Portage County capsules SPRING BREAK: Stevens Point Area Public Schools will be closed the week of March 19-23 for spring break. * * * CATHOLIC SCHOOLS CLOSED: Stevens Point Area Catholic Schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday, March 19-20, and will reopen Wednesday, March 21. The SPACS office will remain open. The schools will be closed in April for a national conference. * * * SPRING BOUTIQUE ART/CRAFT SHOW: A Spring Boutique Art/Craft Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, at the Holiday Inn & Convention Center in Stevens Point. The show is the only spring show in the area with more than 100 exhibitors. For additional information contact Mary Ann Sandstrom, 2030 Aspen Lane, Plover. * * * UW-SP BLOOD DRIVE: The Association for Community Tasks (A.C.T.) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is sponsoring its semi-annual blood drive on campus on Tuesday, March 27, and Wednesday, March 28. Walk-ins are welcome at the University Center Laird Room from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. To make an appointment, call A.C.T. at 346-2260. * * * SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES LETTER OF INTENT: The Stevens Point Area Public School District Board unanimously approved a letter of intent (LOA) to enter into a performance contract with Siemens Technology Inc. for work to be completed at Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) when it met Monday, March 12. The work to be done includes maintenance and mechanical work on the building as well as making it more energy efficient. The Siemens proposal is estimated at a project cost of $2.5-$2.7 million. The district is not committed to having the work done by approving the LOA, but if the company does come up with a plan that fits into the parameters set by the district, it would be responsible for paying for any preliminary work done. If the board does approve the project, it would likely arrange a 10-year lease pay back arrangement. With interest, this would amount to an estimated $338,000, which is more than half of the district's annual facilities expenditure budget. While many board members expressed concern over committing so much of the budget to one item, the motion passed unanimously because board members said that the work on SPASH has been put off for years and is of the highest priority. "We only have one high school," Board Member Diana McGinley said. The cost of renovating SPASH could be included in a future referendum. * * * BEAUTY AND BABY PAGEANT: CenterPoint MarketPlace will again host the Sunburst USA Beauty and Baby Pageant at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 24. Entries are being accepted now through the pageant date and are available at the Customer Service Center in Center Court. Winners will advance to the state pageant. The Baby Contest is for boys and girls in the following age groups: Baby, newborn to 1 year; Tiny, 1 Year; Little, 2 and 3 years. A king and queen will be chosen in each age group. They will receive a crown, trophy, banner and their $200 entry fee to the state pageant will be paid. Runners-up will receive a trophy. The Miss Sunburst Contest, which follows, is for girls ages 4-27 years old. The age groups include: Pee-Wee, 4-6 years; Little Miss, 7-10 years; Pre-teen, 11-13 years; Teen, 14-17 years; and Miss, 18-27 years. A queen will be chosen in each group and will receive a crown, trophy, banner and a $200 state pageant entry fee payment. Additional information may be obtained by calling CenterPoint MarketPlace at 344-1599. * * * NO SEATS LOST: The Portage County Executive Committee has recommended the County Board of Supervisors stay at 29 members. The committee looked at the issue following the 2000 census. The County Board will act on the recommendation when it meets Tuesday. * * * JAIL FACILITIES: Three County Board committees, Space and Properties, Justice and Public Safety/Emergency Management, have recommended the county "should strive to have any future jail building project physically connected to the courts, court related offices, and the law enforcement offices, and the project should also include the necessary security provisions for court personnel, jurors, litigants, defendants, and the general public." If the county ultimately decides to build a jail at a distant location from court-related facilities, the county should establish a dedicated transport team to move prisoners between the courts and jail and have secure places to handle prisoners at the courthouse. The County Board is scheduled to act on the recommendation Tuesday. * * * STEVENS POINT BUILDING PERMITS: The city of Stevens Point issued four building permits for single family residences in February. The residences and their valuation were $135,000 for 1520 Ironwood Ave., $135,000 for 2017 Ironwood Ave., $120,000 for 3008 Lampman Drive and $110,000 for 5633 Kingfisher Drive. * * * PLOVER BUILDING PERMITS: The village of Plover issued one building permit for $300,000 for Woodhaven Animal Hospital, 2650 Forest Drive, and three building permits for single family homes in February. The residences and their valuation were $145,000 at 1841 Red Oak Drive, $110,000 at 1991 Red Oak Drive and $105,000 at 3251 Mirage Circle. * * * EAST AVENUE CLOSURE DELAYED: The city of Stevens Point is delaying the closing of East Avenue in front of Jefferson School. The Common Council had approved closing the street to expand the playground eastward across East after the Stevens Point Area School District acquired houses across the street from the school. John Gardner, Stevens Point planning and community development director, said the possibility of closing Jefferson School as an elementary school would affect the street closing because that action was taken to expand the playground.