The La Crosse Tribune from La Crosse, Wisconsin • 13

La Crosse Tribune, Tuesday, November 11, 1986 Onalaska school board faces choices on spending By VICTORIA BERGET Special to the Tribune It's budget time again. Barely a month after the Onalaska school board set the levy for the 1986-87 school year, district administrators are already working on next year's school budget. Business manager Robert Weber said Monday night he recommends no increases in spending for textbooks, equipment and supplies in the 1987-88 school year. Those items make up 25 percent of the district's budget. Salaries account for the other 75 percent.

Weber said this year the adminis tration will request an increase in the teaching staff by one full-time and two half-time positions. He said a good case could be made for a foreign language teacher at the middle school, a half-time gifted and talented student coordinator and a half-time person in the remedial lab at the high school. He advised the board to put a higher priority on teachers and cut back on supplies. Superintendent Claude Deck said Gov. -elect Tommy Thompson wants the next state budget cut by 5 percent, although he said he wants to increase state aid to schools.

Northern Hills principal Cather ine Berg said holding the line on expenses may be easier said than done. "If the workbooks used in spelling and math go up 9 percent, what are we supposed to do?" he asked. Board President Ronald Adams asked the administration to take a closer look at the figures and come back with suggestions on "what would be the best path to take." On another matter, the board proposed a revised policy for co-curricular activities on Sunday and Wednesday nights. Members of the athletic and music departments had asked that the policy be relaxed, because time restrictions and a lack of space make it impossible for all groups to schedule adequate practice and rehearsal times. The proposed policy stipulates that Sunday practices should be kept to a minimum and held after 12 p.m.

If co-curricular activities beyond the board's control, such as parades and tournament games, begin before noon, parents will be allowed to arrange alternate transportation for their children after church. On Wednesday nights, practices for students in grades 5 through 8 are to end at 5 p.m. Practices for those in grades 9 through 12 can be held anytime Wednesday night, as long as a student with a church obligation is allowed to leave. If a student feels he has been unfairly treated because of his church obligations, he can file a grievance. Middle school Principal John Burnett said the problem with the present policy is that there is just not enough space in the district to accommodate all the teams that need practice time and leave Sundays and Wednesday nights open.

"If we had adequate field house space, I'm sure they'd be willing to go along (with the present policy)," he said. Board member Nancy Growe said the decision to attend a sports practice or a church function is a choice students, under their parents' guidance, should make for themselves. "I don't think we have to do that for the kids," she said. Four members of the audience spoke for keeping Wednesdays and Sundays free from school activities. "It's vital we have one day set aside for worship and family time and it not be infringed on by other activiites," said Jan Reuter, of N5009 Sunset Vista, Onalaska.

The policy will be given its second reading at the next board meeting. Genetic fault slowly killing three kids Accident changes victim's perspective she said. "Ever since Chad's been little, he's always been talking about dying. Holly always says she's not afraid to die. She's going to be an angel." Chad can add numbers but can't remember how to tie his shoes.

Though he has never been able to read, he has pretended to by reciting stories from memory. He can ride his bike, following his mother's voice to the driveway. But Chad's other side is fierce, violent, uncontrollable. His parents push tranquilizers into his mouth to calm him during those moments. "I can't make him mind because he can't make himself mind," Peg Davis said.

The girls are obedient, with shy smiles. This summer, the family won a four-day trip to New York City through Make a Wish, a Minneapolis-based organization that grants wishes to terminally-ill children. Holly chose the trip, to see the renovated Statue of Liberty. It was probably her last chance to see it. And, even standing beside the statue, she had to use binoculars.

Still, she was thrilled. "I liked it so bad I wanted to live in it," Holly said. The Davises aren't sure whether they will be able to continue caring for all three of their children. When the time comes, Peg Davis hopes to have help from a hospice program, but she insists, "I'll do it here unless it comes to a point where I can't handle it." Meanwhile, she tries to keep her own spirits up and her emotions under control. "I can deal with it now because I'm fighting for them," she said.

"When my children are dead and gone is when I don't know what will happen." BALSAM, Minn. (AP) A year and a half ago, the three children of Bill and Peg Davis were diagnosed with Batten's disease, a genetic disease of the central nervous system. It eventually turns its victims into invalids who can't speak or feed themselves. Generally, within 10 years, they die. The Davis kids don't know about Batten's disease, but they know something is wrong.

At age 11, Chad Davis is nearly blind. His 8-year-old sister, Holly, is hard of hearing and losing her vision. Their 5-year-old sister, Hannah, has hearing loss. Chad and Holly have had seizures and learning problems and have been placed in a special school in Bovey, near their rural home in Balsam in northern Minnesota. Chad's speech is slurred and his behavior can be aggressive and uncontrollable.

Because Holly and Hannah are younger, their symptoms aren't so advanced. "I have no power over that; I have no cure for it. I have nothing to offer them," Peg Davis said in an interview last week with the Du-luth News-Tribune Herald. "My kids talk about dying a lot," 55, pursuaded them to attempt to reattach the tissue. Wynn said she did not spend much time asking, "Why me?" "But I do notice people's knees a lot now.

"If you try to figure out why things happen the way they do, you will stay totally stymied and never try anything. It's good to have been some places and done some things in your life. Those people who don't do anything but pay their mortgages and eat at 5 p.m. are really kind of boring. You should really try to tackle something in life." Wynn attends therapy sessions three times a week at Sacred Heart, mostly for whirlpool treatments and new dressings on her leg, which is bandaged from hip to ankle.

"A handicap makes you see the world completely differently I only knew one person in a wheelchair before the accident. Now I have hundreds of friends in wheelchairs." MILWAUKEE (AP) Lauri Wynn says she notices people's knees a lot and has acquired hundreds of friends in wheelchairs since almost losing her leg. Wynn, Gov. Anthony S. Earl's policy adviser on black affairs, is continuing her recovery from the near amputation of her right leg in a freak accident.

"I know it will never be my same beautiful leg, but I can move every bit of it except for the knee," she said. Wynn's leg was crushed between the bumpers of two cars after she left a speaking engagement Jan. 15 in Milwaukee. She was rushed to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital. The bottom half of her leg was connected to the top half by only three strings of tissue.

Luckily, one of them was a nerve. Although doctors said there was only a 10 percent to 15 percent chance of success, Wynn, New La Crosse TV station is on the air the new station will be included in programming, Neader said. The station's emphasis will be on family programming, with plenty of sports and old series such as "Star Trek," "Perry Mason" and "Gun-smoke." Movies will be shown at 8 and 10 p.m. Questions about the new station may be directed to WLAX at WLAX is on the air and Scott Neader, the stations promotions director, said "It's so wonderful." After weeks of delay due to bad weather and equipment failure, WLAX, Channel 25, successfully transmitted programming from 4:30 p.m. Monday until 1 a.m.

today. "It was a totally successful day," Neader said. The independent station is the first of its kind in the La Crosse area. It joins three other local stations WKBT, channel WXOW, channel 19; and WHLA, channel 31. Programming hours will be from noon until 1 a.m.

the first week or so, Neader said, with the station adding more hours if all goes well. People should call their local cable companies to find out when SALE I IPFrKFfl OPEN 10-8 5 SAT. 10-5 SUN. 12-5 BY CITY OF wi unuooc EVERY REMAINING ITEM GUARANTEED TO BE MARKED DOWN. NOV PRICED EVEN LOWER THAN ITS ORIGINAL GOING-OUT-OF BUSINESS SALE PRICE.

Kansas man to be tried in car crash SPARTA, Wis. An Eskridge, man will be tried in Monroe County Circuit Court later this month for an Oct. 23 auto accident in which a rural Sparta woman was seriously injured. Richard L. Niedfeldt, 24, appeared in Monroe County Circuit Court Monday on a charge of cause-ing injury by the intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.

Judge James Rice set Nov. 24 as a date for the trial. He is in the county jail, having failed to post a $5,000 cash bond. The accident happened on Hwy. 21 near the Angelo bridge.

According to Monroe County Police reports, a car driven by Niedfeldt crossed the center line and struck one driven by Sherry L. Steyer, 33, R.l, Sparta. Steyer is listed in fair condition in La Crosse Lutheran Hospital. Veteran Monroe deputy resigns SPARTA, Wis. A former un-dersheriff and 18-year veteran of the Monroe County sheriff's department resigned suddenly Monday.

Deputy Verdell Anderson said he is quitting for personal reasons. Asked if he had had any differences with Sheriff Timothy Donovan, Anderson replied, "He's the boss," and declined to elaborate. Anderson, who lives on a farm in Brackett Valley north of Sparta, was classified as undersheriff, the man second in command of the department, for most of his years. That title disappeared a few years ago when the sheriff and traffic police departments were merged, but Anderson's duties remained much the same. Anderson said his resignation is effective immediately.

Disaster drill scheduled in BRF BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. -A simulated disaster drill scheduled for Wednesday night will involve the new law enforcement center in Black River Falls and the nearby Jackson County Courthouse. Fred Schoonover, director of the county's Office of Emergency Government, says the drill will assume that a bomb has gone off in the area of the new jail, resulting in two deaths and 15 injuries. The drill is to determine the county's ability to handle such a situation and determine if existing emergency plans are workable. Cornwell family herd top Crawford producers PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis.

-The 35 cows of the Cornwell family of Gays Mills averaged 755 pounds of butterfat and 19,761 pounds of milk for the year ending Sept. 30 to top all Crawford County dairy herds in production. The farm is operated by John, Mary, Zina and Dennis Cornwell. In second place, according to the dairy herd improvement association, was the 81-cow herd of C.H. Kroning and Sons of Soldiers Grove, with an average of 748 pounds of butterfat and 18,965 pounds of milk.

Third went to the 38-cow herd of Joie Skarda of Soldiers Grove, with an average of 736 pounds of butterfat and 19,367 pounds of milk. FAMOUS BRAND NAMES TREMENDOUS SELECTION! SINGER BROYHILL VAUGHN BASSETT BOZOFF ST. CHARLES CUSTOM AND SO MANY MORE SOFAS RECLINERS LOVESEATS LAMPS BEDDING BEDROOM SETS DINETTES SLEEPERS TABLES WALL UNITS CHAIRS CHINA CABINETS SECTIONALS AND MORE TALL BACK t4 co VELVET SWIVEL ROCKER 1 OO THER-A-PEDIC QUEEN SIZE FIRM 0 MATTRESS BOX SPRING I cnrr DINING SET ZOO DOUBLE DRESSER WITH MIRROR I OO OCCASIONAL TABLES HEXAGON, SQUARE, COFFEE, Each EVERYTHING MARKED DOWN! VELVET S1AQ RECLINER l4 CONTEMPORARY 3-PC. SET A ftft SOFA, LOVE SEAT, CHAIR 3 SOFA SLEEPER $288 3-PC. COLONIAL SET evicn SOFA, LOVESEAT, CHAIR HOU 3-PC.

WALL UNIT 18" DEPTH, OPENDROP LID sorr DOOR BASE Q3D ELEGANT, TRADITIONAL eono SOFA BY MARSHFIELD TERMS OF SALE DIRECTIONS AT THE CORNER OF 3rd CASS ST. AT THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE IN LA CROSSE ALL SALES FINAL NO EXCHANGE NO REFUNDS PERSONAL CHECK, CASH, C.O.D. MASTERCARD, VISA 90 DAY FINANCING DELIVERY OPTIONAL EXTRA.