The La Crosse Tribune from La Crosse, Wisconsin • 15

SECTION Hometown History lesson leaves audience in stitches C-2 La Crosse Tnrxine Wednesday, September 27, 1995 irdlDii sawedl fpm wroddiirasi Mil 6 Fan puts home online to save hall We're on the of financial problems has had an infusion of new blood and money. "We're on the road to recovery," Bernie Duerkop said Tuesday. Duerkop, a La Crosse resident, is president and dance chairman of the revamped Concordia Aid Society. The name is the same, but the society's new members on Monday night bought out most of the old members. The 43 old members who sold their ownership shares received $1,000 apiece on Monday night, and each is to get $300 more in six months.

Another 17 old members became part of the new organization, which has about 125 members, Duerkop estimated. The new members paid $100 each, including $25 in membership fees and $75 that is a direct donation to the Concordia Aid Society. But it is Duerkop who has the biggest investment. He has what he called "a controlling interest" in Concordia Hall, a position that required a $50,000 loan. He and his wife, Lorraine, have put their home on the line in backing the historic site by the La Crosse Historic Preservation Commission.

"It should be self-supporting," Duerkop said of the Concordia. He hopes to be able to make more use of the 104-year-old building by renting it to other dance groups and hosting more anniversary and wedding parties. Duerkop also hopes to increase the society's membership, and is looking for volunteer workers to help hold down the bills. There are plenty of financial concerns to deal with. The building's roof needs repairs and there are back taxes to pay.

But the dancers are coming back. A dance on Saturday will mark the reopening of the Concordia, exactly three months since it was closed on June 30. Gary and the New Ridgeland Dutchmen will play from 2 to 6 p.m., and the Rhythm Playboys will provide the music from 6 to 10 p.m. The New Jolly Swiss Boys will play on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Band leader Syl Liebl Sr.

will be honored during Sunday's dance. By KEN BREKKE Of the Tribune staff road to recovery Bernie Duerkop, dance chairman effort to save the dance hall. There was competition for the building, including a bid from Taco Bell, but any buyer other than the dance society probably would have razed the structure, which has been designated a Supporters of Concordia Hall must be dancing for joy right now. The organization that controls the historic building which appeared to be doomed because 'O' SO HAPPY Prosecutor Kind to run jjjj" What one won't do for some smelly cod llfr imniir w-y for Congress 7, 1 fO 0 Democrat promises By GEORGE HESSELBERG Wisconsin State Journal 'old-fashioned' campaign By RICHARD MIAL Of the Tribune staff Democrat Ron Kind promises an "old- fashioned" people-oriented campaign for Congress. 7t rvr -i Kind, a prosecutor in the La Crosse County District Attorney's Office, formally announced Tuesday what most local political activists had taken for granted that he will be a candidate for the 3rd District congressional seat being Stand back, the media onslaught against lutefisk is about to begin anew.

Or is that a-phew? In an unblushing attempt to garner free publicity, Pastors Charles D. Peterson and Jerry A. Olson of the Christ Lutheran Church in DeForest have again taken their case for the "Cod that Passes All Understanding" to the media. And in doing so, the two men of the cloth become men of the napkin, which is necessary equipment if you want to keep melted butter from rolling down your chin at the church's annual lutefisk dinner. Their description of the dinner is not just an invitation to the Nov.

11 DeForest event, but to similar events all across Wisconsin. Pastors Ole and Sven (they change their first names for this occasion) note with tongue in cheek and an eye on lutefisk shtick that the church preparations are already under vacated by incumbent Republican Steve Gunderson. Reducing the cost of government and eliminating frustration about partisanship are high on Kind's agenda. "Those who have been making decisions in Washington have been spending this nation into -v if -W- II 1 v-W-- nfft I I But he also argues that Kind Republican budget cutting efforts are not fairly passing ill in 1 (f Xf 1 around the burden of cuts. It makes no sense, Kind argued, for the I Art I military to enjoy budget increases while ir 1 1 I I programs aiiecung ennaren ana siuaems are facing cuts.

And it makes no sense to avoid talking about Social Security and other big-ticket entitlement programs when it comes time to start talking about cuts, he said. Fifty-three percent of the federal budget is made up of entitlement programs, he said, while 17 percent goes to defense, and only about 15 percent for domestic discretionary programs the ones singled out by Republicans for cuts. As for entitlements, he advocated subjecting Social Security to a "means test," limiting -fi 1 i Those who tr Dmi Tnbww Mall GETTING READY: Margi Higgins of La Crosse paints an Oktoberfest message Tuesday in the window ol the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1530 on the corner of Sixth and Market streets. benefits to those with the most wealth. "There is no reason why the Herb Kohls and Ross Perots have to get more in Social Security than they paid in," he said.

Social Security will be bankrupt by the year have been making decisions in Washington have been spending this nation into Ron Kind LA CROSSE COMMON COUNCIL Committee works on Pettibone lease By RICHARD MIAL Of the Tribune stafl residents should pay a premium. Boat club hoard member Bill Beranek said the organization rents 244 boat slips 145 to city residents and 95 to nonresidents. Beranek said the increase In rent way: 1 "The Sons of Knute have begun to meet every Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. to begin fishing. It seems the price of imported cod has risen 25 cents per pound, so we're doing the next best thing.

We're catching all ve kan out-a dah Yahara River. Lutefisk Scout George Stronach says that the fish have begun to run and we'd better be batting our hooks." Actually, the lutefisk dried cod comes from the same place it always comes from: Sodcrholm Wholesale Foods, at $3 a pound "trimmed," or slightly more skinless and boneless, according to Jim Sodcrholm. This longstanding family operation gets it from the Twin Cities, to which the dried cod is freighted from tyorway in bales. There are 20 tons of lutefisk brought Into Wisconsin by Sodcrholm, mostly for church dinners. The DeForest pastors add that 3.000 pounds of lutefisk was fed to paying guests last year, when the "Potato Guild" made 313 dozen lefse.

These dinners are traditionally called "lutcfi.sk and lefse" dinners, though truly they are "lutefisk, Mac and meatball" dinners, since lutefisk Is an acquired, and In some families required, taste. The fish Is served boiled In a gelatinous, slippery pile that resemble in no way the cod of Friday Night Fish Fry fame. Lutefisk has not been a popular entree In Norway for many years, The meatball are for Ihose too weak to stomach the lutefisk. but it is no sccM that Norwegians end pretender fast before these dinners end eat rvcrvihing that la passed round. The full menu change, toil the Maple ere the same: lutefisk.

meatball, lefse, rutabaga or sweet potator. rrantierrie. gravy, null end Norwegian pastry dessert, The biggest secret etwrtit lutefisk dinner that chm't have to cat the lutefisk. There are plenty Of the other dishr la go around. The have pa.wd around direction to the DeForest dinner thai could he Used by positive diner at eny ol the many lt-(uk dinner thai will wont MUr-g area church tsM-metit It,) id get iherr "tiet op early and begin to anti ijte Ihe wonder r( ea'irg lrr in t- fitting tMhing.

Bring i to empty r(e Into wf setter i into )wif car. )ir if-4" fW.tr Iwf tO f4 thtftntattcnt." would I charged to mcmlers through he said, when most of the Baby Boom generation have retired. The system Is already slated for some change, with the eligibility age being gradually raised from 65 to 67. Kind would Increase that process, pushing the age beyond 7. lie said life expectancy and health care makes it possible for the ago to tw raised.

He criticized Republicans for their handling of Medicare reform, and argued that the nation still need health care reform. Kind is a graduate of Logan High School who attended Harvard University on an academic scholarship. "1 think 1 have lot to offer in growing wp in working class, blue collar family." he wud, Kind announced hi candidacy Tuesday in new conference in Kau Claire. Ia Crosse and Prairie du Chten. a special surcharge 125 for city residents and t-W for nonresidents.

Committee memtwrs said they wanted the club to submit Its entire proposal in writing within two week. When boat club members and their attorney came before the committee Tuesday night, they had reduced the proposed length of the lease. They esked for "a minimum" of 15 years extension on the lease. In exchange for that, the club would increase its annual rental fee from S2.BO0 to $11,175 for the remaining six years of its lease, Beginning In 2or3, the club would pay eUml ts.ooo a year in rent. Under the current tease, the club also pay a I percent tax on the fuel that it sells.

Preferential treatment for city resident a committee member Dun Cille' mam concern. He aid city resident rwmtd pay les for membership tn the club, while non-city A La Crosse city committee began work Tuesday night on a proposal from the IVttilwne Itoat Club to extend its lease with the city. The Mayor's Special Committee discussed the proposal end the boat club has already started to respond to some city concern. Root club official earlier this month asked the city lo cxtrnd their lease up to 25 yean. The lease expire in M02.

At a Sept, Commnn Council meeting, council member Bernard Maney objected to the 25 year term of Ihe lease a originally prorMtl by the club. Next month committee members plan to hold a closed meeting to discus the club' proposal. Club lawyer Gerard O' Flaherty said the club wants an extension of the lease in order to plan for end finance improvement including isw.ooo to replace din State lawmaker slates top 1 0 'dumb laws' for repeal gnpber. streaked gnphrr. mole.

wildcat, lose or weasel "To gH )-mir bounty, ymi musi nn en affidavit that oo killel the animal and provide ihe ertoal car, in the rae of e-thcni. or the head, fr the other," Jefwrn Said. "We've g.it riuite I fr dumH la on Ouf tmik," ai4 JeOseft, It Waukesha "The gd hew i that we'll have rpiile frwV' in tlwtute." 4rnro aii he plan to inttwiuie in the Januaf r.eon to frpral diJJTib statute and ru'e. Amorg la on the list wcte thwi or ray machine for the purpose of fitting six, or knowingly permitted such a rna hine, whether in use or not, to remain on the premise; 1'rovHUng a fine of to tvw or impriMinmrni of to to 30 day for business pwpte who do rmt have their clock el Icr the central time lone; Spn ilically exempt Kitefisk, a Nirrgian dish, from the drfitiitin of "toxte sutKtame" tmder tte slate's losie SiittarKr right -to KtHi la, a firw of II eny oner who a tar, ram or bUHe-at to run at large. l.ouKtfae.rg the lrpattment of Cortnti'm 10 provlii a fnmh triufe time atUvity a iiile fnf inmate.

MADISON. Ww IAP) Uw lhat prohibit fretting mafgsrifH? to penple in slate institution end allow local government to pay Umnttr for rat tns'te a legislator's np 10 lit of "dumb ta" Tursilay. tnhrr statute targHnltiy Hep Scott Jrtwft fur rrjrl hide lhM that bsfl Ihe tu of ray mfuhirse f'r limns and ht cortstrvction of heated t'n4er tfw mar gsrine Nil. enynne Ho Iwrvrt ue feyUrf to Inmate. sHfU-nu or atirrt in state institution tan fitol lo vj iv be Jaikl fcp to ftw-'M Ahofhrf Um tncal to fay tothtw ff Nf ay fa', ffl Acconling to the rule, "leisure time" defined as "free time wit side the cell or rwm during which the inmate may be involved in activities tot a recreational reading, sport.

fUm end television viewing. end handicraft" loving the Mate the rle of "validating marriage bclern epileptic. Jensen callwl that taw "the remnant of grtvcrnmcnl ihtrotinn at it wirt lritr lo rptt ptit were tannnt frtm marrying in to irnnsio The f4 law rtffinvTit hall ihe stigma by eliminating prtviinn outlawing marTta- Mween rpitr til "rrtaio a hint ol Ihe t(rnive tty eiihg nrrninrnt the h'!" ol 'Validating' thrse maffiae," he said 1 I.