Portage County capsules MEETING ON DOWNTOWN STUDY: A public meeting to provide public input into the downtown directional study will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 4, in the County Annex Building, 1462 Strongs Ave., Stevens Point. The public will have an opportunity to give input on the issues and perceptions facing downtown Stevens Point. The directional study is being funded through grants from the state of Wisconsin's Community Based Economic Development Program and the city of Stevens Point. A presentation of the consultant's findings will be held for the public at noon Friday, June 8, in the County Annex Building. The public will have an opportunity to prioritize potential downtown projects at this meeting. A report covering the findings should be completed by the end of July. Individuals who are unable to attend the public meetings can provide input after Monday, June 4, by calling 344-3098 or e-mailing suggestions to suggestdowntown@portagecountybiz.com. For more information on these public meetings, contact Brian Doudna at the Portage County Business Council, 344-1940. * * * CLARK STREET MEETING: A public information meeting on the Clark Street project will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, in the cafeteria of P.J. Jacobs Junior High School. * * * WISDOT SCHEDULES HIGHWAY 10 INFORMATION MEETING: The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WsDOT) will hold a public information meeting on Wednesday, June 6, concerning proposed improvements to Highway 10 between Trestik Road, west of Junction City, and Interstate39/Highway 51. Conceptual alternatives for improvements to 10 between I-39-51 and Portage County K will also be presented at the meeting. WsDOT staff will present current information about the study alternatives from 4:30 to 8 p.m. in the Jefferson Elementary School gymnasium, 1800 East Ave, Stevens Point. Three identical 10-minute presentations are planned for 5, 6, and 7 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to familiarize the public with the updated maps showing the highway alternatives currently being considered. WsDOT staff will be on hand to answer questions and receive comments on the proposed alternatives. Citizens with concerns, as well as those with historical knowledge that may assist in the development of this project, are encouraged to attend and/or contact project personnel. * * * CITY BAND BEGINS CONCERTS WEDNESDAY: The Stevens Point City Band will present its first concert of the 2001 summer season on Wednesday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pfiffner-Pioneer Park bandshell along the Wisconsin River. The band, under the direction of Donald E. Greene, will present a concert entitled "Hooray for Hollywood -- A Tribute to Film Composers." Featured music will include "Hooray for Hollywood," "Kartoon Kaleidoscope," "Cable At Night," "Walt Disney Band Showcase" and "Lerner and Loewe in Concert." David Hastings, professor of saxophone, musicianship and jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, will be the guest soloist and perform Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess Medley" on alto saxophone. Hastings also served on faculties at West Virginia University and Baylor University. Well versed in both jazz and classical genres, his performance credits include appearances at numerous universities, colleges, and public schools across the country in addition to several concerts in Europe. Alford's "Colonel Bogey (Bridge on the River Kwai) March" will be the music for the weekly children's march. Concerts are free of charge and will be performed every Wednesday evening through August 1. Audience members should bring chairs or blankets for seating. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the Center Court of the downtown CenterPoint MarketPlace. * * * GREATER PLOVER OPEN GOLF OUTING: The Portage County Child Passenger Safety Association and the Sky Club are sponsoring the Greater Plover Open Golf Scramble on Monday, June 18, at Tree Acres Golf Course in Plover. The outing will begin with a shotgun start at noon. Dinner will follow at the Sky Club. Proceeds will benefit the PCCPSA's educational programs on car seats and seat belts. Call 341-SEAT (7328) to register a foursome or for more information. * * * GOVERNOR SIGNS BRIDGE CONTRACT: Gov. Scott McCallum Tuesday, May 29, signed a $744,000 contract to reconstruct the Bear Creek Bridge, located on Bear Creek Road, in the town of Linwood, and the Lake Wazeecha Crossing, located on County Trunk U, between Wood County Trunk Z and Portage County Trunk FF. Earth Inc., of Arpin is the prime contractor for the project. Crews will reconstruct both bridges to improve safety and decrease maintenance costs. The project also includes widening roadway that approaches the Lake Wazeecha crossing. Construction is scheduled for the summer of 2001. During construction of the Lake Wazeecha crossing, traffic will be detoured onto a route determined by the Wood County Highway Department. The Bear Creek Bridge will be closed to traffic during construction. The Lake Wazeecha Crossing project is being paid for with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent local funds. The Bear Creek Bridge project is being paid for with 90 percent federal funds and 10 percent local funds. * * * HOME COMPOSTING WORKSHOPS: A hands-on home composting workshop will be held at Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor's Center from 9:30-10:45 am Saturday, June 2. The same workshop will be held at the Plover Municipal Building from 6:30-7:45 p.m. on Thursday, June 7. Participants will learn how to turn their leaves, grass and yard trimmings into rich compost to use in their gardens and on their lawns. Tips on what can be composted and effective recipes to get fast compost will be presented. Home-built plans and other handouts will be available. The workshop will also present how to use the commercial "Home Composter" bin. The workshops are sponsored by Portage County's Solid Waste Department, Portage County's Recycling Education program and area municipalities. The workshop fee is $5. For those who purchased a "Home Composter" bin this spring, admission is free. To register for the June 2 or 7 workshops call the Recycling Hotline at 345-5972 or register at the door. * * * ST. PETER MIDDLE SCHOOL PLACES AT WORLD EVENT: St. Peter Middle School in Stevens Point finished eighth in the category of "DInamic Improv" at the global finals of Destination ImagiNation (formally Odyssey of the Mind) at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., from May 24-26. The team qualified for the global finals by winning at the state meet at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Saturday, April 21. The St. Peter team included Jordan Gross, Leah Korger, Greg Marsicek, Josh Rogalski, Matt Weishan, Tom Weishan and Seth Wanta. The team was coached by Debbie Weishan and Anne Rogalski. * * * WOMEN'S FUND AWARDS GRANT TO CRISIS CENTER: The Women's Fund of Portage County is granting an award of $1,300 to CAP Services Family Crisis Center. The award will be used to train the female member of the Center's Domestic Abuse Alternatives Program (DAAP) treatment team for batterers. The DAAP Program uses the Duluth Model curriculum developed by the Domestic Abuse Project in Duluth, Minn. Crisis Center Advisory Board Chair Will Stites, said the model is widely recognized as the preferred curriculum model for batterer's treatment programs. The Family Crisis Center's DAAP Program recently became one of the first abusers' treatment programs in the state certified by the Wisconsin Batterer's Treatment Association. In addition to supporting training costs, the Women's Fund grant will be used to purchase new videos and training materials for the DAAP program. This award was made through the Women's Fund endowment. Grants from this fund are awarded on an annual basis to qualified organizations and projects in Portage County that foster opportunities for the economic, educational, physical, emotional, social, artistic and/or personal growth of Portage County women and children of all ages, cultures, nationalities, races and abilities and increasing community awareness of the significant needs of women and children. The Women's Fund of Portage County is a Field of Interest Fund of the Community Foundation of Portage County and a collaborative initiative between Saint Michael's Foundation, the Stevens Point Area YMCA and the Community Foundation. For more information about the Women's Fund of Portage County, contact the Community Foundation at 342-4454. * * * JOINT FINANCE INCLUDES SAGE PROGRAM IN BUDGET: A day after state Rep. Julie Lassa, D-Plover, joined other Assembly members to "Save SAGE," members of the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance voted unanimously to restore full funding for the SAGE program. SAGE (Student Achievement Guarantee in Education), a program that reduces class sizes, was cut by $37 million in the budget Gov. McCallum submitted to the legislature in February. "The committee's vote today to fully fund SAGE is a victory for students and parents across our state," said Lassa. "This program has been extremely successful in increasing student academic performance and is a wise investment in our children's future." Lassa, other legislators, educators and parents supporting the SAGE program held press conferences at elementary schools across the state including McKinley School in Stevens Point in a show of support for the program. Recent research conducted by the Department of Public Instruction indicated that SAGE students scored significantly higher than other students on the Comprehensive Basic Skills Test. "This is a great first victory for SAGE but we have to remain vigilant so the money is not cut later in the budget process," said Lassa. "I feel good about what the committee did today and am hopeful about the future of SAGE and its positive impact on our children's education." Once the Joint Committee on Finance concludes its work on the budget it will go to both houses of the legislature for consideration.