Author: OFChamber

The February meeting of the Oconto Falls Lions Club was quite out of the ordinary for two reasons.  First, because District Governor Peter Andre and his wife Gayle brought greetings.  Second, not only did DG Andre bring his wife, he also brought along a Birch Sturm Fellowship plaque, which was part of a surprise presentation to Lion Jim Patenaude.

In 1990, the Birch-Sturm Fellowship was created by the Wisconsin Lions Foundation to honor those individuals who exemplify undying dedication and commitment to the Lions organization. The Fellowship is named after Wisconsin’s only International Presidents, Frank V. Birch and Clarence L. Sturm who were great supporters of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation.

Lion Jim joined the Oconto Falls Lions in November, 1995 and was sponsored was Richard Delvaux.  Jim worked his way through the officer ranks and served as Club President in 2001-2002.  He served as the club treasurer for 11 years and recently stepped down in 2013.

The annual rose sale was an idea he initiated and continues to chair.  He also was the spark behind bringing Frank’s Christmas Show to the Falls Area Performing Arts Center.

Jim was the driving force with the Lions resurrecting of the operation at the tubing hill at River Island.  Jim did a lot of research on this, led the fund drive to get a new rope. got the place inspected and licensed for operation, organized training of supervisors, and coordinated the volunteer schedule when it started.  As a result of the reopening of the hill, the club got a number of new members.  Given his people skills, he has been a great organizer of social events, an important part of club membership.  He is a great idea man and has got lots of projects off the ground.  He has been a great asset to the club and the community and very deserving of this recognition.

District Governor Andre was proud to present the Fellowship to Lion Jim and congratulated the club on its many positive efforts in the community.

Pictured on the right is Lion Jim Patenaude and on the left is Club President Shane Senn.  The two posed for pictures at the club’s recent board meeting.

Warm weather reduces snow cover in the south, deep snow persists in the north

Some very warm weather early in the week, reaching into the 50s statewide, has taken a toll on winter sports conditions, especially in the southern half of the state. The warm weather melted a lot of snow in a hurry leaving a muddy mess in far southern areas and water standing in many fields and yards. Many southern facing slopes in the south are now snow free, much to the delight of wildlife.

In the north, however, while snow settled some with the warm up, the deep snow persists. Snowmobile trails remain open and are still being reported as good to very good in many northern counties on the Department of Tourism’s Snow Conditions Report. Most state park and forest properties are reporting that cross-country ski grooming is likely over for the season, unless the state receives another big snowfall. Trails in the south are generally in poor condition, and while trails in the north are snow-covered, they have been icy in the mornings and soft and slushy as temperatures warm throughout the day.

State wildlife officials continue to monitor the harsh winter’s impact on deer and turkey. They continue to ask the public’s help in reporting any dead deer or turkeys to local wildlife biologists. And responding to many hunters’ concerns over turkey populations in the north, wildlife officials have announced that they will reduce the number of over-the-counter spring turkey permits available in some northern units.

Northern Wisconsin lakes are still solidly locked in ice, with 22 to 30 inches on most lakes with layers of slush on top, making travel very difficult. Lakes in southern Wisconsin have just begun to show signs of early break-up with some landings and shorelines having open water, especially near inlets and outlets. Wardens are cautioning people against driving any vehicles on river systems as they are also beginning to open up.

Ice fishing pressure has been pretty non-existent in the north, but this week’s warm weather did trigger some good panfish action on southern and central Wisconsin lakes. The milder weather brought out more anglers last weekend on Green Bay, where anglers continue to fish though deep ice with success for whitefish and northern pike reported along the east and west shore. There is some more open water in southeastern Lake Michigan harbors, but most are still locked in ice and anglers continue to catch brown and rainbow trout through the ice.

Raccoon, skunk, muskrat, mink, and opossum activity has increased as temperatures are increasing and snow is receding. River otter sign along creeks and streams may be more evident this time of year as male otters increase their movements during the March to April breeding season. Fox and gray squirrels are feeding furiously on nuts and seeds that have remained buried all winter under snow and ice, and males are actively pursuing females.

The spring bird migration is off to a tempered start with arrival of small numbers of sandhill cranes, red-winged blackbirds, and American robins in the south. Waterfowl rank among the earliest migrants and a good diversity of birds are now on the move. However, this winter’s extensive ice cover continues to take a toll on many diving ducks as numerous dead birds are showing up along the Lake Michigan shoreline as ice recedes.

COMING SOON to NWTC in Oconto Falls

Training in CNC with the Computer Integrated Manufacturing Mobile Lab

That’s right – a new opportunity for current and future machinists close to home!

Intro to G-Code and Cam 1 will be offered on Monday nights and Saturday mornings (student attends both days) starting March 31. The class (#28251) meets continuously on the scheduled dates so that students can complete the 30 hour course in record time.

This training opportunity is unique. The 44 foot mobile lab is packed with technology including:
• A Haas computer numerical control (CNC) lathe
• A Haas CNC mill
• 13 computers
• A SMART board

The lab is totally self-contained, is run with two on-board diesel generators, and pulled by a one-ton commercial grade pick-up truck.
The lab’s two slide-outs provide the space necessary for everything that a student would find in a stationary lab. It is run by a CNC lab aide and instructor.

For more information or to enroll in this class:
NWTC Oconto Falls
649 E. Jackson St
Oconto Falls, WI 54154
Phone 920-848-6982

Snow and trails in some of the best conditions that have been experienced in years

More seasonable winter weather finally arrived this week, breaking the pattern of several weeks of frigid temperatures. Only light snowfalls have been reported across the state in the last week, but thanks to the cold weather, snow depths remain very deep across much of the state.

Snowmobile and cross-country ski conditions remain good to very good across the state. Additional light snowfalls have allowed both snowmobile and ski groomers to continue to keep trails in some of the best conditions that have been experienced in years.

The cold and snow have continued to hamper inland ice fishing, especially in the Northwoods, where the deep snow and slush has made travel very difficult. Many days have seen virtually no fishing pressure on many lakes, including some of the major waters. Fishing activity has been higher in the south, where activity has been steady on some lakes.

The best fishing has continued to be on Green Bay were anglers were out again in good numbers at many locations along both the east and west shores. Whitefish continue to provide the best action, with limits again reported. Some walleye were also reported in the Menominee River, and some northern pike caught off Oconto and Brown counties.

After over 30 years of caring for the learning space at Abrams Elementary School, Larry Peters has decided to hang up his broom for one last time. He was the guest of honor at a celebration in his honor on January 30th. Friends, family members, and current and former Abrams staff were on hand to recognize him for the care and attention he gave to that building and the people who walked its halls over that time period.

As a student, Larry moved into that brand new building to start his 7th grade school year. Perhaps because he was a student when the building was bright and fresh, he did everything in his power to keep it looking that way when he came on board.

While it is not clear if there was any connection, the building was without power for a couple of hours on Wednesday of last week. Even if he had been on the job, there are some things over which even he had no control.

The Oconto Falls School District extends best wishes to Larry and Nancy as he moves forward and leaves behind a great looking building that does not show its age. He plans to spend much more time working with facility related duties with his church.