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Report paints perilous picture for corn

April 25, 2009 By

A new report says global warming could impact Wisconsin's corn crop, to the tune of some $41 million a year. The report, Hotter Fields, Lower Yields , examined the impact rising temperatures will have on the nation's number one crop. Dan Kohler with Wisconsin Environment says corn, America's largest crop, is particularly vulnerable to productivity losses from higher temperatures.

"Corn likes it cool, but global warming is raising temperatures in Wisconsin and across the nation," said Kohler. "Global warming is raising temperatures in Wisconsin and across the nation. Global warming will mean lower yields for corn, and eventually the rest of agriculture."

Sue Beitlich with the Wisconsin Farmers Union said the report brings an agricultural perspective to the global warming debate. "Farmers are impacted, and truly farmers can be part of the solution," said Beitlich. "We can't just keep burying or heads in the sand. We need solutions, and we need action."

The report analyzes expected future impacts on the state's corn crop using a 2008 study by the federal government.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:60 MP3)
Read: Hotter Fields, Lower Yields report (PDF)

Filed Under: Agriculture, Environment & Conservation

New Page looking to sell Kimberly mill

April 25, 2009 By

Officials with the Village of Kimberly say they'll do whatever they can to help the NewPage Corporation sell the paper mill, which closed last September . Village President Chuck Kuen says he was surprised this week, when he heard that NewPage hired a banking firm to help sell the facility. Kuen says there are a lot of former NewPage employees who are still looking for work, and the sooner the mill can be up and running again the better. He says village officials will even act as tour guides for prospective buyers when they come to visit, if it will help.

For months, former employees of the New Page mill have been calling for the company to either run the mill or sell it. CEO Mark Suwyn says the company originally hoped to restart one or more of the machines, but the continued economic slump has led them to reconsider.

Union spokesman Andy Nirschl says the mill's former employees will do what they can to help sell the facility to someone who will run it. He says some former employees have found other jobs, but there are a lot of people who are still looking. New Page is trying to find a non-competing company to buy the Kimberly mill.

Filed Under: Business

Brain-Twitter interface may be boon to disabled

April 25, 2009 By

Brain Twitter Interface at UW Madison It's the latest social networking craze, but researchers believe Twitter may also someday help people with severe physical limitations. "SPELLING WITH MY BRAIN." That's a tweet UW Madison researchers sent out on April 15th, without touching a keyboard. Professor Justin Williams and doctoral student Adam Wilson are Twittering through an electrode embedded cap and a computer screen. Williams explains why the social networking site may be a boon for people with spinal cord injuries, and others with no mobility.

"Twitter, when we first started looking into it, really took care of a lot of the problems that we had had in trying to help people communicate," explains Williams. "It takes care of a lot of the 'overhead' of being able to communicate over the Internet." Williams says people who are 'locked in' could eventually benefit from the technology. "These are very chronic conditions that can last for many, many years, and over time, face to face communication becomes more difficult," Williams says, adding that Twitter would be a good method for quick messages to friends and family.

"Twitter was really the perfect application for something we'd been trying to do for many years: help people with severe motor disabilities communicate with the outside world," says Williams. "We'd been trying to help people use programs like e-mail, but of course with e-mail you have to be able to do a lot of tasks before you're ever going to be able to communicate with someone." 

Willams and scientists at the Wadsworth Institute in Albany, New York are working to further develop what they call the Brain-Twitter Interface , which Williams believes may someday be available for use in homes and care facilities.

AUDIO: Bob Hague interview (10:30 MP3)

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, Top Story

Bush flirts with no-hitter

April 24, 2009 By

When Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Bill Hall made a tremendous play in the 8th inning to preserve Dave Bush's no-hit bid, I thought fate was in his hands.  But one batter later, Matt Stairs stepped to the plate and ripped a 1-out, pinch hit home run off the right field foul poll to break it up.

The Brewers still won the game 6-1 and won their first series of the season, taking two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Bush became the sixth pitcher this season to take a no-hitter into the late stages of a game.  So far, the pitchers have lost those battles.

Bill Hall and Ryan Braun both homered for the Brewers, who are in Houston to open a 3-game series against the Astros tonight.

 

Listen / Download – Bush says pitching inside the key :10

Filed Under: Brewers, Top Story

Badgers admit violations

April 24, 2009 By

Three Wisconsin assistant football coaches have been called on the carpet for violating NCAA rules by mistakenly visiting prospects during an off-limits recruiting period. 

According to an Associated Press report , defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, recruiting coordinator Randall McCray and wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander made the January 4 trips during a “quiet period”.  No recruiting visits can be made during such a time.

An athletic department official discovered the trips in February and the University reported them in March as an inadvertent rules violation.

Filed Under: Badgers
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