Duffy leading Lassa in one poll; dead even in another

Madison–New polling released by Democrat Julie Lassa’s campaign shows her race with Republican Sean Duffy for the 7th Congressional District seat is a dead heat, while a poll released by Sean Duffy’s campaign shows the Republican former district attorney from Ashland with a sizable lead.

The poll, conducted for Lassa’s campaign by the D.C.-based firm Garin-Hart-Yang Research, shows Duffy leading Lassa 42 percent to 41 percent, within the margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

The telephone survey was conducted Sept. 26 and 27 among 504 likely voters in the 7th Congressional District.

Seven percent of those polled said they would vote for independent candidate Gary Kauther, and 10 percent were undecided.

Meanwhile, Duffy’s poll indicates that he is actually leading the race by a 47%-34% margin.  Duffy’s poll did not indicate whether Kauther was included in the survey.

Youth gun deer hunt Oct. 9-10

Madison— The ninth annual Wisconsin youth deer gun hunt will take place statewide on October 9-10.

Under Wisconsin’s Mentored Hunting Law, now in its second season, hunters as young as 10 years of age may participate — with or without hunter education certification — in the youth gun deer hunt with a mentor. The mentored hunting law also allows deer hunting during later seasons.

The early date of the hunt provides milder weather allowing more time in the field under more comfortable conditions for the youngsters and their hunting mentors. In addition to giving youths their own opportunity to experience the traditions of deer hunting in Wisconsin, the focus is on the youth and allows more time for the mentor to share skills and teach their charges how to hunt safely and ethically.

The hunt will be held in all deer management units (DMUs) statewide, except State Park units, Ft. McCoy, Chambers Island, Menominee County and the Apostle Islands other than Madeline Island.

How to participate

Wisconsin now has two programs designed to introduce youths to deer hunting under controlled conditions and under close supervision of an adult hunter.

1. Youth hunters 12 through 15 years of age (resident and non-resident) who possess a hunter education certificate of accomplishment and a gun deer hunting license may hunt deer Oct. 9-10 accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. “Accompany” means the adult is within both visual and voice contact of the youth. The adult does not have to be a licensed hunter or a hunter education graduate to accompany one or two youth who are at least 12 years of age and have completed a hunter education course.Adults accompanying youth hunters:
   • may not “gun hunt” for deer during the youth hunt, but may possess a bow or gun and hunt for another game species that is open for them to hunt at that time;
   • may not accompany more than two youth hunters during the youth gun deer hunt at any given time.
2. Youth hunters 10-11 years of age, or youth hunters 12-15 years of age who do not possess a hunter education certificate, but possess a mentored gun deer hunting license must be “mentored” by an adult who is within arm’s reach at all times during the hunt.Qualified adult mentors:
   • must be at least 18 years of age and have the youth’s parent or guardian’s permission to mentor the youth hunter;
   • must possess a valid hunting license for the current year (any type of game), unless they are mentoring a youth on land that the mentor owns;
   • must be a graduate of a hunter education course or have completed basic training with the U.S. Armed Force if the mentor was born on or after Jan. 1, 1973, they;
   • may only mentor one youth hunter who is age 10 or 11, or who has not completed hunter education at any given time.
   • may not accompany more than two youth hunters. If one youth is hunting under “mentored hunter” rules, the adult may “accompany” no more than one other youth at the same time and only if the second youth is at least 12 to 15 years of age and has completed hunter education.

Additionally, only one firearm may be possessed between the mentor and youth who is age 10 or 11, or who has not completed hunter education, if participating in the youth gun deer hunt.

Qualified youth hunters may harvest one buck deer on their gun buck deer carcass tag and additional antlerless deer with the appropriate carcass tag valid in the unit in which they are hunting. Earn-a-buck restrictions do not apply in EAB units during the youth hunt if the “gun buck deer carcass tag” is used. All hunters and their mentors must observe blaze orange clothing requirements.

If the youth has completed a hunter education course within the last year, they may receive one free antlerless tag from a DNR Service Center during open hours. These antlerless tags are valid statewide during any archery or gun season, including the youth deer hunt.

All deer, bear, and small game hunters, with the exception of waterfowl hunters, also are required to meet blaze orange requirements on these two days.

Autumn is perfect time to introduce kids to outdoors

By Scott “Coach” Stankowski

Wisconsin Rapids–As we head into October, the intensity and excitement of the first days of bow hunting may have diminished a bit.  A lot of hunters, including me, have children at home and it is a difficult proposition to neglect family to spend all of my free time in the outdoors.  So why not make hunting a family event?  There is no better time than now to take your kids into the woods.

First, the weather can be just about perfect (recent torrential downpours notwithstanding). Picking a morning or afternoon with a hint of summer still around can provide a comfortable environment for bringing the kids along. Even if the animals are not cooperating, there should be few bugs out after the first frost. There are plenty of things to teach youngsters, and if they get bored, you can always have them pick the prettiest leaves for mommy.

My two sons, ages 9 and 6, have been going in the woods with me since they were babies.  Of course when I say babies, I wasn’t in my bow stand with a papoose on my back, but I would carry them around on scouting trips. You want a hunting challenge? Take two boys on an early fall squirrel hunt. As my sons turned three, I started taking them on squirrel hunts, getting them all geared up and excited for the big day. We would sit and listen for squirrels and if we played the ‘who can be still the longest’ game we sometimes saw squirrels.  The boys loved carrying the quarry all the way back to the truck. Convincing them they couldn’t hold it in their laps was tough at times, but there could be worse things to deal with.

My oldest definitely has more interest in the sport and has accompanied me on deer hunts since he was 4. That year I harvested a doe in my fathers’ Double Bull ground blind with three generations looking on. It was a moment none of us will forget. The following year I picked my days carefully and my son wanted to sit in the blind by himself while I hunted from a treestand nearby. He saw more deer than me, perhaps he actually attracted deer by making car noises with the matchbox cars he brought to play with.  He actually noticed a decent buck come out of the corner of the woods, and later that week I hung a stand and shot that buck.

Since then I have increasingly introduced him to colder temperatures, deerless nights (not by choice) and longer hours. I have tracked and found deer and later have had him track the same deer as if I never had. At the age of 9, he is now better than the average bear at finding deer sign and specks of blood.

The excitement is contagious. There are countless articles out there about how to take a kid out into the woods. One thing I never see mentioned is to take into account the temperament and nature of your child. What is good for one will not be good for the next, even with siblings. It is your child and no one knows them better than you.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to start your son or daughter early. Research shows that hunting brings families together and encourages positive attributes in people. And when your son or daughter asks mom if they can go hunting with dad (or mom), you get to go hunting without even having to ask.

Until next time,
Shoot straight

Portage County HH bridge closed due to flooding

Portage County HH bridge closed due to flooding

Madison–The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is announcing that the Portage County HH bridge over the Wisconsin River is closed due to flooding. The road is closed between Whiting Avenue and WIS 66 (formerly County P). No detour is posted at this time.

Motorists are encouraged to go to www.511wi.gov to obtain the latest road closure information. WisDOT continues to monitor the status of the roads and bridges and will provide updates as needed.

For more information, contact:
Kristin McHugh, Regional Communications Manager
(715) 421-8380, kristin.mchugh@dot.wi.gov

Another marijuana operation goes up in smoke

Stevens Point— According to a news release issued by the Portage County Sheriff’s Department, on Monday, September 27, the sheriff’s department and Stevens Point Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence on CTH I in the town of Stockton where they found 42 marijuana plants.  They also found 17 stumps from marijuana plants that had been recently harvested, as well we approximately 30 pounds of processed marijuana drying in the residence.

Nobody was taken into custody.  A request for charges against a 53-year-old male who lived at the residence will be sent to the Portage County District Attorney’s office for manufacturing THC and possession with intent to deliver.

Free Yoga Fair at 23rd Annual Festival of India

Stevens Point–Offering a free afternoon of yoga on top of food and cultural entertainment, the 23rd annual Festival of India will be held on Saturday, October 9, at Stevens Point Area Senior High School.

The festival, presented by SHAMA, Inc., also provides the opportunity to support education for India’s women and children. All proceeds benefit SHAMA Inc.’s support of programs that empower the impoverished in India.

The free yoga fair will be offered from 2-6 p.m., and workshops will be held beginning at 3 p.m., including a discussion of topics such as arranged marriages, the Caste system, Indian cooking, the sitar, folk dancing and India’s spiritual traditions. The festival will also include a bazaar of clothing and novelties of India and the movie, “Kabir,” sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s South Asia Society.

Stage performances begin at 6 p.m. beginning with William Kawski on sitar.  Featured performances begin at 7 p.m. and once again Gil Halstead of Wisconsin Public Radio will be the emcee. Performances will range from classical Indian vocals to Kathak, Bharatanatyam and Bhangra dances.

The buffet dinner (meal ticket required) from 5-6 p.m. will feature tandoori chicken tikka, chana masala, basmati rice biryani, naan (flatbread), nav korma (mixed vegetable curry) raita (cucumber salad), chutney and achar, damm aloo, mango ice cream and beverages. Following dinner there will be entertainment including a fashion show, folk dancing, a debriefing on SHAMA projects, classical Indian dances and vocals, and finally a Bhangra dance with audience participation.

Tickets for the dinner are $14 for adults, $9 for college and high school students with ID and for children (ages 7-12), and free for children ages six and under. Advance tickets may be purchased in Stevens Point at the Stevens Point Area Co-op, 633 Second St.; Kindred Spirit Books, 1028 Main St.; and the Point Motel, 209 Division St.; and in the area at AmericInn Motel, 1501 American Drive, Plover; Motel 6, 911 Huntington Ave., Wisconsin Rapids; and the Days Inn, 4700 Rib Mountain Drive, Wausau. Online tickets are available through PayPal. Tickets at the door are an additional $3.

Sponsors from UWSP include the Multicultural Affairs Office, College of Fine Arts and Communication and the South Asia Society. Other sponsors and supporters are the SPASH administration, General Federation Women’s Club/Stevens Point Junior Women’s Club, TravelGuard, Fox Valley Interfaith Association, IndUS – Fox Valley, India Association of Fox Valley, Suvani Dance Group, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Network of Peace & Justice, and the Point Dance Ensemble.

For more information, contact UWSP Multicultural Affairs, 715-346-3829, Jyoti Chander at jigyasachander@yahoo.com or go online to http://www.uwsp.edu/multicultural/Shama. Information about the yoga fair is available through Karla Rothmann, roth6978mann@charter.net or 715-498-3751.

Student to study abroad through Fulbright scholarship

Stevens Point— A University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) student will study biology in Brazil after receiving a national scholarship award.

Jaimie Klemish of New Auburn was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. She is one of more than 1,500 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad through the program during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Klemish is a member of UWSP’s Tri Beta biology honor society and served as last year’s president. She presented her research on amphibians at the UW System’s Posters in the Rotunda event at Wisconsin’s capitol in April, and talks about her project in a video at http://www.youtube.com/uwstevenspoint.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is administered by the Institute of International Education.

Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy, education, and athletics. Forty Fulbright alumni from 11 countries have been awarded the Nobel Prize, and 75 alumni have received Pulitzer Prizes.

For further information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please visit: http://fulbright.state.gov or contact James A. Lawrence, Office of Academic Exchange Programs, telephone 202-632-3241, or e-mail fulbright@state.gov.

American musicals the theme of 7th annual UWSP University Evening

Stevens Point–Enjoy a celebration of the art of the American musical at the seventh annual University Evening at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) on Wednesday, Sept. 29.

“The Musical: An American Art Form,” a distinguished faculty presentation by Theatre and Dance Professor Roger Nelson, will begin at 7 p.m. in Room 221 of the Noel Fine Arts Center (NFAC) on the UWSP campus. The University Evening is an annual event honoring the creativity and scholarship of UWSP faculty, and it is open to the public free of charge. A reception will follow in the NFAC courtyard.

Nelson will be the expert guide on a video tour tracing the history of the American musical.  He will pause along the way to illustrate the lyrical romance of “Oklahoma!,” the sheer fun of “Guys and Dolls,” the tragic love of “West Side Story,” the dark social commentary of “Cabaret” and the youthful anger of “Rent.”

“There is an outstanding variety of color, song and dance in the American musical,” said Nelson. “I want people who attend to walk away with a respect for the art form and a sense of wonder as to how all-encompassing it can be.”

Reservations are suggested. Please RSVP by contacting the UWSP Academic Affairs Office by Friday, Sept. 24, at 715-346-4686 or at acadaff@uwsp.edu.

Trio Canna to premiere new work at recital

Stevens Point— Trio Canna, a reed trio made up of Music Department faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), will premiere a new piece at a recital on Monday, October 4.

The recital will be held at Michelsen Hall in the Noel Fine Arts Center at UWSP, beginning at 7:30 p.m. As a part of the Music Department Scholarship Series, tickets are $7 for the public, $4 for senior citizens, $3 for youth and free the day of the concert for students with a UWSP ID.

Tickets are available at the University Information and Ticket Office in the Dreyfus University Center or by calling 715-346-4100 or 800-838-3378. Visa, MasterCard or Discover are accepted. Tickets may also be purchased at the door if seats are available.

The new piece, “Suite,” by Indiana State University Professor and Department Chair Nancy Hill Cobb, was commissioned by Trio Canna last year. Cobb and Trio Canna member, UWSP Professor Andrea Splittberger-Rosen, attended Michigan State University together and have been close friends ever since.

“The engaging music of ‘Suite’ is in four movements – ‘Lamentation Perpetual,’ ‘Wistful Waltz,’ ‘March Gone Awry’ and ‘A Remedy in Tatrantella,’” said Splittberger-Rosen. Cobb has had a long and successful career as a composer, music theory teacher, choral conductor and administrator, she added.

The evening’s program will also include “Quatre Miniatures” by French Canadian composer Jacques Hétu, “Oclaba – Trio” by Hungarian composer Frigyes Hidas (for oboe/English horn, clarinet/bass clarinet and bassoon/contrabassoon) and “Divertissement” by French composer Jean Françaix.

Trio Canna’s members are Associate Professor Stacey Berk playing oboe and English horn, Splittberger-Rosen playing clarinet and bass clarinet and Professor and Music Department Chair Patricia Holland playing bassoon and contrabassoon. Trio Canna will also premiere Cobb’s work at Indiana State University on October 7.

River begins to recede, officials move to repair and recovery

Stevens Point–There is significant abatement and improvement in the flooding situation in Portage County. Flow rates on the Wisconsin River and flood waters are receding slowly, however significant flooding continues in the Towns of Linwood and Carson. Officials declared that the Wisconsin River in Stevens Point has crested Saturday, that river flow rates and output are decreasing, and the situation is stabilizing.

In a new development, highway officials reported that I 39 southbound north of the Coddington Road had one lane closed due to flooding from a nearby drainage ditch. Highway officials are prioritizing repair and re-opening efforts for Highway 66, and for County Roads C and E. The county web page contains the latest road closure and opening information.

The HH bridge remains generally closed over the Wisconsin River. Officials will allow limited local residents only access between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The bridge will remain closed until inspection and certification of the Wisconsin DOT.

Officials maintain the operation of the Portage County EOC and are moving towards the recovery and repair phase. Citizens are asked to utilize caution in repair and reconstruction. A debris removal plan is being staffed and prepared and will be announced in the next 48 hours. Individuals in the affected flood area with special needs have been identified and contacted with no significant issues reported.

Citizens with concerns regarding the re-lighting of furnaces need to contact their power and gas company. Homes with wells where floodwaters covered the wells should consider the use of bottled water and water testing. Specific details are available on the county web page on these and other flood related issues. Citizens are cautioned to review the reliability of any potential contractors that they may hire for flood repair and reconstruction.

The municipal water systems throughout the county have been reviewed and inspected and continue to remain safe. A damage assessment team will convene and water testing options will be made available with details on the county webpage.

Due to flooded and dangerous road conditions in Linwood and Carson areas, residents are still strongly encouraged to minimize travel and remain home. Individuals may contact the American Red Cross if needed at 715-344-4052 for housing assistance if needed due to the flooding.

The Wisconsin DNR conducted aerial surveillance of the affected flooding area of the Wisconsin River Saturday. The photos are continuing to assist county officials in pinpointing flooded roads and areas to facilitate the delivery of assistance, repair and recovery efforts.

The underpass in Stevens Point under Michigan Avenue has been re-opened. The Clark Street bridge over the Wisconsin River was inspected Saturday, remains open and was declared safe.

Citizens with information concerns about flooding issues are encouraged to call the operations center at 715-346-1453. Information on health issues, water damage issues, and clean up has been posted on line on the county web page as well.

A Portage County Flood Event Referral phone number will be available starting Monday September 27th during county business hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 715-346-1428 with alternate at 715-346-1997. The fax number for the public will be 715-345-5361 and the e mail address will be registerofdeeds@co.portage.wi.us. Damage claim information will be published as soon as details are finalized.

Citizens and municipal officials are highly encouraged to continue to document costs and expenses related to the flooding events. Further information and directions will be provided as they are available.