Portage County capsules "STAMP OUT HUNGER" DRIVE: Letters carriers in Portage County, both on city and rural routes, will be collecting nonperishable food items on Saturday, May 12, in conjunction with the ninth annual national food drive. Last year, 62 million pounds of food were collected nationally. All food items collected stay in local communities for local food banks. Among the post offices that will be participating are Stevens Point, Plover, Junction City, Amherst and Amherst Junction. The drive is done in cooperation with the U.S. Postal Service and the Letter Carriers of America. A "Help Stamp Out Hunger" post card will be delivered to residents to remind them of the drive. Food items that will be collected include canned items such as soup, juice, pasta, vegetables, cereal and rice. Donations should be placed at the mailbox on May 12 before the carrier arrives. * * * ALLEGED BURGLAR NABBED: A property owner in the 2200 block of Gilkay Avenue confronted someone breaking into his garage at about 11 p.m. Thursday, April 26, and contacted police, a Stevens Point Police Department report said. The suspect had fled and left his vehicle, which contained items stolen from the garage, parked in the area. Police arrested the 31-year-old man at his Stevens Point residence and took him to jail on charges of burglary, battery and bail jumping. Police have also requested charges for 11 other burglaries and thefts that recently occurred in the city be filed against the suspect. * * * DRUG BUST: The Stevens Point Police Department found 1.8 pounds of marijuana Wednesday, April 25, after executing a search warrant at an apartment in the 600 block of N. Second Street, a report said. Police also found $2,440 in U.S. currency. Two 20-year-old men were arrested on charges of marijuana possession with intent to deliver, manufacturing marijuana, marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia possession and maintaining a dwelling for the manufacture and sale of controlled substances. The confiscated marijuana has a street value of about $3,000. * * * ST. JUDE'S HOSPITAL RAISES $5,800: The "Captured for Kids" event to benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital raised more than $5,800 in the Stevens Point area on Wednesday, April 25. Top fund-raiser for the day was Peg de Lapp, who raised more than $1,000. She was one of 10 area residents who contacted friends, family members and business associates to collect donations. * * * HOUSE FIRE: A house at 717 Walker St. sustained extensive damage during a house fire Thursday, April 26, the Stevens Point Fire Department said. The department was called to the home at 9:52 a.m. Responding firefighters found a rapidly developing fire showing throughout the front of the single-family dwelling, to include the attached porch. An emergency recall was ordered to bring back all available off-duty firefighters. Firefighters attacked the fire through the rear of the house with two hose lines - quickly extinguishing the fire on the ground floor and then the upper floor. The remaining fire was "stubbornly embedded" between layers of metal roofing, cedar shake wood shingles, sheeting, rafters and interior finishes. Firefighters used the department's 75-foot aerial unit while they ripped rip metal roofing off the steep roof with hand tools. Flying debris struck one firefighter in the forehead, causing a slight injuring. He was treated at St. Michael's Hospital for the minor head injury and significant dehydration. Estimated damage to the building and its contents is $85,000. Authorities believe the house is not salvageable. All 11 occupants of the home were safely evacuated. * * * RED CROSS AIDS AT FIRES: The Portage County Chapter of the American Red Cross provide disaster relief at a fire on Friday, April 27, at 918 Michigan Ave. in Stevens Point. The residents of the home were offered Red Cross assistance and their emergency needs were met. The chapter also responded to a fire Thursday, April 26, at 717 Walker St. where the emergency needs of 11 residents were met. The Red Cross relies on contributions to provide direct relief and to maintain a trained corps of local volunteer responders and all disaster assistance is free. To help the victims of the fires, financial contributions can he made to the local chapter 3057 Michigan Ave., Stevens Point, WI 54481. For information about helping as a volunteer, call the chapter at 344-4052. * * * FIRST STEVENS POINT POET LAUREATE APPOINTED: The city of Stevens Point now has its own poet laureate. Mayor Gary Wescott recently appointed Lynda Reichert of Stevens Point as the first poet laureate of the city. The title carries an award of $500 and support for the poet laureate to present poetry in various settings in the community and to work with local school programs in various ways in writing poetry. The Stevens Point Arts Council assisted in selecting the recipient. The council sought applications and made a recommendation to the mayor, who chose Reichert. Funds for the program are part of the Arts Council's budget, which is derived from room tax funds allocated by the city. The council will also assist the poet laureate with related expenses for duplication of her works in the schools and at other places as needed. The mayor plans to introduce the new poet laureate at the May meeting of the Common Council. The appointment runs for one year. It is anticipated that the program will continue in future years. * * * ARTS COUNCIL AWARDS GRANTS: The Stevens Point Arts Council awarded five local arts groups financial support under its Organizational Support Program at its April meeting. The purpose of the program is to provide support funds for existing organizations in the community who present programs for the citizens of Stevens Point. The five organizations receiving funding are: The Monteverdi Master Chorale, $1,500; the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, $5,000; the Central Wisconsin Children's Museum, $1,500; the Central Wisconsin Area Community Theatre, $6,500; and the Mission Coffee House Poetry Series, $500. * * * DEMOCRATS MEET: The Portage County Democratic Party will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, at the Olympic Restaurant. The Executive Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. * * * CHURCH STREET REPAIRS BEGIN MONDAY: The concrete street repair project in Stevens Point for 2001 will begin Monday, May 7, with work areas on Church Street between Minnesota Avenue and Patch Street. One southbound lane and one northbound lane will be open to traffic, but Jon Van Alstine, director of public works, advises motorists to expect occasional delays. Weather permitting, the work will take approximately four weeks, he said. * * * CLARK STREET WORK STARTS MAY 14: Work on Phase II of the Highway 10 construction project between Soo Marie and Minnesota avenues is ahead of schedule, so work will begin Monday, May 14, on Clark Street between Division and Phillips streets. The project means Clark will be blocked off at Division, forcing residents in the area to find another route to their homes. Once that section of Clark is closed, concrete paving work will begin at the intersection of Minnesota, Clark and Main Street, so that section can open in June. Construction updates will continue to be posted on Cable Access Channel 3 and the city's Web site at ci.stevens-point.wi.us. A public information meeting on the project for residents of the area will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at P.J. Jacobs Junior High School. Construction and city staff will be available to answer questions. * * * GEORGIA STREET RECONSTRUCTION: Reconstruction of Georgia Street North from North Point Drive to Maria Drive is scheduled to begin on or about Monday, May 14. The project is expected to take five to seven weeks to complete. * * * RAIN IN VALLEY TWICE NORMAL FOR APRIL: The average of 5.00 inches of rain that has fallen on the Wisconsin River basin April 1-26 was twice the normal monthly total and generated runoff that increased ground water levels, continues to fill headwaters reservoirs and has sustained above normal natural flow in the Wisconsin River according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) in Wausau. WVIC is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to operate 21 storage reservoirs to regulate a uniform flow in the Wisconsin River. At the Eau Pleine reservoir, 4.63 inches of rain were measured during the period, compared to the normal of 2.77 inches. Through the valley, reservoirs are listed at 72 percent full, with the Eau Pleine reservoir at 98 percent of capacity. Flow at the dams is receding with the Stevens Point dam recording a flow of 10,627 cubic feet per second on Thursday, April 26, compared to 25,049 one week earlier, on April 19.