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W A S H B U R N   C O U N T Y

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INSIDE

May 1, 2013

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 Vol. 124, No. 37 • Shell Lake, Wis.

We e ke nd w atch • Pray for America events • Free community meal @ Spooner • Race 4 Susan See Events page 6

75¢

Not for the squeamish

Denim Day celebrated Page 2

SPORTS Spring sports finally see daylight

See pages 12-13

Winter’s lingering grasp

WITC president receives award

Unseasonable spring weather affects local sports, businesses

Page 15

BREAKERS

Second-grader Jonathan Mangelsen is proud of the worm he found during a special Arbor Day celebration held Friday afternoon, April 26, at the Spooner Elementary School. More photos on back page. - Photo by Larry Samson

Got an idea for a story? E-mail us @ wcregister@centurytel.net

SPOONER - Artists of Wisconsin’s Northwest Heritage Passage are spotlighted in its newest project, the Arts in Hand Gallery, opening early May, at 237 Walnut St. in Spooner. The gallery name reflects and reinforces the handmade and homegrown focus in the WNHP logo. “We are excited and proud to announce our newest endeavor,” said Passage President Jerry Boucher. “In January this year, we held a strategic planning session at which our board members talked about ways to get more visibility for our organization. This gallery gives us and the artists of the 13 counties we support the perfect vehicle for both their visibility and ours.” “The Passage started primarily with Spooner artists and the help of the Spooner Area Chamber of Commerce, because the original passage concept focused on the Hwy. 63 corridor and the counties around it,” explained Ruth Skeie, Passage treasurer and Spooner resident who spearheaded the gallery project. “We felt we should stay here or close by. I’ve been checking on potential office and gallery space here and in neighboring communities. When I heard

by Danielle Moe Register Staff Writer SHELL LAKE — The unseasonably cold and snowy weather experienced this spring has affected school sports and area businesses. Shell Lake Cooperative manager Kathy Means can feel its effects on every level of the business — from fuel sales, to the uncertain turnout for this year’s fishing opener. “We sell live bait, licenses and other fishing supplies, but because of ice being on the lakes still, it’s definitely going to affect the opener.” The cooperative relies heavily on the local people and their farming needs. In a usual spring, they see more sales in fuel to the farmers and seasonal residents. “It’s been so cold and we have had so much snow, people haven’t even come up yet to get things ready for the summer,” said Means. The cooperative also sells the necessary products like fuel, seeds and fertilizer to farmers. Farmers have been unable to be out in their fields working the land with the amount of snow still on the ground. “Things just go hand

in hand, and with the weather being stifled like it has been, it has a snowball effect on every part of the our business,” Means explained. Linda and Steve Degner of the Bashaw Valley Greenhouse, Shell Lake, are doing their best to beat the cold temperatures, and lack of sunlight. When flower sales make up 70 percent of your business you have to get dirty. That’s when they made changes. “What we have done is pushed back the date of the bare-root sale and changed the date of when we go to transplant the seedlings,” explained Linda. The Degners have four separate greenhouses, each set at a different temperature for optimum plant growth. What really hurts the greenhouse is the lack of sun. “We can control the moisture inside, but when you have those cloudy days, it causes problems with diseases and affects the growth of the plant,” explained Linda. For this couple that isn’t such a problem, as they’ve been in the plant-growing business for 25 years. Experience facilitates growing beautiful flowers despite the unreasonable weather. “Our window is smaller this year,” acknowledged Linda. “This time last year we were in full swing.”

See Unseasonable, page 3

See Breakers, page 4

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Linda and Steve Degner with the flowers of their labor. — Photo by Danielle Moe


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