County capsules ROOSEVELT-POST WILL GET TRAFFIC SIGNALS: The intersection of Post Road and Roosevelt Drive in the village of Plover will get traffic signals. State Rep. Julie Lassa, D-Plover, announced Wednesday, Jan. 2, that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has approved the installation. The intersection over the past years has experienced one fatality and numerous close calls between pedestrians and vehicles, she said. "This is a dangerous intersection for pedestrians especially children who must cross Post Road to get to Roosevelt Elementary School and the American Legion ball diamond," said Lassa. She said she has been working with the Department of Transportation District 4 staff engineers to approve the stoplight for well over a year. During that time she meet with concerned local parents, Ben Franklin students and Plover staff regarding ways to improve safety at the Post Road and Roosevelt Drive intersection. Lassa said the installation of the new stoplight is estimated to cost about $120,000. * * * UNEMPLOYMENT INCREASES: Portage County was one of 68 Wisconsin counties that experienced an increase in unemployment in November, according to state Department of Workforce Development figures released Wednesday, Jan. 2. The unemployment rate increased to 3.4 percent in November, up from 2.9 percent in October. The November 2000 unemployment rate was 2.8 percent. The unemployment rate in Portage County ranks 65th highest out of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Menominee County had the highest unemployment rate in November - 11.1 percent - while Dane County had the lowest - 1.9 percent. Stevens Point's November unemployment rate of 4.5 percent ranked 17th highest out of 28 Wisconsin cities. The unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in the city in October and 3.7 percent in November 2000. Statewide the unemployment rate went from 3.9 percent in October to 4.3 percent in November (4.0 percent to 4.5 percent when seasonally adjusted). Manufacturing lost 5,400 jobs between October and November. Of that total 2,800 were in the nondurable goods manufacturing industries, with food and kindred products manufacturing the hardest hit. A majority of those nondurable jobs that were lost were in nonmetropolitan counties around the state. * * * BAND SCHEDULES FISH FRY: The Pacelli Band and Choir will hold a fish fry in the Pacelli High School cafeteria from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11. The event is a fund-raiser for a trip to New York in April. The menu consists of deep-fried or baked cod, choice of potato, cole slaw, bread, dessert and beverage. An alternate menu for children will be available with grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwich, French fries, applesauce, dessert and beverage. Carryouts are available by calling 341-2442 between 4:15 and 6:30 p.m. and picking them up at the Pacelli loading dock. Prices are $6 for adult/student, $5.50 for senior citizens, $3 for children ages 4-12 and free for children under 3. * * * ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION NAMED ONE OF BEST CHARITIES: Worth magazine has named the Alzheimer's Association one of the "100 Best Charities" in America based on the Association's expressed goals and the success of its mission. The Alzheimer's Association is included in the category "Best Health Charity," and is the only Alzheimer's disease-related charity listed. Worth investigated how much money the charity directs to programs, fund-raising, administration and future reserves. "In the end, a charity made our list only after it had convinced us of the worthiness of its goal and the success of its mission," said Worth Editor Reshema Memon Yaqub Yaqub. "Readers can feel comfortable giving money to any of the 100 exceptional organizations that did." Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and degenerative brain disorder that impairs memory, abstract thinking, and behavior. The Alzheimer's Association is the premier source of information and support for the four million Americans with Alzheimer's disease. For more information on programs and services available in Adams, Clark, Marathon, Portage, Taylor, Waushara and Wood counties, call the Greater Wisconsin Chapter's Wausau Regional Office at (888) 297-6605. * * * CRASH FREE FOR A WEEK: The 13th annual Crash Free for a Week showcase will be held Saturday, Jan. 12, at the CenterPoint MarketPlace, Stevens Point. The mall showcase promotes automobile, pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, boat and snowmobile safety with intent to reduce personal injury and physical property damage in central Wisconsin. The showcase starts the Crashfree Program, where safe drivers are recognized during the week of Jan. 12-19 in the greater Stevens Point-Plover area. The Central Wisconsin Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors sponsor the program. * * * COUNTY BOARD CANDIDATES: Incumbent Portage County Board supervisors James Clark, District 7, Donald Jankowski, District 13, and O. Philip Idsvoog, District 16, have announced their re-election bids for the April election. Also announcing their candidacy are Kevin Ruehl for the District 4 seat, Jeanne Dodge for the District 24 seat and Gerald Kirschling for the District 26 seat. * * * PLOVER MAN DIES IN CRASH: A car-van accident at 4:21 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, on Highway 66 at Highway I claimed the life of Gary L. Brunker, 60, 3100 Madison Ave., a Portage County Sheriff's Department report said. Brunker was driving the van west on Highway 66 when an oncoming car, driven by Heather J. Cromer, 18, Shawano, crossed the centerline, striking the van. The collision caused the van to enter the north ditch and roll twice. Brunker was extricated from the van by members of the Whiting Fire Department Rescue Squad and then transported by ambulance to St. Michael's Hospital, the report said. He was later transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, where he was pronounced dead at 9:21 p.m. * * * LIPPERT TO WORK WITH WCC: State Rep. MaryAnn Lippert, R-Pittsville, will be at Jordan Park from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9. Lippert will spend the day learning about and doing the jobs of the Wisconsin Conservation Corps. She will be part of a team involved in hazardous tree removal, weather permitting, or with bird and bat house placement in the event of inclement weather. Lippert spends at least one day each month job shadowing through her "Working Side-by-Side" program. Constituents or businesses can contact her office at (888) 534-0070 about hosting her for a day. * * * LIPPERT SETS OFFICE HOURS: State Rep. MaryAnn Lippert, R-Pittsville, will hold office hours at two Portage County locations on Saturday, Jan. 12. Lippert will be at the Eau Pleine Town Hall, intersection of highways 34 and H, from 10 to 11 a.m. and the Hull Town Hall, 4550 Wojcik Memorial Drive, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. * * * OBEY SECURES FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, announced Thursday, Dec. 27, that he secured $175,000 in federal funds for a Northern Wisconsin Economic Development Initiative. The initiative will conduct a baseline analysis of workforce skills and industry needs in northern Wisconsin and will implement training and capacity building to fill any identified gaps. "These funds will help finance a baseline analysis of workforce skills and availability in northern Wisconsin to diagnose how well the existing labor force is meeting the needs of industry in our region," Obey said. "Stage two of this initiative will take steps to close any gaps identified in workforce skills or in capacity of the workforce training infrastructure. This targeted approach will help stimulate our regional economy." The Northern Wisconsin Economic Development Initiative is based on a three-pronged approach: a baseline analysis of northern economic strengths and needs; workforce training targeted at specific economic sectors based on the analysis; and capacity building to increase existing capability to compete in world markets. The grant will be administered by the University of Wisconsin-Extension in collaboration with UW-SP and UW-Superior. The partnership will also include local technical colleges, economic development associations, workforce development boards, business councils and other educational institutions. The working model will be an existing partnership between UW-SP, Mid-State Technical College, and the Portage County Business Council, which recently established a state-of-the-art business education and training center, for which Obey secured $250,000 in federal funds last year. * * * MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER TRAINING FUNDED: This year's federal education budget includes $350,000 for the Wisconsin Academy Staff Development Initiative (WASDI) to continue providing math and science training for Wisconsin teachers. U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Thursday, Dec. 27, he included the learning center funds in the budget bill, which was approved by wide margins last week in both the House and Senate and is now on its way to the President's desk for his signature. WASDI asked Obey's help in getting this funding in order to continue its teacher training academies that they have been putting on in Wisconsin to help teachers gain better skills in math and science. WASDI holds weeklong seminars for teachers in various areas of Wisconsin including Stevens Point, Chippewa Falls, Ashland, Rhinelander, Amery, Appleton, Waukesha, Williams Bay, Onalaska, Chiwaukee, Fennimore and Green Bay. * * * STORYTIME REGISTRATION BEGINS: Registration will begin for Preschool Storytime at the Charles White Public Library and the Plover Branch Library on Monday, Jan. 7. Storytimes at the Charles White Library will be Mondays at 6:30 p.m. for 3- to 5-year-olds, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9:45 a.m. for 2- and 3-year-olds with adult and 10:30 a.m. for 3- to 5-year-olds. The six-week session begins Monday, Jan. 21. For more information call the Youth Department at the Charles White Library at 346-1549. Preschool Storytimes at the Plover Branch Library will be held on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. and Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. for 3- to 5-year-olds. Call the Plover Branch Library at 341-4007 to register. * * * WINTER WEIGHT LIMITS TAKE EFFECT: Wisconsin's frozen road law, which permits operation of heavier trucks on state trunk highways if the loads are forest products or salt and sand for winter maintenance, will go into effect in stages, due in part to the mild fall experienced throughout most of Wisconsin and its effect on pavement temperatures. On Dec. 31, the frozen road law went into effect on and north of Highway 10. It will go into effect south of Highway 10 on Monday, Jan. 7. The state Department of Transportation issues the declaration once the ground under the pavement is frozen. That allows the maximum gross weight for trucks hauling logs or salt and sand for maintaining roads in winter to go up to 98,000 pounds. The exemption applies only to the Wisconsin state trunk highway system, which are those roads marked with state or U.S. numbers, but does not include the Interstate highway system, with the exception of I-39 from Portage to Wausau. Special permits for hauling the increased weights aren't required, but the vehicles must be legally licensed to handle the increased weights.