Deming Retires from East Central/Select Sires

Alan Deming, Waupun, long-time general manager for East Central/Select Sires, based in Waupun and serving southern Wisconsin, is celebrating his retirement after more than 40 years with the cooperative.

“In 40 years, I’ve seen a great deal of change in genetic information, and genetic progress has been dramatic. When I first started, three traits were measured: milk, fat, and type. Today, we measure more than 30 traits.”

Deming held the title of general manager for 26 of the 40-plus years. “I’ve had the privilege to meet many great people and work with an outstanding group of members and employees. The memories are many.”

In addition to bull power, Deming is always quick to note the employees at East Central/Select Sires are who make the cooperative successful. “It has been my pleasure to work with our employees and watch them grow to the most trusted group a manager could ever ask for,” noted Deming. “Even more than bulls and products, the success of our organization is due to a group of dedicated employees who have worked together to provide our members the very best service in the industry.”

In December, 2016, the East Central/Select Sires Board of Directors hired existing East Central employee, Jerome Meyer, formerly of Viroqua and now residing in Sun Prairie, as the cooperative’s new general manager. For the past seven months, Meyer has worked alongside Deming to learn the variety of activities associated with being the general manager at East Central/Select Sires Cooperative.

“I’m passing my position to Jerome with total confidence he’ll do a great job leading this organization in the years ahead,” noted Deming. “I want to thank East Central/Select Sires employees and members for all you’ve done to make my career a very enjoyable time. Together we’ve accomplished a great deal, and the best is yet to come.”

East Central/Select Sires is a professional-, artificial-breeding cooperative serving dairy and livestock producers in southern Wisconsin. As a member owner of Select Sires located near Plain City, Ohio, East Central/Select Sires helps make up the largest A.I. cooperative in the world. They provide highly fertile semen as well as excellence in service and programs to achieve the basic objective of supplying livestock breeders with America’s best genetics at a reasonable price.

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Picture 1:

Alan Deming, Waupun, is celebrating his retirement after more than 40 years with East Central/Select Sires Cooperative.

Picture 2:

Jerome Meyer, Sun Prairie, is replacing Alan Deming as general manager of East Central/Select Sires. Meyer has been with the cooperative since 2014.

Watch Kelsea Ballerini Play Charades with Jessica Biel & Matt Bomer

Before she performed her new single, “Legends,” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Kelsea Ballerini played a game of charades with Jimmy and guests Jessica Biel and Matt Bomer.

Check it out below, as well as Kelsea’s performance of “Legends.”

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Thomas Rhett’s New Single

Thomas Rhett has released a new single, “Unforgettable.”

The mid-tempo tune, which was written by Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley and Shane McAnally, will be featured on his upcoming album, Life Changes, which gets released on Sept. 8.

“I want people to come in from different genres and be like, ‘Dang, I never really listened to country music, but this record kind of turns me on in different ways,’” Rhett said to USA Today. “I think that’s why I recorded so many different types of songs on this record and really just tried to write what I know about.”

Listen to “Unforgettable” below.

Wisconsin State Fair on Planned Rides

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims and families affected by the recent tragedy at the Ohio State Fair.

The Fire Ball ride involved in the accident at the Ohio State Fair was not scheduled to be a part of the 2017 Wisconsin State Fair; however, the Freak Out, a similar ride, was planned for our SpinCity Amusement Ride and Game area.

Out of respect for the families affected by the tragedy, as well as the pending investigation into why the accident occurred, Wisconsin State Fair Park Chairman of the Board, John Yingling, along with Kathleen O’Leary, Wisconsin State Fair Park CEO, have made the decision to not have the Freak Out at the 2017 Wisconsin State Fair.

The Wisconsin State Fair holds itself to the highest standards, and the safety of our guests is our number one priority. We will continue our rigorous ride inspection process, which includes inspecting all rides multiple times prior to and during the fair. Wisconsin State Fair staff works in partnership with independent ride inspection professionals as well as the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services to inspect each ride and attraction.

New Art Exhibit

“Pulp to Paper,” a retrospective of work in paper and book arts by Cheryl Mahowald, will be shown from Aug. 14 through Sept. 15 in the Donald P. Taylor Gallery at Silver Lake College, 2406 S. Alverno Road. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public also is welcome to her artist’s talk at 9 a.m. on Sept. 6 in Room 102, and to an artist’s reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 13. The exhibit, talk and reception are free. Mahowald is an award-winning paper and book artist from Newton. Her work has been exhibited at numerous U.S. galleries, museums and libraries, and hangs in various permanent collections and in private homes. “I met Cheryl in the Lakeshore Artists Guild,” said Erin LaBonte, associate professor of art and art department co-chair at Silver Lake College. “Cheryl is a leader in the group and an inspiring artist. Her works are beautiful and range in scale and subject, but fibers are her medium. Cheryl once showed our group her studio and walked us through the process of creating paper. It is unique for an artist to be involved in the creation of the medium, as well as the final work.” Paper is an ancient medium, invented almost 2,000 years ago, Mahowald said in her artist’s statement. “My obsession with handmade paper began over 20 years ago,” she said. “I was drawn to the sensory aspect and ‘Zen-like’ quality of making paper by hand. I like the smell of cooking fiber, the feel of the pulp in the vat, and the sound of the water as it drains through the mold. I love the entire process.” Mahowald is challenged to explore paper’s many applications. “Paper is an extremely versatile medium,” she said. “Among other things, it can be dyed, stitched, folded, painted, woven and sculpted. Through the years, I have learned many traditional fiber art and mixed-media techniques that I use in my books and paper art. My paper art tends to reflect more of the natural world and my books are usually an expression of my reaction to and interpretation of current events. I continue to learn new ways to work with paper. I know that I will never master them all.” About the artist: Mahowald holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa State University in Ames and has worked in the field of art and design since 1982. She has taught papermaking and bookbinding to all ages, from preschool children to adults. She has hosted workshops, taught at the DuPage Art League gallery in Wheaton, Illinois, and the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, Illinois. Mahowald is a partner in Prairie Spirit Papers Inc. and co-founder of the Book and Paper Arts Guild in Wheaton, Illinois. She is a member of the Sheboygan Visual Artists, the Lakeshore Artists Guild and Friends of Dard Hunter, an organization dedicated to papermaking.

Photo caption: “Starfish” by Cheryl Mahowald/Submitted photo

Hmong Community Members to Present $3,000 Lead Gift toward Community Gardens Endowment

Members of Brown County’s Hmong community will present a check for $3,000 to the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation on July 25, at 5:00pm at 210 Museum Place, as a lead gift for the creation of an endowment fund to support Brown County’s community gardens. County Executive Troy Streckenbach, Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt, Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and UW-Extension representatives, along with Hmong community leaders, will open the ceremony with brief comments, followed by light refreshments.

In collaboration with the Brown County UW-Extension Community Gardens Program, community members, including Hmong leaders, are working to raise the $10,000 needed to open a community gardens endowment at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. Community gardens offer community members countless benefits. These include helping to build:

-Better physical and mental health
-Increased food security
-Space to grow cultural foods and carry on cultural gardening traditions
-Connected, safe, and appealing neighborhoods
-Greater community sustainability and beauty

Requests for local community gardening space have continued to grow and funding for ongoing support of community gardens is being sought. The Community Foundation agreed establishing an endowment would help to secure community gardens’ future in Brown County. Since community gardens’ beginnings, Brown County’s Hmong community has been a large and important part of this gardening community, and many see helping establish an endowment as a key opportunity to give back.

“Community gardens are important to the Hmong community, and we want to make sure they continue and think the endowment is a great way to do this,” says local Hmong community member Wa Yia Thao.

Including Hmong gardeners, over 50 percent of the Brown County UW-Extension’s Community Gardens Program’s participating families have contributed to the endowment, as have a number of private individuals. All community members are invited to contribute. Checks can be made out to the “GGBCF Community Garden Fund” and sent to 320 N. Broadway Street, Suite 260, Green Bay, WI 54303.

Kasey Kahne Wins Brickyard 400

Kasey Kahne parlayed a well-timed pit stop and a masterful overtime restart to claim victory Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ending a 102-race winless streak dating back to the 2014 season.  Kahne steered his Number-5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet onto pit road for service late in the final stage and it paid dividends a short time later when a four-car crash along the frontstretch produced one of the day’s track-record fourteen cautions.  When others pitted under yellow, Kahne advanced to the front with his new-found track position that made him a player down the stretch.  His decisive restart came after two late cautions sent the race seven laps past its scheduled distance.  Kahne lined up on the inside of Brad Keselowski and drove hard into the first turn, digging in on the low side of the track and charging into the lead he would not relinquish.  As Kahne stretched the advantage over Keselowski, a three-car incident behind him produced yet one more yellow flag.  Kahne had already passed the overtime line on the backstretch, which made his victory official.  Keselowski finished second with Ryan Newman, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth completing the top five.  Before Sunday, Kahne’s last Monster Energy Series win came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August 2014 … Pole winner Kyle Busch was seeking an unprecedented third straight Brickyard 400 win but was sidelined by an accident on a restart early in the final stage.  He was side-by-side at the front of the field with Martin Truex Junior, who wiggled and then slid into Busch’s car – taking both drivers out of the race.

Storm Damage Closes Trails & Parks in Wisconsin

Wednesday night’s storms resulted in downed trees and flooding at several state park and trail properties in west central, southwest and south central Wisconsin.

Crews are working to assess damage, clear downed trees and repair damaged areas of properties.

There are currently no reports of injuries or damage to personal property.

Flooding on the Sugar River State Trail following Wednesdays storm.
Photo Credit: DNR

The horse campground and all horse trails at Wildcat Mountain State Park will be closed until at least late next week.

The sand beaches, boat landings and some parking lots at Governor Dodge are either partially or fully submerged. Many trails, including all horse and biking trails will be closed through the weekend.

Trails and portions of trails will be closed at the following locations until damage can be assessed, downed trees cleared and water recedes: Blue Mound, Governor Nelson, Tower Hill, Governor Dodge, Wyalusing, Wildcat Mountain and Perrot state parks; Badger, Military Ridge, Sugar River, Elroy Sparta, the 400 and Great River state trails.

People venturing out this weekend to one of these properties, should call ahead to the property directly before they go for the most up to date information on closed areas. For contact information, search the Department of Natural Resources website for “Find a Park.”

The Inspiration Behind Dylan Scott’s #1 Hit

Dylan Scott hit his first Number 1 song of his career this week as “My Girl” ascended to the top spot on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The tune is a song Dylan co-wrote about his wife Blair.

“‘My Girl’ was 10 years in the making,” says Dylan to Nash Country Daily. “My wife and I, we’ve been together over 10 years now—been married for one—and ‘My Girl’ is basically about our life over the past 10 years. Almost everything in that song is true. We lived it.”

 

Kacey Musgraves Celebrates her Bachelorette Party

Kacey Musgraves and her friends headed to Dollywood over the weekend  of July 15th to celebrate her bachelorette party.

According to Kacey’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, the ladies enjoyed quite the assortment of activities, including a fireworks show, candle making, roller coasters and drinking games, as well as custom-made fanny packs and t-shirts.

Kacey, who is engaged to singer/songwriter Ruston Kelly, noted that is was the “best weekend ever” and Dollywood was the “#LastRideForTheBride.”

Check out some pics of the excursion, courtesy of Kacey’s Twitter page below: