OUR PHOTO OF THE WEEK Farmers love their tractors!  Antique tractors and farm machinery made up much of Saturday’s Luxembourg Fest of Belgium parade.  Ryan Bichler drives the Oliver 66 tractor, followed by his brother Jason aboard an Oliver 77.  The Oliver 66 was built from 1949-54 (original cost $2,000), while the Oliver 77 was built from 1948-54 (original cost $3,000).

Emerald Ash Borer Found in Ozaukee, Washington Counties

The tiny, green beetle responsible for killing ash trees in several Midwest states has been detected in Washington County, not far from Wisconsin’s first confirmed case of emerald ash borer in neighboring Ozaukee County.  Three adult beetles were found on Aug. 1 stuck to a purple EAB trap located in Fireman’s Park in the Village of Newburg.  A federal laboratory in Romulus, Mich. confirmed that the beetles were emerald ash borer and notified state authorities on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s not surprising that one of the purple, sticky traps caught these beetles in Newburg,” said Jennifer Statz, EAB Program manager with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.  “The location is very close to Wisconsin’s first confirmed case of EAB, and several ash trees in Fireman’s Park have the tell-tale signs of EAB infestation.”  Last week, state officials were notified that insect samples from a private woodlot in nearby Ozaukee County, in the Town of Saukville, were emerald ash borer.

The adult emerald ash borer is a metallic green insect about one-half inch long and one-eighth inch wide.  The adults lay eggs deep in the crevices of ash tree bark.  The larvae hatching from the eggs eat their way through the fluid-conducting vessels under the tree’s bark, essentially cutting off the flow of nutrients in the tree, leading to the decline and eventual death of the tree.  EAB is native to Asia and is believed to have arrived in North America in the 1990s via shipping containers.

As part of the state and federal response to the Wisconsin infestation, DATCP and partners representing the Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin and UW-Extension, USDA APHIS and Forest Service, and numerous county and municipal governments, will begin the task of surveying the area surrounding the known infestations in an effort to determine the extent of the beetle’s presence in southeast Wisconsin.  Recommending a management strategy will follow when the survey is complete.

The two counties where emerald ash borer has been confirmed, along with two additional neighboring counties, have been placed under quarantine in an effort to help prevent the human-aided spread of EAB.  The quarantine includes all of Ozaukee, Washington, Fond du Lac and Sheboygan counties.  The purpose of the quarantine is to limit the artificial spread of emerald ash borers which may be present in ash nursery stock, hardwood firewood, timber or other articles that could spread EAB into other areas of Wisconsin or other states.  The quarantine will affect plant nurseries, firewood dealers, lumber mills, arborists, pallet manufacturers and homeowners within the four-county area.

“Establishing this quarantine is an important first-step to combat EAB,” says Bob Dahl, plant protection section chief with DATCP.  “EAB can travel only so far on its own, but the beetle can travel great distances if it is unknowingly transported inside logs, mulch or firewood.”

Although the presence of EAB has so far only been confirmed in Ozaukee and Washington counties, the neighboring counties were added because of their proximity to the known locations of EAB and to address some practical issues related to the handling of wood waste from those two counties.  “Quarantined areas need to be large enough so the items of concern, such as ash tree trimmings, dead trees, wood chips or wood waste can be handled and processed without significant costs to municipalities,” Dahl said.  “It may be more cost effective to move approved items into the neighboring county for handling and processing.”

The size of the infestation is still unknown so including neighboring counties errs on the side of caution, Dahl explained.  Nurseries in quarantined counties will not be able to move ash nursery stock to non-quarantined counties or states because there is currently no way to treat the trees with 100 percent guaranteed success.

“This shouldn’t be a hardship for most nurseries as many have already cut back or stopped raising ash because of the declining demand for it,” Dahl said.

Violating the quarantine is a criminal action and may result in a fine of up to $200, six months in jail, or both.  If regulated materials cross the state line, federal penalties begin at $1,000.

For lumber mills, firewood dealers and pallet manufacturers, businesses will be required to follow approved handling methods to prevent the spread of EAB on wood items.  This might include debarking, fumigation, kiln-drying or other approved procedures.  In addition, the department will inspect and certify the products to be free of EAB before the wood products could move out of the quarantined area.

Wisconsin residents and visitors to the state can help prevent the spread of EAB and learn more about this invasive pest in several ways:  Follow all quarantine guidelines.  For many people, that will mean not moving firewood out of the quarantined area.  Learn about the signs and symptoms of EAB infestation, including the characteristics of an infested tree.  This information can be found at the Wisconsin EAB Program web site.  Report suspicious ash trees or request information by calling the Wisconsin EAB Program hotline toll-free at 1-800-462-2803.

Community Meeting on Emerald Ash Borer Scheduled

State and federal agencies responding to the emerald ash borer infestation in southeast Wisconsin are teaming up to host a community meeting to answer questions and address concerns about the tree-killing beetle.  The event will be held on Tues., Aug. 19, at the Washington County Fair Pavilion, located south of West Bend at 3000 County Rd. PV.  There will be an open house from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 8 to 9 p.m.  A presentation and questions/answers are scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

"We know a lot of people have questions about EAB and what the impact may be on their property or business," said Brian Kuhn, director of the Plant Industry Bureau with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.  "Many of our key EAB staff and those from our partner agencies will be on hand next Tuesday night to try to answer them."

The agencies involved in the event include DATCP, the Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin and UW-Extension, and USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (Plant Protection & Quarantine).  A select group of other organizations and associations working on EAB issues has also been invited to attend.

"There's a staggering amount of information available regarding EAB," said Darrell Zastrow, director of the Office of Forest Health with the DNR.  "We hope that by bringing as much EAB knowledge as possible to the community, folks will have a better understanding of the problem, the help available to them, and the available management options.

Disaster Assistance for Flood Damage Has Sept. 15 Deadline

Wisconsin residents have one month to register for disaster help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The deadline for residents to apply for disaster assistance for damages or losses caused by storms and flooding is Mon., Sept. 15, 2008.

"If you live in one of the counties declared eligible for disaster assistance, don't disqualify yourself for possible aid by failing to register," said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont, who heads the FEMA recovery team.  "Even if your losses were minimal, signing up with FEMA by the deadline can put you in a position for possible disaster program funding and other services."

A toll-free helpline is available between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day to take registrations.  The number is 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).  Those with a hearing or speech impairment can call TTY-1-800-462-7585.  Individuals and business owners also can register for help online at www.fema.gov.

FEMA and state recovery aid to residents includes:  grants for emergency disaster housing and essential repairs;  grants for necessities not covered by insurance or other sources;  low-interest loans from the SBA; and unemployment benefits, disaster legal services and crisis counseling.

People who have registered with the American Red Cross or other volunteer and civic agencies also must register with FEMA if they want access to the wide array of federal and state aid that becomes available when a major disaster is declared by the president.

Residents in the following 30 counties can register for assistance:  Adams, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago.

Town of Sherman Board Praises Hiller for Work on New Park

Some months town government needs to make important decisions that will affect their communities for years to come.  For the Town of Sherman Board, the Aug. 5 meeting was not one of those nights.  With a light agenda the meeting lasted less than an hour.

The board praised Dennis Hiller for his work in organizing the construction of a youth baseball diamond in the park located between West View Hills and County Line Estates Subdivisions.  Hiller said some of the younger boys’ teams use the diamond for practice, and some of the younger girls’ teams are making plans to use the site in 2009.

The board briefly reviewed improvements needed for the town’s transfer station on Pelishek Rd., summer road work, and Internet service for the town office.

Random Lake Considers Tax Incremental Financing for Downtown

How much did the Village of Random Lake change as a result of its first tax incremental financing project?  That project focused mainly on the new industrial park, anchored by Times Printing Co., Inc., and soon filled with other smaller companies.  Other improvements included the new street on the south side of the lake, providing an optional entrance beside the one choice of County Road K.  Residents on the east side of the lake could now travel to the west side without making the long drive via Hwy. 57.  Other housing developments came about too in the “east side of the lake” area.

Now the Village of Random Lake is making plans for its second tax incremental financing district, and the focus will be the downtown retail and industrial areas.  And who knows what changes may be in store?

“Tax incremental financing” is a tool created by the state legislature, allowing cities and villages to borrow funds for infrastructure and certain other redevelopment efforts.  The municipality then uses funds generated by the TIF district to pay off the debt.  A small part of Monday’s village board meeting was devoted to the tax incremental financing project, but much planning has already taken place.  More is coming.

Village President Bob McDermott says the boundaries of the project will be approximately Allen St. on the west and Wolf Rd. to the north (it includes the Lakeside Foods/Krier Foods/Schu Industries industrial areas).  The TIF district will include all the businesses on both sides of Carroll St. and maybe a few residences.  The southern border will be the Kettle-Lakes Cooperative property.  Note that these borders are approximate.  However, those property owners who are located within the district stand to benefit from improved infrastructure and perhaps some financing incentives and assistance.

Similar projects have sparked downtown redevelopment in many other communities, such as Oostburg.  Bigger cities like Green Bay and Madison are using TIF financing almost all of the time (Madison has more than 30 TIF projects although many have already been completed).  Twenty years is the standard length for a tax incremental financing project.

The Random Lake Planning Commission and the Random Lake Village Board will need to approve the tax incremental financing project.  The next step will be seeking approval from the Joint Review Board, made up of other taxing agencies such as the school district, Sheboygan County and Lakeshore Technical College.  The monthly meetings of local government leaders have stressed how important residential growth is to the Random Lake School District.

Village officials have worked hard to keep the other agencies “in the loop” regarding the planning for this project.  The joint review board has scheduled its meeting for Wed., Sept. 3.  But it appears that “change” may be a word used more often in the Village of Random Lake.  Keep up with local government news by subscribing to the online Sounder.

Random Lake Museum Features School Days Topics on Sept. 5-6

The Random Lake Area Historical Society Museum located at 615 Carroll St. will be open for a weekend of displays on Sept. 5-6.  Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 3 to 12.

Hours for the museum will be Fri., Sept. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sat., Sept. 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The 1865 Nowack House on Short Street will be open at the same time as the museum.  The museum features permanent historical displays of local businesses and life in the early 20th century in the village and surrounding areas.  The museum also features a new display with topic of the month.

September will feature one-room schools and educational methods of the past.  There will be guest speakers on Friday at 6 p.m. and on Saturday at 10 a.m.  Cedar Grove author Richard Dykstra and the replica of Liberty School will be there both days.  Dykstra has written several books about his attendance at one of the last one-room schools to be operating in the area.  More speakers will be added to the lineup.  Available for purchase will be tacos and caramel apples.

At the Nowack House visitors are encouraged to enjoy the heritage flower beds and garden.  For more information concerning activities at the Nowack House and the Museum call Rev. Marilyn Borchardt 920/994-2168 or Glen Laubenstein 920/994-4682.

Library to Host Acoustic 'Open Jam' on Fri., Aug. 15

There will be an acoustic “open jam” at the Lakeview Community Library in Random Lake on Fri., Aug. 15, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.  The public is welcome to this free event.  In the tradition of folk music, please bring a snack to share.  Musicians are invited to bring their acoustic instrument and join in the music.

The library, located at 112 Butler St., Random Lake, is accessible to the disabled.  For more information call 920/994-4825.  Follow the local entertainment scene by subscribing to the online Sounder.

Random Lake Schools Add a 'District Leadership Team'

The Random Lake School District has added a “District Leadership Team” to focus on ways to increase student achievement through improved curriculum and classroom practices.  The team is charged with establishing the focus of training opportunities for each of the in-service and early release days.

For the 2007-08 term the team included six standing members:  High School Principal Keith Hilts, Middle School Principal Dave Farnham, Elementary School Principal Sandy Mountain, school psychologist Candice Nokes, gifted & talented coordinator Susan Haydock and library media specialist Sheila Fincel.  Teachers representing the high school are Jim DeBroux and Randy Wilterdink; the middle school are Peggy Lenz and Debbie Poull; the elementary school are Susie Goneau and Laurie DeRoehn; and special education teacher Julie Hausner.  Professional assistant Glen Smith represents the support staff.

“They have the best interests of kids in mind at all times,” said Superintendent Tom Malmstadt.  “We want to have all kids reach their full potential.”  Mountain presented an analysis of student testing from the past year.

Beginning in the 2005-06 term, the federal No Child Left Behind Act required all states to test all students in reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school (grade 10 in Wisconsin).  These tests are referred to as the Wisconsin Knowledge & Concepts Examination.  Student performance on the WKCE is reported in proficiency categories and used to determine the adequate yearly progress of students at the school, district and state levels.

These standardized tests measure achievement in reading, language applications, mathematics, science, and social studies using multiple-choice and short-answer questions.  Students also provide a rough draft writing sample. Total WKCE test time varies by content area and grade.

Beginning Sept. 1, 2002, WKCE scores are used as one of several criteria for advancing students from fourth to fifth grade and from eighth to ninth grade.  The other criteria are academic performance, teacher recommendations based on academic performance, and any other academic criteria specified by the local school board.  Copies of the test results are available at the district office.

Luxembourg Fest of Belgium Announces 2009 Honored Families

Family togetherness will be the focus when the 23rd annual Luxembourg Fest of Belgium returns to the Community Park of Belgium on Sat., Aug. 8, and Sun., Aug. 9, 2009.

The honored family names will be:  Ansay, Bernardy, Bichler, Binat, Binnier, Bley, Defrang, Dries, Fritgen, Gales, Galles, Gloden, Goschey, Heinen, Kayl, Oswald, Pesch, Ronk, Straub, Tholl and Wagner.  For more information contact President Donald "Peanuts" Schommer 262/285-3203, Historian Beatrice Krier 262/285-3152, Secretary Carol Krier 262/285-3202 or Treasurer Richard Uselding 262/285-3214.

Construction Continues on New Cultural Center

Construction is underway for the new Luxembourg American Cultural Center located in Belgium.  The $2.3 million cultural center is a collaborative venture between the non-profit Luxembourg American Cultural Society, Inc. and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture.

Construction of the center began in December 2007 with completion of the project scheduled for late 2008.  The cultural center will include three components: the Krier Family Wëllkomm Centre, the Roots & Leaves Museum, and administrative space housing the society's research center and offices.

The Roots & Leaves Museum is being housed in the rebuilt 1872 Mamer-Hansen stone barn.  The barn was originally built by Jacob Mamer, a Luxembourg immigrant to Ozaukee County, and located in the Town of Port Washington.  The Luxembourg American Cultural Society dissembled the barn in 2003 and is rebuilding the stone barn as the show piece of the center.  Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture is providing all of the museum exhibits, displays and furniture as an in-kind donation to the center.

The society's research center includes information about Luxembourg families and settlements throughout the United States but it also is the Northern Ozaukee County Research Center and houses genealogical information for families from Northern Ozaukee County no matter their ethnicity.  The Luxembourg American Cultural Society's interim offices and research center are located at 775 Main St. in Belgium.  For more information contact the cultural society at 262/476-5086 or admin@luxamculturalsociety.org.

Community SHARe Seeks More Projects

Community SHARe, an organization of volunteers from the communities of the Town of Sherman, Adell and Random Lake, has completed its first project with the Earth Day clean-up in April.  More than 75 people participated in picking up trash in parks, along roads and the railroad.

Community SHARe is seeking its next projects.  “We have a long list of volunteers who are willing to help out with projects in these three communities,” says Deb Hamm.  Projects could include yard clean-up, painting, small construction jobs, handicap ramps, etc.  “If you have an idea, but are not sure it is a job we would tackle, please feel free to check with us,” she said.

Volunteers are willing to do these projects for free for folks who are unable to do the work and who have limited financial resources.  They also are willing to do projects for those who cannot do the work themselves but might be able to offer a donation to the organization.  All donations will be used to help others in need.

For more information contact the Random Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at 920/994-9054.  For all the local government and school news subscribe to the online Sounder.

You Can Receive the Entire Sounder Online

Subscriptions to The Sounder in PDF form can be purchased from ArcaSearch, a division of the Colormax company in Paynesville, Minn.  "Readers around the world can access The Sounder in its entirety within a day after it's published," says editor Gary Feider.  "We also are building an online archive that can be utilized by our digital subscribers."

ArcaSearch is endorsed by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and many other state newspaper associations.  The ColorMax team is focused 100 per cent on its core service -- digital content delivery and digital archive services.

"We will continue to offer our free Internet site, which has been available since 1999 with brief news and sports stories," Feider said.  "We know that more than a hundred people view that site every day.  We expect that many of these people will take advantage of the opportunity to read the entire paper, cover to cover, including all the photos, display ads and classified ads."  The site offers 3-month, 6-month and 12-month subscriptions which can be paid by credit card.  For more information visit the Complete Online Edition Web Site.

We Welcome Your Subscription

The online version of The Sounder includes highlights but not everything from our weekly newspaper.  Subscribing to The Sounder will bring you a photographic record of our community together with editorials, letters to the editor, the weekly "Clergy Comment," weddings, engagements, births, college and high school honor roll information plus many other articles of interest.  Let us know if you would like to receive a free sample copy of The Sounder.  Delivery by U.S. Postal Service costs $20.00 per year in Sheboygan, Ozaukee and Washington Counties; $22.50 per year elsewhere in Wisconsin; $25.00 per year elsewhere in the U.S.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Obituaries

Raymond L. Gantner, 84, of 114 Middle Rd., Belgium, died on Aug. 14, 2008 at his residence surrounded by his loving family.  The Town of Belgium native owned and operated a dairy farm in the Town of Belgium with his wife Beatrice until retiring in 1990.  See Aug. 21 Sounder.

Harold A. Thill, 67, of 4670 County Rd. B, Port Washington, died on Aug. 13, 2008 at the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice, Sheboygan Falls.  A graduate of Port Washington High School, he operated the family farm on County Rd. B until retiring.  See Aug. 21 Sounder.

Clifford R. Rismeyer, 70, of 320 Lindale St., Belgium, formerly of Port Washington, died Aug. 10, 2008 at the Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette.  The Port Washington native worked as a welder at Modern Equipment Co. in Port Washington, retiring in 2002 after 38 years.  See Aug. 14 Sounder.

Joyce M. (Klug) Anderson, 83, a former resident of Wisconsin Ave. in Cedar Grove, died early on Aug. 9, 2008 at the Cedar Grove Gardens.  The Town of Holland native was a homemaker living in the Cedar Grove area for all of her life.  See Aug. 14 Sounder.

Barbara E. (Sargent) Bennett, 48, of Fredonia, died Aug. 5, 2008 at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, where she was recovering after a heart and lung transplant.  The Milwaukee native grew up in the Random Lake area.  She was a receptionist at Crestwood Cut & Curl in Milwaukee for 15 years.  See Aug. 14 Sounder.

Shirley (Ewert) (Liermann) Dahm, 80, of W5963 County Rd. W, Cascade, died Aug. 4, 2008 at the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice, Sheboygan Falls.  The Milwaukee native lived most of her life in the Cascade area.  Her first husband, Leslie Liermann, died in 1975.  She married Michael Dahm in 1991.  See Aug. 7 Sounder.

Leila M. (Crane) Kampmann, 81, of Random Lake died at her home on Aug. 1, 2008 surrounded by her family and friends.  The Pulaski native was an active homemaker.  At the age of 29 she was one of the first people in Wisconsin to have open heart surgery.  See Aug. 7 Sounder.

Robert E. Ewig, 82, of 1888 Woodview Circle, Port Washington, died on Aug. 1, 2008 at the Sheboygan Progressive Care Center in Sheboygan, where he was a resident.  The Port Washington native worked for 17 years at Harnishfeger Homes in Port Washington, moving to Arkansas and Indiana with the company.  He returned in the mid 1960's and he became an accountant and vice-president of Eddy Associates, Inc., of New Berlin.  See Aug. 7 Sounder.

Harvey O. Baer, 104, of 916 E. Clifford St., Plymouth, died on July 31, 2008 at the Plymouth Care Center.  The Town of Sherman native operated a mink and fox ranch in the Town of Scott from 1936-51.  Then he continued operating it as a hobby farm until 1962.  He and his wife moved to Plymouth, where he drove school bus for 10 years.  See Aug. 14 Sounder.

Rose M. (Ernst) Backhaus, 69, of N611 State Hwy. 28 in the Town of Scott, died on July 25, 2008 at St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee.  She grew up in the Town of Scott area and was a homemaker.  See July 31 Sounder.

Vilas A. Schroeter, 73, of N564 Schroeter Dr., Town of Sherman, died July 24, 2008 at Heritage Health & Rehabilitation Center in Port Washington, where he had been a resident for two years.  The Silver Creek native grew up working on the family farm.  He raised his family on that farm, tending his herd of registered Brown Swiss cattle and crops.  Mr. Schroeter was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease but for many years he continued to persevere until his retirement in 2000.  See July 31 Sounder.

Sandra L. (Liermann) LaFever, 68, of 3429 County Rd. K, Random Lake, died peacefully at her home on July 21, 2008 surrounded by her family.  The Random Lake native attended the Sheboygan County Teachers College.  She taught in several schools and later helped her husband, Mark, in the operation of LaFever Electric Service.  See July 24 Sounder.

Dion J. Mueller, 19, of 1036 Covington Dr., Sheboygan Falls, died on July 21, 2008 as the result of a traffic accident. He grew up in the Random Lake area and graduated from Sheboygan Lutheran High School, where he as active in athletics.  Since September 2007 he was attending UW-Whitewater.  He worked at The Bull golf course in Sheboygan Falls and at the Random Lake Pizzeria.  See July 24 Sounder.

Michele E. (Balsom) Arhelger, 44, of 222 N. Garfield Ave., Port Washington, died July 18, 2008 at St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee, where she had been a patient.  The Milwaukee native worked as a general duty nurse.  Her parents are Ross and Patricia Balsom of Random Lake.  See July 24 Sounder.

Gertrude E. (Miske) Shaver, 71, of N3973 County Rd. S, Plymouth, died July 18, 2008 at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Wauwatosa, where she had been patient for two days.  She grew up in the Adell area.  She and her husband, the late Gerald Shaver, farmed n the Town of Sherman for eight years and since 1966 they farmed in the Town of Mitchell.  See July 24 Sounder.

Maria (Wasensteiner) Meissner, 77, a longtime Random Lake resident, died July 16, 2008 at Gables on the Pond in Random Lake, where she had been a resident.  A native of Germany she met her future husband, Hilbert Meissner, after World War II.  They moved to Random Lake in the 1960's and she worked as a stitcher for Allen-Edmonds Shoe Co. for 28 years, retiring at the age of 65.  See July 24 Sounder.

Rita Ann (Schmitt) Beeman, 54, of Hicksville, Ohio, died at the University Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, on July 12, 2008.  She grew up in the Dacada area and was an ITT graduate, majoring in accounting.  She lived on the east coast while her husband, Hank, served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years.  They eventually settled in Ohio.  See July 24 Sounder.

Richard A. "Rick" Dahm, 61, who lived at 2269 Jay Rd. in the Town of Belgium, died unexpectedly on Tues., July 8, 2008, at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Campus in Mequon.  He and his wife Doreen owned and operated a dairy farm in the Town of Belgium.  See July 10 Sounder. 

Maj. Rosemary J. Bichler, U.S. Army, Ret., 59, of Petersburg, Va., died unexpectedly at her residence in Virginia on July 7, 2008.  The Port Washington native enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from UW-Milwaukee with a degree in education.  Rosie continued her studies throughout her life.  After achieving the rank of major, she commanded her company in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm.  She retired from active duty in 1994, however, remained in the Fort Lee vicinity.  See July 17 Sounder.

Sports

(For high school schedules, click on Ram and Warrior mascots above)

Boys' Baseball

(July 25) at West Bend East 8, Random Lake 2.  Even with the momentum of 10 victories in a row the Random Lake High School baseball team could not get past West Bend East in Friday’s WIAA sectional semi-final game at Carl Kuss Field at West Bend’s Regner Park.  The Suns went on to lose the sectional championship, 12-4, to their archrivals from West Bend West, the defending WIAA summer baseball champion.  “A lot of our kids wanted to get to the sectional and we did it,” said Ram coach Mark Heise.  “Eric Kempf pitched a heck of a game against us.  He kept the ball down low and had no walks.  I wanted to give Travis Goehring the opportunity to pitch for us but he was tired after two days rest from our 4-3 win against Kewaskum.  We just ran up against a team that’s better than us.  That happens in baseball.”  Heise said the sectional loss does not take anything away from Random Lake’s championship of the Central Lakeshore Conference.  “It has been a great year for Random Lake baseball,” he said.  East struck for three runs in the second inning.  Eric Gremonprez and Nick Elger reached base on throwing errors, putting runners at the corners.  After one strikeout Shane Rose walked to load the bases.  Goehring fanned another batter, but lead-off hitter Paul Klotz blasted a double to the fence in left center, scoring three runs.  Random Lake fought back to score a run in the third inning.  Goehring knocked a single past first base, and courtesy runner Jordan Cotter went to second on a wild pitch.  With two outs Ryan Schueller cracked a single over second base and Cotter beat the throw to the plate.  The Suns got the run back in their half of the third inning.  E. J. Sexton dropped a single into left field.  With one out Gremonprez blooped an RBI single to right.  West Bend East put the game away with four runs in the fourth inning.  Tanner Pruett reached on a bunt single and Klotz was hit by a pitch.  At this point Mark Weyker replaced Goehring as Random Lake’s pitcher.  A sacrifice bunt by Whitlock moved the runners to third and second.  A wild pitch brought in one run and then Sexton walked.  Tony Decent, East’s outstanding catcher, blasted a triple to the fence in center field.  Trevor Pruett entered as his courtesy runner, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Gremonprez.  Whitlock came in to pitch the sixth inning and the Rams scored a run.  Schueller drove a single past the shortstop.  Bradley Palmer launched the Rams’ biggest hit of the year — a double that hit the center field fence at the 263-foot sign.  That put runners at second and third.  With two outs Schueller scored on a passed ball.  East threatened again in the sixth inning with runners as far as third and second before Weyker retired the side.  The Rams went down in order in the top of the seventh inning.  East raised its record to 22-9, while the Rams close the season at 17-8.  Follow all Random Lake High School sports results on the Complete Online Edition Web Site.

Fall High School Sports Schedules Listed

Ready for another season of high school sports?  The football, boys' soccer, girls' volleyball, and cross country schedules for Random Lake High School and Ozaukee High School are now listed on this site.  Click on the Ram and Warrior mascots above.

New This Week
Wisconsin Cheese & Dairy Products -- Enjoy the unique tastes of Wisconsin this summer.

Past Editor's Picks
Veteran.com -- A new non-political online community for America's military veterans.
Smart Growth -- Learn more about this joint Adell, Random Lake and Town of Sherman program.
Wisconsin Maritime Museum -- Manitowoc has the state's largest maritime museum.
Power Reporting -- Thousands of great free research tools for journalists.
Wisconsin Citizen Corps -- Organizing volunteers to improve readiness in Wisconsin.
Marquette Interchange Updates -- Check before driving to Milwaukee (for the next few years)
Enjoy Horicon Marsh -- Many people visit at this wildlife area in the fall.
New Wisconsin Travel Guide -- A service of the state Department of Tourism.
VA Kids -- Young people can learn what it means to be a war veteran.
Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce -- The business view of Sheboygan County.
Savorwisconsin.com -- Find Wisconsin food and agricultural products.
Blood/Breath Alcohol Concentration Calculator -- Don't mix drinking and driving!
Milwaukee River Basin Partnership -- Random Lake is part of the Milwaukee River Basin.
T-Baum Foundation -- Local organization helps young adults with life-threatening illnesses.
National Marrow Donor Program -- Find out how you can help.
Road Conditions, Work Zones, Repair Schedules -- Info from the Department of Transportation
Polka Bob's Polka Radio Locator -- Invaluable information for you polka lovers.
Jung's Beer Trays -- Collector information from Random old brewery.
Smart Growth Online -- Learn about the national "anti-sprawl" campaign (Wisconsin too).
The Wheeler Report -- A fine source for Wisconsin government and political news.
Sacred Space -- Spend 10 minutes in prayer and meditation each day with the Irish Jesuits.
Translate with Babel Fish -- AltaVista offers this handy translator for several languages.
Sheboygan County Government -- All the details about county government.
Wisconsin Scanner Frequencies -- CityFreq offers this invaluable resource for scanner fans.
Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau -- What's new in West Bend and beyond.
Wisconsin.gov -- The new State of Wisconsin e-government portal.
Evolution of Local & County Governments in Southeastern Wisconsin -- From UW-Milwaukee.
All About Wisconsin Lakes -- This Department of Natural Resources site tells it all.
Wisconsinites Honor Bernard Cigrand -- This article (translated from "Telecran") describes Waubeka's most famous resident (the Luxembourg emigrant who originated Flag Day).
Movie Reviews with Families in Mind -- Is that film appropriate for the kids?  Sponsored by the U.S. Catholic Conference.

Here's One Last Random Glance

Schools Still Welcome Registrations for 2008-09 Term

The Random Lake School District still welcomes registrations by families with children in elementary school, middle school or high school.  Contact the respective school office at any time.  The Random Lake School District will hold a Back to School BBQ on Wed., Aug. 27, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.  Families can meet teachers and visit classrooms.

The Northern Ozaukee School District in Fredonia continues to welcome students at the elementary, middle school and high school levels.  Those who registered by mail can stop in during the week of Aug. 18 (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) to pick up handbooks, schedules, etc.

Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School in Random Lake welcomes registrations for preschool 3- and 4-year-olds through 6th grade.  Building tours are available.  Interested families can contact the school at any time.  A meet and greet picnic style supper will be served on Tues., Aug. 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.  For more information call 920/994-9962.

St. John Lutheran School, Sherman Center, will conduct its back to school registrations on Wed., Aug. 20, from 8-10 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. in the school gymnasium.  The school offers grades 1-8 plus 3-year-old and 4-year-old preschool, half day and full day kindergarten.  For more information call 920/994-9190.

For Complete Details and Much More, Read The Sounder

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