County Capsules SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES FORUM SET FOR FEB. 5: The Stevens Point Area League of Women Voters is sponsoring a candidates' forum for the Stevens Point Area Public School District School Board on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Charles M. White Library, 1001 Main St., Stevens Point. Eight candidates are seeking to fill three three-year terms on the School Board. Two candidates will be eliminated in the primary election on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The candidates are Elmer Fournier, Dean Kovalski, Eric Krszjzaniek, Samuel Levin, Mark Marti, John Martin, Dwight Stevens and Rory Suomi. The public is encouraged to attend. Questions from the audience are welcome. * * * TOWN OF HULL ABSENTEE BALLOTS AVAILABLE: Absentee ballots for the presidential preference and spring primary on Tuesday, Feb. 17, are available at the Town of Hull clerk's office, 4550 Wojcik Memorial Drive. The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 344-8280 with questions. * * * TEEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM INITIATED IN COUNTY: United Way of Portage County, Portage County Health and Human Services Department, the Portage County Business Council Partners in Education and Target Stores have joined forces to help develop young leaders in the community. Teen Leadership Portage County was started last fall, modeled after the Portage County Leadership Institute, a program fostering the growth of adult community leaders. Twenty-three sophomores from Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH), Pacelli, Almond-Bancroft, Rosholt and Amherst were recruited to participate in seven interactive sessions to help build leadership abilities through seminars, leadership shadowing and community projects. "At our day long orientation session, we met twenty-three bright, high-energy kids excited about working toward the goals of the program which include developing their sense of community stewardship and social responsibility" said Lauri Rockman, Portage County Health and Human Services."The sponsors view this as an opportunity to facilitate a stronger connection with the community and to foster teens' ability to play a more active role today and in the future." The seven sessions are held in various venues around the county and highlight topics on leadership, justice, diversity, Portage County history and planning for the future. Participants will also select a class project focusing on leadership and community service. For further information on the program, contact Lauri Rockman at 345-5860. * * * OBEY INSERTS $11 MILLION INTO NEW TRANSPORTATION BUDGET BILL: 7th District Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, said recently that he has secured more than $11 million for economic development and transportation infrastructure improvements in Marathon County, including the Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee, which is a joint venture with Portage County. As the top-ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Obey had the funds included in the fiscal year 2004 federal budget. The final part of the budget was passed by the Congress on Thursday, Jan. 22, and is expected to be signed by the president within the next few weeks. "First," Obey said, "to improve the air transportation infrastructure, the bill includes $6 million to complete runway and taxiway reconstruction at Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee. That brings to $14 million the amount that we have brought to the airport in two years for this project." Two years ago, airport officials contacted Obey and said they needed help with reconstruction of the main runway and taxiway, which the airport has been patching for many years. The problem was that the airport could not afford the cost of reconstruction of the runway and make all the other investments it needed to make, including replacing aging equipment, making other critical pavement repairs and meeting new security mandates. Also included in the bill was an additional $4 million for the Wausau Beltline improvement project. The major element of the project is the expansion of an eight-mile section of Interstate 39 from four to six lanes. Finally, Obey said $225,000 was included in the bill to resurface an 18-mile section of Mountain Bay Trail in Marathon County. The 84-mile trail, which opened in 1996, runs from Weston to Green Bay and attracts bicyclists and walkers. * * * STERLING PRECEDED RADOMSKI AS CHIEF: Glen Sterling served as fire chief in Plover before Joe Radomski became the chief in 1974. An article in the Jan. 23 edition of The Gazette incorrectly listed Leo Thomasgard as Radomski's predecessor as chief. Thomasgard was secretary/treasurer of the department and worked for Mid-State Vocational Technical and Adult Education District as a fire service field instructor from about 1973 until 1982. * * * FEDERAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY AID IN PORTAGE COUNTY: United Way of Portage County is the fiscal agent for an award of $19,676 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for 2004. This amount represents a 13 percent increase from the 2003 award level. Funds are used for direct emergency aid and are distributed through local agencies in Portage County. Any non-profit or government organization with proven ability to deliver emergency food or shelter aid to those in need is eligible to apply for EFSP funds. Qualified local emergency aid agencies may request an application by contacting United Way of Portage County by phone (341-6740) or e-mail at uway@unitedwaypoco.org. Completed applications must be received in the United Way office at 1100 Centerpoint Drive, No. 302, Stevens Point, WI 54481, no later than Thursday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. to be considered. Food, emergency shelter, rent and utility bill aid has been provided in the past with EFSP funds through agencies such as Operation Bootstrap, the Salvation Army, Portage County Health and Human Services, American Red Cross, CAP Services, Energy Services of Portage County and Catholic Charities. * * * BLOOD DRIVE SCHEDULED IN PLOVER THURSDAY: St. Bronislava Catholic Church will host a blood drive on behalf of The Blood Center on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church located at 3200 Plover Road in Plover. "This is the first blood drive held by the church and we are very excited about their participation," said Todd Abner, director of Donor Recruitment. "Local participation is vital to the blood supply at area hospitals such as St. Michael's Hospital in Stevens Point. The Blood Center is the sole supplier of blood to St. Michael's Hospital." As the provider of blood to more than 51 hospitals in 24 Wisconsin counties, The Blood Center reminds the community to donate the life-saving gift during this upcoming blood drive. Every day in Wisconsin cancer patients, people in need of surgery or those involved in auto and other accidents, rely on a ready supply of blood - provided by the donations of generous volunteers. Almost anyone can donate blood. It only takes an hour to donate a pint of whole blood. One donation can save up to three lives. To make an appointment to donate blood at the Plover drive call the church at 344-4326, or for questions on donating call The Blood Center toll free at 1-888-310-7555. * * * MINISTRY HEALTH CARE DONATES $400,000 FOR HEALTH CARE TRAINING: Ministry Health Care is contributing $400,000 to several Wisconsin technical colleges to address the current and future need for trained professional registered nurses and health care workers coming out of the Wisconsin Technical College System. A little over a year ago, Ministry Health Care made a similar contribution of over $500,000 to several technical colleges in response to the health care worker shortage in Wisconsin. The new funds will be distributed this year to several technical colleges located in Wood, Marathon, Oneida and Brown counties. The funding will be used to increase capacity and reduce long waiting lists in health care programs at the colleges, including such areas as registered nursing, nursing assistant and radiography, and will ultimately assist in the goal of directing more health care workers into Wisconsin communities. Wisconsin's Technical Colleges graduated 32 percent more health occupations students in 2002-03 than in 2001-02 and system officials expect that trend to continue, especially with more reallocations and the second contribution by Ministry. Despite gains made in the number of health care graduates, the technical college system reports the demand for nurses and allied health care workers is outpacing supply by about 1,000 each year. This is expected to get worse, as Wisconsin's aging population continues to grow. Beneficiaries of the contribution include Mid-State Technical College ($150,000); Nicolet Area Technical College ($75,000); Northcentral Technical College ($150,000); and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College ($25,000).