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La Crosse baseball and tennis teams need your help

July 28, 2009 By

UW-La Crosse baseball September 1st is the deadline and the UW-La Crosse baseball team is still more than $18,000 shy of the $50,000 it needs to raise to keep the program afloat for another year. 

The baseball and tennis programs at the school were eliminated in light of the state's budget deficit.  But both programs were given the Sept. 1 deadline to try to raise enough money to privately fund themselves for the upcoming academic year.  That's $50,000 for baseball and $40,000 for tennis.

The fundraising efforts are being led by coaches and players, both past and present.  As of today (Tuesday), the Eagles baseball team has raised $31,047.  When they reach $50,000, then the fund raising efforts immediately move to the $200,000 effort, which is needed to keep the program going for several years.

There's La Crosse baseball alumni all over the state and many of them are spearheading the effort.  Appleton East baseball coach Dan Heinritz played for longtime coach Bill Terry at La Crosse.  Heinritz said playing baseball and attending school in La Crosse has had a significant impact on both his career and his life and would like to see others have that same chance.

Heinritz said losing baseball at La Crosse would have a negative impact on the entire conference ( WIAC ).  He said other schools would likely follow and Whitewater , Stevens Point and Oshkosh would likely be the only survivors.

The fundraising effort could use a big shot in the arm from a major donor.  Baseball in the long term at the school may depend on it.

For baseball fans looking for more information, or for a way to make a financial contribution, they should go to www.saveuwlbaseball.com .

 

Listen / Download – Bill Scott on efforts to save baseball at UWL 3:52

Filed Under: Top Story

Wife testifies in prayer death trial

July 28, 2009 By

The Weston mother convicted in the prayer death of her 11-year-old daughter last spring testified that she and her husband did not take the girl to a doctor because it would have shown “complete disobedience” to their faith in God.

Leilani Neumann testified Tuesday morning at the trial of her husband Dale. He is charged with second-degree reckless homicide for choosing prayer over medicine as Madeline Kara Neumann died from untreated diabetes.

“We felt we were within our legal right to pray for our daughter,” Leilani Neumann said, adding that the family never considered taking her to a doctor as they discussed the girl's worsening condition last Easter Sunday.

Neumann told a jury of eight men and six women that she agreed to let a friend call 911 when Kara stopped breathing because they needed “some other intervention.”

Neumann testified that sickness is caused by sin and can be cured by God. She also testified that the reason Kara may have been sick was because of a falling out with fellow business partners and Bible study members Althea and Randall Wormgoor.

Prosecutors granted Neumann immunity, meaning nothing she says can be used against her at future court proceedings, like her October 6th sentencing hearing.

Neumann's testimony consumed the whole morning court session. Judge Vincent Howard appeared testy during a mid-morning break in which he said night court sessions would be possible to wrap up testimony by Friday.

The defense is expected to cross-examine Leilani Neumann this afternoon. 

AUDIO: Leilani Neumann (1:05 MP3)

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Top Story

EAB in Green Bay

July 28, 2009 By

Another area of Wisconsin can now claim a case of the Emerald Ash Borer. A suspicious beetle found in a survey trap in Green Bay last week has been confirmed as the EAB. Brown County is the fifth county to have a confirmed case. The others are just to south on the Ozaukee-Washington County line. The tree killer has also been found in the southwest counties of Vernon and Crawford.

A state official says EAB's appearance there is to be expected as Green Bay through the entire Fox Valley is a popular tourist trap. Mick Skwarok, Plant, Pest and Disease Specialist with DATCP, believes visitors are probably bringing infected wood from other states.

Skwarok says the state is consulting with the feds on quarantining the area.

He urges people to find out more about the invasive pests, and methods in preventing them, on their website .

AUDIO: Brian Moon reports (MP3 :71)

Filed Under: Agriculture, Top Story

Space plane makes debut

July 28, 2009 By

People at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh are the first people in the world to get a close-up look an aircraft that might help send ships into space. Will Whitehorn is the president of Virgin Galactic, which developed the WhiteKnightTwo. He says the craft looks like two separate airplanes, with connected wings, and room in between the two hulls for a space ship.

Whitehorn says it's actually less expensive to launch a ship from their plane, than the way NASA has done it for years from land-based rockets. He says it also requires less energy. He says they hope to test the WhiteKnightTwo, with a space ship, by December. He says they want to start sending people into space, in two years.

British billionaire Sir Richard Branson is the chairman of the Virgin Group, and he was in Oshkosh waiting for the plane to Monday afternoon. Branson will also make a "huge" announcement Tuesday which he says will be worth millions.

AUDIO: Whitehorn on future of WhiteKnightTwo (MP3 :19)

Filed Under: Transportation

Favre says he’ll stay retired!

July 28, 2009 By

After months of speculation on Brett Favre’s future, the former Packers and Jets quarterback has decided to remain retired from the NFL, instead of taking the starting quarterback job in Minnesota with the Vikings.

Favre told ESPN’s Ed Werder said the decision was extremely difficult and indicated that this will be it, he won’t likely consider play again in the NFL.

Favre didn’t think that his health could be trusted for an entire 16-game season. That pain wasn’t necessarily in his arm or shoulder, but in his knees and ankles.

Favre had several Vikings players calling and texting him, trying to convince the future Hall of Famer to play with the Vikings. Instead, Favre will pass on the previously negotiated 1-year, $10-million contract.

Favre told Werder, “I had to be careful not to commit for the wrong reasons.” He said, “They were telling me, ‘You went through all this, you had the surgery and you’ve got to finish it off.’ But I havelegitimate reasons for my decision. I’m 39 with a lot of sacks to my name.”

Favre’s decision leaves the Vikings with Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson to compete for the starters job in Minnesota. That means coach Brad Childress has some damage control to do with both, who were expected to compete for the job before the courting of Favre began.

The Vikings are scheduled to report to training camp on Thursday and start practicing on Friday.

Filed Under: Titletown Report Tagged With:
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