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In
this October-November 1999 issue:
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Many members of the Southeast Gateway Group have visited Alaska or plan to do so in the near future. Most of the members are well aware of the way mining companies have ripped off the American people under the 1872 Mining Law that allows anyone to "stake a claim" to mine on public lands. If the minerals found might be profitably removed, those claim holders could "patent" or purchase the land at 1872 prices of $2.50 to $5.00 per acre. (There is currently a temporary moratorium on new patents.) Considering the millions or billions of dollars worth of minerals that might be there, that price qualifies as rip off number one.
Now in the Kantishna Hills portion of northern Denali National Park in Alaska, owners of a 20-acre patented mining claim known as Spruce 4 are planning to build a $3,000,000 facility consisting of a 3,200-square-foot main lodge and thirty "rustic, double-occupancy log cabins" along with related buildings and equipment. All on land that they bought from you and me for $100 or less! To obtain access to these facilities the owners of Spruce 4 are petitioning to upgrade and maintain a so-called "primitive 9.7 mile mining access road" through Denali National Park and to add 880 feet to an existing 1,120-foot long airstrip. All those who have visited Denali will immediately recognize rip off number two.
A new lodge is contrary to existing park plans for the Kantishna area where four lodges already serve visitors. There are numerous lodges and visitor facilities outside of the Park without adding more busses chugging in and out of Denali or the additional over flights. The National Park Service's (NPS) plans are to acquire valid and patented mining claims within the Park boundaries, including the proposed lodge area, and then to restore the streams and habitat damage from the past gold mining. For this, Congress has appropriated $12 million dollars so far just for acquisition. Many holders are refusing to sell until they find out whether Spruce 4 will get its new road, enlarged airstrip and the proposed lodge.
By the time you receive this issue of the Southeast Sierran, it will be too late to comment on the NPS's Environmental Impact Statement, so this article is only to let you know that your government sells your land for a few dollars per acre and then must appropriate millions to buy it back. And if this proposal is not stopped by the NPS, how many other lodges, subdivisions or commercial enterprises will we see and listen to next time we visit the wilderness in Denali National Park?
Now on to something more enjoyable than all this gloom. I have been a recent convert to butterfly watching. This spring, I purchased and planted what was sold to me as a Black Knight butterfly bush. On its blooming, it was white (Petite Snow). I went back to the garden center, explained my problem and was given a Black Knight (deep purple). To my delight, the butterflies preferred the white bush (which the garden center allowed me to keep). I stopped counting Monarchs and Whites because there were so many. I also had Blues, Red Admirals, Sulfurs, Mourning Cloaks and Giant Swallowtails. I also had, what to me, was a Milbert's Tortoise Shell. My yard seems empty now with the migration coming to an end, but they made a delightful summer for me. Hope all of you had a good summer as well.
From Your Legislative WatchdogSenator Alice Clausing recently held hearings around the State regarding campaign finance reform. There are currently four bills dealing with this subject before the legislature. Each has its good points. Senator Clausing will attempt to incorporate them into one bipartisan bill which will pass. Whether this bill will be minimal or meaningful depends a lot on the support she gets from the public.
Write your senator and assembly representative a note or postcard expressing your desire for campaign finance reform.
Senator, PO Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882
Assemblyperson: (A-L) PO Box 8952, Madison 53708; (M-Z) PO Box 8953, Madison 53708
Partial public financing has to be part of the bill. Candidates who abide by the rules will be helped. How will it be paid for? A tax checkoff on your state income tax is one way. Some people resent this, but it would be the best investment we citizens ever made. With limits set on spending in all races, our public servants would no longer be dependent on special interests to pay for their campaigns, and we would no longer have our tax dollars spent to finance all sorts of projects of no benefit to you and me in order to recompense big contributors for their donations. Those were hidden costs you were paying that will be substantially reduced.
In the last election Governor Thompson spent $7 million. No one but a multimillionaire could compete with that. It is suggested to limit spending in governor's races to $3 million. State senate races would be limited to $140,000 (Some have cost $600,000) and assembly races would be limited to $50,000 or $60,000. At present many spend over $100,000.
It would be best if races for the State Supreme Court were totally publicly financed. It is very hard for a judge to dispense impartial justice when he or she must rely on special interests to finance campaigns.
Most of these obscene amounts of money is spent on TV ads, often full of half-lies and rarely acknowledging the source of the ad. Still, they seem to influence the gullible though most people dislike them.
No issue is more important for our country's welfare than campaign finance reform. Let us here in Wisconsin set an example for the rest of the nation as we have so often done in the past. Let's clean up our politics.
Southeast Gateway Group Fund Raiser
The Southeast Gateway Group's major
fund raiser this year is the sales of greens and holiday wreaths. This includes: door
swags, canes, 25-foot garland roping, door hangers and cemetery easels. Our profit from
each sale is approximately 50%. Our supplier is Rose Wreath of Phillips, WI. They have
been in business for about 20 years and are well organized. They will deliver our
completed order to the Milwaukee County Stadium. We have a Friday, November 19 pickup time
at 3:15 p.m. This will allow our customers to receive their holiday greens by
Thanksgiving.
Sierra Club salespersons must pick up their customers' orders on Saturday, November 20, from 10:00 a.m. until noon at the J.I. Case High School Greenhouse (located at the back of the building, on the south side) at 7345 Washington Ave. If this is not possible, please contact Mary Ann Ortmayer at (414) 554-5058 for special arrangements.
We have colorful order forms, which display photographs of all of the products. The form in this newsletter may be used as well.
All sales must be called in to either Barb Meyocks (414) 654-2208, or Mary Ann Ortmayer (414) 554-5058, not later than Monday, November 1. Additional order forms or help may be obtained from Barb or Mary Ann. Don't hesitate to call. Money is due to Barb or Mary Ann by Thursday, December 2.
Available now. The calendars feature beautiful full-page color photographs.
The Wilderness and Wildflowers wall calendars are $11.00. The Wildlife, Birds and Oceans calendars are $12.00. The engagement calendar is $12.00 and the pocket calendar is $4.00. the Wilderness and engagement calendars are gift boxed, while the others are shrink-wrapped.
All calendars are printed on 100% recycled paper. All are saddle-stitched, except the Wilderness and Engagement calendars, which are wire-bound.
Calendar sales are a fund raiser for our Southeast Gateway Group. Each purchase helps our group and is an item you can enjoy all year long.
You are also welcome to help sell these calendars.
For information, contact Dian Sorenson at (414) 633-6974.
They would like comments by Nov. 15, 1999.
Please call the activity coordinator to let him/her know if you plan to participate (particularly if a carpool is planned), have questions or are concerned about the activity due to inclement weather.
Monthly meetings are held at the Firstar Bank, 101 E. Walworth St., Elkhorn.
The Highway 12 parking lot is approximately five miles east of Whitewater or two and a half miles west of LaGrange.
Additional information may be found on the Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation web site: www.iceagetrail.org
Oct. 2, Sat., 9:00 a.m.: Trail maintenance and preparation for Fall Hike. Meet at Hwy. 12. Gary Klatt, 473-4973.
Oct. 3, Sun., 8:00 a.m.: Whitewater Biathlon to benefit the Ice Age Trail. Meet at the UW-Whitewater Stadium parking lot at 8:00 for work assignments. Gary Klatt, 473-4973.
Oct. 9, Sat., 9:00 a.m.: Fall "Parade of Colors" fundraising hike. Registration is from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Hwy. 12. From two-and-a-half to eighteen easy to moderately difficult miles. Registration gifts, door prizes and shuttle service. Kangaroo, (608) 883-2825.
Oct. 19, Tue., 6:00 p.m.: Meetings. Speaker to be announced. Firstar Bank. Gerry Emmerich, 642-5641 or Nancy Lazzaroni, 248-8247.
Oct. 23, Sat., 9:00 a.m.: Trail Maintenance. Meet at Hwy. 12. Gary Klatt, 473-4973.
Oct. 24, Sun., 9:00 a.m.: New Trail Work. Call for details or meet at Hwy. 12. Kangaroo, (608) 883-2825.
Nov. 7. Sun., Noon: Plan 2000 Calendar of Events. Sally Ward, 496-8362 or Dolly McNulty, 728-8351.
Nov. 14, Sun., 9:00 a.m.: Hike-Cross Plains Ice Age Reserve. Hike will begin at 11:00 at the reserve. Call Dolly McNulty, 728-8351 for details.
Nov. 16, Tue., 6:00 p.m.: Meeting. Review and finalize 2000 calendar. Firstar Bank. Gerry Emmerich, 642-5641 or Nancy Lazzaroni, 248-8247.
Nov. 20, Sat., 9:00 a.m.: Trail Maintenance. Meet at Hwy. 12. Wear Orange! Gary Klatt, 473-4973.
Nov. 21, Sun., 9:00 a.m.: New Trail Work. Call for details or meet at Hwy. 12. Wear Orange! Kangaroo, (608) 883-2825.
Dec. 4, Sat., 9:00 a.m.: Hike-Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. Meet at Nordic parking lot on Cty. H, one-and-a-half miles north of LaGrange & Hwy. 12. State park sticker required. June Wheeler, 889-4240.
Calendar for October and November:
October 10, Sunday, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Canoe the Root River north of the dam (near Hwy 38 and MM, Racine). Located north of the River Run Restaurant, there is a small park where we can launch canoes and park vehicles. Please contact Eric (seggoutings@usa.net) if interested.October 14, Thursday: Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Ave. (Hwy 11) and Prichard Ave. All members are welcome.
October 16-17, Saturday & Sunday: John Muir Chapter Annual Meeting. See the September-October issue of The Muir View for complete details.
October 16: Chiwaukee Prairie Work Day. Contact Donna Peterson at 637-3141.
October 21: Environmental Chemistry. Dr. Gary Wood from the UW-Parkside Chemistry Department will discuss today's major environmental concerns. Included are upper atmosphere and ground level ozone, global warming and alternative energy sources. The conservation committee will present their annual Green Award at this meeting. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Ave. (Hwy 11) and Prichard Drive. Please come early for coffee and conversation.
October 30, Saturday 9:00 a.m.: Highway 38 Clean-up and Potluck. Three times a year we pick up trash on our three-mile Adopt-A-Highway segment of Highway 38 (Highway K to 5 Mile Road, Racine County). This is the last clean-up until next spring. Meet at the home of Bob and Betty Gericke, 3927 North Lane, Hood's Creek Subdivision. Call 886-9057 for directions. Noon: Potluck Lunch, bring a dish to pass.
November 11, Thursday: Deadline for the October-November Southeast Sierran.
November 11, Thursday: Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Ave. (Hwy 11) and Prichard Ave. All members are welcome.
November 18: Hiking the Ice Age Trail. Ellwood H. May, Environmental Park Director David Kuckuk and his dog Yukon recently hiked the 1,000 mile Ice Age Trial. His six weeks on the trail has given him an exceptional wide range of experiences that he and Yukon will share with us. The hike was undertaken to offer educational opportunities and for fund raising to build an addition to the Ecology Center. Donations are encouraged. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Kenosha Gateway Conference Center (3520 30th Ave). Please come early for coffee and conversation
November 20: Chiwaukee Prairie Work Day. Contact Donna Peterson at 637-3141.
December 16: Christmas Party. Bring a plate of Christmas goodies to pass and sit back and enjoy hearing about the outdoor adventures that your fellow sierrans had this past year. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Ave. (Hwy 11) and Prichard Drive. Please come early for coffee and conversation.