Ran on Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Publications high on local universities
By Keighla Schmidt
Leadert-telegram Staff
Chippewa Valley universities rank high among the nation's 4,500 higher education institutions in recent publications.
UW-Eau Claire and UW-River Falls both made U.S. News & World Report magazine's top public master's degree-granting universities in the Midwest and The Princeton Review's list of best Midwestern colleges. UW-Stout also made the Princeton list.
UW-Eau Claire has been among the top five public institutions in the Midwest every year since 1995.
"U.S. News and other prestigious publications consistently name UW-Eau Claire among the best of the best because of our exceptional faculty and staff," Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich said. "The rankings tell employers and others that UW-Eau Claire provides its students with one of the best educational experiences available in the Midwest."
The rankings are important to the colleges.
"We're pleased that the report tells a story nationally that our students, faculty, staff and alumni already know: that we are an exceptional place," said UW-River Falls Chancellor Don Betz of the U.S. News ranking.
The rankings are determined by separating the schools into categories and scored in various academic categories.
"The survey asks other college leaders to evaluate our reputation for quality experiences, and it measures our resources and the satisfaction of our alumni through their continuing commitment and connection to UW-RF," Betz said.
The Princeton review has a different methodology.
Students are sent a voluntary survey of 80 questions regarding their life at the institution. A minimum number of responses is not required, but the editors look for commonalities in the students' replies. This year, 120,000 students replied, averaging 325 responses per institution.
The rankings are intended to provide potential students with a picture of the campus from present students. They aim to help determine which schools would be a best fit for an individual student.
Categories range from "The toughest to get into," to "Lots of beer," (a category UW-Madison topped).
UW-Stout Director of Communications Doug Mell said he attributes the Blue Devil Princeton ranking to the practical, hands-on teaching methods.
"Our methods are really geared towards making students ready for professional careers," Mell said. "We're not a lot of chalk and talk."
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Living and learning
Ran on Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Living and learning
Regional universities avoid UW-Madison housing crunch
By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff
What's often viewed as a fundamental component of college life — the dormitories — is being denied to some students in Wisconsin.
Large universities such as UW-Madison are turning away hundreds of students requesting housing each year.
School officials at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and UW-River Falls say they have a place for anyone looking for a dorm room.
The difference is in the numbers.
UW-Madison had 29,639 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2006, with 7,237 beds available. UW-Eau Claire had 10,152 undergraduates and about 4,000 beds available, UW-Stout had 7,517 undergraduates and room for about 3,000 on campus while UW-River Falls had 5,753 undergraduates for the 2,400 wanting to live in the dorms in the fall 2006 semester.
Housing officials from the three Chippewa Valley schools said no students have been turned away for housing this year.
The philosophy at UW-Eau Claire is that any student who wants university housing won't be put on a waiting list, said Chuck Majors, director of housing and residence life.
For the first time in about 12 years, UW-Eau Claire's overflow won't force students to stay in motels.
"We're in good shape," Majors said.
About 80 of the 4,000 students who live on campus will be in the dormitory study lounges at the beginning of the fall semester.
The situation is slightly more cramped in River Falls.
West Area Coordinator Jason Nuehaus said about 200 students will be packed into the university's 10 student housing buildings. Some will have as many as six people to a room.
In an effort to get more students in, both universities have built new buildings to house their undergraduates.
At UW-Eau Claire, Chancellors Hall was built in 2000 and has apartment-style housing for 324 students. In 2005 UW-River Falls opened South Fork Suites, adding 240 beds in suites. UW-River Falls is awaiting the state budget to pass for clearance to build an addition to the suites.
At UW-Stout, housing is going in the opposite direction. Plans are in the works to tear down the oldest housing building, Geter-Tainter-Callahan hall, in favor of a new dining facility in 2010.
There are a few extra rooms for the 3,000 students living on campus in the 10 dormitory buildings, said Scott Griesbach, UW-Stout's housing director.
"We'll be reducing housing to 2,700," Griesbach said. "We're not planning to build any more housing buildings."
The campus added a suites building in 2005 for 296 students.
Living and learning
Regional universities avoid UW-Madison housing crunch
By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff
What's often viewed as a fundamental component of college life — the dormitories — is being denied to some students in Wisconsin.
Large universities such as UW-Madison are turning away hundreds of students requesting housing each year.
School officials at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and UW-River Falls say they have a place for anyone looking for a dorm room.
The difference is in the numbers.
UW-Madison had 29,639 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2006, with 7,237 beds available. UW-Eau Claire had 10,152 undergraduates and about 4,000 beds available, UW-Stout had 7,517 undergraduates and room for about 3,000 on campus while UW-River Falls had 5,753 undergraduates for the 2,400 wanting to live in the dorms in the fall 2006 semester.
Housing officials from the three Chippewa Valley schools said no students have been turned away for housing this year.
The philosophy at UW-Eau Claire is that any student who wants university housing won't be put on a waiting list, said Chuck Majors, director of housing and residence life.
For the first time in about 12 years, UW-Eau Claire's overflow won't force students to stay in motels.
"We're in good shape," Majors said.
About 80 of the 4,000 students who live on campus will be in the dormitory study lounges at the beginning of the fall semester.
The situation is slightly more cramped in River Falls.
West Area Coordinator Jason Nuehaus said about 200 students will be packed into the university's 10 student housing buildings. Some will have as many as six people to a room.
In an effort to get more students in, both universities have built new buildings to house their undergraduates.
At UW-Eau Claire, Chancellors Hall was built in 2000 and has apartment-style housing for 324 students. In 2005 UW-River Falls opened South Fork Suites, adding 240 beds in suites. UW-River Falls is awaiting the state budget to pass for clearance to build an addition to the suites.
At UW-Stout, housing is going in the opposite direction. Plans are in the works to tear down the oldest housing building, Geter-Tainter-Callahan hall, in favor of a new dining facility in 2010.
There are a few extra rooms for the 3,000 students living on campus in the 10 dormitory buildings, said Scott Griesbach, UW-Stout's housing director.
"We'll be reducing housing to 2,700," Griesbach said. "We're not planning to build any more housing buildings."
The campus added a suites building in 2005 for 296 students.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Report: DNR behind in state dam inspections
Ran on Wednesday,August 15, 2007
Report: DNR behind in state dam inspections
By The Associated Press And Leader-telegram Staff
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not inspected at least 230 state-regulated dams since August 1997, despite a state law that requires inspections at least once every 10 years, according to a newspaper's analysis of state data.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said in a report in its Monday edition that the dams that have not been inspected make up about one-quarter of the 926 state-regulated dams.
The dams are inspected by private inspectors and the state Department of Natural Resources.
The Journal Sentinel said 67 of the dams that have not been inspected during that time are considered a high or significant hazard.
"It has nothing to do with the soundness of the dam," said Gary Lepak, water management engineer with the DNR. "It's if the dam would fail, what would happen."
If a lot of damage would happen if a dam broke, the hazard is considered high.
Lepak said some of the ratings are labeled high due to zoning issues.
In the Chippewa Valley, the DNR annually schedules inspections for dams that are due. "It's part of our scheduling," Lepak said. "Every year we sit down and look at structures that need to be inspected."
In the DNR's Dam Safety Program database, two dams in Chippewa County are marked with the last inspection in 1981. However, Lepak said one has been done in the past month, and the other is scheduled to be inspected next year. Both have low hazard ratings.
The high-hazard Middle Appleton Dam on the Lower Fox River in Outagamie County has gone the longest without an inspection, the newspaper said, adding that its last check was in November 1981.
Nearly 80 percent of all state-regulated dams have no emergency action plans in case the dams fail, as required by law, the Journal Sentinel said. It said about half of the 205 high-hazard dams and 84 percent of the 135 significant-hazard dams have no emergency plans, according to the records it inspected.
"For the significant- and high-hazard dams, it concerns me because you are talking about a potential for loss of life," said Meg Galloway, a state dam safety engineer.
Randy Romanski, a top aide to Wisconsin's DNR secretary, said that all high-hazard dams that have not been inspected in 10 years would get visual inspection by Sept. 30 and full inspection by August 2008.
"Public safety is the highest priority, and we're going to do everything we can to protect public safety," he said. "We're confident that there are no dams out there that are an imminent threat of life or major property damage that are in danger of failing."
The inspections consist of checking the soundness of the structure, the changes since the construction or last inspection, the potential growth factor of the region and the control of the seepage.
"All dams are going to have some leakage," Lepak said.
Report: DNR behind in state dam inspections
By The Associated Press And Leader-telegram Staff
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not inspected at least 230 state-regulated dams since August 1997, despite a state law that requires inspections at least once every 10 years, according to a newspaper's analysis of state data.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said in a report in its Monday edition that the dams that have not been inspected make up about one-quarter of the 926 state-regulated dams.
The dams are inspected by private inspectors and the state Department of Natural Resources.
The Journal Sentinel said 67 of the dams that have not been inspected during that time are considered a high or significant hazard.
"It has nothing to do with the soundness of the dam," said Gary Lepak, water management engineer with the DNR. "It's if the dam would fail, what would happen."
If a lot of damage would happen if a dam broke, the hazard is considered high.
Lepak said some of the ratings are labeled high due to zoning issues.
In the Chippewa Valley, the DNR annually schedules inspections for dams that are due. "It's part of our scheduling," Lepak said. "Every year we sit down and look at structures that need to be inspected."
In the DNR's Dam Safety Program database, two dams in Chippewa County are marked with the last inspection in 1981. However, Lepak said one has been done in the past month, and the other is scheduled to be inspected next year. Both have low hazard ratings.
The high-hazard Middle Appleton Dam on the Lower Fox River in Outagamie County has gone the longest without an inspection, the newspaper said, adding that its last check was in November 1981.
Nearly 80 percent of all state-regulated dams have no emergency action plans in case the dams fail, as required by law, the Journal Sentinel said. It said about half of the 205 high-hazard dams and 84 percent of the 135 significant-hazard dams have no emergency plans, according to the records it inspected.
"For the significant- and high-hazard dams, it concerns me because you are talking about a potential for loss of life," said Meg Galloway, a state dam safety engineer.
Randy Romanski, a top aide to Wisconsin's DNR secretary, said that all high-hazard dams that have not been inspected in 10 years would get visual inspection by Sept. 30 and full inspection by August 2008.
"Public safety is the highest priority, and we're going to do everything we can to protect public safety," he said. "We're confident that there are no dams out there that are an imminent threat of life or major property damage that are in danger of failing."
The inspections consist of checking the soundness of the structure, the changes since the construction or last inspection, the potential growth factor of the region and the control of the seepage.
"All dams are going to have some leakage," Lepak said.
Warriors and citizens
Ran on Monday, August 20, 2007
Warriors and citizens
Military honors reserve soldiers who were called to duty during wartime
By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff
The gloomy and rainy weather didn't dampen the spirits of those who showed up to honor some Chippewa Valley soldiers in Phoenix Park Sunday morning.
Some members of the U.S. Army Reserve's 397th Engineer Battalion were recognized in a Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen ceremony for their tours served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
"I've heard many comrades talk about soldiers that didn't have a reception with warmth and acceptance," said Sgt. Lisa Ahnefeld, who served a year in Iraq and has been home for more than a year. "It's certainly a joy."
Fifteen members received flags encased in wooden and glass cases. The Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen is a national program recognizing Army Reserve soldiers and their family members.
State and local political leaders thanked the soldiers for their service and their families for the sacrifices they made.
"Thank you. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you," said State Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Eau Claire.
Lt. Col. David Raihle of the 397th said the ceremony was about focusing on the soldiers' contributions, not any political disputes surrounding the war.
"We may have political discussions, but when it comes to your service and your sacrifice, there should be no questions," Raihle said. "You gave us a year of your life, we owe you care and concern."
Without their civilian skills, the soldiers would be lost, said guest speaker Col. Scott Anderson of the 372nd Engineer Brigade.
"These people bring their civilian skills to the battle field." Anderson said. "There are welders and people who know how to operate tractors."
Ahnefeld, who has been in the Army for 12 years, said the Army is her career.
"I'll do it for the rest of my life," she said. "It's my duty, my job and an honor."
Warriors and citizens
Military honors reserve soldiers who were called to duty during wartime
By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff
The gloomy and rainy weather didn't dampen the spirits of those who showed up to honor some Chippewa Valley soldiers in Phoenix Park Sunday morning.
Some members of the U.S. Army Reserve's 397th Engineer Battalion were recognized in a Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen ceremony for their tours served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
"I've heard many comrades talk about soldiers that didn't have a reception with warmth and acceptance," said Sgt. Lisa Ahnefeld, who served a year in Iraq and has been home for more than a year. "It's certainly a joy."
Fifteen members received flags encased in wooden and glass cases. The Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen is a national program recognizing Army Reserve soldiers and their family members.
State and local political leaders thanked the soldiers for their service and their families for the sacrifices they made.
"Thank you. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you," said State Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Eau Claire.
Lt. Col. David Raihle of the 397th said the ceremony was about focusing on the soldiers' contributions, not any political disputes surrounding the war.
"We may have political discussions, but when it comes to your service and your sacrifice, there should be no questions," Raihle said. "You gave us a year of your life, we owe you care and concern."
Without their civilian skills, the soldiers would be lost, said guest speaker Col. Scott Anderson of the 372nd Engineer Brigade.
"These people bring their civilian skills to the battle field." Anderson said. "There are welders and people who know how to operate tractors."
Ahnefeld, who has been in the Army for 12 years, said the Army is her career.
"I'll do it for the rest of my life," she said. "It's my duty, my job and an honor."
Gimme 5 Artist offers advice on her tattos
Ran on Monday, August 20, 2007
Artist offers advice on her tattos
Veronica Swanson
Age: 27
Occupation: Tattoo artist at Inkorporated, 223 Barstow St.
Talks about: Life as a tattoo artist.
Editor's note: Gimme 5 is a five-question interview on topics of local interest.
How did you get into the business?
"My boyfriend at the time was being apprenticed in it, and I was always interested in art so I got into it too. Then I started my apprenticeship for body piercing and tattooing."
What is the most common type of tattoo you do?
"A lot of hearts, banners, roses, nautical stars. A lot of upper arm, they tend to be the most common."
Do you have a favorite or most memorable tattoo that you've done?
"Yes. I just got back from Sturgis and I did these awesome Chirstmas tree lights wrapped around a lady's legs. It's old school Christmas tree lights."
What is considered when calculating the cost of a tattoo?
"Size, detail, color and location."
What advice do you have to someone considering their first tattoo?
"It's going to be on you for the rest of your life; make sure it's going to be something that means something to you. Don't go and put some random thing that you're going to regret later; it should have meaning to you.
"I tell my customers to leave and sleep on it. If they don't come back that's OK, because then they really didn't want it. I'd rather do that than have them regret it later."
— Compiled by Keighla Schmidt
Artist offers advice on her tattos
Veronica Swanson
Age: 27
Occupation: Tattoo artist at Inkorporated, 223 Barstow St.
Talks about: Life as a tattoo artist.
Editor's note: Gimme 5 is a five-question interview on topics of local interest.
How did you get into the business?
"My boyfriend at the time was being apprenticed in it, and I was always interested in art so I got into it too. Then I started my apprenticeship for body piercing and tattooing."
What is the most common type of tattoo you do?
"A lot of hearts, banners, roses, nautical stars. A lot of upper arm, they tend to be the most common."
Do you have a favorite or most memorable tattoo that you've done?
"Yes. I just got back from Sturgis and I did these awesome Chirstmas tree lights wrapped around a lady's legs. It's old school Christmas tree lights."
What is considered when calculating the cost of a tattoo?
"Size, detail, color and location."
What advice do you have to someone considering their first tattoo?
"It's going to be on you for the rest of your life; make sure it's going to be something that means something to you. Don't go and put some random thing that you're going to regret later; it should have meaning to you.
"I tell my customers to leave and sleep on it. If they don't come back that's OK, because then they really didn't want it. I'd rather do that than have them regret it later."
— Compiled by Keighla Schmidt
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Insect inhabitation
Ran on Sauturday, August 18, 2007
Insect inhabitation
Pests eat more than 300 kinds of plants
By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff
It may seem like an oxymoron, but an insect that has invaded the Chippewa Valley is described as a "beautiful pest" by Tom Kalb, the UW Extension horticulture agent in Eau Caire County.
Beauty aside, Japanese beetles are cataclysmic to many plants.
"They're not choosy; they will eat over 300 kinds of plants," Kalb said.
Some of their favorites are also human favorites, such as rose bushes, crabtrees and linden trees.
What Kalb described as a "perfect storm" for the beetles has led to their inhabitation in the Chippewa Valley this summer. The unseasonably warm winters, and dry, hot summers have fostered the flowering population. Dry conditions, lack of disease-introducing rain and stressed plants from last year's similar situation have made it easy for the bronze and metallic green crawler to invade.
Having a big appetite, the bugs eat everything off a plant except the fibrous veins, Kalb said, leaving it bare and with obvious destruction.
"When you fight Mother Nature, she usually wins," Kalb said.
Ironically, the lawns and areas most manicured and best kept have the highest risk of being infested.
Thriving on wet conditions, the bugs will live and reproduce in the lawns being watered daily in the dry heat.
Golf courses are high-risk areas because they're landscaped and watered daily.
Galen Sabelko, groundskeeper at Princeton Valley Golf and Grill in Eau Claire, said the bugs have made homes on his greens.
"They like to go on the most manicured grass," he said.
Earlier in the season, the adult beetles mated and laid eggs on the fairways, tees, greens and birch trees around the course. At that time, Sabelko said he sprayed the trees with insecticides to rid the greens of the pests' larvae.
A few years ago the course left the bugs alone and nature took its course; the bugs were prey to crows.
"If you don't treat them," he said, "the crows will tear at the ground they're in."
Schmidt can be reached at 830-9203, 800-236-7077 or keighla.schmidt@ecpc.com.
Insect inhabitation
Pests eat more than 300 kinds of plants
By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff
It may seem like an oxymoron, but an insect that has invaded the Chippewa Valley is described as a "beautiful pest" by Tom Kalb, the UW Extension horticulture agent in Eau Caire County.
Beauty aside, Japanese beetles are cataclysmic to many plants.
"They're not choosy; they will eat over 300 kinds of plants," Kalb said.
Some of their favorites are also human favorites, such as rose bushes, crabtrees and linden trees.
What Kalb described as a "perfect storm" for the beetles has led to their inhabitation in the Chippewa Valley this summer. The unseasonably warm winters, and dry, hot summers have fostered the flowering population. Dry conditions, lack of disease-introducing rain and stressed plants from last year's similar situation have made it easy for the bronze and metallic green crawler to invade.
Having a big appetite, the bugs eat everything off a plant except the fibrous veins, Kalb said, leaving it bare and with obvious destruction.
"When you fight Mother Nature, she usually wins," Kalb said.
Ironically, the lawns and areas most manicured and best kept have the highest risk of being infested.
Thriving on wet conditions, the bugs will live and reproduce in the lawns being watered daily in the dry heat.
Golf courses are high-risk areas because they're landscaped and watered daily.
Galen Sabelko, groundskeeper at Princeton Valley Golf and Grill in Eau Claire, said the bugs have made homes on his greens.
"They like to go on the most manicured grass," he said.
Earlier in the season, the adult beetles mated and laid eggs on the fairways, tees, greens and birch trees around the course. At that time, Sabelko said he sprayed the trees with insecticides to rid the greens of the pests' larvae.
A few years ago the course left the bugs alone and nature took its course; the bugs were prey to crows.
"If you don't treat them," he said, "the crows will tear at the ground they're in."
Schmidt can be reached at 830-9203, 800-236-7077 or keighla.schmidt@ecpc.com.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Down on the farm
Ran on Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Down on the farm
MENOMONIE — A 100-year-old barn one mile east of Menomonie fell victim to a storm that blew through the area Monday night.
It was one of at least a dozen barns blown down in Dunn and St. Croix counties. The storm also damaged several homes, knocked out power to thousands — some until Thursday — felled trees and dropped much-needed rain on dry crops.
The Menomonie barn, at the home of Byron Barnhart, E5891 571st Ave., collapsed when north winds hit, said his son, Larry Barnhart, who lives adjacent to his father.
"It was straight wind," Larry Barnhart said. "Everything was laying to the south."
Larry Barnhart said he lost five trees at his home, and his father lost a couple of trees.
When the barn collapsed it sounded like "very large, deep thunder without the lightning strike," Larry Barnhart said. "With the next lightning strike we could see it was down and flat as flat."
The Barnharts' 36-by-88-foot barn was used mostly for storage.
Xcel Energy said 20,000 west-central Wisconsin customers were out of power at the height of the storm.
As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, fewer than 9,000 customers remained without power.
The hardest hit areas, according to Xcel, include Menomonie, Durand,Amery, Somerset, Hudson, La Crosse and Sparta.
Some parts of Menomonie and Durand weren't expected to have power restored until late Thursday night, according to Xcel Energy.
Eau Claire Energy Cooperative said more than 250 of its 10,000 customers lost power, starting about 11 p.m. Monday night. All but one customer had power restored by 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Dunn County
Numerous trees were reported downed in the city and throughout the county, according to Dunn County Emergency Management Coordinator Bruce Brantner.
The east side of Menomonie seemed to get the brunt of the storm. Trees were down throughout the city's industrial park and near the Dunn County Judicial Center, near U.S. 12 and Stokke Parkway.
Power was out at the Judicial Center until about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Courts continued, and offices were open with backup generators to light the building and to operate the 911 system.
The Red Cedar Medical Center operated with emergency backup generators from about 10:50 p.m. Monday until 8:15 a.m. Tuesday because of power outages.
Half the campus at UW-Stout in Menomonie didn't have power from 10:30 p.m. Monday until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Bob Schultz, an account manager at Xcel, said the UW-Stout administration buildings and computer management buildings were among the powerless ones. Some dorms and academic buildings also lost power.
The Dunn County Government Center, Human Services Department and Judicial Center also lost power but had it restored Tuesday.
This is the worst power outage County Attorney Scott Cox can remember in his 15 years with the county.
"It is unusual for the power grid to be down this long, but we are coping," he said. "The backup generator has helped us to keep operating. We were fortunate it could have been worse."
According to Menomonie police reports, power poles were down near the Dunn County Recreation Park and along Interstate 94 between exit 41 and 45.
A semitrailer truck was blown off the interstate, lying on the shoulder Tuesday.
Other roads that had multiple trees down included Cedar Falls Road, Dairyland Road, Stokke Parkway, Badger Road, Stout Road and Wilson Avenue East, Street Department Supervisor Bruce Heath said.
A couple of street light poles went down near U.S. 12 by the Dunn County Health Care Center and Andersen Windows.
"We believe it was high winds," Heath said. "There were no funnel clouds reported."
At the Menomonie airport, the winds flipped over plane, Heath said.
Downtown Menomonie did not have traffic lights Tuesday because of the power outages.
Portable generators were being used Tuesday to power the sanitary lift stations in northern and eastern parts of the city. The lift stations bring sewage to the wastewater treatment plant.
Brantner said no injuries were reported.
"Any time we can make it through damaging weather with no people injured or any deaths, we've been lucky," Brantner said.
St. Croix County
Cleanup began Tuesday after the storm flattened 11 barns and damaged dozens of homes near New Richmond, Emerald and Star Prairie.
No injuries were reported, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department Capt. Mike Winberg said.
"It sounds like lots of straight-line wind damage," he said. "There was one home that looked like it went down. Roads are blocked. Driveways are blocked."
The National Weather Service said initial reports from Monday night's storms indicated a roof blown off an airport hangar and extensive damage to some houses and barns in the area.
Near Emerald, on Highway G, the wind knocked down a large Emerald Dairy free-stall barn, trees and power lines and flattened corn in some fields.
Powers can be reached at 715-235-9018 or pamela.powers@ecpc.com. Staff reporter Keighla Schmidt, The Country Today and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Down on the farm
MENOMONIE — A 100-year-old barn one mile east of Menomonie fell victim to a storm that blew through the area Monday night.
It was one of at least a dozen barns blown down in Dunn and St. Croix counties. The storm also damaged several homes, knocked out power to thousands — some until Thursday — felled trees and dropped much-needed rain on dry crops.
The Menomonie barn, at the home of Byron Barnhart, E5891 571st Ave., collapsed when north winds hit, said his son, Larry Barnhart, who lives adjacent to his father.
"It was straight wind," Larry Barnhart said. "Everything was laying to the south."
Larry Barnhart said he lost five trees at his home, and his father lost a couple of trees.
When the barn collapsed it sounded like "very large, deep thunder without the lightning strike," Larry Barnhart said. "With the next lightning strike we could see it was down and flat as flat."
The Barnharts' 36-by-88-foot barn was used mostly for storage.
Xcel Energy said 20,000 west-central Wisconsin customers were out of power at the height of the storm.
As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, fewer than 9,000 customers remained without power.
The hardest hit areas, according to Xcel, include Menomonie, Durand,Amery, Somerset, Hudson, La Crosse and Sparta.
Some parts of Menomonie and Durand weren't expected to have power restored until late Thursday night, according to Xcel Energy.
Eau Claire Energy Cooperative said more than 250 of its 10,000 customers lost power, starting about 11 p.m. Monday night. All but one customer had power restored by 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Dunn County
Numerous trees were reported downed in the city and throughout the county, according to Dunn County Emergency Management Coordinator Bruce Brantner.
The east side of Menomonie seemed to get the brunt of the storm. Trees were down throughout the city's industrial park and near the Dunn County Judicial Center, near U.S. 12 and Stokke Parkway.
Power was out at the Judicial Center until about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Courts continued, and offices were open with backup generators to light the building and to operate the 911 system.
The Red Cedar Medical Center operated with emergency backup generators from about 10:50 p.m. Monday until 8:15 a.m. Tuesday because of power outages.
Half the campus at UW-Stout in Menomonie didn't have power from 10:30 p.m. Monday until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Bob Schultz, an account manager at Xcel, said the UW-Stout administration buildings and computer management buildings were among the powerless ones. Some dorms and academic buildings also lost power.
The Dunn County Government Center, Human Services Department and Judicial Center also lost power but had it restored Tuesday.
This is the worst power outage County Attorney Scott Cox can remember in his 15 years with the county.
"It is unusual for the power grid to be down this long, but we are coping," he said. "The backup generator has helped us to keep operating. We were fortunate it could have been worse."
According to Menomonie police reports, power poles were down near the Dunn County Recreation Park and along Interstate 94 between exit 41 and 45.
A semitrailer truck was blown off the interstate, lying on the shoulder Tuesday.
Other roads that had multiple trees down included Cedar Falls Road, Dairyland Road, Stokke Parkway, Badger Road, Stout Road and Wilson Avenue East, Street Department Supervisor Bruce Heath said.
A couple of street light poles went down near U.S. 12 by the Dunn County Health Care Center and Andersen Windows.
"We believe it was high winds," Heath said. "There were no funnel clouds reported."
At the Menomonie airport, the winds flipped over plane, Heath said.
Downtown Menomonie did not have traffic lights Tuesday because of the power outages.
Portable generators were being used Tuesday to power the sanitary lift stations in northern and eastern parts of the city. The lift stations bring sewage to the wastewater treatment plant.
Brantner said no injuries were reported.
"Any time we can make it through damaging weather with no people injured or any deaths, we've been lucky," Brantner said.
St. Croix County
Cleanup began Tuesday after the storm flattened 11 barns and damaged dozens of homes near New Richmond, Emerald and Star Prairie.
No injuries were reported, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department Capt. Mike Winberg said.
"It sounds like lots of straight-line wind damage," he said. "There was one home that looked like it went down. Roads are blocked. Driveways are blocked."
The National Weather Service said initial reports from Monday night's storms indicated a roof blown off an airport hangar and extensive damage to some houses and barns in the area.
Near Emerald, on Highway G, the wind knocked down a large Emerald Dairy free-stall barn, trees and power lines and flattened corn in some fields.
Powers can be reached at 715-235-9018 or pamela.powers@ecpc.com. Staff reporter Keighla Schmidt, The Country Today and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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