President of the Wisconsin Bass Federation Nation Jeff Dyer and Dan Brovarney, a liaison for the Fishing Tournament Committee, discuss Clearing House Rule 06-108 relating to regulation on Fishing Tournaments in Wisconsin. The meeting took place on May 30th at WisconsinEye Studios.

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) is a 147-year-old private, not-for-profit organization representing approximately 2,000 member businesses in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties. As part of their Blueprint Briefing Series, MMAC hosted a breakfast meeting titled Good Schools, Great Choices, focusing on the school choice movement in Milwaukee.  At this event you will hear from school leaders within the movement; Howard Fuller, former MPS superintendent, and Susan Mitchell of School Choice Wisconsin. Other speakers include Henry Tyson, St. Marcus School; Terry Brown, St. Anthony School; Kole Knueppel, Hope Christian Schools; Mary Garcia-Valez, Notre Dame Middle School and Kwame Green, CEO Leadership Academy.

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Jim Flaherty, Communications Director for AARP Wisconsin, met with host, John Powell, to discuss AARP's upcoming statewide listening sessions and outreach programs. The interview took place on May 29, 2008 at WisconsinEye studios.

WisconsinEye revisited farms in southwestern Wisconsin this spring to see the progress they have made since last August’s flooding.  WisconsinEye spoke to Richard de Wilde, owner of Harmony Valley Farm, Noah Engel, Co-Owner of Driftless Organics, and Jai and Joel Kellum, former owners of Avalanche Organics.  Unfortunately, after visiting Harmony Valley Farm and Driftless Organics, they were again flooded by the June floods this year.

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Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Kelli A. Trumble discussed the state’s effort to develop brand with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Capitol Reporter Stacy Forster. Trumble was interview in her office in the Tommy Thompson Building in downtown Madison on May 27, 2008.

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In 1987 the Wisconsin State Legislator enacted the Wisconsin Main Street Program. The program is a comprehensive revitalization program designed to promote the historic and economic redevelopment of traditional business districts in Wisconsin. Each year, the Department of Commerce selects communities to join the program and these communities receive technical support and training needed to restore their Main Streets to centers of community activity and commerce. On May 22, 2008, the program celebrated 20 years by hosting an anniversary gala. The 20th Anniversary Gala, reception, and ceremony recognized the best projects in the last 20 years and the best projects of 2007. It also inducted local founders and dedicated volunteers into the newly formed Main Street Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame inductees were Bev Anderson of Darlington, Fred Nelson of Viroqua, Frances Williams of Sharon, Steven Schmidt of Sheboygan Falls, Greg Larsen of Green Bay, and Russ and Teddy Kostrzak of Tigerton. This first segment focuses on several of the award winners attending the gala, along with Jim Engle, Director of the Wisconsin Main Street. Featured are Kathi Polzin, V.P. Tigerton Main Street Project, Rick Oppermann, Sugar Cubed Project in Steven Point, Greg Larsen, of the On Broadway, Inc. Redevelopment Project, and Ryan Hughes of the Warhawk County, LLC Project.

The second segment is the ceremony itself, celebrating 20 years of Downtown Wisconsin Main Street Program.

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Wisconsin Women in Government held a networking event with guest speaker Vel Phillips at the Milwaukee Yacht Club, on the shore of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, WI. Ms. Phillips spoke of her life experiences.

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On May 21, 2008 the League of Women Voters Wisconsin sponsered an event to discuss Wisconsin's election system and what can be done to improve it. Participants included Professors Steve Huefner and Dan Tokaji of the Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, co-authors of the recent book, From Registration to Recounts: The Election Ecosystems of Five Midwestern States, funded through a grant from the Joyce Foundation. Other panelists included: Kevin Kennedy, Legal Counsel for the Government Accountability Board; Neil Albrecht, Deputy Director of the Milwaukee Election Commission; and Andrea Kaminski, Executive Director of League of Women Voters Wisconsin.

The High Ground is a donation driven 140 acre Veterans Memorial Park located in Neillsville, WI. The park is home to a variety of monuments remembering those who served our country in foreign wars. A place of education, peace, serentity, and beauty, the High Ground provides a place for people to mourn and to heal. The park is open to the public at no charge 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

WisconsinEye visited Concordia University in Mequon, WI, on Saturday, May 17, 2008, as “Hammerin” Hank Aaron, former player for the World Series Champion Milwaukee Braves and Professional Baseball Hall of Famer, was selected as commencement speaker for the class of 2008. Prior to the commencement, Concordia University President Rev. Dr. Patrick T. Ferry introduced Mr. Aaron to the press to discuss his Honorary Law Degree and his feelings about baseball and returning to Wisconsin. At the Commencement, Mr. Aaron spoke to the class of 2008 regarding life’s assorted roads, difficult challenges and proper choices. He then was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Ferry. The presentation of the Special Awards were also presented by Ferry and included: "Lux Mundo Award" - Mr. Joseph Kennedy; "Christo et Ecclesiae" - Ms. Geraldine Burkee; "Distinguished Alumnus" – Rev. Dr. Jon Diefenthaler; "Regents Award" – Mr. Bruce Gilbert; "Lawrence E. Sohn Master Educator Award" – Ms. Judy Schultz; "James J. Juergensen Master Educator Award" – Mr. Jeff Jurss, "Ronald L. Berg Faculty Laureate" – Dr. Angus Menuge. The conferring of degrees concluded the ceremony.

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At a ceremony at the State Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, May 15, First Lady Jessica Doyle and State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster announced the 2008 winners of the Governor’s School Health Awards. Twenty-seven awards were given to schools throughout the state in recognition of their efforts to develop programs, policies, and resources that support students’ academic achievement and long-term physical health.

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Students from the Malcolm Shabazz City High School in Madison, Wisconsin traveled to Avalanche, Wisconsin as part of the Project Green Teen program. Project Green Teen is a service learning project that takes students interested in learning about environmental issues out of the classroom and into rural southwestern Wisconsin for a hands-on learning experience. Wisconsin Eye visited the students on May 12, 2008 during their week-long stay in the area. Mike Miller, Aquatic Ecologist for the Wisconsin DNR, taught the students how to measure the health of a stream, and volunteers with Trout Unlimited taught the students fly fishing.

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Woolwich Dairy, Canada's largest goat cheese producer, celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. headquarters in Lancaster, WI. The event featured hors d'oeuvres made from goat cheese, tours of their new facility, and a display of a few Woolwich's goats.

WisconsinEye contributor John Powell explores Wisconsin tax policy with members of the Wisconsin Way Project, a group of organizations interested in helping create solutions to control property taxes while maintaining public services and quality of life. Mark D. O'Connell, executive director of the Wisconsin Counties Association, Dan Burkhalter, executive director of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, Mike Theo, vice president for Legal and Public Affairs with the Wisconsin Realtors Association, Pat Goss, executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association and Jim Wood, president of Wood Communications Group, represented each of the five founding organizations. The program took place on May 9, 2008 in WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

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The American Petroleum Institute set up small demonstrations on their new uses of technology in the State Captiol rotunda in Madison, WI. Erin Roth, executive director of the Wisconsin Petroleum Council, and Rayola Dougher, senior economic advisor of the American Petroleum Institute, explain the impact technology is having on the oil industry and how these effects can be seen at home in Wisconsin.

WisconsinEye sat down with the primary collaborators of a dance performance titled Map of Memories. Performed by the Wild Space Dance Company of Milwaukee, and inspired by the stories of Polish Kaszubian immigrants who lived there, Map of Memories is a dance interpretation of Jones Island history. Interviewed were Debra Loewen, Artistic Director of Wild Space Dance Company, and John Gurda, a Milwaukee historian and writer.

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The Amusement Ride Safety Code Council met at the Department of Commerce in Madison to discuss proposed statutory changes applying to the amusement ride industry. The council is comprised of government and industry representatives including Charles Waterman of Calkins Midways Inc. who chairs the council, Darrell Klompmaker representing Little America, David Larkee of Tip Top Shows, Harry Niemaber of Central Wisconsin Sate Fair, Alan Ogillvie of Capitol Insurance Companies, Larry Gonzales representing Iron Workers Local 8, William Anderson of Extreme World, Robert Johnson of Outdoor Amusement Business Association and Kristina Westergaard of Bay Beach Amusement Park. The Council met to make suggestions for improvement and clarification to the exiting code. The next step will be to hold a public hearing to review the work they have completed, which is tentatively scheduled for June or July of 2008.

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Governor Doyle recognized Cisco Networking Academy for a decade of service to the state on Thursday, May 1, 2008 in the Assembly Chamber of the State Capitol. Over the past 10 years, Cisco Networking Academy has partnered with the state of Wisconsin to train almost 12,000 students with IT and networking skills. Networking academies are a part of Governor Doyle’s efforts to broaden access to high-quality higher education, train workers to succeed in a global marketplace, and grow Wisconsin’s economy through innovation. In addition to Governor Doyle, John Morgridge, Chairman Emeritus of Cisco, representatives from the Wisconsin Technical College system and Department of Public Instruction, as well as Networking Academy students, instructors, and alumni offered their comments at the event.

In honor of its 2008 Hall of Fame inductees, the Wisconsin Livestock & Meat Council held it’s annual awards ceremony and luncheon. The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame was the inspiration of Dr. Robert W. Bray, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, and was initiated in January of 1993. The purpose is to recognize contributions of individuals who have had a significant impact on the meat industry of Wisconsin. This years inductees were Terry L. Burkhardt, Russell H. Mass and James L. Peterson.

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