Earth Day Highlights Sustainability in Central Wisconsin

Madison — State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) released the following statement in recognition of Earth Day on April 22, 2012:

“Earth Day is a great opportunity to highlight the many innovative efforts underway in Central Wisconsin that are developing and promoting sustainable practices to reduce our demand for natural resources and release less pollution in our environment.

“At UW-Stevens Point, the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology is breaking new ground in biofuels research, creating energy from papermaking waste products and developing new sources of plant oils. WIST is also developing new recycling techniques for biodegradable plastics, researching commuting habits for UWSP students to determine and reduce pollution, congestion and fuel use, and educating students and the entire community on everything from sustainable papermaking methods to green chemistry.

“Recently I had a chance to visit Central Rivers Farmshed, a vacant greenhouse that is being converted into a center to promote the local food movement in Central Wisconsin. Farmshed enhances the relationship between local residents and their food, and strives to provide opportunities for participation, education, cooperation, and action to support a local food economy in Central Wisconsin. When food doesn’t have to travel far from farm to table, we reduce fuel consumption and pollution while we help support local farmers. Local food is good for the environment and good for our health—and it tastes great, too.

“And Central Wisconsin is home to the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, which promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration projects. Its annual Energy Fair, the longest running event of its kind, attracts tens of thousands to the area to learn about the latest in sustainable energy technologies. The MREA’s ReNew the Earth Institute and hundreds of workshops develop our understanding of green energy applications and build the expertise of everyone from contractors to homeowners.

“Throughout Central Wisconsin, individuals, businesses and communities are finding innovative ways to reduce waste and consumption, using more earth-friendly practices, adopting Green Community resolutions, implementing water quality and conservation methods, turning manufacturing and agricultural wastes into green energy, and so much more. I’m proud to say that we’re a leader in building a more sustainable future. In Central Wisconsin, every day truly is Earth Day.”

Hiring Disabled Heroes Bill Signed Into Law

Madison — A bill that will create a tax credit for hiring disabled veterans, introduced by State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point), was signed into law in a ceremony at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Appleton today.

Senate Bill 369 was one of three veterans bills authored by Senator Lassa to be signed by Governor Scott Walker at the ceremony.

“I’m pleased that my colleagues in the Legislature recognized that we have an obligation to our veterans, who made tremendous sacrifices defending our nation,” Lassa said. “These proposals will help vets make the transition to civilian life and contribute their valuable skills and talents to Wisconsin’s workforce.”

Lassa noted that disabled veterans suffer disproportionately in times of high unemployment.

“For disabled veterans, unemployment is around 50%,” Lassa said. “This legislation will help break down the barriers our disabled veterans face when they seek employment.”

Senate Bill 369 offers employers who hire an unemployed disabled veteran for a full-time position a $10,000 tax credit over the course of four years. Those employers who hire disabled veterans for a part-time position can receive a tax credit of up to $5,000 over four years. The actual amount of the credit will vary proportionately with the average number of hours the disabled veteran works each week over the course of the year.

Sen. Lassa praised the Disabled American Veterans Department of Wisconsin for its work in helping to get SB 369 passed. “DAV and its members advocated very strongly and effectively on behalf of this legislation and were instrumental in its success,” she said.

Governor Walker also signed Senate Bill 338, which waives fees for professional licenses for veterans, and Senate Bill 339, which expands preferential hiring for disabled veterans in state employment.

Sen. Lassa is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.

Fur Ball To Help Animals in Need

The Humane Society of Portage County (HSPC) will host its 23rd Annual Fur Ball on Friday, October 21 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center on Highway 10 East in Stevens Point.

The Fur Ball features one of Portage County’s largest basket raffles, a silent auction and a prize raffle drawing. Raffle tickets are now available at the Humane Society in Plover, or they can be purchased at the event. Raffle prizes include one thousand dollars cash, a one-year YMCA family membership and a $500.00 gift certificate donated by Brody Designs in Plover. Also included are a Pamper Yourself Spa Package courtesy of Tiarah Day Spa and a $100 gas card donated by Cooper’s 10/39 BP. A live DJ will perform, and food will be available for purchase.

The Fur Ball is the Humane Society’s largest fundraiser of the year. In 2010, the event raised over $20,000 to support Humane Society programs.

Admission to the event is free. For additional information or to contribute to this event, please contact the Humane Society of Portage County at (715) 344-6012.

Flood advisories for Portage and Wood Counties

The National Weather Service in Green Bay has issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for Portage and Wood Counties until 9:30pm tonight.

The National Weather Service doppler radar has estimated rainfall amounts between 1 and 1.5 inches with additional amounts of 1 to 2 inches expected. Some locations that will experience minor flooding include: STEVENS POINT…WISCONSIN RAPIDS…AMHERST…BABCOCK… PITTSVILLE AND WHITING.

Honoring America’s Heroes

from Senator Herb Kohl

After the Civil War, communities across America first started observing a day of remembrance to honor their fallen heroes.  The first national proclamation for a “Decoration Day” was made in 1868 by General John Logan, but initially was only observed in Northern states.  Over time, the wounds of the Civil War healed, and today, Memorial Day has come to honor all Americans who’ve died in service to our country.

No one knows the price of freedom better than America’s service members. When our troops are serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, or elsewhere around the globe, the last thing they need to be worried about are problems at home with foreclosure, child custody, or other legal matters.

That’s why Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and I are introducing the Justice for Troops Act, which connects service members with attorneys who volunteer to represent them free of charge. Many attorneys want to volunteer their time to help the troops, but we need a way to connect supply to demand.

Our bill allows the Defense Department to support programs that link volunteer attorneys to service members. There are several existing efforts that our bill could expand, including a military law clinic in our own state at Marquette Law School.

Alongside our troops, military spouses and children also make great sacrifices.  Last month, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched the Joining Forces Initiative, which assists military families with common challenges like finding new jobs when a spouse is transferred and enrolling children at new schools.

This initiative assists with finding health services, transferring academic records, and working with companies to ensure that military spouses can transfer their jobs to new communities.  You can find out more about these and other efforts at www.joiningforces.gov.

This Memorial Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on the brave Americans who paid for our freedom with their lives, as well as the equally brave Americans who continue to defend us at home and abroad every day.

Managing your retirement

Contributed by DJ Johnson

Retirement/401K:  Think about waking up to go to your job. Actually visualize this. Alarm goes off, you stretch and probably feel a little sore, slap the snooze button a dozen times, ponder calling in sick, and wonder why you just can’t win the lottery. Not easy to get going is it? Now, imagine doing the exact same thing…except you are 75 years old! Think it will be any easier then? This is the result of not planning for your retirement. If you don’t have a retirement plan how can you plan to retire? I have never heard someone say, “I wish I would have saved less for retirement” or “I saved TOO MUCH for retirement. What am I going to do with all this money?”

Most companies offer a 401K, IRA, (don’t let names trip you up they are just names) or some type of retirement funds and a lot of people say “no thank you” or “not today”. I wonder if those people really know what they are giving up. First step in successful retirement savings is maximize whatever your company offers. If they match 100% up to a certain amount or 50% up to a certain amount or both, whatever…maximize it. You put $20 into your retirement fund and they do too? Or they even give you $10? Thanks for the free money! I know, you can’t use it now but you will use it someday. And this money goes into an account where it will get invested in stocks (or whatever you choose) and grow or shrink, but even if you lose half your money in these stocks…you break even because half that money came from your employer!

So when you do retire at 65, you can look at the money in your bank account and realize only half that amount is your hard earned savings, the other half you got from just saying yes to wanting to retire at a reasonable age.

ZAXX receives recognition as a “Company to Watch” for 2011

Zaxx Technology Specialists, 240 W. Grand Ave., received recognition as part of the Wisconsin Companies to Watch program, which recognizes mid-sized businesses for innovation.

Administered locally through the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network, the Companies to Watch program is a nationwide initiative sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation that recognizes privately held, second-stage companies.

Second-stage companies are those that already have a working business plan, employ 10 to 99 people and have an annual revenue of $750,000 to $50 million.

Award recipients can attend a three-day leadership retreat at the Edward Lowe Foundation’s headquarters in Michigan to help them network with other second-stage businesses and accelerate their growth, according to the foundation. They also gain access to a yearlong peer learning group.

With plans to implement Zaxx for Business, a division dedicated to bringing information technology systems to businesses and nonprofit organizations, Vruwink hopes to launch a new product called Zaxx Care. It will introduce information technology systems to businesses and nonprofit organizations by creating a partnership with Google Apps, a collection of online tools for businesses.

NewPage Announces Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2010 Financial Results

MIAMISBURG, Ohio, Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — NewPage Corporation (NewPage) today announced its results of operations for the fourth quarter and full year 2010. Net sales were $946 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to $857 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, an increase of $89 million, or 10 percent. For the full year 2010, net sales were $3,596 million compared to $3,106 million for 2009, an increase of $490 million, or 16 percent. Net sales were affected primarily by higher sales volume of core paper and higher sales volume and higher average prices of other non-core paper, partially offset by lower average core paper prices in 2010 compared to 2009. Gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2010 was 8.8 percent compared to (6.2) percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, primarily as a result of higher sales volumes and the effects of not taking market-related downtime in 2010. During 2010, North American printing paper demand increased compared to 2009. This was a result of a recovery of advertising spending and magazine and catalog circulation during 2010 following a decline in 2009 attributable to weak economic factors and inventory reductions by customers.

“On December 8, 2010, we revised our guidance for the fourth quarter as result of our decision to close the Whiting mill in Wisconsin. Our fourth quarter financial results were in line with that guidance and we did see quarter over quarter improvement in our EBITDA results,” said George F. Martin, president and chief executive officer of NewPage.

Net income (loss) attributable to NewPage was $(240) million in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to $(55) million in the fourth quarter of 2009. During the fourth quarter, NewPage announced plans to permanently close the Whiting, Wisconsin mill by the end of February 2011 and recognized asset impairment charges of $196 million in other (income) expense. For the full year 2010, net loss attributable to NewPage was $(656) million compared to $(308) million in 2009. The decrease was primarily a result of lower average sales prices, asset impairment charges and lower other income recognized for the alternative fuel mixture tax credits, partially offset by higher core paper sales volume and lower interest expense.

Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization as further adjusted as shown in the attached reconciliation) was $263 million in 2010 compared to $432 million in 2009.

As a result of higher demand and lower industry production capacity, NewPage did not take any market-related downtime in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to 104,000 tons in the fourth quarter of 2009. For the full year, NewPage took 39,000 tons of market-related downtime during 2010, compared to 515,000 tons of market-related downtime during 2009.

NewPage closed the year with $149 million of liquidity, consisting of $8 million of cash and cash equivalents and $141 million available for borrowing under the revolving credit facility. “Sales proceeds of $79 million from Port Hawkesbury biomass project improved year-end liquidity,” said David J. Prystash, senior vice president and chief financial officer for NewPage. Other previously announced asset sales remain subject to pending regulatory review.

The NewPage Form 10-K Annual Report to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today can be found on the NewPage Web site.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

Art camp offered for high school students

Stevens Point–A week of summer sun and fine arts fun will be offered for high school art students through the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Camp COFAC-Studio Art begins Sunday, June 19, and ends Saturday, June 25, for students entering grades 9-12. Campers will have the opportunity to participate in various workshops instructed by university art faculty and guest artists. Classes include glass fusing and slumping, assemblage sculpture, metal casting and relief sculpture, mixed media painting and drawing and superhero book arts and drawing. Participant’s art work will be on display in a gallery exhibition at UWSP on Saturday, June 25.

Camp COFAC-Studio Art costs $650, which includes all workshops, supplies, evening activities, meals and lodging. A commuter option that includes all classes and lunches is available for $525.

Registration is now open and early registration is strongly advised. All registrants are eligible for a $25 discount off the regular price if submitted prior to May 23. A limited number of scholarships from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and COFAC are available to qualified students.

For more information or to register, contact UWSP Continuing Education at 715-346-3838 or go online at www.uwsp.edu/campcofac.

Public invited to town hall event to discuss Walker’s state employee plan

Stevens Point- Representative Louis Molepske and Senator Julie Lassa will hold a town hall meeting tonight with the public to discuss the new proposal from Governor Walker to address an alleged shortfall in the current budget. Walker’s budget repair bill will be discussed and information will be provided for people on how to contact their legislators before the bill comes up for a vote on Thursday of this week.

Governor Walker proposed the plan on Friday, Feb. 12, and the Legislature may vote on it as early as Thursday.  This meeting will give Central Wisconsin citizens a chance to learn more about this sweeping change and how they can be part of the process.

WHAT:   Town Hall Meeting

WHO:      State Representative Louis Molepske, Jr.; State Senator Julie Lassa

WHERE: UWSP Campus, the Noel Fine Arts Center, Room 221

WHEN:   6:00 p.m.