SCENE GREATER OSHKOSH EDITION | WWW.SCENENEWSPAPER.COM | JANUARY 2015
VOLUNTARY 75¢
2 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
Happy New Year Wishes from Culvers!
Come on in to your local Culver’s restaurant: Culver’s of Fond du Lac - E. Johnson 969 E. Johnson Street Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 922-5559
Culver’s of Oshkosh - Koeller 1580 S. Koeller Street Oshkosh, WI 54902 (920) 231-6028
Culver’s of Fond du Lac - Hwy. 23 W6606 Hwy. 23 Fond du Lac, WI 54937 (920) 922-2272
Culver’s of Oshkosh - Westowne 2270 Westowne Ave. Oshkosh, WI 54904 (920) 231-6019
Culver’s of Fond du Lac - Pioneer 81 W. Pioneer Road Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 922-2826
culvers.com January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 3
GREATER OSHKOSH EDITION
20 52
6 SCENE STAFF
Publisher James Moran • 920.418.1777 jmoran@scenenewspaper.com Sales Theresa Naud • 920.366.4468 tnaud@scenenewspaper.com
CONTRIBUTORS Nick Olig James Page Will Stahl Barb Sauer Blaine Schultz Jane Spietz Scherryl Antoniadis Marty in the Morning Peg Lautenschlager Ron La Point Rohn Bishop Tony Palmer Robert E. Meyer
Penny BarnardSchaber Michael Mentzer Ryan Koenigs Dick Nikolai Donna Vanbuecken Tricia Derge Kimberly Fisher Renee DuFore Russell Steve Lonsway Davies Wakefield George Halas
Cover Design by Jeff Hillis
CONTENTS COVER STORY 6
Hot Music in a Cold Month
ENTERTAINMENT 8 9 11 12 14 16 18 20 22
Best of 2014 Music Release Wedding Vendors Converge Nick Olig Live from Japan Destination Iola Electronic Devices Postcards from Milwaukee Concert Watch Jan 2015 What’s the Good Word
NEWS & VIEWS 26 29 30 32 34 36 39
Just Sayin’ Cost of College Then and Now Rohn’s Rants Media Rants Right Wing Nut In Penny’s Words
OUTDOORS
Calumet
PRESS
INC.
PO Box 227 • Chilton, WI 53014 • 920-849-4551 Advertising deadline for December is November 20 at 5 p.m. Submit ads to ads@scenenewspaper. com. The SCENE is published monthly by Calumet Press, Inc. The SCENE provides news and commentary on politics, current events, arts and entertainment, and daily living. We retain sole ownership of all non-syndicated editorial work and staff-produced advertisements contained herein. No duplication is allowed without permission from Calumet Press, Inc. 2015.
4 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
40 Winter’s Fun in the Cold 42 2015 Sturgeon Spearing 44 Winnebago Nature
FOOD & DRINK 46 Tricia’s Table 48 From The Wine Cave 51 ‘Fantasy’ Event 52 Brewmaster 54 Wild Mushroom Risotto
EVENT CALENDARS 58 Big Events
HAVING AN EVENT and NEED LOTS OF ROOM?
Reunions! Center hall
Weddings!
West Wing
South Wing
Graduation Parties!
Intrigued?
Give us a call at 920-232-1962 or email vredlin@co.winnebago.wi.us
Sunnyview Expo Center
has— three halls available for public rental ranging in size from 21,000 square feet to 6,000 square feet, carpeted or hard surface floor, private bathrooms or shared, kitchen or cupboard serving area. We’ve hosted all kinds of events; weddings, receptions, craft shows, graduation parties, family reunions, concerts, business meetings and seminars. There’s heat for winter and AC for summer, chairs and tables for rent as well as a stage, lecterns, PA system and other amenities. You can bring your own caterer and there’s plenty of parking. The exposition building is ADA accessible with ground floor access and drive in overhead doors for easy set up.
Rental info and pricing is available on our web site www.co.winnebago.wi.us/parks under the Sunnyview Exposition Center tab
Don’t forget shelter rentals in the Winnebago County Community Park start the first business day of January 2015 for the summer.
PICTURE YOURSELF IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS! January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 5
COVER STORY // THE SPANISH INQUSITION
Hot Music in a Cold Month BY GEORGE HALAS After New Years’ fireworks fade into memory, there will be musical fireworks in the Fox Cities throughout the month of January. It will be a big month for one of the hottest bands in the area, The Traveling Suitcase. Fresh off breakout performances at last summer’s Mile of Music, the trio led by singer/songwriter/drummer Nicole Rae, featuring Brandon Comer playing bass and keyboards and guitarist Bill Grassley, will release their first album, Nobody Wins, on January 5. A tour that includes stops in Chicago, Indianapolis and Michigan will culminate with an appearance at The Algoma Club in Oshkosh. “We worked very hard on the album,” Rae said. “Everyone in the band, on our team and engineer Marc Golde are all very excited.” In addition to attracting legions of new fans every time they play, The Traveling Suitcase has earned the respect and admiration of many of their peers as well. “Nicole is one of the most passionate people I’ve ever met and it’s about more than just music,” said Michael Underwood, drummer for The Jazz Orgy, Sly Joe and The Smooth Operators and Greg Waters and the Broad Street Boogie. “I think she had a major life transition when she first sat at a drum kit––not only is she a killer singer, songwriter and guitarist, she is a ridiculous drummer.
6 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
“Sitting at a drum kit gave her a new way to express her passion, and it took her voice to another level,” he continued. “She has an awesome band supporting her and I think they are going to do very well.” “Her songs are as good as any indie rock out there, and they are even more passionate than many of the songs that have already made it,” he added. “I am looking forward to what they are going to do next– –I think it’s going to be big––and they are all such nice people; nobody deserves success more than they do.” Jazz vocalist and American Indian advocate Gwen Carr will host a musical and spoken word tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. anchored by The Jazz Orgy and featuring several special guests on January 19t at the First Congregational Church in Oshkosh, beginning at 6:30 PM. Citing the release of the biographical pic Selma as yet another example of the increasing attention being paid to King’s legacy, Carr is convinced that “the dream still lives. We dropped it somewhere along the way and we need to pick it up again.
This will be a tribute to the ability of people to survive and thrive as well as an affirmation of the fundamental principles of social justice.” “Dr. King’s message of peaceful change,” she added, “is more important today than it was sixty years ago. We are at a pivotal point in our history.” Carr, who worked on social justice issues as a member of the Clinton White House, was the first American Indian to be named political director of a major political party and the first to head a state political party. In addition to performing relevant, poignant songs like Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” and “Abraham, Martin and John,” she will include first-person narratives about her experiences with civil rights leaders and social justice issues. Andy Mertens play bass in Vic Ferrari Symphony on The Rocks. Photos by Sofia Imagery Since before the beginning, one of the primary miscan be exchanged for things of great value sions of The Inquisition has been to alert loyal Inquisitors to and theorizes that the $29 general admisthe greatest values in live music and sion and/or the $39 reserved seat price to the venues that showcase the artists see/hear Vic Ferrari Symphony on The Rocks at Waverly Beach on January 22, 23, and performers. While many may believe that and 24 is arguably the greatest entertain“greatest value” translates directly as ment value around. What The Inquisition insists is the best “no cover,” The Inquisition has also live music in Wisconsin emanates from the observed situations in which money combination of the Vic Ferrari Band with The Fox Valley Symphony. What separates VFSOR from the pretenders are the genius-level orchestral arrangements written from scratch for each instrument by Vic Ferrari keyboardist Aaron Zinsmeister. The set list, which typically includes iconic rockers like Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” Bill Joel’s “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles, Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who and the sixpart harmonies of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” will be expanded with five new Zinsmeister arrangements.
COVER STORY // THE SPANISH INQUSITION
Debuting as part of the VFSOR repertoire in January will be Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run,” “Africa” by Toto, “Carry On” by Fun, “Take On Me” by Aha and “Make Me Smile” by Chicago, which will open the show. The Fox Valley Symphony includes some of the best musicians in the area, having tons of fun. “I’m very happy with the consistency of the musicians,” said Vic Ferrari singer/ m u l t i instrumentalist Mike Bailey, “and their meanness, their aggressiveness. They really want to bite into it, and when Ken Skitch plays trombone in Vic they play, Ferrari Symphony on The Rocks they want
your hair to start on fire.” “The show is fun visually and the production is second to n o n e ,” h e added. “It’s the one week of the year when we get to play with all of our toys.” In addition to the music, a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales, raffles and silent auctions goes to support the Menasha Rotary and its work to improve the way of life in the community through fine arts programs, parks and the Neenah-Menasha Dive Team. “I think their work is very important,” Bailey said. “I’m a big supporter.” The Inquisition strongly recommends getting tickets as soon as possible; the Friday and Saturday shows typically sell
Nicole Rae of The Traveling Suitcase Photos by Sofia Imagery
out long before show time. It will be an even tougher ticket in the future as VFSOR gains national and international notoriety. Paula Brusky, Ph.D., was recently added to bolster marketing and business development. “What I’m really happy about is that we
have had offers from many theaters around the country as well as an offer to do 20 shows in China and one in Hawaii,” Bailey said. “It’s fun to bring music to places you never thought you’d play.” Well, they are playing Menasha…
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 7
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT // OSHKOSH BEATS
Best of 2014 Music Releases
Ian Olvera
1. Robert Ellis - The Lights From the Chemical Plant 2. Reigning Sound - Shattered 3. Nikki Lane - All Or Nothin’ 4. Call Me Lightning - Human Hell 5. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager 6. Haunted Heads - Haunted Heads
Arielle Smith
1. Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right 2. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager 3. Myriam Gendron - Not So Deep As A Well 4. Perfume Genius - Too Bright 5. Vashti Bunyan - Heartleap 6. Tony Molina - Dissed and Dismissed (reissue)
Kate Cody 1. Hamilton Liethauser - Black Hours 2. Dry the River - Alarms In The Heart 3. Field Report - Marigolden 4. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music 5. Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt 6. The New Basement Tapes Lost On The River
Justin Mitchell 1. PHOX - PHOX 2. First Aid Kit – Stay Gold
Dale DeVries
Eric Van Thiel
1. Chuck Ragan - Till Midnight
1. Real Estate - Atlas
2. Comeback Kid - Die Knowing
2. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Wig Out At Jagbags
3. Panopticon - Roads to the North
3. Ex Hex - Rips
4. Haunted Heads - Haunted Heads
5. Parquet Courts bathing Animal
5. St Vincent - Saint Vincent 6. Thou - Heathen
8 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
4. Alvvays - Alvvays Sun-
6. Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else
Kevin Wells
Exclusive Company Oshkosh
3. Abigail Washburn - Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn 4. Broncho – Just Enough Hip To Be Woman 5. 5. Holly & Plastic – We Will Give This World Away 6. (tie) Dead Horses Space and Time (tie) Angel Olsen – Burn
Your Fire For No Witness
1. Pat Metheny - Unity Band
2. Ambrose Akinmusire The imagined savior is far easier to paint.. 3. Stanley Clarke - Up 4. Prince - Art Official Age 5. Gerry Gibbs and the ThrasherDream Trio We’re Back 6. The Bad Plus - Inevitable Western
El’ Bricco 1. Count this penny Wolves are Sheep
2. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager 3. Lucinda Williams - Where the Spirit Meets the Bone 4.
Derp
5. Bird 6. Wait, what are we doing?
ENTERTAINMENT // WEDDING VENDORS
Wedding Vendors Converge for Brides-To-Be January 8th The first wedding show of the season happens Thursday, January 8th at the Holiday Inn in Fond du Lac. The area’s largest and most convenient wedding planning expo, Bridal Faire 2014, will boast over 40 wedding vendors and an interactive fashion show featuring designer gowns and tuxedos from Edith’s and Tuxedo Junction. Attendees will have a chance to win amazing prizes including $250 to Wood’s Floral and $500 in free airfare from Delta Airlines and 96-1 TCX. Bridal Faire 2014 is a one stop shop for engaged couples to get a hand’s-on sample of all wedding goods and services. The show is in it’s 16th year and attracts hundreds annually. “We have worked very hard to
organize this event to make it convenient and comfortable for the attendee as well as give the vendor as many leads as possible,” says event organizer, Terry Davis of Sunny 97-7 and 96-1 TCX. “We maximize the space, but the show has such an amazing reputation, we have to turn away vendors each year.” Drawings will be held at the vendor booths for free items and discounts on wedding products and services. Besides browsing the interactive wedding booths in the Holidome, attendees have the opportunity to take in a wedding fashion show put on by Edith’s of Fond du Lac, Edith’s Tuxedo Junction and Texture Salon. Edith’s fashion show has gone on
for over 30 years. Models will take the stage in a wide variety of wedding styles from ring bearer to brides and will inspire fashion and beauty ideas. Bridal Faire 2015 is held on Thursday, January 8th at the Fond du Lac Holiday Inn. Doors open at 4pm and the fashion show begins at 7. Advance sale tickets are available in advance at Edith’s Br i d a l d ow n t ow n Fond du Lac, for $6 until noon on January 8th. Tickets at the door of the event are $10. For more information go to www. radioplusinfo.com
Sunday Jan. 25 1 2 pm – 4:30 pm Oshkosh Convention Center 1 North Main
Grand Prize!
FREE
W edding R omance 2-night Stay
www.planonencore.com
Plus fabulous door prizes!
Over
Tickets Online
60 Vendors
Bridal Fashion Show Featuring
• Erika’s Bridal Couture • DuBois Formalwear • Nedrebo’s Formal Wear • Dorsey Entertainment • Matt’s DJ Service
FREE TICKETS also available at: Erika’s Bridal Couture • Trillium Salon & Spa Oshkosh Convention Center • Tamara’s Cakes
10 at the Door
$
Sponsor January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 9
10 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
ENTERTAINMENT // NICK OLIG
So, It’s Come to This: A Writer’s Self-Interview BY NICK OLIG Short of roaming the streets, hollering through a megaphone—which is really more of a summer activity—there is little I won’t do to promote a book I wrote. When I relayed this sentiment to my editor at Scene, his response was unexpected. In essence, he said, “Go interview yourself.” I took that as a positive since there were worse words he could have used in place of “interview.” Since I self-published More Stories, and Additional Stories, I suppose the next logical step in publicity is to self-interview. Right?! Honestly, I’m just trying to figure life out as I go along. Now, before readers lose their patience and dare me to do something to myself that has nothing to do with interviewing, it’s worth noting that before I begrudgingly settled for me, the top three Q & A maestros I had in mind were Conan, Oprah, and my own mother. All three declined and threatened a lawsuit if I ever called them again. I kid! She is a truly amazing woman worthy of infinite gratitude... and now that I think of it, the same goes for my mom. My fourth choice was, at least, willing to talk to me—and so here we go. N.O. 1: Thanks for setting aside an hour or so to do this interview. N.O. 2: You’re welcome. Once we realized that we both have Wednesday nights free, the puzzle pieces just sort of fell in place. N.O. 1: Let’s get down to brass tacks, Nick. To promote More Stories, and Additional Stories, is there some kind of an ugly jumble of letters that can be put on this page, newspaper or otherwise? N.O. 2: I’m so glad you asked that question. Yes. http://www.amazon.com/ More-Stories-Additional-Nick-Oligebook/dp/B00PJB4XPS N.O. 1: Whoa! It looks like the alphabet got into a car wreck and then staggered out, spewing characters. N.O. 2: I never thought of it that way... N.O. 1: Do you remember stuff about the book that you could—oh, I don’t know... maybe describe to people?
N.O. 2: Definitely. It’s a collection of funny short stories, loosely formatted like a newspaper. That means it’s sectioned into topics one might find in a newspaper: Top Stories, Entertainment, Local News, Opinion, Personal Ads, Obituary, and Bottom Stories. And within every chapter, I’m mostly trying to get laughs, but a lot of sincere emotions and revelatory thoughts went into the book as well, and so everyone who reads the book will ideally laugh, think, and have their emotions moved. In a quirky way, the book was partially inspired by Jim Valvano’s “Don’t ever give up” speech. N.O. 1: I’m sorry man, but what the hell kind of a summary is that? N.0. 2: Well, there are 34 different stories (plus a foreword by my editor, Tyler Maas, who was incredibly helpful throughout the process), and each story has its own summary, so that’s where it gets tricky to summarize everything. I can give you examples, though. “The Cat Lady and the Munsons,” one of the Top Stories, is about childhood adventures, sneaking into the soon-to-be condemned house of a mythical cat lady in my best friend’s neighborhood, having slam dunk contests on an adjustable hoop with mini-basketballs, and staging X-Men battles at the park, pretending to be superheroes alongside the incorrigible Munsons, who really set the bar high when it came to bad behavior. N.O. 1: I trust you just a little bit more. Go on... N.O. 2: In the Entertainment section, I deliver stories about TV shows, movies, and popular music. There’s one called “Billy Joel Is My Generation’s Dad,” which I like to think is a pretty self-explanatory title for the children of Baby Boomers. Local News shows my fondness for the kind of fake news one gets from The Onion or Weekend Update. I included a story about a vacuum cleaner outlet going out of business. During his final commercial, the owner laments that he just wanted to compete with Dirt Devil, which isn’t necessarily a bad idea, only he misguidedly named his vacuum line Soil Satan, and his store became swarmed with Satanists and Christians protesting each other. N.O. 1: Whoa. I like it but it sounds
pretty bonkers. Maybe dial down the crazy a tad. N.O. 2: Sure. Admittedly, I do have some satirical, offbeat tendencies, but redemption is very important to me as well. I write a couple kooky yet heartfelt letters to my three-year-old nephew, explaining to him the realities of Santa and the plight of the Chicago Cubs. Another one, “The Mario 2 Outlook,” gets goofy-philosophical and explains why daydreamers and misfits have long-preferred Mario 2 to its more popular counterparts for the Nintendo. “The Appendix Is a Lazy Psycho” is in there because the vermiform appendix needs to be protested. Finally, the Bottom Stories are the most personal and vulnerable pieces I’ve done so far. That’s part of the reason why I originally wanted Oprah to be on the other side of this interview. N.O. 1: Well, we’re stuck with each other, so deal with it. This is better than nothing, right?
N.O. 2: That’s true! And it’s a nice segue to an endearing theme of the book: Something is better than nothing. So, learn to love something, because nothing is for nihilists, and nobody is worse than a nihilist. In the Bottom Stories, especially, I wanted to acknowledge all the heartache and resentment in this world, and still affirm that it’s all completely, 100% worth the trouble. N.O. 1: That’s beautiful. You know, at first I thought you were a flaky smart-ass, but I’ve warmed up to you—so much so that I’m going to try to set you up on a hot date. N.O. 2: Awesome. I’ll shower and brush my teeth and be polite and everything. But I should pass along that if she hates The Simpsons, then there’s a good chance the date would be doomed.
Located on North Main Street, just north of Hopper’s Silk Screening
Presenting...
The Talented & Popular
LIGHT HOUSE BIG BAND Playing everything from Beatles to Basie
TUESDAYS, January 13th & 27th • 7:30 PM
Come Early...
The
Show is FREE!
Enjoy Dinner Before or During the Show!
101 North Main, FDL (Next to Hopper’s) 933-6003 • Kitchen open daily 7 am January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 11
ENTERTAINMENT // LIVE FROM JAPAN
Game of the Month: Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom BY JAMES PAGE theplayerspage@yahoo.com Developer: Little Orbit ESRB: Everyone 10+ Release Date: 11/18/2014 System: Nintendo 3DS/PC/PlayStation 3/ PlayStation Vita/Xbox 360 Rating: Graphics: 3.0 out of 4.0 Game Play: 3.0 out of 4.0 Personal: 2.0 out of 2.0 Total Score: 8.0 out of 10. Player’s Page: “Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom” It’s time for an adventure, so grab your friends and travel to the very distant land of the Nameless Kingdom. This scenic kingdom is perfect for anyone who seeks adventure, the product of many hours of hard work from the kingdom’s three benefactors: Lullaby Princess,
Slumber Princess, and Nightmare Princess. Visitors to the kingdom will be able to line their pockets with riches by battling fearsome foes while exploring lively forests, tall mountains, dark caves, and dangerous dungeons. Adventurers will meet and swap stories with old friends, and if they are lucky, they may be granted an audience with one of the kingdom’s three princesses. Jake the Dog and Finn the Human have been dispatched to the Nameless Kingdom by Princess Bubblegum in order to investigate rumors of a disturbing event that have reached the ears of those in the Candy Kingdom. The time has come for the Nameless Kingdom to gain a name and have one ruler. However, on the eve of this historic event all three sisters have disappeared.
Without the three sisters the kingdom has begun to sink into chaos and if the princesses are not found the kingdom will face disastrous consequences from which it will not be able to recover. Trouble finds Finn and Jake shortly after they arrive in the Nameless Kingdom. After a night spent camping by a river, Finn wakes up to discover Jake has joined the princesses on the list of disappearances. Finn must now brave the dangers of the Nameless Kingdom to find not only the missing princesses but also his best friend. With his cursed grass sword in hand, Finn sets out alone into the wilderness to find Jake, rescue the three princesses, and punish whomever is responsible for all the bizarre events. A
world of adventure, danger, and excitement awaits Finn and Jake in the Nameless Kingdom but they must be on guard; for all is not as it seems, and the most unexpected things can cause the most trouble. “Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom” is an action adventure title developed by WayForward and Little Orbit. The game puts players into the shoes of Finn the Human from the show Adventure Time. The player will be able to explore the Nameless Kingdom and delve into its system of caves and dungeons all while battling a series of monsters and solving puzzles. While exploring the world the player will be able to upgrade their weapons, armor, and health as well as collect items and power-ups to help them in their quest. In many ways the game is very reminiscent, both from a game play and graphical design standpoint, of the “2D Legend of Zelda” games. The controls are straightforward and easy
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1478 Midway Road, Menasha, WI, 54952 12 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
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ENTERTAINMENT // LIVE FROM JAPAN
to manage, allowing the player to quickly access a sword, shield, special power, and up to two items. These actions can be combined to overcome any foe or puzzle which will be encountered during the game, and although many of the items and their upgrades are optional towards the completion of the game, obtaining them will make situations easier and offer new ways to tackle obstacles. The environments in the game are beautifully designed and help to add a cartoon feel to the game-play experience. The angled top down 2D view creates a game that feels familiar to older video games but offers new elements. The character sprite design may be a bit simple when compared to the complexity
of the world design, but the quality of their movement and conversation animations more than make up for any perceived shortcomings. “Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom” is an enjoyable game which provides a nice experience without being too challenging. The trading mini-games and item collection quests help to add an extra element of depth to the game, but even with these extras the game is still a relatively short experience, coming in at between 8 and 12 hours for a complete play through. The game is full of the humor that made Adventure Time popular, and many hours can be spent finding references to the show and meeting characters from different parts of Ooo who have decided to travel to the Nameless Kingdom. Anyone who plays “Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom” will be pleased with the time spent playing this fun game, and by the end of the game the player will quickly realize that a kingdom ruled by a princess who loves Jai Alai can be an amazing place to visit. Remember, like all games if you play them just to have fun there will never be a bad game.
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 13
ENTERTAINMENT // DESTINATION IOLA
Worth the Drive: Iola Winter Sports Club BY WILL STAHL People are familiar with the idea of downhill skiing as a destination sport, and it’s not unusual to hear them say they are going to Brule, Granite Peak, Indianhead or even Colorado. When the subject of cross-country skiing comes up, and I ask where they go, it is most often the city park, the golf course or even their backyards. Here in the Fox Valley, we have any number of options for nearby skiing, Bubolz Nature Preserve, Appleton’s Reid Golf Course and Plamann County Park, to name just a few. But cross-country skiing has for many years been developing destinations of its own and some very good ones are located just a short drive from the Valley and many of the other communities reached by the SCENE. What is the appeal of driving an hour or two to cross country ski? Simply it comes down to an experience the local
places can’t quite match: consistently good grooming, great scenery and miles of varied trail. Eight or ten such places are within two hours of the Fox Valley and particular ones are even closer to Green Bay, Fond du Lac and Stevens Point. One of the best is the trail system maintained by the Iola Winter Sports Club, a about seven miles north of the Norwegian-flavored village of Iola. For full disclosure, most years I have a membership in the club, but I had decided it was a favorite long before I joined. To get some background I sat down with club President and chief groomer Phil Johnsrud during a snowless slack time. The Iola Winter Sports Club is nearly 110 years old. “We have meeting minutes back to 1904,” Johnsrud told me. Previously, it had a couple of other locations, but it has been in its present one since the 1950s. It began as a ski jumping club––one of a number started by Norwegian immigrants to the Midwest––and remained so
14 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
until the early 1970s. The increasing popularity of crosscountry skiing prompted the club to add
that activity, mostly at first to provide funding for the jumping program. Johnsrud moved to the Iola area in
ENTERTAINMENT // DESTINATION IOLA
1976 and took up cross-country skiing. At first the trails were just “skied in,” users making tracks that those coming after could follow. Then club members began grooming using light-duty snowmobiles not meant for the purpose with improvised equipment for rolling and tracking. “We had an old trailer out of which we sold the trail passes and a wooden clubhouse where equipment was stored.” After the clubhouse burned down, taking all the existing grooming gear with it, the club began a slow upgrade to equipment made for the purpose. Today the club owns about 230 acres of land with access to another 100 acres. The trails include an inside mile and a half “green loop,” suitable for beginners, a three-mile intermediate “blue loop,” and a six-mile “black loop” with some screamingly fast descents and some heart-pounding climbs. These loops overlap in places and are joined by connectors and cut-offs, so exact trail length is hard to calculate, but Johnsrud estimates it’s around 12-14 kilometers. A loop was added in 2013 on some newly purchased land, and this past summer Johnsrud supervised the construction of about another mile of trail. “And we have expansion possibilities,” he added. “We’ve purchased 72 acres in the last seven years.” When I asked him to what he attributed his success as a groomer, Johnsrud said, “The first rule is like the Hippocratic Oath, ‘First do no harm.’ You have to watch what’s coming out the back end of the groomer. If you’re bringing up dirt, leaves or rocks, it’s not the right time to groom.” “People expect good conditions now, and they complain if it’s a little slow.” Fresh snow is always slow, as the crystals are sharp. He keeps working the snow every couple of days and it becomes very fast. Currently, the club has about three hundred members, and it is slowly growing. An important factor in club growth was putting up lights. “That tripled our membership,” Johnsrud said. Four miles of trail are lit by 110 very efficient highpressure sodium vapor lights. Any club member is entitled to turn them on. On a typical winter weekend, the club may have up to 150 sign-ins for day use, not including the members. Many come from some distance, the Fox Valley and Stevens Point, or from even farther. Long
experience has taught me that Iola often has skiable snow when the Fox Valley has only bare ground. Johnsrud is proud of the IWSC’s Youth League. It begins with activities for kids aged 2-9. They meet on Saturday morning from 10 AM to noon to ski cross country. At noon ski jumping practice begins for those interested. When they reach fifth grade, kids can join the team, which competes with other teams from across the state. The ski team draws from a fairly large area; most of the kids are currently from Stevens Point. They usually have a meet a week, maybe a dozen or more over the course of the winter. The ski jumping program is a low point now, but they are hoping to build it up. “In the past we’ve had kids reach the Junior Olympics,” Johnsrud said, “but its not a sport in which Americans are world class.” The club has five jumps, ranging from five meters to 60 meters, the designations representing the distance a trained jumper might be expected to travel in the air. The ski jumping events of the Badger State Winter Games are held at Iola the first weekend in February. The Iola Winter Sports Club is completely private––they receive no funding from any level of government. It operates entirely on money received from memberships, trail passes, donations, and various events. A spring mountain bike race draws over 600 participants (mountain biking is not otherwise permitted) and they are sponsors of the Iola Old Car show. “It’s been a lot of fun here,” Johnsrud said. “I like solving problems and looking after the mechanicals.” Long may he groom those trails. For directions and further information about Iola, go to iolawintersportsclub.org. Fo r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t o t h e r cross-country ski destinations in the upper Midwest go to skinnyski.com and click on “Trails.”
54th Annual Ski Jumping, Lutefisk Supper & Craft Fair
FEBRUARY 6-8, 2015 FRIDAY, FEB. 6, 2015
6 pm: Fat Bike Race - Iola Winter Sports Club
IOLA, WI
SATURDAY, FEB. 7, 2015 8 am - Noon: Ice Sculpting - Iola-Scandinavia H.S. 10 am - 1 pm: Ice Fishing Contest on Lake Iola (ages 16 & under) - Presented by Iola Lake District
Iola Winter Sports Club is located at:
E398 County Rd MM - Iola, WI 54945
www.iolawintersportsclub.org 715-445-3411 Event Sponsored by: Iola Lions Club The American Legion Sheveland-
Taylor Post 14 Iola Winter Sports Club and Iola Lioness Club
1 pm - 6:30 pm: Norwegian Lutefisk Supper &
Indoor Craft Sale - Iola Scandinavia H.S. 2 pm: Crowning The Queen of Snows -
Iola-Scandinavia H.S.
2 pm: Skijoring - Iola Winter Sports Club 6 pm: Iola Twilight Snowshoe Race -
Iola Winter Sports Club
For More Information Contact: PO Box 1, Iola, WI 54945 715-445-4005
SUNDAY, FEB. 8, 2015
Noon: Central Ski Jumping Championships
- Iola Winter Sports Club
CRYSTAL CAFE
4 Generations of Our Family Serving Iola for Nearly 50 Years
Come on in! We have a place set for you at our table.
Everything we serve is homemade with loving care from scratch but our specialty is our award-winning pie. We offer fresh pie everyday by the slice or the whole pie. Now also offering frozen bake-at-home pies. Ask us about Wedding Pies. Stop in during Winter Carnival for breakfast or lunch!
Join us at the cafe or let us cater your next eventWhether it's a picnic, private dinner, wedding or anything in between we offer custom catering to suit your needs. 126 N. Main Iola, WI (715) 445-9227 Open 6:30 am-7pm January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 15
ENTERTAINMENT // ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Electronic Devices – Necessary Evil? BY BARB SAUER Have you ever seen someone glued to his or her electronic device, and wondered, “Why don’t you go outside? You should get out of the house and go somewhere with your friends.” Certainly cell phones, pads, and video games can suck people away from socializing and living life through real experiences. I’m beginning to feel they have become one of those “necessary evils of society.” However, I recently found an occasion where a technology gadget enhanced my social experience. I was having lunch with a close friend, when in walked a man: he looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Suddenly, I said, “Oh, my gosh, he looks exactly like that guy.” My friend looked confused. My look told her I knew she didn’t have E.S.P. Then I tried explaining, “You know, the guy in that Meryl Streep movie. Um, uh, the one
with “the dingo ate my baby.” My friend got up to speed, but both of us were still stumped, as we couldn’t recall the name of the movie, let alone the actor. We sat for a while in frustrated silence trying to remember, then I googled it. In a moment, I had a picture to share and we both agreed, yes, he did look exactly like Sam Neill who played the husband, Michael, in A Cry in the Dark. Thus, weird as it may sound, I’ve come to appreciate that electronic devices can be good tools in social situations, especially when you feel as if you may be suffer-
16 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
ing from the early onset of dementia. Of course, it does mean you have to remember where you put that smart phone and what buttons to push. Another example: Ever go on a museum tour with a docent? The added level of insight enriches your visit. Granted, the social interaction with a real person sharing those insights is part of the positive experience. However, what museum can afford that level of personalization? So years ago, museums came up with clunky audiocassette tours. You donned big, uncomfortable head- sets and walked around, always at an extra fee. Now, many national parks and renowned museums have information apps, for free! A visitor can dial up or scan a QR code––those crazy checkerboard-like blackand-white boxes you see on signs nowadays. Although you don’t get to socialize with the docent, at least you get great information, delivered in a more engaging format than just reading the signage. A number of years ago, when working at the Paper Discovery Center, I realized this technology came to the Fox Valley. Harold Miller, a board member of both the Paper Discovery Center and Heckrodt Wetland Reserve, was the cross-pollinator. Tracey Koenig, the executive director of Heckrodt, was the early adopter and more than willing to help coach the Paper Discover Center on how to set up an audio tour. For a number of years, people could use their cell phones to listen to more information about plants, animals, and wetlands at Heckrodt, and about the exhibits at Paper Discovery Center. I’m guessing other places in the Valley use this tool too. Light up the Fox is excited to announce that we’ve added such an “Info App” to this year’s Riverfront Light Display on Water Street in Appleton (Dec 20 – Feb 11 / Thomas Edison’s birthday). And we’ve discovered that catering not only to the basic cell phone but also to the ever-morepopular smart phone makes the tool and technology even better. The info app lets us share audio record-
ings telling the story behind the project, the students who built the displays, and how it all connects to Fox River history. With the smart phone technology, we can also share pictures, videos, and related links. Many of the videos are from River Time, a wonderful, professionally produced video documentary that tells many facets of Fox River history. The volunteer group, VISTA – Volunteers in Service to Appleton, released this video on VHS in 1990. For years it has been part of the curriculum in the Appleton Area School District and beyond. I recall the phone discussion with Gerald Fisher, the executive producer of River Time, when I asked permission to post segments of the video on YouTube so we could reference them in our events and scavenger hunts. He was joyfully excited about sharing the work with more people. VISTA consisted of volunteers with a passion for the Fox River and Appleton history, and a desire to showcase this passion and educate others. One of the video’s narrators, Jack Valacek, was an outstanding volunteer at the Paper Discovery Center; he certainly fit this bill. The more people VISTA’s production can reach, the better. We hope people have the time to pull away from their electronic devices at home, join friends and family, and wander down to Water St in Appleton to see the masterpiece light displays created by area students. Then we welcome you to enhance your social experience by reconnecting to your technology to learn more about the displays and view photos of the work as it progressed. The Info App will be available until January 20, and if participation is high, we will extend the service throughout the display, until February 11. If you complete the ‘virtual tour’ of the info app, you’ll find a video of the illuminated skate routine by Fox Valley Figure Skating Club in Feb 2014. We’re happy to partner with them again in our closing celebration, commemorating Thomas Edison’s birthday. The free figure skating exhibition will be on Friday night, February 6, at Jones Park, starting at 6:30. Please consider, once again, unplugging and getting out of the house with your family and friends to join us.
“absolutely the No. 1 show iN the world” —Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of the English National Ballet
5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION. LIVE ON STAGE!
March 3-4 Fox Cities P.A.C. WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA
ShenYun.com
Tickets: 920-730-3760 • foxcitiespac.com Box office: 400 West College Ave., Appleton MYTHS AND LEGENDS come alive through the artistry of classical Chinese dance Imagine a performance so profound, so inspiring, it touches your soul. Let Shen Yun take you on a journey through 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture. Legends, myths, and heroes spring to life through classical Chinese dance. “It was an extraordinary experience … the level of skill, but also the power of the archetypes and the narratives were startling. And of course it was exquisitely beautiful.” —Cate Blanchett, Academy Awardwinning actress
“Absolutely beautiful ... It has become this one big poetic event. It was so inspiring, I think I may have found some new ideas for the next “Avatar”.” —Robert Stromberg, Academy-Award winner, production designer for “Avatar”
Ethnic and folk dances fill the stage with color and energy. The leaps and flips of Shen Yun’s aerial masters, thunderous battle drums, and singers’ soaring voices are all set to animated backdrops that transport you to another world. “It was inspirational and educational — a performance that I encourage everyone to see and all of us to learn from.” —Donna Karan, creator of DKNY
“I have reviewed over 3,000 to 4,000 shows since 1942. I give this production 5 stars. That’s the top ... I’ve seen enough Broadway shows that still cannot compare to what I saw tonight ... mind blowing.” —Richard Connema, renowned Broadway critic
ENTERTAINMENT // POSTCARD FROM MILWAUKEE
Paul Biemann BY BLAINE SCHULTZ
anniversary. On the opposite side of the musical coin. he also mixes at The Cactus You may have seen him playing bass Club where he saw “that little back room in any number of bands over the last few go from a pool table shoved to the side decades or even tooling around on his vin- so the band could set up in the corner to tage Triumph Bonneville motorcycle when hosting Wanda Jackson, Queens of the the weather permits, but odds are best Stoneage, The White Stripes, and countless you have seen Paul Biemann running the other local, regional, national and international acts.” soundboard at Milwaukee’s Shank Hall. Biemann has seen those clubs and In November Shank celebrated its 25th many others from both sides of the stage. Playing in bands since 1977, he has performed and recorded with a string of combos (among them The Yell Leaders, or often accompanying frontman Mike Benign in the likes of Blue in the Face, Arms & Legs & Feet and Umbrella Man) where Biemann’s solid bass Umbrella Man L-R: Mike Benign, Paul Biemann, Marty playing set the groove and Radocha, Tim Frank
tone. “Shank is where I spend most of my mixy time but I do get the call to mix other places. I also work for Go Audio which is Blue in the Face (circa 1994) L-R: Bob Jennings, Mike Benign, Pat Basler, John a great sound Carr, Andy Buck, Paul Biemann, Ed Spangenberg company with Biemann recalls how it all began for top-notch gear, “ he said. “I really started running sound and recording before I him. In sixth grade a couple of buddies got Guitars; another got a paper route to started playing bass. My dad had two tape buy a drum set. “I started cleaning grade recorders and showed me how to double schools and bought a bass. That was it. track when I played trumpet in fifth or Within months George, Scotty and I were sixth grade. My mom would have me undo playing “Sunshine of Your Love” at St. the knots in the clothesline as practice for an eventual career as a wire wrangler. It all Sebastian CYO. The devil had my soul.” Aside from Shank, he also fondly just kept happening alongside one another. recalls the Spinal Tap moments. “… [the “I’m not really sure when I started at unnamed Milwaukee songwriter] playing Shank but I do remember the first show pool with his pants around his ankles at a was Peter Tork of the Monkees.” On club in Kansas, my dear friend and mentor one memorable night Biemann recalls the monitor speakers going dead the instant Jeff Dagenhardt putting a phone book at my feet instead of adjusting the mic stand Ray Manzarek mentioned Jim Morrison. What has the sagacious soundman at a Liquid Johnnies gig, the club in Iowa that gave us the liquor room as a dresslearned from his years in the trenches? “Little has changed––some bands are ing room––not the best idea, kissing the serious some are not,” he says. “Everyone ground and Joe Schkeryantz after he drove has a cell phone, but no one can call the through a tornado in the middle of the night. club and say we’re running late ‘tell the Sharing the stage with dear friends, legsound guy get something to eat ‘cuz he won’t have time later.’ Some bands get it: ends, and heroes, being part of a group; the Show up, set up, tune up, fire it up, reverse, shared experience that is the high point.” drive repeat––some don’t.”
2015 Launchpad The 2015 Launchpad band application period is open until February 6, 2015. Bands can go to www.launchpadwisconsin. org to sign up for this only statewide music competition in the nation for high school garagebands of all musical genres. We appreciate any opportunity you may have to give a shoutout to the local high school garagebands in your backyard that the 2015 Launchpad band application period is now open. 18 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
I have attached below a You Tube video of Gabe Burdulis (our 2014 Les Paul Launchpad Award winning band) using his Launchpad prize of recording time at Madison’s Blast House Studios to cut a great original track interspersed with an Eminem song. A very talented young musician! Les Paul would have been very proud of him. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=a52qWFy7wys
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 19
ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH JANUARY 2015
Concert Watch January 2015 Jock Bartley: Actually it did. We were incredibly lucky because so many bands try to figure out ‘what are we going to sound like?’ and the continuation of their sound, whatever that might be. We were a pretty rare case of when you put the synergy of the musicians and the vocalists together, whatever we played – whether it
they don’t have to be true, and b) if you are a little impressionistic with the lyrics they can take on various meanings. We didn’t even really think about it. “Cinderella” had been a huge FM hit and had gotten so much FM airplay that Atlantic Records obviously decided ‘OK, that’s our next AM single.’ They put it out and within a few
was a softer love ballad or a harder-edged darker kind of rock song – ended up sounding like us. It was really great. Certainly not everything we recorded we used and not everything we put our hands to was magical! (Laughs) I know how lucky of a fellow I am to be in a band that made such great music. Now yes, we created it but it really started with how great the songs were. It was kind of a fated thing to throw us together. The synergy of the band members, the sum was greater than the parts. And it shows. Our songs still stand up and sound great today on the radio. There’s still that magic. JS: There was a controversy that arose about the lyrics of the song “Cinderella.” JB: It’s a totally fictional song. It is about a somewhat controversial subject about a guy getting a girl pregnant and pretty much telling her to leave. The third verse is vague enough to where you don’t know WHAT: Firefall with Pure Prairie League if he stayed and got to WHERE: Meyer Theater, Green Bay WI see his kid grow up. I’ve been asked hundreds of WHEN: 8 PM Friday, January 23, 2015 times over the past thirty COST: $35 and $40 years, ‘well, did he stay?’ INFO: http://www.firefall.net That’s one of the cool http://www.meyertheatre.org things about songs – a)
weeks it was climbing up the AM charts and doing well. All of a sudden it disappeared and went off the charts in about a week. We found out later there were a couple of women’s organizations on the East Coast who didn’t like the lyrical tone of that song. They called a number of critical radio stations on the East Coast and told them of their displeasure with that song and that if the radio station played it, there were certain threats made about, I don’t know, boycotting the radio station or whatever they may have been. Within a week or so that single absolutely died on the charts. We didn’t know what happened until about six months later when we heard the story about women’s organizations saying this is not appropriate to be on the radio. They pretty much squelched it. JS: You and I are both huge Eric Clapton fans. Tell us how Eric became your hero and about your surprise encounter with him at a recording session. JB: I bought the Fresh Cream album when I was a teenager. When I heard that first solo of Clapton’s on “I Feel Free,” it was literally like the heavens opened up and the sun came out and suddenly that was possible. Hearing Clapton play really changed my life almost equally as much as Beatlemania and the Beatles did. I’d
Colorado-based rock band Firefall was named after the Yosemite Firefall, the tradition of igniting a huge pile of logs and pushing the embers off a cliff in Yosemite National Park, creating a glowing cascade. Firefall’s extensive list of hits includes “You Are the Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” “Strange Way,” “Cinderella,” “It Doesn’t Matter,” “So Long,” “Headed for a Fall” and “Livin’ Ain’t Livin.” The band was formed in 1974 and success came quickly for the band. Atlantic A & R representatives liked their demo and after seeing one of their performances offered Firefall a multi-album contract. In the first three years, Firefall’s achievements included two platinum and three gold albums. The band has faced numerous personnel changes and other challenges over the years, but today Firefall is going strong. Fans can look forward to hearing new single releases beginning in 2015, with an accompanying album to follow. The current members of Firefall include Jock Bartley – guitar/ vocals, David Muse – sax/flute/percussion, Mark Andes – bass/ vocals, Sandy Ficca – drums and Gary Jones – guitar/vocals. Firefall and Pure Prairie League (see December Concert Watch) will be sharing a bill on January 23 in Green Bay at the Meyer Theater. With these two amazing bands joining forces, this is sure to be one helluva super show that fans will not want to miss! Firefall was my late friend Doug Boone’s favorite band. Doug was the originator of this column and a passionate community activist in the Fox Valley area. This one’s for you, Doug. I reached Jock Bartley at home outside of Denver recently. Jane Spietz: Did the development of Firefall’s sound come easily?
20 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
never heard of Eric Clapton before and I went, ‘Who is this guy?’ Fast forward to when we were making our first album in Miami at Criteria Studios in the winter of ’75 – ’76. Clapton had just made his 461 Ocean Boulevard album. It was my time to start soloing and putting my solos on the records that we had been working on for a few weeks. So, I’m out in the studio warming up to play “Mexico,” the one song I knew that was going to be my moment to shine as a lead guitar player. We’d been playing that song for 2 ½ years on stage and kickin’ ass with it. I’m playing my old Les Paul through a Fender Super Reverb amp. The Bee Gees were recording down the hall, Stephen Stills was in and out, and all of these amazing people were coming in and out of the control room while I’m warming up. The day before we had the Mariachi horn section come in to play their parts in the middle of my solo, which I never had to contend with before. I knew the horns were coming, but I had no idea when it was happening. So I’m playing my solo and the horns played their part. It kind of took me by surprise. It ended up that I played the 3 ½ minute song as a one take solo. The producer, Jim Mason, pushed the button and said, ‘That was fantastic! C’mon in.’ I said, ‘I wasn’t ready for the horns. Give me another pass or two.’ He said, ‘No, it was perfect. C’mon in.’ I storm into the control room to give him a piece of my mind and the first person I see is my hero, Eric Clapton! He had been watching me play. I just lost it. Eric Clapton – he was the guy! He stood up, shook my hand and said, ‘Keen playing, man,’ and he walked out. I just slumped in the chair and went, ‘Oh my God.’ So playing the original, one take, spontaneous solo with my hero – unbeknownst to me – watching from the control room, was fantastic! Later Jim shared that Clapton had come into the control room to say hi to him because they knew each other. Jim asked Clapton if he wanted to come out and play with me and Eric shook his head and said, ‘No, he sounds like he’s doing just fine.’ That’s probably number one on my magical moments that have happened in my career. JS: Firefall will be inducted into the
ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH JANUARY 2015
Colorado Music Hall of Fame in January 9. JB: The induction class is amazing. It’s Stephen Stills and Manassas, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Poco and Firefall. Stephen has chosen not to come. I hope at the last minute he changes his mind! (Laughs) Jeff Hanna from the Dirt Band, Richie Furay from Poco and Buffalo Springfield and I are going up to do three songs of Manassas as a tribute to Stephen, Chris Hillman and all of the Manassas boys. Being inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame is really humbling and it’s a huge honor for Firefall to be acknowledged. JS: Is there a new album in the works? JB: There is. We’re going to do it a little differently this time. We are going to release two or three songs every couple of months. When we have ten or twelve or thirteen songs in a year or so that have been released, then we’ll put out an album. I’ve been writing a lot of songs for the new record. I’ve been putting out a search for writers in Nashville. I know a lot of great
writers there and a couple of writers out here in Colorado. I really don’t care who writes the songs. I just want to have a bunch of great, great songs for our record. I want to make the 2015 version of recorded Firefall be reminiscent of and sound like Firefall and yet be modern enough to be really accepted today. There’ll be some surprises along the way. JS: Looking forward to an amazing show at the Meyer Theater in Green Bay on January 23 with Firefall and Pure Prairie League sharing the bill! JB: As band leader of Firefall, I feel that a band owes the crowd a huge amount. People can expect a really good Firefall show sounding like we’re supposed to sound and we’ll also do some fun spontaneous stuff. Not a lot of people jam on stage anymore but we do. We have a lot of fun. We are going to give you guys a great show and play all of the songs you would expect. Jane Spietz is a community activist and social worker who loves music.
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ENTERTAINMENT // WHAT’S THE GOOD WORD?
VOCATION (vō-ˈkā-shən) BY SCHERRYL ANTONIADIS Once upon a time, long, long ago . . . when I was a young girl of 5 or 6, I set my mind on becoming a ballerina when I grew up. It was a dream that I am sure was, and still is, shared by many girls of that age. To prepare for what I was sure would be my destiny, I would put on a pair of tights and my frilliest petticoat (which was my makeshift tutu) and spend hours practicing “pirouettes” in front of my bedroom mirror. To casual observers it might have looked like I was simply whirling around with my arms flailing high above my head, but I wouldn’t consider these people to be true lovers of the art. Still, I must confess that the one and only time I actually tried standing on my tiptoes I fell flat on my bootie and it, and my feet, hurt for days. Such is the life of a prima ballerina I thought to myself. It wasn’t long, however, before reality set in. As I approached my tween years, it became abundantly - and painfully - clear to me that I was never going to be Swan Lake material. It was time to re-boot my dreams and begin considering another vocation. VOCATION: noun, a calling, mission, life’s work, purpose or function; a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career; a person’s employment or main occupation, especially one regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication; a trade or profession When I and my fellow baby boomers entered high school in the ‘60s, it was still widely assumed that most young women
would marry, have a station wagon full of kids and then spend their days working as full-time homemakers. At the time I thought that this would also be the path that my life would take. I could envision myself happily married, walking my little ones to school, shopping at the Piggly Wiggly on double coupon day . . . I just didn’t want it to happen too soon. In the meantime, I was anxiously looking forward to the prospect of living on my own for a few years. (This turned out to be a good thing as I did not find my Mr. Right until many years later. My poor parents had all but given up hope of ever seeing their eldest daughter walk down the aisle.) As my female contemporaries and I did not have the plethora of career opportunities open to women today, I began to think about the so-called “female occupations” of the time: secretary, teacher and nurse. After giving it some thought, I decided to look for an administrative position that required some accounting or budgeting skills, as I had always loved math. To my surprise, thanks to a referral from a classmate, I was lucky enough to secure a bookkeeping position with a local firm just two days after graduating. For the most part, I liked the job. Even though I had many years of experience as a babysitter and a waitress, this was my first real grown-up job and I enjoyed the freedom that it gave me. I was also getting some valuable experience, and my co-workers were supportive and fun to be around. But after two years I had to admit that I was getting a bit bored. The work was no longer challenging and there was very little opportunity for advancement.
22 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
At the same time, I was also starting to give some thought to relocating. So, being very young, and even more foolish, I gave my notice without having another position (duh?!). But I did have a plan, sort of. I was going to move to Madison and find a job there. I mean, I was 19 years old, had less than $400 to my name and no job -what could possibly go wrong? Well, as the old saying goes . . . life happens while we’re making plans. Only days into my hunt for an apartment and a new job, my parents received a per fectly timed phone call from my uncle in California. He sounded both exhausted and exhilarated as he quickly informed us that my aunt had just given birth. All went well except that instead of delivering one baby boy -- as he had clearly instructed her to do -- she gave birth to TWO adorable baby girls. It had been a difficult birth and they were looking for help in bringing the babies home to join their 5-year-old sister who was anxiously awaiting their arrival. Talk about serendipity! I immediately put my move to Madison on hold and hopped the next plane to San Francisco.
I spent four months there caring for the babies and helping my aunt recover, and I loved every minute of it. I also came to love California, especially San Francisco, and seriously began thinking about staying. At the same time, I was also desperately missing my family and I eventually decided to go back home. Unfortunately, upon my return I quickly discovered that the recession that was spreading across the country had definitely hit Wisconsin. Finding a new job took longer than I had anticipated but I finally landed a great position with a CPA firm in Fond du Lac. But in spite of the fact that I found my work there very satisfying, two years down the road, my wanderlust resurfaced . . . and I knew that I had to return to San Francisco, this time for good. Shortly after arriving in “the City”, as the natives call it, I decided it was time to find what I would come to consider my true vocation. I knew that I wanted to work in accounting or finance, and that I wanted to be part of a large company that could offer a broad range of growth opportunities. With resume in hand, I started working with a seasoned recruiter. After a few fruitless interviews, I was lucky enough to score a job offer with the Federal Reserve Bank as a financial/ budget analyst. I accepted it on the spot and couldn’t wait to start my new job!
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NEWS & VIEWS // JUST SAYIN’
Just Sayin’ BY MARTY IN THE MORNING Since the rip-roaring comedy “The Interview” is now put on hold, and I don’t have to review that, I find myself with time on my hands to kick off the New Year! And what better way than to recap a few things that we closed the year with! First off, shame on you if you missed the inaugural “Sturgeon Cup” Championship that was played at the Blue Line Ice Rink in Fondy, featuring inter-city rivals St. Mary Spring’s and Fond du Lac High School. I’m not quite sure how far back this contest goes, but in the spirit of “squaring off against each other,” we got to thinking, “Why don’t these 2 teams play for something?” I mean, Wisconsin and Minnesota play for the Ax (OK, that’s a poor example. Since Wisconsin wins it every year and
Minnesota simply participates.) But you get where I’m going. After some careful thought, and what seemed like an eternity in the planning process, we decided that since the two teams play on ice, and it’s a fight to the finish, it had to have some level of bravado attached to it. After about 4 minutes, I decided to call it “The Sturgeon Cup”, and thus a new tradition was born. Thanks to Kevin Deering and Ryan Sarazin from Fond du Lac High, and Kyle Krueger and Tim Ahern from St. Mary Springs, we were able to secure a unanimous “OK” to roll the Sturgeon Cup
26 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
plan out that very week. Off I went to Hopper’s All Star Trophy in downtown Fond du Lac. You remember how Norm always was treated to a friendly welcome every time he walked into Cheer’s? Yeah, not so much when I stroll in, because Dave, Mark, John and the rest of the professional staff know that there’s always work to be done when I enter! I proceeded to explain to the Hopper’s crew what my “Sturgeon Cup” vision looked like. And despite numerous eye-rolls from Michelle, and a couple of sideways glances from Kim, there was an actual opinion given that this
JUST might work! Dave Hopper darted off into the back room, and came out with a wonderfully crafted wooden base in one hand, and a beautiful Gold cup in another, and exclaimed “I’ve been WONDERING what I could with these pieces!” And so the Cup construction began. One quick trip to Tuffy’s on North Main, where I was able to secure a fiercelooking foam sturgeon, complete with spear already inserted, and we were almost finished with our design. And we still had a whole day to go before it needed to be finished. The completed project, while majestic in stature and a prize worthy of being displayed in ANY trophy case, is still very much a work-in-progress. I mean, I thought we had a pretty sweet-looking trophy, until I walked in to pick it up and it was sitting next to the Cowan Cup. Now I have Trophy Envy…I’m just sayin’ Speaking of fishing and sturgeons, I did see the other day that the Navy is pretty stoked about rolling out its new Shark Drone. I’m sorry, seeing the photos of this thing, I actually would take the shark from “Jaws” a bit more seriously than I do this drone. And excuse for me asking, but isn’t the whole purpose of a drone supposed to be somewhat secretive? As in, you don’t really want the opposition to see or know of your tricks up the sleeve? …I’m just sayin’ I saw this recently while preparing for the Morning Show. A new report just released said there are 6.8 billion people on the planet currently. Only 3.5 Million of those people use a (wait for it, wait for it) A TOOTHBRUSH! Only thing I can add is “ewwwwwwwwwwww”! Here’s hoping you got more than just a box of “Cow Poop” in your stocking for Christmas! Hey, don’t judge. There’s an actual company called “Cards Against Humanity” that sold 30k of them for the Holidays. And you’re sitting there thinking, “I KNEW someone would steal my idea.” Just Sayin’ is a monthly article written by Marty in the Morning. Marty is the owner of Martini Media and Head Bee Keeper/ General Manager/Morning Host of B-104.7. Marty can be heard Mornings from 5a-10. To be included in the next round of Just Sayin’ or to add your own witty banter, Marty can be contacted at Marty@B104online.com
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 27
28 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
NEWS & VIEWS // COST OF COLLEGE
The High Cost of College Impacts Us All BY PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER In 2013, 70 percent of college graduates in Wisconsin ventured into the world of work with college loan debt, ranking our state fourth in the nation for graduates with loan debt. Indeed, about one third of Wisconsinites who hold baccalaureate or advanced degrees—no matter how long ago they finished school—are still paying off college loans. Nationally, college loan debt well exceeds $1 trillion. Wisconsin alone, has more than 800,000 student loan borrowers. The impact of college loan debt on the entire Wisconsin economy is great; so much so that it impacts each and every one of us. A recent study by One Wisconsin Now showed that college loan debt costs our state more than $200 million per year in new car sales alone. Further, middle income families with college loan debt are overwhelmingly more likely to rent, rather than own, their residences. The average Wisconsinite with a bachelor’s degree pays $350/month in college loans for nineteen years. The average for people holding advanced degrees is $448/ month for 22 years. Most of these payments go to the nation’s big banks. Little stays in Wisconsin. The college loan debt crisis has been created by the confluence of continued increases in the cost of education and changes in federal and state laws giving advantages to lenders and eliminating many rights of borrowers. The cost of a college education has increased more than 600 percent since 1980—a number that far exceeds growth to income and wealth during the same period. This, alone, has caused more students to rely on loans. When students obtain college loans they are afforded fewer legal protections than most borrowers. They have no refinancing rights, regardless of opportunities for lower interest rates. They are exempt from bankruptcy laws. Lenders may pursue collection of both principle and interest at any time. Usual truth in lending requirements, fair debt collection practice requirements, and most related state laws
do not apply to student loans. Borrowers with college debt are also urged to consolidate loans, often locking them into interest rates higher than those paid by other borrowers. A number of state legislators and members of Congress have sponsored legislation aimed to place those with college loan debt on an even playing field with other borrowers. Wisconsin U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin joined Senator Elizabeth Warren in forwarding legislation that would allow loans financing student debt to be refinanced when lower interest rates are available, just like home mortgages. Unfortunately, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson was among those blocking the legislation in the last session of Congress. State Representative Cory Mason and State Senator Dave Hansen continue to put forward the “Higher Ed, Lower Debt Act” that would create a state authority to help borrowers refinance their student loans, just like you can a home mortgage. The bill would also allow for a deduction for student loan payments on state income taxes, just like you can with home mortgage interest. It would also require lenders give student loan borrowers the same detailed information before entering into loan agreements, offer counseling to students and parents on the implications of student loans, and require the state to collect and disseminate information about private lenders and maintain a ranking system. The bottom line is that student loan debt in the United States is now greater than credit card debt. Further, it impacts Wisconsin disproportionately compared with other states in the union. The good news is that there are actions that can be taken by both Congress and our state legislature than can ease the economic burden that impacts all of us, especially those of us in Wisconsin. Let’s hope state and federal legislators seek serious solutions to this problem when they start anew this January. Peg Lautenschlager is a former Wisconsin Attorney General and U.S. Attorney who currently practices law in Fond du Lac. She lives with her husband in Fond du lac.
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NEWS & VIEWS // THEN AND NOW
Richard Verhoeven BY RON LA POINT “I started dancing at five,” were the first words that came rushing out. “I had a heart murmur when I was young and the doctor thought dancing lessons would be good therapy.” “I liked dancing from the start but didn’t like to practice. My mother, who was the disciplinarian, made me practice. When I wanted to quit, she wouldn’t let me quit. Everything I’ve accomplished I owe to her.” He was still a young kid when his mother, who saw something special in her youngest son, entered Richard in a contest at the Raulf Hotel in the neighboring city of Oshkosh. “I remember taking second place. First place went to a gal playing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ on her accordion. My dad got mad at me because I didn’t take first.” His mother seeing the budding of his unusual talent soon began entering her son in contests and shows of all kinds in their home town of Appleton and those in surrounding communities. During his high school years he caught the attention of an older Jimmy Damon, a dancer and a show master from Oshkosh. The two hooked up and did their routines at war bond rallies, shows performed downstairs at the Raulf Hotel, and appearances in other venues in Oshkosh and around the state. “We had a two-man act. Jimmy was the Master of Ceremonies and would open our act with tricks and magic – throw money in the air, make it disappear, that kind of thing. After his act he would say: ‘And now Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re in for a treat. Here is Richard Verhoeven, one of the top tap dancers in the country’.” When he was asked to recall his part of the act he performed with Jimmy Damon, Richard, with the look of pure joy, quickly responded in his own immutable style by repeating word for word without batting an eye from those long-ago routines. He quickly recited Top Hat, Tap Dance and Ballet routines while looking at me from across the table with a triumphant smile. Damon and Richard soon took their
act to the Riverside Theater and the Schroeder and Pfister hotels in Milwaukee. They also performed at the Chicago Theater and the Plankinton and Sherman hotels in Chicago. And once, without it being scheduled and without being forewarned, Richard performed his dance routine at the King Gateway in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin. “We had just gotten married and we drove up to the King Gateway for our honeymoon. We were seated at a table watching the show when all of a sudden, the Master of Ceremonies announced: ‘And now Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a young dancer who might want to dance for us.’ He pointed at our table and introduced me to the audience. I replied, somewhat embarrassingly, that I would be glad to but I don’t have my dancing shoes with me. With that Jimmy Damon came on stage and said ‘I have them’ while holding them up for all to see.” “We certainly didn’t expect to see Damon on our honeymoon.” When I later paged through a scrapbook his wife Shirley asked me to take home, I discovered not only a dance instructor, a story teller, a loving husband and a caring father, but also a dance protégé who, over time, became an expert in the art of dancing, nothing short of a virtuoso performer in his trade. He was known during his dancing career as an expressionist; imitation dancing he called it. He mimicked the stars of screen and stage; performers such as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor. “In my earlier years Bill Robinson came to Appleton to perform at the Reel Theater.” Bill Robinson, for those of you too young to know, was a famous colored dancer – using the vernacular of the times – who performed on stage all over the word and in a number of movies including “The Little Colonel” with Shirley Temple. The two, side by side, tapped danced up the staircase of this southern mansion to the tune of “My Old Kentucky Home.” “He would perform two or three shows a day and in between shows he often
30 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
stopped in a nearby pool hall to shoot a game or two of pool.” “It was there where he met my brother. They struck up a conversation and my brother told him he had a younger brother who danced. Mr. Robinson, kind as he was, told him to bring his brother down to the theater and said: “I’ll see what he can do.” “My brother ran to the telephone and told me to get down to the Reel theater real quick. ‘Bojangles Robinson will be there’.” “I came down as fast as I could muster. With his broad smile and helpful manner, Mr. Bojangles showed me the famous Robinson walk and a few other steps in his repertoire. He then took time to give me a private lesson, teaching me a couple of steps that I never forgot.” “When I got out of the Army a few years after WWII ended, I knew I wanted to dance. I landed a job at the local post office and while I was working there, I was invited to be the guest artist at an Appleton High School concert. I did my old stuff; soft shoe and real quick movements. The audience gave me a standing ovation and that gave me the motivation to continue with my dream.” During this time his friend Jimmy Damon knew Richard wanted to own a dance studio. After hearing about a place for rent in downtown Oshkosh he called Richard. Although Richard was somewhat reluctant to make the move, both his mother and Damon told him to give it a try. The upstairs part of the building Richard would be using for dancing lessons was formerly the home of Richmond Cleaners on Waugoo Street. The downstairs occupant was Jimmy ‘The Hat’ whose business was steaming bowler hats and shining shoes. The rent was $75 a month that first year but Richard, having saved little money during his army tour, needed his mother to bankroll the rent for those first few months. “I had about 75 students of all ages that first year. Entire families took lessons together.” The names of Merediths, Sohms, Mathewsons and Flanigans quickly rolled of his tongue. There was also a good-
looking girl in class the first year. When he spotted her, he said: That’s the one for me.” “I had a reputation as a good dancer and teacher and this evidently preceded me to Oshkosh. I didn’t advertise other than placing a picture and an ad in the local free press, The Shop O Gram. “I drove down from Appleton each day with my mother who said she would do my secretary work to save money those first few months. Before those months were over I was in a car accident, a head-on collision, while driving back to Appleton.” His car was demolished but Richard came out of it okay. His mother did not. She suffered a series of broken bones and was never able to walk again without using a walker. “I was forced to take a bus to Oshkosh for the next month while the car was being repaired. The bus would make its drops at the Greyhound Bus Depot on Main Street, about a block from the studio. After work I would stop for a hamburger and beer at the Empire Bar next to the depot and then take the bus back home.” “I had heard about the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, a renowned association that provided credentials for aspiring dance instructors. I realized I still needed to learn more about dancing and stage work. So I applied. The entrance exam was performing on stage in front of the faculty. That didn’t bother me at all as it apparently did for some. I loved performing in front of people.” He commuted to Chicago on weekends to attend classes that first year while instructing students during the week. During his time in Chicago he was introduced to a couple of well-known stars of the stage. He learned from faculty member, Irene Castle, the famous “Castle Walk”, a ballroom dance that he later taught in Oshkosh. The other star was Fred Kelly, the older brother of Gene Kelly. Fred danced but also worked behind the scenes, choreographing stage productions and some of the movies his brother was in. Fred Kelly would remain a life-long friend. The Oshkosh Theater was the location
NEWS & VIEWS // THEN AND NOW
for the opening revue for the dance studio with the honor of Master of Ceremonies given to his friend, Jimmy Damon. The annual revues for the Richard School of Dance continued at the Oshkosh for another three years. After the theater closed, the revues were held at the Raulf Theater. The Raulf later changed its name to the Plaza and in 1977 the Plaza Theater shut its doors. The revues were then staged at the Civic Auditorium and continue there to this day. Jaye Alderson remembers the sense of belonging to a special group when she was a student at the studio. “Richard’s strictness was tempered by little grins and shouts of ‘Get the lead out.’ The excitement of the yearly revues where costumed students performed the dances they worked all year to perfect, was the crowning joy to the hard work and dedication each of us put in doing our weekly lessons.” Richard choreographed the revues each year and his wife Shirley made the curtains. But it was not only his dance revues that Richard choreographed, it was all of the high school musical productions held at the Civic Auditorium from 1963 to the late ‘90s when Larry Klausch was the music director at West High School. He also choreographed the operettas held earlier at the Recreational Gym under the directorship of Fred Leist and did the same for the Miss Wisconsin Pageants. Richard said he had met a number of celebrities during his dancing and teaching career. With that he got up from his chair, went to another room and a minute or two later he brought back signed photographs of Guy Kirbe and George Jessel, two well-known Master of Ceremony legends; actresses Gloria De haven and Brooke Shields, dancers Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor, heavyweight boxer Lou Nova, and one of Fred Kelly. He mentioned that he and his wife were dining some years back at Raatsch’s a German restaurant in Milwaukee when Bob Hope approached his table, stopped momentarily and said: “I know you” and then walked away. When this well-known comedian and his wife finished dining that evening, he again passed the Verhoeven table and said “Goodnight Richard.” When Richard retired in 1999, he was honored at the 50th anniversary of the studio and helped the celebration along by dancing a rendition of “Singing in the
Rain” with Fred Kelly, who flew in from Tucson, Arizona to help celebrate with his friend. When he reminisced about that night eleven years ago, he again got up from the table, went to another room and brought back pictures taken of Fred and himself dancing on the stage of the Civic Auditorium. His eyes lit up when he showed them to me. Years later Richard began receiving awards for his lifetime dedication to the art of dance. In 2007 at the Sheraton in Chicago, Richard received the Distinguished Service Award from the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. In March of 2011, Richard was inducted into the Oshkosh Music Wall of Fame. It was an honor he and his wife Shirley shared recently with my wife, Carol, and I over a noon luncheon at the Roxy. Later on a cool September morning at the Farmer’s Market, a smiling Richard sauntered over to my stand where I had my Oshkosh books for sale and asked if I had his story finished. I told him that I still needed to some final editing before sending the manuscript to the publisher. With a relieved look on his face he said, “Good.” I just found out that the “Dance Masters of Wisconsin will be inducting me into their Hall of Fame in November.” We sat and talked for a while and after he left I thought back to the day of our first interview. I was getting up to leave after spending an hour or two with Richard and Shirley when he asked his wife if she would get that CD. When she came back Richard invited me to come out to his car so it could be played. ‘It will only take five minutes.” Caught on tape that played for the next ten minutes was a performance preserved of Richard dancing as a young man. I listened to this old sixty-one year old recording and saw this man, sitting along-side, treasuring those memories of long ago and thought what a beautiful life he must have led. The fourth and final number was Richard’s rendition of the 12th Street Rag danced in double and triple time. He told me he was proudest of that.
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NEWS & VIEWS // ROHN’S RANTS
Loving those three-day weekends BY ROHN BISHOP Ugh! January 2, the worst day of the year! As a Wisconsinite I have always disliked the long winter grind from January 2 to about mid May. It just feels like spring never really comes to Wisconsin, and it’s cold, dark, and there isn’t a whole lot to do outside. I’m even one who likes the winter season, but by the time Valentine’s Day passes I’m starting to get sick of winter. You know, the grey skies, cold weather, and short day light hours, which isn’t made any more palatable knowing that our spring’s here are usually cold and wet. Thankfully there are some good distractions during this 5 month long wait until nice weather. The football postseason and Super Bowl, along with the NCAA March Madness and baseball’s Spring Training are nice distractions from the fact it’s cold, dark, snowing, and wet outside, but those events don’t particularly help the ‘cabin fever.’ Thank goodness we have those three day weekends to break up the grind. What family doesn’t wake up every year on Martin Luther King Day full of anticipation? You’ll go outside and sing Civil Rights chants, and to honor the Reverend Sharpton you chant through a bull horn. Some popular slogans are “No Justice No Peace!” and “Hands up Don’t Shoot!” Good times, good times! Ah, that 3-Day weekend is just what everyone needs to break up January. Then there is February. Most people can’t wait for Presidents’ Day! Oh, I don’t know about you, but on Presidents’ Day, I fly an extra large American Flag. Then the neighbor kids come over and I read them tales of President’s that have passed. Those sweet kids, their eyes always get wide with excitement as I tell them that Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms, that Gerald Ford fell out of Air Force One, or that Benjamin Harrison also served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court! Like you, I love those long weekends! Wait, what’d you say?...What’s that?... You don’t get off work for King Day or President’s Day? Really?! Well you go
exploring on Christopher Columbus Day, right? NO?!?! You don’t get paid time off to celebrate these major American holidays? Your kid’s schools are open too?!?! What’s your point? Alright, I’ll admit I’m being a little over the top and obnoxious as I make fun of these “second tier” holidays, but I do so to drive to a larger point. There are four days a year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran’s Day. All four of these days honor folks who deserve honoring, but why do we honor these people by giving overpaid government bureaucrats another paid day off? Martin Luther King Day The first comes the third Monday i n J a n u a r y, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Made a holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, it was first observed in 1986, and has mostly been ignored since. In fact only about 30% of non federal government employees receive a paid day off. King Day is a more meaningful holiday to African-Americans, and for good reason. Unlike the race baiting clowns of today (Sharpton and Jackson) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a peaceful struggle for Civil Rights, exposing Americans to the racial bigotry tolerated in southern states. Dr. King helped to destroyed Jim Crow laws, and delivered one of the most eloquent speeches in America’s history, his “I have a dream” speech. I usually listen to his “I have a dream” speech every year on his holiday. His call to judge people on the content of their charter and not the color of their skin is a goal that should have been reached by now. Unfortunately in our politically correct culture, it seems we worry more about one’s skin color more than any other feature one may have. American’s should learn about Dr. King
32 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
and honor him on his day, but instead of closing the post office, and giving inner city under educated black kids another day off, why not open up inner city schools and educate America’s black kids to the message of Dr. King? The cause of civil rights has turned into a profitable business for the race–baiting, lying, tax cheat, the Reverend Al Sharpton. Now, more than ever, it’s important that Americans learn about Dr. King’s message of racial peace, and reject the raciest hate of Sharpton. President’s Day Presidents’ Day is even more ignored than King Day, and if it wasn’t for the annoyance of not having mail delivered, I don’t know if anyone would even know it’s actually President’s Day. President’s Day originates from Washington’s Birthday, first declared a federal holiday by an 1879 act of Congress. The Uniform Holiday Acts of 1968 shifted the date of the commemoration of Washington’s Birthday from February 22 to the third Monday in February, and when combined with the fact that President Lincoln’s birthday falls on February 12, many people now refer to this holiday as “President’s Day” and consider it a day honoring all American presidents. Legally the holiday is still known as Washington’s Birthday. Again, America’s President’s deserve a day of honor, but instead of closing the post office and giving congressional staff a paid day off, why not designate it a day for American schools to teach our youth about the 43 men who have led our country, and how each president shaped America in their own way. Columbus Day Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 and discovered America. We rightfully honor Mr. Columbus’ bravery and discovery with a holiday in his honor. Unfortunately Columbus Day has waned in
popularity over the years, as Mr. Columbus is under attack by liberals whom seem to hate him, even going as far to rename the day “Indigenous People’s Day” in parts of California and Minnesota. Like the previous second tier holidays, I believe Columbus Day should be a day set aside to remember the brave journey of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, not to close the post office or give a government nurse, “time and a half.” And let’s stop with the “Indigenous People’s Day”! Columbus’ brave mission deserves a day of honor, besides; we already honor indigenous people with the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians! Veteran’s Day Originally known as Armistice Day, Veteran’s Day honors all veterans of the United States armed forces, it’s observed on November 11 to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918. For the most part Veteran’s Day is celebrated just the way it should be. Most of our schools hold special Veteran’s Day celebrations where our youth learn the importance of veterans and their sacrifice for our country and our freedom’s. Most every community has a celebration of Veteran’s at about 11am, where many citizens pause and take a moment to honor veteran’s of this great nation. A co-worker of mine, and an Air Force vet, jokes that “On Veterans Day, the only people who have to work are veterans!” If you’re a veteran in the private sector you probably do have to work on November 11. Personally I think it’s an insult to working class veterans that have to work Veteran’s Day, so their taxes can pay for a non-veteran, public sector hack at the EPA to stay home. Just open up the government Many of you, especially liberals, got all pissed off in 2013 when the GOP led congress shut down the government in a dispute with President Obama. You liberals were so hysterical over the shutdown you made people wonder if our society could
NEWS & VIEWS // ROHN’S RANTS
survive a government shutdown! Senator Elisabeth Warren of Massachusetts went so far as to declare that with a government shutdown “we’d prevent food inspections, allow lead into children’s toys manufactured in China, and deform babies through their mothers’ use of unsafe morning sickness pills.” Yet we shut the government down unnecessarily four times a year. (And amazingly our society seem to survive). This is wrong, especially when you consider most of us who pay for these government employees have to work these second tier holidays, and the nuisance of business operating a day without mail service. Last year on these holidays I drove around Waupun to see how many people observe them. All schools, banks, city offices, and businesses were indeed open. The only “business” closed in Waupun was our Post Office, which hacked me off because I needed stamps and forgot it was President’s Day, until I got to the post office and it was locked up tight! And we wonder why the post office losses billions every year.
Then, when you consider that most government entities now look at Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve as a holidays, you realize that there are two America’s, there is the private sector America that works everyday to pay for all this, and there is the public sector, who seem to get an awful lot of time off. Long ago American’s decided to mostly ignore these holidays, and treat them more like St. Patrick’s Day. So instead of giving federal government employees the day off, I think we should honor these days on our calendars, and promote education as to what the day’s mean. Rohn W. Bishop is a monthly contributor to the Scene. Bishop is a former member of the Waupun City Council and currently serves as Treasurer for the Republican Party of Fond du Lac County. Contact Rohn at: E mail: rohnnyb@msn.com Follow Rohn on Twitter: @RohnWBishop
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 33
NEWS & VIEWS // MEDIA RANTS
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At the start of the digital age, many media critics hoped that the Internet would usher in an era in which it would be almost impossible for news censorship to occur. The hope was rooted in optimism that elite corporate media, if for no other reason than their own survival, would channel their resources towards giving greater visibility to underreported stories stuck in the marginal sphere of political websites, blogs, and social media. That never happened. Instead, the elites doubled down on their worst pre-digital tendencies: over reliance on mainstream sources, privileging the “official” narrative of major events, handling doubtful partisan claims via lazy “he said, she said” reporting rather than rigorous search for the truth, and an embarrassing fixation on celebrity gossip and minutiae. Since 1976, long before the digital revolution, Sonoma State University’s Project Censored has challenged the news media to meet their First Amendment responsibilities. Annually, the Project compiles a volume of news stories “underreported, ignored, misrepresented, or censored in the United States.” Walter Cronkite said that “Project Censored is one of the organizations that we should listen to, to be assured that our newspapers and our broadcasting outlets are practicing thorough and ethical journalism.” Ralph Nader agrees: “Project Censored should be affixed to the bulletin boards in every newsroom in America.” Project Censored defines censorship as “anything that interferes with the free flow of information in a society that purports to have a free press.” They argue further that censorship may include not just stories that were never published, but also “those that get such restricted distribution that few in the public are likely to know about them.” Below I’ll summarize Project Censored’s top three most censored national stories of 2014. I’ll close by arguing that in Wisconsin, the race for governor was the most censored story of 2014. Censored 2015 (Seven Stories Press) identifies “Ocean acidification increasing at unprecedented rate” as the top censored story of 2014. This is a classic example of a story that has life and death consequences but does not yet register on the radar of the mainstream media. But hey, mainstream
news has more important priorities. As I write in mid-December, the Oshkosh Northwestern has this item on their website: “Police: Wausau Man Performed Oral Sex on Horse.” Perhaps they were trying to give new meaning to the concept of a news “head” line. Project Censored identifies “Top 10 US Aid Recipients All Practice Torture” as the second most censored story of 2014. Think about that in the coming weeks as sanctimonious and hypocritical politicians lament the Obama Administration’s opening of relations with Cuba without getting sufficient “human rights concessions” in exchange. Exactly what concessions are we getting from the torture regimes receiving US taxpayer dollars? The third most censored story was “Wikileaks Revelations on Trans-Pacific Partnership Ignored by Corporate Media.” According to Project Censored: “Eight hundred million people, and one-third of all world trade, stand to be affected by the treaty—and yet only three people from each member nation have access to the entire document. Meanwhile, six hundred ‘corporate advisors,’ representing big oil, pharmaceutical, and entertainment companies, are involved in the writing and negotiations of the treaty.” The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is currently on the “fast track” and if approved would create the largest “free trade” zone in the world. Writing in the Guardian, John Fullerton of the Capital Institute argues that: “What few seem to realize is that this agreement, if approved as is, could make it virtually impossible for the United States to meet its current and future climate pledges–– including those made in its historic climate accord with China last month––without exposing the nation to unprecedented legal and financial risks.” If mainstream media truly were watchdogs, TPP would be as familiar to Americans as Ray Rice. Now let’s move to Wisconsin. I’ve been in this great state since 1989 and lived through seven gubernatorial elections. Until this year, I didn’t think media [lack of ] coverage could get worse than 1998, the year Ed Garvey ran a spirited grassroots campaign against incumbent Tommy Thompson. The Garvey campaign tenaciously kept bringing
NEWS & VIEWS // MEDIA RANTS
up Thompson-era follies that would come back to haunt the state: tax and spending policies that created massive structural deficits, the use of accounting tricks to balance the budget, placing major non-budget items in the budget bill, inappropriate use of the line item veto, the introduction of big money special-influence politics to Wisconsin, and the consolidation of too much power in the governor’s office. The mass media just as tenaciously ignored or minimized virtually all of this, though in
fairness to the media barons not even the Democratic Party establishment did much to support Garvey. But 2014 was worse. We’ve now reached the point where, in large part because the state’s mainstream media cannot be counted on to cover campaigns with rigor, challengers have to be independently wealthy to get their message out and respond to smears. But even a wealthy candidate like Mary Burke found that money can’t prevent the scheduling of debates when no one is watching and the publication of unsubstantiated “October Surprise” stories on the pages of the state’s largest newspaper. Meanwhile third party candidates are invisible. Want to fight censorship? Continue to support alternative media like the SCENE.
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NEWS & VIEWS // RIGHT WING NUT
Violence Is Not Protest BY ROBERT E. MEYER The United States has had a long history with the ugly stains on its collective conscience of racial prejudice and institutional discrimination, particularly against African-Americans Few of us in the middle class will ever be in a position to understand or empathize with the plight and frustration of inner city youth who belong to racial minorities. In consideration of the above assertions I will write with my thoughts on the recent tragic confrontations between police and African American males that has dominated the news cycle. Balancing the other side of the ledger, Ronald Reagan once stated that… “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Ferguson is yet the most recent example of ignoring the above principle,
which was little more than common sense, a generation removed. Perception becomes reality. What did the American people see via the mass media? Threats of violent protests in Ferguson if the cop involved in the incident was not indicted by the Grand Jury for the shooting of Michael Brown. Is that a call for justice or the working out of mass extortion? Whenever anyone demands justice, justice is usually the last thing they really want. Normally a call for justice is a desire for revenge of some sort. I vividly recall a terrible moment in my own life. I struck a bicycle rider who seemingly came out of nowhere in front of my car when I pulled out from a stop sign. The youth involved was not seriously hurt, but he was interviewed by the investigating officer who said that I probably wouldn’t receive a citation. The officer told me the youth admitted the bicycle had no brakes and that he drove in front of my car to avoid running into the side of my car. The officer had to consult with his captain before he could determine my legal situation. While
36 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
waiting for the officer to call, I remember asking for justice. But then I thought, what does justice imply? Does justice mean that I need to be immediately accountable for all the transgressions for which I was never punished, or just that I wanted to get out of this particular predicament? We see numerous protesters holding their hands up and yelling “Don’t shoot,” thus falsely depicting the incident and irresponsibly creating outrage based on urban legend. People have a right to protest, but should at least be factual about what they are protesting. Of course, when supporters of the Ferguson lawlessness are questioned about evidence to confirm their assertions, their quick-draw response is that there were conflicting testimonial accounts of the incident. Yes, conflicting testimony, but only one version that is corroborated by the forensic investigation. The use of the Grand Jury in the Ferguson incident was also criticized, but I seriously doubt that the actions of the festering mob would have been more rational had a jury later acquitted the officer. We see ideological leaders all too eager to connect the Ferguson and Staten Island incidents with a common threat of policeforce racism without any evidence to support that position. The usual suspects were busy stirring up trouble instead of trying to calm the masses. And such activism creates disdain for and possibility of violence against the police. Furthermore, any new policies that come out of the aftermath of these cases will place greater pressure on the police in situations where snap decisions must be made. Police will be so sensitive to public scrutiny and punitive actions, that it could make them ineffective. We see cultual icons who are “defining deviancy down,” creating a situation where deviant behavior becomes so prevalent, it
is deemed to be normal and reasonable. This “protesting” makes a mockery out of movement perpetuated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and sets race relations backward by attempting to justify lawlessness. The demonstrations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. succeeded in large part because of the way they were conducted: peacefully and with principle. While frustration and anger in minority communities is justified, looting and molotov cocktails can only harm race relations by reinforcing stereotypes and creating a backlash. They are actions of law-breakers and opportunists. One man being interviewed suggested that looting in Ferguson was justified to raise awareness and show that the protesters were serious. When the reporter protested that the business owners were innocent, the man said “Well, so was Michael Brown.” It should be noted that conservative commentators have been very careful in drawing distinction between culpability of police actions in Ferguson versus those on Staten Island. They will at least acknowledge that the Staten Island incident implies an excessive or negligent use of force, whereas the Ferguson incident seems to be a question of self-defense. But, neither incident implies a racial motivation. As for the Grand Jury, it is difficult for the public to know all the evidence that was being considered in reaching a decision. In any case, “protests” of this nature cannot be tolerated. If the police must be held accountable, so should citizens.
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NEWS & VIEWS // IN PENNY’S WORDS
New Year: Same Game? BY PENNY BARNARD-SCHABER Here we are entering the New Year of 2015. January is always an exciting time for me because I am able to look forward to the upcoming year while also taking time to reflect on the past year. January holds many hopes and expectations for all of us. We probably all hope for peace and success in 2015, but we expect that these hopes will not occur on their own; they will take some effort and require patience. Looking ahead to the legislative session in Madison, I also have hopes and expectations that I would like to share with you. The newly elected state legislature will be inaugurated on January 5, 2015. That is a very exciting day for legislators at all stages of their careers. Those just beginning are very excited and quite nervous, those in the middle of their careers are a little less excited and nervous while those who have many years in office may be excited for new opportunities to make changes, or they may be very frustrated with a system that limits their input and limits opportunities to be productive. The way the state legislature is set up allows for the majority party to be in full control of the legislative calendar; they set up of the committees and the legislative agenda. The Speaker of the Assembly and the Majority Leader of the Senate basically have control of what does or does not happen in the upcoming legislative session. It is up to them to guide the state through many important decisions. This is a big responsibility regardless of the party in control of the state legislature. My hope is that the state legislature will be able to work together to address many of the concerns and issues we face in Wisconsin where we have a history of standing up for strong and ethical government that addresses the needs of everyone in our great state. Wisconsin is well known for pulling together and working to create opportunities for a better life for everyone. I hope that the new state legislature does this in 2015-2016. I expect that the legislative agenda will be very different than that. Here are a few things that I expect to be addressed by the state legislature this year:
The Government Accountability Board (GAB) seems to be a target for “reform” by the majority party. The GAB was created in 2008 through state law, 2007 Act 1; it is charged with oversight of our campaign finance, elections, ethics and lobbying laws. The GAB came about because of what became known as the “Caucus Scandals” in 1999 through 2005 when campaign work was being done in the Capitol and violations of ethics and elections laws were occurring. (For a full chronological discussion of the Caucus Scandals check out Democracy Campaign’s website, http:// www.wisdc.org/wdc_caucus_scandal.php) The GAB is not perfect and can be improved, but it should not be dismantled or drastically changed. Here is what Ohio State University Professor Daniel P. Tokaji said about the GAB in 2010: “The best American model is Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board, which consists of retired judges selected in a way that is designed to promote impartiality.” Professor Tokaji followed up in 2013 with a draft paper titled “America’s Top Model: The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.” I hope that the state legislature takes the time to carefully assess and study the GAB and its role and function before it makes major changes to it. I hope that our state legislature focuses on making our state stronger, not on making it like other states. The referenda that passed in the November 4 election should give some guidance to our state legislature. Several referenda passed in many parts of the state with wide margins of support. The referenda show that the people of Wisconsin want to earn a living wage for the work they do. They want to take the influence of money out of politics. They want Wisconsin to accept the funds available for expanding Medical Assistance to more people who do not currently have health insurance because they do not qualify for BadgerCare and because they cannot afford to buy health insurance. (For more information on the Medical Assistance referenda check out this link: http:// www.citizenactionwi.org/strong_mandate_federal_funds) What I expect to see in Madison is more of the same: pretending to listen while doing something quite different. It
is very interesting that the three referenda mentioned above passed in many areas across the state, but the Republicans who were elected indicated publicly that they did not and will not support the referenda. It is difficult to understand this puzzle: the people indicated what they wanted and then they voted for the candidates who do not support it. This is a puzzle. I expect to see more puzzles like this in the state legislature throughout 2015-2016. Here is another thing to hope for in 2015-2016: Let’s hope that Wisconsin continues to be a leader in advanced manufacturing, with many small and highly skilled manufacturing businesses right here in the Fox Valley. Business leaders in this area know that when their subsidiaries or other companies have difficult projects to complete, they often come to Wisconsin to get those jobs done. They come here because of the strong work ethic and high level of competency demonstrated by the area workers.
I expect to see a push from the majority party to make Wisconsin a “Right to Work” state. This is very worrisome because many states that are currently “Right to Work” states have some of the highest levels of poverty, poor education and increased dependence on government assistance. Business leaders in Wisconsin have recognized this and have formed a coalition of 300 businesses that are joining together to oppose the push toward “Right to Work.” (See this article in the Milwaukee BizTimes for more information: http:// www.biztimes.com/article/20141217/ BREAKINGNEWS/141219798/0/ MAGAZINE)) We live in a great state, a state that historically worked in such a fashion that the state as a whole benefited and acted as a leader in our country. I hope that this tradition continues in the New Year of 2015. I expect that many of you have that same hope. Contact me at pennybernardschaber@ athenet.net
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OUTDOORS // WINTER’S FUN IN THE COLD
Winter’s Fun in the Cold BY MICHAEL MENTZER I’ve got a warm feeling in my heart for ice. I don’t mean the variety found in a cocktail glass, even though that does have a certain glow of its own about it. I’m talking about the sweeping fields of ice on nearby lakes, especially the vast expanse of Lake Winnebago, and the countless miles of ice on the network of Wisconsin rivers and streams transformed into roads and highways for all sorts of motorized traffic. I’m referring to memories and the impact of an ice-encased outdoor world that opens passageways to places and activities otherwise unknown and untried, like the ice caves at Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands that attracted thousands of adventurers a winter ago. Those winters of long ago make me smile knowingly on the outside and laugh uproariously on the inside. I was a lot younger then and oblivious to risks. I confess that winter a year ago reduced me to a whining, pathetic shell of my former self. So I want to talk about the ice and snow that warmed my heart and tickled my soul, not the kind that bullied and shriveled me.
Preserved in ice Headlong speed on a slippery slope brings sheer joy. I remember the Olbrich Park toboggan slide in Madison on a literal ice-formed chute just wide enough to hold screaming kids with their arms and legs entwined front to back like a human pastry twist on a slab of wooden slats hurtling down the hill at breakneck speed. Local residents remember similar downhill adventures at South Hills golf course and on Holyland slopes. Ice-skating rinks manicured to mirrorlike smoothness hold a special place in my memory banks. It seemed they covered parks in virtually every community in the state. Fond du Lac featured rinks at Waters School, Second Street Playground, McDermott Park and Plamore Park just to name a few. And a once-in-a-lifetime event that could have turned deadly still gives me goose bumps and makes me thankful I was
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there and survived it. Several of us — all in grade school — stood transfixed on the ice of Lake Monona a quarter mile offshore as the wind accelerated and the ice field moved like a glacier beneath us. It carried us that full quarter mile and more until we were standing, pointing to where we had come from and laughing in the park adjoining the lake on a sprawling slab of honeycombed ice at least a foot thick.
Winnebago Memories Those are ice and winter memories I will always treasure but they can’t hold a candle to our ice-fishing days on Lake Winnebago in the 1980’s and 90’s when our kids and friends joined forces, built snow forts, played snow football, watched their jig pole bobbers in the shanty and raced in packs whenever a tip-up flag popped up. I regret that I have no photos that do justice to those winter afternoons when literally thousands of people drove their vehicles and hauled their shanties miles onto the ice. However, I do have vivid memories of orange tip-up flags illuminated like neon in the late afternoon
of a January weekend. I can still see in my mind’s eye two men and six kids racing and bumping each other, laughing all the way to the flag and wanting to be the one to feel a walleye, sand pike, white bass or hump-backed jumbo perch on the end of the line. In fact, over several years, there were eight kids, not just six, who participated in those Winnebago outings. There were four in our family and four in our friends’ family. The youngest in each family were girls, who gladly took over for their brothers when their turns came. Of the eight, four earned college degrees in fields related to environmental studies. Among them are educators, including a high school environmental education teacher; a property manager who enjoys landscaping; a helper of the developmentally disabled; a medical lab technician; an airline pilot; a former Peace Corps volunteer who taught agriculture in Kenya; and a member of the U.S. Foreign Service.
Environmental impact All eight of them, no matter how they earn a living, have carried on a special regard for the outdoors and the environment. Among them, they have 11 children, and two new arrivals are expected within the next couple months. There’s no doubt in my mind they will appreciate the outdoor world as well. As a group of local youngsters, they inherited their regard for the outdoors naturally. It’s almost impossible to not be influenced in significant ways when you
OUTDOORS // WINTER’S FUN IN THE COLD
get a number of chances to run free on an ice field of 137,000 acres, drill countless holes and set up lines to catch a fish or two…and then take a moment to view the snowy windswept desert and arcs of the 88 miles of shoreline that encompass Lake Winnebago. There is an unparalleled beauty in all of that. There are colors and tones along the
shoreline and in the sky that are impossible to capture in words or even in photos or paintings. Fleeting, fragile sundogs on a late January afternoon easily rival a summer rainbow. Only memories can do justice to all of that.
Outdoor lessons There are lessons to be learned from
those outings on the ice and in the outdoors in general. It’s virtually impossible to feel arrogant or self-important when standing alone in the late afternoon on a vast piece of ice beneath a pale blue and violet sky when the wind can render wet and supple fingers into a numb and useless claw in a matter of seconds. And in a reflective moment, usually in hindsight, we realize that we shouldn’t take what we treasure for granted. We live in changing times. In fact, we’re often told that the only certainty in our lives is change. That particular certainty applies well beyond the range of ice fields and fishing and memories. Too often we don’t pay much attention until change makes its presence felt. Then we have a choice to make — deal with it or be discarded by it.
Hearing the call again My ice-fishing days have declined for years like the Winnebago sand pike we caught so often decades ago. But I hear the call of the tip-up a bit clearer again. I answered the call a few
times in the brutal cold a year ago and it warmed my soul, though it did nothing for our frying pan. I’ve been blessed with grandchildren and I’d like the chance to drive a few miles onto the ice with them and set tip-ups around us. I have some things I’d like to show them. I’d like to see the day when we could catch sand pike on the reefs and flats off Fisherman’s Road on the East Shore and Wendt’s on the West Shore. There are indications that sand pike, often referred to as sauger, are enjoying a slow revival, thanks to the forces of nature and human intervention. I’d like to see our grandchildren get a chance to catch sand pike and know the difference between a walleye and a sauger... And, beyond that, maybe share a life lesson and get them thinking in a matterof-fact way how and where we all fit in the scheme of things. Michael Mentzer, now retired after a 40-year newspaper career, writes a monthly column for Scene.
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January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 41
OUTDOORS // 2015 STURGEON SPEARING
Forecast of the 2015 Sturgeon Spearing Season BY RYAN KOENIGS I don’t know where the time goes, but it seems like just yesterday I was writing a similar article to hype the upcoming 2014 sturgeon spearing season on the Winnebago Pool Lakes. Now here I am in December of 2014 drafting another, chronicling the successful 2014 spearing season and forecasting the 2015 season. Spearers experienced favorable spearing conditions in 2014, and I am hopeful that similar conditions will persist for the upcoming season that gets underway on February 14, 2015. To start with, I would like to take a step back and summarize the 2014 sturgeon spearing season, a memorable season that showcased the phenomenal sturgeon resource within the Winnebago System. It’s fairly common knowledge to sturgeon spearers that water clarity and ice thickness are the two factors having the largest impact on spearing success. Well, the frigid winter of 2014 provided favorable conditions for both. Lake Winnebago was covered with more than 2’ of strong, solid ice and the water was the clearest it had
Matt Klein (13 years old; left) and his father Steve (right) proudly display Matt’s 139.5 pound lake sturgeon harvested on February 8, 2014. The 2014 season was only the 2nd that youth 12-13 years old were able to take part in the sport of sturgeon spearing.
been since 2010. The season was met with great anticipation and the table was set for a short yet successful spearing season. Fortunately for spearers, the favorable conditions translated into a successful harvest and a shortened season on both Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes. In fact, the 6-day season on Lake Winnebago was tied for the 3rd shortest since 2002. In total, spearers harvested 1,513 fish from Lake Winnebago, which is the largest harvest since 2004 (1,854 fish). Spearers on the Upriver Lakes had a 3-day season with a total harvest of 341 fish. The high harvest in 2014 made for a memorable season, but the number of large, trophy sized fish was the real highlight of the season. Typically lake sturgeon in excess of 100 pounds are considered “trophy,” once in a life time fish. From the infancy of the sport (1930’s) through the early 2000’s, these fish were quite rare in the harvest, with less than 1% of the annual harvest composed of these large fish. However, these trophy sized fish started to become more common in the mid-2000’s and the record books have been completely rewritten over the last 10-15 years. Further, 8 of the top 11 heaviest fish on record (dating back to 1932) have been harvested within the last 5 years. The 2014 season didn’t contribute any fish to the top 11, but a record 106 fish (95 from Lake Winnebago and 11 from the Upriver Lakes) 100 pounds and larger were harvested during the season. The largest fish was a 77.1,” 161.0 pound female speared by John Skahen on February 12. Overall, the 2014 season did not disappoint. A shortened, successful season with a high harvest of large fish was anticipated and that is exactly what transpired. Spearing conditions were the best they had been in close to five years, which allowed the Winnebago System sturgeon population to once again be showcased. We can now close the book on the 2014 season and begin to look forward to the rapidly approaching 2015 season. To start with, a record 13,134 licenses
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(12,650 for Lake Winnebago and 484 for Upriver Lakes) were purchased for the 2015 sturgeon spearing season, which is an 11% increase over license sales for the 2014 season. The increase is mostly attributable to the overall success of the 2014 season. To perspective spearers looking to break into this outdoor pastime, the 2014 season likely provided ample incentive. The increase in license sales does not automatically translate to a shorted season. Rather water clarity and ice conditions will play the largest role in determining if and when the sex-specific harvest caps are reached, and ultimately season closure. For those not familiar with the harvest cap system, there are sex-specific harvest caps designated for both the Upriver Lakes and Lake Winnebago fisheries. Harvest caps are tied to sexspecific estimates of sturgeon abundance and allow for a Brian King is a director of the main chapter of SFT, he speared sustainable harvest. For this this 155.0 pound fish, 76.4” on February 10, 2014, registered at system to be effective, DNR Jim and Linda’s (Pipe). must register all harvested One thing is for certain, the Winnebago fish and determine sex and maturity of all fish within the harvest. System boasts a robust population of lake Once 90% of any harvest cap is reached, sturgeon, 2nd in numbers only to the St. the season will close at the end of the next Lawrence River Estuary. The population spearing day, whereas the season closes the also contains an unprecedented number same day that 100% of any of the harvest of very large fish, which has resulted in caps is reached. Spearers will be happy the record books being almost completely to know that adult female harvest caps rewritten over the last decade. DNR staff will increase by 50 fish (6%) for the 2015 have handled potentially record breaking season. This increase coincides with an fish during recent spawning surveys, and increase in sturgeon abundance, and is the it’s only a matter of time until someone is result of a successful sturgeon management lucky enough to harvest one of these fish. Regardless of spearing success during program. the upcoming 2015 season, I hope As the days pass, the 2015 sturgeon sportsmen and sportswomen are able to spearing season draws closer and spearers will hope for strong ice and clear water. pursue the sport safely and are able to take
OUTDOORS // 2015 STURGEON SPEARING
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Ron Grishaber with his 84.2”, 212.2 pound lake sturgeon that was harvested on February 13, 2010. Ron’s fish is the current state record and 24 pounds heavier than the 2nd largest fish on record. (Photo Credit: Ross Bielema)
a step back and enjoy themselves. This fishery is the largest recreational harvest of lake sturgeon in the world, and the sport is truly unique. The cultures and traditions that accompany the sport are what make it so special, as most of the equipment has been homemade and passed down from generation to generation. Simply put, the sturgeon provide the sport, but the traditions associated with the sport, the camaraderie of spearing groups, and the “fish tales” are what keep people coming
back year after year begging for more. I wish all of you spearers safe travels and good luck during the 2015 spearing season. Hopefully our paths will cross and I will be able to hear stories about more memories being created during the upcoming season. To non-spearers, I strongly encourage you to venture out to one of our sturgeon registration stations on February 14. An event like this simply doesn’t take place anywhere else in the world, and the sport truly needs to be experienced before it can be fully appreciated. Our DNR staff operating these stations are very knowledgeable and more than willing to answer any questions. Let’s make the 2015 sturgeon spearing season another season to remember. Looking for ward to February 14! Ryan Koenigs Winnebago Sturgeon Biologist
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January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 43
OUTDOORS // WINNEBAGO NATURE
A Day With Eagles Along the Fox River BY DICK NIKOLAI AND DONNA VANBUECKEN Have you ever seen a bald eagle? If not, here’s an opportunity to get the chance to do so. On January 17th, volunteers for “A Day with Eagles Along the Fox River” invite you to join them at various locations along the Fox River to explore the best eagle viewing spots. Most locations are public; some are private. Self-guided viewing sites include: • Expera Specialty Solutions (formerly Thilmany), 899 Thilmany Rd., Kaukauna • 1000 Islands Environmental Center, 1000 Beaulieu Ct., Kaukauna • Riverside Park, Riverside Dr./River St., Kaukauna • Prospect St. Overlook, near 345-349 Prospect St., Combined Locks • Historical Marker, 1169 W. Main St., Little Chute • Sunset Point Park, 800 W. Kimberly Ave., Kimberly • Fox River Environmental Education Alliance (formerly called Mount Alverno), 1000 N. Ballard Rd., Appleton • Telulah Park, 1300 E. Newberry St., Appleton • College Ave. Bridge and Banta Ct. near 1143 E. Banta Ct., Appleton • Lawe St.-Newberry Trail, 668 E. Newberry St. and Warch Campus Center – Lawrence University, 711 E. Boldt Way, Appleton • Vulcan Heritage Park, 535 W. Water St. and Paper Discovery Center, 425 W. Water St., Appleton • Lutz Park, 1320 S. Lutz Dr., Appleton • WILD Center, 2285 Butte des Morts Beach Rd., Neenah • Fritse Park/Trestle Trail, 899 N. Lake St., Menasha • Jefferson Park, Kargus Dr./915 Third St., Menasha • Kimberly Point Park, 290 Lakeshore Ave., Neenah Since the late 1980s wintering and nesting bald eagles have returned to the Fox Cities area. Today, this region has become a popular destination for winter eagle viewing. Given the fact that this
species was classified as endangered both in Wisconsin and nationally in the lower 48 states, its return to prior numbers is a significant event. When the bald eagle was adopted as our national symbol in 1782 there were more than 100,000 nesting pairs of eagles in the continental United States. Due to contaminants like DDT, PCB’s and other heavy metals polluting the Fox River and other waters, the bald eagle populations declined drastically. These contaminants entered the eagles’ food supply causing populations of the birds to drop to only 487 nesting pairs in the United States (Wisconsin’s lowest breeding population was 107 nesting pairs in 1974). Eagle recovery had its roots in Wisconsin with the banning of DDT in 1969, triggering a national ban in 1972. Wisconsin, through its Department of Natural Resources (DNR), assisted the national recovery by supplying eaglets to other states. Once endangered, bald eagles are now listed as a “Special Concern Species” both in Wisconsin and nationally. This focus provides effort to prevent future declines. Special speaker presentations and a variety of children’s activities will be available throughout the day at the Fox River Environmental Educational Alliance Center (Chapel), Paper Discovery Center (River level room – enter through lower parking lot), Lawrence University (Cinema
44 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
level 2) and 1000 Islands Environmental Center. For detailed information about A Day With Eagles Along The Fox River go to http://foxrivereea.org/eagle-days/. Officially, the first wintering eagle was observed along the Fox River in 1982 during a DNR mid-winter waterfowl survey. The first nesting pair occurred in 1987 on private land east of 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna. Today the Fox Cities are home to hundreds of wintering bald eagles feeding and roosting along the Fox River. During late winter to early spring, at least a half-dozen pairs nest within the cities. The bald eagles’ success along the Fox River relates to improved habitat, open
water in winter, and the removal and capping of contaminants within the river. Our abundance of eagles symbolizes good health and high quality of life along the Fox River waterway which is part of the Great Lakes watershed. This is our reason for celebrating “A Day With Eagles Along the Fox River”! Dick Nikolai retired as a Wildlife Biologist from WDNR after 39+ years last January. He is coordinator of “A Day with Eagles Along the Fox River”. Donna VanBuecken is Executive Director of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. www.wildones. org
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 45
FOOD & DRINK // TRICIA’S TABLE
You spent how much at the grocery store? BY TRICIA DERGE Are you still spending too much money even with coupons? Maybe that’s because some of your own shopping habits are making you buy more and spend more. Here’s a list of bad grocery shopping habits you should get rid of once and for all! 1. Not checking what’s left in your pantry and fridge: Before you head to the grocery store, do a quick inventory of what’s left in your kitchen. Maybe that half-gallon of milk will last you through the week and you don’t need to buy another gallon after all. Not checking what’s left in your kitchen can make you buy more things than you actually need.
2. Not making a grocery list: Having a grocery list can help you shop faster and, of course, get everything you need. Forgetting to buy something is not only annoying and wastes time, but it also wastes money. When is the last time you went to the store to pick up that one thing you forgot to buy and ended up with a few extra things in your basket? 3. Avoiding crowds and shopping earlier in the week: Shopping on weekends or during busy hours can be really hectic - we get it. But not only do you buy more when you’re leisurely strolling through the aisles, but also retailers put out more coupons and
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deals during the latter half of the week when they know there will be more customers. 4. Bringing your kids to the store: What are you thinking?! While grocery shopping might seem like a fun family activity, it’s not helping you save any money. Kids will inevitably beg you for that candy bar or sugary cereal, and you’ll eventually give in. 5. Going to the store hungry: We’ve all made this mistake. Going to the grocery store hungry is a surefire way to buy things you don’t really need. Try not to shop with your nose, and avoid the freshly baked section if possible. 6. Using a large shopping cart: Using a spacious shopping cart can trick your mind into buying more things than you need. Try grocery shopping with a basket or a smaller cart, and you’ll be less inclined to pile things on. 7. Buying overpriced “convenient” foods: We’ve all heard the saying, “time is money.” But is it really? While it might save you a couple extra minutes to buy shredded carrot, sliced apples, and peeled garlic, let’s compare the prices: at Safeway, peeled garlic costs $5.49 a pound, whereas unpeeled garlic costs 79 cents a pound. That’s almost seven times more expensive! 8. Buying meat or cheese from the deli: Buying fresh meat, seafood, or cheese from the deli is usually more expensive than buying prepackaged. Unless you need a specific cut of meat that isn’t in the meat section, try to avoid the deli. 9. Not buying generic: Oftentimes, grocery stores will sell generic brands or
store-brand versions to your favorite brand goods, and they will be much cheaper. 10. Buying things fresh instead of frozen: There are some things that are worth buying fresh, but there are others that are just as good frozen. If you’re buying fruits to throw into your blender for a smoothie, they don’t need to be fresh. Frozen blueberries, strawberries, etc., are picked at their peak of ripeness and frozen immediately, so they taste just as good and will last longer (and keep your smoothie ice cold!). 11. Buying disguised water: If you’re buying things like quarts of chicken stock and bottled tea, you’re essentially paying extra for water. One bottle of green tea can cost between $1 and $2, whereas 20 bags (therefore, 20 servings) of green tea costs $3 to $4. An even more drastic example is chicken stock. One quart of chicken stock can cost anywhere from $2 to $4, whereas a jar of chicken base costs $3 to $6 and can make 10 quarts of stock. Plus you can also save fridge and pantry space if you buy less disguised water. 12. Buying organic when you don’t need to: Buying organic can get pricey, especially if you’re buying everything organic. Knowing when to buy organic and when not to buy
FOOD & DRINK // TRICIA’S TABLE
organic is crucial if you want to save some money. Fruits like avocado, pineapple, and watermelon don’t need to be organic because their thick skins protects the flesh from pesticides, while vegetables like onions don’t attract many pests at all. 13. Not comparing prices: Not only should you be comparing prices between different brands, but you should also be comparing the price of different sizes within a brand. Should you buy in bulk or individually? Should you buy the larger, familysized bottle or a smaller one? Try calculating the price per pound or ounce to see which is a more frugal choice. Also retailers like to put the most expensive products at eye level, so try looking at the top or bottom shelves for better prices. 14. Not using coupons for household essentials/staples: We’re often told to use coupons with caution - buying something we don’t need just because we have a coupon does not save
money. But for household essentials like laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, etc., do keep an eye out for coupons and stock up on those staples when they’re on sale. 15. Not taking things out at the last minute: If you’re standing in line at the cash register and realize you don’t really need that bag of pretzels you impulsively threw in, don’t hesitate to take it out. You can either return it to the aisle or ask the cashier to take it. 16. Impulse buying at the cash register: Oh, those candy bars and sweet snacks will forever tempt us at the cash register. But be strong and try not to grab anything at the last minute! Not only are you impulse buying, but those candy bars are often not the best price compared to buying in bulk at the candy aisle. 17. Not bringing your reusable shopping bag: Many states are moving toward charging customers for grocery bags, and while paper bags are
PUT SOME BUTTER ON IT...!
Changing views of nutrition are turning butter into one of the great comeback stories in U.S. food history. Americans this year are expected to eat an average of 5.6 pounds of butter, according to U.S. government data—nearly 22.5 sticks for every man, woman and child. That translates to 892,000 total tons of butter consumed nationwide, an amount not seen since World War II. For the third straight year Americans bought more butter than margarine, spending $2 billion on products from Land O’Lakes Inc., Organic Valley and others, compared with $1.8 billion on spreads and margarines, according to market research. The revival flows in part from new legions of home gourmets inspired by celebrity chefs and cooking shows with butterrich recipes. Butter makers have encouraged the trend, using food channels and websites to promote what they say is their product’s “natural simplicity.” only 10 cents each, they sure can add up year after year. If you don’t have reusable shopping bags, try making your own with a t-shirt!
whether you need everything you just bought. Most grocery stores will accept returns for a full refund.
18. Not checking your receipt: Start a habit of checking your receipt to see if there were any mistakes. You can even use that time to really think about
Start YOUR year out r ight in vintage
AtomicKatz 17 Waugoo Avenue, Oshkosh 920-235-0023
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 47
FOOD & DRINK // FROM THE WINE CAVE
From the
Wine Cave
BY KIMBERLY FISHER Another year is upon us and there is no need to stop your journey into the world of wine. Embrace your strides in 2014 with exploration and dabbling with varietals you may not have considered before. To start 2015, let’s take a deeper look into the wines of Washington State. There are 11 American Viticulture Areas in Washington State giving one many opportunities to try dynamite producers unique to their region. To the east of the Cascade Mountains, where most of the state’s wine is produced, rainfall is between 8-12 inches of rain a year. In addition to this desert environment, each AVA offers a unique sense of place to the wines that are grown there. Columbia Valley: Covering 10.5 million acres with only 7,000 acres planted with vineyards. The region encompasses six smaller sub appellations and also extends southward into Oregon State. Colombia Valley Vineyards are capable of producing consistently high yields of high quality fruit, resulting in wines that are admired around the world. Wine Suggestion: Chateau Ste Michelle. Yakima Valley: Within the larger Colombia Valley, this appellation runs east to west and temperatures are typically cooler than those in the rest of the Colombia Valley. The Syrah varietal prospers in this area. At the eastern end of the Valley is Red Mountain which recently received its own appellation. Red Mountain: North of the Yakima River, offering southern exposure with mineral soils that encourage deep penetration of the root system and good airflow which is especially beneficial for Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines deliver rich, ripe fruit flavors, and enough acidity to keep the flavors fresh and firm without harsh tannins thus allowing better development and aging of the wines. Wine Suggestion: Col Solare. Rattlesnake Hills: Concentrating on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot providing grapes of full varietal character. South facing slopes and higher elevation up to 3,000 feet combine to give full ripeness with balanced acidity. Snipes Mountain: Distinguished by 48 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
ancient rock pebbles in the soil with south facing slopes, the grape varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah deliver stellar wines. Horse Heaven Hills: Elevation up to 1,800 feet mediates against damage from frost and allows intense character to be achieved in red and white varietals. Some of the state’s most highly acclaimed wines come from this area. Wine Suggestion: Columbia Crest H3 Wines. Wahluke Slope: One of the warmest areas in Washington producing exceptional ripeness with full intensity of flavor. Red varieties dominate here, but don’t forget to try Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Wine Suggestion: Indian Wells Winery. Lake Chelan: One of Washington’s newest appellation and is the most northerly, sitting at the eastern end of Lake Chelan where it meets the Colombia River. This region shows promise for cooler climate white grape varieties such as Riesling and Chardonnay. Walla Walla Valley: In the southeast corner of the state, with parts of its acreage extending into Oregon and its eastern edge rising into the Blue Mountains. The warmer valley floor has proven successful for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot while the cooler hillsides show promise for Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Wine Suggestion: Spring Valley Vineyards. Columbia Gorge: Adjacent to the southeastern end of the Colombia Valley, it varies with dry and warm to moist and cool. The cooler areas make white varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer a delight. Puget Sound: This is the only appellation west of the Cascade Mountains which contains 25 wineries that are primarily small producers. If you aren’t able to make it to wine country in Washington, exploring the region’s wines from afar is worth the journey. You will find compelling wines with moderate price point’s, and an expression of place like no other region. Take a moment to investigate and examine the uniqueness of the state. Kimberly Fisher is the Director of Fine Wine sales for Badger Liquor - Wine & Spirits
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OPEN Tues. - Fri. 8-5 pm • Sat. 8-2 pm 50 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
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FOOD & DRINK // ‘FANTASY’ EVENT
Chocolate, Diamonds Star in ‘Fantasy’ Event
Soroptimist Chocolate Fantasy Gala Jan. 25 RENEE DUFORE RUSSELL Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they run a close race with chocolate. On Sunday, January 25, chocolate and chocolate diamonds will pair up as the main attractions at Chocolate Fantasy. This showcase of all things chocolate is sponsored by Soroptimist International of Fond du Lac. Held at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 795 Fond du Lac Ave., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the event spotlights chocolate creations of many local and area confectioners, restaurants and gift venues. For
Sweet Treats cupcakes team stands ready to greet chocolate lovers at the 2014 Chocolate Fantasy event. This year’s event, the 19th annual Chocolate Fantasy, is set for January 25.
Treats from Bob and Bonnie’s Donuts were a big hit at Chocolate Fantasy in January 2014. This year’s edition of Chocolate Fantasy is scheduled January 25 at Knights of Columbus Hall.
a single admission price of $10 in advance or $12 at the door, guests are treated to samplesize portions of candies, ice cream, c u s t a rd , f u d g e , coffees and cocoas, cakes, popcorn and many other confections. Ve ndo rs an d other donors also Soroptimist member Laurie Albert, right, helps herself to a “sweet someprovide silent aucthing” at last year’s Chocolate Fantasy. This year’s event, offering chocolate tion prizes or theme goodies from the finest area restaurants, confectioners and chocolate purveybaskets, as well as ors, will be held January 25 at Knights of Columbus Hall. “sweet somethings” for Valentine’s Day Sabina Carter. giving. Event sponsors include: B104.7, Fox The featured prize in a drawing to Valley Savings Bank, Society Insurance, be held that day is a chocolate diamond Agnesian HealthCare, American Bank, pendant from C.W. Smith Jewelers, North Holiday Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Huberty & Fond du Lac. The 14K white gold neckAssoc., RRK CPA LLC, and Schenck S.C. lace, valued at $1,000, holds a quartercarat in icy white and warm brown chocoGET TICKETS late diamonds. The winning ticket will be Advance tickets ($10) available after Jan. drawn at 2:45 p.m. The winner need not 1 at: Bank Mutual, Fox Valley Savings be present. Bank, Wegner Office Supply, EP-Direct One ticket for the pendant prize is Printing and from Soroptimist members. attached to each special assortment of Tickets at the door are $12. Waupun’s End of the Trail Candy Shoppe chocolates, priced at $10, and available at C.W.Smith in North Fond du Lac, Fox Valley Savings Bank on East First St., Bank Mutual on Highway 23, Hometown Bank on North Peters Ave., Bank of Oakfield, Village Floral in Kekoskee and Jacobson Farmer Supply, Brownsville. All proceeds from Chocolate Fantasy are returned to the local community for projects that assist women and girls. Primary beneficiary this year is Girls on the Run, a national program in Fond du Lac schools working to inspire girls in grades three through eight to be joyful, healthy and confident using curriculum which creatively integrates running. Event co-chairs are Susan Frankel and January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 51
FOOD & DRINK // BREWMASTER ?
Starting a New Adventure BY STEVE LONSWAY As we start out on our newest adventure, beer writing that is, we try to imagine what will keep the reader’s attention through the end of what we have put forth. We found this to be a fantastic opportunity presented to us by The Scene. Taylor and I are part of the Brew team of Stone Arch Brew House at Stone Cellar Brewpub in Appleton. We live and breathe beer every single day. Whether it’s formulating a new recipe, brewing, filtering, preparing our tanks or flat out imbibing in the festive suds, beer is a very important part of our lives. These are not uncommon words in the craft beer industry. Nor is it uncommon to hear the words sung by the Grateful Dead in breweries and brewpubs across our great nation. You see, I have always loved the music that the Grateful Dead has put to the airwaves, most likely due to the influence of my sister Deb and brother Rob. Taylor is a
bit behind in age but not in spirit. Often our guests can hear the heartfelt tones of Jerry, Bobby, Phil and the boys (and girls depending on the bootleg) bellowing from our brewery. How does this all come together you ask? Well as this idea was presented to us, our team quickly agreed that a recent taste of American Beauty is worth writing about. American Beauty is an Imperial Pale Ale from our friends in Delaware….. Dogfish Head Brewery. Let us tell you about our experience.
52 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
We take the recently acquired 750 ml bottle from the cooler. The label jumps out with a colorful dancing bear that is a familiar face to Deadheads worldwide. This is one of the coolest caricatures of the Dead because he is proudly gripping a frothy beer mug and his smile is bigger than usual (perhaps some insight for what’s inside)? We uncap the bottle and decant it slowly into a pair of freshly polished snifter-style glasses. We quickly bring the glass to our nose as if it were a Box of Rain. As the golden amber liquid Ripples into the glass, we can’t help but notice the sweet aroma reminiscent of Sugar Magnolia with an inviting hop character. As it settles in the glass we notice that it poured a relatively weak head of amber hues yet the beer has a pleasing effervescence. The nose of the beer is as complex as The Attics of My Life with a lot of aromas to dissect. We get smells of malt, nuts and freshly baked bread. If given the chance to warm a bit whispers of sage, spice and molasses blows through. Taylor comments on how the beer has a slight musty scent that reminds him of opening an old crate full of grandpas National Geographic collection. The first effervescent flow across the palette brings out an immediate almond honey granola taste just as the label indicates. The malt tones are molasses-like and very gentle considering the alcohol content of 9% by volume. Because of the strength, this beer is a Friend of the Devil and you wouldn’t want to drink it Till the Morning Comes. The finish is Truckin and brings dark cherry fruitiness; Golden Grahams and a slight warming that are evident, yet tamed. The Operator of Dogfish Head Brewery, Sam Caligone, is a true Candyman with the beers he is known to produce. Like most people in our industry, Sam is inspired by music and even dedicates a series of releases that are collaborated with music. For this release he polled many loyal Dead fans to help drive the recipe. Granola topped the list as it was a staple in many of Deadheads diets. Sam chose to use almond honey granola and all American hops to round this incredible brew out. Not at all a Brokedown Palace, but a Steal Your Face
- Anthem of the Sun kind of beer. Dogfish Head started their “OffCentered” approach as a Brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware in the summer of 1995 brewing 10 gallon batches of beer. At the time they were the smallest commercial brewery in the U.S. Because small batch brewing is less risky, Sam was able to experiment with many ingredients found throughout his restaurant. This was the birth of Off-Centered Ales, Dogfish’s signature style. Their focus was (and is) to offer ”Original beer, great food and local music” to the Rehoboth area. Their success was fast and furious which caused them to pull their product from several states for a period of time. Unfortunately Wisconsin was one of those states. With some time to catch up and a new production facility in Milton, DE, Sam is back on our local shelves and welcomed with opened hands. Dogfish Head has grown as a business model that, again, is off-centered. They own and operate the original brewpub, the production facility clearly identified by an artistic tree house dubbed Steampunk, a motel named Dogfish Inn, three Alehouses in Gaithersburg, Fairfax and Falls Church, and a line of line of brats, chowder and hot pickles. American Beauty Imperial Pale Ale, best enjoyed while playing the Grateful Dead’s American Beauty on vinyl, comes in 750ml bottles and might be a challenge to find but will be worth your efforts. It packs in 55 IBU’s (International Bitterness Units) that is a measurement of the hops within. 55 is a slightly elevated number, but because of the 9.0% alcohol by volume it really mellows the bitterness that the American hops provide. We suggest a wide topped goblet or snifter-style glass and some time for it to warm in order to pull all out of what this beer resonates. FINAL WORD: Search this beer out and enjoy! Steve Lonsway, Brewmaster & President and Taylor Greenwood, Brand Ambassador Stone Arch Brew House & Stone Cellar Brewpub Appleton, WI Stonecellarbrewpub.com Stonearchbrewhouse.com
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 53
FOOD & DRINK // A VINEYARD ON MY TABLE
Wild Mushroom Risotto BY DAVIES WAKEFIELD Risotto with Morel Mushrooms and Pinot Noir My mother used to tell me about her childhood in Eureka, Illinois during the depression when she would go out into the woods on the Pifer’s family farm to hunt for morels. In those days the family never ate the morels fresh, but dried them and used them in chicken stews or with a Sunday braised beef. She always remembered those meals fondly and talked about them as she got much older. The Pifer family was one of the original families that settled in Eureka, Illinois. My mother’s great grandfather Michael Pifer started a tin and hardware store on the northwest corner of the downtown, across the street from the county courthouse in 1859. In 1959, on a visit to my grandparents, I sat in a wooden straight back chair by an old Franklin stove in that same building listening to my uncle Charlie Pifer regale me with stories about the good old
days while he spat into a spittoon between puffs on his cigar and occasionally took a swig from a half pint of Jim Beam that he kept in his desk drawer. A 10 year old is as curious as a cat, and I lifted the top of that spittoon to see what was in it. I have never had the urge since. The old tinning business was changing into a heating and air conditioning establishment back then and Charlie was just easing his way out of the business as his sons took over. I hiked back to grandpa’s house where his 92 year old aunt was fixing a pot roast with new potatoes and carrots that she dug out of the garden that day and a handful of dried morels thrown in as well. They still cooked on a wood stove then and there was the distinctive smell of coal and bacon fat in the kitchen, but the earthy aroma of that pot roast still lingers in my mind and I flash back to that day whenever I use morels in a recipe. The morels are like Marcel Proust’s madeleine in Remembrance of Things Past. It is in this interest that I selected this
54 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
recipe. The morels were harvested in our yard last April. We found some out by the barn early in April that were the black kind and then later on that month we found the larger tan varieties under our white pines in a little spot that catches the afternoon sun. When you hold them, freshly picked, in your cupped hands, the earthy forest floor aromas are intoxicating and tempt you to immediately eat them. I have found after thirty plus years of collecting them that using them after drying them intensifies the flavor. So this recipe uses our dried morels plus some fresh button mushrooms. I am using a slightly modified recipe of that consummate Italian Chef Marcella Hazan who sadly passed away last year. Dried morels instead of dried porcini are used and I’m throwing in some sautéed fresh button mushrooms as well. Other than this the recipe reflects her elegant style of northern Italian cuisine.
“The synergy of well-made food
and matching wines really makes a simple meal a great one” Wild Mushroom Risotto • • • • • • • • • •
2 cups Arborio rice 2 Tbs unsalted butter 1 Tbs. olive oil 1 large yellow onion finely diced 2 ounces dried morel mushrooms plus the soaking water 4 ounces shitake mushrooms 8 ounces button or Crimini mushrooms 5 cups beef broth 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste
Reconstitute the dried morels in 2 cups of boiling water for 20 minutes. Squeeze out water and set the mushrooms aside. Thinly slice the fresh mushrooms and sauté in two tablespoons of olive oil until all the moisture is rendered (about 20 minutes). Set aside. Heat the beef stock in a separate pan to just below boiling. Heat a tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a pan over low heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Combine the two cups of rice with the onion mixture and stir to coat the rice for about a minute. Start adding the broth to just cover the rice and adjust the heat to a bare simmer. Stir until broth is absorbed and add more broth to cover and continue stirring. After 10 minutes start adding the mushroom soaking water and continue gently stirring the mixture. After twenty minutes add all the reserved mushrooms and start to sample the rice to test for doneness. The dish is done when the texture is creamy and the rice is soft to the tooth. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and parmesan cheese and serve. The wines that I’ve paired with this meal are all Pinot Noirs from three differ-
FOOD & DRINK // A VINEYARD ON MY TABLE
ent areas that are emerging as significant and ideal growing areas for Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is the ideal pairing for this dish for a variety of reasons. This is an elegant dish. The bland nuttiness of the Arborio rice is a template that readily takes on the earthiness of the mushrooms and the earthiness and minerality of Pinot Noir. The umami flavors of the parmesan cheese also match well with the Pinot Noir. The first wine is from the extreme northern part of Italy called the Alto Adige. It is from the foothills of the Alps in the South Tyrol growing area also known for crisp Pinot Grigio. This area is closer to Liechtenstein and Innsbruck Austria than it is to Milan; it is also predominately German speaking. It is on the same northerly parallel (47th) as the famed Burgundy growing area of France that produces Nuit St. Georges and Beaune. The winemakers name is Ulrich Ambach, hardly a traditional Italian name. The San Pietro Alto Adige 2012 Pinot Noir, 13% alcohol, and $16.50 is produced by a South Tyrol agricultural cooperative. The oenologists trained at the viticulture school in Trentino are some of the best in all of Italy. They select the finest lots of wine to be bottled by the cooperative. This wine is an elegant near perfect match for the risotto. The nose is ample with ripe berries, while the fruity, sapid spice notes and ripe tannins fit perfectly with the earthiness of the mushrooms. A bite of the food demands another sip of the wine. The second wine is the 2013 Cono Sur
Bicicleta Pinot Noir, 2013, 13.5% alcohol and $9.00. This wine is from the central Casablanca valley which is just miles from the Pacific Ocean and the Humboldt Current which streams low salinity cold water from Antarctica up along the west coasts of South America. This current keeps the wine growing areas near the coast cool and foggy; perfect for growing Pinot Noir. This wine is deeper in color and higher in acidity with definite notes of raspberry and cherries on the nose. The smooth, fresh taste with medium concentration, pairs well with the creaminess of the risotto. This is a real bargain for a wine that is 80% hand harvested and from a company known for its organically raised and harvested grapes. The last wine is from the iconic Argyle winery which is located right on Rt. 99w in Dundee across the street from the Dundee Bistro. The red iron rich soils of the area are home to some of the best wineries in Oregon. The Argyle 2013 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 13% alcohol and $19.00 is fully representative of the Willamette valley. Following 6” of rain in September, a dry sunny October led to a small but beautiful crop that is fully represented in this wine. The nose is spice and forest floor with notes of black tea, while the palate is tart but with weight that offers dark cherry and building density. The light color belies the weight of the wine which goes along perfectly with this risotto and will stand up to a variety of duck preparations including Peking duck with hoisin.
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 55
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Lookin’ for a date? It’s happening January 2nd! Don’t be late! Supply is limited, there’s only so many to go around.
Make sure you get yours before they’re all gone!
You must show up in person, at 8:00 a.m. on January 2, 2015 with cash or check in hand, to reserve a Winnebago County Community Park shelter or the pavilion for your special date this coming summer. First come, first served at the Parks Office inside the JP Coughlin Bldg. on County Y, Oshkosh. FOR MORE INFORMATION & PHOTOS OF RENTALS Winnebago County Parks Department 625 E Cty Rd Y #500 Oshkosh WI 54901 CALL 920-232-1960 OR LOG ON TO www.co.winnebago.wi.us/parks
Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 57
While the SCENE does everything to ensure the accuracy of its Events calendar, we also understand that some dates and times change. Please call ahead to confirm before traveling any distance. To submit Oshkosh Events, please send an email to jeff@visitoshkosh.com. To submit events from neighboring communities, please email oshkoshscene@gmail.com
Indoor Market bring you fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, syrups, cheeses, pasture-raised meats and poultry, fish, jams and preserves. A variety of handcrafted items are also available throughout the season. 9:00 am
JANUARY 20 Oshkosh Memorabilia Club Meeting Witzkes Banquet Hall 1700 Oregon St. Oshkosh
JANUARY 3 Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market – Winter Merrill Middle School 108 W New York Ave Oshkosh Music by: Point Reyes Approx. 40 vendors every Saturday morning at the Winter/ Indoor Market bring you fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, syrups, cheeses, pasture-raised meats and poultry, fish, jams and preserves. A variety of handcrafted items are also available throughout the season. 9:00 am
AfterWALK in The GRAND LOUNGE Grand Lounge at Grand Opera House 100 High Ave, Oshkosh afterWALK in the GRAND LOUNGESelect Saturdays after Oshkosh Gallery WalkNo cover. Full service bar and bar menu The Grand Lounge is the place to be when the Downtown Gallery Walk concludes! Join us for a few hours and enjoy the music of one of our terrific regional artists. 8:00 PM Cost: Free
JANUARY 10 Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market – Winter Merrill Middle School 108 W New York Ave Oshkosh
Music by: Point Reyes Approx. 40 vendors every Saturday morning at the Winter/ Indoor Market bring you fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, syrups, cheeses, pasture-raised meats and poultry, fish, jams and preserves. A variety of handcrafted items are also available throughout the season.
JANUARY 13 Merrill 6th Grade Band/ Choir Concert Merrill Middle School 7:30 pm
UWO Arts/Communications Bldg. 7:00 pm
Meet Your Local Farmer Vines & Rushes 410 County Rd. E Ripon Are you looking for a way to meet local farmers as we gear up for the growing season? Take this opportunity to meet with a variety of local farmers producing artisanal, sustainably produced local products. We encourage you to get to know where your food comes from and the people that are producing it.
JANUARY 15 South Park 6th Grade Band Concert South Park Middle School 7:00 pm
Webster Stanley Middle School Musical Webster Stanley Middle School 7:00 pm
Perry Tipler 6th Grade Band/ Choir Concert Perry Tipler Middle School 7:00 pm
JANUARY 22 Webster Stanley/Merill Middle School Orchestra Concert UWO Arts/ Communication Bldg.
10:00 am
JANUARY 11 Deck the Halls Oshkosh Public Museum 1331 Algoma Blv, Oshkosh Stroll through the halls of the Sawyer home to view the delightful holiday decorations and the life-size Christmas Village exhibit. Enhance your visit with a special make-and-take project in the new Making History Fun! D-I-Y area, and support local charities by voting in the annual Get Polarized light pole decorating contest.
58 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
6:30 pm
Merrill Middle School Orchestra Concert
9:00 am
1:00 pm
Are you interested in YOUR Oshkosh history? Do you like to preserve things that were significant to you in the past? Do you like to share your adventures finding old, rare or precious picture, knick-knacks or toys? We are the place to meet kindred spirits.
JANUARY 16 Webster Stanley Middle School Musical Webster Stanley Middle School 7:00 pm
7:00 pm
JANUARY 23 Oshkosh West High School Musical Alberta Kimball Auditorium
JANUARY 17 Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market – Winter
7:00 pm
JANUARY 24
Merrill Middle School 108 W New York Ave Oshkosh
Toward Harmony With Nature
Music by: Point Reyes Approx. 40 vendors every Saturday morning at the Winter/
Oshkosh Convention Center 2 N Main St, Oshkosh
“Aldo Leopold, Phenology and Climate Change.” Keynote speaker, Dr. Stanley Temple will trace how the invaluable records kept by Aldo Leopold on when plants bloomed, birds migrated, and other natural events occurred, paved the way to understanding how climate change is affecting our ecological community. 8:00 am
Oshkosh West High School Musical Alberta Kimball Auditorium 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
JANUARY 25 Oshkosh West High School Musical Alberta Kimball Auditorium 2:00 pm
JANUARY 27 Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market – Winter Merrill Middle School 108 W New York Ave Oshkosh Music by: Point Reyes Approx. 40 vendors every Saturday morning at the Winter/ Indoor Market bring you fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, syrups, cheeses, pasture-raised meats and poultry, fish, jams and preserves. A variety of handcrafted items are also available throughout the season. 9:00 am
John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party
JANUARY 31 Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market – Winter Merrill Middle School 108 W New York Ave Oshkosh Music by: Point Reyes Approx. 40 vendors every Saturday morning at the Winter/ Indoor Market bring you fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, syrups, cheeses, pasture-raised meats and poultry, fish, jams and preserves. A variety of handcrafted items are also available throughout the season.
Date Event
Time
Location
January 5
School Resumes After Holiday Break
9:00 am
January 13
Merrill 6th Grade Band/Choir Concert
7:30 p.m. Merrill Middle School
Soar Presents CopperBox
January 15
Webster Stanley Middle School Musical
7:00 p.m. Webster Stanley Middle School
City Center Atriu, Becket’s 2 Jackson St, Oshkosh SOAR is pleased to announce the featured performers for our annual fundraising event to be held on Saturday, January 31st, 2015: Oshkosh’s own COPPERBOX ! Copper Box is an accordion-fueled, roots rock party! Awarded “Americana Artist of the Year 2012 & 2009 by WI Area Music Industry. EVENING SCHEDULE 5:30 p.m. – Registration, Cash Bar, Silent Auction
January 7
January 15 January 16 January 20 January 20 January 20 January 22
January 23 January 23 January 24 January 24 January 25
Early Release Day
South Park 6 Grade Band Concert th
Webster Stanley Middle School Musical
Merrill Middle School Orchestra Concert
Perry Tipler 6 Grade Band/Choir Concert th
All OASD Schools
7:00 p.m. South Park Middle School
7:00 p.m. Webster Stanley Middle School
7:00 p.m. UWO Arts/Communications Bldg. 7:00 p.m. Perry Tipler Middle School
Webster Stanley 6th Grade Band Concert
7:00 p.m. Webster Stanley Middle School
Oshkosh West High School Musical
7:00 p.m. Alberta Kimball Auditorium
Oshkosh West High School Musical
2:00 p.m. Alberta Kimball Auditorium
Oshkosh West High School Musical
2:00 p.m. Alberta Kimball Auditorium
Webster Stanley/Merrill Middle Orchestra Concert 7:00 p.m. UWO Arts/Communications Bldg. No School – End of Semester
Oshkosh West High School Musical
7:00 p.m. Alberta Kimball Auditorium
Check out the latest up-to-date sports schedules at http://www.foxvalleyassociation.org
6:30 p.m. – Elegant Dinner provided by Becket’s (see Menu at left) 7:30 p.m. – Performance by COPPERBOX Please join us at Becket’s Atrium on Jackson Street in Oshkosh on Saturday, January 31st, 2015. Tickets are $75 each, $140 for two, $560 for a table of eight, or reserve a table of ten for $700. $35 per ticket is tax-deductible.
Concept Salon/Spa
Grand Opera House 100 High Ave, Oshkosh John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party® is the official live and authentic re-creation of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper’s final tour and the only show endorsed by the Holly, Valens and Richardson estates. Each live concert performance includes over two hours of unbridled, high voltage entertainment featuring all the hit songs of the 50’s era: “That’ll Be The Day”, “Peggy Sue”, “Oh, Boy”, “Rave on”, “La Bamba”, “Chantilly Lace”, and many, many more. 7:30 pm
Mention this ad and receive $10 off your first color service. -New clients only.
1926 S. Washburn, Oshkosh • 232-2323 • www.reneemichellesalon.com January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 59
40 Wisconsin Beers on Tap! Join us on January 23rd to watch us fill the coolship and to get your hands on some of our RARE bottle releases! Located at 3034 Village Park Drive, Plover, WI 54467
|
Exit 153 off of I-39 S
|
1-715-254-2163
|
osobrewing.com
is seeking active sales representatives. Ideal candidate must work well with others, have good communication skills (sending email, making sales calls and meeting clients in person) and be able to comply to and meet deadlines. Previous sales experience preferred.
If interested, call Jim Moran at 920-418-1777 or email resume to moranpublishing@gmail.com. 60 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT BOAT TRAILER PARKING PERMITS 2015 BOAT TRAILER PARKING PERMITS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR WINNEBAGO COUNTY’S LANDINGS BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2015. PREVIOUSLY PERMITS WERE AVAILABLE IN MARCH AND EXPIRED IN MARCH. BEGINNING IN 2015 THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JANUARY AND WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31 OF THE YEAR PURCHASED FOR ANNUAL PERMITS AND DECEMBER 31 OF THE APPROPRIATE YEAR FOR 3 YEAR PERMITS. 2015 PERMIT FEES: DAILY PERMIT—$5.00 PAYABLE AT LANDINGS
PERMITS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT:
WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS OFFICE AND WINNEBAGO ANNUAL PERMIT—$25.00 RESIDENT, $35.00 COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE IN OSHKOSH, FESTIVAL NON-RESIDENT, $20.00 SENIOR RESIDENT FOODS—OSHKOSH, CITGO LAKESHORE MART—HWY. 45 THREE YEAR PERMIT—$65.00 RESIDENT, $90.00 SOUTH OSHKOSH AND PAYNES POINT LIQUOR AND NON RESIDENT, $50.00 SENIOR RESIDENT BAIT—NEENAH Winnebago County Parks Dept. 625 E Cty Rd Y #500 Oshkosh WI 54901 920-232-1960 www.co.winnebago.wi.us/parks January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 61
62 | SceneNewspaper.com | January 2015
January 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | 63