’t too bad.” It took a while to dry Nelson’s thick hair, but after it was banded and cut, 14 inches went into a bag to be sent to the Locks of Love Headquarters. “It’s great! Look at that. 14 inches. This really is a lock of love.”

Apostle Islands master plan gets overwhelming comment for wilderness

Park staff now sends report on to Washington 12/8/2003
Users of the Apostle Islands have overwhelming told the Park Service they want the Lake Superior archipelago to be kept as a mostly-wilderness area. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Jim Nepstad says he's never heard anything like it. The Chief Planner at the Apostle Islands says of the more than 35-hundred comments submitted over the past few months, only 20 people objected to the wilderness designation of the 21-island group. 

"In the world of wilderness, it's almost unprecedented as far as we know to see that level of support." The Park Service is recommending that the Apostle Islands long-range plan keep it the way it is: 80 percent wilderness. That allows motorboat access and non-motorized use once on the islands. "We made absolutely certain that we kept all of the water of Lake Superior outside of any of the wilderness proposals. They'll still be able to hike on the hiking trails, camp in the campsites and basically do everything in the park that you can legally do today." 

In September, Governor Doyle and former Governor Gaylord Nelson also urged Congress to support the wilderness plan. Nepstad says they'll submit their findings to the National Park Service in Washington. Eventually he says the process will be in the political hands of Congress and the White House for final approval.

WITC students cut hair for human hair wigs

Monday's clippings to help sick children who need hair 12/7/2003
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Superior is gearing up to hold the Twin Port's first ever hair drive to be used to make wigs for sick children. Kate Houlihan has the story.

Monday won't be just another day of school for students in the WITC barber and cosmetology program. They'll spend the morning cutting hair for the Locks of Love organization. Locks of Love makes hairpieces for kids who suffer from long-term medical hair loss, like cancer patients or skin burns. Since 1997, over 1000 children have received wigs nationwide, easing the financial burden since a human hair wig can sell for around $4000. 

WITC's Kimberly Pearson says they have seven appointments already scheduled and they're hoping for more. "For the ponytails to be used for the Locks of Love hairpieces, they need to be 10 inches or longer. But anybody with shorter hair can still donate. Locks of Love would simply sell that hair to help with the costs of manufacturing the wigs." WITC alumnus Marcy Keup of Sarona says she has a gift for growing hair, and giving some of that hair to a good cause makes her happy. She donated to Locks of Love two years ago, and she encouraged WITC to start the hair drive. For every ponytail donated, Keup will be providing money towards a scholarship for WITC students. "We want to recognize people coming in as donators, as people interested in giving their time and their ponytails to such a great cause." 

Cosmetology instructor Mary Beth Kiefer says her students are excited to use their skills for this cause. She says this will be new to them so they're anxiously waiting for the first snips of the scissors. People can call (715) 394-5942 to set up an appointment to donate their hair on Monday morning. They can also log on to www.locksoflove.org to find out more about the organization.

Only five Pearl Harbor survivors remain in region

Must tell their story to the young 12/6/2003
The anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor will be commemorated Sunday at the Richard Bong Heritage Center in Superior. One Minnesota man will be there to share his stories. Kate Houlihan reports.

Arleigh Birk of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, was aboard the USS Honolulu when the first bombs were dropped that December morning. He says he remembers bombs and bullets, and feeling lucky when all was said and done. “After seeing the Arizona and all them other ones blow up, you know, you wait for . . . We weren’t the primary targets, but we were the next ones in line. And we were lucky.” 

The Honolulu suffered minor damage in the hull, and Birk says in the days following the attack, everyone was uneasy, waiting for what would strike next. The clean-up that followed was massive, including the task of pulling the dead out of the oil-filled water. “To get to clean up the oil was just to let it burn, that’s all, you know. The oil laid on top of the water from the ships and that’s pretty heavy crude oil you know and that laid on top of the water about three, four inches thick in places. Pretty tough. Guy tried to swim through that, and you couldn’t do it, well, you could do it a little ways. I know some guys that swam through it, and they got sicker than . . . you know, real sick from it.” 

According to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, about 100 people who survived Pearl Harbor are living in Minnesota and Wisconsin, with about five in the northern area of the states. Richard Bong Heritage Center education specialist Jim Hencinski says it’s important veterans share their stories with the younger generations. The ceremony starts at 2:00 pm on Sunday. Tickets are $4 at the door.

Bomb on Bong Bridge scare not taken lightly

Post 9/11, you never know 12/5/2003
The Bong Bridge was closed Wednesday night while police and Coast Guard looked it over for explosives. Josh Weir reports law enforcement is taking bomb threats like this more seriously since 9/11.

Wednesday evening, the Coast Guard got a call from a woman saying there was a bomb on the bridge. Police were notified and made the decision to close that part of the highway to traffic until they could make sure it was safe. Superior Police Department Captain Chuck LaGesse says they had to take it seriously. “With a call from somebody which didn’t sound like a prank call, in that the person was distraught, adding that all up, and the fact that there is an alternative bridge that could be used, it was felt that for the public safety, we should close the bridge until we can examine it and make certain that there are no explosive devices there.” 

Coast Guard Chief Scott McAloon says the Coast Guard helped in the search because of the ice on the bay. “Our boat has icebreaking capabilities, so we recalled our crew, and we were underway about thirty minutes after the Coast Guard received the initial phone call. And we searched for approximately four and a half hours.” McAloon says given the current threat of terrorism, every threat must be taken seriously. “It might seem like a big inconvenience, but in the big picture, the public safety comes first and foremost.” The case has been turned over to the FBI for further investigation.

Big Top Chautauqua hits the road

Takes its tales to schools around Wisconsin and the UP 12/4/2003
What can usually only be heard on the top of Mt. Ashwabay can now be heard around Wisconsin as Big Top Chautauqua is on tour. Kate Houlihan reports that kids will see live performances this winter.

Big Top Chautauqua performers will be taking their shows on the road this winter all over Wisconsin and Michigan. Designed to give people a living history of Wisconsin, the shows are being performed for schoolchildren to give them a musical look at their state’s legacy. 

Operation Manager Philip Anich says the kids enjoy the upbeat music and the experience of learning history through theater. “They’re going to learn through music and through conversation and through visuals – they’re going to learn about the Native Americans that preceded the Westerners, you know, in this part of the country. They’re going to learn a little bit about the lumberjacks. And there’s a real moving piece there, it’s kind of a rap tune, and kids really like it because it’s real high energy and it has a lot of excitement to it, that kind of thing.” Anich says that Big Top shows leave their mark on kids. Anich says one child even requested favorites – even though he’s only four years old. “He happens to love one of Warren’s songs, ‘Yo Ho Buffalo,’ and I ran into him at ‘Oh Last Night,’ and this is after about a four hour show and it’s about midnight, and the kid is still awake. 

‘Oh Last Night’ is a special performance we do at the end of the year where we kind of pull out all of the stops and we have a bonfire afterwards. And this little guy stayed awake till he found me, his parents carrying him around, and he wanted to hear ‘Yo Ho Buffalo.’” Anich says that for kids to be able to see a show like Big Top is a once-in-a lifetime learning experience that they can’t get from a textbook. He says the grant makes it possible for all kids, no matter where they come from, to experience musical theater and the lessons that go along with it.

Cookies for northland troops in Iraq tomorrow

Gathering at the Superior Armory 12/3/2003
The Kinship mentoring program of Superior is putting together care packages for local troops of the 724th Engineering Battalion in Iraq. Josh Weir reports.

It started as one of Kinship’s activities the kids and mentors do together, but Director Kim Nygaard didn’t know there are 500 soldiers from the Superior, Ashland, and Hayward area who are in Iraq. “I knew was too big of a project just for our program. So after talking to the other staff at our program we decided to do a little outreach in the community, and it’s just been heart-warming how the community has responded to help out with this activity." 

Nygaard says they’ve received more than $1000 in donations to help pay for the postage. They’ve gotten shoe boxes, craft supplies, wrapping paper. Local postal employees responded with a donation, and will be there Friday morning to pick up the boxes and make sure they get on their way to Iraq as soon as possible. Nygaard says politics aside, this is a chance for people to come together and let the people serving in Iraq know that we haven’t forgotten about them. “We’re going to try and match a kin-child and a family member who will be there, and they can kind of tell a little bit about the person that they know, their family member serving over there in Iraq… Kind of personalize it a little bit more." 

The care packages aren’t just for the local soldiers of the 724th Engineering Battalion. Nygaard says extra boxes will go to soldiers who don’t get much mail. Anyone interested in helping bake cookies and put the boxes together can meet at the Superior National Guard Armory. They’ll be there from 4-8:30 pm.

Attempted co-ed abduction at UWS probably not related to other cases

Attempts in Hermantown, NW Minnesota rare cases 12/2/2003
Police are continuing their investigation into an attempted abduction of a UW-Superior co-ed but have no new leads in the case. Kate Houlihan reports.

Superior Police Department Captain Chuck LaGesse says they’ve run out of leads, but they’re continuing to focus on the fingerprints found in the college co-ed’s car. LaGesse says they’ve sent the prints to be analyzed and are waiting for the results. “They’ll be submitted to the Wisconsin Crime Lab so that they can be entered into the AFIS system – the Automated Fingerprint Identification System- to see if whoever’s prints those are already on file. And if they are, we will have a name of who left those prints behind.” 

LaGesse says the results could take months, so people need to be aware the person is still out there. “We don’t know if this person is a transient to the area or somebody who’s still here, and so if he’s still here it’s a possibility that somebody who might try such a crime may try that again.” LaGesse says that the recent onslaught of attempted college co-ed abductions in nearby Minnesota and North Dakota is not reason to be too alarmed. “I wouldn’t say there’s a pattern that these things are on the upswing. These sorts of crimes occur, and the fact that we’ve had several relatively geographically close lately I think is just kind of a anomaly.” LaGesse says people should be aware of their surroundings at all times.

50 years ago: The sinking of the Steinbrenner

Last ship to perish before the Edmund Fitzgerald 12/1/2003
The Edmund Fitzgerald is the most renowned shipwreck story from Lake Superior. But 22 years before, the Henry Steinbrenner went down near Isle Royale. Josh Weir has the story on its 50th anniversary.

In May of 1953, the Henry Steinbrenner was down-bound with a cargo of red ore from Superior. The 420 foot vessel got caught in a storm with winds up to 60 miles an hour and eventually sunk south of Isle Royale. Curator at the Duluth Marine Museum Thom Holden says hatches on the Steinbrenner opened and she started taking on water. “They went out and tried to fix them, and one of the guys fell in the cargo hold and they got him out OK and it was just really hard to get them fastened down again once they started moving around and with so much water on deck. It kind of got to the point to where they pretty much had to leave them. They couldn’t risk or didn’t want to risk any more people out on deck.” 

The crew of the Steinbrenner sent out a distress signal and abandoned ship. Several boats came to the rescue, pulling men from the lifeboats, but not before the lake could take 17 of the crewmembers. It would be the worst loss of life prior to the sinking of the Fitzgerald. There was a Coast Guard hearing where Holden says they eventually blamed the ship’s master. “Being one of the survivors, and having lost half your crew and the vessel, and then to be blamed for it, when really this was a kind of heavy weather accident.” Holden says they pinned the captain for not properly maintaining the vessel. “Being an older vessel, that was certainly a factor. Whether it was well maintained or not or whether it was just part of the design of those style hatch covers, that could have been a factor. There were lots of things that kind of fed into it.” The Coast Guard didn’t acknowledge the crews of the ships who came to the aid of the Steinbrenner. “Basically he said that everyone had done their duty, had done what was expected. And that’s true, but at the same time that above and beyond the call was still there. And I think the Maritime industry was kind of taken aback by that.” The Lake Carrier’s Association presented each of the ships who had helped in the rescue with a bronze plaque engraved with the names of all the crew members who had been on board that day. The one from the vessel William E. Corley is on display at the marine museum.

Ghost nets deadly for Lake Superior fish

Abandoned nets a hazard for man and fish 12/1/2003
Abandoned fishing nets around Lake Superior are a constant problem for Department of Natural Resources fish specialists in Bayfield. Tom Mahlen reports on the scourge of the ghost nets.

Each year the DNR pulls in between one and five “ghost nets,” commercial fishing gillnets lost or abandoned by Lake Superior fisherman. DNR Fisheries Biologist Steve Schram in Bayfield says the forgotten nets may be lost in storms. But rather than searching for the nets, fishermen leave them behind. Schram says the nets are made of monofilament twine so they do not rot. He says they may drift around for years, tangling anything that comes their way—including fish. . “There’s all stages of decomposition, from freshly caught fish to fish that have been down there for quite a while and they actually come up, break apart, as they reach the surface of the water. 

They’re like cheesecake.” Schram says the job of pulling in a ghost net takes about 2 to 3 hours and is not for the weak of stomach. Schram says up until now the nets have been unmarked, so the DNR has not been able to find out which fishing company is to blame. “Starting this year state licensed commercial fisherman have to have every float or every lead that’s on the net marked with their license number so we can identify them if this situation occurs in the future.” Schram hopes the new regulation will encourage anglers to locate their lost nets instead of leaving them to trap and kill Lake Superior’s wildlife.

Donated venison processors not available in Douglas, Bayfield and Washburn Counties

Other counties urge hunters to donate deer for local food shelves 11/30/2003
The Wisconsin DNR is urging hunters to donate the deer to area food pantries through the Deer Donation program. Tom Mahlen reports from Superior.

Hunters will be able fight hunger this year by donating extra deer they shoot to area food pantries. DNR Wildlife section chief Todd Peterson says three-thousand deer have already been donated this year. He says that amounts to about 180,000 pounds of venison for needy Wisconsin families. “Clearly there was a societal need to provide protein to the needy people, and secondly we have an over-abundant deer herd. Those things kind of coalesce into this program.” 

Meat processors in Ashland, Burnett, and Sawyer counties are processing the deer free of charge. Lamoine Nelson of Lock and Load Deer Processing in Grantsburg says this is his second year with the program, and that it’s easy for hunters to participate. “Well, all you do is shoot it and register it, and you bring it to us and we take care of it from there. I contact the food shelf after it’s cut up and they pick it up.” Bayfield, Washburn, Iron and Douglas Counties do not have anyone donating processing. But in Ashland County Blue Ribbon Meats manager Cathy Walker in Butternut says the plant processed about 200 deer for the program last year. “It’s a very good program. There’s a lot of needy families out there, and a lot of the hunters like to hunt but they don’t like to eat that much venison, and the wives don’t like to eat that much venison, so it works out best for everyone. On a nice doe we’ll get around forty, forty-five pounds, on the nice bucks that we’ve been getting—and the hunters are welcomed to take their horns if they donate a buck—on the nice bucks we’ve been getting it varies between sixty to eighty pounds of venison we’ve been getting.” Walker says hunters should field dress their deer before bringing them in for donation. She says the ground venison tastes “pretty good.”

UWS student smoking apparently down

Not as "in" as in years past 11/29/2003
For the “Great American Smokeout” this month, UW-Superior Counselor Ed Wipson is trying to help students quit smoking. But his job is easier as fewer young people are starting. Josh Weir reports.

Wipson mans the table and gives out information about quitting programs and strategies. He’s been helping with quitting programs for 26 years. That’s when he quit. Wipson says although reactions to his booth haven’t changed much, he thinks there are fewer students smoking. “I think there’s more stigma on smoking now amongst young people than there used to be. I think it’s less acceptable, so I suspect there’s less people smoking” He sees the stigma when it comes to people getting info on quitting. “It’s a little ironic that people don’t want to be identified with coming up to our booth I think at times (laughs). So what I notice is that if I’m not sitting at the booth, and they think I’m not going to sign ‘em up for anything, sometimes they’ll come up and get information, so that’s always been interesting to me.” But Wipson says it’s the same pattern of people starting to smoke young. “I’ve worked with quite a few people here, and they’ve usually started before the college scene. Then there’s the non-traditional students, some of them have smoked a long time.” The University offers a free smoking cessation for students, and can put them in touch with ways to get free nicotine replacements like gum or the patch.

Superior to form underwater rescue team

Hope to save lives of people who fall through the ice 11/28/2003
The Superior Fire Department will form an underwater rescue team. Tom Mahlen reports from Superior.

They got word last week that they'll get a $57,000 grant from the federal government. The Superior Fire Department applied for the grant from the Federal Emergency Management Association, or FEMA. Superior Assistant Fire Chief Tad Matheson says the grant will enable the fire department to form an underwater rescue team. He says the program would be a lifesaver during winter months in case a motorist falls through the ice. “We had a situation last year where there was a car that went into the St. Louis river, and actually the car came from the Duluth side. It was driving over to Oliver, and somebody actually saw the car go through the water and actually saw the person on top of the car before it went in. If we had a team that was able to respond quickly, then we probably could have got somebody there and maybe saved a life.” Matheson says about $24,000 of the grant money would be spent on training five of the department’s firefighters. He says this would include training for cold-water diving. He says the remaining money would outfit the divers with Viking Dry Suits, wireless communication, an airbag system used for underwater lifting, and other equipment necessary for diving.

The days before blaze orange: Hunters became the hunted

Story by Mike Simonson 11/27/2003
Hunters take their blaze orange garb as a mark of pride and the tradition of the hunt. But more than 30 years since blaze orange became law, its impact is measured in hundreds of lives saved.

For most of last century, hunters preferred camouflage colors... usually black and red plaid jackets and pants. But that often meant the hunters became the hunted. Staggering numbers of 68 hunters shot in 1942. By 1951, 128 nimrods were injured by guns and bows. The worst year was 1958. That's when bullets and arrows struck 191 people, killing 25. Compare that with the past few years' average of two killed and a dozen injured, and Department of Natural Resources Safety Warden Mike Smith says it's the bad old days of accepting carnage. "Head warden reporting to the chief warden that this was the safest season we've ever had, we only had 25 killed. It amazes me when I look back at this historical data to see the way people accepted the fact that people were just going to get killed in hunting accidents." 

Smith says those numbers don't include heart attacks or falling out of tree stands. He says that only includes people being shot. That all changed when blaze orange was made law around 1970. "I hunted at the time that blaze orange became mandatory. It was not a very popular thing with hunters with the belief that deer were going to see them and people did not like it real well, but it was certainly the right thing to do." In fact, deer are color blind, and blaze orange looks white to them. Smith says three other things are helping make hunting safer: Less alcohol use, more hunter safety courses, and tree stands. Even though more hunters get hurt falling from tree stands than from bullets, he says it also takes them out of the line of fire.

Another children's chalk recall from Superior lead poisoning case

Toys 'R Us recalling 50,000 boxes 11/26/2003
There’s another national recall of children’s sidewalk chalk, which began with an investigation into the lead poisoning of a Superior toddler. Mike Simonson reports.

A federal recall of chalk with high levels of lead began two weeks ago from chalk sold at Target stores. That recall spread to sidewalk chalk at Toys ‘R Us… from packages labeled “Chalk to Go”. Ken Giles with the U-S Product Safety Commission in Maryland says 50-thousand packages of “Chalk to Go” have been sold. He says the manufacturer is the same company from China. "I don't know why they used it. Maybe it was for pigment, but here in the United States children's products must not have any accessible lead." 

Giles says criminal charges are unlikely… even though the law has been broken. "The companies did the right thing in both cases by recalling and providing refunds. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is very concerned that any child's product should not have accessible lead." Giles says the investigation is ongoing to see if other retailers are selling this lead contaminated sidewalk chalk. Target had sold 26-thousand boxes of that chalk before it voluntarily pulled it from its shelves.

UW-Superior gets record donation of $5 million

Ten times bigger than next largest donation 11/25/2003
The largest donation in the history of UW-Superior will be announced today. Mike Simonson reports that an anonymous donor is pledging $5-million toward a new state of the art academic building.

UW-Superior Vice-Chancellor Jill Schoer says the donation leaves her speechless. "I'm not left speechless very often. This is one that did it (haha)." The $5-million pledge is ten times the largest gift ever given to UW-Superior in its 110 year history. But the donors don't want their names released. "They just wanted to remain anonymous. They wanted the impact of the gift to be about the university and not about them." 

Schoer says the money will go toward a $30-million academic building needed to replace two outdated buildings on campus. She says it'll include wireless technology and the latest in academic design. "They'll be flexible classrooms so they will not be tiered lecture-styled halls. They'll be professor by professor can come in and move the room around based on what their needs are for that class. That's the type of teaching, the type of learning we need today. Our older buildings don't accommodate that kind of learning space." This new building has not been approved by the Board of Regents, but Schoer says this 5-million dollar boost may help get it on the building commission's list in the next two or three years.

Cops warn co-eds at UWS to be on lookout for suspect

Student was almost abducted 11/24/2003
Police are looking for the man who tried to abduct a female student at UW-Superior this weekend. Josh Weir reports from Superior.

A college co-ed at UWS was almost abducted in her car Saturday. Although the man tried to restrain her and threatened to use a knife, she broke free and fled. Superior Police Department Capitan Chuck LaGesse says they’re still in the initial stages of the investigation, but warns women to take precautions: be alert. “I don’t believe that the car was the target. I don’t think it was a car-jacking, I think it was an attempted abduction of this female victim.” 

The incident happened in one of the dormitory parking lots at UWS. Although police didn’t nab anyone, the woman's car was found abandoned a few blocks away. It’s being searched for fingerprints and evidence. LaGesse says this is their most promising lead. “An attempted abduction of a student at UWS on a Saturday morning is a surprising event. We made this a priority case and we'll be working on it until we either solve it or exhaust every possible lead." 

Police are working in combination with the UWS Campus Safety Department. Director Mike Wallin says this is normally a pretty safe community. “This is the first reported incident of this type here at the University in all the years certainly I’ve been here, and that’s 25 years. We are certainly outraged and we are certainly going to do everything possible to apprehend this individual.” Both say it’s a good idea ...for women in particular, to lock their car doors as soon as you get in, and be aware of the people around you.

Deer season means bucks in more ways than one to store owner

Meat processors backed up for months after the hunting season 11/23/2003
Hunters in northern Wisconsin aren’t the only ones gearing up for this year’s season. A small town store in Ashland is getting ready for lots of business. Tom Mahlen reports.

The Sixth Street Market in Ashland is a “Mom and Pop” convenience store owned by Linda and Jerry Pearson. It’s been in the family for 20 years. They offer groceries and movies, but the main attraction is its butcher shop. Son Andy Pearson runs this end of the business. “We do a pretty good variety. We do from a smaller Slim-Jim type snack sticks to the pepperonis. We get into some bratwurst, potato sausage, breakfast sausages. I make everything here for the store.” 

Pearson has been processing wild game at the Sixth Street Market for about three years now. He says things really pick up this time of year thanks to a demand for venison processing. “Coming into this year, right now, my list for venison processing is probably backed up about four months. By the end of November--the end of the season—so probably by the middle of December I’ll probably be backed up until the end of June anyway.” Pearson says he will make the meat any way the customers want it. “I mix everything with pork. And instead of just mixing it with pork some people request just pork fat, which is going to give it a little more grease, so depending upon what you like, a lot of people do like it drier too.” 

Pearson says it’s a point of pride for him that hunters get their own meat back. “I do every batch one batch at a time, no hunters’ meats are ever mixed. It makes it a lot harder. I can only do so much a day. Instead of doing a 500-pound batch, I break everything down to a twelve and a half pound batch.”12 Pearson says people interested in getting their wild game processed at Sixth Street Market should “get on the list.”

Memories of JFK after visit to northern Wisconsin

Sad recollections 40 years later 11/22/2003
On the 40th anniversary of John Kennedy’s assassination, one Ashland lawyer remembers the event as though it just happened. Kate Houlihan reports.

Dale Clark was frustrated after a morning in court. He was planning to clear his thoughts from a divorce hearing. That’s when he got the phone call. “My wife, who said something like, ‘my god, the radio had just broadcast that the president had been shot.” Clark says everyone in Ashland was listening for any news they could get. “I left the office and went over to seek somebody else to share that moment with, over at Webben’s Drug Store. It was a popular luncheon place; they had a sandwich counter there, and there were a couple fellows there, and the radio in the back of the counter was on, and it was not very much longer that the Walter Kronkite announcement came on.” 

Clark says he and the rest of the town were overwhelmed in the coming days, since many of them had met Kennedy in one of his visits to Ashland. He says the news hit him particularly hard when he saw the flag at half-staff. He had met the president near that spot. “I then or later thought of the different circumstance when president Kennedy, then senator Kennedy, spoke at that exact spot. It was a hopeful day then, back in 1959. I recall that he said to a lady who was standing next to me with a little girl, he said, ‘I have a little girl too.” Clark says events might have been different had Kennedy not been shot. He will vividly remember that day always.

Deer hunting season good business for taxidermists

One Ashland company looking at stuffing 200 heads 11/21/2003
Deer season is the busiest time of year for taxidermies. Taxidermist Phil Carbon of Ashland is up to his knees in whitetails, and rifle season hasn’t even started yet. Tom Mahlen reports.

Taxidermist Phil Carbon has been running Silver Brook Taxidermy in Ashland for 18 years. A veteran of the trade, Carbon started taxidermy work at the age of 13, when he stuffed his first animal—a squirrel. “Then it was the greatest thing on wheels, but by today’s standards—I think it’s in the attic of my parent’s house hidden away. The quality of the materials and the training since that time period improved so much." Carbon says Silver Brook Taxidermy “runs wide-open” this time of year. He says he hires additional staff for the season, but still ends up putting in about 100 hours a week. “We have already gotten more dear heads in this year than we did total last year, and our rifle season hasn’t started yet.” Carbon says Silverbrook mounts “almost everything,” including bear, fish and birds, but says they specialize in Whitetail deer. He says he and his crew mount about 200 deer each year.

Low-income home loan program flooded with calls

NBC leads effort with non-profits and Feddie Mac 11/20/2003
A program that helps low-income people buy their own home with a low down payment is getting a big response in the Duluth-Superior area. Mike Simonson reports.

The phone has been ringing off the hook at Neighborhood Housing Services in Duluth…with more than 200 inquiries in the week it was announced. In Superior, 60 people called. This program of home loans with small down payments to people who may have had some credit problems is getting an unusually big response. Federal banking program Freddie Mac is backing 15-million dollars in loans from a local bank. National Bank of Commerce's Tim Smith says this will help people buy lower end housing. "This is the private sector recognizing what's good for our local citizens, is good for our bank, is good for all of our businesses in town. Home ownership drives the economy nationwide and it drives the economy here." 

Freddie Mac Spokesman Brad German says this is a combination of non-profits and faith-based groups working with the private sector. "Freddie Mac's effort to expand minority and home ownership opportunities is definitely ongoing as part of the reason we exist. There are federal affordable housing goals that we have to meet on an annual basis." A similar program is also underway in Racine. German says loan defaults are rare in this program. Superior Catholic Community Service's Gary Valley says that's because many people see this as a way out from the trap of living in substandard rental housing. "The market here in Superior, Douglas County and some of the surrounding counties is very tight in terms of what's affordable and what that affordable housing might look like. There may be housing out there but some of it that may be affordable is not in very good shape so it's a pretty rough situation now for a lot of people.” The program includes money for people to fix up their homes if they are dilapidated. Valley says that could mean entire neighborhoods will be given a new look.

UWS students calling on counselors to help get adjusted

More this year than usual 11/19/2003
A rash of students are using the U-W-Superior Health and Counseling Services this semester. Kate Houlihan reports it may be a reflection of issues facing young people in society.

Since the start of the semester at UWS, more students than normal have been using counseling services. Counselor Ed Wipson says that the only real difference, however, is that students are using the service earlier instead of later in the semester. “This semester for some reason it started out pretty early with a lot of people coming in, so I mean, I can’t tell you a specific incident that’s probably responsible for that, it’s maybe a combination of things or it could just be an idiosyncrasy of this year.” While he can’t pinpoint any reasons more students are using the services, 

Wipson does notice an overall increase of anxiety in culture. Wipson says alcohol is often part of a college lifestyle. But he says drinking is used to solve the anxiety by students, when it actually makes it worse. “Where we might notice it is if we see more just on-campus citations for some kind of alcohol abuse issues, whether it’s underage drinking or acting out, where people would get tickets. That would be where you would notice that, as far as is if alcohol and or other drugs are being used as a ways to self medicate anxiety and depression.” Even though the counseling service is busier than usual, he knows they’re doing a good job when they find out they’ve made a difference. “We have experiences like that certainly where people will come and express gratitude for the fact that the services were there, and they took advantage of them, and they’re now doing okay.” Wipson says that the most important thing is to talk to someone and not be afraid to seek out help.

Superior's Clough Island development said to be at $200-$300 million

City lobbying Madison for approval of Twin Cities developer's plan 11/18/2003
Superior is looking at a $200-$300 million development of hotels, housing, and golf course. It's proposed for Clough Island and would be the largest development in city history. Mike Simonson reports.

In an interview last night on the Duke Skorich Radio Show on KUWS, Superior Mayor Dave Ross says the proposal by a Twin Cities-based developer for Clough Island would be a boon for the city, and he says he has made two trips to Madison to try to clear up some of the regulatory hurdles. Ross says Superior must expand so its tax-base doesn't stagnate. But Ross admits there are several substantial environmental obstacles in front of any development on what is also known as Whiteside’s Island. "We're really quite hopeful that this project takes off. But, I'm a realist. There are major environmental hurdles we must clear." 

The largest island on the Saint Louis River…Clough Island has been uninhabited since 1959 and is currently zoned “suburban”. Ross says a road would have to be built through the Superior Municipal Forest to the island, with utilities coming from Duluth. Clough Island is regarded by environmental groups such as the Nature Conservancy and Saint Louis River Action Committee as a sensitive habitat. Ross says he expects opposition. "There's a lot of groups that don't want to grow at all, the so- called 'Smart Growth', stay where you are. We certainly don't have the problems of sprawl.” Superior’s 1998 Comprehensive Plan does call for recreational and housing development on Clough Island.

Shell Lake flooding woes may be over/pipeline finally working

Operating since Thursday with no problems 11/17/2003
After more than a year of leaks and failures, Shell Lake is at peace with its pipe. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The 4 and-a-half mile long line drains the overflowing Shell Lake to a nearby river…and since Thursday, Mayor Larry Fletcher says it’s been working without a hitch. “I’m still in shock that it’s working. It’s a real blessing, it really is.” Shell Lake doesn’t have any natural outlet…so it has overflowed onto private properties, forcing many people to abandon their homes. Fletcher says the dry summer helped this year. Estimates ranging from 200,000 to half a million sandbags circle Shell Lake. Fletcher says he has 5,000 just around his property. He’s hoping by spring, the only problem they’ll have is what to do with all that sand. “I tried to get the City Administrator to take ‘em, but he doesn’t want ‘em (haha).” For the record, City Administrator Brad Pederson says he’s not interested.

Hunter interest up for Wisconsin deer season

CWD fear down for next weekend's hunt 11/16/2003
The chilling effect of Chronic Wasting Disease in white-tailed deer seems to be thawing a bit this fall. The number of hunters buying hunting licenses is up 14% over last year. Mike Simonson reports.

The Chronic Wasting Disease scare came after the 2001 hunting season causing some hunters to stay away from the Wisconsin deer hunt. But Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Fred Strand in Superior says extensive testing of deer carcasses last year isolated the CWD areas to Mount Horeb/Dodgeville and Walworth County areas. "It was a relief to a lot of hunters as well as members of the hunting family who might consume that venison that we have not found Chronic Wasting Disease in this part of the state." Strand says some hunters were also turned off last year by the ban on baiting, which has been overturned. The more hunters, the more deer are thinned out from the overpopulated herd. For tourism businesses, Strand hopes bucks of all kinds are taken. "Oh, economically deer come in two colors. They come in green and they come in brown. And those green bucks are very important to the local economy." The 9 day hunting season begins Saturday November 22nd and ends November 30.

Central High artifacts being sold this weekend

Last chance to buy a piece of history 11/15/2003
The Superior School District is selling things from the soon-to-be demolished Central High School on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tom Mahlen reports.

After nearly a century of service, Superior’s Central High School will be torn down in January. While the some of the more valuable items were already donated to the Douglas County Historical Society, Superior School Business Manager Jack Amadio says there are still some great finds in the old school. “There’s some very nice woodwork in there, built-in wood work that’s available, the library shelving is oak, so that’s available—that would be nice. Just a variety of things I guess.” Amadio says there are also filing cabinets, desks and chairs, many of them antiques, and that no price is written in stone. “We’ll have two gentlemen over there that are familiar with the value of those items and familiar with the market for a lot of that stuff, and they certainly are willing to go over there if there is an item that’s marked with a specific price and they are willing to offer something less they can certainly make that offer.” Amadios says bargain hunters should bring cash, check, Visa or Mastercard.

National chalk recall started with poisoned Superior toddler

Parents urged to check for triangular multi-colored chalk 11/14/2003
Chalk sold in Target stores is being recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The investigation began when a Superior toddler was diagnosed with lead poisoning. Mike Simonson reports.

The chalk looks innocent enough. Called "Double Dipp'n Fun", this multi-colored triangular chalk was made in China and imported by Target stores nationwide. But tests found the chalk had 10 to 100 times the level of lead considered safe for children. Holly Dudsic's daughter Hanna went from an energetic one-year-old to a cranky, woozy child who couldn't sleep or eat. "I put her down and she'd walk into walls, she'd fall over, she couldn't stand up. I thought she was just tired. They said that was one of the side effects, it was effecting her equilibrium." 

That was in August. Her doctor called in the county health department which found the chalk at Hanna's day care center. That's when they called in state consumer products investigator Michelle Reinen. Her job was to find out who made this chalk. "The break in the case was really the assistance of the media and the consumers in Wisconsin responding to our cry for help when we ran this story in late August asking them to help us identify the chalk." Reinen says Target voluntarily pulled the chalk off its shelves in July. By then 23-thousand boxes of this sidewalk chalk had been sold since March. She says parents need to check their children's toys and look for this chalk. "The hazard is definitely hidden on this, it being a common, everyday product that children used outside during play. The hazard, the lead in the chalk is hidden and unusual. It's something that parents couldn't foresee happen." Holly Dudsic says after seeing Hanna struggle for three months with lead poisoning, people should be concerned. "I don't want anybody else to go through that. The waiting, the getting your lab drawn every week. She was getting her lab done every week. I mean that's a big deal, they don't do the finger they do the full needle in the arm. For a one year old it's not fun." 

Dudsic's attorney Dan Hannula says it's especially disturbing since there is no way for a parent to protect their child from apparently unregulated toys. "What kind of testing goes on when a product is marketed directly to children in a way which everyone knows small children mouth products, they mouth toys and this sidewalk chalk was obviously intended for c hildren. Did anyone at any point in time think to check to see what it was made of, was it safe?" Hannula doesn't know if any law has been broken, but he says someone is liable for this lead- infested chalk sold as a child's play thing. "Obviously something happened here, something tragic happened here when this product got through to the store shelves for parents to buy for their children. Something bad happened. Where exactly and who's most at fault, we don't know now, and we're not in a position to point any fingers now. We're happy that Target is recalling this. But it may have been sold through other outlets." Dudsic says she's pleased with the quick response by every level of government. And she says Hanna seems to have recovered. "It's hard to say. We don't know what the long term effects are going to be until they happen I guess. It's hard to think about it because what else is out there that they're playing with. That they're selling directly for the child. So, it's upsetting. I could give her a toy and it could hurt her again." The state Department of Health says lead poisoning can lead to permanent behavioral and brain damage. Wisconsin Consumer Protection's Reinen says people should remove the chalk from children's play areas and return it to Target for a refund.

Flu shots in short supply as demand grows in northern Wisconsin

Kids and older citizens should get poked 11/13/2003
Health officials in Douglas and Ashland Counties are urging people to get flu shots. Supplies are running low-—those who wait may have to pay more at hospitals. Tom Mahlen reports.

Douglas County Department of Health Nursing Director Judith Walker hopes people attend the last flu shot clinic of the season on Monday. Walker says Douglas County Health Services have given out over three thousand shots since October 1, and the supply is running low. “Everyone’s at risk—fever, sore throat, chills, cough, headache, muscle-ache, we all know what it’s like, it’s really bad, feels terrible. We need people to take care of us, and then the people who take care of us get sick, so that’s why we all need to get the vaccine.” 19 Walker says the first two cases of influenza were reported in southern Wisconsin on November 10. She says it won’t take long for the flu to reach the northland. “These viruses are so easy to pass along. Just the contact of coughing or touching people, you know or touching what they call ‘phomites’ or anything they contact. You know it can live for several hours—this virus can live for several hours on a door knob.” Walker says the shot is most important for the elderly. For this group, the flu may be more than just uncomfortable. She says elderly people make up the majority of the 36,000 flu-related deaths each year. However, as the flu shot is created using eggs, anyone with an egg allergy should not get the shot. 

Ashland County Public Health Nurse Cindy Zach says they will continue to give shots until they run out. She thinks they will have enough to make it through the end of November. Zach says it’s important that toddlers between 6 and 23 months get the vaccination. She says children this young are not able to handle “secretions” when infected with the flu. “The secretions don’t drain well from the ear canal. It puts them more at risk for ear infections, and then when the ear infection is not treated promptly, it puts them more at risk for meningitis because the bacteria spills over into the blood, and then it turns into meningitis, gets into the cerebral spinal fluid.” Along with the flu shot, Walker says there are many things people can do to avoid getting the flu. Eating right, exercising, and staying away from those sick with the flu. “During the flu season if you’re going to church and everybody’s going to be shaking hands, make sure you have clean hands. Or at least make sure you wash your hands then before you go down and have cake and coffee in the church basement.” The Douglas County flu shot clinic is Monday, November 17 from 1until 6 pm at Pilgrim Church in Superior.

Demolition begins on Central and East

The wrecking ball won't swing until January 11/12/2003
The Superior School Board has spoken…and barring any last minute legal actions…old Central and East High Schools in Superior will begin demolition in January. Kate Houlihan reports. 

The first step is asbestos removal, which has already begun. That will take about a month to 6 weeks to finish, and then another week or two will be needed to remove fluorescent lights, mercury and PCB’s that some of lights contain. By that time, it will be January. That’s when the wrecking balls, cranes and back hoes get to work tearing down East and Central High Schools. The 1909 vintage Central is most controversial because it boasted graduates like World War Two “Ace of Aces” Richard Bong and was President Calvin Coolidge’s summer White House in 1928. East opened in the 1920’s and boasts 40 years of graduating classes and teams that called themselves the “East Orientals”. Central was the Vikings. Important artifacts have already been removed from Central and donated to the Douglas County Historical Society. And, the rare red sandstone is expected to be salvaged, as is some of the woodwork in Central and East. The demotion contracts require all work to be done by June 30.

The line is already getting long for people applying for home heating help

Many are from the working poor class 11/11/2003
People needing home heating help are lining up. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is seeing a slew of applicants. Kate Houlihan has the story.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a grant that helps pay for energy needs for needy families, often the working poor. Last winter, the program served 1900 families in Douglas County. Northwest Community energy coordinator Pat Marshall says there’s a real concern for home heating in this area because of rising prices. “The fuel prices have gone up, and natural gas has gone up, the electric has gone up. So, it’s going to be a little harder this year, I’m sure.” Marshall says there has been a 5%-10% increase in applicants over last year, and she attributes it to the lack of jobs in the area and the overall poor economy. Even though the application process just began, she’s already booked into December with 6 to 10 appointments each day. Marshall says there shouldn’t be any problem funding the extra need, thanks to a crisis fund set aside for emergencies. 

Jane Erickson is the Economic Support Manager with Douglas County Health and Human Services. She says the crisis fund is in place to guarantee a family won’t go without heat. “That’s for houses where there’s a threat of heat, a loss of heat, if there’s something where there’s a loss of heat and they need to be relocated. That’s where those funds come in. Somebody’s already received energy assistance, and the oil company won’t refill their tank, and it’s January, you know – it’s a real crisis.” People are eligible for the program if they meet the federal poverty guidelines. Marshall says those families are grateful to receive any assistance.

Cold weather could kick off winter season early

Warmer weather here will slow things 11/10/2003
The cold snap is giving some Wisconsin ski hills a head start on the winter season. Mike Simonson reports some resorts are starting to make snow already.

With night time temperatures hitting below zero "up north", several ski hills are making snow. The problem is, this week the temps are back in the 40's and 50's. Telemark Ski Resort General Manager Nick Watson says it's a gamble making snow early on. "It always is. Several years ago we made snow. It disappeared, made it again, stayed around that time. It is a crap shoot, you bet." Getting the winter season underway in time for Thanksgiving's four day weekend is a luxury many ski hills haven't been able to enjoy over the past few years. Watson hopes this year will be different. "Without a doubt. It's very important. We not only have our tubing and snowboarding hill but we have an area for cross country skiing that we can totally fit out with man made snow that runs three to four kilometers." 

Granite Peak Ski Area President Charles Skinner says his facility on Rib Mountain has been making snow for almost a week. They've stopped for awhile, but he's hoping for an early opening this year. "Thanksgiving can be a big weekend for us and it's important to be open a week or two in advance of things so people have the confidence that they'll have plenty of great runs open when they come up for their Thanksgiving vacation." Both Telemark and Granite Peak have been getting lots of inquiries and internet traffic. Skinner says while Thanksgiving is important, the most business is the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Edmund Fitzgerald Documentary to air tonight on KUWS

Tonight is the 28th anniversary of the sinking 11/9/2003
The 1995 documentary “We’re Holding Our Own: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald” will air Monday night on Wisconsin Public Radio station KUWS-FM (91.3FM, Ashland translator 102.9FM).

This two hour and twenty minute epic includes two diving expeditions to the Fitzgerald, which went down with all 29 hands during a ferocious storm in eastern Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Also, the documentary explores the neglect many family members of the crew felt after the sinking, and ends with eyewitness accounts by captains sailing in that storm from the Coast Guard cutter Woodrush and lakers Arthur M. Anderson and Wilfred Sykes. “We’re Holding Our Own” was produced by Wisconsin Public Radio Reporter Mike Simonson. It won regional large market awards in 1996 from the Northwest Broadcast News Association, Wisconsin Associated Press and the regional Radio-Television News Directors Association. It will air at 8 p.m. on KUWS.

Coolidge Summer White House End is Near

Superior School Board final vote Monday night 11/8/2003
Wisconsin's summer White House is heading for the wrecking ball as early as January. Mike Simonson reports a final vote is set for Monday.

The place that President Calvin Coolidge used in the summer of 1928 while he fished the Brule River is being readied for demolition. It appears the block-long/block-wide Central High School won't be around to see its 95th birthday next year. The last student left the red sandstone landmark in June, and now the Superior School Board has accepted bids to tear it down. 

The Douglas County Historical Society has raised money to winterize it until a developer is found. The Society's Kathy Laakso has enlisted help from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and any help she can find. "All summer I felt like someone on death row waiting for the governor's call to see when he was going to come and save this place because that's what I was hinging everyone on was that someone could come here and show us what we can do, what was available for us out there from the outside." Laakso says $25,000 has been raised locally, and the National Trust is helping search for a developer. All of this is too little, too late. 

The School Board committee has voted unanimously to tear it down. Boardmember Lois Nelson says it's a matter of economics. She does agree the loss will be irreplaceable for Superior. "And that's true. And that's why we wanted somebody to look into it earlier as far as a developer was concerned. It's a grand old looking building but it really is a mess inside. It's full of asbestos. A person would have to spend about $800,000 just to bring it up to code." Cost of demolition will be $600,000. Laakso says years from now this will become a sad chapter in the community's history.

Media coverage of Iraq criticized and defended

Families concerned only negative news is getting play 10/24/2003
Some of the families of soldiers in Iraq are speaking out about media coverage they say is “too negative” and unbalanced. Josh Weir has the story. 

As news coming out of Iraq report US soldiers being killed and wounded, the families continue to worry about their loved ones. Not only for their safety, some are saying the picture being painted by the media is unfairly biased and negative. 

Lynn Hudacek from South Range says the letters from her son Nicholas show a different, more positive side of events. “I belong to a support group, I talk to a lot of military mothers, families, wives, and what we are getting in letters just doesn’t seem to be coming out in the news media. You know the things that are being accomplished, the work that they’re doing, the schools that are being opened, the children that love them, or even the parents, adults, that are so appreciative of what they’re doing.” 

20 year-old Nicholas Hudacek is in northern Iraq with the Army’s 4th infantry division. And while he does write home of meeting people who hate them, his mother worries that’s all people here at home are seeing. “That’s absolutely terrible for the soldiers, and for the families of the soldiers, and for the whole nation and the world in general. I’m not saying lies are being told, I’m just saying things are not being reported in a fair and balanced manner.” 

Duluth News-Tribune Assistant Managing Editor Mark Emmert disagrees. The accomplishments there aren’t being ignored, it’s just that most people want to hear about other things. “The focus seems to be on the ongoing strife and the efforts to build a provisional government at the moment. But we did have a story about the education when the kids started going back to school, and we have run stories certainly about how appreciative some of the Iraqi citizens are that the US military is there.” Emmeret says news does tend to focus on what’s happening today. So the stories about bombings, ambushes, and casualties get printed because of their immediacy. But he says he’s pretty comfortable with the fairness of reporting from Iraq.

News briefs: Stora Enso sees recovery/CenturyTel restores service

From the KUWS Radio Newsroom 10/23/2003
Superior’s mayor has an idea about getting another $1.3 million dollars in the city coffers: Change the terminal tax on Enbridge Energy. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Superior could get a tax windfall if it is able to change the way the terminal tax is distributed. Mayor Dave Ross says Enbridge Energy pays $1.3 million a year to the state, but he says that tax should be paid to Superior instead. "Communities collect taxes from local power plants and other utilities, we should collect from the terminal in Superior. Enbridge is a fine corporate citizen, and I believe they'd prefer to see their tax money stay in Superior." Ross says it wouldn’t mean any change for Enbridge. Ross expects this to be a top Superior Days item when citizen lobbyists head to Madison in late February. 

Helsinki-based Stora Enso Paper Company is reporting earnings up almost a third over the second quarter this year…and some signs of recovery for the paper industry. Stora Enso operates a paper mill and recycling plant in West Duluth. CEO Jukka Harmala says the long-awaited recovery is slow in coming…especially at its European facilities. But Harmala says economic activity is picking up in North America…which he expects will lead the global paper market recovery. Stora Enso laid off several workers at the West Duluth plant as well as several others in Wisconsin earlier this year to cut costs. 

Several communities in northwestern Wisconsin were without internet access and e-mail for several hours on Wednesday. CenturyTel says the company’s fiber optic line near Somerset was damaged, taking out long-distance service to 35,000 customers. Service was out for about four hours. 

Fires burning for days in northern Wisconsin

Danger remains very high 10/22/2003
Fires are tearing through dry forests in four northern Wisconsin counties. Tom Mahlen reports that the fire danger is high and some fires are even taking days to put out.

Low moisture, high winds and rough terrain are making it hard for firefighters to extinguish blazes ravaging Rusk, Taylor, Price and Sawyer Counties. Crews have been working around the clock for days, but dry conditions are making the fires harder than ever to fight. Forestry Supervisor Ed Forrester says the fires have already devoured between 400 and 500 acres, and they aren’t done yet. “It’s going to be another two or three days before they have those out. They are contained but it’s going to be an awful lot more work, and with those fires drawing down resources, we simply need to keep the ignitions of new fires to an absolute minimum because we’re pretty strapped for people to go to new fires.” 

In an effort to stop new fires from starting the counties have banned any kind of burning until further notice Forrester says campfires were the leading cause of this disaster. He says campers are leaving their fires while they are still smoldering—something that should never be done. He says even small fires should be completely extinguished, and that people should not rely on pure water to do this. “A cup full of Dawn or other dish washing detergent in a bucket of water does just what it does when you’re washing your dishes at night. It’s a surfactant and breaks down the surface tension of water, and allows it to penetrate into the charcoal and ashes that are left behind and actually extinguish all the sparks. Otherwise water will just cap on the top of it, and it doesn’t penetrate into the ashes and extinguish it.” 

Forrester says all terrain vehicles are also to blame for the fires. “When they’re out mudding and going through tall grass, grass will compact around the exhaust system—depending on the model and the types of places—and then it will heat up to the point that it’s ignitable and as the ATV is going along a forest trail it will drop pieces off of hot material off—of hot material off that will then cause the grass to ignite.” Forrester says all northern Wisconsin residents should use caution with fire and ATV’s, even if there is no burning ban in their county. He says burning or ATV riding should be done in the morning or evening when humidity is higher and winds are dying down.

Surprise! Some lamprey native to Lake Superior

Been around for centuries 10/21/2003
The fight against lamprey has been on for 50 years. The juice-sucking eel has decimated commercial and game fishing in Lake Superior. But Tom Mahlen reports there are lampreys native to the area.

Lake Superior is home to three species of native lamprey. The silver, American brook, and northern brook lampreys have been spawning here for thousands of years. Minnesota Seagrant Editor Sharon Moen says the creatures look like a long silver snake with a huge nose and tiny eyes, and may grow up to 15 inches long. Moen says after hatching the lampreys remain in the bottom of local streams feeding for their first three to seven years. After that, the American brook and northern brook lampreys stop eating completely, and live just long enough to breed. Meanwhile the silver lamprey digs out of the mud to go hunting. 

"Once they hit maturity, once they get big enough to morph into their adult phase, the silver starts developing these mouth parts that can rasp holes in the side of fish. And then they'll swim out into the big lake and find a fish to latch onto and suck out its blood for about six months before it lets go and then it goes back to its stream and finds a mate, breeds and dies." Moen says the silver lamprey's snout keeps it attached to fish while it feeds. "It's like a big suction cup with teeth in it, or little jabbing nails, so they use a combination of these gripping mouth parts and suction to stay attached. Just fascinating fish. You can consider yourself lucky if you actually find one of these lamprey. They're reclusive, and like I said they spend most of their lives just with their noses poking out of silt and pebbles and things while they grow up. And so you don't really see them very often at all." Moen says the native lampreys are not to be confused with the sea lamprey, which has terrorized Lake Superior's trout population for 50 years. Unlike their cousin, the American brook, northern brook and silver lampreys are not a threat to any other species.

Ashland considers protesting the U.S. Patriot Act

Libraries around Wisconsin leading the charge 10/20/2003
The din of local governments arguing over the U.S. Patriot Act is growing louder, with some for and some against. Mike Simonson reports that several communities are joining the debate. 

Last year the Madison City Council approved a resolution defending the U.S. Constitution and civil liberties. It was an off-handed swipe at the Patriot Act enacted soon after the 9/11 attack to protect against terrorism. Opponents say the Act allows the federal government to encroach on personal privacy by accessing things like computer and library records. The Lakeshores Library System in Racine County, the Vaughn Library in Ashland and the Douglas County Board all are on record opposing the Patriot Act. 

Ashland Mayor Fred Schnook says giving up freedom is no way to protect freedom. "Our library's not free to do anything. That's also true in the non-profit sector and it's also true for the public sector. If the Feds wish to come in and take control of video rental information, they can do that." Schnook says the Patriot Act can have a chilling effect on people searching for information. "I have a real concern as a citizen of the United States that any information I log into in a computer, in a library, at a video store that someone in the government's going to be watching. It's none of their darn business." 

But the argument is far from unanimous. While the Wisconsin Library Board is advising libraries to purge records of who checked out what, the Brown County Library Board refused to go along with condemning the Patriot Act. One county board supervisor says the government isn't trying to take away freedoms, but rather protect freedoms.

24 Duluth bars ask for extension to 2 a.m.

First batch of liquor establishments to go for later closing time 10/17/2003
It looks like bars in Duluth will be able to serve drinks until two a.m. later this month. Josh Weir reports this could mean less late night traffic over the bridge to Superior.

Twenty four taverns and clubs are applying to be serve liquor for an extra hour, with expected approval from the Duluth City Council. Duluth City Councilor Neill Atkins said it looks like a “yes” vote, so the change could start as soon as next week. Atkins says Duluth businesses will be able to compete better with those in Superior “I think this gives a little more of a cutting edge for some of the bars and restaurants in Duluth. Seeing as we have a smoking ban here in town dealing with restaurants so it just might help out the local establishments.” Opponents of the extension say this just gives another hour for people to get drunker before they hit the road. But Atkins says people who want the extra hour just head to Superior anyway. 

Superior lets drinks flow until 2 in the morning during the week, and two-thirty on weekends. “There may be some reduction on folks running over on the weekend, but I think it’s all competition between clubs. So if some of the clubs in Superior have the entertainment that people are looking for, they’re still going to come on over. “ The resolution would approve the licenses for one year and will cost another $300-$600 depending on business. 

Washburn Mayor sets speaking limits

Ruffles some feathers by limiting speakers to 3 minutes 10/16/2003
The mayor of Washburn has new rules for guest speakers during city council meetings. But some citizens say these rules need to go, and quick. Kate Houlihan has the story.

New guidelines for speaking during Washburn city council meetings are supposed to ensure a fair chance for all to speak. But some residents say that the three-minute time limit allow no time to get to the heart of issues. Washburn resident Don Ekstrom says these guidelines will only further the distaste residents have for city government. “There’s a real dissatisfaction within the city as a whole with what’s going on in city hall and people feel that it extended back to some people being appointed to vacancies on the council and some other problems and there’s a lot of dissatisfaction. There’s a lot of distrust of city government and this is just one more thing that increases that distrust.” 

But Mayor Ralph Brzezinski says the rules won’t curb the opinions of citizens. “It gives every individual that wants to speak – knows coming in just how much time they have. So I don’t think it restricts anyone to getting their point across to the council. And like I said, I don’t think it stops anyone from voicing their opinion or getting their point across.” The new rules also say that any questions to the city council need to be submitted in writing and would not be answered for ten days. Using the city attorney for legal answers during meetings is also off limits. Brzezinski says it’s all a matter of accuracy. “If they have legal questions they want answered, the city shouldn’t have to bear that cost. The ten working days, I felt that would be give, that would be uniform for everyone no matter what the questions were and it’d be consistent so we could make sure we got the answers and the appropriate answers.” But Ekstrom says that a better way will not come from time limits or question restrictions, but from a committee system that lets citizens say what’s on their mind. 

Iron mines could be coming to Iron and Ashland Counties

Large ore deposit could create more than 1000 jobs 10/15/2003
A huge deposit of taconite iron ore in northern Wisconsin is being considered for mining. Mike Simonson reports a company is looking for a developer.

LaPointe Iron Company of Hibbing, Minnesota owns 15,000 acres of land stretching from northern Iron County in Upson to Mellen in central Ashland County. LaPointe Vice-President David Meineke says the best guess is that land contains more than 2-billion tons of iron ore, as much as the Iron Range of Minnesota. He says they're talking to Ashland and Iron County officials about it, but not ready to move. "We're not really prepared to get into the public arena with this. We're just trying to do comprehensive planning." 

Meineke says they have to find a developer first. Meanwhile, Iron County Boardmember Tom Popko of Hurley says they're surprised that they're sitting on such a large body of ore. "Yes. I think they were because we never realized between Ashland and Iron County we had a body of ore. It's strange that it wasn't brought up before. Of course it would be open pit mining. They showed us pictures of open pits that were played out. And they're a big playground with lakes and swimming beaches and whatever." Meineke says mining could be 10 to 20 years away. But he says there's enough ore to employ more than one-thousand people for 50 years. 

New director of Sigurd Olson Institute plans to be vocal

Says Northland College program should be educational and activist 10/14/2003
After living in 15 states, Bill Ehmann will settle down in Ashland as the new director of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College. Kate Houlihan has the story.

Bill Ehmann first learned about Northland College thanks to a field trip some of his students took while he was teaching in Iowa. “They came back just raving about this school in the North Country there, with these innovative buildings, and a curriculum, and they met a lot of other cool people, and other student groups, and so it was really from them that I first learned that Northland College was on the move.” Ehmann leaves his position at Plattsburgh State University of New York to head the Sigurd Olsonn Institute starting January first. He says protecting species native to the north, such as loons and wolves, is part of what the Institute does. But even more important is living out the mission of the institute’s founder, Sigrud Olson. 

Olson thought the need to balance solitude in the wilderness and togetherness in society was key. “In Australia, young people go on a walkabout to find out who they are, and then they come back to their society. A lot of people have that. Even sending our kids to college is a bit of ritual in that sense, we have them go out and find themselves, in preparing to join society.” Ehmann sees the institute as able to be both activist and educational. He plans to keep that balance. Still, he says the Institute does need to make its voice heard. “I think unless everyone who’s up there in this beautiful region around Lake Superior, unless we kind of speak up for it, you know, maybe not everyone else will.” Ehmann says balancing the attitude of Olson’s principles, along with current Northland College leadership will carry the Institute into the twenty-first century. 

Allegations against Boyle unfounded

Ethics Board says Republican accusations never sent to them, just news media 10/13/2003
The Republican Party is accusing State Representative Frank Boyle of flying too much…and not giving his frequent flier miles to the state. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The Republican Party news release last month was headlined: "Frank's Frequent Flying: Legislator cashes in on taxpayer funded flights". The release accuses Boyle of not returning frequent flyer miles quoting now "raising troubling questions." unquote. Republican Party Spokesperson Chris Latto says people should know about this. "You know, the guy flies around like a king while the folks back home are struggling. That's really the point we're making." But Democratic Representative Boyle of Superior says he reimburses the state by not billing for trips to Madison when he uses free tickets from accumulated frequent flier miles. So he says the charges are bunk. "That's wrong. I documented it. We've dealt with this frequent flier issue for 14 years now with the Ethics Board. Since January I have been relegated by the Republican majority only to fly down on session weeks. Once again this attack continues by the Republican Party." 

Although Boyle doesn't use frequent flier miles for personal use, there is no law requiring people reimbursed by the state to return frequent flier miles. So Boyle says this is just another attempt to attack him because he’s a liberal democrat. State Ethics Board Director Roth Judd says this isn't the first time they've had complaints about Boyle. "Where people have suggested, some of them anonymous unsigned tips that he was using his account improperly. The Ethics Board last looked at this in February and found that Boyle really demonstrated that the state received the benefit of transportation from Superior and Madison round trip." Ironically, Judd says the Republican Party has not filed a complaint in this case. Even though no wrongdoing was found, Judd says the selective use of facts is often a tool to attack legislators. "Without reference to this specific case, oh, I'm certain that they do. As a general matter yes, you do see some allegations that go out more for to generate a news story than an actual follow-up. And that's a problem. It's one that the Ethics Board is going to try to address." Judd wouldn't elaborate on what steps the Ethics Board might take against political parties using incomplete information to attack a legislator. 

Meanwhile, The Republican Party's Latto says he sent the news release without sharing his concern with the Ethics Board. "A news release is out there and it's up to the Ethics Board to investigate that. It's not our job to bring this to the Ethics Board." Latto says the Assembly Chief Clerk's office is the source of his frequent flier complaint. But chief clerk staffer Pat Fuller would only say that his office doesn't have any problem with Boyle's frequent flier miles, and that they didn't red flag it for the Republican Party.

Lynching memorial to be dedicated, grandson of mob organizer keynote speaker

KUWS (91.3FM) will broadcast the ceremony tonight at approx. 6:45  10/10/2003
The memorial to three black men lynched in Duluth in 1920 is opening today with a bang. Music and the great-grandson of a man who helped gather the mob are featured. Josh Weir reports. 

The Clayton, Jackson, McGhie Memorial stands on the same corner where 83 years ago an angry mob killed the three young black men and hung them on a lamppost. The memorial shows bronze sculptures of the three men and has quotes by peacemakers marked into the stones. At noon, a march begins from the DECC up to the site on the corner of 2nd avenue east and 1st street. 

The marchers that will be led by a New Orleans Brass Band. Memorial committee member Richard Dolezal says the music is part of a traditional New Orleans Style funeral procession called a “second line parade.” “Coming back from the cemetery, it would be lively music. So then you would come back from the cemetery with dancing and singing. It may have been you know giving the spirit a happy farewell on their journey.” 

One speaker will be Warren Read, the great grandson of Louis Dondino, one of the men who organized the mob. Committee co-chair Catherine Ostos says Read just stumbled on his great-grandfather’s part in it doing a genealogy search. “Actually what kept coming up were stories of this lynching, and that’s were he just thought wow, what’s going on here, where does my great grandfather was pretty shocked to find out his grandfather was” 

stos says Louis Dondino was of the more instrumental people in the mob that killed Clayton, Jackson, and McGhie. “Drove around the town, sort of heralding the call for people to move to go to the jail to pull these men out. And this man is coming from Washington State to talk about how finding this out has impacted his family, finding out this history” There is also a dinner celebration at the DECC featuring music by the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and others, as well as more speakers. 

Fall colors peaking in Bayfield, Iron, Ashland Counties: Resort owners optimistic

Turning late but gorgeous 10/9/2003
Trees are changing color at or near peak this weekend. Resort owners get ready for business with warm weather and beautiful leaves. Tom Mahlen reports.

Although the dry summer has caused fall colors to be a little lackluster in some places, area resorts are seeing very little of this problem. Trees surrounding the Moose Lake Resort near Hayward are blazing with color. Owner Dorothy Pasko says she waits all year for this phenomenon to occur. "It's the best time of year-it is absolutely refreshing! You know what I really like the sugar maples and when they start to change, and there's a couple of them down the road that are just awesome, they start out and they may be half still green and the center part is orange, and one side where the sun hits it first is just a brilliant red. And so you have this triple-color when you look at it and it is just spectacular with the sunlight on it." 

Pasko says people have a great time following the "color maps" that are available at the resort. Trees are displaying their colors at the Lakewoods resort in Cable as well. Owner Cathy Rasmussen says the resort, which is located in the Chequamegon National Forest, is packed with oaks, birches and ash, and that they are all reaching their peak colors. "Absolutely gorgeous-you look across, all the trees are full, and it should be absolutely a peak weekend for travel, or during the week now to travel." 

At Rosenthal's Resort on upper Webb Lake, autumn is time for winter preparations. Owner Marie Rosenthal says pulling in docks and raking leaves gives her an opportunity to get out of the office. "Yeah I like fall-it smells really good outside. You walk outside and you've got that sweet smell and it's fresh and clean and-I like the fall." Many of Rosenthal's autumn customers have been coming up to see the colors for years-some for decades. "I have a lady here right now that was here like forty years ago, and she's in like her eighties, and she's with her daughter and son in law, and they're staying in a cabin. And in fact it worked out that they ended up being in the cabin she stayed in forty years ago. So that's kind of neat." Resort owners hope the warm weather stays, and the cold weather stays away. 

Remembering Arnold's 1979 time at UW-Superior

The governor never forgot his former teachers 10/8/2003
One of the University of Wisconsin System's best known grads is now the governor of California. Mike Simonson looks back to his time as a student at UW-Superior.

While at UW-Superior, Arnold Schwarzenegger had starred in the world of bodybuilding and the documentary "Pumping Iron". Taking courses long-distance through the extended degree program, Schwarzeneggar believed getting his business degree was vital to his future. But in this 1979 interview at college radio station WSSU, he sounded like a normal, single college student. "We went out partying a little bit yesterday. I got to taste of what the girls look like here, what the food tastes like, the sense of humor people have around here." Although he was already planning to become a movie star, fitness was his passion. By that time, he had authored two books, including "Arnold's Body Shaping for Women". He held several fitness training sessions on campus. "If you eat a lot of garbage, you're going to most likely look like a garbage can. It's kind of the principle that you have to think about, if you like yourself well enough, then you will take care of yourself." Schwarzenegger would go on to star in several movies, but also served as the head of the President's Council on Physical Fitness, stopping in every state to promote good health. Still, he never forgot his UW-Superior physical education instructor Lydia Binger. She says he sent her a letter upon her retirement more than 10 years later.

Ashland and Superior telemarketers not hurt by "Do Not Call" lists

Advance Data Comm different kind of marketer 10/7/2003
The national “Do Not Call" list that would stop unwanted calls from tele-marketers shouldn’t hurt employees at call centers in Superior and Ashland. Josh Weir reports.

Although the courts are blocking the national “do not call list” for now, telemarketing companies expect it to pass and are ready for it. Advanced Data-Comm employs around 300 people at their call center in Superior and another 30 to 40 in Ashland. Manager of the Superior call center Jennifer Lundberg Gavin says “do not call lists” shouldn’t mean any lay-off’s for workers there. “We believe that it is an inevitability. Regardless of what the courts decide, eventually it’s going to pass. We’ve seen it coming for quite a while, so we’ve made some steps to put some things into place so it would have minimal effect on our business and our employment.” Direct telemarketing calls are only a small part of Advanced Data-Comm’s business in Wisconsin. “We did sit down with the handful of our clients who it would effect and explain to them what was coming and how the regulations would effect their sales. And had some frank conversations with our clients about, you know, do you want us to keep calling for you. Is this going to be the most lucrative thing for you.” The call center in Superior doesn’t do this type of “business to consumer” calling. Gavin says about seventy per cent of their work is taking incoming calls. 

Pipeline proposed from Superior to Chicago

Enbridge Energy needs more capacity to U.S. 10/6/2003
Enbridge Energy will build a 630 mile long crude oil pipeline from Superior to Illinois. The announcement today of the $650-million pipeline would add 20% more capacity. Mike Simonson reports.

This proposed pipeline would enable Enbridge Energy to keep up with the increased capacity of pumping oil from Alberta Sands in Canada. Enbridge Spokesperson Denise Hamshur in Houston says that region has about 180 billion barrels of crude oil reserves. She says the trick is to get it to the United States. "Population centers and the refineries in North America are not largely in Alberta, they're in the Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis areas. So the refineries including Murphy Oil in Superior all rely on this as a good reliable source for their crude oil feed stock." Building long pipelines is often controversial. Hamshur expects the route to go along Highway 53 from Superior to Madison, then a straight shot to Chicago. But she says it's still on the drawing board. "We're not sure. We're open to listening to whatever kinds of issues and concerns come up but until we know the route, we won't really be able to do that. With that said, we already have two existing underground pipelines right through that area. We built a secondone going to Chicago just a few years ago so we have an existing route." Enbridge, formerly Lakehead Pipeline based in Superior, hopes to have the new pipeline flowing with crude oil in four years.

Times war correspondent tells of images of conflict

Speaking at College of St. Scholastica 10/4/2003
Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, author and war correspondent Chris Hedges came to the Twin Ports this week, painting a fatalistic picture of war at St. Scholastica. Josh Weir reports.

Having spent more than 15 years as a war correspondent, New York Times reporter Chris Hedges has been in the middle of armed conflicts around the world. He began his career in Central America and has covered war in Bosnia and the Middle East. More recently, Hedges team reporting on global terrorism won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. Hedges says the neat and tidy reports we see are grossly out of touch with the violent realities of battle. "I have watched young men bleed to death on lonely Central American roads, and cobblestone squares in Sarajevo. I have looked into the eyes of women lying over the mutilated bodies of their husbands. I have stood in warehouses with rows of corpses, including children." Hedges offers a searing indictment of organized violence, but not aimed at any particular group or conflict. His most recent book, "What every person should know about war" is a collaboration with war veterans and military surgeons. "Many of the people, or some of the people I worked with, a good four or five West Point graduates, supported the war in Iraq. But what united us in the effort was our repugnance at the way war was presented." Hedges is not a pacifist, and says he believes violence is often inevitable. He is trying to expose what he calls "the myths of war," and the dangers these myths can lead to. 

Ashland's new regional heart center taking patients

Allows people to save the long drive to Duluth 10/3/2003
Heart patients in Ashland/Bayfield are receiving care closer to home and for at a lower cost. The Regional Heart Center at St. Mary’s Duluth Clinic in Ashland is up and running. Tom Mahlen reports.

After two years of development, the Regional Heart Center in Ashland is open for patients. The new facility offers a full-time staff and state of the art equipment, and will offer care for all heart-related ailments. Heart Center Physician Chris Nelson says the crown jewel is a program called CardioCom. He says it is a breakthrough in monitoring patients. Nelson says patients with failing hearts may rapidly gain weight as a result of fluids in the bloodstream that are not being removed. With the CardioCom program is an electric scale set up in the patient’s house that connects to a computer database at the heart center through the phone line. At the clinic, staff use this information to assess the patient’s condition, and offer help right over the phone. “It’s a fantastic service, it really is. I’m looking at a screen right now where I just talked to a lady who’s weights—I’m looking at her weights for the past 21 days, and on this graph it tells me what her ideal weight should be and weight parameters where we get concerned if she has possibly been retaining too much fluid—I just adjusted her medications over the phone.” Nelson says CardioCom is a cost savings to everyone involved. “If one gets so bad with their heart failure that they need to go to the hospital, that’s easily many hundreds of dollars a day for each day that they’re in. This system here, to be honest, right now for many people we are giving the services at no cost, right now, with the scale and our monitoring.” Nelson says the CardioCom system has been a great way to keep patients “tuned up,” and says the program could be modified to service other types of patients, such as those with diabetes or lung disorders. 

Low-power radio station permit approved for Superior

But church getting it can't afford it 9/22/2003
Superior could have its first low-powered radio station. The Seventh Day Adventist Church in Superior has a permit to start a station, but needs more money to get it running. Josh Weir has the story.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church is going to try spreading the Word over the airwaves with its own low power radio station. They have the permit from the FCC to build the station, but don’t have any of the equipment yet. Deacon Jerry Carlson says the transmitter, antenna, and other equipment costs around $25,000, so the project is on hold until the church can find more cash. 

“We don’t have any money today, but if God wants a radio station here in Superior operated by us, the money could come in from anywhere.” The permit from the Federal Communications Commission allows the church to broadcast a signal of one hundred watts. Carlson says under ideal conditions, this would cover a radius of about five miles. They would transmit from the Church on Cumming Avenue and would be on the FM dial at 93.7 Megahertz. “A combination of relaying from a station called 3 ABM. It’s in affiliation with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, they’ve already got some broadcasting networks. So we’d be relaying their signal part of the time, and part of the time we’d have local on the air sermons and stuff from the pastor.” 

The church is in the process of restoring their building, so the radio station project is on the back burner for now. But under the construction permit, the church has a year to build their station. The church is producing some material to put on the air, but Carlson says they’ll be giving most of it to Adventists in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. The church there isn’t broadcasting yet, but has most of the equipment, and expects to be on the air soon. 

MIA vigil set for tonight at the Vietnam Memorial on Duluth's Lakewalk

Lest we forget 9/19/2003
A vigil will begin Friday night to pay tribute to soldiers taken prisoner during wartime. Organizers want to make sure that POW’s and MIA’s are not forgotten. Tom Mahlen reports.

This silent ceremony started in 1986 by the Northland Vietnam Veterans Association will take place at the Vietnam Memorial on the Duluth’s Lakewalk. Organizer and veteran Durbin Keeney has been organizing the event for over ten years. The mood among the crowd is always a somber one, but the veterans are always hit the hardest. “We had a guy that would show up in the middle of the night, he’d come from the north out of the darkness, and he came in, and you know darned well that this was his uniform from ‘Nam, didn’t say anything to anybody, but he just kind of watched and when the opportunity came he stepped in took—was the replacement for the guard that was in there, took his shift, and then he left. Never spoke to anybody.” The vigil begins at 6 o’clock. Every fifteen minutes after the opening ceremonies they will place guards in the bunker, and then every half hour ring a ceremonial bell while reading the names of ten of those who haven’t returned. The veterans will continue doing that for next 24 hours. 

Elk bugling expedition leaves from Cable on Saturday

Elk mating season is underway 9/17/2003
The mournful squeaky bugling sound echoing from the Chequamegon National Forest these days is the focal point of group of naturalists. Tom Mahlen reports on efforts to find the bugling of elk bulls.

Elk biologist Lane Stowell has been up to his elbows in elk all summer long. Now, he’ll be leading the tour. “We’ll be seeing if we can get some bulls out there to respond—the elk right now are engaged in their mating season, and bulls are bugling out there and we’ll see if we can get some to talk to us. We’ll also go around the elk range there and see who we might be able to see.” Stowell uses a device called a bugle to call the elk. “I’ve got a commercial bugle that I purchased. It’s kind of a long, about a two and a half foot long, one and a half inch diameter corrugated hose that has a special reed on one end, where if I blow it just right it imitates a bull’s bugle.” The Clam Lake Elk Herd is located in parts of Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties. The elk, which had been gone in northwestern Wisconsin for more than a century, were brought in from Michigan in 1995. Stowell says the herd, which started at about 25 head, has grown to 120. Now, with the haunting bugling of the bulls to attract elk cows, Stowell hopes the herd size will continue to grow after this mating season. For more info on this Saturday tour contact Sue Benson with the Cable Natural History Museum at (715) 798-3890.

Youth Fair this Saturday at Superior Senior High offers teens alternatives

Youth Fair its 7th year 9/16/2003
40 groups and organizations that serve young people in the Twin Ports will come together Saturday/tomorrow in Superior. Tom Mahlen reports. 

The 7th Annual Youth Fair Saturday at the Superior High School is a place for young people and their parents to learn and have fun. Fariba Pendleton of the UW Extension office coordinates the event. She hopes this event will increase awareness of the programs available to families. “It’s not so much often times that we don’t have services or programs or activities, but that communication—there is a gap there, so Youth Fair helps us to let the public know what’s out there in terms of activities and programs.” In addition to showcasing organizations such as the YMCA, 4H and Lutheran Social Services, there are also special events scheduled for the fair. “The Suns Unlimited will be playing all day, we have an Indian drum dance scheduled, the Twin Ports Gymnastics, Sterling Silver Studio, the Yoga Tree Studio, the Northland Music Group, they all will be performing throughout the day.” Pendleton says the Youth Fair is for not just for kids. “The youth fair is for everyone. A typical youth fair brings about two to three thousand people from the community together. Often times—and you’ll see it this Saturday too—you see from little kids to parents to grandparents to community agencies themselves wanting to see what’s out there.” There will be refreshments served at the fair, and entrance is free.

Ports warning of terrorist swimmers and scuba divers

Includes Great Lakes ports 9/15/2003
Homeland Security says watch out for suspicious scuba divers. Ports are key sites for Al Qaeda to strike to disrupt the nation's economy and cause mass casualties. Mike Simonson reports. 

While there is no intelligence to believe that Great Lakes ports are targets, Coast Guard Marine Safety Executive Officer Mike Farrell in Duluth says they're putting the word out. "What we do is notify the general maritime industry and swim shops just to be very observant and vigilant out there. If anything unusual may be occurring, you know people coming into the shop asking for unusual type lessons or training like that." Protective measures include underwater lighting, sentries, sonar, ships at dock periodically turning their propellers, even establishing a 100-meter "off-limits" zone. Duluth-Superior Port Security Captain Ray Skelton says that's not going to happen now. "100 meters, that's quite a distance. It depends on the security level which measures are taken. Bear in mind we're currently at marine security level one. The idea of having divers down or sonics to detect divers at level one unless we had some information, we're not going to do that." Level one security is low threat, level three is the highest. Skelton says these advisories are put out in case threats escalate, so ports can react quickly.

Rare air pollution alert in Duluth-Superior

Elderly, young and others at risk from soot 9/11/2003
An air pollution haze is hanging over the midwestern United States, causing an unusually large air pollution advisory across the region. Mike Simonson reports.

Whenever the air quality index exceeds 100 it is considered unhealthy for high risk groups. That index topped 100 in Milwaukee, the Twin Cities and Duluth forcing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to put out an advisory. Air Quality Specialist Bob Beresford says a haze is hanging in the air from Saint Louis to Cleveland. He says this air can make people sick. "They're dangerous because they can be inhaled deep into the lungs and transmitted into the blood stream. They have a particular impact on elderly and on young kids." It can also hurt people exercising, working or playing outside. Beresford says this kind of pollution haze is rare o reach into the normally clean climates of Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. "Maybe this provides a little bit of a wake-up call that we still have a ways to go here as far as controlling air pollution in the Midwest here. There's a need to do more as far as trying to limit emissions from vehicles, power generation and other major industrial sources that emit these fine particles." Beresford says rain will literally wash this soot from the air, eliminating the advisory. Until then, he says limiting driving, lawn mowing, and electrical use can help ease the amount of pollution in the air.

Sidewalk chalk poisons Superior toddler

Health officials are trying to identify brand name 8/27/2003
A child in Superior has been poisoned by chalk. The Douglas County Health Department is trying to figure out what manufacturer made children's sidewalk chalk with a dangerously high lead content. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

When a doctor reported a young child had lead poisoning, Douglas County Health officials inspected the youngster's home. But the investigation came up empty, until they came across colored triangular chalk sticks with the words "sidewalk chalk" on it. Environmental Health Specialist Vicki Drake says tests showed the chalk was from 10 to 100 times above safe lead levels. She says the results were incredible, since this is a child's toy. "Is with kids drawing on the sidewalks. Children a lot of different ages put their fingers in their mouths. They don't wash their hands as well as they should. They chew on it." 

While billiard chalk does have lead in it, Drake says chalk for kids is supposed to be lead-free. County Health Nurse Judy Walker says lead poisoning can cause vomiting, stomach aches, convulsions and brain damage. "Can you imagine having all those kind of things happen to your child because they were playing with chalk that would seem to be a child's toy? This can have lasting damage." 

The case has been turned over to the state Consumer Protection Department. Drake and Walker have not been able to identify the maker of this triangular, multi-colored chalk which was purchased in April at Wal-Mart in Superior. They hope to soon, so a warning can be sent to parents. If you have information about this sidewalk chalk, call the Department of Consumer Protection at 1-800-422-7128. 

Arnold not coming to UW-Superior's building dedication

Something about running for governor keeping him busy 8/26/2003
UW-Superior got word this week that their most famous alum won’t be able to make it to the official opening of the Health and Wellness Center on September 3. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar apparently has his hands full in California running for governor in the recall election of Gray Davis. So, he had to decline the invitation to attend the grand opening. Schwarzeneggar is considered the front-runner among Republicans in the race. Schwarzneggar graduated from UW-Superior in 1979 and has returned to campus a couple of times. He did help get state approval for this new facility by writing a letter to the state building commission. This is the first new building for UWS since the Holden Fine Arts Building was erected in 1972. 

UW-Superior Chancellor Julius Erlenbach says they were hopeful Schwarzeneggar was going to make it, but all that changed once he announced his candidacy for governor. The last time Dr. Schwarzeneggar was on campus was in 1996 when he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree and spoke to the graduating class. 

Beach testers rocking some boats on Lake Superior

Findings of bacteria raises eyebrows 8/25/2003
Testing Lake Superior beaches this summer has burst its squeaky clean image of the largest Great Lake. The two people testing South Shore beaches have been hearing about it. Mike Simonson reports.

A federal grant is giving UW-Oshkosh students Renee Sampson and Sarah Swiatnicki a unique summer job. They are part of the first-ever continuous testing of Lake Superior beaches in Iron, Ashland, and Bayfield Counties. Sampson says things started off quietly in May. "It wasn't until about mid-June that we started getting phone calls. The Health Department started getting phone calls. And people would see us out in the field 'Oh, what are you guys doing?' 'We're testing the water'." Even the local Chambers of Commerce were getting calls from worried tourists. But Sampson says it's rare to find beaches with unhealthy levels of fecal bacteria. "In comparison to some of the other places around the state, Door County, Milwaukee County, Kewaunee County, Lake Superior--Ashland, Bayfield and Iron County beaches have been relatively clean." 

Swiatnicki says they're taking samples of goose and seagull droppings in an effort to find the source. "So far we haven't had enough results in order to make any type of determination like that. But we are trying to do that, develop some kind of baseline data so in the future maybe we can find out more." Sampson and Swiatnicki test about 15 beaches a day, keeping an eye on 27 beaches total. Both believe getting the information out about the beaches is important for people to make informed decisions about going for a swim. 

Jack McKenna and Lew Martin in Dionne Quintuplets Special at 5:30 tonight on KUWS

60 years ago Superior attracted the attention of the world 8/22/2003
“Radio Superior” features 1943 visit of Dionne Quintuplets to Superior. Stephanie Nasi reports.

(Superior)—KUWS-FM’s “Radio Superior” will broadcast a special hour-long show Friday (Aug. 22) re-enacting the visit of the Dionne Quintuplets from Canada. The world’s first surviving quintuplets were eight years old when they came to Superior on May 9, 1943 to christen five Victory ships at the Butler Shipyards. The event was watched by 25,000 people and broadcast live around the world on CBS and the CBC, making it one of this region’s most historic days. Now, 60 years after that event this Friday, KUWS (91.3FM, 102.9 Ashland) presents “Radio Superior” with broadcasters Jack McKenna, Lew Martin, Ray Paulsen and the Radio Superior Players recreating that afternoon in the midst of World War II. Featured will be Superior School District students who play the parts of the Dionne Quintuplets Elyse Olson, Calla Johnson, Abby Gotelaere, Emma Radtke, and Spooney Rice. “Radio Superior” airs every Friday afternoon at 5:30 on Wisconsin Public Radio station KUWS. “Radio Superior” major sponsors are Larson Chevrolet, Superior Water, Light and Power Company, and Amsoil. 

Wolves kill elk, and the natural cycle returns to northern Wisconsin

It's been more than a century since the two tangled 8/20/2003
Last week a wolf pack ran down and killed a young adult elk near Clam Lake. That might not sound surprising except it’s the first time in Wisconsin in more than a century. Mike Simonson reports.

Elk were driven from Wisconsin by over-hunting in the late 19th century…and were re-introduced by the state in 1995. Wolves were killed off by 1959 because there was a bounty on them since 1865. They migrated back in 1975. Department of Natural Resources Wolf Biologist Adrian Wydeven says this is a milestone of returning nature to the way things were before settlers changed things. "We have been surprised at how long this has taken, that the few elk that have been killed by wolves, it's not too surprising. The surprising part is how infrequently it's actually occurring." 

Wolves killed three elk calves in 1999, but this is the first adult elk killed by wolves. Wydeven says there's no danger wolf attacks will destroy the elk herd. In fact, he says wolf predators help the herd by thinning out weak members, so only the healthiest reproduce. "A mark that both the wolf population and the elk populations are doing well, that we've re-established natural predator/prey relationship that had existed here for thousands of years." Elk are a favored cuisine of wolves. Wydeven says 90% of the wolf food in Yellowstone National Park is from elk.

Jobless rate dips in northwestern Wisconsin

Seasonal employment helps, but recession hangs on 8/19/2003
The unemployment rate fell in northwestern Wisconsin’s ten county region last month. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The rate fell to 5.3%, about the same as it was in July of last year and a half point better than June’s rate. The Job Service office in Hayward reports much of this is seasonal employment and this region’s rate is better than the state and national jobless rate. Nevertheless, last month’s rate was the highest for northwestern Wisconsin in July since 1994. Burnett County had the lowest rate at 3.8%, Sawyer County 4.2% unemployed, Bayfield County next lowest at 4.9% and Douglas and Washburn Counties at five and-a-half percent. Ashland’s rate was 7.8% lower than June’s rate of 8.4%. Iron County’s rate was 7%. 

Superior to keep urban deer hunt date a secret

Will be sometime this month 8/18/2003
Superior is coming under fire by some residents because of a plan to hunt deer within the city limits this month. Now, they're taking more heat. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The criticism is over the city's decision to keep the date of the bow hunt secret. The city is struggling with an over-population of urban deer and decided to have the Douglas County Bowhunting Association take to the woods and thin the herd's number. That in itself has drawn much criticism by some citizens. And because of that criticism, Lois Larson with Superior Public Works says they're not telling WHEN the hunt will take place, so protesters don't show up. "Biggest safety concern is maybe drawing in those against the hunt, to disturb the hunt which would be a safety problem for everyone. The hunters would be in a safety situation and the deer would be in an even more dangerous situation because I they're spooked they could run into traffic." 

Although property owners would be told the night before the hunt, City Councilor Dan O'Neil says keeping the hunt hush-hush is a bad idea. "I mean if they don't notify the public, what if people are out walking in those areas? They said they're going to notify the people right in the vicinity but what if someone from East End comes in and walks out to take pictures of the deer? How they going to know?" The hunt will be confined to wooded areas of the city.

East Coast black out no reason for Arrowhead-Weston transmission line

Story by Mike SImonson 8/15/2003
The black-out along the East Coast will bring changes to the electrical system. But a Wisconsin consumer watchdog group says to beware of some of those changes. Mike Simonson reports.

The country's electrical system needs to be updated. Citizen Utility Board Director Steve Hinicker says Wisconsin is vulnerable to massive power outages. But he's just as afraid of an over-reaction from the East Coast power outage. "This is a dangerous time for consumers because now the utilities get to yell 'crisis'. And whenever the utilities yell 'crisis' rate payers better hold onto their wallets because we're going to se all kinds of expensive, bad proposals that utilities have wanted to do for years and didn't have political support for it before." 

Hinicker also fears they'll use this to justify bad projects. He says the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line is one example. Hinicker says Wisconsin's reliance on the electrical grid is part of the state's vulnerability. "Essentially what we're trying to do is connect consumers in Wisconsin via long extension cords to places faraway, generation sources faraway. Those extension cords can be tripped on, they can have outages so a problem in New York or Canada perhaps actually effected people in Detroit." The solution, says Hinicker, is to build more local generating plants and construct a major power line from western Wisconsin to Minnesota. He says that will make Wisconsin less reliant on out-of-state energy.

Enbridge Energy to cut five jobs/transfer control center to Edmonton

City concerned about safety 8/14/2003
Enbridge Energy will move part of its operation from Superior to Edmonton. But city officials are concerned that technology can't take the place of people. Mike Simonson reports.

The control room monitors the flow of crude oil at the Superior facility of Enbridge Energy. But new technology will move that duty to a remote control center in Edmonton, a loss of five jobs at the Superior terminal. But City Councilor Kevin Norbie's concern is public safety. He says there won't be enough people on-site to catch a large spill like one last winter that leaked crude oil over the ice of the Nemadji River. "My concern is losing the on-sight eyes that would be able to detect if there's a problem like the leak we had here last winter. It would take over an hour to recognize that if it were done remotely like they're proposing." 

Enbridge Energy's Larry Springer says even without the control room, they'll always have people monitoring the pipelines at the terminal. He says this won't compromise the safety of the pipeline's operation. "No. In fact it is very important to make sure that there are no safety issues involved in this. We actually believe that this has potential of increasing the number of eyes that we have out there." Enbridge, formerly Lakehead Pipeline, has advised the city of their move, but are not expected to make the transfer until April 1 or later. Enbridge employs 100 people in Superior.

Chronic Wasting Disease strategy: No feeding but pay bounties

Wisconsin Natural resources Board has rare meeting in Superior 8/13/2003
The DNR has a new and old strategy to try to eliminate Chronic Wasting Disease from deer in Wisconsin. Mike Simonson reports from the Natural Resources Board meeting in Superior.

One of the old and more controversial strategies is to ban deer feeding and baiting in case food spreads Chronic Wasting Disease. But Iron River feedstore owner Patty Rantala says that hurts people's pocketbooks, and is just politics by the DNR. "The DNR is out there, right in the newspapers and whatever else trying to get people to get scared of CWD again. It's just not right, politics shouldn't be playing a part on non-elected officials." 

DNR Wildlife Manager Tom Hauge says they're sticking by their recommendation. "That's certainly a passionate issue. We would not be recommending it if we didn't think it would be helpful for disease control." Hauge would also like to test another 20,000 deer this fall but only in and around the eradication zone and Illinois border. He's even considering paying hunters a bounty for shooting infected deer. Hauge says they can still rid the state of CWD. "We need to give it a good try. There's likely a window of time where once a disease gets started to the point where it spreads so far that it's impractical to do anything about it. We think we're still in that window where some control efforts can be helpful. Our goal is still to control the disease and hopefully eradicate it for the state." Hauge also wants to hold public meetings and send out CWD newsletters in the eradication zone this fall. The price tag for the whole effort is expected to be $5 to $7 million.

Superior skating rinks to get a much-needed fix-up

Federal money to help, some question the cost 8/12/2003
Superior is renovating the hockey rink and warming shack at Pattison Play Area. Josh Weir reports much of the money is from a federal grant, but some still think the city is spending too much.

In the “Lemons and Laurels” section of the Superior Daily Telegram, the city government was recently awarded a lemon for “lack of fiscal responsibility” in regards to the $59,282 spending on Pattison Play Area. Mary Morgan with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department says almost 38,000 of the money is from a National Park Service grant to revitalize urban parks. “The Project is funded largely with a federal grant and that means that those are funds that if they weren’t allocated to a project in Superior, would most definitely be allocated elsewhere in Wisconsin, or elsewhere. So again I think the common council was very happy to have a federal grant to re-do the shelter, and the park dept. is glad too.” 

Morgan says the project is turning out a bit more expensive than parks and rec. originally estimated because the shelter needed a sewer extension. She says they are doing a lot of work for the money. “The project consists of replacing the skating shelter, relocating the hockey rink, and adding new safety fencing, installing new athletic lighting, and increasing parking.” “I think it’s always a surprise to people when recreation projects appear to them to cost a lot of money. But we must remember this is a building that we’ll have for years and years.” Morgan says the city is re-building and modernizing all of the warming shacks with wood stoves because of liabilities. The Pattison shelter will have in floor slab heating like the Allouez Play Area, Wade Bowl, and Gullo Park.

Shipwreck trails program expands to above water

Maritime trails hopes to educate and preserve shipwrecks 8/11/2003
Wisconsin's underwater archeologists are dropping one-ton iron blocks into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan in an effort to preserve shipwrecks. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

In all, 17 of these one-ton blocks have been dropped near Great Lakes shipwrecks off Wisconsin's coasts over the past few years, including two more this summer. Underwater Archeologist Cathy Green says a chain and buoy are attached to the mooring block so divers can safely descend to the wreck. It also protects shipwrecks from anchors dropped by the boaters of divers, since they can tie their boat to the mooring buoy. 

The wreck of the Kate Kelly off Racine is one new mooring this summer. "Which is a schooner that's in about 100 feet of water. Really nice dive. We're trying to space those moorings out all around the state. We have quite a few up around Door County and of course up in the Apostles but we've been trying to focus on lower Lake Michigan as well." Green says they're also putting up historical markers on-shore, near wrecks for people who don't like to get wet. "So not just shipwrecks but also lighthouses, maritime museums, historic waterfronts. There's plenty of people out there who are interested in shipwrecks who don't dive. This is another way to kind of bring them into the whole loop of the maritime trail without having to get out and put on a dry suit and jump in." 

With 17 moorings in place, Green and her partner and husband Ross Green have their work cut out for them. There are 700 shipwrecks off the shores of Wisconsin. Maps and pictures of the shipwrecks can be found at the state historical society's website at www.maritimetrails.org.

News Release to KUWS: More beaches off-limits for weekend

From MPCA 8/8/2003 
"NO WATER CONTACT" ADVISORY CONTINUES THROUGH WEEKEND AT DULUTH PUBLIC BEACH FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2003 

Duluth, Minn. -- A sign advising against swimming or water contact will remain at one Duluth public swimming beach through the weekend due to continued higher-than-normal fecal coliform bacteria levels, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today. No testing will be done until Monday when the agency's routine water quality monitoring resumes. Beach Program data coordinator Melissa Rauner reported preliminary higher-than-allowable fecal coliform bacteria counts at Duluth's Boat Club Landing on the bay side of Park Point. Advisories are issued when fecal and/or E. coli bacteria levels rise above safe levels. 

A number of factors can contribute to higher fecal and E. coli bacteria levels: pet droppings, children in diapers, high bird populations (ducks, geese and seagulls), sewer line overflows or leaking septic systems, and storm- and rainwater runoff that carries fecal matter on beaches and docks into the water. Geese, garbage and fecal matter were observed at the Boat Club Landing. 

The MPCA's federally-funded beach water monitoring program, just recently implemented at 34 sites along Lake Superior's Minnesota shoreline, is designed to educate people about exposure to potentially-unsafe water conditions and encourage them to enjoy alternative beach and fishing locations. In addition to regularly sampling popular swimming sites, it strives to educate and protect beach-goers and swimmers from possible health risks related to unintentional bacteria exposure. Placing signs warning against water contact is the unfortunate result when fecal and E. coli bacteria levels rise too high. 

"Of the 34 Lake Superior public beaches we test for water quality, 33 are considered safe for swimming and water contact. One contaminated beach does not mean the whole lake is affected," Rauner said. Previous "no water contact" advisory signs were placed at Duluth's Lester River, Lakewalk and Sky Harbor airport beaches, Boy Scout, Clyde Avenue and Boat Club Landings as well as the North Shore's French and Temperance Rivers swimming areas. Before today, advisory signs had remained in place for only one to two days, depending on subsequent monitoring results. The MPCA's Beaches program staff have increased monitoring frequencies at sites with histories of higher-than-allowable fecal and E. coli bacteria levels. 

The MPCA received $263,000 in federal program development grants and expects another $203,000 this year to implement program recommendations at coastal public beaches; it will regrant money to local governments bordering Lake Superior that want to participate. Currently, Minnesota does not require beach testing. As a result, water sampling and announcements of unsafe swimming conditions are inconsistently issued. The federal Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, an amendment to the Clean Water Act, calls on Minnesota and other states with coastal waters to monitor water quality at public beaches and improve how they notify the public about health risks at beaches. Tribal health departments are responsible for other public beaches within their borders and are not eligible for this grant program. They are eligible to apply for BEACH Act dollars from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency if they have a qualifying water quality program. 

For more information about the beaches currently under advisories, or for a list of regular monitoring locations, call Melissa Rauner, MPCA Beach Program Data Coordinator, at (218) 723-4668, (800) 657-3864 or visit the related MPCA Web page at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/beaches/. The Web site also lists recent water monitoring results at all 34 beach locations. 

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Pro-Powerline ads hit the airwaves

Opponents say it's big money at work 8/7/2003
The company that is pushing for a major transmission line from Duluth to Wausau has an advertising campaign underway in northern Wisconsin. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

American Transmission Company is hoping to build the first major line from the north, but is finding stiff opposition. So, they're running folksy TV and radio ads. (ad) "Hi. Marv Nellis here again with Mark Williamson of ATC. Mark, I want to follow up on your statement that consumer might be facing power outages and even higher costs if a new transmission line isn't built now." 

Mark Williamson is the chief spokesperson for ATC. He says the ad campaign is extensive. But he says they want to convince landowners and politicians this 240 mile long line is needed. "One of our concerns is that the public understand the vital need for the facilities and why we need to go about this and try to build a better base of understanding about how electricity works and why you need to make improvements to make sure it remains reliable for everybody." ATC has its work cut out for it. Several county boards have voted against letting the company use public land for its line, and landowners have formed a tough opposition group called "SOUL", short for "Save Our Unique Lands". (Ad) "Marv, we just don't have enough transmission capacity in Wisconsin. If the line isn't built there'll be power outages and outrageously high electric bills." 

SOUL Boardmember Mark Liebaert of South Range isn't impressed with the ad. "Mark Williamson can tell you that this is gonna keep your lights on and keep babies alive in incubators and keep pumping gas. The reality is that Mark Williamson's company will make more money off of this line than any other option in Wisconsin." Both sides will bring their case before the Public Service Commission in Madison beginning September 9. 

Governor chooses Park Falls for northern office

Office moves from Hayward 8/6/2003
Governor Jim Doyle announced today that Bryce Luchterhand of Unity will serve as Director of the Governor’s Northern Office, which will be located in Park Falls. Mike Simonson reports. 

Luchterhand has most recently served as Wisconsin State Director for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Program. He is also the owner and operator of Popple Valley Farm, century family farm in Unity. “I am pleased to announce Bryce Luchterhand’s appointment today as Director of the Northern Office,” Governor Doyle said. “During his term as State Director of USDA Rural Development, Bryce played a vital role in securing funding for many projects in Northern Wisconsin from a housing project in Superior to waste water treatment in Ashland to Headstart facilities in Red Cliff and distance learning at Nicolet College.” “A volunteer worker at the Birkebeiner Cross Country Ski Race and an avid biker of Northwood trails, Bryce understands the needs of the people and the area,” Doyle said. “I am confident he will provide a strong link between Northern Wisconsin and Madison.” “Northern Wisconsin is an area of incredible natural beauty surrounding the world’s largest reservoir of freshwater and the nation’s finest fishing, camping, hiking and outdoor tourist destinations,” Doyle said. “The miles of wilderness interspersed with modern communities and widely-varied industry create special needs. My administration is committed to hearing the concerns and responding to the needs of Northern Wisconsin.” 

Luchterhand, 54, is the owner and operator of Popple Valley Farm, a dairy and livestock family farm in Unity. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the Wisconsin State Director for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Program in 1993 and reappointed in 1996. As Wisconsin State Director, he developed a strategic plan for delivery of the agency’s programs and worked to ensure that the agency helped the state’s most remote, economically-depressed, and socially-diverse populations. Luchterhand has also worked as a substitute teacher in the Spencer and Stratford public schools during the past two school years, serving as a substitute in all grades for all subjects. From 1989 to 1993, he worked as Farmland Preservation, Zoning and Solid Waste Administrator for Clark County, administrating, enforcing, and developing county land use ordinances. He is a former acting deputy director for the Wisconsin Citizen Utility Board (CUB) and a former Northern Wisconsin field organizer for the Wisconsin Rural Development Center, Inc. He has also served as co-chair of the Resource Re-allocation Task Force, chair of the Task Force on USDA Internal Controls, and Chair of the University of Wisconsin Nutrient and Pest Management Committee. He received a B.S. in Secondary Education from Northland College in Ashland in 1970. Luchterhand and his wife, Max, live on their family farm in Unity and have four children. 

Testimony: Duluth to Wausau transmission line technically inferior

CUB files its testimony with the PSC today 7/28/2003
Testimony over the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line will be filed today with the state Public Service Commission by one of its most vociferous opponents. Mike Simonson reports.

Citizen Utility Board Director Steve Hinicker will file testimony today with the Public Service Commission that says their independent study of that line called Arrowhead-Weston and a line from the Twin Cities to Wausau called King-Weston shows King-Weston to be cheaper, using existing right-of-way, less disruptive to the environment and landowners, and faster to build. 

Hinicker wants to stop the Arrowhead line. "The decision to approve Arrowhead was one of the worst decisions that the Public Service Commission ever made. This proceeding gives the Commission the opportunity to right that bad decision by choosing an alternative that is cheaper, technically better and easier to build." Hinicker says the most impressive new information from the testimony is that the Duluth to Wausau line would be technically inferior. "Arrowhead for some reason does not hook up to an existing 345 KV (kilovolt) line to the west. It relies on a number of 220 KV connections. And because of that it does not perform as well as the King-Weston which would hook up directly to an existing 345 KV line." 

Even though the Public Service Commission approved the transmission line, new and much higher cost estimates re-opened the case. Hinicker's testimony will put the King-Weston line at just over $300-million to build, while the Arrowhead -Weston line would cost about $470-million.

The heat is on WLSSD after high number of sewage spills

MPCA is taking a closer look 7/25/2003
A recent rash of overflows and spills at WLSSD is more than they’ve had in one month in years. Josh Weir reports the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is looking into the spills. 

The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District has had five separate incidents of spills or overflows in July. Of these two were due to rain, and three were because of other problems. WLSSD Executive Director Kurt Soderberg says the overflows due to rainwater, while still unacceptable, are normal. 

The other spills aren’t normal like last weekend’s overflows because of a power outage. “The thing that has been different, and being very frank about it is the amount of overflows related to problems we’ve had in the system is very very substantial. I don’t believe we’ve had a month like this probably in the last several years.” Soderberg says overflow because of rain is a longstanding problem for WLSSD. Rainwater gets into the collection system through foundation drains in people’s basements and overloads the system. Soderberg says they are working with the City of Duluth and other municipalities to eliminate these drains. “The next thing under consideration in Duluth is to build basins, tanks or open top basins where there can be storage of this combination of rainwater and sewage water until it can be handled.” 

WLSSD is under a five-year permit with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to resolve the rainwater problem. MPCA Pollution Specialist Roger Nelson says it’s an expensive process and takes time. Nelson says there could be penalties but they would not likely be in the form of fines. He says as WLSSD is not a profit-making corporation, any fines would mean higher sewage rates for customers. It would also divert money from solving the problems. He says WLSSD is working with the agency to make sure more overflows are prevented. WLSSD’s Community Relations Committee will hold a meeting at 5:30 on Monday to talk about the spills. 

Obey: Stop FCC deregulation of local TV

Story by Mike Simonson 7/24/2003
National media giants may not get as big as they would want after a vote Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

The vote seeks to override a new rule by the Federal Communications Commission that relaxes the cap on ownership of television stations. The House vote would keep the cap for one media group from owning local T-V stations to 35% of the national audience. Last month, the FCC relaxed those rules, allowing corporations to own up to 45% of the national audience. 

Representative Dave Obey of Wisconsin is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. He sponsored the provision. "It's terribly dangerous to democracy when you have a concentration of power, especially a power of information in the hands of a few companies or media conglomerates. There are five companies that own 70% of the market in this country as far as television is concerned." Obey says the loss of local ownership and concern for community needs is slipping away by mega-media groups. "Before radio ownership was deregulated you had one company that owned about 250 stations nationwide. That same company now owns well over 1000." 

The House vote to roll that back was 400 to 21. But President Bush says he will veto this appropriations bill if it doesn’t allow the larger percentage of corporate ownership. Bush Administration officials say the new rules reflect the changing media landscape.

ATV's in Wisconsin forests have resorts talking

National forest rules expected later this year 7/23/2003
The National Forest Service is looking at restricting the use of ATV’s in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Josh Weir reports from Superior.

The National Forest Service is working on finalizing its ten-year forest management plan. This plan will be the framework for regulations in the Chequamegon-Nicolet forest, including the possibility of more restrictions on ATV’s. P.C. Rasmussen, at Lakewoods Resort near Cable is concerned restrictions would prevent people from getting out in the forest and from coming to his resort. “It will basically lock us in here, a little island surrounded by basically non-motorized areas, they’re talking about nine miles of trails and forest roads that are used by, you know snowmobiles, ATV’s, and vehicles.” 

Besides the effect on his business, Rasmussen says this would limit people’s use of the forest. “Ten years from now a lot of those baby boomers, a majority of the population, aren’t going to be able to get around on bikes or hiking or x-country skis, or some of these non-motorized options, yet they’re still going to want to have access to of course the national forest and the trails we have.” 

On the other shore of Lake Namakagon is Gary Staudemeyer. He owns the Four Seasons Resort. Staudemeyer says ATV’s aren’t a big part of his business. The Four Seasons aims more at the family and fishing vacationers. “We don’t get any ATV’s here. We don’t have a good trail system here, and on the lake here we’re kind of against ‘em. So we just as soon they didn’t allow ‘em anyway. You know they don’t behave.” 

The Bayfield County Chamber of Commerce’s Sarah Ahlquist says most people she talks to support restrictions despite damage it could do to tourism. “The county, I think yeah they probably will see some impact, but again I don’t think its going to be anything that’s going to devastate the tourist economy by limiting that. Simply because that is really not the number one draw for this area.” Right now, ATV’s are confined to trails in national forests, and are not allowed off those trails. The comment period has been extended until August 11. 

Newton Creek clean-up is underway

Could be a Superior success story 7/22/2003
One of the Twin Ports environmental hotspots has begun getting cleaned up this month. Stephanie Nasi reports.

Newton Creek which runs into the Superior Harbor at Hog Island inlet is being dredged of petroleum aromatic hydrocarbons with 200 truck loads of the waste to be carted off to a landfill in Sarona 75 miles away. Sarona is south of Spooner. John Robinson is overseeing the project for the Department of Natural Resources. He says the job will be completed sometime in September. 3000 cubic yards of contaminated dredging will be removed from Newton Creek. He says that area has great potential for fisheries, especially when they get to phase three: clean-up of Hog Island inlet east of Barker’s Island. A timetable for that hasn’t been set, but Robinson says the days of the Hog Island inlet having signs posted “no Swimming” are numbered. 

Tourism up "Up North" in Wisconsin

More people taking driving vacations to the northwoods 7/21/2003
Local resorts are doing well fishing for new guests this summer. Josh Weir reports tourism is steady as many people are staying closer to home for their vacations.

With a slow economy and some people still wary of flying, tourism in northern Wisconsin is doing just fine. Sarah Ahlquist at the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce says many tourists don’t have as much money to throw around as they used to. She says people are just planning more about where they spend their dollars. “People are in fact coming from farther distances. These might be people who would otherwise take a flying vacation, they’re just doing a little bit longer of a driving vacation. There’s just the perception that a driving vacation is less expensive, even when airfares are cheap.” 

Four Seasons resort owner Gary Staudemeyer near Cable says his resort on the northwest side of Lake Namakagon is enjoying one of the best years it’s had in a while. He says they’re getting more local people than in the past. “Our business is up, but we’re dealing with different people than we were before. You know some of our old standby’s couldn’t come cause they lost their jobs, and we got some new ones.” Staudemeyer also says the sunny weather and good fishing have helped. “Muskies have been slow, just the last couple of days they’ve picked up. We had two 48 incher and a 50 incher. Walleye’s, they were better in june. Right now there’s a lot of small ones.” 

At Lakewoods resort near Cable P.C. Rasmussen says this summer has been good to him too. “The biggest thing is the short season, with all the kids summer activities… The majority of the season is just those six weeks of summer.” Rasmussen says most of the guests at Lakewoods are people who have been coming for years. 

The trouble with blueberries: Bayfield orchards having trouble

Other crops looking good 7/18/2003
Most of this year’s blueberry crop is a dud in Bayfield County. Growers blame a cold winter and deep frost. Josh Weir has the story.

Bayfield County blueberry harvests are expected to be significantly lower than recent years. The region is one of the main berry producing areas for the state. Rick Dale at Highland Valley Berry Farm near Bayfield says even the heartier plants at their farm took quite a bit of damage. He says with about 60%-70% of their usual harvest, their farm won’t be selling their berries downstate like they usually do, they’ll just be doing the you-pick-um sales this year. 

“We’ll just manage our field and our crop differently, like I say, it’s not going to be our best year as far as our family farm business, but we’re going to get through this just fine.” Dale says he expects two good things to come out of this. Without producing much fruit the plants have more energy for recovering, and are growing out well. “The other thing is that the fruit that is developing, seeing as there’s less fruit in each bush, the fruit that is developing is going to exceptionally large and high quality this year.” With the supply of blueberries down prices are a little higher than usual, but Dale says people will still be able to have their pies and pancakes. Bayfield County's Apple orchards and berry farms are looking at mixed results for this year's harvest. 

Right now, berry pickers can find plenty of ripe strawberries, but will have to wait a couple of weeks of raspberries and blueberries, and another week for blackberries After a cold start this year, apple and berry farms around Bayfield report their crops this year are looking pretty good. Einar Olsen at Bayfield Apple Company says the farm is getting a nice amount of rainfall, good weather, and few pest problems so far. He says winter damage to the raspberries and blueberries is cutting down the expected harvest a bit, but they still expect a good crop. "It got colder than heck in January, and we didn't have much snow cover and raspberries are rather shallow rooted, and the plants would appear something like freezer burn or something(laughs)." He also says the farm is looking at a "magnificent" crop of apples this year. "Normally here we end up a windstorm or a rain storm, or something during blossom time. Or very cold, so the bees aren't inclined to do their thing. But the weather during blossom time was fantastic." The Superior View Farm also grows a range of fruits and over 300 different types of perennial flowers. Jim Hauser says his flowers did pretty well through the winter. "We had some perennials that effected too, but it wasn't too bad in those." 

Dan Kavajecz, at Glasener's Orchards in Herbster grows apples, pears, and cherries. He says the apples and cherries are looking good, but the pears blossomed at the wrong time and aren't quite as plentiful. Kavajecz says the cherries will start getting ripe in about a week, but the apples and pears probably won't be ready to start harvesting until September. 

Apostle Islands Master Plan favors mostly wilderness

Story by Mike Simonson 7/15/2003
A plan for the way the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will be managed in the coming decades has been released. Mike Simonson reports.

There are four proposals: don't preserve any of the 21 islands as wilderness, preserve 55%, 80% or 94%. The park service staff favors the 80-percent level. Apostle Islands Superintendent Bob Krumanaker says that would keep things the way they are now. "We've heard many people concerned that we're trying to keep people away from the park and nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, wilderness is about people, it's just about technology that they use. And by keeping the docks and keep Lake Superior and keeping the lighthouses out of wilderness, anybody who currently uses the islands in a legal way today will still be able to do it." 

Small parts of several islands with docks and lighthouses would not have wilderness designation, and three islands...Long, Basswood, and Sand... would be designated non-wilderness. "The reason to exclude them is not so that we can generate a lot of development in those places. But they are the three islands the closest to the mainland. Sand and Basswood in particular are very rich in cultural resources, historic resources. And those two islands would be terrific places to tell the story of people and the environment in the Apostle Islands." Areas with docks, lighthouses and remnants of fishing camps and quarries wouldn't be designated wilderness. Neither would the waters surrounding the islands, so motorboats can be used. A public hearing is set for August 27th in Ashland on the Apostle Islands Master Plan at the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center.

Iraqi refugees ask for patience and help

Speaking recently in Superior and Duluth 7/14/2003
A group of Kurdish refugees is urging patience by Iraqi and American people. These refugees fled Iraq to escape Saddam Hussein and are drumming up help for their homeland. Mike Simonson reports. 

It's understandable that Iraqis want order and democracy now, and Americans want an end to almost daily reports of G.I.'s being attacked. But former wheat farmer Shwan Rashid says an early pull-out of U.S. troops is just what the opposition wants. And Rashid says much of the opposition is sent from neighboring countries. "When we hear everyday one person is killed and two persons are killed, most of the people attacking the military tanks and vehicles are not Iraqis. That's what they realized recently. That would bring us to the point that all the surrounded country, I believe that the governments are supporting those terrorist groups to do that in Iraq because they're afraid. If Iraq continues to be a good example of democracy it will affect them." 

Rashid says a successful democracy in Iraq could be contagious, forcing the end to other monarchies. Mustafa Abdulbaqi was a civilian engineer before he left Iraq. He helped build underground facilities ordered by Saddam Hussein. He doesn't think finding weapons of mass destruction is necessary. "We don't need to see some gallons of chemicals or this or that somewhere hiding underground or anywhere to get it as proof. The proof is the bodies buried alive and all the evidence is there. Anybody can go and see and witness all that." As long as Saddam Hussein ruled, Bahra Irfan says the country was doomed. She says their only hope was U.S./British intervention. "That was a dream for everyone in Iraq. We appreciate that very much." The group is lecturing at universities, asking for U-S citizens to send aid to help Iraq rebuild. 

South Shore, Superior and Duluth beaches contaminated

E-coli bacteria found, part of Wisconsin Point closed 7/10/2003
Several beaches on Lake Superior's South Shore are unsafe for swimming. An experimental water testing program begun this spring is uncovering problem areas. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The test results contradict the conventional wisdom that e-coli wouldn't be a problem in the cold waters of Lake Superior. Department of Natural Resources Beach Program Coordinator Ben Vail says unsafe levels of e-coli bacteria have been found at 10 beaches in Douglas County, two in Ashland County, and one each in Iron and Bayfield Counties. 

"This is not a cause for alarm or anything in part because we don't have anything to compare it with. So we can't say if it is higher or lower in the past or anything like that." Nevertheless, Douglas County will be posting signs on its beaches on Lake Superior next week indicating if bacteria levels are safe or not. This new federal testing program is conducted by county health departments. Douglas County Health Nurse Vicki Drake says she’s surprised that e-coli is a problem on Lake Superior. "Yes I am. We always considered Lake Superior to be so pristine that you would not expect to have waters that are actually part of the lake be contaminated to the levels we are finding them to be." Even though part of Wisconsin Point beach and Barker's Island inner beach are closed, Drake says they won’t have signs to post until next week…so there hasn’t been any public notification. Still, people can get sick from swimming on those beaches. "If a person were to ingest the water, how many children swim without putting their head under water, I don't think there is such a thing. So is it possible that they could end up ill? Yes." 

Beaches in Duluth that are marked as unsafe for swimming are Lester River, the Lakewalk, Clyde Avenue boat landing in Smithville, and Boy Scout Landing in Gary-New Duluth. Since this is the first year of this federal testing program, sources of the high levels of bacteria may not be known until next year.

Wolves get electric shock therapy

Story by Mike Simonson 7/9/2003
An experiment in Wisconsin's northwoods is shocking for wolves, but may save their lives. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Since April, four wolves have been fitted with collars that will give them little electric shocks every 10 minutes, if they stray too close to a farm and its livestock. Department of Natural Resources Wolf Supervisor Adrian Wydeven in Park Falls says they'll see if this becomes a kind of Pavlov's wolf over the next two years. "The same type of shock collars that are used for dogs but instead of having an invisible fence, my assistant Ron Schultz has developed a triggering device that automatically sends out shocks every 10 minutes. So if the wolf gets within a quarter mile or half mile of this triggering device, it automatically gets shocked." 

Wydeven says the electric shocks might make the wolf uncomfortable, but it's better than the current method used for those who kill livestock. "It would be an alternative to having to kill, but we don't anticipate it would replace euthanizing wolves in all situations. But if for instance we have an isolated farm in the middle of wild areas and we don't want to have to remove the local wolf population in order to stop depredation on one little farm, we could use a device like this to keep wolves off that farm." Last year wolves killed 62 domestic animals in Wisconsin.

"The Terminator" causing a stir at UW-Superior

Reporters from around the country are calling 7/8/2003
Media attention focusing on the movie "Terminator 3" is spilling over to a University of Wisconsin campus. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

In 1979, Arnold Schwarzeneggar earned his business degree through the extension program at UW-Superior. That was 3 years before he became "The Terminator", making him a movie star. This month the sequel "Terminator 3" has hit the theaters, and along with Schwarzeneggar's rumored run for governor of California, reporters have been keeping UW-Superior Media Relations Specialist Beth George busy. "There appear to be a good number of freelancers out there looking for an angle. Verifying where he went to school and those kinds of things." 

This is an opportunity for UW-Superior, the smallest four-year campus in the UW System. But George says too often reporters or even Schwarzeneggar himself, say he got his degree at the University of Wisconsin and leave out the important "Superior" part. "Where possible when we see the general reference that makes people assume that it would be the Madison campus we do make a call to ensure that people know that it was the University of Wisconsin-Superior." Schwarzeneggar returned to UW-Superior in 1996 to accept an honorary doctorate degree which should make him Doctor Terminator.

Backwoods emergency training for campers

Ashland's Northland College has special classes 7/7/2003
What happens when there is a medical emergency miles away from a hospital or phone? Wilderness medicine classes are training people for just these sort of scenarios. Josh Weir reports. 

As many hikers, campers, and hunters know even small injuries out in the wilderness can turn into emergencies merely because of the remote location. Which is why Northland College in Ashland is sponsoring classes to train people as certified Wilderness First Responders, or WooFeR's. 

Susan Hall at Northland College says these classes are mostly for people who lead outdoor expeditions, but are still open to anyone. They teach basic first responder skills, what sort of first aid kit you should bring with on a back-country trip, and how to improvise if you don't have all the recommended gear. "Like if you're working at YMCA camp and you're taking a bunch of kids out to the boundary waters, more and more all these camps that do those kind of things require their counselors to have this kind of certification." The classes are put on by the company Wilderness Medical Associates. They include lectures as well as hands-on simulations complete with fake wounds and stage blood. Executive Director of the company Ben Woodard, says their students constantly send letters telling the various near death stories they've been through. "We recently had a story about a wilderness I hadn't thought about much: International flights on airplanes. And one of our students responded to a fellow passenger who was having an allergic reaction to their food, and they patched him through to a doctor on the ground, the doctor authorized him to administer ephinepherine on the flight, and it saved the person's life on an international flight." 

Woodard says the WooFeR certification is only one of several the company offers. There are also courses to become trained in Wilderness Advanced First Aid, Advanced Life Support and as a Wilderness EMT. Northland College offers the seventy-two hour Wilderness First Responder course each April, and a shorter re-certification class in October.

Douglas/Bayfield County Lake Associations to put up guards

Hope to stop exotic species spread 7/3/2003
Lake property owners in northern Wisconsin has come up with a unique way to stop the spread of exotic species to their lake: They're guarding the boat landings. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

So far, most of the lakes in the Bayfield/Douglas County area are free of exotic species. And the Whitefish Lake Conservation Organization wants to keep it that way. Lake President Sandra Anderson of Gordon says they're hiring students this summer to stand guard at boat landings during busy times. The students will tell people that Eurasian Milfoil has invaded the nearby Minong flowage. "I've been at the landing when there are people who are coming from the flowage and I ask them if they knew that the flowage had milfoil. They did not know it. So the biggest thing we need is to get the word out there where it is, because people don't want to transport it from lake to lake." 

The Whitefish Lake group and Douglas County Lakes Association are also posting signs. Anderson says they're even donning swimming suits in this fight. "Because our lakes are clear, it's easy for us to see the milfoil, so once a week we snorkel around our boat landings and look for them and if you find it you would call the DNR." With exotic species of many kinds just a few miles away in Lake Superior and the Saint Louis River, Anderson says they have to keep vigilant. 

Urban deer days numbered in Superior

Bow hunt in city limits set for later this summer 7/2/2003
Urban deer herds are growing into nuisances in many communities. One reason is that they have no natural predators within city limits. That's about to change. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

Hunting is usually out of bounds within city limits, but since that's now changing in several communities, humans will become deer predators. It's not known how many deer there are within the Superior city limits, but Lois Larson with Public Works says there are five hotspots with too many of the critters. "They have no natural predators and then so they pretty much dine wherever they want to, to the point where they've climbing on people's decks to get at flower baskets because they can no longer have flowers in their yards and things so they can try to decorate their decks or raise tomato plants in pots. People just have no control for their own property with the amount of deer around." 

This month the Superior City Council, with approval from the Department of Natural Resources, gave the go ahead to the Douglas County Whitetail Bowhunters Association to go on an urban hunt later this summer. Larson hopes they'll kill half the herd. "And we will know we've done approximately half as the complaints start falling off or people start letting us know that their tulips are finally living and things like that." 

Large concentrations of deer have also gotten on the city's Bong Airport runway, and are causing traffic problems on city roads. 

Friendly Flies days are numbered

Means the end of the line for army worms 7/1/2003
Friendly flies are back. Reports and complaints from people around northern Wisconsin have the fat black flies in scattered locations. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

They've been known to drive off campers and completely coat clothing hung out on the line. One report from Brule has 40 to 50 friendly flies covering a person at a time. 

DNR Forest Entimologist Kyoko Scanlon in Park Falls says even though they're back there are less of them than last year's peak. But she says these little guys are misunderstood. "Although they can be very annoying, the reason that this fly is called a "Friendly Fly" is these flies like to land on people. But they don't really bite or they don't transmit diseases. So, I understand that they can be very annoying, it gets very hard to enjoy the outdoor activities." 

Friendly Flies are natural predators of tent caterpillars or army worms. The fact that they're around means the demise of the army worm infestation. Scanlon says the Friendly Flies will last only through late July and then disappear. Until then her advice is to put up with them, because there's not much you can do since these flies are so friendly.

Clam Lake elk herd growing fast

Keeps DNR busy tagging newborns 6/30/2003
A record number of elk will be born in far northern Wisconsin this month. The experimental transplanted herd may see as many as 35 newborns. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

A mild winter and a large number of mature elk cows will lead to this bumper crop of baby elk. Department of Natural Resources Elk Biologist Laine Stowell is spending about 12 hours a day tracking elk in the Chequamegon National Forest around Clam Lake. His job is to track pregnant females who already have radio collars, and make sure the newborn calves have one too. "The special radio collars that we have are elastic and they stretch and so we just slip 'em right over the head and onto the neck of the calf. We put a permanent metal ear tag in the calf's ear." It takes about five minutes to do this, and the calf is blindfolded. 

Stowell says Mother elk is concerned but she usually stays 50 to 100 yards away. "Certainly they view us as predators but yet they do not attack us. When we track the elk in the winter you can certainly see their behavior towards us that they treat us as predators." He's never been charged, although he says he pays attention to the cow. With 30 to 35 births expected and a mortality rate of about 25% by the fall, Stowell says the herd should increase from last year's 100 to about 125. 

Harry Potter Beecroft Books Breakfast Bash

Featuring Hagrid, Moaning Myrtle and company 6/20/2003
Hang on to your Hogwarts. The latest Harry Potter book is being released Saturday. Mike Simonson reports that a Superior bookstore has special plans.

How about a nice clammy bowl of Cold Potter Porridge? Or Hogwart’s Hot Breakfast Bake? Maybe ghostly granola and Frightened Fruit? That’s the menu for folks who make it to the Beecroft Bookstore Breakfast Bash around 7 a.m. Store manager Amanda Parker has no idea how many people will show. "This is a big mystery to us. I can tell you that as far as our reservations list, it is probably at least twice as big as it was for the last book." They’ll have 200 copies of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", but more than 130 people have already reserved books. Parker says although some critics have condemned it because it has witchcraft, she says it’s good fun. "It's just the basic fight of good against evil with good coming out on top. I like the books. I like anything that gets kids reading. Kids who are reluctant readers are coming in and they are going to be reading a book that is almost the size of 'War and Peace'. And I think that's terrific." 

Parker says she’s a Harry Potter fan too. "Oh, I kind of like Moaning Myrtle from the last video." The bookstore will also have a kids costume contest for those dressed up as their favorite Harry Potter character. "Moaning Mona" might be tough since she’s a transparent ghost.

Wisconsin women lead nation in binge drinking

Local conference at UW-Superior addresses Fetal Alcohol brain damage 6/19/2003
Women in upper Midwestern states need to take a second look at binge drinking or an expert says a generation of babies with Fetal Alcohol brain damage could be born. Mike Simonson reports.

The University of Wisconsin study places Wisconsin women worst in the nation in binge drinking. About one in four women in Wisconsin binge drink at least once a month. That's not surprising to Fetal Alcohol Specialist Lynn Fregaard. She works in Minnesota and Wisconsin to educate people about the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. She says upper Midwestern states rank high in alcohol abuse. "Number one our Scandinavian heritage is part of our problem. Our Scandinavian/northern European you know Finnish, Swedish, Irish, German, whatever, that the drinking patterns in those countries tend to be more like ours, the binging drinking pattern. Whereas southern Europeans drank differently from Scandinavia. They also discovered that our ancestors who immigrated went into high alcohol use professions. If you look at mining and railroads and fishing and shipping." 

Fregaard says binge drinking is often accepted as the way to have fun at parties, so she fears this is a problem that will continue. "It scares me that A) What we're doing to our kids when we're pregnant, B) What we're teaching our kids by our behavior. You know, kids don't do what their parents tell them necessarily, they do what they see. The kids in our states are seeing an awful lot of that every weekend, drinkin'." Fregaard says any alcohol use during pregnancy can cause brain damage, but it's hit and miss. She says one-third of women drink during their pregnancy, but only ten percent of those give birth to babies with Fetal Alcohol brain damage.

Washburn man starts "Tillers and Tractors" for Iraq

Asks for donations of working equipment 6/17/2003
A northern Wisconsin man is leading an effort to ship more than one-thousand garden tillers and tractors over to Iraq. Mike Simonson reports that it isn't the first time he's helped Kurdish farmers.

The United States "Operation Provide Comfort" helped resettle 600,000 Kurds in northern Iraq in 1993 and '94, to protect them from Saddam Hussein's government. Peter Strzok of Bayfield County was part of that effort and now he'd like to go back and help those same people. “They've been telling me 'Peter, the biggest impact we could have is on the lowest level of production. Consider the large farmers who have some means, come in on the lowest level. So we looked at small tractors and garden tillers to give it to the mountain villages that they're out there with a hoe and a pitchfork." 

So Strzok is leading an effort with his non-profit group to have garden tillers and tractors donated by Wisconsin farmers, and ship those tools to small farmers in northern Iraq. "If you improve production 50% for a farmer that reduces his food costs, it's essentially giving him a raise. These are subsistence farmers and if you give them a raise then they've got some choices that they can't make today. That's the whole idea." Strzok says the land there is fertile, but the Kurdish farmers lack the tools to improve their lives. He says sending these tools is the best kind of humanitarian relief we can send. If you'd like to help, you can call 715-373-5002. 

Superior lawyer new president of the UW Board of Regents

Story by Mike Simonson 6/16/2003
This week the legislature takes apart the state's budget as passed by the Joint Finance Committee. One person watching will be the new president of the UW Board of Regents. Mike Simonson reports.

Toby Marcovich says the UW System can live with the $250-million in cuts coupled with $150-million in tuition increases over the next two years. But he hopes the legislature makes up its collective mind soon. "You know we have to send out tuition bills. We have to tell our people who's working and who isn't." 

Toby Marcovich isn't a household name around Wisconsin. The Associated Press announced his election as President of the Board of Regents by calling him "Tony". But the Superior attorney is well-known in his neighborhood. He handled the Toxic Tuesday chemical train derailment case in 1992 and was the only Democrat appointed to the Board by then-Governor Tommy Thompson. He sees himself as a practical idealist. "Sure we have some serious challenges that's an opportunity to try and improve the situation. Whether I'll be successful or not of course still remains to be seen but I'm certainly willing to accept the challenge and make the effort to do it." But he says deeper cuts would compromise the integrity of UW campuses and extension agents. "We put out the engineers, the scientiss, the businesspeople, the lawyers, the doctors that keep this state operating at one of the highest levels." Marcovich, who was elected at this month's Regents meeting says the 17 member board, will try to preserve that high level by cutting teachers last.

Duluth Lynching Memorial Dedicated

Story by Mike Simonson 6/13/2003
People gathered in Duluth Friday for a march to remember three black men lynched there in 1920. It's a week-long observance dedicating a park that will not right a wrong but allow diversity to grow.

83 year-old postcards show three black men strung up on a lamppost in Duluth's downtown. A smiling mob of men and women pose for the shot. About 5000 people took the three men from the local jail, beat them, dragged them up a street and lynched them. Only a handful of people tried to stop the mob. The circus workers were wrongly accused of raping a white woman. Some people did serve prison time for these crimes, but from 1920 until 2000, Duluth-Superior's minority population plummeted. 

Today, Henry Banks says the Clayton, Jackson, McGhie Memorial Park goes a long way to welcome diversity and not ease a city's guilt. "You know it has nothing to do with guilt, but it has everything to do with how we treat each other from this day forward really." Banks is an African-American who chairs the memorial committee. "We need to get together here because we are one community and we need to talk to each other so we can learn about and from each other, regardless of who we are." Banks hopes the small park with a brick walkway and statues of the victims will show a commitment against mob mentality and prejudice. "In Duluth, Minnesota we are saying that we are not going to allow this to happen in our community ever again, but we still have racial disparities here. We still have economic disparity here. And so the work continues on. It just continues in a different type of way." The park has inscriptions from peacemakers including Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Buddha. 

Fleming Foods Task Force comes up empty

News of the day 6/12/2003
The local task force which hopes to keep Superior’s Fleming Food Warehouse open now looks like they’ll be looking at the best way to handle its closing. Mike Simonson reports. 

After a meeting Thursday afternoon, Superior Mayor Dave Ross says all 262 union employees at Fleming will be laid off in the next several weeks with the number down to just 50 workers in the next week or so. Governor Jim Doyle has placed a call to the president of Fleming in Texas, but so far he hasn’t gotten a reply. The Wisconsin Rapid Response team will now look at helping laid off employees with unemployment claims, re-training and looking for work. The former director of CASDA, The Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse, has been charged with embezzlement. A federal charge of embezzling more than $5000 from CASDA was filed this week against Ramona Lynn Andrews of Superior. She is alleged to have taken money from 1995 until her resignation in 1999. 

Veterans flock to Superior to honor Ace of Aces Richard Bong

Story by Mike Simonson 6/5/2003
Veterans are remembering this weekend's anniversary of the storming of Normandy in 1944. A World War II center in memory of America's "Ace of Aces" is holding a gathering. Mike Simonson reports.

By the time Major Richard Bong was pulled from combat duty in the Pacific in 1945, he had downed 40 Japanese aircraft, a record that still stands. Keeping him from combat was supposed to keep him alive, but instead he flew experimental jet aircraft in California. One of those jets crashed killing Bong on August 6th, 1945. 

Except for a small museum at his hometown in Poplar in far northern Wisconsin, there was little to remember the pilot who was presented with the Medal of Honor by another Wisconsin native, General Douglas MacArthur. That is until last fall when the Richard Bong World War II Heritage Center opened in Superior. Director Cristabel Grant says veterans are coming from around the country to honor him. "We have again several of his mechanics who worked on his plane. One gentleman is flying in from Arizona informed me that he was one of Dick's favorite mechanics when he was in the Pacific." Bong's legacy continues with his 39-year-old nephew Major Jim Bong. But he says he won't mimic his uncle's hot dog antics, like flying under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge or the Golden Gate Bridge. "Hahaha. Today's modern age is you will, I know I would get caught and get in a lot of trouble if I tried to fly underneath a bridge." Jim Bong just returned from combat action in Iraq. He flew his F-15 in formation over the museum that bears his uncle's name. 

MPCA to test North Shore/Park Point beaches

Joins Wisconsin's efforts to test along Southshore 6/4/2003
As Wisconsin begins its first comprehensive beach testing along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, Minnesota is following suit along Lake Superior's North Shore. Mike Simonson reports. 

Lake Superior's North Shore is known for its rugged cliffs and dramatic rocky beaches. Except on warm summer days with a wind blowing in on the beaches, the water is too cold for swimming. So e-coli or fecal bacteria have not been a problem. Still, the Minnesota Pollution Control will be doing weekly tests of beaches from Duluth to just north of Grand Marais. 

Pollution Control Specialist Heidi Baumann says the program is like Wisconsin's, paid for by the federal government...and new to the Great Lakes. "This kind of testing really hasn't been done on much of the North Shore so we don't know if it will be a problem or not. So this first year is kind of a pilot study and we're going to be sampling 34 sites up and down along the shore." 

Although Baumann says says the pressure is growing on Lake Superior beaches that might create e-coli and fecal bacteria contamination. "You know kids in diapers who go swimming. The seagulls, geese and ducks on the beach, if they like to congregate in one area it can be a problem. Dogs. It's often times very localized. It can survive in the beach sand and in the shallow waters right along the beach and that's where our kids are swimming." Testing in Wisconsin this spring has already found one beach on Lake Michigan with bacterial problems. 

Elk hunting season may not be far off

Another elk herd could be introduced into northwestern Wisconsin 6/3/2003 
Once native to Wisconsin, elk were hunted so fiercely that by 1900 they no longer roamed the state. Josh Weir reports the herd of over 100 animals has officials planning for a hunting season.

In 1995, 25 radio-collared elk were released into the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest just south of Clam Lake. DNR Elk Biologist Lane Stowell says the herd is growing, but that a hunting season wouldn't happen until there are at least 200 animals. “Right now the herd is at about a hundred animals, and they’re poised for a rapid growth period, due to the improving sex and age structure of the of the Clam Lake herd. The Clam Lake Elk Management Plan established a threshold for having a limited bull hunting season once we reach a hundred-and-fifty animals. And I, being the local manager, argued to increase that.” 

Stowell says waiting for two hundred elk will give a few extra years for the herd to grow so it will be able to meet the DNR's long term goals. “Once we reach our population goals in the Clam Lake range, we’re about in the neighborhood of around 1400 elk. Obviously that’s quite a ways down the road, decades down the road.” Hunting will be used to keep the population stable. But Stowell says getting an elk license would probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The steady growth of the new elk herd in Ashland County could mean another herd will be re-introduced in Wisconsin. That includes an area including Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Washburn Counties. 

In all, the DNR has found fifteen areas in the state that would be biologically feasible for an elk restoration program. One is a large tract of land known as "Patch Four" which includes parts of Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Washburn, and Price County. Plans for a new herd are on hold until officials get a better grip on the impact of chronic wasting disease which remains confined to the southern part of the state. For people just wanting to see the animals, the U.S. Forest Service is in the process of building two wildlife viewing areas on the Clam Lake elk range. Stowell says the best time of year to see and hear elk is during their mating season: late September to early October. “A person stopping along highway 71 SW of Clam Lake, or Hwy. GG the first couple miles south of Clam Lake have a chance, in the very early morning, of hearing some of the bull’s bugle during that time of year, and certainly there are also chances of seeing elk during that period too.” Stowell says there would have to be public support for a reintroduction project. 

State cuts could force two northern Wisconsin school districts to close

Money for hospitals saved however 6/2/2003
Maple schools will lose almost 20% of their teachers, while the South Shore and Butternut School Districts would close under a proposal from the Joint Finance Committee. Mike Simonson reports.

School districts will be hit hard by a proposal by the Republican controlled Joint Finance Committee to freeze local property taxes… even forcing some northern school districts to close. State Senator Bob Jauch of Poplar, a Democrat, says this issue is partisan since Joint Finance has 12 Republicans to four Democrats. "The Republicans are screwing up state government, and now they want to screw up local governments by telling them to put on a property tax freeze." 

Jauch says cutting gets to the point where a small rural district runs out of choices, forcing Butternut and South Shore School districts to close. If Southshore closes, the nearest school district to Port Wing is 45 miles away. 

Meanwhile, rural hospitals got good news: State supplemental payments of Medicare and Medicaid will continue. That means help will continue for small hospitals in Hayward and Ashland. Jauch says the federal programs don’t reimburse hospitals enough to allow them to make ends meet. The SeniorCare program which helps elderly folks get help in their prescription medications will survive, says Jauch, but he says it won’t be as friendly with seniors required to pay higher co-pays and enrollment fees. The Joint Finance Committee continues to meet this week, and has until the end of this month to meet the fiscal deadline. 

Camp Commie Comes to Brimson this weekend

Alternative to Boy Scouts, but with same games 5/30/2003
There’s competition for Boy Scout camp at a camp north of Duluth. It’s Camp Commie. Local activists will hold a summer camp for those on the far left. Josh Weir reports on "Camp Class Struggle."

As an alternative to the usual kids camps sponsored by Four-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and church groups- Youth For Socialist Action is hosting "Camp Class Struggle" for adults and kids. One of the organizers of the camp Adam Rischer, says this will be a place for local leftists to meet, learn, and have the usual summer camp fun. "During the kind of height of the anti-war movement, there were a lot of young people that joined Youth For Socialist Action. So we kind of wanted to have some kind of event where activists, and people who are just kind of new to alternative politics could come together." 

National Secretary of Socialist Action from San Francisco Jeff Mackler will be one of the guest speakers. Mackler is also one of the coordinators for the defense of Mumia Abu Jamal and a veteran anti-war activist. But Rischer says they have things in common with Boy Scout camp. "We've got Bolshevik barbecues and socialist storytelling. We have a little club called the commie sporting league, so we're going to be doing a lot of commie sports, you know volleyball, boxing, dodgeball and all that sort of stuff but with a political twist. A collection of stuff people want to do that kind of emphasizes teamwork and struggle and things like that." 

The camp will be May 30 and 31 in Brimson Minnesota, just north of Duluth. Rischer is hoping this will become an annual event. For more information about the camp, Rischer can be reached at 394-6660. 

Robotic Trains to roll in Superior and Duluth next month

Yellow signs signal new technology and controversy 5/29/2003
Remote controlled trains with no one onboard will begin rolling in the Twin Ports in June. Mike Simonson reports some say it's time for new technology, while others worry it's a dangerous move. 

The unoccupied trains will be used in rail yards where Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad operates. The drone trains won't be used to haul cargo, but only to switch cars. BNSF spokesperson Steve Forsberg says this is a new technology for them, but it's been used in Canada for a decade. It puts the control of the train engine in the hands of a worker on the ground who is switching cars to different tracks. "What this technology does is to put the control of that switch engine into the hands of those people on the ground. So there's still a human being in control. We've seen a reduction in the yards using this technology of 42%." 

That way the person with the remote control can stop the train and not rely on an engineer who might not see the switcher is in danger. The hitch is that that some rail yards cross public roads and go into neighborhoods. "When we were talking about movement through crossings, I said this technology person has to be there on the ground right at the crossing." So you always have somebody at every public crossing? "Absolutely. That is absolutely right." That's not good enough for former railroad worker Herb Bergson. 

Bergson was mayor of Superior when a train derailed in 1992...spilling toxic chemicals and forcing 50-thousand people to evacuate the area. He's unhappy about the yellow signs popping up in neighborhoods that read "Attention: Locomotive may be unoccupied". "It frightens me. It frightens me when you've got a home just 30 or 40 feet from that sign. I spent 11 years working on the railroad. I saw a lot of accidents. I saw a lot of close calls. A lot of close calls were avoided because the engineer saw something before it happened. He saw a warning sign or hit the brake." 

The Superior City Council passed a resolution earlier this year banning the use of remote-controlled trains, mandating that an engineer be on board. But Superior Mayor Dave Ross admits there's little cities can do. Railroads are controlled by the Federal Railroad Administration. "I really think it's moot. I understand that Burlington Northern has already equipped 127 engines to this technology. It's being used all over the United States and no city or municipality has been successful in stopping it." For his part, Ross saw a demonstration of the drone train, and isn't concerned about safety. What he is concerned about is losing high-paying union jobs to new technology.

Governor's Economic Roundtable comes to Superior

Story by Mike Simonson 5/28/2003
Ideas to turn around northwestern Wisconsin’s economy will be tossed out on the table Thursday in what’s being called the Governor’s Economic Roundtable. Mike Simonson reports.

Governor Jim Doyle will listen to area politicians, union and business leaders and educators…in hopes of coming up with a plan to create more jobs up north. Wisconsin Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman says this is one of a dozen gatherings Doyle is having around the state. Gassman says she knows how tough it is to attract good-paying jobs in this sparsely populated region. But she says there’s plenty of plusses including a good workforce to get businesses to locate here. The Economic Roundtable will be at WITC in Superior at 11 am Thursday. Governor Doyle will also hold a meeting in Park Falls at the library at 3:45 Thursday afternoon.

Apostle Islands staff to recommend wilderness designation

Yes to motorboats, no to ATV's and Jetskis 5/27/2003
Lake Superior's Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will consider a long-term designation that will keep it a wilderness, and ban vehicles like Jetskis and ATV's. Mike Simonson reports. 

When a ban on motorized craft and vehicles is proposed for an area...it usually signals the beginning of a battle. Not so in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Park Superintendent Bob Krumanaker is recommending that the park be designated wilderness, which allows motorboats to get to the islands, but otherwise the 22 island group would be free of motorized vehicles. "We have not had controversy. Last year with 1800 comments received, less than 1% said that they oppose wilderness in the Apostle Islands. That's a testimony to the fact that we listened to what people told us about Lake Superior and docks and boating access and all the rest. And the fact is that any proposal for wilderness in this park will not adversely effect any legal use that people already have in the park." 

Keeping it an area for hikers, kayakers, campers and anglers is right on the mark, says the Sierra Club's Eric Uram. He's all for keeping the park as a silent place to get away. "These crown jewels up on the top of Wisconsin here certainly should be protected and preserved as they are currently for future generations. The way they've been managed now, we shouldn't allow future generations to expect any less than we get today." Four draft proposals will be released next month, followed by a 90-day comment period and public hearings in Bayfield, Duluth, the Twin Cities and Madison. 

Boyle: Sell the State Capital to Solve Deficit

Story by Mike Simonson 5/23/2003
Here's a different way to solve the state budget deficit: Put public land in Madison up for sale. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

Instead of selling state wilderness or park property as proposed by the Joint Finance Committee, one legislator thinks selling other state property might be better. State Representative Frank Boyle of Superior has an idea. "I'm suggesting that we sell the state capital and leave the wilderness areas alone. It would be to the mutual advantage of the taxpayers of the state if the Republicans are going to insist that the governor sell $40-million of public land, that we don't sell Devil's Lake State Park or Pattison State Park to a developer. Rather we simply sell the state capital." 

Boyle admits his proposal is ridiculous, but he says it's no more so than selling parks and protected land to solve the state's budget problems. 

Low-income fighting to keep the lights and heat on

Story by Josh Weir 5/22/2003
The Salvation Army in Superior is seeing more people needing help paying their utilities this spring. Josh Weir reports that allegations are flying at Superior Water Light and Power Company.

Salvation Army Outreach Director Dawn Hastings says increasing utility costs and a lack of jobs in the area have left more people looking for help than usual: 20 to 30 calls a day. "There's usually a time frame where they don't shut off during the winter, but that's been lifted now. So people are all like in a panic." Hastings says the need at the food shelf has also spiked. But she says paying to keep heating and electricity is most urgent. "Like a lot of people can qualify for fuel assistance, and they get fuel assistance, but the utility company won't accept the payment from the fuel assistance unless the people come and pay oh a couple hundred dollars out of their own pocket first. And a lot of them don't have that, so they still get shut off even though they would have that fuel assistance available." 

Superior Water Light and Power's customer service supervisor Diane Stuart disagrees. She says the problem is that fuel assistance payments from Northwest Community Services are not given to the utility until the customer pays their share of the bill. "We certainly don't want to refuse any funds that are available, we certainly try to work with the customer, but again with in the program at Northwest they are usually requiring a payment up front by the customer themselves to have the fuel assist funds released." Northwest Community Service's Pat Marshall says they will give grants to low income people, but she says that won’t stop Superior Water Light and Power Company from shutting off power of people who haven’t paid their bill during the winter heating season. 

Unemployment rate takes big dip in NW Wisconsin

Some of it seasonal 5/21/2003
Unemployment rates took a tumble, meaning good news as fewer people were unemployed in northwestern Wisconsin’s 10 counties. Mike Simonson reports.

The overall rate dropped from 9% in March to 7.8% in April with 1050 fewer unemployed people. The Job Service office in Hayward reports a lot of this is seasonal…construction, landscaping, forestry and services work resumed last month. Only Iron County increased to almost 13% with winter tourism lay-offs there. Ashland County’s rate remained high at 9.5% but it was quite a bit lower than 11.9% in April of last year. Douglas County had the lowest jobless rate at 5.3%, Burnett County’s rate was 6.1%,it was 8% in Sawyer and Washburn Counties and 8.8% in Bayfield County…which was also down from 10.1% a year ago. 

Duluth to Wausau transmission line back up to bat

Process with PSC resuming, hearings in September 5/20/2003
One of the Public Service Commission's hottest potatoes is back on the front burner. Mike Simonson reports on the permit process for the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line.

This controversial 345 kilovolt line was given a permit by the PSC two years ago but when the American Transmission Company came up with new cost estimates that more than doubled the original cost of $160-million, the project was shelved for a few months. Now, former Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske has been appointed to preside over new hearings on the line which will cover about 210 miles from northwestern Wisconsin to Wausau. 

The PSC's Annemarie Nuemann says the hearings will begin in September. "This case will not start from square one. There are certain aspects of the record that will stand as it did before and that has to do with the need and the reliability issues have already been established. These issues will carry forward. What has to be re-evaluated at this point is cost benefit analysis." That is, is it worth it for rate payers of utilities across Wisconsin to shell out close to $400-million for this transmission line. 

Citizens Utility Board President Steve Hinicker is suing the PSC to stop the line because he thinks alternatives haven't been considered. "We've got new power plants coming on line and we've got to figure out whether the proposed Arrowhead project still makes sense. We also need to make sure that there's not a better alternative that would save rate payers lots of money and save the environment and some landowners from a lot of impacts." The PSC and Geske will decide how many hearings are needed, and if those hearings will be held in Madison or up north where the kettle continues to boil. 

Employers help employees with cancer

Story by Maria Macioce 5/19/2003
The American Cancer Society is honoring those who have gone the extra mile. Maria Macioce reports on the Douglas County Relay for Life's Employer of the Year program. 

Linda Sharp of Superior knows the importance of having an understanding employer. When her daughter was suffering from cancer nine years ago, Sharp valued her boss's support. "For 2 years, I would work and have to take off and be with her. I was her caregiver. Whatever the situation was, I knew he was there to help me. Whether it was time off, or your job will always be here, let me help you with your insurance, you can do some work at home, whatever it was." 

Sharp is on the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Committee, a group that honors those employers who have shown special empathy to their employees who are affected by cancer. The award of "Employer of the Year" began last year and was awarded to Superior WalMart Manager Kevin Meredith. "There are nine survivors at Walmart, and throughout the years, when those people were facing the cancer and things like that, he had been very, very helpful. He would help with the insurance, he was go to bat with them if they weren't working all the time. He just was very good. He was very caring and very compassionate." 

Sharp says the winner of this year's plaque will be announced at the Relay for Life on June 27 at Wessman Arena. Nominations for the Employer of the Year are due by June 1. Call 399-8069 for more information. 

Official Senior Reporter TV News Ballot

Send your ballot to simonson@wpr.org 5/15/2003
2003 Teddy Awards Official Ballot for Mike Simonson's Media Watch column.

2003 Teddy Awards Official Ballot You may name a first and second place person or news organization for each question. First place is worth three points while second place is worth one point. Comments are welcomed and encouraged but a warning: They may be used in the The Senior Reporter article which releases the results. This includes WDIO, KBJR, KDLH, and WDSE. Thank you for your time and your expertise. It is important to include your name and city. This article is expected to appear in the July edition of The Senior Reporter so hasty completion is encouraged. 

----- 1) Which television reporter is best at reporting hard, breaking news? 

----- 2) Which TV reporter is best at reporting human interest, feature news? 

----- 3) Which TV reporter do you trust the most? 

----- 4) Which TV reporter do you trust the least? 

----- 5) In a local emergency such as a toxic spill or similar health threat, which TV station would you turn to first? 

----- 6) If a dangerous storm is threatening to strike this region, what TV station would you turn to first? 

----- 7) What TV station in your opinion, is least dependent on getting stories from the Duluth News Tribune? 

----- 8) Who is the best TV sportscaster? 

----- 9) Which TV station has the best video? 

----- 10) Which TV reporter who has been in the area for a year or less shows the most potential or qualifies for our "Rookie of the Year"? 

----- 11) Who is your favorite TV anchor? 

----- 12) Who is your favorite TV weekend anchor? 

------ Now, for the decision that is "Top of the Teddies". Choose a retired weather, sports, news, photo, or TV news executive living or deceased for the Teddies Hall of Fame. Do not vote for the past winners (Jack McKenna and Earl Henton). Again, you may vote for a first and second choice. 

----- #1 Teddie Hall of Fame choice _________________________________. (comments) 

----- #2 Teddie Hall of Fame choice __________________________________ (comments) 

Thank you. e-mail your ballot to simonson@wpr.org or mail it to KUWS Radio, UW-Superior, Superior WI 54880 attention Mike Simonson.

Duluth to Wausau Transmission Line to go before PSC Friday

Process to start from beginning with new PSC members 5/14/2003
The proposed Duluth to Wausau power line is under review again as The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin meets Friday May 16 to take another look at the project. Josh Weir reports.

The State Public Service Commission will lay out the investigation into whether or not the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line is still a bargain after the utility company's $230-million cost increase. With this new price, the Commission must re-approve the line if it is to be built. So it is looking at other solutions to the power problem that might be more cost effective than the two hundred mile line. 

Save Our Unique Lands (SOUL)is opposed to the powerline. SOUL President Tom Kreager says the Commission needs to give an honest review to these other possibilities. "I'd say if the Public Service Commission does its job this time we'd see a very good chance of the Arrowhead-Weston die within the next six months to year depending on how long the commission takes to do it's job." The basic assumption used by the utility companies when they proposed the line was that power plants would be built after the year two-thousand. To make up the difference, the Duluth-Wausau line would import electricity from out of state. 

Kreiger says this isn’t the case. Several plants have been built, and more are on the drawing board. “I think we’re starting to see some of the changes that really need to happen to make people aware that there are better solutions out there than to just build another transmission line. Unlike three years ago when we first kind of got into this battle, we have a much better chance this time around of coming up with a saner solution.” The Commission will hire an independent consultant to weigh the costs of the line with some of the other proposed solutions. Hearings are likely to take place in late summer. 

Area schools continue chemical free graduation nights

So you know where your children are... 5/13/2003
Some area high schools are safe way to have fun when they graduate. Maria Macioce reports on Ashland and Superior’s all-night, chemical free grad parties. 

Julie Rozowski says most students don’t mind spending one last night in school, if it they can spend it having fun. “This is the best night of their lives, that they’ll remember forever. My son, when he graduated, had an absolute blast. He just loved it.” Rozowski is helping to plan the chemical free graduation party for Superior seniors. She says she expects 90% of the graduating class to participate in the all night food and activities. “They’re all together, so it’s not like they’re going to feel like they’re missing out on something, because everyone is there.” 

Sue Misun is helping plan Ashland’s grad party. She expects around 100 students to attend. “We’re having a hypnotist come in from Minneapolis. The casino is going to bring in tables and play money and chips and then they can play games that way. The Elks opens up the downstairs so they can play pool and darts.” Rozowski says the school party is a great alternative to what graduates might otherwise be doing. “The main goal is to keep all the kids safe, to keep them away from drugs and alcohol. Years ago when we graduated, everyone went out and partied, and it is not a good thing.” Ashland’s grad party is being held at the Elk’s Club and follows commencement on June 1. Superior is holding their party at the school on May 31. 

Northland College inks pact with two-year UW's

Rivalry turns to cooperation 5/12/2003
Enrollment caps and tight budgets may send students to higher costing private colleges. Now, Northland College has an agreement with all 13 two-year UW's offering scholarships. Mike Simonson reports. 

Northland College and its $17,000 annual tuition is three times the cost of UW colleges. But now the Ashland environmental college is offering scholarships up to $7000 for UW students with associates degrees and high grad point averages. 

Northland College President Karen Helbersleben says this may open a new era of cooperation, ending competition between public and private colleges. "That's really an old model. All of higher education is a social good. The ability in which we can cooperate and give access for any learner at any point in their life benefits all of us." So UW-Barron County Dean Paul Chase, himself a Northland College grad, says this agreement makes sense when the state budget crisis is forcing many UW's to put in enrollment caps. "They've had to turn some students away, some freshmen and some transfer students but nevertheless we're seeing such strong enrollment pressures there that it seemed like a good idea to provide another avenue for our students in case things got tougher in terms of the four year UW's." 

UW-Superior's slogan used to be "Everything you'd expect from a private college except the tuition". Superior Chancellor Julius Erlenbach says they do compete with nearby Northland College, but this agreement doesn't bother him. "It's certainly not a bad thing. Anytime we have an opportunity to promote continuing education experience for students we should do it. I applaud Northland College and UW-Barron County for putting together what looks like a very good package for students." The agreement also guarantees transfer of credits from the UW's to Northland College. 

History of outhouses book in the works

Ever wonder about multi-hole privvies? 5/10/2003
Before there was indoor plumbing and toilets, people used outhouses to "do their business." Josh Weir reports a book of outhouse history to try and capture this vanishing part of rural America. 

Although outhouses or privies are still used at cabins, hunting shacks, and campgrounds across the country, they were once far more common. Under the Roosevelt Administration, the WPA built over fifty thousand privies in rural America. Most are long gone, but author of an upcoming book on commodes, Paul Jones, says the WPA privies were usually the best and most sanitary. "Some of them I guess in town if they wanted 'em. If you could afford 'em back in the depression, if you paid 'em thirteen dollars for people that had money. For the other people, they could work on the WPA and build their own." 

Jones's book will also have pictures of such strange things as the two story outhouse. These were built for places with such heavy snow that one story would be buried in the winter. He explains the crescent moon cut into the door was for ventilation, and so people could see if there was anyone coming. It also turns out the multiple holes weren't so you could join your friends for a sit, but different size seats for adults and children. 

Douglas County Environmental Health Specialist Vicki Drake inspects privies to make sure they are up to code. She agrees the once common outhouse is being pushed aside by portable biffies and indoor plumbing. "There are some private residences that try, but mostly where I see them is at campgrounds. They have the vaulted, concrete holding tank and the screen, and everything that's needed. Theirs is quite elaborate, as far as pit privies go" And of course there are the infamous outhouse stories. One of Jones's favorite tales is about a guy who fell into an outhouse hole after a long night up on the town. The rotten boards finally gave way, and the hole was so deep, his friends had to pull him out with a rope. "They took him to the river, threw him in, after they burned his clothes, and they washed him up and brought him home naked. And still his folks still had to wash him off good you know. He was pretty mad." 

Although Jones didn't have a title for his book yet, he is hoping to get it out by the end of the year. Author of the book, Paul E. Jones can be reached at P.O. Box 608, Ridgway IL 62979 and welcomes anything outhouse. 

Dionne Quintuplets visit re-created on KUWS-FM tonight

Hosted by Jack McKenna, Lew Martin, and Ray Paulsen 5/9/2003
(Superior)—KUWS-FM’s “Radio Superior” will broadcast a special hour-long show about the visit of the Dionne Quintuplets from Canada. Jennifer Moravchik reports.

The world’s first surviving quintuplets were eight years old when they came to Superior on May 9, 1943 to christen five Victory ships at the Butler Shipyards. The event was watched by 25,000 people and broadcast live around the world on CBS and the CBC, making it one of this region’s most historic days. 

Now, 60 years to the day after that event this Friday, KUWS (91.3FM, 102.9FM in Ashland) presents “Radio Superior” with broadcasters Jack McKenna, Lew Martin, Ray Paulsen and the Radio Superior Players recreating that afternoon in the midst of World War II. Featured will be Superior School District girls who play the parts of the Dionne Quintuplets Elyse Olson, Calla Johnson, Abby Gotelaere, Emma Radtke, and introducing Miss Spoony Rice. “Radio Superior” airs every Friday afternoon at 5:30 on Wisconsin Public Radio station KUWS. 

Later Minnesota bar closing pleases Superior police chief

Could be hard on some Superior bars though 5/8/2003
A proposed Minnesota law could keep bars and taverns open in Minnesota as late as Superior is now. Tony Carr reports. 

The Minnesota Senate has passed a bill to keep the drinks flowing an extra hour until 2 a.m. in Minnesota. That could mean fewer people leaving Duluth after last call and heading over the bridge to Superior where bars are open until 2 a.m.. 

Superior Police Chief Floyd Peters says that could save some headaches for Superior police. “I’m certainly hopeful that it may have some positive impact in fewer people coming at night which could reduce accidents and OWI cases and calls for service. That is a very busy time of the evening for us and a time when our calls for service go up, accidents go up.” 

One Superior bar owner says it won’t make any difference to his establishment, but bars in Superior that cater to younger drinkers and college students will probably loose some business. Alan Jaques owns Belknap Lounge and Liquor. “Not at my business because I’m away from the bridge and I’ve got older clientele here. In this liquor store here, I’ve got the 35 plus and they don’t drive like that and won’t take that chance. But it will affect the border bars and the kid bars.” 

If passed by the Minnesota house and signed into law, local municipalities like Duluth would have the option to regulate when bars close. 

Feather Pole Ceremony at UW-Superior

Story by Tony Carr 5/7/2003
Members of the First Nations Studies and American Indian Student Organization at UW-Superior invited students and members of the community to join in on a feather pole ceremony. Tony Carr reports. 

Spring is a time for renewal and rebirth. A traditional Native American featherpole ceremony organized by Gary Johnson is a time to reflect. “There was a time a long time ago, when the human beings had degraded the earth to the point that the creator had decided he was going to start over. He believed there were different levels to the earth and different levels to the sky and with each new level comes a rebirth.” 

UWS Sophomore Liz Downing is a legal studies major. She thinks these ceremonies should be held more often. “This is very serious, very positive energy coming out of here.” UWS Chancellor Julius Erlenbach was among the 60 or so people who turned out. Erlenbach says Native American cultural events and understanding is critical. “It’s a very important part of First Nations culture, particularly the Anishanabe culture. Given the fact that we really live in what is an Anishanabe country, it is extremely important that we do this on an annual basis, to renew the featherpole and to renew the commitment we have to the native people of the regions.” 

Despite a cool breeze coming from Lake Superior, the new featherpole went up on the UW-Superior campus in a ceremony celebrating spring. 

Deer feeding ban lifted for now: Locals taking advantage

Story by Maria Macioce 5/6/2003
After months of controversy, people in Wisconsin can now feed and bait deer. Maria Macioce reports that one Iron River business owner says a permanent ban could be devastating. 

Patti Rantala of Iron River has owned the Country Feed and Pet Store with her husband for 6 years, and says she has grown to love her customers. “We feel pretty bad about our customers who haven’t been able to feed, or have gotten fines about their birdfeeders being too low.” 

Rantala says the temporary lift of the baiting ban means better business, but she says if the DNR has its way, she will have to close her feed mill. “It’s been devastating to everyone. My husband and I ran this mill for 6 years. He’s out driving a milk truck and we barely survive the winter. You look at the sport shop down the street, and the other feed mills, and the hotels, motels, everything. People are just getting fed up and saying they’re not going to hunt.” 

Rantala is fighting to persuade legislators to hear hunters’ and feeders’ opinions. “It sounds like the Natural Resources Committee, the Assembly and the Senate Committees are probably going to meet on May 14th for a public hearing and bring this issue to a vote. The DNR is pushing to get this over with. I’m afraid that’s where the big final blow is going to be. I still feel pretty positive. I feel that any of these legislators that want to be reelected are going to listen to their constituents. If they don’t listen to their constituents, I should say that they should listen to common sense.” The temporary ban lift is in place until September 1. 

Washburn man wants to return to northern Iraq

Hopes to help Kurds rebuild 5/5/2003
A Washburn man who worked in Iraq in 1993 and 1994 as part of "Operation Provide Comfort" says the U.S. military shouldn't be in charge of rebuilding Iraq. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The people best at nation-building are the ones who have done it before. That's the opinion of Peter Strzok of Washburn in Bayfield County. He's worked with the U-S Army Corp of Engineers in Afghanistan, Iran, and several African nations from the 1960's until his work with the Kurds of northern Iraq in 1994. 

Strzok says there's a better chance of political stability and credibility if the U-S military isn't involved. "Because there's some wise people who have worked all over the world and they speak the language, they understand the culture. I hope this happens sooner rather than later and I hope eventually that DOD gets out of this because It's a negative to have any implication that the nation building and processes leading toward democracy associated with the Department of Defense." 

Now working with the Hubert Humphrey Institute on Public Affairs, Strzok hopes to return to northern Iraq this summer to help them rebuild. He says that land is fertile, which will help them become self-sufficient. "They can feed themselves. The potential is great and the proven governance of that area to govern itself over the last 12 years seems to me to be very positive in terms of security and good local government for the long term." Strzok says one of the first priorities after political stability should be to rebuild schools since Saddam Hussein denied schooling to most of the Kurds. 

Shell Lake flooding continues: Drainage pipe continues to leak

Might lead to a lawsuit 5/4/2003
Flooding at Shell Lake continues to be a problem as snow and ice melt. This in spite of building a 4 mile long pipe designed to ease the problem. Tony Carr reports the pipeline is more of a sieve. 

Shell Lake City Administrator Brad Pederson says the pipeline hasn’t worked right for even one day. “We’ve actually started our drainage system up 7 times, and we’ve had to shut it down 7 times. I think the longest we’ve had it operating was maybe 4 or 5 hours.” Cold weather this winter halted construction crews who were trying to repair leaks in the pipe. Right now a field is flooded where workers need to repair more leaks. That work can’t start until the field dries out. But why is a pipeline that has been operational for only 4 to 5 hours leaking already? 

Shell Lake officials expected the pipe to last 75 to 100 years. “We have gotten some defective pipe. Some of the pipe has been manufactured with a series of I think 3, 16 inch leaks or holes in it. So that’s been one problem.” While the contractor and manufacturer are still working on the problem, Pederson is not ruling out legal action. “What the cities contention is, is we paid an engineer, we paid a contractor, we paid for the pipe and we expected a product there that was going to last the community for years. We expect that either voluntarily they’re going to cover this or probably eventually we may have to get into litigation.” Pederson says that a number of homes are still protected with sandbags. The 4 ½ mile long pipe was put in to help with flooding problems on Shell Lake because the lake has no natural outlet. 

Fire danger extremely high: No burning permits 

Fishing opener will compound chances of wildfires 5/3/2003
There’s lots of concern over the possibility of wildfires breaking out in northwestern Wisconsin…both today (Friday) and this weekend. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

The region with the greatest risk extends west of the Wisconsin River and north of Eau Claire. The Department of Natural Resources's Jim Bishop in Spooner says if winds kick up, it’ll make a bad situation worse. "Most of our stations are at very high bordering on extreme. Very high fire danger adjective means that we've got the potential for some very large fires if they get going" Bishop says they’re also worried about the low humidity. "It's really dry out there. We've had fires started by lawnmowers in grass. When it gets that dry, any kind of spark in this tinder stuff just sets it off."

 No burning permits are being issued now. An influx of anglers with this weekend’s fishing opener is also causing concern. Pattison Park Warden Dale Rochon is especially worried about motorized vehicles. "ATV's are a real concern for us, especially with fishing season, people trying to get back into their secret holes, especially trout fisherman. Make sure you check your spark arresters. Please do no drive through dry grass with these because the grass will get into the hot exhaust components and that will ignite there and start fires." The best hope is for things to green up, which will happen soon. There is a chance of rain on Sunday and Monday. 

UW-Superior steps aside on bidding for Wisconsin Point

Old Coast Guard Station property may go to Fond du Lac instead 5/2/2003 A Lake Superior Chippewa band wants to acquire a piece of ancestral land to help right a century-old wrong. Mike Simonson reports on federal land that used to be an Ojibwa village in Superior.

Wisconsin Point is a strip of sandy land dividing Lake Superior from the Superior harbor. About 90 years ago, an entire Chippewa village was not only evicted to make room for ore docks but their burial grounds were unearthed and moved. Now that the federal government has declared it surplus property, the nearby Fond du Lac tribe in Cloquet wants this 18 acre former Coast Guard station.

Fond du Lac Tribal Chair Sonny Peacock says this is sacred land. "Those people who were there, were buried by family and buried in ceremony and buried in such a manner that we do today for our loved ones. And then to have that have happened and the pain and the anguish that must have caused the family members who were still alive when that happened." 

This land is also unique environmentally, so the University of Wisconsin-Superior also would like to acquire the land for study. But Chancellor Julius Erlenbach says the tribes will get first dibs. "They feel that this is extremely important for them to have that, I think that they probably ought to have it. Now that's not to say that we couldn't be a partner with them in certain efforts which they might have some interest in promoting for the point but we have not had any conversations to date on that." Peacock says he would like to use part of the land as a cultural and environmental education area. But until the bureaucratic paperwork is finished, they just want their land back as a permanent resting place for their ancestors. "Someone once made a statement that we're judged not only by how we treat the living but also how we treat the dead. I guess that's a place that we have to take a good look at. If we can right a wrong that was done, then I think it behooves us to move in that direction to do that." 

Approval must still come from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior, as well as the General Services Administration. A BIA official says that could take one to two years.

Ashland wants its own floatplane dock

Nearest one is at Duluth's Sky Harbor Airport 5/1/2003
The City of Ashland is looking into opening up a floatplane dock at its Chequamegon Bay Marina. Tony Carr reports. 

Ashland City Clerk Rae Buckwheat says there has been some interest in putting in a floatplane dock in Ashland. “This dock would allow us to generate more revenue at about $25 dollars per stop. It would provide a service here to our city and to this area that is not provided by any area, any of our surrounding cities.” 

The proposed dock at the Ashland Marina would be able to moor four planes at a time. Buckwheat says if approved by the City Council it could serve a number of planes this season. “Basically what they are planning on doing is installing a dock that would allow approximately I believe it is 40 planes. They expect approximately 25, 25 maybe in this coming year to be able to come here.” Buckwheat says the marina manager would run the floatplane dock if it is installed. The city would pay for the project using money from the contingency account. The nearest floatplane dock to Ashland right now is at Duluth’s Sky Harbor Airport. 

Rash of wildfires breaking out this afternoon

Tinder conditions may only get worse when fishing opens this weekend 4/30/2003
15 wildfires are burning in Northwest Wisconsin today and the fire danger is still high. Tony Carr reports.

Most of the wildfires are in Washburn county near Stone Lake. DNR Fire Dispatcher Ed Forester in Cumberland says the fires are along the Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks. “The ones we are talking about are approximately 3 miles of line in Washburn County and the Washburn County Sheriff’s Department is providing traffic control. We were having trouble with lookie loo’s.” 

Forester says 8 firefighting crews from the DNR and 5 from area fire departments worked the blaze. Aerial crews are also being utilized to help extinguish fires. “We’re having the aircraft make water and foam drops on them and then moving some firemen in with backhands and hose lines to finish them off.” Trains caused fires several weeks ago near Pattison State Park in Douglas County. Forester says an investigation into the fires is underway. “I’m not going to speculate on the cause, all I’ll say is they are along the railroad tracks.” 

With fishing season opening Saturday, Forester says the DNR is worried about additional fires being set because of hot ash being dumped from grills and campfires left unattended. Crews should be on the scene until dark and possibly have to return again in the morning

State organ donor list now at 1500 people

Story by Maria Macioce 4/29/2003
Fifteen-hundred people in Wisconsin are waiting for an organ donation. Maria Macioce reports on Donate Life Month and what some are doing to save lives.

Mary Nachreiner of Sauk City knows the importance of organ donation. Her 16 year old daughter Kelly died in a car accident three years ago. “Four weeks before she was in a car accident, she went to get her driver’s permit, and when the question of organ donation came up, she told that she wanted to be an organ donor. When she died she was indeed an organ donor, and she saved three peoples’ lives.” Since then, Nachreiner has become a strong advocate for organ donation. 

In May of 2000, a bill was passed in Kelly’s name that requires all driver’s ed classes to inform students about donation. “Organ donation to our family was the one positive thing that came out of Kelly’s death. We didn’t feel that her death was totally hollow because she was able to give life to others.” Nachreiner also serves on the Wisconsin Coalition of Donation. Coalition President Tim Olsen says Wisconsin is better than most states when it comes to organ donating. “It could just be attributed to the fact that Wisconsinites are just very generous, very giving people. We also are very aggressive in Wisconsin at awareness activities. Of course, Tommy Thompson was a very vocal proponent of organ donation awareness.” 

Nachreiner says that many aren’t donors because of the misconceptions tied to donating. “It costs the family nothing. Medical care is not compromised. Kelly was given every chance, and they made every effort to save her life. It was only after she was pronounced brain dead that we were approached by the transplant team. And another misconception is that an open casket service is available if you are a donor. An incision just like open heart surgery is made, and the person is treated with the utmost respect.” 

Olsen says 1,500 Wisconsin residents are waiting for organs and tissue, and 17 Americans die each day from a lack of organs. He says that one donor can help up to 50 people. 

Volunteers honored at Richard Bong Heritage Center

They do it out of patriotism and helping today's generation 4/29/2003
Volunteers at Superior’s Richard Bong World War II Heritage Center will be honored Wednesday by Mayor David Ross. Tony Carr says volunteers find different things to get them to give of their time.

Volunteer Muriel Stewart of Superior sorts through photographs and discharge papers of veterans. Stewart says this is something she wants to do. “It’s interesting. It’s my era, I’m from that era and my husband was in the service.” World War II veterans John Schimenek and Lew Flagstad say they offer their free time because they think the history surrounding World War II is so important. “A lot of people don’t know what we went through, and we can tell ‘em about American history and World War II,” says Schimeneck. Flagstad agrees. “To bring more knowledge to the people that was not there at that time, or not aware of what went on during World War II.” 

Volunteer Coordinator Mary Evans says that anyone is welcome to volunteer and share memories together. “We’d love to have them come and help us and enjoy our time here.” She says whatever the reason, the Bong Heritage Center couldn’t operate without the help of volunteers. Bong Center Volunteer Ken Beyer has always been interested in World War Two “Aces of Aces” Richard Bong and his fighter plane. 

He remembers seeing Bong fly his P-38. “When I grew up in Superior here Major Bong was always flying over Superior and I always envied that aircraft, that P-38.” Beyer says on one occasion he remembers Bong pulling quite a stunt over the University of Wisconsin-Superior. “I lived about 4 blocks south of the Wisconsin State College, there at Superior. His fiancée Marge was going to school there and he flew over the facility and the trees kind of just fluttered, as in the leaves, and this was in the summer so it wasn’t in the fall- it was during the summer months. The leaves fell down he was that low. So he brushed them.” 

History buffs, aviation fans or just the plain curious can see a P-38 Fighter plane similar to the one Bong flew at the Bong Heritage Center. The Bong Heritage Center is on Superior’s waterfront next to Barker’s Island. To learn more about volunteering contact Evans at 715-392-7151. 

Many unhappy with deer feeding and baiting ban

Story by Maria Macioce 4/28/2003
The ban on deer baiting could have an impact on Wisconsin’s economy. Maria Macioce reports that the ban on deer baiting approved by the Natural Resources Board last week could mean less hunting. 

Dan Wicklund says a ban on deer baiting could prove disastrous. Wicklund owns Dan’s Feedbin in Superior. He says that half of his customers say they aren’t going to buy a hunting license next season. “I’ve had at least 12-13 people this morning saying that they will not buy a deer license until they find out what the DNR is going to do, and I believe them. They’re waiting to see what’s going to happen, and I have a feeling they’re going to lose lots and lots of revenue over this deal.” 

Wicklund says it is a matter of basic rights. “They’re getting told what they can do and what they can’t do on their own land, and the DNR has not proved that feeding or baiting has caused this CWD. They can’t prove it, so why take it away?” Voices of Wisconsin President Tim Zwetow, in Washburn, has been hunting for nearly 40 years, but says this year he may stay home. Zwetow says if other hunters do the same, northern Wisconsin tourism would suffer the most. “A lot of those people travel. They travel to the northern part of the state. You’re looking at hotels, bars, gas stations, right down the line that are going to be hurt economically. We got lots of businesses that were hurt by the lack of snow this year, and you put that together with the lack of hunters, and you’re looking at a disaster.” 

Barb Best owns Recreation Rental Properties in Cable. She says she isn’t worried yet, but she will be if there are fewer hunters. “The hunters are very vital to our area. Deer season week is deer season week, so you never make up for what you lost.” The legislature has a month to decide whether or not to overturn the Natural Resources Board action to ban deer feeding and baiting to prevent chronic wasting disease. 

First Nation women give new meaning to "lake walk"

Will circle Lake Superior in two month trek 4/26/2003
Two First Nation have begun a 1000 mile sojourn around Lake Superior this week at the Bad River Reservation. Mike Simonson found them in Superior. 

Lake Superior wasn't showing much gratitude to the women, chilling them with a stiff northeasterly wind as they walked along Superior's harbor front. But Violet Cabee-osee of Georgian Bay says the nippy nights and sore feet are part of the journey. "After about maybe my first day my feet will be fine I think. Get the calluses out." The Ontario Native Women's Association is sponsoring this two-month walk. 

Native women from around the lake are joining in. Roxanne Martineau of Cloquet says water is part of the balance of life. "This has been traditionally Anishinaabe women's responsibility to take care of water. So that's essentially what it's about. It's just making a sacred walk to show the spirit that we're still here and still doing what we should be doing."  Cabee-osee says this walk is just the first step of a longer trek to raise awareness and get people to protect the Great Lakes. "We're hoping that people, women, will show more of a concern and start to speak out about what's happening to our waters. Take more of a stand." 

The water walk will end about June 10 where it started, at the Bad River Reservation in Ashland County. The plan is to walk around one of the Great Lakes for each of the next five years. 

Death with Dignity Bill Re-introduced in Madison

If at first you succeed, try, try again 4/25/2003
A bill that would make doctor assisted suicide legal in Wisconsin will be introduced for a sixth time Friday. Mike Simonson has the story from Superior.

Never ones to be deterred, State Representative Frank Boyle of Superior and State Senator Fred Risser of Madison will introduce "Death with Dignity" legislation. This is the sixth time in 12 years the two democrats have sponsored this doctor-assisted suicide bill. In perhaps a bit of irony, Boyle says "Death with Dignity" will have a short life once again. He admits it doesn't have much chance in the Republican- controlled legislature. "I don't think it does, but that doesn't discourage me. I am convinced absolutely that until this bill is legal in Wisconsin it will be re-introduced as long as it takes. The people demand it. It is a right, compassionate and fair thing to do and the voice of opposition is growing dimmer." Boyle says his bill is the same as Oregon’s law, which allows people to have a doctor assist their suicide if they are in pain, terminal and without hope of recovery. 

Living "Up North" often means shorter commute

Less traffic/less road time than big cities 4/24/2003
Commuting to work in another county is the way of life for some Northland employees, but not everyone is doing the long morning drive. Tony Carr reports from Superior. 

Grabbing a cup of coffee, getting in the car and heading for Ashland if you live in Washburn is pretty likely according to commuting data released by the Census Bureau this month. Wisconsin Job Analyst Beverly Gehrke in Hayward points to trends that smaller counties have people commuting to larger areas to work. 

“Bayfield County, there about 43% of the workers are traveling out of the county to jobs and they’re traveling not only to jobs in Ashland County but a lot of the people who live in the southern part of Bayfield County are traveling to Sawyer and Washburn County for jobs.” In fact, Census figures show 85% of Ashland County residents also work there. In contrast, Douglas County has more commuters. “In Douglas County about 65% of the population actually works for employers within the county, but 30% of the population travel over to Minnesota for jobs on a daily basis.” 

Gehrke says people who are spending extra time in the car are usually doing it for extra money in their pockets. “People who travel are perhaps making more money in the jobs that they travel too, which is why they will invest that extra time in getting to a place of work. The larger the area, again the city of Ashland, perhaps the city of Duluth, provide a different variety of jobs for people than the places they choose to live.” 

Smaller counties like Iron County, usually work outside the county. Almost half of Iron County residents work in Upper Michigan or Ashland. 

Wildfire Alert: DNR investigating arson and trains

Story by Tony Carr 4/23/2003
Wildfires are a big concern now for the Department of Natural Resources. A wildfire burned yesterday in Bayfield County and another fire might have been set intentionally. Tony Carr reports.

DNR Lake Superior Area Forest Ranger Tom Salzman says a fire last night in Bayfield County was caused by a debris fire that got out of control. “It was a burning barrel, the fire escaped the burning barrel and took off across the field on the old dead grass.” 

Salzman says the Bayfield County fire was restricted to about an acre and a half and was extinguished by the Ashland Fire Department. DNR Pattison Park Forest Ranger Dale Rochon says wildfires in the Northland are caused by several things. He says they’re investigating last week’s fire in Gordon as arson. “That one was of suspicious origin. Kind of unsure what caused that one, the one down in Gordon. There was no readily available cause for that fire.” 

Rochon says fires near Pattison State Park about three weeks ago were caused by freight trains going in and out of Superior. Trains can start fires by simply moving along the tracks because of the intense heat they can generate. “They start fires in basically one of basically two ways. Coming out of town they are on an uphill climb coming out of Superior. Carbon is emitted out of the smoke stacks and the hot carbon lands on the grass starts fires that way. Otherwise, when they are coming into town they are braking, sometimes the brake shoes overheat or shards of metal fall off of the wheels and start fires that way.” 

The DNR is operating aerial patrols and watchtowers now to keep an eye on forestland. Both Salzman and Richon say that fire danger now is increasing again, despite recent rains this weekend. Salzman says the danger should subside when green up occurs on trees and grasses. 

Jobless rate dips in northwestern Wisconsin but rebound seen

Story by Stephanie Nasi 4/22/2003
The unemployment rate in Northwestern Wisconsin remained about the same in March from February…but improved a percentage point from March of a year ago. Stephanie Nasi reports.

Last month’s 8.8% rate is quite a bit higher than Wisconsin’s statewide numbers of just over 5% unemployed. The lowest jobless rate in the 10 county northwestern region is in Douglas County, which was 6.9% in March. Close behind with rates just above 7% is Burnett County. Ashland County’s rate dropped the most at 2%, but was still ninth highest in the state at 10.4%. Other rates include 10.6% jobless in Iron County, and 9.5% in Bayfield, Washburn and Sawyer Counties. Most counties lost manufacturing jobs. Washburn County was the only one to see manufacturing gains. Many wood products makers are expected to rehire workers this month and construction activity is also expected to pick up giving the region a shot in the economic arm. 

Nature blows out ice/Duluth Canal operating again

Duluth entry was blocked for 18 days 4/21/2003
The shipping season is starting with a stutter. Unusually strong winds, along with heavy ice is forcing some ships to stay put for awhile. Mike SImonson reports from Superior. 

Coast Guard ice cutters have been called in from Canada and Connecticut to help chop up ice rows 15 feet high along the western shores of Lake Superior. The Duluth Canal has been jammed with ice since April third finally blown free by nature's north wind 18 days later. Ships have been able to move into the Twin Ports only through the Superior ship canal, and even that has been clogged at times. 

Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge Chief Operator Steve Douville says he hasn't seen anything like this in the 30-plus years he's been on the job. "Yeah, this is a lot of ice. I was just looking at some of the stuff going through here, the little mini-icebergs we'll call them. There's cute little white ice on top and down below is big old chunks of nasty blue ice maybe 4 to 5 foot below the water. Interesting." 

Duluth Seaway Port Authority's Captain Ray Skelton says the ice is more of a nuisance...a bump in the road over a long shipping season. "Well if you consider 15 foot high ice a bump, yes" Strong winds have packed ice at the opposite end of Lake Superior...but traffic is moving through Sault Saint Marie Michigan.

Bayfield County to take fun out of playing hooky

Proposes new rules that involve parents and skippers 4/21/2003
Students and parents will have to pay the price of skipping school under a proposal being considered by four Bayfield County school districts. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Students who play hooky in Bayfield County end up seeing Judge John Priebe in his county circuit courtroom. Unless they decide not to show up and just forfeit the 25-dollar fine. And the court date is often a month or two after the unauthorized day off. 

That's too cumbersome and ineffective for Judge Priebe. He and others are proposing that the Bayfield County school districts allow principals and vice- principals to ticket students. The student would be required to appear in court about a week later with a parent in tow. "I'm hoping that we will get the students attention because that's the whole idea of the program, to make students understand the importance of school and attendance at school. (Right now the truancy isn't being taken seriously enough by those who do skip school?) "I don't believe it is." 

School boards everywhere wrestle with truancy. Wisconsin School Board Association Director Ken Cole says they can't let that problem slide, or it will get out of hand. He says the Bayfield County proposal may be part of the solution. "If you can then make parents and youngsters accountable for their activities, you're going to see some benefits. You have to couple it with attractive programming, the kinds of things that make young people want to be in school too. So it isn't just about taking a stick and making sure that they're there." The Bayfield County proposal may fine students, or it might suspend their driver's, fishing, or hunting licenses. 

UWS Profs: Israel key to Mideast peace

Story by Josh Weir 4/17/2003
With Washington pressing Israel to withdraw some of its troops from Palestinian territories, Josh Weir reports what local experts are saying about the proposed "Roadmap to Peace." 

Next week the new Palestinian Premier Mahmud Abbas will be installed as leader of the Palestinian Authority. And it seems the Bush Administration isn't wasting any time pushing to begin their talks with the Israeli's. Professor Emeritus Egal Feldman from UW-Superior has written extensively on the conflict and says that the first step is for the Arab Nations to admit that Israel is here to stay. 

"I think with the Iraqi war, some kind of sober quality may enter thinking about Israel too. It is possible the Palestinians will begin to think a little more rationally about the Israeli problem. Less prone to threaten, and less prone to send out suicide bombers, and more inclined to sit down around the table and talk like they did at the Oslo meetings." 

But Feldman says the war in Iraq may also leave a taste of bitterness in the Arab world that will be hard for the Israelis to overcome. "For some reason, the State of Israel is seen as an outgrowth of the American government, placed there to act in an aggressive way toward the Arab world. That it is the first step of western civilization making an inroad to Islamic Society. That concept has to also be removed." 

Another UW-Superior Professor, Iranian-born Haji Dokhanchi says he isn't sure what effect, if any, the Iraq war will have on the Israel-Palestine conflict. "I think part of the problem is that people think if they have democratic governments, that these people are going to like the United States and that they are going to recognize Israel. And I don't think neither of the two is dependent on democracy." Dokhanchi says resolving this conflict is very important for the region, and hopes that the "Roadmap for Peace" will not fall by the wayside now that so much focus is on Iraq.

Chequamegon Bay businesses help families of soldiers

Story by Tony Carr 4/16/2003
Some Chequamegon Bay area businesses are working together to make life a little easier for Northland Soldiers off to war. Tony Carr reports. 

The 106th Engineering Battalion based in Ashland is gone. So are Mom’s and Dad’s. This can put family budgets in a severe pinch with one of the wage earners gone and children at home. Chequamegon Bay area businesses are helping out. 

Jane Butala’s husband is gone, called up last month for active duty. She’s working with businesses that want to lend a hand. “The family members are very excited about this because certainly when one of the earners in your family has a change like this it affects your family financially in a very large way. Some people being on active military duty it is beneficial financially, for others it is NOT.” 

One Chequamegon Bay business owner is doing what he can to help out. Pancho Graves owns the Ace Hardware stores in Ashland and Bayfield. “We figure we offer the discount across the board because we figure we support the troops by supporting their families.” Graves says some military families are taking advantage of 15 percent off merchandise at his stores. “I think we’ve only had a few family members come in so far, I haven’t dealt with any of them directly myself. It’s just beginning to kind of get rolling.” 

Butala says that ID cards will be given to families so businesses can identify who can get the discount and the cards will have a list of participating businesses. 

Experts: Post-War Iraq can learn from World War II

Story by Josh Weir 4/15/2003
With military operations winding down in Iraq, the focus is shifting on how to rebuild the country. Josh Weir reports. 

As large scale military operations in Iraq are coming to a close… UW-Superior Political Science Professor Haji Dokhanchi says the next thing to do is to restore order and provide humanitarian aid. "We're dealing with a country of 16 million people. There is a problem with water, in some places there is no electricity, in some places food is not there. So it's just a matter of getting the food cycle and process of distribution working again, and this is an enormous undertaking. Usually when you talk about a humanitarian crisis, you deal for example of refugees of a million or two. This is, in that respect, much broader and much grander." 

As for Iraq's new regime, the Iranian-born Dokhanchi says there are many uncertainties, but thinks there is a good chance of seeing democracy there if things are done carefully. "Also what is very important is for the new government to have a degree of legitimacy. If the only source of legitimacy they have is that the Americans put them in power, then I don't think this is good. However, if legitimacy is granted by domestic forces and people who are already in Iraq, then perhaps the transition will be smoother." 

UWS Professor Emeritus and author of Middle Eastern politics Egal Feldman agrees. He says the key here is to give guidance so the new Iraqi government can develop on its own. He says things will work better if they create local institutions first, and move into a central government from there, rather than imposing things from the top down. "I think they will have to be educated, just like the German Nazis were. They had to be educated in democracy. They knew nothing about it. Democracy was not an experience they really had. This was also true of the Soviet people. The Soviets knew nothing about democracy, yet now they have a functioning democracy and so does Germany, and so does Japan." 

Both Professors agree the international community will have to help Iraq rebuild politically. The economic questions there will have to be the responsibility of the new leadership. 

Superior woman gaining support 11 years after she killed her baby

Exclusive story by Josh Weir 4/14/2003
Eleven years ago, Mary Leggate was imprisoned for the first-degree intentional homicide of her newborn baby. Josh Weir reports on some recent efforts to free Leggate. 

Since Mary Leggate's conviction after leaving her baby to die in a dumpster, her family, friends, and lawyers have been working to reduce her life sentence. They say Leggate's punishment of life imprisonment is too harsh and doesn't match similar cases. State Representative Frank Boyle agrees. He says Leggate has been in prison long enough. "I'm tremendously supportive and have been in the past. I think this is a tremendous miscarriage of justice, this woman is no threat to society, and we're paying a whole lot of money to keep her there because I think that initially there were mistakes made initially in prosecution. Not in the prosecution of the case, but in acceptance or inability to accept the plea agreement on her behalf." 

Douglas County District Attorney Dan Blank prosecuted the case. He has opposed leniency in the past, but says he may be opening up to the idea. "If she would have accepted my plea offer which I believe was a sentence of 20-22 years, her mandatory release date would be coming up here soon. And I wouldn't be opposed to them considering that." But Blank says he hasn't made any final decision yet, and isn't sure if it is his place to possibly undo something done by a jury. He also needs to time go over the files and psychiatric information that has been sent to him. 

Since Leggate's imprisonment, a lot of research has been done on neonaticide, or the killings of newborns. And Boyle says it shows a need to look at fairness in sentencing. “Certainly it plays in similar cases that are occurring, and have occurred in the state since Mary's incarceration. She has paid the price, she has done the time, I think it's time to release her and let justice prevail." Boyle says the next step is to petition the Governor for executive clemency, if not a pardon. But he thinks the District Attorney's Office needs to take the lead. 

Clothesline Project at UWS reminder of domestic violence

Part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month 4/13/2003
UW-Superior is taking a stand against domestic abuse. Maria Macioce reports on the Women’s Resource Center and Association of Women Students Clothesline Project.

"I deserve better than this" and “I am woman, hear me roar. I will not stand fear no more.” That’s one of the many messages written on t-shirts hanging in UW-Superior’s Rothwell Student Center. It’s called the Clothesline Project, and Coordinator Jenna Warmuth says it gives domestic abuse survivors a chance to speak up. 

“The Clothesline Project is a call to end violence against women and break the silence around domestic violence. T-shirts are hung up with stories or quotes or encouragements on them from either victims of domestic violence or advocates against. It just kind of commemorates the abuse that women have suffered.” The Clothesline Project is a national movement started in 1990. 

Warmuth started the project at UWS because she says there are abuse victims on campus. “It’s more common than people realize. There’s just such a stigma attached to it. If you report being harassed or having a violent act committed against you, you’re seen as more of a bad person sometimes by society than a victim.” Shannon Jarecki of the Women’s Resource Center says the Clothesline Project raises awareness. She’s also employed at a CASDA shelter, and hopes this will have an impact in the community. 

“We just had a women leave with three young kids. She was being put down constantly, being verbally and physically abused. The kids had seen it to, and she knew that she didn’t want them growing up in that kind of environment. She came to shelter and finally got accepted into transitional housing. They moved out last week and were just thrilled. The kids were excited to, you know, running around and drawing pictures for us.” 

Jarecki also plans to have an abuse awareness movie night later this month. The clothesline was on display at the Rothwell Student Center last week.

Boyle: Give returning vets $10,000 bonuses

Story by Mike Simonson 4/12/2003
The best way to support the troops is with some old fashioned greenbacks. That’s why a legislator is proposing a $10,000 bonus for each soldier who returns to Wisconsin. Mike Simonson reports. 

State Representative Frank Boyle says soldiers coming home could really use a bonus. The Superior Democrat will introduce legislation this week/next week to hike the cigarette tax 3-cents a pack to cover the cost. “Cigarettes kill people and wars kill people so I think there's kind of a fitting correlation that we tax one to benefit the other, the returning soldier" Boyle says that would raise $50-million a year, more than enough for the veteran’s bonus and leaving some money to help the state budget deficit. 

Boyle says the bonus is the best way to support the troops. "Well either put up or shut up. I mean it's real easy to wave the flag and salute the soldier. But as soon as the veteran comes home with all kinds of illnesses, being exposed to all kinds of chemical and biological and radioactive agents, we deny them compensation. It's greatly disturbing to me and angers me that everyone loves the solider but everyone hates the vet. And I think that attitude ought to change." 

The chair of the Assembly Veterans Committee says he'll give Boyle's bill a hearing. But Representative Terry Muser says he's inclined to vote against it even though he says it supports the troops. "I cannot argue with that because I agree with that point. But again I guess it goes back to what about the veterans of other wars?" 

Muser favors more long-term help such as education, medical, and home loan benefits. Boyle’s plan would pay every returning National Guard veteran $800 a month for a year. He says his plan is in-line with Governor Doyle’s call for soldiers to get the same amount of pay as they did from their civilian employer. 

Local units of National Guard almost ready to go

724th is packing up at Fort McCoy 4/11/2003
National Guard Units will be going to the Persian Gulf from Fort McCoy. Tony Carr has the latest including one unit that is packing to go overseas. 

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Officer Linda Fournier says that both the 724th and 106th Engineering Battalions won’t be staying at the Wisconsin military deployment station. “Both of the units are scheduled to be deployed overseas. The exact dates we do not know plus we do not release when they will be leaving.” 

Fournier says that the Hayward based 724th is packing equipment right now onto trains to take it to either an East coast or Southern port U.S. port to head to the Persian Gulf. While the equipment is being packed, the men and women of the 724th has not been told to go yet. “They are doing their rail loading right now the 724th Engineers. That’s kind of what they’re busy doing.” 

The 106th Ashland based quarry unit is still at Fort McCoy as well, but they are not packing up anything right now. “They have not loaded their equipment yet. So they’re still doing training, using their equipment- getting proficient on it. Doing soldier skill things.” Fournier says that units will be deployed to an undisclosed location overseas, but their work will likely be reconstruction. “You know when you take a look at some of the units that are being called forward, like the engineer units and that type thing, it makes sense that their mission is probably going to be after, to rebuild.”

 Fournier would not say if the units would be going to Iraq or not. “The best I can tell you is the Persian Gulf region.” The 724th unit has over 500 members from all over the state and the 106th has about 50 soldiers. 

Local clergy change sermons to fit the war 

Story by Josh Weir 4/10/2003
People's lives are changed because of the war in Iraq, and local churches are no exception. Josh Weir reports how the religious community is mixing its message of peace with current conflict.

Although attendance is about the same at most local churches, ministers say the war with Iraq has been on the minds of their congregations. At Peace Lutheran Church in Poplar, Pastor Greg Gullicksrud says many of the prayers are aimed towards the Middle East. "I notice that our prayers, we have free prayer, where we can pray for people and a common prayer is for our service men and women over in Iraq." Gullicksrud also says war is in many of his sermons. It is something we need to confront as a part of our human condition. 

In Superior, at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Father Leon Flaherty says the Catholic Church is also dealing with war. Flaherty says everyone is firmly behind Coalition soldiers. "The one thing I find very interesting, being a Priest and working with scripture, is that this is the very part of the world that Abraham came from."

"All three major religions: the Israeli's, the Hebrews; the Christians; and the Muslims claim Abraham as their ancestor. So we all have the same common background, we're all brothers and sisters that way, and the God we worship is the same God, under different names." Flaherty says this is something he tries to remind people of during his homilies. "In a sense, we all started in the area where we are fighting right now. So maybe this is the good Lord's way of telling us to get back together as a family. I don't know. But we've got a long ways to go." 

Flaherty also says Church leaders and theologians are still debating the principals of what is considered "just war." He says that with so many on each side, he expects it to remain up in the air for a while. 

Family accepts $200,000 settlement in Superior police case

Police maintain they did nothing wrong 4/9/2003
The case of alleged police brutality against the Superior Police Department has been settled out of court. Tony Carr says the Mikkelson family hopes it’ll bring about changes by police.

The Superior Police Department says it settled out of court for financial reasons and claim their officers have done nothing wrong. Robert Mikkelson disagrees. He insists they used unnecessary force in entering his home two years ago to arrest his son. “I don’t think they would’ve paid penny one if they didn’t admit guilt. I think they admitted guilt myself, and that’s my opinion. And I know if I wasn’t guilty I wouldn’t give anybody nothing.” 

Chris Mikkelson says the result is proof he's in the right. “I feel the same way, there’s over 200 thousand dollars reason there admitting guilty.” Chris Mikkelson hopes this will bring changes in the way the Superior Police Department conducts itself. “What is it gonna take? What is it gonna take? They beat up my father, a 72-year-old man at the time, they beat up me. Does somebody have to die? God I hope not.” 

Superior Police maintain they only followed procedure in entering the Mikkelson’s home two years ago to make an arrest. Superior Police Chief Floyd Peters maintains his department did nothing wrong. “These are good officers in a difficult situation making split second decisions and they’re argued for years to come in the courts but they certainly did not intend to nor did they wish to fight with someone of his size and strength in fact he was the one who chose to do that and aggressively tried to batter them.” 

The Mikkelson’s have since moved away from Superior to Osceola. 

Fraternity returns to UW-Superior

Promises no hazing, remembers past death 4/8/2003
UW-Superior has its first fraternity in 20 years. Maria Macioce reports that the men of Theta Xi say they will work hard to overcome the stigma surrounding “Greek Life.” 

Twenty years after the last UW-Superior fraternity closed its chapter, Dean of Students Jim Lund says this is just what the campus needs. He belonged to a fraternity in college, and says it was a positive experience. “Everybody has this notion of this Animal House stereotype of fraternities. I think those are just sort of outlandish stereotypes that we shouldn’t be thinking about anymore. Rather, we should be focusing on what they are doing.” 

By 1983, fraternities and sororities disappeared at UWS. Some say it was because of the death of FEX fraternity pledge Richard Cerra in the spring of 1981. After running along Wisconsin Point in heavy winter clothes, Cerra collapsed and died. “It think it was also a coincidence that the student was also pledging at the time they had the illness, but it’s turned around the other way always. The university didn’t make any attempt at that point to do away with fraternities. Some people assume that, but that was never the case. Fraternities were just sort of on their way out.” 

Theta Xi President Keith Benton says hazing is out of the question. “Oh, absolutely not. No one wants to join a group that hazes their members. The fraternity has a strict anti-hazing policy, as well as the school.” 

Benton says that instead of falling into the wild, “fraternity stereotype”, the group wants to impact the campus AND the community. “We get involved with Habitat for Humanity, different things with MS. We want to get different kinds of charitable organizations to contact us and let us know how we can help them, because we want to have a positive public image. We think that we can help out a lot in the community, and that’s what we’re trying to do, as well as giving an environment for students to do things where you don’t have to drink. You can go to a theme party without drinking.” 

Theta Xi has 23 members and is still recruiting. The fraternity has over 50 chapters across the country. 

Thick ice damaging lakefront properties

DNR advises to call-in damage reports 4/7/2003
The combination of a lack of snow and cold weather this winter is causing more than drought conditions. It's also ripping up lakeshore beach property. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

Usually snow covers lake ice, insulating it. But most of the state had little snow but lots of cold making for thick ice on inland lakes as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior. Department of Natural Resources Water Management Specialist John Spangberg in Ashland is already getting calls from people with ripped up shores. 

"It's typically the wind pushing the ice up onto the shoreline and with the ice being real thick, it gouges the bottom of the lake and then deposits it along with this wind-row of material along the shoreline. (And that can tear up trees and banks?) "Oh, that can take trees out. It can take feet of shoreline out. Here on the big lake a couple of years ago there was a pile of ice 10 or 11 feet high across Highway 2." 

Spangberg says most of the problem is in the northern half of Wisconsin. His colleague Ed Slaminski with the DNR in Spooner is also getting reports of ice pushes 6 to 7 feet up lakefront property. "I've received some calls. Most of those we typically go out and look at them, see what the extent of the damage is." In most cases, Slaminski says the damage can be graded over. In other cases, permits are needed to protect the natural shoreline.

Vigil to remember teens killed by drinking and driving

Organizers want to stop the annual carnage 4/5/2003
It seems at least one student is killed on area roads every spring because of drinking. Maria Macioce reports on an event to prevent teenagers from making those fatal mistakes.

Twelve years ago Gerald DePerry lost his son Mark, a Bayfield High School Senior, to a drunk-driving collision with a tree after a senior skip day keg party. He’ll be speaking at the 3rd Annual Candlelight Vigil of Hope, an event coordinator Sandy Agostine says could draw up to 500 people. “Half of our audience is middle school to high school kids. I would say the other half are family members of those who are affected. But it’s just kind of a neat coming together of the community.” 

Agostine is a recovering alcoholic with two recovering kids, one of whom will share her story at the vigil. Agostine says she originally organized the event to reach out to parents. “Find out what they’re doing. Don’t just listen if they say they are going to the library. That might not be what they are doing. Not just the kids that are troubled kids. A lot of our kids are using alcohol and other drugs.”

 DePerry’s son was one of those kids. “He was valedictorian. He was all set to go into medicine at University of Wisconsin. 4.0 grade point average. He said he was the designated driver that day. Well, crazier things have happened, you know?” DePerry says he tells his son’s story to help other teenagers make the right choices. “Young people will get back to me and say ‘Geez, you were at our school and you gave a good talk. Here we are in college and we’re looking at life a little differently and we’re taking it to heart.’ You hear things like that, you say ‘Geez, the message did get through to a few people.” 

It’s a message DePerry hopes will be remembered to prevent other teens from dying on Northern Wisconsin highways. The Candlelight Vigil of hope will be held at the Bay Area Civic Center in Ashland Monday/Today at 6:30. 

Nature gives gritty smile, stops shipping and bridge from lifting

Story by Mike Simonson 4/4/2003
A terrific wind and lake effect snow is putting a halt to shipping on Lake Superior. One of the lake's largest ships was forced back into the safety of the Twin Ports harbor. Mike Simonson reports.

Not in Doug Slosson's 16 years as operator of the Aerial Lift Bridge over the Duluth Canal has he seen a combination of wind and snow like this. On Thursday, the ice was clogged into the canal as the thousand-foot supercarrier Indiana Harbor was trying to push on through it...with no success. Five tries and the Indiana Harbor had to give up and go back into the Duluth harbor. 

Slosson says winds were steady at 50 knots and gusting to 60 knots. As of Friday afternoon, the wind was at gale force and lake effect snow took visibility down to a city block. "We're looking at 35 knots steady and gusting up to 45. (Can you feel that on the bridge itself?) Oh absolutely, we're rocking, the bridge is rocking a little bit. (Does that unnerve you at all?) No, no." Because of the high wind, Slosson says the Coast Guard ordered the bridge to stay closed to traffic. "We never were stopped from lifting before because of the wind. This was the first time." 

The Aerial bridge has been lifting since the 1920's. Wind and snow are expected to let up this weekend, although the ice pack could create a difficult logjam for ships hoping to resume the new shipping season. 

Ice gumming up the shipping season on Lake Superior

Strong easterly winds could make things worse 4/3/2003
The Great Lakes shipping season has begun, but it is not running at flank speed just yet. Tony Carr reports that ice is holding things up around Lake Superior.

Ice conditions are hindering shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway, causing headaches for the Coast Guard. Coast Guard Public Relations spokesperson Ron Kooper at Saulte Saint Marie says he isn’t sure when the season be in full swing. “That’s the million dollar question right there. You know we had some high temperatures a little earlier in the week, and we’re dropping back down and at this point I really can’t give you a better estimate than what we have today and you’ve gotta wait for the rest.” 

Kooper says that while things at the Soo Locks are running smoothly, icing conditions are prevalent elsewhere. “At the Straits of Mackinaw, it is tough going, we had a vessel get stuck in the ice there earlier this morning that required some time to go by and a little assistance to be given.” In Bayfield Boatsmate 2nd Class Dan Delaet says things are thawing out, but don’t get in the sailboat just yet. “It’s getting thinner and plus with the weather we’ve had in the last week and a half. You’re looking at - it depends on where you’re at, you’re gonna have some solid ice then you are going to have water then you’re going to have ice then snow.” 

While recreational boaters in Chequamegon Bay might be reassured to hear that the ice is on the way out, motorists who plan on using the ice road to Madeline Island will find it melted. The ice road closed 2 weeks ago. 

One thing is for certain; there is a lot of water in the great lakes and Kooper ended with this final thought. “Sometimes more ice than water.” Ice conditions in the Twin Ports aren’t as bad…with lots of open water in the harbor. Strong easterly winds could blow Lake Superior ice….piling it up along Park Point and Wisconsin Point. 

It's Ross by a lot in Superior's mayoral race!

Kotter defeated for second term as mayor 4/2/2003
Superior has a new mayor. Voters elected a political newcomer by a 59% to 41% margin. Maria Macioce, Tony Carr and Mike Simonson report.

The strategy was simple but demanding for Dave Ross: Knock on every door in the city of Superior. Even though it is a small city of 27,000 people, it took Ross five months to complete his mission. And last night, he says it paid off. "The voters of Superior wanted to be connected personally to the person who was running for mayor. The doors gave us an opportunity to look the voters, taxpayers, and homeowners in the eye and shake their hand and talk with them. I think that connection really helped our campaign."

 Incumbent Mayor Sharon Kotter says the amount of time it takes to go door-to-door just isn't possible for a sitting mayor. “I thought I had done the best job that I could. If I could have done anything I would have went door to door as he did. I was stuck in the office and had some things that I had to do, so that was just something I couldn’t do.” 

Ross is a furniture upholsterer, owning his own company, and pounded on the issue of efficient government spending and holding the line on taxes. Mayor-Elect Dave Ross is crediting victory with meeting a lot of new people and some old fashioned politicking. “It was a great process, it was 5 months of very hard work As you know, a lot of interviews, a lot of forums, a lot of debates and a lot of doors but it was all well worth it. 

Campaign Manager Ryan Murray says the doors are what did it and that’s all Dave has been doing is knocking. “He’s been out for four or five nights a week for four months going door to door.” Ross’s wife of nearly 30 years Lynn who is challenged in a wheelchair says her husband knows tough times and can face the challenges ahead as the next mayor of Superior. “I’ll tell you, in the world of disabilities there are a lot of obstacles and he has stuck by me throughout the entire process. We’ve learned to adapt and accommodate and I think the same thing he’ll be able to do as the next mayor of Superior.” 

Supporter Wendy Salmi is ready for a change. “I think he’s going to be good. It’s going to be refreshing. He’s coming in with a whole different outlook on politics and the job. It’s not going to be business as usual. It’s going to be interesting and I look forward to good changes. There’s going to be some rough roads, that’s going to be obvious but I think in the long run it’s going to be really good. 

Ross says he’ll be on the city team to get things done. “I want to promise them I’m going to work hard and work cooperatively with the city council and the city government. I’m a team player and I believe that is the only way the city of Superior can move forward in a productive way.” Ross will be sworn in April 15, federal tax day. 

Iraqi POW's to be housed in new Metro Center jail

BREAKING NEWS 4/1/2003
A state legislator has brokered a deal that will help governments overcome budget problems. Mike Simonson reports from Superior that Iraqi prisoners of war will start arriving in Wisconsin today. 

State Representative Frank Boyle has long been opposed to the war against Iraq, but he says there are ways to make the best of a tough situation. Why not bring Iraqi prisoners of war to Wisconsin? So he pulled some strings with old army buddy Colin Powell, and today planes will be landing at county airports around the state where jail space is available. 

Boyle says the federal government reimbursement per inmate may solve state and local budget woes. "Well we've got to come up with some cash, particularly the jails that is going to house many, many more people. If we can't fill it with state prisoners, then we might as well fill it with Iraqi POW's. I think it's a genius plan." An added bonus is that airlines hurt by the war with low passenger counts will be transporting the prisoners, including Wisconsin-based Midwest Airlines and Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines. That will mean more revenue for the airlines, and officials don't think regular travelers will notice the POW's. Airline officials say they'll fly the POW's in coach. 

-Remember - this is the First of April

Wal-Mart wants to build a superstore in Superior

Story by Mike Simonson 1 April 2003
The Superior City administration has confirmed that Wal-Mart is looking at building a superstore in Superior. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

During last week’s debate carried on KUWS, Mayor Sharon Kotter confirmed Wal-Mart’s plans. “Yes, Wal-Mart wants to have a Superstore in Superior on land it already owns that is zoned for retail. There’s nothing the city can do about it at all.” Kotter’s challenger in today’s election David Ross says he’s leery of the impact of a Wal-Mart Superstore. “I agree with the mayor, but there’s nothing we can do about it” Wal-Mart officials have not returned our telephone inquiries. 

Mayor's race tackles Superior's Souptown rep

Comments from debate sponsored by KUWS 3/28/2003
Superior's mayor is fighting to keep her job. Both candidates are looking at the city's image as a campaign issue. Mike Simonson has the story of erasing the reputation of a party town. 

Superior has a long history as a rough and tumble city built by lumber barons and shipping magnates with sailors and lumberjacks making that history colorful. But Challenger Dave Ross wants to change the image of "Souptown" with its rows of taverns and drunken brawls. "The kind of image I think we want is we've got a great town where you can come and go to college, a great town where you can come and start a business. We have a beautiful town where you can come and get a job and feel safe." 

Ross says part of the answer is reducing the number of liquor licenses. For a city of 27,000 people, Superior has almost as many liquor licenses as neighboring Duluth which is more than three times its size. 

Mayor Sharon Kotter says Superior's image is getting a facelift. "I don't hear it out there that they talk about it as being a party town anymore as much as it used to be. We have specialized entertainment. We've gotten one down there that specializes with the blues. We've got one that's going to attract the country/western people. They're trying to find their own niche in the community." She says plans for streetscaping with better lighting and trees should help. Kotter is climbing a steep hill to keep her seat. Although she survived the challenge of four people in the primary, she received 29% of the vote, while Ross had 50%. 

The election is Tuesday. KUWS-FM (91.3) will have live election results with pollwatcher results starting as soon as the polls close at 8 p.m. UWS Professor Emeritus Ronald Mershart, former Mayor Herb Bergson, and former mayoral candidate Kevin Peterson will be in-studio commentators. 

Wisconsin expects to lower blood limits for drunk driving 

Story by Mike Simonson 3/27/2003
A proposal to reduce the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers from 10% to 8% is stirring debate. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

State Patrol Lieutenant Nick Wanink says lives will be saved if the blood alcohol limit drops from .10 to .08. He says people at that level are already slower to turn, break and react. Wanek says they often stop people who are below the legal limit. "We do encounter drivers that are below the .10 limit and some of those drivers are impaired at the .08 and .09 level. And we do take appropriate enforcement action in those cases." 

Ashland County Sheriff John Kovawk isn't sure the lower limit will help. He thinks education has already reduced drinking and driving. "I don't think really people drink like they did years ago. They're more cautious. It seems to me that in social circles instead of using a lot of alcohol they may have one or two drinks." The proposal by Governor Jim Doyle would mean $8 million more in federal funding next year, and twice that in 2005. 

Tomah restaurant owner Ed Thompson says that's blackmail by the federal government. He says lowering the limit won't make roads safer. "It's gonna hurt the social drinker. It's not gonna get the drunk off the road. He doesn't care what number you put it at, he's gonna be there anyway. It's gonna be the person who stops at night for a beer to talk with his friends. 'Well, why risk it? I might just as well buy a 12 pack and go on home." The proposal must pass both houses of the legislature before it becomes law. 

Security increased at Murphy Oil and Enbridge Energy

Safety concerns greater now that war is on 3/26/2003
Some of Superior’s industrial facilities have beefed up security because of the war in Iraq. Tony Carr reports from Superior.

Murphy Oil and Enbridge Energy are both operating under stringent security. Speaking from his office in Houston, Enbridge Energy Spokesperson Larry Springer says Enbridge doesn’t like to talk about its procedures regarding security. “We believe that we’ve kept our facility secure and we’re going to continue on. We’ve taken some additional measures. Beyond that I can’t really comment." 

Murphy Oil Refinery Manager Dave Podratz says the Superior facility has increased security uses the federal government’s color-coded security advisory system. When the level went to orange, or high terror alert, Murphy Oil reacted with new procedures. “We have folks that when we go to orange alert are no longer allowed to drive in and out so we limit vehicle access just because we start to search vehicles a little more thoroughly. It would slow things down if we had all that vehicle traffic. So a lot of people are having to walk instead of driving their vehicles into the plant."

Podratz says at Murphy Oil, everyone works security. “We also have a lot of employees out here, and they’re also- security is also a part of their responsibility. Anytime anybody seems something a bit odd, it gets reported. Typically we’ll have the security patrol patrolling the perimeter as well as patrolling around the inside of the refinery.” The Enbridge Energy Terminal and the Murphy Oil refinery are the largest handlers of volatile fuel in Superior and Douglas County. 

Fire danger growing: Volatile spring expected

50 fires reported so far this week 3/25/2003
A lack of snow and warm, windy days have state Department of Natural Resources crews stamping out fires around the state. Mike Simonson reports the fire season is getting an early start. 

This week's nice weather can change blue skies into smoky skies from wild fires. Fifty fires have sprung up this week, and DNR Northern Forestry Leader Tim Mulhern says this is just the beginning. "The long range forecast from the weather service for April and May is for below normal precipitation. We're really gearing up for one of the biggest fire seasons in the last couple of years." The most dangerous areas are in tornado blow-down regions of Ladysmith and Siren where there's lots of fuel to burn. But mostly Mulhern expects more flash fires. "Once the snow melts in the woods you have leaves and grass and those kinds of things that dry out. They burn very quick, very fast and very hot." 

Mulhern says they have a helicopter in Gordon that can scoop water out of lakes to drop on fires and a tanker plane coming to Siren. But that plane won't arrive for another two weeks and the lakes are still frozen, so the chopper has nowhere to dip. 

Ashland Schools Bring in Milk Machines

Bayfield gets grant to make playground for everyone

Slice of life story by Tony Carr 3/24/2003
One area park received a sizable grant that is going to benefit the children in one Chequamegon Bay area community. Tony Carr reports. 

Monkey bars, slides and tire swings are the typical things you would expect to find at playground, but not everyone is able to play at one park in Bayfield right now. The East Dock Park playground is not accessible to children with disabilities. A 51 thousand dollar grant is slated to make the park accessible to everyone now. Project Coordinator Shannon Swanstrom says when the work is done, all the kids can play. “There is an existing playground but doesn’t meet current safety standards and it is not accessible to children with physical challenges.” Swanstrom says this won’t just benefit children either; it is for the convenience of everyone. “We are redoing the playground and there will be a toddler and preschool age component to it and then basically a 5 – 12 year old component to it. It will also be more accessible to grandparents and adults.” Construction on the playground is slated to begin in July and should be completed in August. Volunteers will be doing most of the work on the project, as the grant money is mainly for materials. 

Northern libraries bracing for state cuts

Story by Maria Macioce 3/23/2003
Governor Jim Doyle continues to spread his message of shared fiscal pain. Maria Macioce reports that Wisconsin libraries won’t see all of the money they’re expecting.

When Governor Doyle told the Wisconsin Library Association that they wouldn’t receive the annual funding allotted them from the state budget, it was no surprise to Superior Library Director Janet Jennings. “They haven’t met that 13% benchmark for a long time, if ever. We ask for it every year, but we don’t ever get it.” Jennings says the state money allows the Superior library to share materials with other libraries. 

Northern Waters Libraries Director Mike Sheehan represents 8 counties in northwestern Wisconsin. He says that without the 13%, libraries will do okay, but if it gets much lower, services will be cut. “It would probably entail continuing education or grants for libraries. We’ve already kind of reduced the time and money for our “mail-a-book” patrons. Books and items for people that can’t get to the library, we mail them to them. We’ve already had to curb that already.” Jennings says she is worried that because libraries aren’t mandated like police and fire departments, the state could damage a valuable resource at the time it is needed the most. 

“People use the libraries for recreation, entertainment, education, computer use, job hunting, learning new skills….lots of things that happen in a poor economy actually make all libraries busier than they are in good economic times when people can afford to buy more books and rent more videos and have their own computer. The irony is when money is the tightest, that’s when we are the busiest.” Wisconsin has 17 library systems, with libraries in Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, Douglas, and Washburn counties. 

Families of soldiers get together in Ashland

Passing around special American flag to churches 3/21/2003
A family support group for a National Guard unit is in the Chequamegon Bay area. They're gathering to help each other and to help their soldiers. Mike Simonson reports. 

A week after the 106th Quarry Unit of the Wisconsin National Guard shipped out, Sue Garz of Washburn was holding her first family support group meeting. 50 people showed up...and others called to talk. Garz says that's a high number since there are only 53 soldiers in the 106th. But she says they all need each other. "It's kind of difficult because we are not an Army base. It's kind of difficult to have our feelings really to the public because we're sort of a minority." 

The support is more than emotional. Garz says help can range from plumbing to babysitting to balancing the checkbook. She says right now, the shock of the call-up is still fresh, so this group helps families and the soldiers when they go overseas. "It's a huge need. You definitely need to have that liason between the Army and your people. You have to. It's something that is integral to making things run smoothly. The family unit back home need to communicate with their soldiers so that they can make them feel like 'Hey, everything's okay. We're going to make it. We'll be fine. We're there to support you, we can take care of things at home, concentrate on what you need to do. When you get home, everything will be alright." 

Garz says they have a digital camera they'll use to e-mail family pictures to the soldiers of the 106th Quarry unit. They also have an American flag signed by each member of the unit before they shipped out. That flag has been framed and is going from church to church in the Chequamegon Bay area. Each congregation will pray for the safe return of the soldiers of the 106th. Garz says the idea comes from a group that did the same thing in World War Two. Even though the unit was in heavy combat, the story goes that all soldiers returned home safe. 

Shrinks' business increasing from war worries

Story by Tony Carr 3/20/2003
Uncertainty about war and the economy is leaving some people with a heightened state of anxiety. Tony Carr talks with area mental health professionals. 

A possible war with Iraq and tough economic times are taking its toll on people. Dr. Dave Plude of Arrowhead Psychological Center in Duluth says people are wary. “It’s a stressful time and I think it’s a frustrating time. It’s hard to generalize to the population as a whole but I think there is a wide variety of emotions definitely and a lot of very strong feelings about the pending war.” St. Luke’s Mental Health Social Worker Bob Lyman says lately he notices more people are worried and are having feelings of uncertainty. “In the last week I’ve seen more people bring it up. They use that, when I do an assessment we always try to go through things that are stressors in their lives. And I’ve got, well I’ve got people who are worried about the economy, they have sons and daughters that are in the military maybe being sent over to the gulf war.” 

Lyman says an added danger is this stress can lead to alcohol abuse or domestic violence. Dr. Plude says everyone deals with anxiety differently. “It depends, certain people cope with anxiety in different manners. I think some individuals prefer to talk with people and share their stress and kind of work it through in that respect. Other people may benefit more from you know exercising or getting our and being active or distracting themselves.” 

Superior hospital given Medicare help, expected to stop talk of closing

Story by Mike Simonson 3/19/2003
Talk of Saint Mary’s Hospital in Superior closing will have to stop now that the state is letting it apply for special status as a rural hospital. Mike Simonson reports from Superior. 

State Senator Bob Jauch says the new classification will mean higher reimbursement for medicare patients and long-term viability. Jauch says the extra money could add up to $1.5 to $2-million a year. St. Mary’s in Superior Hospital administrator Terry Jacobson says this will end the talk of it closing. “The talk was premature anyway. This will give us long-term viability.” Jacobson says the 40 bed hospital is important for people in Douglas County. Jacobson says this could mean more patients needing longer-term transitional recovery. He says gaining that status will cut their huge losses from taking medicare patients. Jacobson says Saint Mary’s in Superior lost one-and-a-half million dollars from Medicare patients in 2001. 

State Senator Bob Jauch of Poplar says this help from the state comes from the new Doyle administration. “This was going nowhere under the (former Governor Scott) McCallum administration. But Superior Days delegates made this one of their top issues, and Governor Doyle was listening.” Jauch hopes this will mean more patients for Saint Mary’s and that the 20 people recently laid off will be rehired. Saint Mary’s must officially apply for the special status, and acceptance could take two to three months.

Obey: War will go well, aftermath might not

Says President Bush needs to give more information to Americans 3/18/2003
Wisconsin's senior member of Congress says he's frustrated by the lack of information being given to legislative leaders about using force in Iraq. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

U.S. Representative Dave Obey says the aftermath of a war with Iraq will leave the United States the most isolated its been from the world in the last two centuries. Obey says acting without a United Nations coalition will make the future more dangerous for the whole world. He says Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction are not the issue. "If it were, we would be going after Iran, North Korea, we would be going after half a dozen other countries of the world." 

Obey was one of a handful of congressional leaders briefed by the President at the White House before Monday night's address to the nation. The Democrat from Wausau says they're not talking about post-war Iraq. "We got the same old stuff, we have had dozens of briefings, and I've been in many briefings and hearings with intelligence people, with the White House, with the security people, with the Pentagon people, with the armed services, and we got very little by way of concrete information. They're even withholding their estimates for the cost of the war." As for the war itself, Obey expects it to go quickly and well, and is urging everyone to support the troops.

Murphy Oil and DNR Agree on New Air Permit

Story by Mike Simonson 3/18/2003
An agreement has been reached between the state's only oil refinery and the Department of Natural Resources for an air emissions permit. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Murphy Oil Plant Manager Dave Podratz says this will allow the refinery to continue operation, so it's great news. "Great news because we get to continue to focus on reducing the emissions, which is what this unit that we got does. It sets the stage for some future investments and will allow us to produce even cleaner burning, environmentally friendly burning gasoline and diesel fuel, and probably most importantly, it provides our employees a sense of stability for their jobs for the future." Murphy Oil employs 150 people at its refinery in Superior. 

Negotiations had become contentious at times over the past few years. Podratz says the new permit means the facility will cut its sulfur dioxide air emissions from 450 tons to 50 tons a year. A gathering at the UWS Rothwell Student Center to celebrate the agreement is set for today (Tuesday, March 18, 2003) from 4pm-7pm. More information to come.

Superior Says "No" to Robotic Trains

Duluth City Council may also consider ban 3/16/2003
The city of Superior is the first in the state to pass a resolution opposing the use of remote-controlled trains, locomotives operating with no one on board. Mike Simonson has the story. 

The idea of a train rolling down the tracks without an engineer or any person onboard is hard for Superior Mayor Sharon Kotter to comprehend. Kotter says this technology is unsafe and unwise crossing city streets. "That's what's very scary. To think that the remote control, they would have devices to secure the operating cab and yet how would you basically control terrorists or vandals or some other unauthorized person in there." 

The Superior city council agreed with Kotter, and passed a resolution against remote-controlled trains. Herb Bergson was mayor of Superior in 1992 when a Burlington Northern tanker derailed and spilled hazardous waste...forcing 50-thousand people to evacuate the area. He says the idea of a drone train is dangerous. "How important is it to save a buck? If it's just one life, the cost of trying to save money and cut corners. It wasn't worth it." 

Burlington Northern spokesperson Steve Forsberg preferred not to be taped, but says this is a case of disinformation. The only remote-controlled trains in North America operate within rail yards. He says there are no plans to take robotic trains for a spin across the country. Good thing, says Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner Rodney Kreunen. He says locomotive engineers can't be safely replaced in regular rail transportation. "It's as much of an art as it is science and a skill to operate a long train. You've got wind, rain, things that effect tracks. You've got hills, you've got curves, when to apply the power, when to apply the brakes." Kreunen agrees drone trains may be fine in a contained area, but he wants no less than two people onboard trains running in Wisconsin. 

UWS Students Give a Break During Spring Break

Forsake beach parties to give a helping hand 3/14/2003
Six University of Wisconsin Superior students will spend their spring break painting houses and sleeping in a church. Maria Macioce reports on the alternative spring break. 

Corbin, Kentucky may not sound like the ideal spring break hot spot, especially when work is involved. UWS Student Activities Specialist Kaye Riske is taking six students to work with the Helping Hands Project, painting and repairing houses for underprivileged people. “It’s just pretty much an alternative to your typical spring break, when you’re talking Mexico and those things. They’re really going to do something rather than spending money and time. They’re going to spend time to help other people.” 

Freshman Caitlyn Anderson says she decided to go because the trip looked different than a typical spring break trip. “Me and my friend thought it would be really cool to go some places for spring break, and then we saw that and thought it would opportunity to go work on houses and help people and also take a little vacation.” This is Riske’s third year helping out in Corbin, a place she calls one of the country’s more needy areas. “You realize that people have different priorities and things that are much more important in their lives than you or I might. It’s sometimes hard to get past stereotypes. I’ve found that in this trip….we’ve all stereotyped, but then we’ve learned that just because something’s different, it’s not bad.” The group will sleep in the community center of a church in Corbin. They’re leaving on March 15 and returning on March 22. 

Red Cliff Casino/Marina/Hotel Complex a Go 

Story by Maria Macioce 3/13/2003
The Red Cliff Tribe is planning a major expansion…including a waterfront casino, marina and hotel overlooking the Apostle Islands. Maria Macioce has the story. 

In a story first reported in this month's issue of BusinessNorth, the Red Cliff Band in Bayfield County wants to begin construction this year and expand their marina by next year. Tribal Vice-Chairman Michael LaGrew says this could be just what northern Wisconsin needs. “It is going to generate more people coming up here. They’re going to have a place to stay here now. Plus, we got that big Apple Festival in Bayfield, and we’ve got 100 thousand people in this little area. The biggest problem is they have no places to stay. They could stay here and gamble and go to the festival. Also, we’ve got people that bring their boats up for the year.” 

LaGrew says the tribe wants to build the 65 room hotel and 300 slot machine casino across the highway from the smaller Isle Vista Casino. To make it work financially, LaGrew says they’ll need to have a steady business in the casino. The challenge is that Red Cliff Reservation is off the beaten path. “A lot of people come to camp. A lot of them don’t come to gamble. With our casino the way it is now, we’re lucky if we can get 10 or 15 people in there.” He says they expect to generate around $355 million annual revenue with the new complex. He says they expect to break ground this fall and have the facility up and running by next summer. 

Pro-War Resolution goes to State Legislature

Northern legislators plan opposition measure 3/12/2003
A resolution supporting removal of Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq circulating in the state legislature is not getting support from Northland legislators. Tony Carr reports. 

The resolution is sponsored by State Senator Bob Welch of Red Granite. It supports President Bush, his cabinet and the military for their courage and decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power. 

Representative Frank Boyle of Superior opposes the resolution and says he will offer his own. “I’m confronting this with my own resolution simply saying I also think we ought to protect American lives and soldiers by bringing them home. That this war is a poor, poor excuse for rational political action.” 

Fellow democratic Representative Gary Sherman of Port Wing doesn’t think Welch’s resolution is called for. "I don’t think that foreign policy is the proper subject of the state legislature or the state of Wisconsin.” Boyle says Welch has the right to be heard, but he will be heard as well. “It’s kind of a feel good, Senator Welch feel good resolution, let’s go and destroy the peoples of Iraq to get Saddam Hussein. He’s entitled to his opinion and I’m entitled to mine and I damn well expect it to be heard on the floor.” 

Senator Welch along with Senator Dave Zien will be asking legislators for support on the resolution this week or next.

Gay Forum Airs Differences at UW-Superior

Story by Maria Macioce 3/11/2003
About 150 people from all walks of life gathered at the UW-Superior Student Center Wednesday to speak up about hate speech. Maria Macioce reports from Superior.

Queer and Allied Student Union Leader Lori Young says it’s important to speak out against the letter and raise awareness about different beliefs. "Every time we're going to do something, somebody will say, 'Oh, I bet the Christian group won't like that,' and we're like 'ha ha ha.' But really, how am I supposed to know? I've never talked to them. I've never talked to one person from the group, but we're just assuming that they're not going to like what we're putting on. I don't know what they think. Do they say that about us? I think there's a lot of tension between these groups and we've never even talked. I think we should just know what the purpose of groups are." 

Gender Issues Coordinator Dianna Hunter was pleased with the turnout from many area campuses. "I thought the willingness of everyone to engage in dialogue was very helpful. I thought that some of the ideas of moving towards better communication between groups on campus...I thought those were all positive." Although student editors stand by their decision to print the letter…Promethean Faculty Advisor Brent Notbohm says that decision was an "error in judgment." "The editorial page, it's purpose, is to promote discussion and debate, and to not streamline a particular thought or concept. The issue we talked about very specifically is the use of hate speech in that letter. If you remove the hate speech, which they do regret they put in, there was no discussion or debate." 

But some people say freedom of speech would be violated by not running the whole letter. University of Minnesota-Duluth Women's Studies Professor Pamela Parkinson is one of those people. "You either print the letter in its entirety, or you don't print the letter at all. You cannot be assigning to someone else the determination of what is content that is politically correct to be published. Sometimes it is just exactly this kind of hate speech that is required to get this kind of dialogue going, as regrettable as that may be." Another forum will be held after spring break, to talk about harassment and freedom of speech. 

Nature to give us a break: Warm temps ahead

Lack of snow could mean drought and fire 3/10/2003
Finally, a break in the cold weather will bring a taste of spring this weekend. Tony Carr reports that could be good, and it for some areas, it could have problems.

The mercury is going to be on the rise this weekend. National Weather Service Meteorologist Dean Packingham in Duluth says this weekend’s weather is a sign of spring. “We’re starting to drain a lot of the artic air that’s been continuously been pouring down into our area.” Packingham says a ridge of high pressure has been sending the cold air down the backs of Northlanders, but high pressure is moving in bringing warm southern air. Packingham says that lack of snow cover on the ground has left things a little dry. 

DNR Forest Ranger Bob Focht (Folk) says the spring fire season will be longer then usual. “This year with the lower snow cover and the cold temperatures the frost is quite a bit deeper this year than it has been in years past. That has the effect of delaying green up. Once the plants turn green that usually signals the end of our spring fire season. With the deep frost, we will have a longer season.” Packingham says that while things are looking dry right now, things can change in a big hurry. “Things can happen you know kind of quickly in the spring up here. You know, when we get a good system that moves in, but right now we are much below normal.” The National Weather Service office in Duluth is calling for partly cloudy skies with temperatures near 50 for Friday and Saturday. 

Superior Days Delegates Lobby for New Locks

Could be a great boon for Twin Ports 3/9/2003
The Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan link ships to the rest of the world. Maria Macioce reports that Superior Days delegates want to keep it that way, by building newer, more efficient locks. 

Superior City Councilor Bob Finsland says that the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System has a Poe lock problem. "The problem is we only have one p-o-e lock. It's the only lock we have that handles the 1000 foot vessels. The traffic that comes in and out of Lake Superior all goes through Sault Ste. Marie. You can't get a boat into Lake Superior without going through Sault St. Marie." 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning to replace two of the four locks. This would cost $225 million, 54 of which must come from the 8 Great Lakes states. Wisconsin is responsible for 11% of the total, or about $6 million. Finsland says that of the 85 million tons that pass through the two operational Soo Locks, the Poe lock handles 67 million tons. He says the Poe shuts down in the winter for repairs, and that having another lock would help Wisconsin's economy. "The Poe Lock is only about 100 feet wide. The modern shipping cannot transit that lock; they're too wide for that lock. In fact, there was talk about bringing a military vessel into the Great Lakes for display. None of our battleships or larger vessels can even transit that lock." Finsland says that Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania have committed to there share of the project. Wisconsin could stretch the pay out over 50 years, paying $117,000 each year.

Anti-Gay Letter Stirs Debate at UWS

Queer student group to hold forum on Wednesday 3/8/2003
An anti-homosexual letter to the editor in the UW-Superior student newspaper Promethean has gay activists up in arms. Maria Macioce reports gay students will rally on Wednesday. 

UWS Woman and Gender Issues Coordinator Dianna Hunter says the Promethean made a mistake in publishing an anti-homosexual letter to the editor in the March 5 edition. “It was a bad decision to print the letter that contained slurs and insinuated that violence and intimidation against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender - ed.) people is okay, and that LGBT people should be isolated and removed from the rest of the population. It was really an example of hate speech.” 

Promethean editors disagree. They say running the letter exposes the problem on campus. Hunter says she has seen other acts of hate at UWS, but nothing like this. “I had been told that there were some incidents in the past that a gay activist on campus had tires slashed and had scarier threats made, but this was years ago. We thought that we had moved the conversation forward a little bit since then, so I’m disappointed to find that we seem to have taken a step backward.” Hunter says that as a lesbian, she feels as safe at UWS as anywhere. “I generally feel safe on campus. There have been times when I felt that people have expressed a certain disdain, but usually in a rather subtle way. We should have on this campus the same range of opinions reflected in our student body and in our faculty and staff as we do in the broader culture, and the broader culture is not in total agreement.” 

The letter has prompted the Queer and Allied Student Union to hold a forum on Wednesday, March 12. The forum will discuss homophobia and the atmosphere at UWS and the Twin Ports, and will be held at noon in the Rothwell Student Center Ballroom. Anyone is welcome. 

Help for heating on the way

Cold winter, hot prices 3/7/2003
The combination of soaring oil and natural gas prices and dropping temperatures is putting a strain on people with fixed or low incomes. Mike Simonson reports. 

Below normal temperatures in late January through February turned a mild winter into a difficult one for people living from paycheck to paycheck. Governor Jim Doyle says $5.7 million of low-income heating fuel assistance is going to be distributed to people across the state. "We could use more in Wisconsin. These prices for many people are 33% higher than they were last month so people are seeing some huge bills coming out to them right now." This extra fuel assistance should help. Douglas County Aging Resources Director Brad Beckman says the seniors he's hearing from are having to make some tough choices. "Definitely. Some seniors have really watched their thermometers and obviously they've had to cut back at other areas like prescriptions and food or whatever. We try to deal with cases, especially in emergency situations because we want no senior to go without and especially be out in the cold." Beckman says the next best solution is for an early and warm spring. 

Thick Ice to Hold up St. Lawrence Seaway Opening

Story by Mike Simonson 3/6/2003
The international shipping season will be delayed almost a week because of thick ice. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

The Saint Lawrence Seaway has too much ice for icebreakers to handle by the March 25 opening date, so the 2300 mile long Seaway has pushed its opening to March 31. Duluth Seaway Port Director Davis Helberg says the winter turned cold, causing ice to build to 2 to 4 feet in his harbor and a foot and a half on the Saint Lawrence River. "I'm sure the Mackinaw's going to get a workout and so will the Sundew locally and every other vessel the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards employ." 

Helberg says this won't stop ships within the Great Lakes, but it will hold up foreign ships and some Canadian lakers. "Every trip is one more payload or every trip lost is one less for the owners. So I'm sure no one is very pleased with it, including the sailors, the seafarers who are chomping at the bit to get going." Meanwhile, the Coast Guard at Sault (Soo) Saint Marie Michigan report thick ice, but a spokesperson doubts that will delay the opening of the Soo Locks. The Soo Locks open March 25, and connect Lakes Superior and Michigan to the lower Great Lakes. 

Red Cliff calls for National Guard in Operation Shield

It's a swords into plowshares type of thing 3/5/2003
Troops are being sent out every day because of the war with Iraq, but Red Cliff tribe chairman Raymond DePerry wants Wisconsin's National Guard to stay right here. Maria Macioce reports.

DePerry's working with the Walking Shield American Indian Society on Operation Walking Shield. "Dispatching the military, the National Guards and the reserves, to the community, to help with this project of developing a site that will contain 6 to 8 new homes, and also to help clear a site that will be able to accommodate 25 to 40 new housing developments by putting in roads, water and sewer systems, etc." 

The Walking Shield Society was founded by retired Defense Contractor and Lakota Sioux member Phil Stevens. Stevens recognized that the severe needs and conditions faced by some tribal nations are similar to some third world countries that the military uses for Readiness Training Deployment exercises. The Red Cliff Tribe isn't asking for money for the operation. They want administrative support to commit Wisconsin National Guard military construction units to the project. "They'll be doing all the labor related stuff. The tribe will provide materials and supplies and they will be doing the actual labor. As anyone knows, when you're doing a project, it is the labor that's the most costly." 

DePerry says not only does this help the Red Cliff tribe and the National Guard, but the state wins, too. "Number one, it keeps its military people right here home in Wisconsin doing these humanitarian things instead of sending them overseas somewhere. Number two, it helps to build up these cooperative efforts of community building and infrastructure and good relationships that will grow from this kind of endeavor." DePerry says Operation Walking Shield is expected to take about two years, hopefully beginning in 2004. He says the threat of a war would push back the project to 2005 or 2006. 

SMDC hesitant about smallpox vaccinations

Story by Tony Carr 3/4/2003
Plans to protect the public in the event of a smallpox epidemic are taking place here in the northland. Tony Carr reports that it’s not without its controversy.

Saint Louis County has contingency plans for a biological attack. Health Department employee Libby Welsch says Saint Louis County is in phase one of a federal government plan right now. That means working with hospitals and making sure people are safe. Phase one calls for creating teams of health care workers who have been inoculated against smallpox. 

Saint Mary’s Duluth Clinic’s Beth Johnson says that no one at SMDC has been vaccinated yet. Johnson says this is normal. “SMDC among other health systems across the country has actually decided to opt out of phase one of the federal government smallpox program. The reason we have done that is because we couldn’t get the 100 volunteers that the program was looking for to be part of the initial team if you will.” Johnson says SMDC has reservations about the program because of liability issues. “Frankly health care workers across the country and at SMDC were looking for assure, for some assure in fact rather, from the federal government that they themselves and their families and loved ones would be covered financially in the event that their volunteering to take the vaccine resulted in something as negative as their death.” 

Saint Louis County Health Department’s Welsch says that around 500,000 people in the military have been inoculated against smallpox already. She says that 3% to 4% of those people have experienced minor reactions. Johnson says the makeup of SMDC is different than the military. “Obviously many, a majority in the military are young and quite healthy. And so the reactions that they may or may not have to the smallpox vaccine wouldn’t necessarily translate into larger populations.” 

Johnson says that in the event of a biological attack involving smallpox, SMDC is ready. “In the event of a smallpox outbreak, SMDC would be able to care for patients using universal precautions. Those are things like negative air flow rooms, gloves, masks, gowns. We know that those universal precautions are effective against the transmission of smallpox.” Vaccinations in the United States for smallpox ceased in 1972. In the event of an attack, the federal government says it can vaccinate the entire population of the United States in 3 to 5 days. 

Hayward, Superior Units Mobilizing for Overseas

Story by Tony Carr 3/3/2003
The Wisconsin National Guard’s 724th Engineering Battalion is being mobilized. Soldiers based at armories in Hayward and Superior are getting ready to move. Tony Carr reports.

The 724th Battalion headquartered in Hayward will have soldiers flocking to armories in Hayward and Superior soon. Lieutenant Colonel Tim Donovan says the units mobilized on Saturday include soldiers all over the state. “The three units that were mobilized on Saturday include the 724th Engineering Battalion which is headquartered in Hayward with units all over the Wisconsin Northwoods. Also a transportation company in Tomah, Black River Falls and Beloit and a military police company who’s unit is divided between Milwaukee and Madison.” Donovan explains that the soldiers in the 724th Battalion have several different jobs. “The 724th is a combat core wheeled engineer battalion. They have capabilities that includes maintenance of supply routes they can do demolition, mine clearing, obstacles, and conduct bridging operations so that’s the type of unit it is.” 

Soldiers with the 724th Engineering Battalion will most likely be heading out of the country. “We fully expect them to be deployed overseas, based on the capabilities the unit has and where those capabilities may be needed. We sure don’t need a 500 soldier engineer battalion such as the 724th here in the United States. Those capabilities are more than likely needed overseas somewhere.” The 724th Engineering Battalion mobilization includes almost 1,000 soldiers throughout Wisconsin. That brings the total of soldiers on active duty from Wisconsin to about 2,200. Whenever troops prepare to head overseas it puts family members on edge. 

One family from Ashland is feeling that uncertainty. The Ladd Family of Ashland’s daughter Kristina is part of the 724th Engineering Battalion that has been called up. Kristina’s mother Linda says what she thinks about the mobilization. “It’s scary in the fact that there’s so many unknowns.” Linda says Kristina was in school fairy recently. “As of last Friday, as of yesterday yes (laughs), I mean she was up until yesterday.” Kristina says that she let her teachers know when she was put on alert. “Well, when we were put on alert I just notified them it would be a possibility. I have not contacted them to say I am mobilized cause that’s, I all I have to do is contact the school and they take responsibility for that. But I am obviously not the first one. I know of at least a dozen other students that have been mobilized before I have.” 

Kristina says that she is not surprised that her unit has been mobilized. “They’re not going to put us on alert just for a joke. I mean it’s serious. You sign up and you know it’s a possibility so it’s not going to be a surprise.” Kristina knows her Mom and Dad are concerned. “Oh I think they are worried, just from the uncertainty of everything, but I’ve been doing this for a while.” Her mom agrees. “She’s very much a doer, during high school in that she excelled in many things. She went to state in tennis and gymnastics. She went to Nationals for DECA. She has worked always, not afraid to speak her mind, but yet considerate of others. And she’s a doer, she does not like to sit still.” Kristina went to high school in Ashland and was majoring at UW-Eau Claire in Business and Marketing. 

SMDC: No Plans to Close Superior Hospital

Story by Tony Carr 2/28/2003
SMDC is laying people off in Superior. Tony Carr reports it doesn’t mean the end of the hospital in Superior. 

Saint Mary’s Duluth Clinic has announced that it will begin to layoff workers because they are not making ends meet right now. SMDC’s Beth Johnson says they need to get back in the black. “SMDC announced to the public in all of the communities where we have facilities the negative news that we were going to be making some staff reductions. Those were in response to the fact that we need to bring our balance, rather bring our budget back into line. That means 20 people in Superior will be losing their jobs. “Superior is one of the facilities that will be affected with those staff reductions and we’re anticipating up to 20 people losing their jobs from that facility.” Johnson says the future of the Superior hospital is clear. “We have no plans to close the Superior hospital.” SMDC’s Superior Hospital is the only hospital in Douglas County. 

Bayfield's Big Top Gets Big Grant/Takes Show on Road

Story by Tony Carr 2/27/2003
Federal money is going to help bring Lake Superior Big Top Chautaqua bring its programs about Wisconsin to schools across the state. Tony Carr reports. 

Congressman Dave Obey announced he has secured $500,000 in federal money to let Big Top Chatauqua move its performances and programs to communities throughout the state. Artistic director Warren Nelson is elated. “Well it’s really a blessing, it’s an honor, it’s pretty humbling and couldn’t comes at a wonderful time for our organization.” Nelson says the his group of 20 actors and musicians celebrate the history of all Wisconsinites. “It helps all of us celebrate where we live and who we are.” Nelson says Big Top will be moving around more than ever before. He says with school districts throughout the state receiving less money, it is hard for them to bring in outside programs. This grant will let Big Top help fill the void. “When school districts are facing financial crunches from everywhere and having to cut music programs and lyceum programs, well I can’t think of a side that doesn’t win here.” When things start rolling again, look out. Nelson says it all began in Northern Wisconsin, and that’ll be the first stop. "We can maybe try to hit every corner of Wisconsin, by the way starting up north in our home ground, from Superior to Hurley and around Ashland sort of in a widening circle we hope, you know hallelujah, now we can go down to Park Falls.” Lake Superior Big Top Chautaqua visited 32 schools in 12 cities in 1997. Nelson says that number could double or triple with the money. 

Amnesty International Warns U.S. to Obey International Law

Group to hold film festival in Duluth 2/26/2003
Amnesty International says the citizens of Iraq are among the most oppressed in the world. But a representative says war might make things worse for the people there. Mike Simonson reports. 

Amnesty International monitors human rights abuses around the world, and is holding a film festival this week in Duluth to point out some of the global hot spots. Amnesty International Deputy Director Curt Gorign says they've been monitoring life in Iraq for two decades. "So we have a very good sense of the kind of regime Saddam Hussein oversees and the really horrendous human rights violations that are and have been carried out regularly over this period. I mean among the worst in the world, in some periods perhaps even the worst in the world." But Gorign says war would kill civilians, cause starvation and turn many into refugees. He says war must be the last resort to end Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. "Even though no doubt Iraqis will feel liberated once Saddam Hussein is gone, but the consequences of that are so great that every peaceful avenue has to be exhausted before they resort to military force is used." Gorign says the U.S. must abide by international law if it does go to war. That includes not using land mines, cluster bombs, and depleted uranium bombs. The film festival will be held Wednesday, Thursday, and Monday nights at the Norshor Theater in old downtown Duluth.

Federal grant arrives to save Superior's after school programs

Story by Mike Simonson 2/25/2003
A $500,000 pot of federal money will be used to continue Superior’s four after-school programs. Mike Simonson reports.

After School Coordinator Mickey Wilson says the money comes as a surprise, and a godsend. It saves the Bryant Elementary program. “We had planned to cancel that program. It would have been a shame. But now we can continue having a place for kids to go who have working parents.” Wilson says this week’s announcement from Congressman Dave Obey’s office will help some 300 students. She says this will help working parents. “It will be huge. This offers a safe place to help kids with their homework and give them other things to do, while their parents are still working.” The grant will fund after-school programs for the next three years at Lake Superior, Northern Lights, and Bryant elementary, as well as the new middle school which will open next fall. 

Superior Days Delegates: Expand Highway 2

Story by Maria Macioce 2/24/2003
About 150 people from Northern Wisconsin will make the trip to Madison this week to talk about issues that matter to this area. Maria Macioce reports on Superior Days. 

The most talked about issue at this year’s Superior Days will be what no one wants to hear about. Representative Frank Boyle says that Governor Doyle’s budget is the hot topic. “Typically, we’re going to have to look at functions and issues that don’t cost money, because this state has none. It’s going to be a conservative agenda, one that we need to be smarter about and understand that the money source has simply dried up. But I think it’s increasingly important that Northern Wisconsin be down here to impact on the Governor’s message.” Superior Days Coordinator Geoff Wendorf says the expansion of Highway 2 is high on the priorities list. “It is a problem. We don’t have an east/west highway in Northern Wisconsin that’s four lanes. We do have a lot of truck traffic and a lot of recreational traffic on that highway, and the state of Wisconsin recognizes that it’s an important highway. It’s hard for us to continue to strive to continue to improve our economy up here when we don’t have the transportation infrastructure to allow for movement of goods and services in an efficient way.” Wendorf says they are also planning to rename the highway after Richard Bong. 

Story by Maria Macioce 2/22/2003
Ashland is giving its students stronger teeth and bones. Maria Macioce reports on the high school’s latest addition: a milk machine. 

Ashland High School is the only area school with a vending machine that dispenses milk, and students love it. The Future Farmers of America put up the machine a month ago, and faculty advisor Rebecca Krans says sales have exceeded what they expected. “You know the marketing of the colorful labels for them, I think that really draws their attention, too. And having the different flavors in there, the kids really go after the chocolate, and so we’ve sold at least 200 bottles each week.” FFA got the vending machine to support their organization while encouraging good nutrition. “You see kids in the morning with milk. You also see some with soda, too, but it’s good to see that they’re drinking the milk.” Krans says FFA collects anywhere from 25 to 38 cents per bottle, with the rest going to the Pure Dairy Company, the milk supplier. The vending machine carries chocolate, strawberry, French vanilla, café mocha, skim and 2% milk. 

Cause of Enbridge Pipeline Break: Old Welds

Many other pipes also have same kinds of welds 2/21/2003
A January oil spill on the Nemadji River has raised some questions about the cause and vulnerability of other spills. Tony Carr reports from Superior.

A faulty weld on a cap caused the oil spill from the Enbridge Energy Terminal. Enbridge Energy representative Larry Springer says that a flange, which is welded and bolted onto an oil pipeline, has replaced the faulty cap. However, there are other caps that have just welds on them at the Superior terminal. Springer is not sure whether or not they will be replacing those caps but says that Enbridge is looking into all of their operations. Springer blames the spill on the weld itself. “Apparently it was a mechanical failure on the weld itself. That doesn’t mean that other welds would not be good. Most welds today, under today’s standards are x-rayed and checked very carefully.” Springer has no idea whether the weld that caused the spill was x-rayed or not. “I wouldn’t know if that one was x-rayed when it was put in because I was not aware. But typically when any pipe is welded on a joint it is x-rayed.” Springer says that there are other caps on lines at the terminal and they will likely not be replaced. “The tank farm has grown and been reconfigured over the years, and as that terminal has been developed I’m sure that other lines have been capped in different places as the piping has been reconfigured to conform with the needs of the terminal. Right now we do not have any information to suggest that we need any other fittings in the facility.” The January spill leaked over 100,000 gallons of oil. Enbridge had a smaller oil spill in 2000, but that leak was contained within the terminal.

Ashland gets it wind sled rescue vessel

Story by Mike Simonson 2/20/2003

Ashland and Chequamegon Bay has it’s wind sled…finally. Mike Simonson has the story from Superior. 

After more than a year and presidential criticism as a national example of pork barrel spending…the Ice Angel rescue vehicle arrived in Ashland today/yesterday. Sheriff John Kovach says he’s excited, and plans to take it for a few test runs on Chequamegon Bay. Last year, the White House Budget Office used the wind sled as an example of wasteful federal spending apparently not realizing it is used for ice and water rescues, perhaps thinking it was some kind of carnival ride. The story made network news and the front page of USA Today. Kovach says he thinks the White House was misinformed and if he had known the whole story, would never have objected. Kovach says vehicle will eventually be operated by the Ashland Fire Department, but will be available for lake rescues around the Bay area. The Ice Angel Wind Sled is able to skim over ice and water to rescue people trapped on ice or in the water. 

Superior Surprises! Ross to face Kotter in General Election

Peterson and Baker eliminated 2/19/2003

Some surprises in Tuesday's mayoral primary in Superior. Newcomer David Ross out-polled incumbent Mayor Sharon Kotter. Maria Macioce begins our team report. 

When businessman David Ross swept the mayoral primaries by over one thousand votes, no one was more surprised than incumbent Sharon Kotter. "I kind of thought that it would be fairly close, only because I know that he’s been out there working hard. Ross received 51 percent of the vote with 2,503 votes, and Kotter had a 29 percent voter support with 1,423 votes. Kotter says she’s disappointed with the low voter turnout. “Normally, when there’s an incumbent, the people just don’t seem to get out and vote. You might say that my people didn’t get out and vote, because they just take things for granted.” Kotter says she has a lot of work to do to make sure she wins the general election April 1st. “I just have to be sure that what the other candidate is saying, I have to let people know that it’s not true. I know that there’s been the Metro Center issue that’s been out there, and it’s not mine, it belongs to the county. We’ll make some real challenges on what his issues are.” Kevin Peterson came in third place with 682 votes, and Phil Baker in 4th with 246. This is Tony Carr with the Ross campaign. David Ross was all smiles as he learned he had gained just over 25 hundred votes in the primary election. Ross had more then 50 percent of the vote in the primary election. Ross was a little taken aback by the numbers. "We're surprised at the numbers. We worked very hard in all ten precincts, all ten districts. We worked very hard door to door meeting with groups. We made sure went to every part of the city where people came out and talked with us and went over the issues. We were doing face to to face person to person campaigning." Ross's wife Linda was holding their youngest grandson in her arms when she heard the news that her husband had come out as the front runner in the mayoral election. She says little Brecken was campaigning for Granddad since he was born complete with campaign stickers on his crib. Ross says as far as the general election in April is concerned, there isn't going to be a big change in campaign strategy. "We want to continue the postive campaign that we've started and and stick to the issues that are facing the city of Superior." This is Josh Weir with the Kevin Peterson campaign. Peterson spent election night at his home serving sloppy joes. The prospective Mayor had a small gathering of family and close friends there to celebrate and wait for results. Peterson says although he didn’t win election, he still thinks the campaign was successful. “I feel satisfied I’ve made my statement, and the statement for many people. It’s been a continuation of my involvement in the community, in some citizen tax issues and I’ll continue to do so in any case.” The results were a bit of a surprise for Peterson though. He felt fairly confident of making it past the primary. But he says a part of the success of the campaign was getting people involved in their community. “Anyone listening out there, find a way to participate in government, or don’t complain about it.” After the election, Peterson plans to take a few days to relax and try and get back to his regular life. He still plans to stay involved with the Douglas County Taxpayer’s Association, and to keep going down to city hall and doing whatever he can. Finishing back of the pack is another political newcomer, businessman Phillip Baker. He garnered 5% of the vote. Baker blamed his showing on an article in the Duluth News Tribune last Friday, reporting his business bankruptcy in 1998. Baker says he’ll sue the News Tribune, and resents the overall news media coverage. “You people crucify people in the news media.” Baker also complimented the campaigns of Dave Ross and Kevin Peterson, but refused to say anything about Mayor Sharon Kotter’s campaign. Ross faces incumbent mayor Sharon Kotter in the general election in April. 

Wisconsin Budget Expected to Cause 3000 lay-offs

Story by Mike SImonson 2/18/2003
A democratic state senator says he won't be doing much applauding at tonight's budget speech by Governor Jim Doyle. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

State Senator Bob Jauch of Poplar says the governor will announce hard cuts that will hurt many people. "It's going to be lots of bad news. My advice to my colleagues is instead of applause they should use prayer. This is going to be very solemn. A lot of employees in the state of Wisconsin who work hard are going to lose their jobs. And we ought not to cheer that fact because they have mortgages to pay and food to put on the table." UW-Superior Chancellor Julius Erlenbach also expects bad news. He says they're already planning for a 5% across the board cut, but anymore than that would mean serious reductions of classes, and possibly cancelling whole programs. That hasn't happened at UWS since 1983. The governor's budget speech will begin at 7 pm, and will be carried live on KUWS-FM (91.3, Ashland translator 102.9FM)Wisconsin Public Radio. 

Superior Mayoral Primary Tuesday

Crowded field goes after Kotter 2/17/2003

A campaign sign is the center piece of Superior's mayoral campaign. Mike Simonson reports.

Last year Douglas County elected officials raised property taxes 52%. That prompted Kevin Peterson to put up a sign on one of Superior's main roads welcoming people to the land of the 52% tax increase. Peterson is one of three candidates challenging Superior Mayor Sharon Kotter in her bid for a second term. In a debate last week, Kotter chastised Peterson for the sign. "It hasn't kept business out, but I'm here to tell you that every time they walk into my office, they comment on it". Peterson says the sign got people talking and motivated to get involved. "It's a fact, and if you're not aware that it's a fact, that's an example that you're not aware of what's going on in Douglas County." Kotter: "I work for the city." Peterson: "I know, but you have to be aware of what's going on in the county, that's what the question was. It is a fact." Still, Kotter told challengers Peterson, Dave Ross and Phillip Baker to change the sign. "If you want to put up a sign this year Mr. Baker, put one up that says that Superior city taxes went down by .6%." The candidates did agree that the the state budget deficit will force cities around the state to have to either make severe cuts, or raise taxes. 

Beating the winter blahs, they're booking across Chequamegon Bay

Story by Tony Carr 2/14/2003
People might not think trekking from Ashland to Washburn would be an interesting trip, unless you go across Chequamegon Bay to get there, in February. Tony Carr has that story. 

About a thousand people are expected to ski, sled and slide across frozen Chequamegon Bay from Ashland to Washburn to participate in the Book Across the Bay. Saturday’s “Book” will be the seventh time racers will be making that journey. Washburn Library Director Cheryl Hanson has been involved since that first frigid February race. “The race was started in conjunction with the Tri-County Medical Society and the Washburn Public Library. We were trying to think of a fundraiser, something unique. The Medical Society was thinking of something kind of fitness oriented, and we were trying to think of something a little different to attract people and that’s how we came up with the Book Across the Bay.” The money that is raised goes to the Tri-County Medical Society and the Washburn Public Library. The Medical Society uses its part of the money for bicycle and ski helmets and car seats for children. The Washburn Library gives its portion to the Friends of the Library, which pays for the summer reading program. The Book Across the Bay is by no means ordinary. Hanson says they have had some rather colorful participants. “One year I think a group of Northland College students came across the ice and I don’t know if they were dragging or pushing or sledging across the ice, they had a huge paper mache' sculpture of a sun god or something. (laughs) It just kind of rose off in the distance and we’re looking because the course is lit with these ice luminaries cause it’s at night, it starts at six. So you could just sort of make it out and as it came, it was just, that was kind of, different.” The race will feature over 800 giant candles made of ice, lighting the night sky on the bay from Ashland to Washburn. There will be a fireworks display after the first skiers arrive in Washburn along with a heated tent, chili and hot drinks. For more information about the Book Across the Bay contact the Washburn Public Library at area code 715-373-6172 or go online to www.batb.org 

Northern Wisconsin's Astronaut: He'll Take the Risk

Col. Williams first interview since Columbia tragedy 2/13/2003
Wisconsin's astronaut is confident that NASA will continue the shuttle program, but Colonel Jeffrey Williams says that doesn't mean space travel will be free of risk. Mike Simonson reports.

Jeffrey Williams first flew on space shuttle Atlantis for 10 days in May of 2000. He says astronauts don't talk about it much, but it's implied: Space missions are risky. "They've never been routine for both the astronauts and the families or for the whole agency really. It's always been unfortunate in my mind that it generally becomes routine through the media and the general public, but it never has been." He remembers his mother's reaction to his first launch. "She says she missed it. She was in Florida for the launch but she missed it and I asked why and she said my face was buried in my dad's chest. She didn't want to watch." Williams next mission is to spend six months onboard the international space station. So he and his colleagues believe in human-operated space craft. "There's something in the human heart that seeks to explore and discover what we don't know. And to do that ultimately we have to send people. We can send probes and robotics missions and we ought to do that. There's a place for that. That's a critical part of exploration, but ultimately we have to send people." Williams says the priority since the February first explosion of Columbia has been to take care of the families of the seven astronauts who were killed. He says he knew Wisconsin astronaut Laurel Clark well. "Laurel was a very caring person, a very devoted to the mission, she was also a very devoted wife and mother, of course we know the whole family." Williams was raised in Winter, near Hayward. His next mission was to be in about two years. That date will be pushed back until the Columbia investigation is finished.

Superior makes effort to be more friendly to youth

Story by Mike Simonson 2/12/2003
In an effort to stop the "brain drain" of young people leaving the community, one far northern Wisconsin community is making room for teenagers on its city council. Mike Simonson reports. 

Being 16 years old doesn't carry much clout in a world of adults. But Superior Senior High School junior Melissa LaGesse says she's willing to serve on the Superior City Council...even if it means talking about budgets and sidewalks and other dry stuff. "Along with the boring things comes very exciting things, new important things." The Superior City Council voted unanimously this month to make room for two teenagers to sit on the council as non-voting members. U-W Extension Youth adviser Fariba Pendleton says this helps the quality of life for everyone. "Young people have visions and ideas that often times we don't consult with them in terms of asking their opinion. We just assume it would be boring to them." Pendleton says boredom has been a problem in other communities that have tried this. Students lose interest. But LaGesse says that might not happen if the adults take the teen council members seriously. "I hope that they do because the way that teenagers are portrayed now isn't very positive around here. It seems that they all think we're labeled as bad and once they realize it's not all bad and we all have very positive outlooks on things they'll start to listen and see what we want to. Maybe we can make teenagers have a better reputation around town." The Douglas County Board is thinking about jumping on the bandwagon. It will include adding two teenagers to its board on its next agenda. 

Ashland Guard Ready to Deploy/Families React

Story by Tony Carr 2/12/2003
The 106th Engineering Detachment in Ashland has been ordered to active duty. They’ll leave many family members behind when they’re mobilized. Tony Carr reports. 

Families in Ashland, Mellen, Bayfield, Park Falls and across Northern Wisconsin are thinking about loved ones today with the mobilization of the National Guard troops based at the Ashland Armory. Linda Pearson’s daughter Paula is one of the soldiers at the Ashland Unit. “I think that right now they’re not saying a whole lot. I know of course Paula has been reporting since Friday to the local national guard unit. They’re just doing a lot of processing, a lot of equipment checking, that kind of thing. They really haven’t told them their exact objective yet.” Major James Sandomeirski says soldiers have mixed reactions about the mobilization. “It varies. There are a lot of personnel that are very excited to go. And there’s also a lot of personnel that it seems to have caught by surprise. There’s some new mothers and young families that are being affected. It surprised a lot of people. It surprised more people then it didn’t. It’s still soaking in. Private First Class Alicia Sorel from Mellen says her Mom is not happy with the situation. “My Mom doesn’t like it. She’s scared.” Linda Pearson has mixed feelings too. "I guess you always have a bit of a mixed feeling. I guess that if it’s necessary for us to protect the United States, that’s what we do. That’s what the Army, the National Guard, and everyone is trained for. And these people go into that with the idea that the necessity might come around.” And there’s Betty Butterfield of Bayfield. She has two grandsons in the service. Twins Aaron and Abe Butterfield are also gearing up for this fight against terrorism. She says she’s not as interested in the details of what her boys are doing, as she is about how they’re doing.

Transplanted elk making themselves at home 

Story by Tarina Beatty 2/10/2003
Less than 10 years ago, elk were brought to Clam Lake as an experiment in animal re-population. But as Tarina Beatty reports, wildlife isn't all the project brings to the area.

It started out as 25 elk released just outside the town of Clam Lake. Now, there are over 100 roaming the area. Lane Stowell is the elk biologist for the DNR. He says the elk population is expected to make a big jump this spring. "The calves are sexually mature at 2 years, and cows eventually have a 90-100% pregnancy rate." Stowell says the elk calves have a good survival rate, that's something that Rich Curtis likes to hear. Curtis owns Clam Lake Lodge. He says the elk may be the best thing to ever happen to Clam Lake's tourism industry. Curtis says he hasn't seen a big increase in visitors yet, but he expects that to change in time. "Where are the elk? how do we go see the elk? We expect people to come here more and ask those questions as the herd increases in size." If the herd continues to grow, hunting permits will eventually be issued to keep their numbers in check - but Curtis says there is some concern that the permits will be issued to early. "We're hoping that doesn't happen." Curtis says the elk can often be seen near the highway during the early morning and evening. 

President's action on AIDS will help local patients

Story by Maria Macioce 2/7/2003
President Bush’s plans for a new AIDS virus test could significantly impact patients in Northern Wisconsin. Maria Macioce has that story.
 
President Bush announced plans to speed a new, quicker HIV and AIDS test into use in his State of the Union Address. Douglas County Health Department Nurse Judy Walker says the sooner a person is diagnosed, the better the chances for survival. “Many people are somewhat transient, and they might get a test and we have to have them come back in a week or so. They may have moved on. If in fact they never get their results, and then they continue also to possibly do the same high-risk behaviors that transmit the disease to someone else, and they unknowingly transmit the disease.” Walker says the HIV virus isn’t common in Northern Wisconsin, but it does occur. Since the late 1980’s, Douglas County has seen 48 HIV cases, Bayfield 10, and Ashland and Washburn 7 each. 

Aquaculture Center not another aquarium

Story by Maria Macioce 2/6/2003
There will be plenty of fish to see, but it won’t be another Great Lakes Aquarium. Maria Macioce reports on the Aquaculture Facility planned at Red Cliff on the Bayfield Peninsula. 

Director Greg Fischer says the Aquaculture Demonstration Facility is designed to promote and advance fish farming. The facility will have two separate buildings, one with classrooms and a library for learning about fish rearing culture, and the other for experiencing it hands on. Fischer says the educational experience is the main attraction. “We foresee that this will be utilized by a variety of organizations, federal, state, tribal, university, and even private organizations, to train people on how to raise fish. There’s a whole range that will be taught at the facility, not only how to raise them but also how to market your product, how to process your product. Probably in the long run I’d like to see some kind of a component where kids can come and take in an aquaculture class.” The University of Wisconsin and the Red Cliff Band of Chippewa are working together to build and operate the $3 million facility near the Red Cliff fish hatchery. Fischer says it is not modeled after Duluth’s Great Lakes Aquarium, which he says is a visitor-centered showcase for fish. He says the center won’t run into the same financial problems, either. “The facility is a lot smaller than the GLA is. We’re not counting on visitor dollars to run the facility. The money to build and operate it right now is coming from tribal gaming money, which is given to us by the state.” Fischer says the facility will not only feature many kinds of fish, but possibly plants and shrimp as well. Construction on the aquaculture center is slated for this summer, with completion by next summer. 

Reports of an agreement with Murphy Oil premature

Story by Maria Macioce 2/5/2003
The Wisconsin DNR and Murphy Oil have not settled on an air pollution permit for the Superior refinery. Maria Macioce reports that it could be a month or so before anything is final.

Murphy Oil Refinery Manager Dave Podratz believes an agreement will eventually be released, but a report in the Duluth News Tribune saying a report had been reached jumped the gun. “It’s very close to agreement. We hope to have an agreement in the very near future. It’s something that we’ve got to get before we can go forward, but it’s a step in the right direction.” State Senator Bob Jauch says the permit deals with allowances for plant start up and shut down and malfunctions. The permit would end a long regulatory battle that cost Murphy Oil 5 million dollars in fines and 12 million in new pollution control equipment. “I think that the department is going to include some security that in fact they will be able to operate the refinery in realistic fashion, without fear of reprisal. Murphy can be assured that when there are circumstances beyond their control, such as a power outage or an equipment malfunction that isn’t their fault, there would be an allowance for those rare circumstances.” Jauch says he doesn’t see a reason why the negotiations have taken so long, and that he anticipates the permit to be settled sometime within the next 4-6 weeks. 

Speros: Minnesota Biggest Tourism Competitor to Wisconsin

Outgoing Secretary has final thoughts 2/4/2003
Wisconsin’s biggest competitor for tourism dollars is…Minnesota. Former Tourism Secretary Moose Speros says it’s a battle Wisconsin can’t afford to lose. Maria Macioce reports. 

When Governor Tommy Thompson hired Moose Speros as Tourism Secretary in 1991, no one was more surprised than the small business owner. “Well, I was here at the resort and he had come to the resort with a friend of mine. We talked and he saw that I was a Vietnam Vet and had flown in the Air Force and that I was a pilot in the Air Force. We just got to talking and he made a comment would I like to work for him that day. One thing led to another, and a year later, I did in fact go to work for him.” With the election of Governor Jim Doyle, Speros steps away from an 11 year career that he says had many great moments. “I’m certainly proud that Governor Thompson decided to make the division of tourism in the Department of Tourism. I think that’s very important to have a Department of Tourism. I think it’s critical to have the year of the governor. I think it’s the healthiest major industry in the state of Wisconsin today.” Speros has seen state tourism expenditures rise from $5.7 billion in 1991 to $11.4 billion today, and says this trend needs to continue under new secretary Kevin Shibilski, even if it means competing with its neighbor. “Minnesota and Wisconsin are after the same customers. We can’t let them get ahead of us, and it would harm us if we cut back on our marketing.” Speros plans to remain active in the tourism industry by running the Tiger Musky Resort in Couderay, a business he’s owned since 1976. 

Study to Widen and Deepen St. Lawrence Seaway Under Fire

Supporters say it is needed to keep competitive with ocean ports 2/3/2003
Congress is considering spending up to $2-million to continue a study to enlarging the St. Lawrence Seaway. Opponents say that will only mean trouble for the Great Lakes. Mike Simonson reports. 

The bone of contention is a multi-year study that looks at allowing larger ocean-going ships to get through the Seaway which links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The National Wildlife Federation's Rick Spencer in Washington says that would rip up the Saint Lawrence River and stir up pollution from Montreal to Milwaukee. "Dredging hundreds of millions of cubic yard. Blasting islands. Bringing in ships from different parts of the world. You are destroying fish habitat, you're going to be releasing toxic sediments. You're going to increase the risk of new invasive species." Right now channels are 25 feet deep. The study will look at digging 10 feet deeper to make room for larger ships. That would allow ports to take on more cargo at less cost. Duluth-Superior Port Director Davis Helberg is hearing the protests. "It's been fairly isolated so far to some activist organizations. And God bless 'em, that's what we do in this country, is argue issues. What's so particularly disturbing to me on this one is that we're talking about a study. We're talking about an analysis that will focus on engineering, economics, and on the environmental aspects of keeping the Seaway competitive in the long term." The proposal is in the House and Senate conference committee. If funding is approved, the U-S Army Corps of Engineers will continue the study.

Thunder Bay Hydro Going Ahead with Massive Expansion/Lake Superior Underwater Cable

Story by Mike Simonson 2/1/2003

An Ontario power company wants a transmission line along eastern Wisconsin. This is part of an idea that would include stringing a high-voltage line under Lake Superior. Mike Simonson reports.

This plan is part of an overall project that would build high-capacity generating plants in Ontario. It would also connect outlying First Nation tribes with low-cost electricity and sell excess power to the United States. Thunder Bay Hydro General Manager Larry Hebert says this is at least five years off, but they are talking to Wisconsin's American Transmission Company or ATC. They'd like to lay a 90 mile long cable under Lake Superior to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and run a high-voltage line southward across Wisconsin's eastern side to connect Chicago. "Depends, I guess with ATC as well what plans they would have and also if it can't go through Wisconsin then we'd look to going through Illinois. They can make the call there because they control most of the transmission currently." Hebert is aware of the controversy surrounding the proposed Duluth to Wausau line, so his company is keeping its options open. ATC's Mary Pat Blankenheim says Thunder Bay Hydro's proposal is intriguing. "It's an interesting proposition especially given the fact that we are looking for new ways of getting energy to the areas where it's needed. But again the only way to get it there is by transmission." Thunder Bay Hydro has not made any applications in Wisconsin since this project was announced early last year. But Hebert says they are applying for permits for the Lake Superior cable. 

Sherman Wants to Outlaw Human Cloning

Doesn't Want to Risk Hitler-type Master Race 1/31/2003

This week, President Bush proposed a ban on human cloning. Wisconsin may debate that issue this year. Mike Simonson reports one lawmaker wants to outlaw making what he calls "designer people". 

The thought of engineering human beings or giving tools to a rogue scientist to accomplish what Hitler tried to do in Germany frightens State Representative Gary Sherman. The Port Wing Democrat is drafting legislation to outlaw cloning people. "The fact that we can do it, doesn't mean that we should do it, or have a right to do it. And I think we should just forbid it." Sherman says cloning attempts have resulted in serious deformities in animal offspring. He says the risks and the objectives make cloning human beings unethical. "To purify the race, to create obedient workers and soldiers who are supermen but totally obedient maybe not overnight, but this is the critical step. This is the way that the nature of human beings ceases to be what it is today. We no longer are talking about free will." Sherman's legislation would not interfere with what he calls legitimate genetic study, including stem cell research. Anti-cloning legislation was proposed but not passed last year. It banned stem cell research.

Jobless Rate Up North Higher Than State Rate

Story by Tony Carr 1/30/2003
Workers filing for unemployment benefits in Northwestern
Wisconsin counties are on the rise…almost twice as many this month as in December. Tony Carr reports.

Job Service Labor Analyst Beverly Gerhke in Hayward says unemployment claims are on the rise from less than 4000 to 6500 this month. Gehrke says that increase is normal for this time of year. Counties like Bayfield, Ashland and Iron have the higher unemployment rates, at around 8-percent in December. In Ashland County unemployment is high largely because of the loss of manufacturing jobs. “There have been some small manufacturing layoffs that have added up and reduced employment there. Since last December manufacturing employment is down about 70 jobs in Ashland County.” While the loss of manufacturing jobs is hurting the northwest area, some industries are not having any reductions. “The services industry as a larger group including health care, business services have tended to not lay off that many people, in fact they just continue to add people.” Unemployment in Douglas County is 5%, but about the same as the statewide rate. “The counties that have fluctuated a lot because of seasonal employment, that would include Bayfield, Ashland, Iron Counties, tend to have higher unemployment rates, especially in the winter months when a lot of those seasonal jobs, or a lot of those seasonal workers are laid off for the winter.” Gehrke is optimistic that spring and warmer weather will thaw out unemployment. “Well by spring, things do turn around for Northwest Wisconsin. [LAUGHS] Everybody will be hiring back workers that have been laid off do to winter months. There is just seasonal fluctuations in their employment. The area has a strong lumber and wood industry that responds to the needs of the construction industry to supply lumber and wood products.”

Astronaut from Northern Wisconsin Grateful for Career

Marks the 17th anniversary of the explosion of the shuttle Challenger 1/29/2003

17 years ago, 73 seconds after lift-off the nation was
horrified as the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded high above Cape Canaveral, killing the crew of 10 astronauts. Mike Simonson reports.

Wisconsin has two active astronauts…one is Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Williams…born in Superior and raised in Winter in Sawyer County. In an interview from Houston today/yesterday, Williams says dangers aside, being an astronaut is a good but busy life. “There are sacrifices you have to make. And it takes a special person to be married to an astronaut. My wife has been great, and I don’t take that for granted.” Williams tries to get back to the Hayward area as much as possible. For now, he just has to say “hey” over the radio. “I want to thank everyone who has supported me over the years, and I hope I can share more of my experiences with people next time I’m up there.” Williams flew on a 10-day mission onboard space shuttle Atlantis to the international space station in May of 2000 and is preparing for another mission, a 6 month flight to the space station in two or three years.

Oil Spill Clean-up Keeping Crude Out of the Harbor

Cold a help and a hassle 1/27/2003

One of the largest oil spills in Superior is being cleaned up
under a watchful government eye. Mike Simonson reports that cold weather is playing its part to protect the environment.

Subzero weather and a 2-foot deep sheet of ice on the Nemadji River kept 19-thousand gallons of crude oil from getting into the river water which is just a couple miles from Lake Superior. Enbridge Energy Pipeline's Denise Hamshur says they caught the leak almost immediately Friday night. "We mobilized swiftly to make sure that we could avoid environmental damage and while the cold was helpful in containing that and stopped its spreading, it has made it a little more difficult for recovery. Cold, slushy oil is a lot harder to recover than sucking it up into tankers." About 100,000 gallons of oil spilled, most of it in holding ponds and on land around the Superior facility. Hamshur says they don't see anything suspicious about this spill. "We do know that we had a piece of pipe at the end, it was a dead end branch within the terminal and there was a cap, and endcap on that piece of pipe. That endcap failed and that's where the oil came out. How it failed and why it failed is part of our ongoing investigation." The United States Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Duluth has been monitoring the spill because of its closeness to Lake Superior. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Palmiatto says the U-S Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Natural Resources are also on site. "Because they're the ones who are really going to tell us and tell Enbridge 'how clean is clean?'. I mean that's one of the big questions when we get down to cleaning up oil, is that you can get a lot of it but it really gets down to how clean you want it to be. That's where the state and local agencies come in that are really helpful in that regard." Most of the 100,000 gallons has already been recovered and will be re-used. The rest of the clean-up may take another few weeks.

Old Bayfield County TNT Site Could Land On Superfund List

Meeting about it on January 30 at Northern Great Lakes Center 1/24/2003

The Dupont Barksdale Explosives Site could qualify for the
Superfund list. Maria Macioce reports on January 30 meeting to discuss cleanup of the former TNT factory.

Twenty-two years after it closed, environmental studies continue on the Dupont Barksdale Explosives Plant site. Once the nation’s leading producer of TNT, the plant shut down in 1971, and last year carcinogens were found in the water. The Wisconsin DNR and U.S. Environmental are holding a public meeting to discuss the ongoing environmental investigation. EPA Involvement Coordinator Don de Blasio says they will also talk about whether or not to make it a government superfund site. “The main concern is the quality of drinking water for area residents. There’s a lot of people with drinking systems up there getting well water. Also, there’s concern about whether this site is having any effect on Chequamegon Bay or Lake Superior, because a lot of people fish there, and we want to make sure that there’s no contamination from the site getting into the waters and contaminating the fish.” If cleanup is necessary, it would begin with warmer weather. The 1,800 acre Dupont site produced explosives for the government in World War I and 2, and operated from 1904-1971.

Rash of Frozen Pipes Keeping Plumbers Busy

Story by Maria Macioce 1/22/2003

Many homeowners are stuck with fixing broken water pipes
in the wake of this cold snap. Maria Macioce reports that the combination of no snow and plenty of cold is keeping plumbers busy.

Broken pipes mean booming business for area plumbers. Belknap Plumbing Office Manager Candy Ferfon in Superior says that they get as many as 5 pipe-related calls a day and are even turning customers away. “We only have so many guys, so many machines. Depending on how bad some of these pipes are sometimes you can go in and get one done in a couple or three hours, but one might be so bad that it takes all day. We’ve still got two waiting and three that we’ve had to turn down.” Ferfon says the multitude of broken pipes is from of a combination of the cold and lack of snow. She says the snow acts as an insulation, and that pipes begin to freeze at about zero degrees. Ferfon says that plumbers deal with broken pipes by unthawing, repairing, and re-insulating them. She says that can get pricey for homeowners. “It’s $64.50 per hour. They’re union plumbers. It’s a $25 charge for the thawing machine, and then of course whatever parts have to be replaced if anything is broken. Sometimes a meter will freeze and break and they have to replace the meters. So you’re talking, depending on what’s broken, in material, as low as $10 to a couple hundred dollars or more.” Ferfon says a plumber’s visit can be avoided by making sure the pipe is well-insulated and checking it regularly.

Keep Fido From Freezing

Dangerous cold can hurt animals 1/21/2003

Dangerously low temperatures could mean trouble for pets.
Maria Macioce reports on ways to keep Fido from freezing.

Veterinarian Kathryn Sutton says it is dangerous for some animals to be outside for more than a matter of minutes. So far this season, she hasn’t seen any cases of pet frostbite. But she says animal owners need to know little pets with short hair are at the greatest risk. “The first things to go are things like the ear tips. You get a little bit of frostbite. We get dogs that get broken or bleeding cracked pads.” Although the cold weather is rough on house pets, Sutton says it can also cause problems for bigger animals with thick fur. “They can be brought inside but it’s almost not recommended to bring them directly into your house because they’re going to be too warm. They’ve grown a full winter coat so they’ve got very dense, thick fur. If they’re outside all the time and they’ve got this heavy set winter coat, bring them into a house that 65-70 degrees, they are roasting.” Sutton says it’s okay to let outdoor pets in for short periods of time, and that dressing your small pets in sweaters and booties might help.

Shell Lake Piping Problems Continue

Story by Maria Macioce 1/20/2003

Flooding problems continue for the city of Shell Lake. Maria
Macioce reports on the pipe that’s supposed to solve the city’s problems but isn’t.

To ease Shell Lake’s overflowing water woes, the city installed a four mile long pipe that flows into the Yellow River. Shell Lake Mayor Larry Fletcher says the pipe just doesn’t seem to want to work. “We have turned that pipeline on five times, and we have shut it off five times. Every time we turn it on we have leaks.” Fletcher says the pipe suppliers, Advanced Drainage Systems, have been working on the pipeline and can’t seem to figure out why it keeps leaking. “That’s the $64 question, I guess. Somebody asked me that the other day and I told them what’s causing them is that the water runs through them, that’s what’s causing them.” Fletcher says the pipeline needs to be in operation by spring. As of this fall, Shell Lake’s water levels had risen 6 feet, causing problems for the town. “The ground around the lake is super saturated, foundations are being crushed by the freezing ground in some homes, the ice is knocking out poles for people’s decks. Some people have water above their living floor level. I know at least one house that they haven’t been able to live in for a year and a half.” Fletcher says that damaged properties will take their toll on the city’s tax base. The city hopes to decrease the lake’s water level by 3 or 4 feet next summer.

No Business like Snow Business

Story by Maria Macioce 1/17/2003

Many businesses in Northern Wisconsin depend on snowy winters
to succeed. Maria Macioce reports that the lack of snow has left resorts hurting.

"It's pretty devastating up here." That's Deer Run Resort owner Ruth Aaron, echoing the sentiments of resort owners all over Northern Wisconsin. No snow means no snowmobiling or skiing, which often means no customers. Aaron said that her Hayward resort is usually open seven days a week, but they were only open three days last week. "There just isn't much else up here to do. And there just isn't any people around. I think people are finding other things to do." Boulder Lodge owner Don Sesko says there hasn't been a winter season for his Barnes business. "No snowmobiling at all, ice fishing was good at the beginning of the season, but that's backed off. There's no reason to be here. Even the locals are leaving for their holidays and such." In Bayfield County, Lake Owen Resort manager James Bolin says that even if there is a major snowfall, it may be too late. "In the wintertime, it's much more expensive to operate a business. You've got heating expenses that you don't normally have in the summer and in the spring and fall, and you can't recoup that money. If they're not here now, the season is so short and the trails close, you can't make up for these weeks that are lost." Except for areas in the Lake Superior snowbelt, resorts are being forced to use other means to attract people. Bolin is also President of the Cable Chamber of Commerce, and says that the city is running an ad campaign featuring 101 things to do without snowmobiling or skiing. One of the activities Bolin says is being pushed is hiking and exploring the area's waterfalls.

Superfund Sites in Duluth Move Closer to Clean-up

At least that's the claim... 1/16/2003

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency wants people to comment
on the clean-up of the former U.S. Steel and Duluth Interlake Tar Superfund sites. Tarina Beatty reports.

The initial clean-up of two superfund sites ended in 1997. Now, the MPCA is beginning its five-year review of the clean-up. MPCA’s Anne Moore says people’s opinions are important to the study, because residents have more exposure to the site than agency crews. “We really appreciate having people who are more familiar with the site be able to give up a better idea of what is going on at the site. Is the environment looking good or is it looking bad? Is there anything specific that they noticed within the last year, couple years? That we should be aware of - both good and bad.” Moore says both sites have pollution that has not been contained yet, and they are looking into the best ways to handle the remaining contaminants. “It's still fairly new technology and there are no rules that go with it, so we are in the process of working with national experts of the various remedy options so that we can find the best think - and it may be the same thing, it may be different things - for those two sites.” The sites don't have to be cleaned up completely though - they must be brought to levels acceptable for an industrial site. Comments on the sites can be made to Anne Moore at (218)723-2356. Thoughts are welcome even after the end of the review in June.

Ashland Mayor Working to Create Jobs/New Medical Facility First Step

Story by Tarina Beatty 1/15/2003

Ashland is holding its own in this rough economy - but as Tarina
Beatty reports, an upcoming development could provide a big boost to the economy.

A new cardiac and cancer unit coming to Ashland. Mayor Fred Schnook says the facility is a response to Ashland's aging population - but will benefit more than just those needing medical care. “That's going to mean significant growth here in the community - and it looks like some really good quality jobs too. The kind of jobs that pay a living wage and can support a family.” Groundbreaking is expected to be in late summer. Schnook says he has other ideas to create jobs in the Bay area. He says the days of an industrial economy are coming to an end, and it's important to understand what this means. “We have train not only our workers, but we have to train our business leaders and our small downtown businesses to be able to capitalize on all aspects of the new economy and not to focus on what was successful in the old industrial economy.” A study is being conducted to find out what Ashland residents buy - and how much of that money stays in town. Schnook says the information will be used to help local businesses meet the needs of the community members.

Wisconsin Point Plans for Environmental Studies and Sacred Ground

UW-Superior making plans in hopes of getting property 1/14/2003

An old US Coast Guard station at the end of Wisconsin Point may land in the lap of UW-Superior. As Mike Simonson reports, this land is sensitive in more ways than one.

The familiar tale of a Native American tribe being forced off its own land applies to Wisconsin Point. Around 1914 a tribal village was relocated to make room for ore docks that were never built. Left behind were the graves of many ancestors, so this land is considered sacred. It is also being considered as surplus federal property. The end of the point may be put up for sale or more likely turned over to the University of Wisconsin-Superior. UW-Superior Chancellor Julius Erlenbach has high hopes for that property and the old Coast Guard station buildings. "We fully expect to have this become a part of our institution. It's a very important part of property. We have to do some thinking about this piece of property. And one of the things we need to consider is the involvement of the tribes because of a portion of Wisconsin Point is a designated burial ground." Erlenbach foresees an environmental learning center, since it is on the Lake Superior shore and considered environmentally sensitive. A cultural center involving Lake Superior Chippewa tribes is also in the plans, in a way returning land taken from them almost a century ago.

Duluth-based Study Points to Development as Greatest Threat to Great Lakes

Lakes Michigan and Erie Hardest Hit 1/13/2003

A 4 year study on the health of the Great Lakes is halfway finished. The biggest threat is development along its shorelines and Lake Michigan is among the hardest hit. Mike SImonson reports.

This $6 million study funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency two years ago directs scientists to find out what the greatest threats are to the five Great Lakes. Researcher Gerald Niemi says Lake Michigan is one of the hardest hit lakes. "Certainly Lake Michigan has a number of contaminants. There's some very heavy industrial areas that are impacting Lake Michigan. We have some tremendous impacts on Lake Erie. There's a lot of agricultural development surrounding Lake Erie. So, probably Lake Michigan and Lake Erie are in poorer shape because of some of these impacts than the other systems for example Lake Huron or Lake Superior or Lake Ontario." Niemi says the biggest red flag so far is urban development along the shores of the Great Lakes. "Coastal regions are places where people love to live. There's lots of tourism involved in that in addition to just the beautiful scenery of the Great Lakes, so there is quite a bit of pressure from both residential and commercial development. We found that many situations of commercial development you remove the forests, remove the wetlands, you have greater impacts and reduced population of birds, amphibians, those kind of things." Niemi says it is important to have land set aside for parks and a natural state to avoid pollution. The University of Minnesota-Duluth and 9 other universities including U- W's at Superior, Green Bay and Madison are involved in this study which will be completed in two more years.

70 People Helped Locally By Unemployment $ Extension

Story by Maria Macioce 1/10/2003

The passing of a $7.25-billion plan to aid people who’ve lost their jobs will spread out relief in the region. Maria Macioce reports that the money will help those people in the area.

Northwestern Wisconsin Job Service Supervisor Chuck Gottschall says the extended federal benefits will help unemployed workers in Northern Wisconsin get back on their feet. “It’s replacing their paycheck right now. It may be the only income that the family is actually receiving right now. It provides them with a little financial backing so that they can get through every day, with things they used to take for granted.” Gotschall says that the Job Service is working with about 70 people in the region who need the benefits, 45 to 50 who are from Superior. He says they welcome the money, and that it could also benefit in the long run. Gotschall: “Most of these people are in some kind of two year school program, so it allows them to get retrained while they’re laid off, and still receive financial benefit so they can continue the school.” Gotschall says that it’s hard to say what long term effects the money will have on the area, but helping the unemployed survive is what’s important right now.

Northern Schools Students Battle Poverty

Story by Mike Simonson 1/9/2003

Many of the school districts in northern Wisconsin have high numbers of students from families that are in poverty. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Seventh highest in Wisconsin is the Bayfield School District with more than one in five students from families with incomes below the federal poverty line. This is according to the 2000 census. Glidden, Hayward, Minong/Gordon, Drummond and Siren all have more than 15% students in poverty. That's the argument State Senator Bob Jauch has been using to get more money to rural schools. Jauch hopes the legislature in spite of the budget deficit, will find a better way to fund school districts with high poverty levels. "Rural schools, especially up north, don't have the options that poor rural areas like Milwaukee have." Ashland, South Shore, Solon Spring, Superior, Maple and Hurley all have more than 12% students in poverty. Winter, Spooner, Grantsburg, and Webster all have rates above 10%.

Shipping Season Winding Down/Many to Lay Over

The locks at Sault Saint Marie will close next week, ending most of Great Lakes traffic until late March. The season is ending with a flourish after a slow start. Mike Simonson reports.

Fifteen lakers will lay-up over the winter in the Twin Ports, about as many as the port can hold. At an economic impact of about $800,000 each, it should keep contractors busy. Otherwise, it's smooth sailing out on the Great Lakes but not having to contend with the usual late season ice isn't the reason for increased shipping. Duluth-Superior Seaway Port Director Davis Helberg says there's a record demand for low-sulfur western coal and even iron ore. "The iron ore production this year is about 5-million tons more than a year ago. It'll be around 36 or 37 million tons. Last year was the lowest point it has hit in decades, it was 31 million. So there's been more iron ore to move, there's been a proportionate increase in demand." Helberg says that could mean an economic rebound. Lake Carrier's Association's Glenn Neckvasil in Cleveland says the rebound will only make this season's total Great Lakes tonnage match last year's numbers. "2001 was so lousy that just about anything would be an improvement. The fact that we have more boats running today than a year ago for sure it's good news, but it's not really that significant. We're comparing ourselves with very depressed times. The bottom line is the industry still has a lot of work to do to get back to the levels it was not too too terribly long ago." Neckvasil expects the final shipping total will be around last year's 103-million, which is down from the late 1990's when 122 million tons of cargo was carried to and from Great Lakes ports.

Ice Perilous Warn Several Officials

Open water on northern lakes in January 1/7/2003

Drowning deaths around the state are being blamed on the unusually warm temperatures. As Mike Simonson reports from Superior, officials are saying this is more than just the usual January thaw.

Operators of the Madeline Island Ferry on Lake Superior see lots of open water to Bayfield, during a time they're usually considering calling it quits because of thick ice. Ironically, just a few miles to the west on Chequamegon Bay, people are driving on the ice. Ashland County Sheriff John Kovach is asking people to stop trusting the ice. "Chequamegon Bay between Ashland and Washburn, the entire bay is covered by ice. When you get out by Houghton Point leading north to the islands, it's open water." Record-breaking temperatures aren't the only problem. Department of Natural Resources Warden Mike Smith in Spooner says the weather just hasn't gotten really cold to make good ice. This is not like other years. "I've had a lot of calls here at our DNR headquarters about people concerned about areas of open water. Some of them on snowmobile trails, some of them with open waters in unexpected places that we've never had 'em before. I should make you aware that the Department of Natural Resources does not mark areas of open water." Smith says people who do fall through the ice often drown, because the lack of snow makes the ice very slick and nearly impossible to climb out of the hypothermic water.

UW-Superior Students Take Working Vacation Along Coral Reef

Story by Maria Macioce 1/6/2003

22 UW-Superior students are trading in Wisconsin's cold for a
tropical environment in January. Maria Macioce reports on the Coral Reef Ecology class in Belize.

Two groups of biology students are in Belize through January 16, 14 undergraduates taking the Coral Reef Ecology class and 8 students working with the Belize government on a research project. This is Biology Professor Edward Burkett's second time taking students to Belize. "This collaboration in Belize allows our students to participate in professional research in a level that they wouldn't be able to in the U.S.. Plus it gives the Belize government to have a team of researchers come in and collect the data set that they either financially don't have the resources to commit to, or they don't have the personnel to commit to." Students in the 2 credit ecology class will combine about 120 hours of classroom lectures with 25 dives to learn about how humans impact coral reef. The research team will make about 50 dives to study sedimentation, fish populations, and coral diseases. Burkett says that the hands on experience is like no other. "Here you have a situation where students are certainly learning information in a traditional way, in a classroom setting, but they get to take what they learn, they get to go out into the environment and actually see these organisms in the environment in which they live." Classes were previously held in Cozumel, Mexico. All students are certified divers.

Isle Royale Quiet But Alive in Winter

Legend has it... 1/3/2003
Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior is shut down for the
winter. Stephanie Nasi reports on the islands that are more than 90% wilderness.

With January in full swing, it means the wildlife get a chance to take a break from the tourists. But not all humans will leave the isolation of these islands. Isle Royale National Park's Smitty Parratt says there are people who brave the harsh conditions. "That involves approximately six researchers and National Park employees being on the island January, February, and March accessing the island via ski plane, studying the populations of wolves and moose." Legend has it that in the early 20th century, a husband and wife spent the winter on Isle Royale looking after a piece of property for a friend. They were to receive food and supplies from the owners of the land. However, supplies were never brought and only one survived. That very island now bears his name: Charlie Mott. But, Parratt says, just because the island is closed off, doesn't mean the mainland UP of Michigan doesn't have any activities. "There's a possibility to explore Kewanee National historical park, our neighbor park here, just north of Houghton, and the historic buildings and stories to explore in that area." The island attracts about eighteen thousand people each summer, a number used to be higher. Reasons, Parratt says, vary. "I think years back there was a big interest in backpacking interest, which has subsided somewhat, and there's other factors too, cost of travel, political things that have been going on in the last year or so they all have an impact on peoples travel." The park opens back up in April, but peak season usually isn't until July.

Bayfield Back To Nature School Gets Money

Story by Tom Mahlen 1/2/2003
If you've ever dreamed of learning the ancient trade of
blacksmithing or wondered how soap is made, Clear Water Folk School may be able to help. Tom Mahlen has the story.

At Clear Water Folk School of Bayfield county, you can't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Timber framing, bow making, basket weaving, students learn by participating as opposed to reading about it in a text book. Clear Water Folk School Founders Michael and Savita Jones say certain activities are quite popular with students. "Timber framing workshops have always been very successful and very full--very popular." Savita Jones says another popular activity is bow- making. "It was a real neat experience to see all these grown men fulfill this childhood dream of making a bow, and they worked!" Jones says plans for the school were initiated in January of 2000. The organization consists of the Jones' and four board members, achieved non-profit status a year later. Jones says growth since then has been phenomenal-- the school put on 25 classes last year, and has already logged 83 classes for 2002. In addition to these classes, Clear Water has taken on apprentices for the blacksmithing program. This provides an educational alternative for "at- risk" students. Word of the folk school is been spread primarily by the calendar the school circulates. including the September 28 "Pumpkin Fest." Jones says the event drew over 800 people. In an move to expand programming, they're trying to raise money to hire more teachers. Jones says this is integral to the school's growth. "The Clear Water Folk School could better serve the area if we could hire some part-time positions." The school received a grant of $1500 this fall from the Apostle Islands Area Community Fund. She says the money will be used to promote the school, and make more activities available to prospective students.

Dreams Come True in 2003 for Chequamegon Bay Area

Story by Tom Mahlen 1/1/2003
The Bay area's Regional Hospice Services is starting its
own program to help terminally ill patients fulfill their last wish. Tom Mahlen has the story.

Regional Hospice Services of Ashland is putting the finishing touches on their newest project, the "Dreams Come True" program. The program helps people who are terminally ill from Ashland and Bayfield counties accomplish something special. "Dreams Come True" Co-Founder Rod Gellner says a $500 grant from the Apostle Islands Area Community Fund helps. "With this money we're hoping to set aside something that we can do a little extra for the family, such as give them a boat ride on Lake Superior, or take a meal in to them, fly a family member home to see them, anything that the family has ear-marked that they would like to do, we're going to try and be able to do that for them." Gellner says the Dreams Come True program is ready to help its first patient. However, due to the small number of terminal patients in Bayfield and Ashland counties, he says no one has taken advantage of the service yet. Gellner says plans are being made to start

This Just In: Minnesota Power Puts Proposed Superior Power Plant on the Shelf

Cites bad wholesale market and slow economy 12/31/2002

Low prices for wholesale electricity is putting construction of a Superior power plant on hold indefinitely. Mike Simonson reports.

Minnesota Power was going to build an $80-million natural gas peak power plant in Superior. It had its permit approved by the Public Service Commission last fall. The 160 megawatt plant won't be built because of what Minnesota Power officials say is the unsettled nature of the economy and wholesale electricity markets. Minnesota Power will take a one-time 5-million dollar charge to its earnings because of the delay.

SOUL: Governor-elect may mean end of Duluth to Wausau Powerline

Story by Mike Simonson 12/30/2002

Opponents of the proposed Duluth to Wausau high powered
transmission line believe moves taken by Governor-elect Jim Doyle will mean the end of that project. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.

Even though Governor-elect Doyle has not come out against the 340-megavolt transmission line, SOUL President Tom Kreager of Mosinee is optimistic he has a friend in the governor's mansion. Kreager says Doyle's appointment of a new consumer-friendly person to head the Public Service Commission gives them hope. "Gonna end up with a committee that again looksa t where we're at and what we desire to have for the future and then develop a plan for getting there. Right now we don't have that. It's really a hodgepodge of process that really does nobody favors anwhere along the line." SOUL, a grassroots group of environmentalists and property owners, contends the 250-mile long Arrowhead-Weston line is not needed, that a new line should come from the western part of the state, where power line corridors already exist. "Be real honest I'd like to see them toss Arrowhead-Weston and get back to the real issues of what are the needs of the state. The information that's used to justify Arrowh