Courier Press

Whether you buy it at a farm or in a tree lot, buying a real Christmas tree is good for Wisconsin’s economy and environment.

“Having a real Christmas tree is a better environmental option because they are a recyclable and renewable resource,” said Casey Langan, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation spokesman. “Most tree farms plant two to three trees for every one that is cut and after the holidays the trees don’t end up in a landfill like artificial trees eventually do.”

With more than 600,000 evergreens harvested each fall, according to the most recent agricultural census, Wisconsin is fifth in the nation in the number of trees cut and acres (more than 23,000) in production.
Cheryl Nicholson, executive secretary of the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association, said there are plenty of trees this year.

By Pat McTaggart

Brandon James Thoma, 25, of Pella, Iowa, was in the Clayton County Courthouse in Elkader, Iowa, for a hearing for an initial appearance on the charge of attempt to commit murder. Judge John Bauercamper informed Thoma, who has applied for a court appointed attorney, that his request will be forwarded to the Dubuque Public Defender’s Office.

Thoma is accused of breaking into a residence and assaulting the victim with the intent of murder. According to the complaint, Thoma first used pepper spray on the victim, followed by punching and kicking. He then threw the victim down the basement stairs, kicked the victim’s head and then used a shovel on the victim’s neck to try to cut off oxygen going to the brain.

By Correne Martin

Prairie du Chien has set out on a grassroots initiative to become a dementia-friendly community (DFC), the first in Crawford County. Through a task force led by the Aging and Disability Resource Center, the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, community and business members, a “Train the Trainer” presentation kicked off this endeavor Nov. 17 at the Crawford County Administration Building, where about 25 local leaders were educated about how to recognize and address someone who may be struggling with memory challenges.

“Our goal is to help this community support this initiative and shift away from the end-stage vision we all have (of those dealing with dementia), because 70 percent of these people are living and functioning in our communities in the early stages of such diseases,” explained Becky DeBuhr, an outreach specialist with the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, who presented the training materials.

Social media fundraiser being done for latest 

Sculpture Park statue

By Ted Pennekamp

The Mississippi River Sculpture Park Board is in the midst of a major fundraising effort in order to get a new sculpture for the park.