County capsules HIGHWAY 10 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT MEETING: The results of a third-party review of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be presented at a public meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17, in the Pineries Room of the Portage County Public Library. The review study presentation, sponsored by the Bill Cook Chapter, Izaak Walton League and prepared by Applied Ecological Services of Brodhead, will begin at 7 pm. The public is invited to attend. * * * McGINLEY WON'T SEEK RE-ELECTION: Diana McGinley, chairwoman of the Stevens Point Area Public School Board, has filed a notice of noncandidacy. Four board seats will be open this spring. No one has announced a bid to seek those seats. The top three vote-getters in the April 1 election will serve three-year terms, while the person receiving the fourth-most votes will serve a one-year term due to an earlier resignation on the School Board. Up to eight candidates can be on the April 1 ballot. If more than eight individuals apply, a primary will be held in February. Community members older than 18 who reside in the district are eligible to run. The deadline to submit applications is Jan. 7. * * * PUPIL ALLOCATIONS INCREASED: The Stevens Point Area Public School Board approved increasing the elementary per pupil allocations when it met Monday by $5 to $62.86. The junior and senior high allocations remain unchanged at $92.80 and $117.34 per pupil. * * * BLOOD DRIVE SCHEDULED: The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Plover Municipal Building on Monday, Dec. 16, from 3 to 7 p.m. Donors may call 344-4052 to make an appointment, and walk-ins are welcome. Individuals may donate blood every 56 days and must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. * * * NO IMPACT FORESEEN AT CWA FROM UNITED WOES: The recent bankruptcy filing by United Airlines "shouldn't impact us at all," said Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) Manager James Hansford. United Express flies four flights a day into CWA at Mosinee. United Express is a separate airline, owned by Air Wisconsin, which has a contract with United Airlines to serve as its express carrier, Hansford said. United Airlines, at one time the nation's biggest carrier, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection so it can reorganize in the face of mounting debt. Portage and Marathon counties operate CWA under a joint agreement. * * * TRAFFIC CRASH CLAIMS ONE LIFE: A 29-year-old Stevens Point man was killed in a one-vehicle rollover crash Saturday night, Dec. 7, on Old Wausau Road, near Jordan Road, in the town of Hull, a Portage County Sheriff's Department report said. Authorities responded to the scene at 11:32 p.m., the report said. When they arrived, they found that Ryan C. Wallock, 716 Frederick St., had been traveling south, when his vehicle rolled over and he was ejected. It appeared his pickup truck had drifted off the roadway onto the right shoulder, and he over corrected as he approached a curve in the road. Deputies and Portage County Ambulance Service paramedics moved Wallock to a landing zone so he could be medically evacuated by helicopter, but he succumbed to his injuries prior to landing, the report said. Excessive speed and alcohol were suspected to have contributed to the accident, the report said. Deputies also believe Wallock would have survived if he had been wearing his seatbelt. The Wisconsin State Patrol and Hull Fire Department also responded to the scene. * * * CWA PASSENGER TRAFFIC IMPROVING: A year ago in November, the nation's airlines and airports were still feeling the effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Since then, airline passenger traffic has recovered somewhat and figures from the Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) at Mosinee reflect the improvement. Airport Manager James Hansford says November passenger traffic rose 14 percent over last year, and that for the first 11 months, 7 percent more people have flown into or out of the airport. Through November, the airport has accommodated almost 261,000 passengers. The three carriers serving the airport all showed double digit increases in passengers for November. Skyway Express and Mesaba (Northwest Airlink) both had 17 percent increases, while United Express was up 12 percent. Freight handled at the airport - although up 5 percent in November - is essentially flat for the year so far. And overnight parking in the airport lot - which produces $5 per vehicle for the airport - was up 10 per cent in November and is 6 percent higher for the year. * * * DRIVERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR WINTER: "Winter weather has arrived and it is time again to begin to prepare for driving on our city streets," said Lt. Kevin Ruder, Stevens Point Police Department patrol commander. "It is always important to practice safe driving habits but it is even more important as winter brings us the challenge of icy and snow-covered streets." Ruder recommends drivers inspect their vehicles. An outside inspection of the vehicle, such as checking tire tread and tire pressure, is important. An engine check up is also important. Checking batteries, oil and antifreeze can help ensure vehicles will start on cold mornings. Motorists should also carry a blanket, sand for traction, extra warm clothes, boots, road flares and a shovel in their trunks in case their vehicles would get stuck in the snow. Drivers should also remember it takes longer to get places on winter roads and to clean frost and snow from their windows. * * * CHANCELLOR DISCUSSES BUDGET CUTS WITH REGENTS: "Students tell us there's a 'Black Market' in seats for high-demand classes," University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) Chancellor Tom George told UW System Regents Thursday at their monthly meeting in Madison. Speaking as a member of a five-person panel discussing state funding for higher education, George said he received an e-mail from a student who had been approached to sell his registered place in a required class to another student. George attributes this situation to budget cuts leading to staffing cuts leading to fewer class sections and a more aggressive demand for seats in those classes. "Students are the ones who feel these budget cuts most directly," George said. "Right now UW-SP administrators are participating in a planning exercise in anticipation of another five percent across-the-board reduction of state support of UW System campuses. At UW-SP this amounts to about $3 million annually." George said UW-SP will hire fewer faculty, cut class sections and reduce access to support areas such as career services, protective services and computer technology. Since the mid-1990s, 28 academic programs have been eliminated and cutbacks loom in summer programs, collaborative degree programs and academic positions, he said. Reducing enrollment will also affect facilities such as the University Center, computer laboratories and the library because of less student fees to fund those areas. * * * STATE SETS UNCLAIMED PROPERTY PAYOUT RECORD: State Treasurer Jack C. Voight announced this week that Wisconsin's Unclaimed Property division had processed a record 1,522 claims during November returning more than $1.1 million of unclaimed dollars to the citizens of Wisconsin. According to Unclaimed Property administrator Mary Celentani, the number of claims processed in November were nearly twice as many as those completed in September. The Treasury has processed nearly 8,300 claims during 2002, returning over $6.1 million. In the eight years he has been treasurer, Voight has returned over $29.5 million in unclaimed property, more than all other previous Wisconsin state treasurers combined. Inquiries and requests for claims may be made at the State Treasurer's Web site, www.ost.state.wi.us, at www.missingmoney.com, or by calling the Unclaimed Property Division at 608-267-7977. Voight was re-elected to a third four-year term last November. He is currently the only state-wide elected Republican in Wisconsin at either the state or federal level. * * * STEVENS POINT BUILDING PERMITS: Stevens Point issued six building permits for construction valued at $1,349,000 in November. The permits were for an industrial building at 5024 Heffron St. valued at $79,100, a six-unit apartment building at 3616 Doolittle Drive valued at $$370,000, a duplex at 5141-43 Walton Road valued at $170,000, a duplex at 724-26 Warbler Lane valued at $152,900, a single-family home at 1317 Sunny Crest Ave. valued at $320,000, and a single-family home at 4716 Nicolet Ave. valued at $257,000.