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Unique geographical point in Marathon County gets new marker

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A very special point in Marathon County has a new geological marker.

That marks the point of 45 degrees north, 90 degrees west, the center of the north half of the Western Hemisphere.

Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau director Richard Barrett says it’s a unique draw to the little town of Poniatowski. “This has always been listed as one of our tourist destinations but it wasn’t really utilized that much because the marker was never here”

It’s a a one of a kind location. “There’s only four in the world. Two are underwater, one is in the mountains of China, we’re the only accessible one.”

The newly developed marker on the point has been bringing in tourists and curiosity seekers from around the world.

WJFW

Madison Ironman to run on Sunday, despite flooding

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The Madison Ironman will go on this Sunday, despite historic flooding in the city. 

Organizers say flooded sidewalks and trails will force minor changes to the race’s 112 mile bike course, but everything else is good to go.

The annual race is known as one of the best in the world. It combines a 2.4 mile swim through flooded Lake Monona, and then a full Marathon that will finish downtown.

Organizers say participants should be aware that there could be debris floating in the water and to be alert.

More than 24-hundred participants are expected to take part.

Ashwaubenon to restrict some vendor sales outside Packers games

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Ashwaubenon is considering banning people who don’t have proper sales permits from hawking goods outside of Lambeau Field or in its vicinity during Packers events.

Village Attorney Tony Wachewicz says this change in the ordinance is geared towards having proper documentation for vendors.

“Making sure that people get a direct sellers permit so that we know who they are, and we can identify them with their particular license on Packer game days.”

The ban was already listed on temporary sales permits, but wasn’t expressly stated in village ordinance, according to Wachewicz. “

All the vendors that currently exist and sell from a fixed location will still continue to be able to operate.”

The measure passed the village’s public protection committee on Tuesday, and will have to go before the full village board to be finalized.

Busy Labor Day travel to be snarled by flooding

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Labor Day is here, and that means busy holiday traffic. Flooded roads and road closures are only going to make travel worse in parts of Wisconsin.

State transportation safety director David Pabst says you should call 511 or visit http://511wi.gov to find out if roads near you are flooded out.

“Bottom line, that has the most up to date information. I couldn’t even begin to guess today or the next few days with the rain.”

Major road work will be cancelled for the weekend, but there will be road cones and barrels up on parts of Wisconsin’s highways.

“Construction zones are dangerous whether there’s workers there or not, and you need to put your phone down if you’re in a construction zone,” says Pabst.

Pabst reminds people to give themselves plenty of time to get where they’re going, and to put down those cell phones while driving.

Antlerless deer tag sales start next week

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Wisconsin hunters can start getting their doe tags next week.

Those antlerless hunt authorizations are the best tool the DNR has at controlling the population of the deer herd, according to big game ecologist Kevin Wallenfang.

“We basically focus on the antlerless population, because it’s the does that are dropping fawns out there.”

Every county except Iron County will have authorizations this year, thanks to a milder winter and less pressure on the deer herd over the last several years.

He says that doe tags also give you a chance to put tasty, fresh deer meat in your cooler. “You might choose to use those older deer for making sausage and things like that, and focus on those younger deer and those prime cuts of meat for your steaks and things like that.”

Tag sales start on Monday, August 13. You can get them at your local outdoors shop, or online at http://gowild.wi.gov.

Highgrounds Memorial Bike Tour runs this weekend

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You might see them out on Wisconsin’s roadways this weekend!  It’s the 34th annual Highground Veterans Memorial Park bicycle tour, and it hits highways all around the state starting Friday and running through Sunday.

Executive director Jon Weiler, says the Highground’s biggest fundraiser of the year commemorates the bike ride that Tom Miller took more than 30 years ago to start The Highground.

“In 1984 Tom Miller was trying to raise awareness of the Vietnam veteran issues, so he decided to do a bicycle tour around the State of Wisconsin, 1,244 miles, which is the number of KIAs and ‘Missing in Action’ from Wisconsin in Vietnam,” Weiler explained.

“Last year we raised just over $50,000,” Weiler said, “but the most important thing is to raise awareness of all veterans and their struggles and their sacrifices.”

Bike routes start in all four corners of the state and riders range from young teenagers to Vietnam vets in their seventies, and they all have one thing in common…  arriving at The Highground on Sunday.

“They start on Friday, they stay somewhere Friday night, Saturday night, and then they roll into The Highground around Noon on Sunday afternoon,” Weiler explained.

“If people are interested in coming here to see that, we try to greet them. We stand in lines on both sides of the road, we hold flags, and we’ll greet them as they enter The Highround.”

Organizers say spectators, volunteers, and other motorists are a big part of the annual ride; helping to feed, house, and safely greet riders as they traverse the state.

If you still want to register for the event, go to https://www.thehighground.us/events/ for more information.

WSAU

Pick the best State Fair food with the annual Sporkies Awards

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You can help pick the best food at the Wisconsin State Fair with the 6th annual Sporkies Awards.

The panel of finalists had to submit their items this spring, and Spokeswoman Kristi Chuckel says the items up for judging went through a jury process earlier this year, ahead of the Fair.

“On the Wednesday of the fair, the finalists will come together and they’ll have their items made, and then they’ll be judged by a panel of celebrity judges and we will pick the top three winners.”

There’s a wide array of items this year. They include items like a S’mores Beer Float, a cannoli with bacon for the outside, deep fried turducken bites, a deep fried french toast and bacon stick, deep fried french onion soup, spinach lasagna bites, a gourmet pork belly sandwich and what’s basically a roast chicken dinner on a stick.

Chuckel says if you are planning on coming out to try your hand at judging, you might want to watch your diet. Just to be safe. “Our vendors kind of tend to go big, so a lot of these items, if you are going to try them, you might want to plan on sharing with a friend.”

You can help pick a best in show by trying out your favorites while at the Fair.

You can find out more online at www.wistatefair.com.

EAA AirVenture draws big international crowd

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The international visitor’s tent at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture has been called the United Nations of Oshkosh by some.

Thousands of people from all over the world come to the convention.

But it’s more than just a tent.

Visitors and tent volunteers say it’s its own community…And it’s a community that keeps on growing.

”It’s a whole group of people; like-minded people who just want to camp and experience aviation in Oshkosh, which is nothing else like it in the world,” said Neil Bowden organizer for the South Africa AirVenture group.

For the past 22 years, Neil has organized the AirVenture travel packages from South Africa.

But this year, he tells FOX 11 his crew of South African aviation enthusiasts arrived in Oshkosh with the largest group ever.

Last year, they set a record of 163 people…this year, 237 people are filling the 162 tents at Camp Schoeller.

The South African group is also the first there to ever have a permanent small shed on their site.

“We’re part of the whole Camp Schoeller/Oshkosh camping area, and it’s great because people – our neighbors – camp next to us, they come and mix with us, they come and talk with us, and I just feel like part of the whole scene.”

“They make connections and friendships that, outside of Oshkosh, maybe wouldn’t be possible,” AirVenture International Visitors Tent chairwoman Michel Bryson said.

“Here, there’s not politics, there’s no religion, it’s just airplanes and friendships.”

The number of visitors checked-in at the tent is already up.

The international tent has seen 200 more guests than it did this time last year.

For another international visitor, it seems nothing will stop him from attending AirVenture, not age or even cancer.

Eighty-eight-year-old Australian Dave Thomas has been making the trip to Oshkosh since the 70s.

He tells FOX 11 his passion for aviation has done more than keep him coming back each year.

“The only love in life, the only thing keeping me alive is flying airplanes, and talking about airplanes to people – these lovely people here,” Thomas said.

Over 2,000 people are representing over 70 countries, all speaking the universal language of aviation.

WTAQ

Get out and see Wisconsin this summer with help from Travel Wisconsin

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The kids are out of school, the weather’s nice and it’s a good time to take a break and go for a trip.

Wisconsin tourism secretary Stephanie Klett says if you can’t find a place to go this summer, you’re not trying hard enough. “We have millions of acres of county, state and national forest. We’re the waterfall capital of the Midwest. We have thousands, and I mean literally thousands of summer events.”

The Northwoods is a great destination for summer travel, and she’s even got a suggestion for you. “Boulder Junction is great, because they have over 200 miles of trails, and they have over 200 lakes within a 20 mile radius of Boulder Junction, and really some of the clearest, cleanest lakes you’ll ever discover,” says Klett.

If all else fails, she says, find something to do close to home. “And a lot of things that people will come all over the country for, when you’re from that town or city, you might not go! Because it’s just something you’re used to.”

Klett says you can find suggestions, lists of events and more online at the state tourism website at www.travelwisconsin.com

Watch out for algae blooms on Wisconsin lakes this summer

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Hot temperatures and sunny days are great to get out on Wisconsin beaches, but it’s also a recipe for toxic lake scum.

That scum is ‘cyanobacteria’ commonly called blue-green algae. Gina LaLiberte with the DNR says the name ‘blue-green’ can be misleading, and that you should be careful with any brackish water. “People hear the word blue in blue-green algae, and they think it’s going to be blue. But active growing blue-green algae are most often green when they’re forming blooms in Wisconsin lakes.”

The algae forms any time there’s high temperatures, plenty of sunlight, and little wind. In Wisconsin blooms typically peak from July to September.

Swimming through them can cause rashes, gastrointestinal ailments and respiratory irritation. If you think you’ve been sickened, contact your doctor to get tested.