On Tuesday, March 15, Governor Walker traveled to Florence to sign Assembly Bill 422, a bill which I authored, into law.

I drafted Assembly Bill 422, along with Senator Tom Tiffany, to restore funding for the Florence Wild Rivers Interpretive Center.  Under one roof, this building houses the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), United States Forest Service (USFS), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), UW-Extension, and County Forestry & Parks.  The funding for this facility is used to pay for Interpretive Center staff.  The Interpretive Center provides recreational information for tourists, sells DNR licenses to visitors and residents and assists the public to respective departments within the building.  Assembly Bill 422 restores funding with monies allocated from the Conservation Fund not General Purpose Revenue.  

Governor Walker at Signing Ceremony for Assembly Bill 422.

I am very pleased that Governor Walker traveled to Florence to sign Assembly Bill 422 at the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center. The Wild Rivers Interpretive Center is an integral part of the Florence community and serves the needs of locals and tourists alike. Once again, I would like to personally thank Florence County Economic Development, Friends of the Wild Rivers, and others involved in pursuing this legislation from Florence. 

Assembly Bill 422 is now 2015 Act 260.

Governor Walker touting Wisconsin's fishing and hunting tradition.

As the winter thaw continues, summer is just around the corner which means tourism season is nearing!  For many of our communities in the Northwoods, tourism is the lifeblood for our small business owners.  Not only does tourism benefit our local communities, but it supports a large portion of our state's economy.  Last year alone, Wisconsin tourism generated $1.4 billion dollars in state and local revenue. 

Governor Walker and Secretary Klett

On March 13 and 14, I attended the Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism as a member of the Assembly Committee on Tourism.  I was proud to show my support for all the tourism initiatives that the legislature addressed this session.  Both Governor Scott Walker and Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett highlighted the successes of the tourism industry in our great state.  This year's conference attracted over 1,000 visitors.  

  Pictured above: Rep. Swearingen, Krystal Westfahl, Bill Korrer, Steve Petersen, Kari Zambon, and Bill Clow

During the presentation, Secretary Klett revealed the new Department of Tourism commercials that will be aired throughout the nation to attract new visitors to the Badger State.  I especially enjoyed the new commercials that focused on the uniqueness of Wisconsin supper clubs!  For Wisconsin vacation ideas, please visit the Travel Wisconsin website!

I was introduced to a group of FBLA students from Tomahawk at the conference.  Great to see they are interested in our tourism industry! 

VILAS COUNTY TOURISM’S TRAILFINDER MOBILE APPLICATION MOVES INTO THIRD YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT WITH HELP FROM TOURISM GRANT  

Grant will go toward app enhancements and marketing materials to increase usage

VILAS COUNTY, Wis. (March 15, 2016) – Vilas County Tourism & Publicity is encouraging visitors to explore the county’s many non-motorized trails with help from a Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Participating in the JEM Grant program for the third year, Vilas County Tourism looks to promote its multi-platform mobile app and integrated map in order to encourage trail use and draw new visitors to the area. The $30,900 grant will assist with upgrades to the app, as well as social media marketing campaigns and promotional contests to advertise the app to the public.

“Vilas County is home to 1,300 lakes, 73 rivers and more than 50 trails, all with year-round routes for, hiking, biking, paddling and more,” said Tourism Secretary Klett. “For the third year in a row, we are proud to support this valuable and handy travel tool that promotes Wisconsin’s great outdoor 
resources and silent sport opportunities.” 

In fiscal 2015, the Department funded 59 Joint Effort Marketing projects, awarding a total of more than $1.1 million. Visitor expenditures driven by the marketing from these projects will exceed $31 million. In 2014, the tourism economy in Wisconsin totaled $18.5 billion, a more than five percent increase from 2013. Total business sales in Vilas County reached $264 million in 2014, supporting 1,964 local jobs and $21.4 million in state and local taxes. 

Vilas County Tourism aims to establish Vilas County as Wisconsin’s premier destination for non-motorized, year-round trail recreation. The organization created a comprehensive trail map and mobile app, featuring more than 50 land and water trails throughout the area. Their mobile app, now available on Apple and Android products, allows users to sort different trails based on specific criteria. Vilas County Tourism and Publicity hopes to attract more than 4,000 new day-trip and overnight visitors to Vilas County, resulting in an estimated economic impact of $386,240.

"Thanks to three years of JEM Grant funding and an overwhelmingly positive response from visitors, we are now looking into ways to incorporate motorized trail activities," said Cindy Burzinski, Director of Vilas County Tourism & Publicity. “Our wide variety of year-round recreational opportunities allows us to expand our services and work with both types of trails, which will be key in attracting more visitors to Vilas County in the future.”

JEM grant funds are available to non-profit organizations for the promotion of Wisconsin tourism events and destinations. The state can fund up to 75 percent of a project's first-year advertising and marketing costs, and provide support for second- and third-year projects with decreasing amounts for funding until projects become self-sustaining. For information on the JEM Program and application materials, visit http://industry.travelwisconsin.com. 
 
The mission of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism is to market the State as the Midwest’s premier travel destination for fun by executing industry-leading marketing programs and establishing strategic partnerships. The Department plays a significant role in generating greater economic impact and jobs for Wisconsin. The portal for traveler information can be found at: www.travelwisconsin.com.

Mayor Dick Johns and I at the St. Paddy's Day Parade in Downtown Rhinelander.  Always a great event!

Great to see Kyle Franson (Oneida Co Register of Deeds) and Mike Mazemke (Waupaca Co Register of Deeds) last week in Madison!

Governor Walker approves improvement project at Manitowish Waters Municipal Airport

Governor Scott Walker has approved a $1,281,631 project to reconstruct the primary runway, including lighting, at the Manitowish Waters Municipal Airport. The primary runway is past its life expectancy and needs to be constructed along with the lighting to make airplane mobility safe and efficient for the foreseeable future.

According to Ryan Donnelly, airport development engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), the project will ensure that the runway pavement and lighting is in good shape for the next 10 to 20 years and will make the primary runway safer and more efficient.

Funding Breakdown
· State = $64,082
· Town of Manitowish Waters = $64,082
· Federal Aviation Administration = $1,153,467
Total = $1,281,631

The project is scheduled to begin spring 2016 and should be completed by summer 2016.

Manitowish Waters Municipal Airport is one of 98 facilities included in the Wisconsin State Airport System Plan, which makes it eligible for state and federal funding. Airport improvement projects are administered through WisDOT’s Bureau of Aeronautics.

The Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is a week-long leadership training and career awareness program for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with disabilities.

Being selected to attend the YLF is a distinct honor that you can be very proud of. Please take the time to apply - you'll have the time of your life!

YLF is for:

• Students who show leadership potential by being active in their school and community

• Students who have a disability (physical, learning, cognitive, emotional, sensory, etc.)

• Wisconsin residents

• Students who are currently sophomores, juniors or seniors in high school

Why Attend the Youth Leadership Forum?

• To give you a place to meet other students your age who are experiencing similar issues and concerns

• To help you increase your leadership skills so you can further your future goals and reach them

• To assist you in becoming a leader in your school and community.

Do you still have questions about YLF? If you do, check out the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

If I’m interested, what do I do next?

• Complete the application

• Get 3 letters of recommendation that highlight your leadership skills

• Complete two essay questions

If you are interested in applying for the 2016 program, contact:

John Shaw
Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities
101 East Wilson Street, Rm. 219
Madison, WI 53703

http://www.wi-bpdd.org/projects/YouthLeadershipForum.cfm

Application

Northern Region:

Flambeau River State Forest - Most of the winter snow is gone. Fishing on the Flambeau is pretty slow right now. It sounds like the Redhorse are starting to run up off of Hwy 70 in the northern part of the Forest. Panfish fishing is open. You can catch bluegill, pumpkinseed, crappies, and perch in these lakes. The ice is not safe now and some fishermen are out skirting the open areas in skiffs. The Flambeau River is completely open here off of Hwy W near Winter, with ice chunks floating down river. Male grouse are drumming and trying to entice the girls. They beat their wings creating muffled thumps sounding almost like a motor starting in the distance. Some robins are back, sandhill cranes with their rattling bugle, swans with their nasal honking sounding like a French horn and geese with their musical honking are heading north looking for their place to summer. The great horned owl eggs should be hatched by now and eagles are sitting on their nests. The deer and elk are browsing on vegetation but soon they will be dining on fresh new green shoots sprouting up from the forest floor. The sap from the maples is still running but going slow since this last weekend. Temperatures this coming weekend will be in the low 20s and 30s with highs in the high 30s and low 40s so hopefully sap will continue its flow. Walking trails are open at Lake of the Pines and Little Falls, though the water level is high and it would make it difficult to cross over to Slough Gundy. Hunter walking trails are always open, but you will definitely need high water boots as there are wet areas on the trails. When folks come to bike ride this forest this time of year, we encourage them to use the ATV/UTV trail which is still closed till May 16 to ATV/UTV use. - Diane Stowell, visitor services associate

Woodruff DNR Service Center area

Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - We had a good ski season even with the low snow totals this year. We are done grooming for the season and looking forward to the spring - summer hiking and biking season. There are rumors that wood ticks are out already. The chickadees are pairing up and woodpeckers are hacking away at trees, but the redpolls are still hanging around. A few chipmunks have made their appearance and the red and gray squirrels are busy chasing each other around. As the snow continues to melt, campgrounds will soon be accessible again and we eagerly anticipate the coming camping season. Firewood gatherers (with a permit) are reminded that they allowed to collect downed wood in campgrounds through April 30. - Kimberly Krawczyk, Visitor Services Associate

DNR launches Go Wild licensing system as part of campaign to encourage outdoor adventure

MADISON, Wis. - A new licensing system that provides additional options for buying hunting and fishing licenses was launched Thursday by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Implementation of the new system is part of a broader Go Wild campaign that encourages people to head outdoors and enjoy the numerous recreational opportunities made possible by the sound management of Wisconsin's natural resources.

The new system, accessible at GoWild.Wi.Gov, allows customers to get licenses, tags and other DNR products through more than 1,000 vendors statewide, at DNR Service Centers and offers easy access on mobile devices through the website. The new system secures licensing and registration information electronically and enables customers to use a variety of methods for providing proof of purchases while out enjoying Wisconsin's exceptional natural resources. New proof of purchase opportunities provided through Go Wild include an optional personal conservation card, an authenticated Wisconsin driver's license, a plain paper copy or a pdf display on a mobile device such as a smartphone.

"We're excited to introduce these new options as we work to make all of our great outdoor recreational activities more accessible than ever before," said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. "With Go Wild, there's no more waiting for regular retail hours or a delay until a license arrives by mail. We also expect the optional personal conservation card to be a big hit. Some customers have already told us they plan to get multiple cards so they can keep a version handy in their tackle box, hunting kit and glove compartment of a recreational vehicle."

Mark Rappe, of DNR's bureau of customer and outreach services, said the department conducted extensive testing on the system to ensure it would be ready for the high customer volume associated with the spring turkey hunt. In recent years, hunters have purchased approximately 100,000 "leftover" permits not issued through the spring turkey permit drawing. This year, the sales for Zone 1 permits begin March 21 at 10 a.m.; Zone 2 permits on March 22; Zone 3 permits on March 23; Zone 4 permits on March 24 and Zones 5, 6 and 7 on March 25. More than 109,000 spring turkey permits will be available in all and leftover sales will continue for all zones onMarch 26.

"We believe our hunters will find the new Go Wild system easier to navigate with the added benefit of paper carcass tags," Rappe said. "Hunters will be able to print these out themselves or receive a copy from the vendor. The tags still need to be validated upon harvest but for most species hunters will be able to keep the completed tags with them as long as they are with the carcass."

Rappe said GoWild.WI.Gov also acts as a portal to help plan adventures that make the most of Wisconsin's great outdoors. The site links to information on hunting and fishing opportunities, Wisconsin's unparalleled network of state parks, trails and natural areas and a variety of maps.

No fee increases are planned as part of the upgrade and online user convenience fees have been eliminated for customers who use electronic checks. Online service options include hunting licenses, fishing licenses and Conservation Patron licenses.

Later this month boat, snowmobile, ATV and UTV registrations will be added. Once implementation is complete, GoWild.Wi.Gov also will be the spot to get ATV, UTV and snowmobile trail passes, sign-up for a safety education courses and much more.

This year, renewal notices for ATVs and UTVs were sent out in January and renewal notices for boats will be arriving in customer's mailboxes over the weekend or early next week. For those recreational vehicles that expire at the end of the month, customers will need to keep a copy of the renewal notice in their vehicle until they receive the registration stickers in the mail.

The system also makes it easier to obtain a reprint or printed hard-copy of the original hunting, trapping or fishing approval or safety certificate. With the ability to reprint products from the convenience of home, there is no need to drive to a license agent to purchase a duplicate if you lose your license or carcass tags.

While the new Go Wild system will not provide the option of purchasing by phone, DNR customer service agents will be able to assist customers who would like assistance as they navigate the system or have questions about a transaction. The customer service number remains 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463).

To learn more, visit GoWild.Wi.Gov or visit DNR.Wi.Gov and search "Go Wild." Informational resources include fact sheets, descriptions of how and when certain forms of proof apply as well as tagging information for a variety of game.

Leftover spring turkey permits go on sale starting March 21 with Zone 1

The 109,367 leftover permits for the 2016 spring turkey hunting season will be first issued for sale by zone, one zone per day. Each zone will have a designated sales date and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Extra turkey tags can be purchased at a rate of one per day until the zone and time period sells out or the season closes.
Scheduled sales dates for zones have leftover permits, and are as follows:

Zone 1 - Monday, March 21;
Zone 2 - Tuesday, March 22;
Zone 3 - Wednesday, March 23;
Zone 4 - Thursday, March 24; and
Zones 5, 6 and 7 - Friday, March 25 (due to the low number of permits left in these units, sales have been combined into one day).

After zone-only sales days, all remaining turkey tags will be made available for purchase Saturday, March 26.

Upcoming State Natural Area Workday

Chiwaukee Prairie State Natural Area 10 a.m.-1 p.m. March 19, 2016. Help Chiwaukee Prairie Preservation Fund volunteers during our monthly workdays on the third Saturday and enjoy the beauty of this rich prairie in the process. Invasive brush (buckthorn, honeysuckle, cherries, ash, etc.) can spread and shade out uncommon plants at this site. Bring a bag lunch to eat afterwards. No skills needed you will be trained onsite. Click for more information. - Jared Urban, conservation biologist, Dane

Upcoming Community Events

Please click the following links for upcoming community events!

Indoor Farmers Market At The YMCA: March 19 & March 26, Rhinelander

2016 Hodag Home Show: March 19, Rhinelander

Almost Spring Book Sale: March 19, Rhinelander

Our Pot of Gold St. Patrick's Party: March 19, Rhinelander

Hodag Fastpitch Spaghetti Dinner: March 19, Rhinelander

Easter Bunny Breakfast and Egg Hunt: March 19, Boulder Junction

Easter Bunny Sunday: March 20, Rhinelander

Winter Bingo!: March 20, St. Germain

TL Lion's Club Easter Party: March 26, Three Lakes

Easter Party- Easter Egg Hunt: March 26, Land O' Lakes

Easter Eggstravaganza: March 26, Manitowish Waters

Maple Syrup Fest: April 2, Phelps