Oshkosh WDC May Workshops Announced

The Oshkosh WDC, located at 315 Algoma Blvd, hosts regular workshops on employment and self-sufficiency related topics. Workshops are generally free and open to the public. Below is a small sampling of available workshops. To learn more, check out their website here.

Interview Skills Workshop
Monday, May 2, 2011, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center
Contact: (920) 232-6273

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Résumé Writing Workshop
Monday, May 9, 2011, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center
Contact: (920) 232-6273

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50 Ways to Save in 50 Minutes
Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center
Contact: (920) 232-6273

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RU (Recently Unemployed/Underemployed) Support Network

Monday, May 23, 2011, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
St. Raphael Church, 830 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh, WI 54904
Contact: Cathy Huybers (920) 720-5600

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Wisconsin Author Jerry Apps Coming to Apple Blossom



     Apple Blossom Front Window    

 Wisconsin Author, Storyteller and Historian Jerry Apps will be signing books at Apple Blossom Books on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 1pm.  Apps is the author of “Barns of Wisconsin”, “Horse-drawn Days” & most recently Campfires and Loon Calls.

Visit Apps's website at: www.jerryapps.com/

Apple Blossom is located at 200 E City Center, Oshkosh.  Check out their website here:  http://www.appleblossombooks.com/

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Online Home Energy Audit

WPPI has put together a good online home energy audit tool, as well as a wealth of energy-related information to help improve your energy efficiency of your home and to help reduce your overall energy usage. 

Even if you are indifferent to the wastefulness and destructive impacts of high energy usage, it saves you money, so check it out.

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County Board Redistricting

Below are the two options that have been presented for our new voting districts:

- Option 2.

- Option 3.

This is often a challenging process, and one that I haven't been following closely.  My observations, listed below, are simply from reviewing the map, and do not explore Neenah / Menasha at this time, nor do they consider changes in board members, # of seats for the various communities, etc.

Overall Issue:  The information provided online through the county was less than what should be provided.  The meeting notes of the Judicial committee that reviewed this indicated that a handout explaining the maps was distributed at the meeting.  This handout may have provided population numbers on the different districts, reference to what areas were changed and by what extent, etc.  All we really have here are maps, with no explanations, comments, justifications, and issues brought up by the given map.

Option 2:
1. District 19 running from Washington to 20th Ave, at one point only consisting of a sliver of South Main.
2. You'd think that they could have just added a few more blocks onto District 16, ending District 18 at Jackson.  If not, it would appear as though they could have shifted part of 16 to 15, move back 15 off of Jefferson and have their cut-off be Main St, then given back Melvin & Baldwin to 18, bringing 18 back to Main.
4. Is District 12 the left over junk pile?  Look at the tip of Hickory Lane!!  Yellow, then Green, then Yellow...  It looks like where ever the yellow paint dripped, that became District 12.  As the state guidance on districting states a goal for uniform-shapped districts (like a square..), that one doesn't just miss it, it smacks the goals in the face.
5. District 24 does a bit of the questionable jumping (or spilled-paint effect), mixing a bit with 23 and 25.

Option 3:
1. Option 3 definitely gives District 12 a bit more respect.
2. I like the clear block for District 32 as well.
3. It would have been nice to move District 18 back off of Murdock and end it on Nevada for the section between Bowen and Mt Vernon.  There are too many homes in that area anyway, and those that are on that little section of Huron and Ashland could just as easily go with their neighbors in District 13.
4. For Ward 11, folks out by Zillges (northwest of Osh) are in the same district as those living on Congress.  That is a bit of a stretch.
5. Interesting that folks living on Linway Ct are part of District 31, instead of 23.
6. District 25 appears to have been sprayed with purple from District 24.  That's odd.

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Council Tie!!! With One District Left.

Crazy: With only one district left to recount, Jef Hall and Thomas Pech are actually tied.  Jef has reportedly picked up 14 votes. 

And in the modern, high tech era of electronic voting and computerized vote tabulation, a break of a tie breaker may come down to the following:

"If the recount results in a tie, the race would be settled by a tiebreaker such as drawing straws or flipping a coin, said Oshkosh Clerk Pamela Ubrig"

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UWO Earth Week 2011 Days 2 & 3: Tues & Weds, April 19 - 20

Tuesday, April 19


Community Rain Barrel Installation:  Come help SEAC and Oshkosh community members install rain barrels at UW Oshkosh and within the Oshkosh community—or buy one to install on your own property! Contact: Robyn Anderson (anderr91@uwosh.edu)

Time: 10:00-4:00 pm;  Location: tents between Polk and Harrington


Tree Plantings:  Come participate in the greening of UW Oshkosh! Wear grubby clothes—work gloves and tools will be provided. Contact: Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu).

Time: 12:00-1:30 pm; Location: Irving Avenue (Fletcher Hall)


Sustainability Research for Wisconsin:  Learn about the research of three UW Oshkosh faculty, and find out how their work promotes and enhances sustainability in our state. Panel: Paul Van Auken, Sociology; Steve Dunn, College of Business; Moe Muldoon, Geology. Moderators: Douglas Haynes, English; Stephanie Spehar, Religious Studies and Anthropology; Contact: Douglas Haynes (haynesd@uwosh.edu).

Time: 5:00-6:00 pm;  Location: Reeve Union Theatre


Earth Week Film Series and Bike Bash Kickoff:  Short Film: Scrapertown.  Learn about the Scraper Bike movement, founded in Oakland, California (http://originalscraperbikes.blogspot.com/), and one of the inspirations for this year’s Bike Bash. Talkback and panel with Bike Bash artists Robyn Guttman and Christine Spehar as well as UW Oshkosh students, faculty, and staff afterwards. Contact: Stephanie Spehar (spehars@uwosh.edu). 

Time: 7:00-8:30 pm;  Location: Reeve 227A



Wednesday, April 20

Community Rain Barrel Installation.  Contact: Robyn Anderson (anderr91@uwosh.edu).

Time: 10:00-4:00 pm; Location: Meet at the tents on the lawn between Polk and Harrington


Tree Plantings: Contact: Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu).

Time: 10:30 am-12:00 pm; Location: around Lot 4/4a (Halsey-A/C-Swart)


Bike Bash: This multidimensional event is designed to plant the seeds of a vibrant bike community at UW Oshkosh. This event will feature:
- free bike tune-ups and workshops hosted by the Student Rec & Wellness Center and local bike shops
- a collaborative, interactive art project to create custom-designed bikes—including one that can charge cell phones—that will be displayed and used at UW Oshkosh
- an art station where you can decorate your own bike with streamers, bike tape, and more

Los Angeles-based organization RuckusRoots and UWO students will create the custom bikes. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate—come join in!  Contact: Robyn Anderson (anderr91@uwosh.edu) and Stephanie Spehar (spehars@uwosh.edu)

Time: All day Wednesday and Thursday;  Location: Tents between Polk and Harrington


Earth Week Banquet:  Eat a delicious organic meal (with plenty of vegetarian options!) while listening to a panel of local farmers talk about the importance of sustainable and locally produced foods for our environment and our communities.

Panel participants: Olden Produce, Cattleana Ranch, Red Barn Dairy, Organic Valley

Time: 6:30-9:00 PM; Location: Reeve Union 227AB

Fee: $5 for students, $15 for faculty, staff, and the general public

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Randy Hopper Listening Session Scheduled for this Thursday

State Senator Randy Hopper has scheduled a listening session for Thursday April 21 from 6:00pm - 8:30pm.


Location: Reeve Union 227 B & C on the UW Oshkosh campus.

Sen Hopper will be fielding comments and concerns about the budget process, state priorities, the future of the UW system, and other state-related issues. This event is open to the public, and is being sponsored by the UWO American Democracy Project. 

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Oshkosh Fitness Festival

Oshkosh Fitness Festival Announced For Memorial Day Weekend, May 27 and 28, 2011

The inaugural Oshkosh Fitness Festival will take place Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-28, 2011 at the City Center Hotel and Leach Amphitheater in Riverside Park, on the Fox River. The Festival will include a Fitness Expo on Friday and running and bicycle races on Saturday.

Running races include a 1 mile kid's fun run, 5K, 5 mile and 10 mile starting at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Awards will be given to the top three places in each race and in each age group. The bicycle races include a 10, 20, 40 or 60 mile ride, starting at 11:30 a.m. This is a family-friendly event, enjoyable for sports enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. The courses have been secured with scenic routes through Menomonee Park on Lake Winnebago with entertainment throughout.

The Oshkosh Area United Way will be the main beneficiary of this event with most of the event proceeds going to support more than 45 community programs that receive United Way funding. "The Oshkosh Area United Way is honored to be the recipient of a portion of the proceeds from the inaugural Fitness Festival," says Denise VandenLangenberg, Fund Development and Marketing Director of the Oshkosh Area United Way. "Monies raised will go directly to the 2011-2012 campaign to support programs that build self-sufficiency, care for people in crisis, nurture children and strengthen families and promote health and wellness. An annual Fitness Festival is a great addition to events in our area that raise monies to support persons in our community in need."

This event is a fun activity to do over the Memorial Day weekend. Runners, walkers and bikers will get to experience the beautiful scenery that Menominee Park, historic Downtown and the Fox River provide. "It's all about getting away from the TV and enjoying the great outdoors. This event fits perfectly in Oshkosh. It supports healthy lifestyles for people from all walks of life while also attracting tourism to our fine City," says Dana Ecker, Director of Sales for the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau. It is anticipated that this event will grow year after year to include more fitness events.

Sponsors of the Oshkosh Fitness Festival include Wisconsin's New Rock 96.9 FM, WOSH 1490 AM , Runaway Shoes, Steinert Printing, active.com and The Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau. If you or your business would like to exhibit at the Fitness Expo or would like to become a sponsor, please contact Jeanne Tondryk, 920-744-7059, or email sales@rapidrunning.com. To register for the races, go to http://www.active.com/ or http://www.rapidrunning.com/. Register by May 13th and use 15% Discount Code GETFIT.

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A Week of Oshkosh Politics

Randy Hopper - http://www.votehopper.com/:  Randy is up for recall, with more than enough signatures submitted.  The fuel for this was his ambitious support for all of Scott Walkers dismantling of long-held worker rights.  For other Hopper positions, visit here.  In the midst of his highly controversial support of the non-budgetary work rights provisions included in the budget bill, Sen Hopper became involved in another controversy involving residency and the questionable hiring of his partner.

The following internet search auto fill from Chicago Mag is telling of what people are seeing with Sen Hopper:

Randy has since had signs placed on Main Street in Oshkosh, and he has been more visible in the area, including attendance at last night's forum on state budget impacts.


Jessica King:  Jess is in the news twice.  First, she is Sen Hopper's main challenger in the recall general election.   King was defeated by Hopper in 2008 by less than 300 votes.  While Hopper has the incumbency advantage, this is likely minimized in a recall election.  In addition, King has the momentum of the recall movement and those upset throughout the state that the Republican party hasn't taken strong action on job creation as was claimed during the election cycle.  Jess formally announced her campaign Wednesday.

Jess also ended her multi-term service on the Oshkosh Common Council on Tuesday, as she didn't seek re-election this Spring.  While Jess's service ends without any clear legacy of leadership, and with a noticeable practice of avoiding critical stands against the city, she was often a reliable vote for positive growth and progress for Oshkosh.  She was accessible, and when interested, she demonstrated the ability to be articulate and well-researched.  Her service on the council is appreciated.


Paul Esslinger:  Paul ended 11 years of service on the council, including a final couple of years as our directly-elected mayor.  Paul's long-term service on our council is appreciated.


Tony Palmeri:  Tony has ended his multi-term service on the Oshkosh Common Council following a narrow defeat in this spring's mayoral election to Burk Tower.  The loss of Tony on the council is a blow for city accountability, government transparency, and citizen access to city hall. 


Jef Hall:  Following election day, council candidate Jef Hall found himself down by 14 votes.  Shortly after, Jef called for a recount.  After about half of the districts were counted, Jeff actually gained 5 votes, reducing the margin to only 9 votes.  Jef has said that should he not win the seat, he would apply for the seat vacated by Burk Tower as Burk moved to the Mayor's chair.  Hall had also applied for the vacated seat when Esslinger vacated for the Mayor's chair, but was not selected.


Newcomers:  Deb Allison-Aasby and Tom Pech Jr were both elected to the council as first time challengers.  In addition, Allison Garner was elected to the school board on her first bid to the seat.


Tom McDermott:  Tom stepped down from the school board as the senior-most representative, declining to seek re-election.  Thank you to Tom for his service.

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UW Oshkosh Earth Week 2011 Day 1: Monday April 18

Monday, April 18

1.) Prairie Planting:   Come participate in the greening of UW-Oshkosh while learning about the benefits of landscaping with native plants. Everyone is welcome, including classes! Wear grubby clothes- work gloves and tools will be provided. Contact Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu) for more information.

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm:  Location: Meet at the tennis courts in the middle of campus


2.) Rain Barrel Installation Training Session:   Rain barrels are an easy way to conserve water and reduce your ecological footprint. Those interested in volunteering to install water barrels on campus and in the Oshkosh community during Earth Week, or learning how to install them on their own property, should join us for this training session. Please contact Robyn Anderson (anderr91@uwosh.edu) to sign up for a training session and to volunteer.

Times: 11:30 am-12:15 pm, 12:45-1:30 pm, and 2:00-2:45 pm   Location: In front of the Oviatt House


3.) Earth Week Film:   DIRT! The Movie.  DIRT takes you inside the wonders of the soil. It tells the story of Earth's most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility--from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation. It brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has, and shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil. http://dirtthemovie.org/.  Contact David Barnhill (barnhill@uwosh.edu) for more information.

Time: 7:00-9:00 pm.   Location: Reeve Union Theatre

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Oshkosh Diversity Council: BRIDGES and Phil Marshall

Tuesday, April 12, Phil Marshall, principal of Emmeline Cook Elementary School, will speak to the Oshkosh Diversity Council about "Building Relationships to include Diverse Groups Equitably in Schools (BRIDGES): An overview of the Oshkosh Area School District's efforts to provide inclusive practices with students, staff, and families." Along with a regular education teacher, a special education teacher, and a parent, Mr. Marshall will explain how their school has seen very positive special needs student outcomes since the school has been providing more inclusive environments.

The Oshkosh Diversity Council meeting will be held at noon at First Congregational Church, 137 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh. The public is invited to attend, and should feel welcome to bring a lunch to eat during the noontime meeting. For handicapped access to the building, please call Mary Ann Offer at 920-216-1962 in advance of the meeting to assure easy entry.

The Oshkosh Diversity Council promotes communication, engagement, and understanding about and among the diverse populations of our community.

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Budget Hearing Opportunity at UW Oshkosh

NEW: The Joint Finance Committee has now confirmed that the fourth public hearing on the 2011-13 budget, scheduled for Wednesday, April 13 from 10:00am to 6:00pm, has been moved from Arcadia to the Pickard Civic Auditorium in Neenah.

On Saturday, April 9th from 10:30am – 4:30 pm, a Budget Public Hearing is scheduled at the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh Reeve Union Room 202, 748 Algoma Blvd.

According to State Representative Gordon Hintz (Oshkosh), "I believe it is important to host an event in Oshkosh on a Saturday to allow each of you the opportunity to participate and voice your opinions and concerns. All area legislators have been invited to participate as well."

At the close of the first hearing in Stevens Point, "217 signed up to speak, though there were some no-shows. Of those that went to the podium, 157 were against the bill and 19 in favor. About 200 more submitted written testimony, with those against the bill heavily outnumbering those in favor." (WisPolitics budget blog)

For a comprehensive and highly resourceful analysis of the impacts of the current budget proposal, visit here. 

For ongoing following of the budget discussion and debate, follow the Wisconsin Budget Project here and WisPolitics Budget Page here.  You can also watch the hearings on the highly valuable Wisconsin Eye website.

While it seems certain that the controlling lawmakers have little interest in public discourse or feedback, it still becomes valuable and important to voice your opinions and to resist the complacency of idleness.  This is the fewest state budget public hearings held in 25 years.

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How the Governor's Budget Impacts Oshkosh and Other Communities

While the Governor and supports claim that they are "providing communities with the tools necessary" to adequately deal with the pending budget cuts to shared revenue and other state aid sources, communities across the state are trying to deal with the reality that the "tools" provided are largely inadequate and will unquestionably damage local communities and their ability to provide essential core services.

According to the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, "the proposed savings will cover only 61% of the funding cuts in 2012."

In Oshkosh, the proposed cuts exceed $2,090,500, while the "savings" totals a little over $1,000,000, or just about 49% of the cuts we face.

The says it best, when it states "we need to work with the Joint Committee on Finance to find ways to cover the other 39%.".    Let's just hope that the Joint Finance Committee is willing to work with communities and Wisconsin's residents.

To see a summary of the total cuts and savings, check out the league's release here.

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Oshkosh Safety City

The Oshkosh Police Dept is currently accepting registrations for the 2011 Safety City program.

Safety City is a child-sized city designed to provide a complete hands-on safety education for children.

This portable neighborhood consists of a working traffic signal and railroad crossing, stop signs, miniature buildings, cross walks and other street markings.

See the program brochure for the 4-6 year old program.

See the program brochure for the 7-9 year old program.

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Small Fringe Group of Community Wreckers?

Those chicken people - a fringe group of crazies, right?


Or as Bob Cornell says: inner-city poor people.


Or what opponents on the council say is the vocal minority, as opposed to the silent majority that they talked to but no one else heard from.

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Oshkosh Mayor Endorsement

Oshkosh Mayor: We endorse Tony Palmeri for Mayor.

As the city faces challenging budget restraints in the next 1-2 years, we believe it is more important than ever to have a leader that brings new ideas forward, that is dedicated to openness and accountability, and that ensures citizen access and participation in local decision-making.

Tony has demonstrated an ability and willingness to bring forth new ideas, highlighted by numerous resolutions and ordinance changes that he has sponsored which were approved by his fellow councilors, including the creation of a long-range budget committee, which involves citizens, staff, and elected officials in a formal, critical analysis of city spending and income. In our review of council records, we were unable to identify any proposals or legislation sponsored by mayoral candidate Burk Tower throughout his 7 year term. While Burk has undoubtedly brought forth insight and ideas behind the scenes, we believe that a mayor should be a bold, vocal, and visible leader.

Current councilor Steve Herman stated it well at a recent council meeting, when he said,

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Panel: State Budget and Its Impact on Your Health

On Thursday,
April
14th
at
6:30
PM, ESTHER and community partners will be hosting a forum on how the proposed state budget will impact local health care access and services throughout the Winnebago County region.

This FREE event will take place at First
Congregational
Church, 137
Algoma,
Oshkosh


Related topics that will also be reviewed include the
 potential
 impact
 to
 children,
 families,
 single adults,
disabled
persons,
and
seniors
due
to
funding
cuts


For
more
information
contact
us
at
esther.foxvalley@gmail.com


View the Event Flyer HERE.

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Oshkosh Street Width Policy Considerations

Below is my recommendations to be considered as the city finalizes its street infrastructure development policies:

Whereas the resident feedback portion of the Vision Oshkosh Survey (2009) revealed significant support for the inclusion of bicycle lanes, green terraces, and pedestrian alternatives to automobile use, including the following findings:

- “Bicycle Paths consistently ranked well in the Visual Preference Survey. The development of a comprehensive network of multi use trails and paths will provide a real alternative to using an automobile for local trips, improving personal health and reducing air pollution” (pg 15)

- “Excessive noise and speed generated from vehicular traffic were identified as problems on many of the City’s roadways. Similarly, the current configuration of many streets and intersections has resulted in several pedestrian-vehicle conflict areas” (pg 23)

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