The Oshkosh Northwestern from Oshkosh, Wisconsin • Page 13

if mmmm Tuesday, September 16, 2003 www.thenorthwestern.com Oshkosh Northwestern HEUUSIH whjM mm mm iililii; ill if Housing state inmates in jail could prevent tax increases BY ALEX HUMMEL of The Northwestern rrnr I i -A revenues are applied erasing jail debt faster, replacing money in lost Park View revenue next year or making up $700,000 in state "shared revenue" program cuts for 2004. There are other cost increases the county would also hope to attack with inmate revenues in 2004. "My motivation is pretty simple," Winnebago County ment Park View Health Center lambasted county officials for backing a new jail yet questioning the need for a new multi-million-dollar nursing home. "Maybe the irony is that fairly-criticized Gail) structure could actually turn out to be something that helps Park View at a time when it looks like very few funds are available," Van De Hey said. The State Department of Corrections is hoping to tuck 2,200 Wisconsin prisoners housed out of state into 15 county jails with spare beds.

Winnebago County is among the candidates since its 340-bed jail opened in June. It currently has about 100 beds vacant for future county inmate growth. An initial financial analysis suggests that state inmates in those spare beds may quell Winnebago County's expected $2.4 million in lost Park View funding and state shared revenues in 2004, threatening to jack up taxes. The ultimate question may come down to how any VAN DE HEY BROOKS A plan housing state inmates in spare beds at Winnebago County's new $30 million jail may spare county homeowners large tax increases for their public nursing home. Ironic, said County Executive Jane Van De Hey, since it was mere months ago supporters of a replace Sheriff Michael Brooks said.

"My motivation is to help reduce the tax levy." PRISON, PAGE C2 FOX VALLEY CHEESECAKE COMPANY IS MOVING TO OMRO Braun 7-i i pleads iio contest' Faces 10 years for Speakers empower students South Park Middle School begins series BY JEFF BOLDER of The Northwestern 1" i felony theft charges BY ALEX HUMMEL of The Northwestern Webster Stanley open house tonight Webster Stanley Middle School will hold an open house tonight from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Parents can meet their children's teachers and ask questions. At 7:30, all parents are invited to the first parent meeting of the year hosted by the Webster Stanley Middle School PTO with the new principal, Jim Se-bert. Fun-filled weekend on the farm in Pickett The third annual "A Day on the Farm In Memory of Jarid Robert Kumbier" will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

at the Kumbier farm, 5814 Mahlke Road, Pickett. This day on the farm is for the whole family with farm animals, hayrides, horse-drawn wagon rides, a corn maze, pumpkin patch, children's activities, pony rides on Saturday only, sheep shearing on Sunday only, food and No admission will be charged, but donations are welcome. All proceeds with be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. For more information contact the Kumbiers at 589-4774 or e-mail wissnorthnet.net.

Walk-in clinic expands hours BERLIN Community Health Network's walk-in clinic in Berlin Memorial Hospital's Medical Office Building, Suite 1500, is now open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Jvag- A g-: -N Goodwill Industries of Menasha will probably never recoup the more than $500,000 its former controller and budget director Carol Braun allegedly stole to cover gambling debts. "Goodwill has frankly resigned themselves to the fact they will not see all this money," Winnebago County District Attorney William Lennon told reporters following Braun's plea hearing on a felony theft charge Monday. Braun, 63, of Neenah pleaded no contest to a single charge of felony theft, part of a negotiated plea deal recognizing several years worth of potential theft charges into one.

"I believe we probably could charge dozens and dozens of felonies," Lennon said before Circuit Court Judge Robert Hawley. Instead, Lennon said prosecutors were Mike McGowan wants students to know they have the power to create a positive, constructive school experience, if they want it. The South Park Middle School Parent Teacher Network invited McGowan, a motivational speaker from Manitowoc, to speak with middle school staff, parents and teachers Monday night on ways to turn their school experiences into positive ones. McGowan's biggest suggestion was to take a leadership role and set a positive tone for the entire class. "Studies are finding whole grades are based on the attitudes and behaviors of eight or nine kids," McGowan said.

"Which class would you rather be in, the class that cheers each other on or the class that knocks each other down?" PHOTOS BY JOE SIENKIEWICZ0F THE NORTHWESTERN ROBIN LUCARELI, owner of Fox Valley Cheesecake, cuts some pieces of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Oiiiro cuts a sweet deal Fox Valley Cheesecake Company moving to old fire station BY DOUGZELLMER of The Northwestern willing to treat Braun's alleged crimes as an "ongoing act" in exchange for her no contest plea. Lennon said insurance may help Goodwill recoup some of the money Braun allegedly stole, acknowledging she likely would not be able to repay the entire amount to the organization. Braun was scheduled for an Oct 14 sentencing. She faces up to 10 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines for the crimes.

A 26-year employee of Goodwill, Braun was charged in July with theft in a business setting after a May audit of the charitable organization's finances showed suspicious bookkeeping and financial losses, according to the criminal complaint Checks drafted by Braun from Goodwill accounts were made out to herself or her husband's business, according to the complaint Lennon said Monday he still was working with Menasha authorities to review possible wrongdoing byi Braun's husband. He said he avoided a court trial for Braun's case because she was willing to acknowl-; edge wrongdoing and anyi drawn out court action would have been "cumbersome." Alex Hummeh (920) or ahummelthenorthwestem.com. The presentation was the first of a series aimed at pooling resources among middle school parent teacher networks to bring in stronger speakers, South Park Middle School Parent Teacher Network President Kay Brauer said. "This is a provocative approach to bringing parents, students and staff together," Brauer said. "We'd like to see more people take advantage of the really excellent programs in the district.

Most buildings have boards that do planning, but this is a way for all the schools to take advantage of better speakers." McGowan began his presentation by comparing the culture older generations grew up in to the one middle school students grow up in now. Students' growing knowledge and use of computers and technology can come at the expense of losing conflict resolution and people skills, McGowan said. "Kids today are incredibly bright. They learn tons of stuff," McGowan said. "But the culture is different Why would they be good at things they don't see and never practice?" Parents have to help set SPEAKERS, PAGE C2 day, according to traffic counts by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

"We're hoping to catch most of them," Lucareli said. Relocating, however, won't be a piece of cake. Lucareli said the move includes just about everything from baking spoons to freezers. The oven itself weighs more than a ton and it has to be completely disassembled. The downtown fire station on Main Street has served the Omro area since the mid-1960s, but a new station constructed on Huron Street gives the fire department needed additional space.

Russ Kleinschmidt, chief of the Omro-Rushford Fire Department, said he expects the department to move into its new facility Saturday. The three municipalities the department serves the city of Omro and towns of Omro and Rushford financed the construction of the new facility, which cost $790,000. la i i The deal is a piece of cake for Omro. Fox Valley Cheesecake Company is moving from Winneconne to the old fire station in downtown Omro, said Robin Lucareli, owner of the business. Lucareli is planning an Oct 11 grand opening in the new location.

"The fire station is perfect We'll have probably four times the space," Lucareli said. "We've been in Winneconne for eight years and we just outgrew the building. The Winneconne community has been good to us, but there wasn't a building perfectly suited for us in Winneconne." Lucareli closed the deal Monday with officials from the Omro-Rushford Fire Department The new location, she said, allows for an expanded retail area and it's closer to Highway 41 for deliveries to Milwaukee and Chicago. She's also planning an area in the new location for patrons to sit and eat cheesecake and other VALLEY CHEESECAKE COMPANY'S current location in Winneconne. Sundays.

Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. The clinic, staffed by CHN family physicians, physician assistants and allied health staff treats common acute problems such as colds, earaches, minor cuts, viral infections and bug bites. Service is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Shea to head DNR's Air and Waste division MADISON (AP) -Wisconsin's director of the Natural Resources Bureau of Watershed Management was named Monday to head the DNR's Air and Waste division, Secretary Scott Hassett announced.

Al Shea will oversee 411 employees in three state programs: the management of air quality and air sions; the disposal of solid and hazardous wastes; and the cleanup and beneficial reuse of contaminated land. Hassett said Shea will focus on issuing air quality permits to businesses more smoothly, and continue encouraging the restoration of land and recycling. Shea, 50, who has been with the department since 1984, has directed the Bureau of Watershed Management since 1997. RIGHTTOIOW The Oshkosh Northwestern publishes public meeting notices to encourage attendance. Public meetings for today include: Winnebago County Family Support Program Advisory Committee meets at 3:45 p.m.

in conference Room 33 of the Human Services Building, 220 Washington Ave. Winneconne Village Board meets at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal center, 30 S. First Winneconne. Omro Board of Education meets at 6:45 p.m.

in the science room at Omro Elementary School, 1000 N. Webster Omro. Omro City Council meets at 7 p.m. in the council chambers, 205 S. Webster Omro.

tion to the community. "It will be a drawing card that will pull people from outside of the area," he said. More than 10,000 vehicles pass through downtown Omro on Highway 21 each products purchased at her business. Steve Volkert, marketing and economic development director for the city of Omro, said Fox Valley Cheesecake Company is a welcome addi Doug Zellmer. (920) 426-6667 or dzellmerthenorthwestern.com.

Football legend honored on postage stamp Ernie Nevers recognized as an early gridiron hero BY DOUGZELLMER of The Northwestern Nevers' sports accomplishments. It's family stories of Nevers his nephew holds close to his heart "He was a tough and a rugged guy," said Nevers. Nevers played football for La Crosse State Teachers College from 1934 to 1938 and remembers what a newspaper sports reporter said when the team made the trek to Superior for a game. "The reporter said if he is half as good as his uncle, he'll be all right," Nevers said. ttellmellKnorthwestenicom.

born in Willow River, has a pedigree that includes a number of college and professional athletic achievements. He earned 11 letters playing sports at Stanford University, starring as a fullback on the football team. He then played pro football with the Duluth Eskimos and Chicago Cardinals. Nevers said his uncle also played professional baseball, pitching for the St. Louis Browns.

Ernie Nevers appeared in two movies, including "The Spirit of Stanford." Books also have been written on plishments," Nevers said. The stamp of his uncle is only part of the memorabilia Nevers has in scrap-books and other souvenirs amassed over the years. Nevers said it gives him a good feeling that he is related to a football star, but it's something he doesn't ponder on a lot. "People have asked me over the years if I'm related to Ernie Nevers and I tell them that I am," he said. "I knew him when I was 2-years-old until he died (of a kidney disorder in 1976 at age 73)." Ernie Nevers, who was ident Joining Nevers on the 2003 commemorative stamps are three other football legends Walter Camp, Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski.

The stamps were issued in mid-August Nevers, 91, said his uncle, who played professional football in the mid-19208 to early 1930s, would be modest if he knew his photo adorns a 37-cent postage stamp. "He wouldn't say much about it He was a humble guy and never talked too much about his accom John Nevers has a valuable stamp he'll keep tucked away in the family scrapbook. It's of his famous uncle, the late Ernie Nevers, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who recently was honored as one of four early gridiron heroes by the United States Postal Service. "To me I think it's really great because he deserved it, but I'm kind of surprised he's on a stamp. I don't think a lot of people really ever knew who he was," said the Oshkosh res 1 a LAURA MAYOF THE NORTHWESTERN OSHKOSH resident John Nevers holds a sheet of stamps with his uncle, Ernie Nevers.

City Editor Karl Ebert (920) 426-6665 or Oshkoshnewsthenorthwestern.com.