February 18: News from around the Driftless Area
‘News from Around the Driftless Area’ is a compilation showcasing the excellent work and interesting tidbits from the community journalists sprinkled throughout our area.
VIROQUA –The NRCS and engineering teams working on the Watershed Study of Coon Creek and West Fork Kickapoo watersheds to help LaCrosse, Monroe and Vernon counties determine what to do with the five flood control dams that breached in the 2018 flood event are continuing to move forward. At this time, the engineering team is refining the very complicated water modeling for both watersheds. The engineering team presented preliminary alternatives to representatives from the three counties on January 19. With feedback from that discussion, the team has gone back and is further developing alternatives emphasizing upland treatments. The project has taken extra time to ensure that the alternative development is done well and a very comprehensive analysis is done. At this time, dates for scoping meetings have not been set. The next steps are for the county representatives to review further developed alternatives with input from the economist to give the county representatives context around the economic benefits as well as the capital costs of the dams… The Friends of Vernon County Parks and Forests hosts “Snowcially distanced” guided winter walks exploring various Vernon County parks! The winter walks and bonfire series are for family and friends of all ages. Walkers are to meet in the park parking lots. All walks will have a volunteer guide and will be approximately 45 minutes to one hour long, with a bonfire to immediately follow. This weeks walk will take place on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Sidie Hollow (meet at Main Shelter), at 3 p.m… The Vernon County Board of Supervisors tabled indefinitely a Second Amendment Preservation resolution regarding guns at their February meeting. This item was the ‘hot button’ issue on the board’s agenda, and mirrored other such resolutions that had made their way onto the agendas of many other local county boards in the last year as well. Monroe County approved such a resolution, while Crawford County turned it down. Vernon County constituents were divided on the issue, and both sides contacted their elected representatives on the county board to share their views. When the resolution came up for action, supervisor Shawn Redington made a motion to ‘table it indefinitely,’ meaning it would not go any further, and the board approved the motion 16-11 on a roll call vote.