Here is a selection of brief news items from this week's paper edition.

Onalaska to host movie night in park

The Onalaska Recreation Department will host its second movie in the park night of the summer on Saturday, July 12, in the sledding hill area of Van Riper Park.

The free showing of “Shrek the Third” will start at about 9 p.m., and concessions will be available from the nearby Onalaska Aquatic Center.

Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and a health dose of mosquito repellant.

The third and final movie night in the park will take place Aug. 3, and the showing of a movie to be announced will be coupled with a dinner catered by Outback Steakhouse. Cost is $7 or $20 per family.

Mullenbach scramble set for July 21

The fourth annual Sarah Ann Mullenbach Mixed Scramble will be held Monday, July 21, with a shotgun start at noon at Cedar Creek Country Club.

The noncompetitive event pairs two adults and two youths (younger than 18), and there are still openings for youth golfers. Cost is $20, which includes a pre-event clinic by Mark Schneider starting at 11 a.m., hot dogs and drinks before the golfing starts, dinner after the golfing is over and drawing for prizes, including a laptop computer.

The event is named for a Holmen girl who was killed at age 17 by a drunken driver in July 2004. Proceeds from the event help sponsor the Junior TRGA series of golf tournaments as well as providing help to kids and young adults battling cancer.

For more information or to register for the event, call Cedar Creek at 783-8100.

Viking Alumni Award nominations sought

Nominations are being accepted for the Holmen Viking Alumni Award. All Holmen High School alumni having graduated at least five years, living or deceased, are eligible for nomination. Nominees do not have to reside in the Holmen School District.

Nominations will be judged based on alumnis’ accomplishments in their respective communities in the following areas: community service activities; example of leadership; personal achievements; contributions to their school district; professional achievement; honorary awards and citations.

Previous winners include Leif Marking (1999), the Rev. Gregory Van Dunk (2000), Sigurd Hanson (2001), Barry Bertelson (2002), Paul “Andy” Anderson (2003), Ruth Granum (2004), Marilyn Pedretti (2005), Marna Holley (2006) and Rector Wall (2007).

Nominations must be received by July 10. Nomination forms can be found online at www.holmen.k12.wi.us/partnership/alumni

award. For more information, contact Linzi Gronning at 526-3372.

Dance, etiquette class offered in Holmen

Julie’s School of Dance in Holmen is offering children the opportunity to learn about ballroom dancing and etiquette through classes in July and August.

July classes are on Mondays, July 7, 14, 21, 28, from 10 to 11 a.m. for 6- to 10-year-olds and from 11 a.m. to noon for children 11 years and older. Instructors will teach ballroom dances such as fox trot, waltz, and swing. August sessions also are scheduled. The cost is $45 for four classes, with family and group discounts available. Classes will be held at Julie’s School of Dance in Holmen on McHugh Road.

Contact Marilyn Wood at (608) 386-0605 or e-mail her at mwood322@charter.net for more information.

Franciscan Skemp hosts moms group

Franciscan Skemp Healthcare is offering new moms and babies a chance to find support, friendship and new information through a new weekly program called New Mom and Baby Group.

On Wednesdays, the group program meets from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Franciscan Skemp Onalaska Clinic, 191 Theater Road, in the lower level conference room

On Thursdays, the program meets from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Franciscan Skemp Family Health Clinic in the Sally Olson Conference Room, 815 S. 10th St., La Crosse.

For more information, call (608) 392-4172.

Medics to reward kids for bike safety

Tri-State Ambulance, Rudy’s Drive-In in La Crosse, The Frosty Mug in Holmen and the Dairy Queen in Onalaska are teaming up for a new bicycle helmet safety program called “Cool Kids — Cool Treats.”

When Tri-State Ambulance personnel observe a child 15 years old or younger wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle in public, the kids will be given a “ticket” entitling them to a free ice cream at The Frosty Mug or Dairy Queen or a root beer float at Rudy’s Drive-In when accompanied by an adult. The program runs through Aug. 31.

“Our hope is to raise helmet safety awareness,” Matt Zavadsky, director of Tri-State Ambulance. “Children and adults need to wear the proper safety equipment. The goal is simple. Keep children out of the emergency room and provide some cool treats as incentive.”

Fort McCoy contest runs to Sept. 1

Pine View Recreation Area Campground at Fort McCoy will host its annual fishing contest through Sept. 1.

The contest is open to the public. All fish must be caught in Fort McCoy waters, registered at the campground’s office, building 8053, within 24 hours and can’t be frozen.

Anglers must follow all applicable Fort McCoy and state regulations and possess state of Wisconsin and Fort McCoy fishing licenses/permits. Personnel can purchase all of these items at the Pine View Campgrounds office.

Participants in the Fort McCoy fishing contest can enter fish in one of six categories: largemouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie, catfish, bullhead and bluegill. Prizes will be awarded by weight and limited to one per person. A first- and second-place prize will be awarded in each category.

For more information, call Pine View at (608) 388-3517.

Poker run, party planned to aid breast cancer fight

A 125-mile poker run is in the works for Saturday, July 12, starting at the Hawg Pasture motorcycle shop in West Salem.

The event is a fundraiser for the breast cancer research and is open to all vehicles, not just motorcycles. Registration will run from 10 a.m. to noon at the Hawg Pasture, where participants will get a map of the scenic route and stops along the way where they can pick up the cards that will make up their poker hands.

The ride ends in Mindoro at Cindy’s Entertainment Center, where there will be a chickencue with live music and refreshments starting at 11 a.m.

Cost of the poker run is $15 or $25 per couple. Advance registration is not required.

Both the poker run and the chickencue were organized by Mary Lynn and Rich Sinclair of Mindoro, who together plan to raise at least $4,400 to fight breast cancer as part of the Breast Cancer 3-Day. The event involves them walking 60 miles over three days, with proceeds of the event going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest grassroots effort to end breast cancer, and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

More details on the Breast Cancer 3-Day are available online at www.the3day.org and at http://08.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/TampaBayEvent?px=1716174&pg=personal&fr_id=1190”>Mary Lynn and http://08.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/TampaBayEvent?px=1749933&pg=personal&fr_id=1190”>Rich’s Web site.

Registration open for Kornfest parade

The Holmen Lions Club is taking applications for participants in the 26th annual Kornfest Parade, to be held Saturday, Aug. 16, starting at 11 a.m.

Entries are limited to 140 participants, and the deadline for submitting applications is Aug. 4.

Cost to be in the parade is $50 for political entries, $35 for business/commercial entries and $20 for others.

Application forms are available online at www.holmenlions.org or by stopping by the Edward Jones office at 106 S. Holmen Drive.

For more information, call Kornfest parade chairman Barry Ploessl at 526-9364.

Online signup open for breast cancer event

People don’t have to wait until the last minute to support local breast cancer research at Gundersen Lutheran’s Norma J. Vinger Center for Breast Care.

Hundreds of breast cancer survivors and thousands of friends, family members and co-workers are expected for this year’s Steppin’ Out in Pink on Saturday, Sept. 6. This year, participants are encouraged to register online. Visit the Steppin’ Out in Pink Web site at gundluth.org/SteppinOut and click “Register Online” for a quick and easy registration.

Lawmakers seek service academies apps

People interested in attending one of the nation’s service academies can send their applications to U.S. Rep. Ron Kind or U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, but they must submit applications by Friday, Oct. 17.

A congressional nomination is required for students wishing to enter the:

U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York

U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.

U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo.

Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.

The application process is open to any United States citizen who will be a high school graduate and between the ages of 17 and 22 by July 1, 2009, and is unmarried with no dependents. Generally, high school students entering their senior year apply for admittance the following year.

Interested applicants can obtain the necessary forms and information by contacting Mark Aumann in Kind’s Eau Claire office at (715) 831-9214 or Feingold’s academy coordinator Michelle Murray at (608) 828-1200. Applications are available online at www.house.gov/kind or www.feingold.senate.gov.

Jazz concerts set for Riverside Park

The Great River Big Band will fill La Crosse’s Riverside Park with the sound of jazz once again this summer. The La Crosse-based band will give four performances as part of the Gertrude Salzer Gordon Jazz in the Park series, along with a traditional Fourth of July performance. They’ll close out the summer series with a “Riverside Jazz Party” featuring popular regional groups, the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest, and trumpet virtuoso and actor-singer Byron Stripling.

Remaining concerts in the 2008 series, held in the park’s bandshell, include:

Friday, July 4, 8 p.m. — The annual performance during the fireworks at the South Stage during Riverfest.

Sunday, July 13, 7 p.m. — Features vocalist and entertainer Colleen Raye, who was recently featured on Los Angeles’ “America Swings” radio show. The rain site is City Brewery Hospitality Center.

Sunday, July 20, 2 and 7 p.m. — features the first Riverside Jazz Party. Includes regional groups John Paulson Quartet, Somethin’ Jazz and Air National Guard Combo in the afternoon set; and the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest along with the Great River Big band in the evening. Byron Stripling, who has performed with the Boston Pops and The American Jazz Philharmonic among others, will perform with the Great River Big Band. The rain site is Green Island Arena.

Admission to the concerts is free; donations will be accepted. UW-L Music Department Chairman Greg Balfany directs the Great River Big Band and the series.

ABA creates financial literacy site

The American Bar Association Section of Business Law has launched a new Web site — SafeBorrowing.com — in an effort to increase financial literacy.

A creation of the section’s Consumer Financial Services Committee, SafeBorrowing.com offers free information online to help borrowers better understand the risks and obligations of using consumer credit.

The site is developed to include content crossing the credit card, home financing, student loan and automobile lending industries, creating a comprehensive, single-source site.

Nominations sought for business award

The Western Wisconsin Workforce Development Board is seeking nominations for the 2008 Employer of Choice Awards.

Nominations will be accepted from large, medium and small companies in western Wisconsin either through self-nominations or recommendations from other businesses or organizations. All forms are due Aug. 15.

Materials can be obtained at http://www.wwjobcenter.org/employerchoice.htm or by contacting Beth Sullivan at sullivanb@workforceconnections.org or 789-5610.

The recipients will be acknowledged at the WDB’s annual meeting in October 2008 and their strategies will be included in the 2008 annual report.

In 2004, the WDB established an Employer of Choice Award to honor businesses that exhibit exemplary workforce attraction and retention practices. The WDB hopes that the best practices of current and past recipients will be useful models for others to engage and retain their own workforces.

Past recipients include:

2007: Bethany Lutheran Homes, La Crosse, Black River Memorial Hospital, Black River Falls; Elegant Stone Products, Viroqua; Mile Bluff Medical Center, Mauston; and Walker Stainless Equipment Company, LLC, New Lisbon

2006: 3M- Prairie du Chien, Family Radio Inc., La Crosse, and Mathews Inc., Sparta.

2005: Riverfront Inc. and Dairyland Power, La Crosse, and Organic Valley/CROPP, La Farge.

2004: D&S Manufacturing, Black River Falls; Freudenberg NOK, Necedah; and FirstLogic, Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, and Gundersen Lutheran, both of La Crosse.

CMLC duck race is now the Big Giggle

The Children’s Museum of La Crosse has hatched some big changes to its biggest fundraising event: the Rubber Ducky River Raffle is now called the Big Giggle.

Prizes this year include a 2008 Chevy Cobalt ($14,585 value) from Ray Hutson Chevrolet, a hot tub ($4,000 value) from Paradise Pool & Spa, a “New You Package” (from Smith’s Cycling & Fitness, Forever Young Skin Care, Midwest Dental & Metropolitan Salon & Day Spa worth more $1700), $500 cash plus a $1,000 savings bond from Coulee Bank and an I Love La Crosse gift certificate package (from Radisson Hotel, Downtown Mainstreet & La Crosse Symphony Orchestra worth more than $500.

Cost is $5 per raffle ticket or seven for $25. Tickets are available through July 5 at the museum, online at www.funmuseum.org or charge by phone by calling 784-2652 (minimum of 3 raffle tickets required for credit card purchase).

People also will be able to buy tickets at the Big Giggle tent at the entrance to Riverside Park during Riverfest (July 2-6).

The winning tickets will be drawn in La Crosse’s Riverside Park at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 6 (winners need not be present).

Western, county join to educate inmates

Western Technical College recently received a federal grant that will allow the college to expand an adult education program at the La Crosse County Jail.

The $58,000 Adult Education and Family Literacy grant was awarded through the Wisconsin Technical College System office and will be used to expand a program that was started in 1999.

Through the program, inmates at the jail can prepare for the General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) exams, improve basic literacy skills, as well as prepare for post-secondary education and training after leaving the jail.

“The goal of this project is to enhance the participants’ ability to succeed outside of jail and to reduce recidivism,” said Keith Valiquette, dean of Instructional Support Services at Western. “We are very pleased to be able to expand this program.”

According to a 2007 survey, 57 percent of county jail inmates had not completed high school, and 33 percent had serious literacy deficiencies.

An additional contribution by the county will allow the current part-time instructor position to become full-time. The educational and program needs of the inmates are also being incorporated into the architectural designs of the jail addition and remodeling projects.

Pet of the Week

Vera is a 1- to 2-year-old domestic shorthair brown tiger. Vera arrived at the Humane Society more than two months ago as a stray cat. She is spayed and vaccinated for distemper. Vera is a very sweet young lady, and can be quite entertaining. There are times in which she truly loves just to cuddle and lounge around with those around her. But there are also other times in which she loves to play. She enjoys chasing balls, stuffed mice and shadows/lights. She actually entertains herself a good portion of the time. Vera appears to be the type of cat who would both enjoy and benefit from having another cat to spend her days with. So, she should adjust quickly to a home with another cat or you might want to consider adopting two cats. You may want to take advantage of our Twice the Love program, which offers one adoption fee for two adopted cats into the same home. Vera will be most successful with children older than 8. For more information on any of the animals at the Coulee Region Humane Society, call 781-4014 or stop by 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday or 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Gospel Extravaganza planned for July 13

The Coulee Region Gospel Choir will present the fifth annual Summer Gospel Extravaganza on July 13 at 4 p.m. at Sand Lake Wesleyan Church in Holmen.

“Homecoming Praise” by Bill and Gloria Gaither is the music and the concert will feature many soloists, trios, duets and the 50-voice choir. The women’s chorus, three quartets and the Phat Cats — Paul Erickson, Paul Leithold and Terry Grosskopf — will also perform.

Vocal soloists include Marjean Christy, Pat Eveland, Travis, Deanne and Wilmer Holak, Mary Hoeft-Leithold, Ken and Nancy Lerum, Doug Mahlum and Becky and Katherine Weber.

The concert also will feature a piano and organ duet by Lorene Miller and Sylvia Groleau. Elda Stange and Pat Spencer will give a repeat performance of “Don’t Sit in My Pew.”

The Hearts of Gospel — Chuck Chihak, Dave Osley, Vilas Dahl, Terry Grosskopf, Paul Leithold, Paul Erickson, Bob Fullwood and Jerry Grosskopf — will present pre-concert music starting at 3:45 p.m. The free concert is about 90 minutes.

A free-will offering is taken to help support the choir.

The choir is directed by Ruth Ann Granum, accompanied by Groleau on piano, Leithold on guitar and Grosskopf on bass.

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