Welcome to KickTime - News of the Kickapoo Valley, WI

A Driftless Regional web space for Kickapoo Valley news, events and local commerce (like recycling, ride sharing, eating from local sources, buying and supporting local entrepreneurs.)

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Hills and Valleys (page 2)

Kickapoo Watershed Cleanup

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Thu Jun 19, 2008 at 09:48:28 PM CST

Gary Thompson, VSN Stewardship and Education Coordinator, is presently coordinating a work crew with Workforce Connections to work on flood clean-up in the Kickapoo River Watershed. Workforce Connections is a local organization working to assist community members who lost their jobs due to the August Floods of 2007. Clean-up work began in April of 2008 with the removal of deposited debris from last year's flood event. Now, area residents are faced with much more work as the process starts all over again.

Gary WQM 184.jpg
image from recent cleanup

This is a daunting task due to recent additional flood damage in the region. VSN is presently seeking additional supervisory help to manage a work crew of up to twelve workers. Work hours and days are flexible.

More details in the full story...

(240 words in story) Full Story

Kickapoo Passable from Ontario

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Thu Jun 19, 2008 at 08:56:28 AM CST

If you need a bit of recreation this weekend, think about a float down the Kickapoo River. I would call the Livery (a probably partial list is here) to be sure of conditions, but I know from Ontario to Bridge 5 is open (Kickapoo Yacht Club has a nice map and the Wildcat_State_Park is closed for repairs, so that landing is not available.) These businesses had an unexpected 7-10 day closure due to the storms and need folks to come out and enjoy a day on the river.

What is normally a fairly lazy float is a bit more work than usual. There were some areas with narrow passages cut by the crew on that job, and a couple spots of whitewater, but even the worst of it was fairly easy to steer through--even with kids on board. There were some scenes of the June 8th storm destruction,

iPhoto

but overall it was a beautiful trip on an amazing river.

iPhoto

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MREA Energy Fair June 22-24

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Wed Jun 18, 2008 at 07:33:16 AM CST

Join us for the 19th annual Energy Fair June 20-22, 2008. The Fair will be held at MREA's headquarters, the ReNew the Earth Institute, located at 7558 Deer Road in Custer, WI. The website with all the info is here.

Since 1990, the Energy Fair has shown fairgoers how to change the world while having fun. Each summer the Fair transforms rural central Wisconsin into the global hot spot for renewable energy education. The Energy Fair is the world's largest renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living educational event of its kind. Please join us this year!

(1 comment) Comments >>

Aerial Photos of the Vernon County Dams

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 07:24:53 PM CST

The Vernon County website has an interactive_map that locates the dams in the county and is clickable to online aerial photos of them at flood stage. Below is Sidie Hollow that shows it rather close to topping.

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Chainsaw Safety 6/7--Kickapoo Woods Coop

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Wed May 21, 2008 at 04:32:06 PM CST

Loggers, landowners and arborists are invited to participate in a chainsaw safety seminar, a hands-on workshop co-sponsored by the Kickapoo Woods Cooperative(KWC) and the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. Enrollment is limited, but the KWC will schedule additional sessions of chainsaw safety training whenever sufficient people express an interest in the class. If you cannot attend this time, but would like to take the workshop in the future, please contact the co-op.

The class will meet at 8:00 am June 7 at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitor Center one mile north of La Farge on Highway 131. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion. Insurance companies for loggers consider participation in this training a reduction of risk and frequently offer reduced premiums to loggers whose crews have taken this training.

Price, details etc in the full story....

(291 words in story) Full Story

GENOA NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY Kids Fishing Day

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:15:27 AM CST

Saturday, May 17, 2008

9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM

Registration begins at 8:45 am

Ages 6 years to 12 years

Fishing poles available as needed.

Lunch, soft drinks and water will be provided.

For more information call: 689-2605

Children must attend the Fishing Clinic in the morning to attend the
Fishing Session at Pond 1D at the Hatchery at 10 am. Children must also
be accompanied by a parent or responsible party.

Fish ID/Habitat, Fish Behavior, and Jig Making Instructions will be part
of the morning session. Fishing in Pond 1D on the Hatchery will be part
of the morning session.

Permission slip in the full story

(211 words in story) Full Story

Spring Flora Hike May 17 on Kickapoo

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:14:52 AM CST

On Saturday, May 17, 2008, at 1:00 pm, the Kickapoo Woods Cooperative will sponsor a hike to identify spring flora in the forests of the Wauzeka Unit of the Kickapoo River State Wildlife Area. Mid-May is a great time to see the spring ephemeral wildflowers in the forest, and plant specialist Carol Jacobs will guide the group and identify forest understory plants as well as prairie plants encountered in the open areas.

More in the full story, or Contact Lila Marmel, 608~624~5269; sunmoon [at-sign]mwt.net

(400 words in story) Full Story

"Spring on the Kickapoo" canoe trip--5/10

By borges, Section Hills and Valleys
Posted on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:08:10 PM CST

The River Alliance of Wisconsin is sponsoring a day-long "Spring on the Kickapoo" canoe and kayak trip, led by veteran canoeist Ron Rosner of Madison. Rosner was active in the Sierra Club in the 1970s at the time when the federal government's proposal to dam the river drew stiff public opposition.

Members of the Viroqua-based Valley Stewardship Network will offer insights about the present and future health of the Kickapoo River and its watershed for a Saturday, May 10 paddling event organized by a statewide river conservation organization.

The paddling event starts at 10am at Bridge 4 (or Landing 4) on the Kickapoo, south of Ontario. The excursion will stop at Wildcat Mountain State Park for lunch and a hike, and continue paddling to Bridge 7. The trip should end about 3:30pm.

The cost is $15 for VSN members ($25 for non-members) payable to the River Alliance. Lunch will be provided. Paddlers must have or rent their own boats.

Advance registration is required, and is limited to 16 boats. Register on-line at www.wisconsinrivers.org or call 608/257~2424 ext. 121.

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