May 2, 2012

Page 1

Judged as Wisconsin’s

Section A

VILAS COUNTY

NEWS-REVIEW

Wisconsin Newspaper Association 2012 Large Weekly Division

EAGLE RIVER, WI 54521 • (715) 479-4421 • vcnewsreview.com

VOL. 127, NO. 7

$1.25

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2012

Walleye, trout seasons open Saturday Fishing opener to provide tourism boost ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR

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Anglers hope this scene, a dandy walleye in hand, will be repeated Saturday.

Thousands of anglers are expected to converge on the North Woods as fishing seasons open for walleye, northern pike and trout this Saturday, May 5. Additionally, the catchand-release season opens for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The ice went out on North Woods lakes a month earlier than normal this spring, which has anglers anxious for pursuing their favorite game fish. Many say the fishing opener isn’t the event it once was, since walleye bag limits dropped due to tribal spearing and the muskie season was delayed to protect spawning fish, but it is still regarded as the traditional start of fishing

and spring tourism. “It really means a lot and still attracts both avid fishermen and families,” said Cindy Burzinski, director of Vilas County Tourism & Publicity. “Opening weekend is when everyone starts gearing up for the summer season just around the corner.” Burzinski said the opener brings many new faces to communities across the North Woods and provides an economic boost since the winter tourism season, which took a hit this year due to poor trail conditions. “With all of our lakes and fish species, it’s a great place for the avid fisherman and the family that wants to try fishing from a pier on a smaller lake,” said Burzinski. Tourism officials note that fishing is a big deal in Wisconsin and especially in Vilas and Oneida counties, where there

are hundreds of lakes. Officials say sportfishing generates $2.75 billion in economic benefits, supports 30,164 jobs and generates $200 million in state and local tax revenues. Burzinski said the fishing opener leads to tourism in other months of the year. “While they come here opening weekend for one specific reason, to fish, they may come back in the summer to visit museums, shop and enjoy our bicycle trails,” said Burzinski. “The opener is an off-season vacation time that benefits the entire area.” Reduced bag limits While it’s nothing new, walleye anglers will see reduced daily bag limits on 330 lakes in Vilas, Oneida and Forest counties. There will be a three-walleye bag limit for sport anglers on 171 lakes and To OPENER, Pg. 4A

A well-marked brook trout comes to the net in a stream, headed for the creel.

Home sales rise in Vilas, Oneida during March ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR

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WALKER VISIT — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker visited Northland Pines High School last Tuesday to discuss Act 10 and its effects

Pines OKs grant for charter school ___________ BY KEN ANDERSON NEWS CORRESPONDENT

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A grant application to initiate a charter school in the Northland Pines School District has been approved by the school board for submittal to the state Department of Public Instruction. The $175,000 request, approved at a meeting last week, will be used to fund the first three years of planning and establishing the Northland Pines School of Options & Aspired Research (SOAR) to be housed at Land O’ Lakes Elementary School.

The primary educational model will be project-based, according to the application. The design will be multiage with curricular priorities on 21st century learning skills, environmental/green projects, service learning and technology initiatives. The proposed school will embrace the growing diversity in today’s classrooms and provide opportunities for students of a variety of ages, To CHARTER, Pg. 2A

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Guide offers tips for opening day n Find fishing tips for walleyes, northerns and panfish from George Langley. Pg. 9A

on schools across the state. He also talked to elementary and high school students. See story on Page 3A. —STAFF PHOTO

Existing home sales were up significantly statewide and locally in March, with home sales growing 91% in Oneida County and 21% in Vilas County over the levels of March 2011, according to a report from the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA). Home prices in March also rose in the two counties compared to March 2011, with Oneida County sales up 16% to $152,500 and Vilas County sales up 15% to $150,000. “We are definitely seeing increased traffic,” said Peggy Johnson-Wiessner, president of the Northwoods Association of Realtors. “Sale were up considerably in March.” Statewide, March home sales increased 25% over the levels of March 2011 and the median prices rose slightly for the first time since the end of 2010, up 0.4% to $123,500 compared to the same month last year. “We certainly had a mild winter, and that may account

for some of the strength in home sales last month, but it’s important to note that we’ve seen very strong growth in home sales over the last nine months,” said Rob Keefe, chairman of the WRA board of directors. Oneida County reported its sales of existing homes increased from 23 during March last year to 44 this year. Vilas County increased from 24 to 29 sales. The median price for March sales increased from $131,500 to $152,500 in Oneida County during March and in Vilas County the median price went from $130,500 to $150,000. Johnson-Wiessner said she expects the median prices will continue to increase as the huge number of existing properties sell. Many of the available properties were foreclosures, which brought prices down. “As we whittle down those properties on the market, the To SALES, Pg. 2A

Recall primaries set next Tuesday ___________ BY ANTHONY DREW NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR

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Although public protests throughout the state have largely eased up, opposition to Gov. Scott Walker’s policies haven’t, as three Democratic candidates will vie for the chance to take his seat in a recall primary election next Tuesday, May 8. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and Secretary of State Doug La Follette will contend for the Democratic nomination before the recall election slated for Tuesday, June 5. Also on the ballot for the Democratic primary will be candidates Gladys R. Huber and Kathleen Vinehout. Running for the office of lieutenant governor will be Isaac Weix, Mahlon Mitchell and Ira Robins. On the Republican side of the primary ballot will be gubernatorial candidates Walker and Arthur KohlRiggs. According to recent polls, Barrett is leading the charge ahead of both Falk and La Follette. However, a laborbacked group announced last week plans to buy $1 million

TOM BARRETT

KATHLEEN FALK

in pro-Falk advertising. Walker’s “budget repair bill” became the focus of statewide protests beginning in February 2011, when it was discovered his proposal would strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from most public workers. The governor and his Republican supporters argued the bill helped balance a state budget that faced a $136.7 million shortfall. Efforts to collect enough signatures to force a recall election for Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch began later that year, as Wisconsin law made the pair eligible for

removal Jan. 3, 2012. Last week, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled that the state’s new voter identification law will remain suspended through the May primary and June gubernatorial recall elections. The new law, which would require citizens to show photo identification at the polls in order to vote, was passed by Walker and Republican supporters last year and subsequently blocked by Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess. Following is a brief biographical sketch of each Democratic candidate in the

upcoming primary election: Barrett has been the Democratic mayor of Milwaukee since 2004. He lost a bid for governor to Walker in November 2010. He previously held a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District from 1993 to 2003. Barrett’s political profession started in the state Assembly in 1984, then in the state Senate from 1989 to 1993. Job creation, fighting for education, making communities safer and protecting the environment are the foremost issues facing Wisconsin, according to Barrett. Unions and associations supporting Barrett include Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Iron Workers District Council of North Central States, Operating Engineers Local 317 and Transit Workers — Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998. He’s also been endorsed by state Sen. Jim Holperin, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, along with Rep. Gwen Moore and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach. Falk was elected Dane To RECALL, Pg. 7A


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