County capsules MICHIGAN AVENUE CLOSES MONDAY: Michigan Avenue is scheduled to close at Main Street on Monday, July 14, and the intersection will remain closed through Aug. 8. The closure is part of the Highway 10 reconstruction project on Main Street, which has been ahead of schedule. With the Michigan intersection closed, traffic is scheduled to be open on Illinois Avenue to allow motorists access across Main. This week crews were placing gravel to the west of Fremont Street while water main, sanitary and storm sewer installation continued between Fremont and Illinois. Work is also progressing on schedule along Highway 10 east of Minnesota Avenue, with work scheduled for next week on the south side of the highway for landscaping, sign placement and asphalt paving for driveways and intersections. * * * CRASH KILLS TWO: Two teenagers were killed in a two-vehicle accident Monday afternoon at the intersection of Highway HH and Brilowski Avenue in Stevens Point, according to a Portage County Sheriff's Department report. The two, Alison M. Bielen, 15, Stevens Point, and Brian W. Kropidlowski, 16, Amherst, were passengers in a car driven by Denice M. Bielen, 48, the report said. Denice Bielen was driving south on Brilowski Avenue, when she turned east onto Highway HH into the path of a westbound dump truck pulling a trailer, the report said. The truck, driven by Christopher L. Stanislawski, town of Alban, collided with the car. The car then spun violently and the truck flipped onto its side. Kropidlowski was killed instantly, the report said. Alison Bielen, who was ejected from the car, was taken to St. Michael's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Neither of the victims were wearing seatbelts. The two drivers suffered relatively minor injuries and were transported to St. Michael's Hospital, where they were treated and released, the report said. They were wearing seatbelts. * * * TWO DIE IN SHOOTING INCIDENT: Two town of New Hope residents died in a murder-suicide incident during the early morning hours of Saturday, July 5, a Portage County Sheriff's Department report said. Nicole Odegaard, 28, died of gunshot wounds inflicted by her husband, Jay Odegaard, 43, the report said. Jay Odegaard died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shootings took place at their home at N588 Highway T. Nicole Odegaard's two children, ages 10 and 8, along with a 9-year-old friend, were sleeping at the time of the shooting, the report said. They were unaware the shooting had happened until they found the bodies when they woke up. * * * STABBING INJURES TWO: Officers were called at 6:22 a.m. Friday, July 4, to investigate an assault that took place in the 2900 block of Water Street, a Stevens Point Police Department report said. The investigation found that a 20-year-old Stevens Point woman was assaulted with a knife, receiving a severe laceration and multiple scrapes and contusions. She was treated and released from St. Michael's Hospital. Police believe a 19-year-old Stevens Point woman was responsible for the attack, the report said. She was hospitalized for knife wounds sustained in the attack. * * * FIRE DAMAGES TAVERN: A fire caused an estimated $80,000 worth of damage to CJ's Bar and Grill, 349 Second St. North, early Tuesday, July 8, a Stevens Point Fire Department report said. A passing motorist called 911 at 2:29 a.m. to report the fire, the report said. When firefighters arrived at 2:34 a.m., they found smoke issuing from the first and second floors, as well as from the roof of the building. While en route, the 911 dispatch center called the owner at home and determined the upstairs apartment was unoccupied. Fire damage was contained to the bar area of the ground floor, a portion of the apartment and the roof of the two-story portion, the report said. Significant portions of the rest of the building suffered various degrees of smoke and heat damage. The owner, John Angelacos, reported leaving the bar at about 2 a.m., the report said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. * * * LINCOLN CENTER LOAN CLOSET OPENS: Community residents are now able to borrow durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or walkers, from the Lincoln Center Loan Closet. There is no cost for the service. This volunteer-led program receives donations from throughout Portage County and redistributes assistive equipment to people in need. * * * BUS SHELTER WILL BE REDONE: Stevens Point will redo the downtown bus shelter area at the corner of Strongs Avenue and Main Street. The plan calls for adding more benches and trees, installing lights similar to those on the Clark Street bridge and reducing the amount of concrete. The city has obtained a federal grant for up to $90,000 to update the area, which was constructed almost 20 years ago. * * * CITY MAY PURCHASE HOME ADJACENT TO PFIFFNER PIONEER PARK: The Stevens Point Plan Commission recommended that the city purchase an older house and land at 1017 Crosby Ave., following a recommendation from the city's Park Plan. The purchase would be another step in the completion of the Riverfront Plan that was adopted in 1983 and calls for the purchase of the property. The city's Finance Committee will consider the proposal Monday. * * * ROSE HONORED AT SHOW: "Sweet Surrender" took the top prize at the Central Wisconsin Rose Show's annual display on Thursday, July 3, at M&I Bank in Stevens Point. "Sweet Surrender" was selected as the People's Choice Award winner out of 40 roses displayed at the bank. De Juhnke took home the traveling trophy for displaying the rose. All roses are grown in the Stevens Point area and include all varieties of roses from old roses to miniatures to hybrid teas. Anyone interested in the Rose Society should call Bob Freckmann at 341-0680. * * * BLOODMOBILE VISITS ROSHOLT: A Red Cross blood drive will be held on Tuesday, July 22, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Rosholt High School. All types of blood are needed. * * * UW-SP HOME EC GARDEN DEDICATION SCHEDULED: The unveiling of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) Home Economics Centennial Leadership Tree Plaque and the Centennial Garden on Wednesday, July 16, will mark the "lasting legacy of home economics" at UW-SP. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. in Room 117, College of Professional Studies, with a welcome from Chancellor Tom George, followed by comments from Bernadine Peterson, class of 1945. Peterson, Madison, who had a long career as a home economist including service as chair at UW-Madison and as a family living educator with UW Extension, has made a gift of $100,000 to the home economics centennial endowment. Dean Joan North will give an update on the Centennial Endowment. At 11:15 a.m., the leadership plaque listing the names of donors of $10,000 or more, located outside Room 116 CPS, will be unveiled. It will be followed by unveiling of the centennial garden ringed with tiles containing names of those who gave $1,000 or more. In addition to Peterson, major donors include Pam Blenker Jewell of Amherst, Mary and John Heisler of Fond du Lac, Agnes A. Jones of Stevens Point, LaDonna Sonntag of Waupaca, Mary Ann Baird of Plover, Jim and Lynne Linowski of Lexington, Ky., Ethel Hill of Stevens Point, Janice S. Albertson of Amherst Junction, and Joan DeGuire and Storm North of Plover. Further information about the endowment is available through North at 346-2947 or jnorth@uwsp.edu/ * * * BLOOD DRIVE SCHEDULED TUESDAY, JULY 15: Good News Fellowship Church, 801 Highway 10 West, Stevens Point, will host a Stevens Point Community Blood Drive from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 15. For an appointment, contact Tiffany at the church, 341-3275, extension 1. Walk-ins are welcome. All blood types are needed. Blood donated will go to help patients at St. Michael's Hospital as the Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin is the sole supplier of blood for the hospital. * * * SMART GROWTH PLANNING MEETING SCHEDULED IN TOWN OF SHARON: Some concerned citizens of the town of Sharon are hosting an informational meeting regarding Comprehensive planning/Smart Growth issues at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at the Rosholt Fairgrounds Community Center. A quorum of the Sharon Town Board and its planning commission are encouraged to attend and may be present at this meeting. Issues to be addressed include "A taking of your property rights; how some are using this law to promote their private agendas at your expense; act now before it is too late, you can stop this; what is the difference between this process and past planning; and how did this nightmare come about." Those who attend are asked to bring a chair in case seating becomes unavailable. * * * ALMOND FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES GRANT: U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., announced Wednesday, July 9, that the Almond Fire Department has received a 2003 Assistance to Firefighters Grant of $50,400. The grant is provided by the United States Fire Administration (USFA), which is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to support training, wellness and fitness, firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment and modifications to fire stations and facilities. USFA serves the American public and the nation's fire services through training, data collection and analysis, public fire education, and fire protection technology research. This grant program is designed as an opportunity for the U.S. Congress to work with FEMA to support firefighting departments across the country. Almost 20,000 fire departments applied for grant awards this year. * * * HEARING SET ON BILL FOR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR FARMERS: A public hearing has been scheduled on a bill to open the state health insurance pool and its rates to Wisconsin farmers. Members of the Assembly Committee on Insurance will accept testimony from the public on Assembly Bill 313 on Thursday, July 17, beginning at 9 a.m. in Room 328 Northwest of the State Capitol. State Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, D-Milladore, a co-author of the bill, called on farmers to get involved in the hearing. The proposal calls for any farmer, who is not otherwise eligible for health insurance under a state insurance plan, may purchase coverage under a health care plan offered by the state of Wisconsin to state employees. To be eligible, the farmer must be a Wisconsin resident and actively engaged in the business of farming or an employee of a farm business. Anyone who wishes to submit written testimony to the committee may send the testimony to Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, P.O. Box 8953, Madison, WI 53708-8953. * * * MOTORCYCLISTS WILL VISIT LIONS CAMP: Representatives from six Madison area Motorcycle Clubs will be visiting Lions Camp on Saturday July 12, to present a check to the Wisconsin Lions Foundation officials for $21,707.25. The money was raised as a result of the Clubs' Annual Motorcycle Raffle. Over the last nine years, the clubs have donated $84,730.09 to the Lions Camp because of the campers who are served by the project. Lions Camp is a project of the Local Lions, Lioness, and Leo Clubs of Wisconsin and is run by the Wisconsin Lions Foundation. Lions Camp gives summer camping experiences to children who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, mild cognitively disabled, and children with diabetes. Part of the tradition of presenting their check is riding from all parts of lower Wisconsin to Rosholt for the presentation. Foundation staff is planning on approximately 75 riders to make the trip. The six Motorcycle Clubs include Apparitions, Beowulf, C. C. Riders, Centurian, Crusaders, and Matadors. In prior years, the Union Motorcycle Club has also helped with this project. The Foundation will serve the visitors a lunch of burgers, brats, beans, and potato salad, and will give tours of the grounds. The motorcyclists plan on arriving around 1 p.m. * * * RIVER FLOW, RESERVOIR LEVELS DROP AS JUNE RAINFALL COMES UP SHORT: River flow dropped below normal by the end of June and reservoir levels began to drop as total rainfall for June averaged 30 percent below normal, according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC). In the upper Wisconsin River basin from Tomahawk north to Land O' Lakes, total rainfall for June averaged 2.9 inches, 1.3 inches or 31 percent below the June normal of 4.3 inches. In the central basin from Tomahawk south to Wisconsin Rapids the June rainfall total of 3.1 inches was 1.2 inches or 28 percent below normal. The flow of the Wisconsin River at Merrill dropped to 2,019 cubic feet per second (cfs) last week, 7 percent below normal. At Wisconsin Rapids the weekly average flow of 2,996 cfs was 8 percent below normal and on the Lower Wisconsin the flow of 5,547 cfs at Muscoda was 21 percent below normal. WVIC's reservoir system was used to provide 33 percent of the river flow at Merrill and 30 percent of the flow at Wisconsin Rapids. Storage in the reservoir system dropped 3 percent last week and now stands at 87 percent of capacity. Water levels in the five large reservoirs are now 12 to 18 inches below full and falling 6 to 8 inches per week. Reservoir levels will continue to drop until significant rainfall returns to the valley. * * * LOCAL OFFICERS INCREASE DRINKING AND DRIVING ENFORCEMENT: With 2003 traffic fatalities hovering at near record levels, the Portage County Sheriff's Department has joined more than 350 other Wisconsin police and sheriff's departments and the State Patrol in an all-out effort to stop impaired drivers. The mobilization is part of a two-week, nationwide effort sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), called the "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign. "Impaired driving is no accident - it's a crime that kills every 33 minutes," said Lt. Jim Grubba. "Too many people still don't understand it's a crime to mix excessive alcohol consumption and driving. Drunk drivers are reckless criminals who are a threat to everyone's safety. Our message is a simple one - 'You Drink and Drive. You Lose.'" After years of gradual improvement, fatalities in alcohol-related crashes are on the rise nationally. Grubba gave the following suggestions for safe and responsible summer activities: »Don't risk it. If you plan to drive, don't drink. »Use a Safe Rider or Road Crew program if your community has one. »Choose a sober designated driver or call a friend. »Take mass transit or a taxicab. »Plan to spend the night where the activity is being held.