Wildlife Viewing in Oshkosh

Canvas Backs and Scaup on and over S. Asylum Bay (3/31/2009)

Like most of the good things in our city the best wildlife viewing is on the water. Waterfowl are starting to move into the ice free areas of Lake Winnebago. The best places for viewing these birds are Menominee Park and Asylum Bay. Menominee Park is the most accessible and everyone who has been to the park is familiar with the Mallards, and Canada Geese, but right now ducks fill the bay that are on their way to the forests of Canada and the potholes of the Great Plains.

Miller’s Bay is rich in plant life, and the plants that are the bane of boaters and my fishing gear provide a feast for migrating waterfowl. The plants and the invertebrates and fish they harbor, provide the fuel they need for making long journeys each spring and fall. Today (March 31) I counted 1,779 diving ducks (Ring-necked, Redheads, Mergansers etc.) in Millers Bay, and 188 in South Asylum Bay. As spring progresses the diving ducks of today will be replaced by puddle ducks (Mallards, Teal etc.) and hundreds of American Coots.

Ducks and Geese of Millers Bay (species followed by a * were seen on 3/31/2009)
Wood Duck, Canvas Back*, Redhead*, Bufflehead*, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Common Goldeneye*, Common Merganser*, Red-breasted Merganser*, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Northern Shoveler, Ring-neck Duck*, American Wigeon*, Gadwall, Scaup sp*, Mallard*, Snow Goose, Canada Goose*

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The City and Chemicals - Let's Be More Responsible

The image of a boat with two men dressed in orange full-body Hazmat suits spraying chemicals directly into our water was plastered front page on the Northwestern two years. The chemicals sprayed included Navigate, Aquathol K, and Reward. Each of these chemicals are listed by the US Government as containing toxic and hazardous ingredients (29 CFR 1910.1200) with use being severely restricted in some states. Warning labels on the products and Material Safety data for these synthetic chemicals state the following:

- NAVIGATE:
"Contains Crystalline Silica - identified as a probable human carcinogen." "This product is hazardous to humans and domestic animals." "This product is toxic to fish. Drift or runoff may adversely affect fish and non-target plants." Statements were made at a council meeting that the chemical solutions become diluted and break down instantly, which is contrary to the Navigate warning label, which states "NAVIGATE is formulated on special heat treated attaclay granules that resist decomposition in water".

- AQUATHOL K:
"Causes irreversible eye damage, May be fatal if swallowed, May be fatal if inhaled, harmful if absorbed through skin". "Application to the skin of rats produced severe skin irritation, liver and kidney effects... and increased mortality." "Toxic to mysid shrimp and small mouth bass". "Decay of weeds (following treatment) may remove enough oxygen from the water, causing fish to suffocate."

- REWARD:
"May be fatal if inhaled". "This pesticide is toxic to aquatic invertebrates". "For application only to still water where there is minimal or no outflow to public waters". "Treatment of dense weed areas may result in oxygen loss from decomposition of dead weeds. This loss of oxygen may cause fish suffocation.


In addition to these warnings, as we've seen time after time after time again, long-term and unanticipated harmful effects of introducing harmful chemicals into our natural systems pop up. Claims are made about how safe, valuable, and extensively tested the synthetic chemicals are, and we only find out years later that lingering effects damaged water systems, reproductive systems in waterfowl, massive fish kills, etc. The Fox Valley and the entire Great Lakes region should be an expert on the shams possible following the PCB fiasco. A brief google search of any of these chemicals listed above produces sources which question their integrity, safety, and testing completeness.


Another concern is the effects to the animal life that is supposed to be present, including the fish. As we've seen from two years of testing, all of the weeds simply lay in the water, decomposing. Small quantities of fish end up along the shoreline entangled in the weeds. As indicated in the warnings, fish suffocation and fish kills are going to happen following application.


Now, I understand that much of the warnings are for direct exposure the the pure synthetic substance. But the real question exists - Do we really want to put these toxic chemicals into our water, water that our kids swim in, water that we fish from, and water that we utilize as our city's drinking source?


The city has undergone a study of the water area (appx 10 acres along Menominee Park) which is a good sign. The city is currently working on the development of a comprehensive sustainable plan which will include a water section. The Sustainability Advisory Board has basically endorsed the Natural Step process, with calls for the elimination of introducing synthetic chemicals into our natural systems. Numerous citizens, including at least one trained Biologist currently working with the DNR, have called for the city to cease the application of these synthetic chemicals into our water system. The movement towards responsible water management is a positive sign, but significantly more progress needs to happen, and quickly.


Anyone who reads the city logo "Oshkosh on the Water" and reads about the destructive measures the city takes in management of its water can see the irony. The Parks department will be meeting on April 13 at 6:00pm to discuss aquatic plant management options. According to the Oshkosh Northwestern today, "Acquatic ecologist Tim Hoyman, of Onterra, LLC, will be presenting findings from a comprehensive study he completed on the bay and will be available to answer questions." The meeting is at city hall rm 404, 215 Church St. This meeting is open to the public, and public comment is strongly encouraged. If you are unable to attend but would like to provide your position on this issue, send an email to the following:

1. City Manager Mark Rohloff: mrohloff@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
2. Mayor Frank Tower: ftower@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
3. Parks Director Tom Stephany: tstephany@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
4. Common Council: btower@ci.oshkosh.wi.us ,
dmchugh@ci.oshkosh.wi.us, bbain@ci.oshkosh.wi.us, jking@ci.oshkosh.wi.us, tpalmeri@ci.oshkosh.wi.us pesslinger@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

Or, if you send a letter by mail, address it to: "Name", 215 Church Ave, PO Box 1130, Oshkosh, WI 54903

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County Poverty Rates and Insurance Coverage Info

http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/localdata/fhs/winnebagoco.htm

Poverty Status and Health Insurance Coverage, Winnebago County, 2005-2007 (PDF, 42 KB)

Poverty Status and Health Insurance Coverage, Winnebago County, 2004-2006 (PDF, 39 KB)

~ added to special reports on sidebar.

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Life in Occupied Palestine April 16 in Oshkosh

Life in Occupied Palestine, a presentation by Anna Baltzer - Thursday, 16th April – 4:00pm Reeve Memorial Union, UW Oshkosh campus.

Ann is a Jewish-American granddaughter of Holocaust refugees and volunteer for the International Women’s Peace Service; Humanrights worker & supporter of Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance to Occupation.

What: Her slides, stories, & book "Witness in Palestine", recounting first-hand experiences with the conflict while living with Palestinians in the West Bank.






Why: To share information difficult to obtain through US mainstream media sources, and to encourage dialogue towards taking action for peace with justice.

Contact: Stephanie Gyldenvand with ESTHER Fox Valley - (920) 216-0891 or esther.foxvalley@gmail.com

For more information, visit: http://www.annainthemiddleeast.com/

~ pic taken from www.annainthemiddleeast.com - many more available.

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CAC Swing Into Spring

Swing Into Spring - 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services featuring entertainment by The Swing Time Big Band - local 20 piece band.

Friday, April 3 6:30 - 10:30 PM at the Bridgewood Resort Hotel ~ Neenah

Horsd’oeuvres and a cash bar available

Tickets: $75/person or $50/person for groups of 8 or more.Tickets available by calling (920)729-5727, or at the door.

For more information, email lkevin@christineann.net

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Get Checking Workshop April 7, 2009

April 7, 2009, 5:30 PM—8:30 PM at Community First Credit Union, 2424 Westowne Ave., Oshkosh, WI

GET CHECKING is designed for people who currently do not have an account with a financial institution. Maybe you have never had an account and don’t know how to start.
Maybe you have had problems with an account in the past that is making it difficult to open an account now. Having an account is: Safer, More convenient, Less expensive, and a way to access other financial services, like loans and credit.

GET CHECKING offers you the opportunity to open an account that works for you with a
participating financial institution, even if you have had problems in the past.

Your will learn the following:

 How to choose an account that is right for you including Low cost checking options and How to avoid costly fees

 About checking account benefits, including debit cards and electronic bill paying.

 What you need to know to keep your check-ing account in balance.

 How your account relationship can help you establish credit and access other services.

Once you have completed the GET CHECKING program, you will receive a certificate. To open your account, take your certificate, and proper identification, to a participating financial institu-tion listed on your certificate. NOTE: If you have outstanding fees from a prior account, you must settle that account before opening a new one. Institutions are not required to open an account if there has been evidence of fraud on a prior account.

Participating Institutions:

 M&I Bank Downtown, Downtown (920) 236-5300 Westside (920) 236-6920
 Citizen’s First Credit Union 1-800-448-5228 (920) 236-7040
 Capital Credit Union (920) 237-3182
 Community First Credit Union 1-800-924-1550 (920) 966-2424
 Fox Communities Credit Union (920) 236-2907
 Guaranty Bank (920) 231-2052

For more information, contact UW Extension Family Living, 625 E. County Rd. Y, Suite 600, Oshkosh, WI 54901 (920) 232-1973

Registration is required - call 920-886-1000.

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Wireless Common Council Chambers Permits Live-blogging Council Meetings

The Oshkosh Common Council chambers now have open wireless connections, which not only enables the Mayor to update his Facebook status during meetings, but also allows for live on site online coverage of meetings.



Not that anyone has time to blog these days...

7:15 pm, the council continues to discuss the riverfront development project while my daughter refuses to leave the meeting. The Citizen Statement people are getting impatient...

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Advertising, Addiction and Gender @ UWO

On Thursday, April 30th, at 7pm in the Reeve Ballroom, Dr. Jean Kilbourne will be giving a multimedia lecture presentation entitled "Deadly Persuasion: Advertising, Addiction and Gender." Please mark your calendars for this important event

Dr. Kilbourne is internationally recognized for her pioneering work on alcohol and tobacco advertising and the image of women in advertising. Her films, slide lectures and television appearances have been seen by millions of people throughout the world. She was named by The New York Times Magazine as one of the three most popular speakers on college campuses today.

Her book, Can’t Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel, won the Distinguished Publication Award from the Association for Women in Psychology in 2000.

She is also known for her award-winning documentaries Killing Us Softly, Slim Hopes, and Calling the Shots.For more information, go to http://www.jeankilbourne.com/

Event cosponsors:Women’s Advocacy Council, University Speaker Series, Women’s Studies Program, Department of Journalism, Department of Sociology, Department of Psychology,Environmental Studies Program, History Department, the Oshkosh chapter of the American Association of University Women, Polk Library, and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center

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Blue Ribbon Event for Child Abuse Prevention

The 13th Annual Blue Ribbon Event for Child Abuse Prevention is scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2009, 6:30 p.m. at the Oshkosh Hilton Garden Inn, 1355 W 20th Ave.

Event Schedule

- 6:30 pm - Registration, Silent Auction Opens, Cocktails

- 6:45 pm - Welcome/ “Good Heart” and “Cherish the Child” Awards Presentation

- 7:15 pm - Hors D’oeuvres Served

- 7:30 pm - , a friendly competition among the following ‘local celebrities’: Jenny LeBelle & Don Braun, Diane Fremgen & Al Zuleger, Shirley Rucks & Doug Dahlke, Lindsay Reeves & Adam Graff, Amy Weinsheim & Ted Hoff, Kristin & Frank Tower, Tami Barikmo & Brian Novinska, Liz Rice Janzen & Ted Balser, Nancy Meilahn & Leon Zastrow, Tracy & Joaquin Lira, Jane & Lou Yeager, Kathy Jankowski & Dean Kaufert, Teresa & John Rubino, Lynn & Rob Kleman

*Vote for your favorite couple today! Each dollar donated counts as one vote for the lucky couple.

8:30 pm - Silent Auction Closes


Event Information:
- Ticket cost is $40/person or $75/couple. Tickets for the Blue Ribbon Event can be purchased in advance on our secure web site or by calling the Parent Connection office at 920-233-6630 ext. 101. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on the evening of the event for an additional $5 per ticket. No tickets will be issued for on-line registrants - simply check in at the door on the evening of the event.

- For questions about the Blue Ribbon event or to participate as a sponsor or volunteer, contact Wendy Schwalbe at 920-233-6630 ext. 101 or wschwalbe@familyservicesnew.org. Thank you for your support of Parent Connection and our mission to protect the children of our communities.

- Parent Connection is a parent education and support program designed to Encourage, Strengthen and Support Families. The program offers a variety of services, each designed to ease the transition into parenthood and make parenting less stressful and more enjoyable. Programs and services include:
- Home Visitation for First Time Parents (Parents as Teachers)
- Family Wellness Workshops
- Teen Parent Mentoring Program
- Activities & Resources for Dads
- Family Resource Center
- Family Fun Events

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Social Justice Week

In recognition of UW Oshkosh’s commitment to championing social justice and providing a fair, inclusive and welcoming environment for the entire campus community, the University presents Social Justice Week March 30–April 3.

Everyone is invited to attend these presentations and discussions:

Monday, March 30

• 3–5 p.m., Room 227C, Reeve Memorial Union — The Growing Disappearance of Students of Color in College, Vicki Washington, Associate Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, UW System


Tuesday March 31

• 3–5 p.m., Room 213, Reeve Union — Affirmative Action in the 21st Century, James R. Parker, Professor Emeritus, UW-La Crosse

• 5–6:30 p.m., Room 6, Center for Equity and Diversity — Gay Issues in Higher Education, Liz Cannon, Director, LGBTQ Resource Center, and Shawn Patrick, President, Rainbow Alliance for HOPE


Wednesday, April 1

• 3–5 p.m., Room 215, Reeve — Prisons or Colleges, Michael Lenza and Stephen Richards, Professors, UW Oshkosh, and DeWayne Street, Education Director, Oshkosh Correctional Institution

• 3–5 p.m., Room 220, Reeve — Mental Illness: The Silent Disability, Michael Altekruse and Deadre Holmes, UW Oshkosh Counseling Center, and Karen Aspenson, Executive Director, NAMI Fox Valley


Thursday, April 2

• 3–4:30 p.m., Room 215, Reeve — Mentoring and Role Models: Their Value in the Development of Marginalized Groups, Clayborn Benson, Museum Director, Wisconsin Black Historical Society; Irma Burgos, Interim Director, Center for Academic Support and Diversity; and Emerging Scholars student mentees

• 5–6:30 p.m., Titan Lounge, Gruenhagen Conference Center — Gender Equity Council’s Ninth-Annual Celebration of Women, keynote speech by Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton; Honoring Caregivers in Wartime: Stories of RNs in Major U.S. Conflicts


Friday, April 3

• 9:30 a.m.–noon, Room 307, Reeve — Employment Law Issues in 2009, Robert Gregg, partner, Boardman Law Firm

• 5–6:30 p.m., Room 221, Reeve — Closing Address, Chancellor Richard H. Wells; Black Thursday Presentation, Stephen Kercher, History Professor, UW Oshkosh; Honoring the Oshkosh 94

For more information, call Jan Keene at (920) 424-2296 or Pamela Lassiter at (920) 424-0330.

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PROM GIRL PROJECT

The UW Oshkosh Women's Center is launching the Prom Girl Project this month, a project that is collecting donated prom or formal gowns and providing them at no cost to area high school girls in need.

Is your prom dress or formal gown taking up space in your closet?

Want to make a high school girl's night by providing her with a gorgeous prom dress?

Please drop off your dress(es) at the Women's Center sometime between now and noon on April 10th. Donations are tax deductible -- ask for a receipt.

If you don't have a dress to donate but have seamstress/tailorin g skills, we would invite you to consider donating your time to assist with fittings / alterations.

Contact rubbea90@uwosh.edu or call 920-424-0963 for more information.

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Winnebago County Phone Buddy

Phone Buddy - Telephone Reassurance for Seniors or Persons with Disabilities

The Phone Buddy Program is a free service designed to match seniors living alone in Winnebago County with volunteer “buddies” who call each day to check on them. ADVOCAP performs a background check on all phone buddy volunteers.

Phone Buddy Program Offers:

● Reassurance to participants that others in their community care about their well-being

● Daily socialization and meaningful conversation for both volunteers and buddies

● Peace of mind to family and friends concerned for the safety of their loved ones

If you or someone you love would like to receive calls from a phone buddy or you would like to volunteer to become a phone buddy call:

ADVOCAP RSVP 426-0150 or 1-800-323-0150

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A Few Extra Items?

Here is a small list of items that are continually needed at the Wisconsin Veterans home in King, WI (near Waupaca). "King" provides many services to Veterans, including homeless Veteran's assistance. The needed items include:

• Phone Cards
• Toiletries
• Shampoo
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Toilet paper
• T-shirts (L to 2XX)
• Underwear
• Socks
• Coffee
• Creamer
• Toothpaste
• Tooth

If you have any of these items and would like to donate, email CB Hoskins at cbh@ohawcha.org.

Any help that you can provide is greatly appreciated.

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