County capsules STEVENS POINT 2003 BUDGET RETAINS SAME TAX RATE: Property taxpayers in Stevens Point will pay the same tax rate for the seventh year in a row, $10.83 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The city's Common Council approved the tax rate during a budget hearing Monday, Nov. 18, on the $20,442,530 budget for 2003. The budget expenditures are a 0.5 percent increase over the 2002 budget of $20,340,411. The budget will result in a levy of $10,185,228, which is a 2.16 percent increase over the 2002 levy of $9,970,291. Mayor Gary Wescott praised the effort of department heads, the comptroller's office and staff for their work on the budget but warned the state's financial problems could impact the city in future years. His remarks are listed on the city's Web site, http://ci.stevens-point.wi.us. * * * COUNCIL WANTS MAYOR'S SALARY ALTERED: The Common Council supported a revised salary structure for the city's mayor on Monday, increasing the salary recommended by the Personnel Committee. However, the approval was 7-3, and approval requires that three-fourths of the 11 aldermen vote in favor. Alderman Neal Nealis, 9th District, was excused from the meeting. The committee had approved increasing the salary from $57,649 by 1.5 percent to $58,513.74 in 2003, keeping that salary in 2004, increasing it 2 percent $59,684.01 in 2005 and 3 percent in 2006. The aldermen approved increasing the salary 1.5 percent to $58,513.74 in 2003, 1.5 percent to $59,391.45 in 2004, 2 percent to $60,579.28 in 2005 and 3 percent to $62,396.66 in 2006. * * * UW-MARINETTE AND UW-SP SIGN AGREEMENT: Students from northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula are now able to earn a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) by attending courses at UW-Marinette. Chancellors from UW-SP and the UW Colleges signed an agreement on Tuesday, Nov. 12, which allows students to earn a bachelor's degree in general studies through the Collaborative Degree Program (CDP) at UW-Marinette. Credits earned in the program also transfer to other UW System institutions. The interdisciplinary general studies major brings courses together from many different fields of study within the liberal arts. Students may earn a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree with an emphasis in one of two areas: contemporary America, with courses in history, sociology, psychology, literature, philosophy and the arts; or exploring the contemporary world of work which focuses on business-related courses such as accounting, computers, economics, statistics, social sciences and international studies. The courses are offered each semester via two-way video in the evenings. The CDP has been offered at the UW-Marathon campus for business majors since fall 1997, and general studies majors since spring 1999. The UW-Marshfield collaborative program began in 1998. * * * UNITED WAY ADVANCES TO 78 PERCENT OF GOAL: Contributions to the United Way of Portage County have reached 78 percent of the $1,815,000 goal, with $399,300 to go by the Dec. 4 scheduled Victory Celebration. The 20 funded agencies provide 32 different programs and services to thousands of area adults and children. Several companies finalized campaigns this week. Qualex Inc. employees rallied to generate a total employee and corporate gift of $5,009 - up 20 percent from last year. Other campaign increases were generated by CAP Services with a total gift of $10,027; Bannach Elementary employees donated $2,734; and Washington Elementary employees contributed $1,792. Neenah Paper - Whiting Mill has a tradition of matching every employee dollar given with a corporate dollar, contributing a total of $37,872. Wisconsin Public Service Corp.'s gift totaled $8,539. New United Way contributors include: Westland Insurance Services, Curves for Women of Plover, Modern Interiors Inc. and River Cities Bank. Donations can be mailed to United Way, 1100 CenterPoint Drive, Suite 301, Stevens Point, WI, 54581. * * * HIGHWAY 10 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Construction is continuing on Highway 10 between Highway A and the Waupaca County line. Motorists should not encounter any flagging operations in the construction zone from Friday, Nov. 22, to Monday, Dec. 2, as the contractor will not be hauling any materials on the highway. The bridge contractor will continue working on the piers for the new Highway 10 overpass in the median of Highway A through the winter months. * * * FORUM, VIGIL COMMEMORATE WORLD AIDS DAY: The Central Wisconsin HIV/AIDS Ministry Project will hold a Worlds AIDS Day Service at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Newman Center, 2108 Fourth Ave., Stevens Point, on the UW-SP campus. A mother who recently lost her teen-aged son to AIDS will share her story. Efforts on a global level will be presented in stories from Jamaica, Africa and the "Patches of Hope" Program of handmade quilts made by individuals living with AIDS in Cambodia. Volunteers will be recognized and a time of remembrance will be offered for those who have died. A free-will offering for the global fight against AIDS will be taken. For more information, contact Marge Schumann, coordinator, at 345-6500. * * * STUDENT BURGLARIES TARGETED: Portage County Crime Stoppers is warning college students to lock the doors of the houses and apartments when they are away at classes. Since the beginning of the first semester, UW-SP campus students have been experiencing a rash of home burglaries at private student housing units located near the university, authorities said. Items like cash, checkbooks and clothing have been most of the items stolen. The burglaries have been occurring during the daytime hours when the students have been away at class, authorities said. In a couple of cases students have reported that an African-American male had just walked into their apartments. When confronted, the man would say he looking for a guy named "John." From descriptions gathered about the suspect it seems that he was between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 1 inch tall. He may have a shaved head but most contacts have reported that he was wearing a heavy winter coat and a stocking hat. Estimates of his age put him in his mid-20s. Anyone with information on the suspect or any other information on these burglaries can call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-346-6600. Callers can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward. * * * SEATBELT CAMPAIGN BEGINS: Portage County law enforcement agencies will increase their focus on seatbelt-use enforcement starting Sunday, Nov. 24, as part of the "Click It! - Why Risk It?" campaign. "In 2001, Wisconsin's average safety belt use was 68.7 percent and more than 80 percent of child safety seats were used incorrectly," said Lt. Jim Grubba of the Portage County Sheriff's Department. "Sixty-three percent of persons killed and 42 percent of persons sustaining incapacitating injuries in crashes were not wearing safety belts." The Sheriff's Department, Plover Police Department and Stevens Point Police Department will work overtime throughout the county to enforce the initiative in designated areas and during times based on data supplied from state reports. The program will consist of two waves of enforcement followed by post-enforcement observational surveys of seat belt use. "Our goals in these efforts are to increase seat belt use and decrease occupant ejections in traffic crashes," Grubba said. * * * UNEMPLOYMENT DIPS: The unemployment in Portage County dropped 0.4 percent from September to October, according to Wisconsin Department of Workforce Excellence statistics issued Wednesday, Nov. 20. The county unemployment rate was 3.0 percent in October, compared to 3.4 percent in September. The October unemployment rate in 2001 was also 3.0 percent. Unemployment in the Wisconsin River valley and the rest of Wisconsin was at 4.1 percent last month. The national unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in October. * * * MSTC'S STEVENS POINT CAMPUS HOSTS ANNUAL TECH NIGHT: Mid-State Technical College students in the computer information systems customer service, documentation and training course have organized and developed a Tech Night which features sessions on computer-related topics designed for people with little or no computer knowledge. Tech Night will be held on MSTC's Stevens Point Campus, 933 Michigan Ave., on Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 6-8 p.m. Tech Night is open to the public, free of charge and includes refreshments and door prizes. This year's Tech Night will also have a grand opening of the MSTC Computer Clinic. The clinic is a limited PC repair, upgrade and service enterprise set up as part of the college's Computer Information Systems Network Specialist program. For additional information on MSTC's Tech Night or the Computer Clinic, contact Steve Hunt at 342-3123 or e-mail him at shunt@mstc.edu.