County capsules COUNTY GAINS POPULATION: Since the 2000 census, some people were born, some died, some moved in and some moved away. The net effect, according to the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), is that Portage County gained 1,068 people. The 1.54 percent increase since the census means the county now has a population of 68,212. The DOA issues estimates of municipal populations every year about this time. In raw numbers, the village of Plover had the highest growth, adding 335 people in the past year. Plover now has 10,855 residents. Stevens Point gained 306 people, and now has a population of 24,865. If growth continues at current levels, the city will hit the 25,000 mark by next year. Five municipalities registered slight population declines, according to the DOA. Whiting lost 16 people, and now has 1,744 residents. Junction City's population of 432 is eight lower than at the last census. Park Ridge's head count dropped by seven to 481. The village of Rosholt now has 514, down four from a year ago. And the town of Almond has 457 residents, two fewer than the earlier count. The other towns and villages all showed small increases, with the largest being 41 in the town of Grant. Hull has 40 more people and Stockton has 39 more. Linwood and Nelsonville each have one more resident. * * * MSTC ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO RISE: Connie Willfahrt, vice president of Student Affairs, told the Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) Board of Directors Monday, Aug. 19, that MSTC has an all-time high program growth of nearly 6 percent. Monday was also the first day of classes for the fall semester and Willfahrt said the service and health and general education divisions reflected the greatest increase. The leading career programs in growth were urban forestry technician, nursing, network specialist, business administration, nursing assistant, respiratory care practitioner, medical transcription and accounting, she said. Since April, nearly 400 area dislocated workers have attended information sessions in conjunction with Workforce Investment Act personnel, she said, and 133 of those are enrolled as full-time MSTC students while 22 are part-time students. In other business, the board approved a resolution awarding the sale of $5 million in general obligation promissory notes to finance various infrastructure improvements and budgeted capital facilities and equipment expenditures for the current fiscal year, ending June 30, 2003. * * * FARM BILL INCLUDES LOCAL PROGRAMS: Seventh District U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, added $2 million to the new federal farm budget for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's (UW-SP) GEM Center, plus $200,000 to continue a low-pesticide potato program in Wisconsin. Obey also included instructions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to work towards cost-sharing for plastic mulch used in windbreaks in central Wisconsin. Obey, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, added the funding and instructions to the Agriculture Appropriations bill for the coming year, which passed the Appropriations Committee last month. Specifically, Obey helped secure $2 million to continue the development of the Global Environmental Management (GEM) Education Center at the UW-SP College of Natural Resources. This funding will represent the third year of federal support for the project. Obey also helped secured $200,000 for an additional year of funding for the Wisconsin Potato project, a collaborative partnership between the Wisconsin potato growers, the University of Wisconsin, and the World Wildlife Fund aimed at producing healthy-grown potatoes that minimize the use of toxic pesticides. The funding represents a slight increase over last year. * * * GROUND WATER REGULATION HEARINGS: The Department of Natural Resources will hold hearings here Monday, Sept. 9, on standards to eliminate ground water contamination from Alachor ESA and molybdenum. Alachlor ESA is a breakdown product of the herbicide Alachlor, used on corn and soybeans. Molybdenum is a metal used in steel alloys and for other purposes. Revisions also are proposed for ground water standards for the herbicides butylate and dacthal, and for naphthalene, a constituent of coal tar and petroleum which is also used as a wood preservative. The Stevens Point hearings will be held at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in room 205 of the University Center. * * * SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION AVAILABLE: Parents of children who attend summer camps can get information about camps by contacting the Portage County Health and Human Services Department's Environmental Health Section at 345-5350, department officials said this week. Environmental Health staff inspect each camp annually to determine compliance with Chapter HFS 175 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. The code can be viewed on the Internet at www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/hfs/hfs175.pdf. In addition, if the camp is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), information is available by visiting its Web site at www.ACAcamps.org or by calling (765) 342-8465. Parents are also encouraged to tour the camp their child will attend and ask questions of the director and staff. * * * UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN: The unemployment rate for Portage County dropped one-tenth of a percentage point during July, according to figures released by the state Department of Workforce Development. The July unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, compared to 5.0 percent in June. The July 2001 unemployment rate for Portage County was 4.3 percent. The unemployment rate in July for the U.S. was 5.5 percent and 4.7 percent for both Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River Valley District. * * * FLUORESCENT LAMP AND COMPUTER RECYCLING DAY: The Portage County Solid Waste Department has scheduled its fall Fluorescent Lamp and Computer Recycling Day for Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Portage County Highway Facility, 800 Plover Road, Plover. The event provides recycling services at reduced rates and is available to all Portage County businesses, institutions and residents. All participants are required to pay for the services. The department works with Lamp Recyclers Inc. to properly recycle fluorescent lamps (lightbulbs) and computer components. Environmental regulations prohibit businesses and institutions from disposing of these items in landfills unless they are determined to be nonhazardous. Testing is expensive and most of these items will not pass. Proper recycling eliminates the need for testing and avoids potentially expensive hazardous waste disposal capsules. Residents are exempt from these regulations but are encouraged to recycle these items whenever possible. Businesses with larger volumes can make arrangements for onsite collection at no additional cost. For more information call the Portage County Recycling and Solid Waste Hotline at 345-5972.