Blogs about General Topics
If you would like to add a blog or comment, please e-mail them to Susan Noble. snoble@veda-wi.org
Babsons donate acreage to MVC
December 18, 2009
The Babson family, which owned nationally-known Surge Milking for many years, has donated 1,129 acres along the Kickapoo River to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. The acreage, worth $2.5 million, is the largest single donation to MVC since the organization started in 1979. The Babson family, based in Chicago, has owned hundreds of acres in the Kickapoo Valley for about 35 years. The land is adjacent to the Tunnelville Cliffs State National Area. On Dec. 19, MVC organized a work day and hike in that area to help remove the invasive multiform rose that has overgrown much of the area. The Tunnelville Cliffs area was designated a DNR Natural Area in 2006.
Municipal Building Work
December 2, 2009
Some work has begun on the new La Farge Municipal Building. The fire department and ambulance squad will eventually be housed in the building. Excavation work began on the project last week. La Farge has received $1.3 million for the project, but has sought additional funding for the project.
Cheesemaking at KVR
December 5, 2009
The Driftless Dialogue series in December will feature a session on cheese making on December 5. The session will start at 8 a.m. at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve headquarters. More information is available at www.kvr.state.wi.us.
Join in on a Rural Community Discussion
October 5, 2009
The Center for Rural Affairs from Lyons, Nebraska is conducting a Rural Issue Forum and Policy Training in Viroqua on Monday, October 5th at Western Technical College. The agenda will be:
4:30-5:30 PM Rural issues forum
5:30-6:00 PM Free supper for leadership training participants
6:00-7:00 PM Leadership training
According to Center for Rural Affairs organizers Steph Larsen and Virginia Wolking,
"Whether you're passionate about agriculture, rural development, health care, energy or another rural issue, join us to talk about what's happening in your rural community," said Virginia Wolking. "We will talk about strategies that have worked in the past as well as emerging tools to shape public opinion and public policy. We will learn from each other and share ideas for building upon our successes to win more policy victories for rural people and rural communities."
Organic Valley farmer cooperative is working with the Center of Rural Affair to co-sponsor the Viroqua event. Individuals interested in attending are asked to RSVP by contacting Virginia Wolking at (402) 687-2100 or virginiaw@cfra.org . There is no charge for attending the forum or the leadership training, and supper is free as well.
The Center for Rural Affairs was established in 1973 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, formed by rural Nebraskans concerned about family farms and rural communities and working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities. For more information visit: www.cfra.org/09/wisconsin/forums or contact Virginia Wolking at virginiaw@cfra.org or (402) 687-2103 ext. 1017 or Steph Larsen, StephL@cfra.org , (402) 687-2103 ext. 1014.
Area politics active
August 20, 2009, by Gregg Hoffmann
It’s been quite a couple of weeks in area politics. First, State Senator Dan Kapanke announced he will run for Congress. At the time, it looked like the GOP candidate would go up against incumbent Democrat Ron Kind. He still could, but after Governor Jim Doyle announced he will not seek a third term, Kind’s name came up as a possible candidate for that spot. Kind admitted he is taking a “serious look” at running for governor. See a Wispolitics.com story on that at: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=167603.
If Kind does run for governor, he would face some stiff competition in the Democrat primary, probably including Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, Dane County executive Kathleen Falk and others. If Kind runs for governor, Kapanke will become the front runner for the Congressional seat, but that race also is likely to be wide open with several candidates declaring. Both Kapanke and Kind have been helpful in Vernon County economic and other efforts. Let’s hope they will continue to be if they serve in new roles, and that their successors will continue their traditions in the State Senate and Congress.
Kind hosts health reform town hall forums
August 20, 2009
Cong. Ron Kind hosted a couple of forums on health care reform in surrounding counties that in comparison to others around the country were rather civil. You can read a story about one of the forums at Richland Center at: http://blogs.wispolitics.com/dcwrap/2009/08/attendees-at-kind-forum-split-on-health.html.
Some speakers at the forum came from Vernon County. Opinions were split almost evenly on the wisdom of a so-called public option alternative for health insurance. This matter will be hammered out at the national level in upcoming weeks. You can find out more about additional Kind forums, and the issue in general at: http://www.kind.house.gov.
Organic heroes discuss future
July 26, 2009
Former Green Bay Packers heroes Gilbert Brown and Santana Dotson appeared at the Kickapoo Country Fair Sunday to pick the name of the Grand Price Winner, who received two Packers’ tickets. But, the real heroes for the organic farmers and supporters were the panelists who discussed the future of sustainable farming. Timothy LaSalle, CEO of the Rodale Institute, Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, Dr. Sandra Steingraber, who is an author on organics and ecology, and Genya Erling, founder of Slow Food UW all sang the praise of Organic Valley and hailed the Kickapoo Valley as a model for sustainable agriculture. Congressman Ron Kind joined the panel, which was moderated by Organic Valley marketing director Theresa Marquez.
“The farmers are the real organic heroes,” Cook said. “This will continue to grow. The key is to grow, but not in a way that undermines the reasons for going organic to begin with. We need to have a vigorous debate about how to maintain the integrity of organics while growing it.” Cook and Cummins said companies that label their products “natural” and “all natural” often do not go through the actual certification process to become organic. “We can’t let them get away with green washing their products,” Cummins said.
La Salle said there is exciting research being done at the Rodale Institute. One project indicated that organic methods of farming retain more carbon in the soil, thus enriching it for crops. He said the Kickapoo Valley was the “center of the organics movement that needs to sweep the country.”
Steingraber, an Illinois native, said people in that state found out during the spinach and
e-coli scare of a few years ago that their farms weren’t really feeding the world. “We found out we no longer grow spinach in Illinois,” she said. “Instead of our farmers feeding the world, California farmers were feeding Illinois.” She said a system which transports many of our foods as far as 1,800 miles is flawed and needs to be changed.
Rep. Kind, who co-chairs the organics caucus in Congress, said Organic Valley and the farmers were “laying a foundation. We’re not giving up the effort to turn the next farm bill into a great conservation bill based in part on sustainable practices,” he said.
Brown and Dotson did not participate in the panel discussion, but did hold an autograph session after they picked the prize winner. All proceeds went to the Gilbert Brown Foundation, which aids a variety of children’s causes.
Flood Seminar provides ideas, strategies
July 24, 2009
While Vernon County continues to recover from floods in 2007-08, federal officials and others met Thursday, July 23 to swap ideas and plan strategies to respond if the waters ever rise again. Representatives of the National Weather Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey, North Central River Forecast Center and others met with local emergency officials and citizens at the Readstown and Town of Kickapoo Advancement Association Building.
“We hope that through an exchange of information and ideas we can respond quicker and effectively if we face another flood like those the area saw,” said Mike Welvaert of the NWS office in La Crosse. Welvaert and others presented an overview of the technology and techniques used for monitoring the Kickapoo River and other waterways in the area. They range from Doppler radar, to remote-controlled boats that can be used in high waters without endangering the monitors to continued use of gauges along the river. By monitoring the depth, volume and velocity of the water, warning on floods can be gotten out quicker. Gauges are maintained at Ontario, LaFarge, Viola, Readstown, Soldier’s Grove, Gays Mills and Steuben along the Kickapoo. Many worked during the ‘07-08 floods, but some were swept away or broken during the rush of water. The gauges cost about $14,000 to install and over $11,000 a year to maintain. All the agencies responsible for them face budget restraints.
Budget restraints, along with limited staffing, are why some towns in Vernon County have still not received flood relief money from the state. Glenda Sullivan, director of emergency government for the county, said local officials recently met with state officials about $500,000 still coming to municipalities in the county for ‘07 flood damage. “It was a good meeting, and we hope to see some of the funds come in soon,” she said. State Rep. Lee Nerison said state emergency government officials were hit by the flood in August of 2007, a big snow storm in the eastern Wisconsin area the following winter and the June 2008 floods. Nerison said aid for the ‘08 floods has been sent out, but ‘07 funds have been lagging. He too expressed optimism that the funds would start flowing.
Welvaert said more than 1,000 homes were damaged during the floods across the broader Driftless Area. More than $250 million in damage occurred, 45 highways had to be closed and eight people died. Buyouts and relocations from the floods are continuing, Welvaert said. The ‘07 flood was followed by a winter with high snowfall, setting up conditions for another flood when the area received rains of more than 10 inches during the period from June 1-15 of 2008. Such weather conditions might never be seen again, but the area has to be ready for the possibility, especially with the effects of climate change as unknowns, several people emphasized at the meeting. Faith Fitzpatrick of the USGS said the Kickapoo and other rivers in the Driftless Area also are “flashy,” meaning they rise and fall rather quickly. That’s in large part because of the topography of the area, which is more abrupt than other areas, where the land gradients are more gradual and there are more wetlands.
County gets grant for dam repair
June 9, 2009
Vernon County received a $4 million grant to help repair flood-damaged dams this week.
That will allow the county to repair the Jersey Valley and Runge Hollow dams, acquire homes near at-risk dams and do some dredging work. Those projects in turn will help tourism and agriculture which relies on the supply of water.
The Village of Viola also received $200,000 to do repairs to the Village’s Lift Station caused by flooding in 2007 and 2008.
The state Department of Commerce gave the grants. Assemblyman Lee Nerison worked with the DOC and county officials on pursuing the funding.