Serving the Northwoods Communities of Rhinelander, Eagle River, Minocqua, Phelps, Three Lakes, Florence and Forest County.

District Dialogue

December 7, 2015

On Friday December 4, a lighting ceremony was held for the Wisconsin State Capitol Christmas Tree.  The 40-foot balsam fir was graciously donated from the Kowieski family from Rhinelander in November.  Brad Kowieski, along with his family and Governor Scott Walker were in attendance to light the tree.  Outstanding music was provided by the Rhinelander High School Hodag Band and Choir to usher in the holiday season. 

I would like to take a moment to thank David Ditzler (Rhinelander High School Principal) and Kelli Jacobi (Rhinelander School District Superintendent) for attending the ceremony.  Additionally, I would like to acknowledge and thank the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, who provided buses to Madison for the Rhinelander High School Band and Choir as well as transportation for the balsam fir.  Also, a special thank you to the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers for the role they played in this year's event. 

Lastly, I would like to thank the entire Kowieski family for working closely with my office so I could share this event with everyone in the 34th Assembly District.  I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and spending time with your family and friends.  Thank you once again for donating the impressive balsam fir that Brad planted on Arbor Day in 1985!

Below are some photos from the tree lighting ceremony in Madison!

Governor Scott Walker Touts $1.5 Million in Broadband Expansion Grants, Stops in Antigo, Cable, and Land O’Lakes

Governor Walker Awards Grants to Wittenberg Wireless, LLC, Norvado, and ChoiceTel, LLC

Madison – This week, Governor Scott Walker joined the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) in announcing $1.5 million in Broadband Expansion Grants.  Today, Governor Walker traveled throughout the Northwoods to award grants to Wittenberg Wireless, LLC in Antigo, Norvado in Cable, and ChoiceTel, LLC in Land O’Lakes.  The grants are being matched by Wisconsin businesses, non-profits, and local governments, which benefit thousands of citizens throughout the state.  The Broadband Expansion Grants announced this week are a part of the Broadband Expansion Grant Program. 

“We’ve heard from business leaders around the state, especially in Northern Wisconsin, that a major hurdle to economic development in their communities is minimal access to high speed internet,” Governor Walker said.  “We are dedicated to growing our economy and ensuring it remains strong, and by tripling the funding for broadband grants in our most recent budget, we’re working to ensure that goal is a reality.  The bottom line is that these grants help us level the playing field in terms of economic development in the underserved areas of our state with limited access to broadband internet.”

Rep. Swearingen, Governor Walker and Senator Tiffany with representatives from ChoiceTel, Wisconsin Public Service and other officials from Land O' Lakes.

Wittenberg Wireless, LLC was awarded two grants through the Broadband Expansion Program.  First, the Village of Mattoon Broadband Over Fiber Project was awarded a $70,000 grant.  The project is a partnership between Wittenberg Wireless, LLC and the village of Mattoon, where there is currently no high-speed broadband available.  The grant will help Wittenberg Wireless, LLC to provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband to a majority of the village’s homes, businesses, and students.  The second grant of $150,000 was awarded to Wittenberg Wireless, LLC for the Silver Birch Ranch Fiber Project, which allows them to serve the approximately 300 current households and seasonal residences in and beyond the Silver Birch Ranch Camp area.  Wittenberg Wireless, LLC will be matching the grant for both projects.

Norvado was awarded a $98,000 grant awarded today, which will go towards building a fiber route to serve over 65 locations in and around Cable.  Norvado will match the grant, and the township of Cable will also contribute an additional $5,000 towards the project as well as provide future support for the grant by securing easements and use of rights of way.

ChoiceTel, LLC received a $249,093 grant which will be utilized to build an 18-mile fiber optic route to serve locations in Conover and Land O’Lakes.  The two-phase project will serve over 150 businesses and 1,300 homes in the area, and has potential for further buildout.  ChoiceTel, LLC will partner with the township of Land O’Lakes to match the grant by providing the remaining project cost.  Land O’Lakes also plans to contribute a small area of land under an easement to ChoiceTel, LLC.

The Broadband Grant Program was created by Governor Walker in the 2011-13 biennial budget.  This year, Governor Walker increased funding for broadband expansion grants in the 2015-17 biennial budget from $500,000 to $1.5 million annually.  The grants provide reimbursement for equipment and construction expenses incurred to extend or improve broadband telecommunications services in underserved regions of Wisconsin.  An additional $6 million is allocated from the Universal Service Fund (USF) cash reserves to fund the grants for the next four years.  In shifting from continuing appropriation of funding to biennial appropriation, the grants are allowed greater flexibility and enable grant recipients to prioritize investments and meet higher capacity demands in the future.  The $1.5 million in grants announced today, combined with funds matched by businesses, non-profits, and local governments, will equal a total investment of approximately $5.5 million to expand broadband service in Wisconsin.

Last week I hosted Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch to tour the Fab Lab at the Florence County School District.  Fabrication Laboratories also known as Fab Labs, are small scale workshops that include modern, high-tech equipment, such as 3-D printers for digital fabrication.  Florence County School District is the second school district within the 34th Assembly District to open up a Fab Lab for the students and the surrounding community. 

Rep. Swearingen and Lt. Gov Kleefisch meet with students.

Fab Labs serve as a bridge between high school and technical colleges to help students become interested and proficient in using computer controlled tools and machines in small-scale workshops. 

Once again, I would like to thank Ben Niehaus for working tirelessly with local businesses from both Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula Michigan to garner support for the Fab Lab.  I believe it has been a huge success in Florence County and Fab Labs will continue to flourish in the Northwoods as well as Wisconsin.  Additionally, I would like to thank Lt. Governor for traveling to northern Wisconsin to see the innovative additions in Florence.

Snowmobiling Season Approaches

As the snow begins to fall and temperatures drop, snowmobiling enthusiasts will begin to enjoy the trails by exploring the Northwoods.  Starting this snowmobiling season, there will be a few changes that I would like to remind snowmobilers of before heading out to the trails.  All snowmobiles operating on a Wisconsin snowmobile trail or corridor must purchase and display a Wisconsin trail pass.  The annual trail passes for Wisconsin residents are $30 for non-snowmobile club members and $10 for snowmobile club members.  Additionally, out-of-state trail passes will cost an annual fee of $50.  For more information on Wisconsin trail passes, click here.

All passes are available for purchase at any DNR licensed vendor or on the DNR website. If you choose to purchase your trail pass online, all trail passes will be shipped within two business days to the mailing address specified.  Additionally, if you purchase a trail pass online, your receipt will serve as your trail pass until the official trail pass is delivered in the mail. 

For information on Wisconsin snow condition, follow this link. 

First Annual Lighting Up St. Germain Parade

At the end of November, I was invited by the St. Germain Chamber of Commerce to attend the first annual "Lighting Up St. Germain Parade."  The parade included a number of floats, live music and spectacular Christmas lights and decorations.  Luckily after the parade, kids were able to meet with Santa to discuss their Christmas wish lists while enjoying hot refreshments and cookies.

I would like to congratulate the St. Germain Chamber of Commerce for organizing such a festive and jolly event!

Senator Tiffany and Representative Swearingen in St. Germain with a few of Santa's Helpers!

Photo Credit: Wally Geist

Wisconsin's nine-day regular gun season ended Sunday, with more than 612,000 hunters out in the field. Preliminary registration totals indicate hunters brought in 201,812 deer during the nine-day season. A muzzleloader gun season is now open statewide and runs through December 9. This will be followed by an antlerless-only firearm hunt from December 10 through 13 in those parts of the state open to antlerless hunting. As a reminder, all hunters, except waterfowl hunters, are required to wear blaze orange clothing whenever a firearms deer season is open.

Parts of northern Wisconsin received 2 to 4 inches of snow earlier this week, but unseasonably warm temperatures are in the forecast and much of the snow is melting, as has the snow that fell last weekend in southern Wisconsin. Many lakes across the Northwoods became ice covered in the last week, but thickness is variable and only in the range of 1 to 3 inches. As such, ice conditions are extremely variable and generally unsafe for any kind of ice travel. With that said, there have been the first sightings of early season ice anglers venturing out, but they are staying in shallow water and close to shore. The first reports indicate minimal success with just a few smaller walleye caught.
Lakes remain open through most of central and southern Wisconsin, allowing anglers to continue to fish from boats. Some skim ice has been forming along shorelines, but the very warm temperatures forecast for this weekend should make most of that melt away.

A few duck hunters are taking advantage of the last few days of the southern zone season, which closes Dec. 6. The freeze-up starting on northern lakes has moved some additional ducks down, but the unusually warmer temperatures have promoted a slow migration throughout the fall.

Turkeys have begun forming winter flocks, so late-season turkey hunters may see a change in the daily patterns they've been observing. Pheasant hunters are still having good success with many birds seen in recent days drying out alongside the road ditches and parking areas. Pheasant stocking has resumed and will continue to provide opportunities for pheasant hunters through the rest of the season, which runs through Dec. 31. Squirrel numbers in southwestern Wisconsin have been very strong this year and have been offering plenty of challenges for beginning and advanced hunters alike.

A reminder that next Thursday, Dec. 10, is the application deadline for 2016 spring turkey and bear permits.

A lot of eagle and crow sightings have been reported with all the gut piles left over from the nine-day season. Waterfowl viewing opportunities still abound along the Mississippi River, with bluebills, canvasbacks, goldeneyes, buffleheads, mallards, ringnecks, and tundra swans remaining in numerous areas along Highway 35, especially between Ferryville and Lynxville. Lake Michigan has good numbers of red-breasted mergansers along with some scoters, red-throated and common loons, and other regular species. Great horned owls are already ramping up courtship activities. Listen for dueting pairs on calm nights, with the male's deeper hoot standing out from the female's higher-pitched response.
After an atypically large influx in October, reports of snowy owls have dropped off precipitously. As of November 30, approximately 87 have been tallied in 40 counties statewide. However, only 22 new birds were reported in all of November and only a handful of owls have been detected in recent weeks. Get the latest update on the snowy owl page of the DNR website.

Woodruff DNR Service Center area

Oneida County - A few inches of snow and mild temperatures are creating great conditions for late-season deer hunters and grouse hunters. Ice conditions remain very poor to nonexistent. Some of the smaller lakes and bays have frozen over and anglers have ventured out; however, extreme caution is urged. Ice remains very thin and inconsistent. - Tim Ebert, conservation warden, Woodruff

Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest

Opening deer season weekend was busy on the NHAL but it quieted down after that. One hunter reported a black bear around his deer stand. It's been very quiet for muzzleloader hunters. But there has been a lot of deer movement during the days following the nine-day hunt, probably from laying tight most of the season. There are a lot fishermen driving around checking if the ice is walkable yet. A couple brave souls have been venturing out on the way-too-thin ice, hopefully only in areas where the water under the ice is shallow. Lake and stream water levels on the Northern Highland-American Legion state Forest rebounded after a dry August and September. Ice conditions are not safe on the forest at this time. Warmer temperatures are forecasted so it may be best to hold off on ice fishing until conditions improve. The forest received about 2 inches of very wet snow Dec. 2, but the melt has started and will continue the rest of the week. There is about 2-4 inches of snow on the ground but it's melting fast. The trails crew will be out packing and clearing the ski trails of trees and debris. There are some large flocks of hooded mergansers and a few mallards are still around. A lot of eagle and crow sightings with all the gut piles and dumped carcasses. With little snow and seasonally mild temperatures, it's still a good time to be out gathering firewood on the forest (with a permit of course). Quite a few vehicles driving around from Thanksgiving on with scraggly Christmas trees strapped to their roofs, which one can only hope were cut from the forest (with a permit of course) and not purchased. Wood gatherers have been busy in our campgrounds over the past few weeks, but there is still some easily accessible firewood to be found. Gates were opened at the closed campgrounds to allow access for firewood gatherers and we will close them as we see that there is no wood remaining to be gathered. Permit holders are allowed to gather downed wood from all campgrounds on the forest from Nov. 1-April 30 annually. Scheduling next year's campground hosts will begin around the first of the year, so now is the time to get more information and apply if you might be interested in serving as a volunteer campground host. Contact Joe Fieweger at 715-385-3355 ext 113 or joseph.fieweger@wi.gov if interested. - Kimberly Krawczyk, Visitor Services Associate

Antigo DNR Service Center area

Langlade County - In the Antigo area winter is trying to make its start, but above average temperatures are melting the snow quickly after it falls. Hunters had a successful deer season with many hunters reporting an increased number of does and fawns observed. In spite of not having much snow mild conditions will allow muzzleloader hunters comfortable conditions to hunt in. Little ice has formed on most lakes. A covering...but too thin to support any weight. - Eric J. Borchert, wildlife technician, Antigo

Upcoming Community Events

Please click the following links for upcoming community events!

Holiday Concert: December 8, Rhinelander

Wreath Making Class/Winter Basket Class: December 9-12, Woodruff

Three Lakes Women's Club Holiday Breakfast: December 9, Three Lakes

Winter Art Exhibitions Open!: December 10-12 & 17, Rhinelander

The Nicolet Players Present: A Christmas Carol: December 10-13, Rhinelander

Carpentry Job Fair: December 10, Rhinelander

Quilt Auction, Cooking Contest & Bake Sale: December 10, Three Lakes

Caroling Around Town: December 10, Manitowish Waters

County's Community Assessment: December 11, Rhinelander

Minocqua Winter Farmers Market: December 11, Minocqua

Holiday Model Train Show: December 12-13, Minocqua

Cookie Walk: December 12, Minocqua

American Legion Christmas Party Dinner & Dance: December 12, Three Lakes

Denim & Dessert Readers Theatre: December 12, Presque Isle

Indoor Farmers Market At The YMCA: December 12, Rhinelander

Holiday Time Music by Celebration Brass Quintet Followed by The Lakeland: December 12, Minocqua

Skijor & Ski Shop Demo Day: December 13, Minocqua

Boulder Junction Children's Christmas Party: December 13, Boulder Junction

RHS Holiday Concert: December 14-15, Rhinelander

JH/HS Christmas Concert: December 14, Three Lakes

Christmas Concert: December 14, Phelps

Campanile Presents the Second City's “Holidazed & Confused”: December 15, Minocqua

Please contact me at Rep.Swearingen@legis.wi.gov if you would like to UNSUBSCRIBE from my E-Updates

Office of Representative Rob Swearingen

Room 123 West

PO Box 8953, Madison WI 53708

Office: 608-266-7141

Toll Free: 888-534-0034