County capsules ANOTHER HIGHWAY 10 CORRIDOR PROPOSED: The state Department of Transportation (DOT) has added a fourth corridor alternative for Highway 10 between County Trunk K and Interstate 39/Highway 51. The new alternative is between Fifth Street-Highway HH and Sixth Street-Porter Drive in the town of Stockton. That alternative had been dropped from consideration, but Mike Berg, DOT district director, said several Stockton residents asked to have the route included in the in-depth study and field investigations along with the three other alternatives. The other alternatives all connect with I-39 in the area between HH and Porter Road. One follows the existing 10 route to County Trunk J and swings to the south toward that connection. Another parallels HH on the south side of the road and the third parallels Porter on the north side. * * * POINT SCHOOLS APPROVE BUDGET: The Stevens Point Area Public School Board adopted its final budget for the 2002-2003 school year. The budget includes $92.6 million in net expenditures, compared to $83.2 million in actual expenditures in 2001-2002. The school levy will increase 5.34 percent to $25.4 million. The property tax rate per $1,000 of equalized valuation will be $9.19. * * * UNITED WAY REACHES 61 PERCENT OF GOAL: Contributions to the United Way of Portage County have reached $1,107,150, 61 percent of the goal, as of Wednesday, Oct. 30. That leaves $707,850 to be raised to reach the goal of $1,815,000. Three organizations reported 100 percent employee participation, with Premium Brands raising $3,005; Point Plus Credit Union raising $4,123 and Mid-State Technical College raising $3,589 from employees. Community Industries Corp. and Community First Bank also reported more than 90 percent participation. Several organizations have reported increases in giving, with Associated Bank's overall corporate and employee gifts totaling $98,340. Other donors were M&I Bank, $21,838; F&M Bank, $535; Clifton Gunderson LLC, $3,208; Midwest Hardware Association, $2,191; Stevens Point City Hall employees, $1,639; Silgan Containers Corp., $1,657; Community First Bank, $1,486; Coca-Cola Bottling Co., $2,805; Ellis Stone Construction, $3,723; and Bannach Elementary School employees, $2,129. Mary Trapp from Banta Global Turnkey and Karen Ringelstetter from Rice Medical Clinic each won a pair of tickets for the Green Bay Packers game on Nov. 4, courtesy of Delta Dental, in the first drawing for donor prizes. The next drawing will be on Nov. 1 when a 60-second shopping spree at Copps Food Center will be given away. The final drawing for two round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in the continental United States will be held Nov. 8 and is provided by Marathon Travel and Cruise Shops. Contributions may be sent to United Way, 1100 CenterPoint Drive, Suite 301, Stevens Point, WI 54581 or call 341-6740. * * * BLOOD DRIVE COMING MONDAY: A Stevens Point Community Blood Drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, in the Pinery Room of the Portage County Public Library in Stevens Point. The Stevens Point Alternative School is sponsoring the drive for the Blood Center, and blood from the drive goes to help patients at St. Michael's Hospital. For an appointment, call the school at 345-5592. * * * SPASH STUDENT-BUILT HOUSE SEES INCREASED PARTICIPATION: The Stevens Point Area Senior High School technology education department has added a full section this year for students to learn how to build a house. Three sections, two this semester and one second semester, are building a three-bedroom house at 2121 Church St., Stevens Point. Instructor Bob Baker said that 37 students are currently participating, and 20 will participate during the spring semester. The student- built house project is a partnership of the Stevens Point Area School District, the city of Stevens Point, local contractors and suppliers and CAP Services. CAP finances the project and sells the home to a low- or moderate-income family, usually through its first time HomeBuyers program. The city's community development office provides the lot, and local contractors and suppliers donate time and materials to the program. The 1,484-square-foot home is designed to accommodate people with physical disabilities. The single-story house is being built with doorsills that are flush with the flooring, and hallways and doorways that are wider to allow for walkers and wheelchairs. This is the fifth house built by SPASH technology education students, and the third with special needs features. Three of the previous homes were sold to moderate-income families, and one was sold to a family with special needs. The current home will sell for $89,900. Since 1991, CAP has helped over 350 Portage County families purchase their first home through its HomeBuyers program. CAP has also weatherized the homes of almost 2,700 Portage County low-income families since 1975. Additionally, CAP provides 35 units of rental housing in Portage County, most for people with special needs. * * * HUMANE SOCIETY SPONSORS SANTA'S PETS AND FAMILY: The Portage County Humane Society is sponsoring Santa's Pets and Family from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, in the CenterPoint MarketPlace for pictures of pets and their owners. The price is $30 for up to three subjects (pet or human) or $35 for more than three subjects. Santa is not included as a subject. The Santa's Pets and Family package includes one 8X10, four wallets and the negative. Photography will be by Joan McAuliffe, who donated her time so that all proceeds from this event go to The Portage County Humane Society. Call to make an appointment at: 344-4132. Walk-ins are welcome. * * * CRIME STOPPERS SEEK HELP WITH BURGLARY: Within an hour and 15 minutes on Tuesday, Sept. 17, someone entered a residence at 3519 E. Maria Drive in the town of Hull and took a safe containing more than $1,400 and antique coins. Portage County Crime Stoppers is seeking the public's help in trying to solve the crime. The day of the burglary, the homeowner left at 1:45 p.m. and returned at 3:00 p.m. to discover the crime. Taken was a gray and black Sentry safe, with the cash, various proof sets of coins and some 1884 Silver Eagle Silver Dollars. The residents told the investigating deputy that for a couple of days prior to the burglary, they received a series of phone calls where the caller would listen but say nothing before hanging up. Caller ID indicated those phone calls originated at the outside pay phone from the Kwik Trip Gas Station on Highway 66, a block from the burglarized house. Anyone with any information on this burglary should call Crime Stoppers at (888) 346-6600. Callers can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward. * * * SPEAKER TO DISCUSS ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY: A political science professor and expert on democracy and Islamic issues will present a lecture at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Professor Ali Abootalebi of UW-Eau Claire will discuss "Islam and Democracy: Is Islam Incompatible With Democracy?" at 6:30 p.m. in Room 235 of the University Center. The lecture is open to the public free of charge. Abootalebi is the author of many articles as well as the texts, "Democratization in Developing Countries: 1980-1989" and "Islam and Democracy: State Society Relations in Developing Countries, 1980-1994," both by Garland Publishing. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, the Peace Studies department, History Club and Amnesty International. For more information contact the Wisconsin Institute at 346-3383 or wiinst@uwsp.edu.