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Wed

Mar

Opportunity Center named Outstanding Service Provider by ContinuUs

Submitted by admin on Wed, 03/25/2015 - 11:36

The Opportunity Center, of Prairie du Chien, recently received the Outstanding Service Provider award from ContinuUs, a program that offers long-term care support through service provider network to adults with disabilities enrolled in Wisconsin’s Family Care program. The Opportunity Center is the first employment provider ever to win this award from ContinuUs’ 21-county region. Accepting the award from Angie Young (center), of ContinuUs, are (from left) Angie Engrav, Nicole Read, Karen Cooper and Pam Ritchie. (Submitted photo)

By Correne Martin

The Opportunity Center has been recognized with a quarterly Outstanding Service Provider award by ContinuUs, formerly Southwest Family Care Alliance, for the excellent quality of service it provides for adults with disabilities.

Since 1965, the Opportunity Center has been creating opportunities for people with disabilities to develop their full potential in society.

According to Ashley Trautsch, a Prairie du Chien area ContinuUs supervisor, the Opportunity Center was nominated and chosen for the award for many reasons.

Mon

Mar

Sen. Shilling hosts listening session on the 2015-17 state budget

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/23/2015 - 13:05

Senator Jennifer Shilling hosted a listening session in Prairie du Chien Friday, focusing on the 2015-17 state budget and how “Governor Walker’s irresponsible ‘cut and borrow’ policies are preventing economic growth and holding Wisconsin families back.” Representative Lee Nerison joined her in providing feedback from his legislative viewpoint. (Photo by Correne Martin)

By Correne Martin

Just 15 constituents attended a listening session with Democratic Senator Jennifer Shilling Friday at Prairie du Chien City Hall, to share their concerns regarding Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed state budget and policies and to request Shilling’s representation when voting on changes to the budget. Republican Representative Lee Nerison also joined the session and gave feedback to those airing comments.

This week, there will be two hearings of the finance committee. Then, after a week off around Easter, the Senate will take up the budget, Shilling said.

Pam Ritchie, executive director of the Opportunity Center in Prairie du Chien, started the session by asking about long-term care program cuts, which has the elderly, individuals with disabilities and their families uncertain about future care options.

Mon

Mar

Spring ‘snow’ showers stun the region

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/23/2015 - 12:52

Bill Rodenkirch of the Prairie du Chien Water Department clears snow from the sidewalk near the Prairie du Chien Public Library Monday morning.

This was the view of South Beaumont Road Monday morning.

Citizens had more serious concerns, but area trees and shrubs did produce a “winter wonderland” setting.

City plows as well as private plows were commonly seen Monday morning in Prairie du Chien as residents and businesses dug themselves out.

Vehicles buried in about 13 inches of snow were a common sight in Prairie du Chien and the surrounding area.

The roof of this vehicle on Blackhawk Avenue gives an estimate of how much snow was dumped upon Prairie du Chien.

Among the most traditional signs of spring, a robin, found refuge from the unexpected mound of snow on one of a few clear branches.

Plum Creek Road in rural Wauzeka depicted a snow-packed yet pretty sight that was familiar for other side road travelers Monday morning.

By Correne Martin

Just two days after spring officially began, a foot of snow socked most of Crawford County, beginning Sunday and continuing into Monday.

Prairie du Chien received 13 inches of snow as of 7 a.m. Monday, according to the reports from the National Weather Service of La Crosse. Lynxville and Steuben both received 10 inches. Other regional snowfall totals, as of Monday morning, included: Fennimore, 15; Marquette, 12; Lancaster, 11; Monona, 10.8; De Soto, 9.8; Gays Mills, 8.8; La Crosse, 5.0; Volga, 3.3; Elkader, 1.8; Cassville, 1.5; and Guttenberg, 0.7. The contrast of snowfall amounts demonstrated the narrow band of locally higher amounts in certain communities.

The snow was expected to taper off by mid-morning Monday.

Wed

Mar

Lowest bid more than double tourism info center addition budget

Submitted by admin on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 11:41

Outdoor pool rates to decrease at Wacouta Aquatic Park in hopes of spurring more attendance

By Correne Martin

With the lowest bid coming in more than double the budget of building an addition to Prairie du Chien’s tourism information center, the Prairie du Chien Common Council has voted to reject all bids for the project and release its designated funds back to the city’s cash reserve account.

Public Works Chairman Kyle Kozelka informed the council during its regular meeting Tuesday night that the budget for the project was $50,000 but the lowest bid was $106,439.

“A lot of people we expected to bid were just busy for other work, which is good, though not necessarily for us,” Kozelka said. “Don’t be surprised if this comes back in the fall for a bid.”

Wed

Mar

Area man charged with theft of vehicle

Submitted by admin on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 11:40

House burglarized and items stolen

On March 7, at 5:26 p.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a stolen vehicle from a residence located at 10214 State Highway 27 in the township of Utica.

The owner of the stolen vehicle later discovered that someone had forcefully entered their residence by breaking the glass window out of the back door. While deputies investigated the stolen vehicle and burglary, the Crawford County Communications Center sent messages out to surrounding agencies for assistance with locating the stolen vehicle.

At 9:17 p.m, the Grant County Sheriff’s Department located the stolen vehicle on State Highway 133 and initiated a traffic stop on Circle Drive. The driver of the vehicle, Paul D. Germundson, 18, Soldiers Grove, was taken into custody. Germundson was later booked into the Crawford County Jail.

Wed

Mar

Remembrance photography captures the sensitive moments of infant loss

Submitted by admin on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 11:36

The Dodgeville-based Babies Gone Too Soon organization recently presented local photographer Lindsey (Ludvik) Bedward with an appreciation plaque and a $1,000 award she has donated to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Bedward has been working with NILMDTS for six years, as a volunteer providing remembrance photography to families who’ve experienced the loss of a baby. Babies Gone Too Soon members pictured with Bedward (center) are Morgan Leix, Brenda White, Amy Michek and Liz Green.

Local photographer volunteers her time and talents

By Correne Martin

For parents suffering the loss of a baby, memories, pictures and a few belongings are the only mementos they will have to remember forever the love and bond they shared with their little sweetheart.

Ten years ago, an organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) introduced remembrance photography to the world, offering the free gift of professional portraiture to parents going through the inconceivable tragedy of losing a tiny life. Since 2005, the work of this unique entity has been to train, educate and mobilize professional quality, volunteer photographers to provide beautiful heirloom portraits to families facing the untimely death of an infant. It is the hope of NILMDTS that these images serve as an important step in the family’s healing process by honoring the child’s legacy.

Wed

Mar

County road projects

Submitted by admin on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 11:14

Several road projects planned in

Crawford County for this summer

By Ted Pennekamp

With spring on the near horizon, motorists in Crawford County might like to know what they can expect regarding upcoming road construction projects.

Mon

Mar

Parks and rec Drama Hawks Junior put on spring play March 20

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/16/2015 - 12:50

By Correne Martin

The Prairie du Chien Parks and Recreation Department Drama Club—Drama Hawks Junior—will perform a family friendly play, “The Snow Queen,” on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m., in the Prairie du Chien High School Theater.

This adaptation of “The Snow Queen,” written by Lynn Brittney, is based on the original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The story, according to Director Luana Stiemke, is that of a sun queen who becomes cold and gets a piece of an evil spirit’s mirror in her heart, freezing her heart like a block of ice. There’s a foretelling that a child can help bring her back to her old self again, so she begins looking for a child who can do just that and also put her mirror back together. When one of two siblings, Kai, is taken by the snow queen, his sister Gerda tries to rescue him, going through her share of trials along the way. Overall, the story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and Kai.

Mon

Mar

Sen. Shilling announces local budget listening sessions

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/16/2015 - 12:49

With a looming $2.2 billion deficit, Wisconsin’s upcoming state budget has many families and business owners concerned about the future. In order to provide local residents an opportunity to learn about Governor Walker’s budget and comment on his proposals, Senator Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) will be holding several listening sessions throughout the region.

Prairie du Chien will be one of the host locations where a listening session will be held Friday, March 20, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Prairie du Chien City Hall community room.

Soldiers Grove will also host a listening session on Friday, March 20, from 3 to 4 p.m. at the community center and public library community room.

Mon

Mar

City, True Value complete deal for new hardware store

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/16/2015 - 12:44

Gathering to make the new Nelson True Value deal official were Duane Rogers, of the Redevelopment Authority; Jacob Kanis, Nelson True Value; City Administrator Aaron Kramer, and Dan Kanis, Nelson True Value.

The city of Prairie du Chien and Nelson Agri-Center, LLC, officially signed a developer’s agreement and land sale agreement, which will result in a new Nelson True Value hardware store being constructed in the Block 43 site, north of Walgreens, this year. Work on the site will commence as soon as next week, with a targeted completion date of Nov. 1.

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