Portage County capsules ROSHOLT BLOOD DRIVE: The American Red Cross of Portage County will hold a blood drive in Rosholt from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 18, at the Rosholt High School. There is an urgent need for type O blood. Individuals with questions about the drive should call Jane Zdroik at 677-4565. * * * CITY BAND WILL FEATURE MUSIC OF THE WORLD: The Stevens Point City Band will present its weekly summer concert on Wednesday, July 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pfiffner Pioneer Park bandshell along the Wisconsin River. The band, under the direction of Kathryn Kawleski, will present a concert entitled "Around the World in 60 Minutes." Featured music will include "Amparito Roca," "Czech Rhapsody," "Three Irish Folksongs," "Kentucky - 1800," "Songs of Nyasaland" and "Liechtensteiner Polka." A performance of "Old Scottish Melody (Auld Lang Syne)" will be dedicated to the memory of former Stevens Point Mayor Scott Schultz. Sousa's "The Belle of Chicago" will be the music for the weekly children's march. Concerts are free of charge and will be performed every Wednesday evening through Aug. 1. Audience members should bring chairs or blankets for seating. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the CenterPoint MarketPlace. * * * BIKING PARAMEDICS UPDATE: The Portage County Ambulance Service reports its first trial of having paramedics on bicycles at large public events was a success. Two paramedics on bicycles patrolled Riverfront Rendezvous last weekend at Pfiffner Pioneer Park. "We're quite happy with the performance of the program, not only in terms of improving the medical service to the community, but also in our opportunity to meet our customer," Stevens Point Fire Chief Mark Barnes said. "We got a chance to get some service feedback directly from our customer." The mobile paramedics made a number of runs, fortunately, none for serious injuries, Barnes said. During the fireworks, the bicyclists beat an ambulance to the scene of a traffic accident near the park. The bikes had better maneuverability through the traffic-congested streets. What is normally a one-minute ambulance response time from Station 1 on Franklin Street was a three-minute response because of the amount of traffic at the fireworks. The Ambulance Service is looking at having biking paramedics at Crazy Days next week in downtown Stevens Point, Barnes said. It hopes to institutionalize the program, making it permanent. * * * DRUG ARREST: Law enforcement agencies uncovered another marijuana growing operation in Stevens Point last week, a Stevens Point Police Department report said. On Wednesday, June 27, the department conducted a search warrant at 1000 Soo Marie Ave., where they found 13 mature marijuana plants in a closet which had been converted to a grow room. A second grow room, located in the basement, contained seven mature marijuana plants and eight stalk and root systems. Processed marijuana, which appeared to be prepared for distribution, was also seized. Total weight of the seized marijuana was 157.4 grams. Authorities also confiscated a loaded 12-gauge shotgun found in the home. Police arrested a 22-year-old male resident of the house on drug charges and took him to jail, awaiting court proceedings. Police have requested drug charges be filed against a 21-year-old woman residing at the house. The Portage County Sheriff's Department and Multijurisdictional Enforcement Group assisted with the investigation. * * * PRIEST SAYS FIRST MASS AT ST. PETER: The Rev. Brian Waldbillig celebrated his first Mass at St. Peter Catholic Church in Stevens Point on Sunday, July 1, following his ordination as a Catholic priest for the Diocese of La Crosse on Saturday at St. Joseph Cathedral in La Crosse. The Rev. Waldbillig, who grew up near Des Moines, Iowa, is the son of Ron and Carrie Waldbillig and Marcella Miles. While a seminarian he served at St. Peter for two summers. He will be returning to Rome, where he has studied, for two more years to earn an advanced degree in sacred liturgy. * * * NEWMAN PASTOR WILL ADMINISTRATE ST. STANISLAUS: The Rev. Thomas Lindner, pastor of Newman Parish at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, will be serving as parochial administrator at St. Stanislaus Parish in Stevens Point, effective July 17, with his residence remaining at Newman. The Rev. Donald Przybylski of St. Stanislaus has been appointed pastor of St. Paul Parish in Mosinee. * * * DEMOCRATS MEET TUESDAY: The Portage County Democratic Party will hold its monthly business meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, at the Olympic Restaurant at the corner of Division Street and Maria Drive in Stevens Point. The meeting will focus heavily on the upcoming Portage County Democratic Party Picnic, to be held this year on Sunday, Aug. 26, at Pffiner Pioneer Park. UW-SP professor emeritus Thomas Detwyler will address the group after the business meeting is done. He will speak on "Our Energy Challenge." He will provide perspectives that have important policy implications - both at the state and federal levels. The public is invited. The executive committee will meet briefly at 7 p.m. * * * LUNG CANCER DEATHS INCREASE: Portage County experienced a 21 percent increase in the number of people of who died from lung cancer between 1994 and 1998, compared to 1979-1983, according to a new study. Between 1994 and 1998, 111 county residents died of lung cancer. Results of the study released by the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UW Medical School's Department of Population of Health will be published in the July 2001 Wisconsin Medical Journal, the publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin. The study found lung cancer death rates increased 19 percent in the U.S. and 23 percent in Wisconsin. The decrease in California's lung cancer death rates was attributed to tobacco consumption decreasing by 50 percent after a large increase in cigarette taxes in 1988 was used to fund a comprehensive tobacco control program. Wisconsin's smoking prevalence rate of 23 percent has been fairly constant during the last 10 years. Currently, 26 percent of Portage County residents smoke, according to the county Health and Human Services Department. * * * PORTAGE COUNTY BUILDING PERMITS: The Portage County Planning and Zoning Department issued four permits for commercial buildings valued at $280,000 and 28 permits for single family residences valued at $4,225,100 in June. The four commercial buildings were one in the town of Hull for $235,000, two in the town of Sharon for $40,000 and one in the town of Dewey for $5,000. The residences were three in the town of Plover for $1,050,000, four in the town of Sharon for $655,000, three in the town of Stockton for $410,000, four in the town of Lanark for $405,000, two in the town of New Hope for $336,500, three in the town of Hull for $310,000, two in the town of Grant for $310,600, two in the town of Dewey for $250,000, two in the town of Carson for $245,000, one in the town Eau Pleine for $160,000, one in the town of Amherst for $84,000 and one in the town of Buena Vista for $9,000.