Manitowoc Arbor Day Celebration

The public is invited to the City of Manitowoc’s Arbor Day Celebration, which will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27th, 2018, at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive.  Jeff Edgar from Silver Creek Nurseries will read an excerpt from the book “John Chapman-The Man Who Was Johnny Appleseed” which will be followed by a ceremonial tree planting sponsored by the Izaak Walton League. Grade school students who attend will receive a free tree seedling. After the Arbor Day Celebration, the City’s Municipal Tree Commission will have their quarterly meeting, which members of the public are also welcome to attend.

At the celebration, the 2017 Tree City USA award will be presented to the City of Manitowoc.  This is the thirty-fifth year in a row that the City of Manitowoc has been named a Tree City USA community. The award honors the city’s commitment to effective urban forest management.  The National Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree City USA program in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.

To receive this recognition the City of Manitowoc had to meet the four criteria:

1) have an active tree board;

2) have a tree care ordinance;

3) have an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per
capita; and

4) have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.

Anyone interested in planting or removing a tree in the terrace area (the area between the sidewalk and the street) must complete a permit. Go to http://www.manitowoc.org, click on
Departments then Parks and Forestry for more information.

Questions regarding the Arbor Day Celebration or tree permits can also be answered by
contacting the City of Manitowoc Parks Division at 920-686-3580 or forestry@manitowoc.org.

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Top scholarship winners announced

Alexandra “Alexine” Siwy of Gurnee, Illinois was chosen as the 2018 recipient of the Silver Lake College of the Holy Family Mother Generose Cahill Honors Scholarship.

The prestigious, full-tuition scholarship is named for the first president of the college, which was founded and continues to be sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.

The scholarship is awarded to the top freshman student who participates in the Mother Generose Cahill Scholarship Competition, after a thorough review of the candidate’s academic credentials, written essay and faculty interview. The competition was held Sunday, Feb. 17.

Additional top college-sponsored scholarship winners for the incoming freshman class include:

• Carissa Dekanich of Sheboygan was awarded the Sister Orestes Kohlbeck Honors Scholarship.
• Camie McCue and Carlye Burk, both of Manitowoc, were awarded the Founder’s Honors Scholarship.
• Nathan Budde of De Pere and Rebecca Schaefer of Milwaukee were awarded the Trustees Honors Scholarship.

 

PHOTO: Alexandra Siwy/Submitted

Metro Jam 2018

This being our 40^th year of Metro Jam we have assembled the most solid line-up yet! Saturday will feature two great American bands that embody the full spectrum of decades of great rock n’ roll rolled up into a unique spectrum of sounds that each act can truly call their own! Heralding from just south of the Wisconsin border in Rockford, IL is Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts, and coming from the Mile High City of Denver is Strange Americans. The Rusted Hearts will be going on at 7:00 just before this year’s Saturday evening headliner. Opening for Miles will be Strange Americans at 5:30 pm on June 16^th at Metro Jam.

Rockford, IL-based Miles Nielsen has spent nearly a decade enthralling audiences with music that draws force from the prime years of Western-influenced rock music and classic ‘60s soul. Claiming influences as diverse as Otis Redding’s classic soul and Jellyfish’s cult power pop recordings, Nielsen has thus far released two albums – his debut in 2009 as a solo artist, and then his sophomore album in 2012 as Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts – to critical acclaim and an ever-growing fan base. The Rusted Hearts’ hot streak has continued with their most recent LP, Heavy Metal.

Heavy Metal blends the country-esque drawl and growling guitars of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with the subtly sensual undercurrent of Ray Charles. Vocal harmonies present throughout the album recall Fleetwood Mac as strongly as they bring to mind the very first doo wop groups. But despite The Rusted Hearts’ readily apparent influences, the result of these combined roots is a singular sound that readily distinguishes the band from its peers.

As Miles Nielsen explains, “Most of my childhood was spent on a tour bus traveling across the country with Cheap Trick…” where the idea that songwriting is “a way for me to meld the world of dreams and real life.” An auspicious beginning that resulted in a musical brew Miles calls “Beatle-esque Cosmic Americana”. A rich and layered sound that seamlessly blends Alternative Country and Blue-Eyed Soul, some Pop and Rock, and Tin Pan Alley song-craft. Miles Nielsen The Rusted Hearts combine their sonic forebears into a style that’s entirely theirs, resulting in songs that boast layers upon layers of complexity under their irresistible surfaces. Don’t miss this dose of Cosmic Americana when Miles Nielsen takes the stage from 7:00 – 8:00 pm Saturday evening, June 16^th at Metro Jam.

Strange Americans

Saturday June 16^th; 5:30 – 6:30

It’s a little raw, a bit loud, unapologetic and honest. It’s Americana rock and roll and it’s something that Denver’s Strange Americans are crafting with both brawn and finesse, like a hot rod mechanic bringing back an old barn find. They play the kind of music that the Carhartt-wearing, hard-working, industrial beer-drinking, regular Americans would listen to — the ones who could end up on an episode of TV’s Dirty Jobs.

In a sense, Strange Americans are rescuing something from the rust pile — straight-forward, no frills rock and roll, and a matching aesthetic that is heavy on songwriting and storytelling, but presented with reverb-drenched punch and passion — the way The Band or Crazy Horse would have done it. This Denver five-piece let their influences fly and mix in their own style, creating a sound that bridges the gap between alternative rock and the roots of the genre. They have also earned a strong Wisconsin fan base playing Appleton’s Mile of Music festival the last three years. To date Strange Americans have three full-length records; Royal Battle (2012), That Kind of Luster (2014), and Borrow You, Brother (2017). Strange Americans has enjoyed participating in music scenes from Colorado to Oregon to New York, making many friends along the way. Plan on catching the buzz on these Americana roots rockers when Strange Americans hit the stage from 5:30 – 6:30 pm Saturday, June 16th at Metro Jam.

As you know by now we have The Koch Marshall Trio Featuring guitarist Greg Koch headlining Friday evening from 7:00 – 9:30, with the Erin Krebs Quartet opening the festival from 5:30 – 6:30 on June 15^th!

And we still have six more incredible Saturday acts to announce…including our 40^th year headliner!

Metro Jam, now in its 40th year, will be held on the MetroStage in downtown Manitowoc’s Washington Park, on Friday and Saturday, June 15 and 16, 2018. As always, this FREE two day event features an array of national, regional and local acts covering a full spectrum of musical styles including jazz, blues, folk, alt-country, Americana, classic rock and original rock. The festival is a partnership with The Manitowoc Jaycees. This free concert is made possible due to support from our presenting sponsors Baileigh Industrial, Prevea Health, Cher-Make Sausage and media partners WOMT/WQTC Q-102/ Lake 98.1 and Weekend: The Herald Times Reporter.

Watch for festival updates at www.metrojam.org and visit us for up to the moment news on Facebook!

Tree care accidents: When are homeowners liable?

Are homeowners responsible for tree care-related accidents on their property?

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t simple. It depends on several factors, including state law, the circumstances of the accident, and the type of insurance coverage the homeowner and contractor each possess.

“Liability is a complicated issue, but even so, there are several steps all homeowners can take to reduce the risk of litigation,” says Tchukki Andersen, BCMA, CTSP* and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). “Tree work can be dangerous, even for experienced professionals, so homeowners should always take extra precautions to ensure their assets are protected.”

Learn from three common mistakes that homeowners make:

Homeowner Mistake #1: Forgetting to verify contracts and credentials
Not all tree care companies are trustworthy businesses. Before you hire, always ask for current certificates of liability and workers’ compensation insurance. This is a crucial step – if you hire a company without insurance or with inadequate insurance, you may be liable for accidents or injuries, and may have no means for recourse if your property is damaged.

Disreputable tree care companies may not have this documentation. Some may even forge these documents or exaggerate their coverage, so it is always a good idea to contact their insurer directly to verify their claims.

Next, insist on a signed contract as to cost, dates when work is to be performed, and exactly what is to be done. Reputable tree care companies will have no issue complying with these requests.

Public opinion is also important. Research potential tree care companies on Yelp or with the Better Business Bureau to see what past customers have to say. This can provide you with insights that are not always evident on paper.

Homeowner Mistake #2: Ignoring obvious hazards
Even if all the necessary paperwork is in order, you may still be liable for injuries if you neglect obvious hazards on your property. A loose step on a porch, for example, may cause issues if a contractor suffers injury because of it while the tree work is being completed.

Routinely inspect your property for such dangers, and make repairs if possible. If you find something temporarily beyond your repair, it is best to warn the contractor of the risks involved.

For extra peace of mind, take a look at your homeowner’s insurance coverage. It is a good idea to check the personal-liability section of your homeowner’s policy to ensure all the necessary coverage is there.

Homeowner Mistake #3: Micro-managing the tree care project
It can be tempting to micro-manage tree care projects on your property; as the owner, you have a significant financial and emotional investment in the project, so it is natural that you want to ensure everything goes according to plan.

From a legal perspective, however, this may be a mistake. Excessively close monitoring of moment-to-moment or day-to-day operations can open you up to personal injury liability if a worker is injured on the job. It is always best to monitor from a distance, and let the professionals perform the job you hired them to do.

New Star Wars Movie Trailer: WATCH!

With just a little over a month to go before Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters, we’ve gotten a couple trailers, a few TV ads and a slew of merchandise showing us what we can expect from the origin story of one of the galaxy’s most cunning smugglers.

… And now we can watch all of the footage released so far cut into one big piece — and it’s wonderful.

VIDEO: Handle with Care?

A guy in Oakland, California, has uploaded video from his Nest IQ outdoor camera. It shows a delivery driver trying to deliver a package from Amazon at the man’s home. “Trying” — because the driver decided to skip climbing some stairs to get to the front door and instead attempted to toss the package up. It fell short the first time but the delivery driver made it on his second try.

A Ketchup-Mayo Combined Sauce May Soon Exist

Heinz Ketchup is proposing combining ketchup and mayonnaise into one bottle — but it won’t pull the trigger on this culinary Frankenstein’s monster that will be named Mayochup until the company gets a half-million votes to do from Americans online.

Many already combine the two on burgers, and regionally, the combination has become known as “Fry Sauce,” but Heinz is looking to catch lighting in a bottle — or, more accurately, ketchup and mayo in a bottle — and has left it up to American consumers to decide if the company should.

“Heinz Mayochup will not be launched in the U.S. unless we get 500K votes, Nicole Kulwicki, Director of Marketing for Heinz said in a statement. “We look to America’s condiment lovers to tell us if this is something they want or if they prefer to remain Heinz Mayonnaise and Ketchup purists.”

Incidentally, we discovered the combo is already bottled by the company, but it is only sold in the Middle East.

That may change.

According to Heinz’ Twitter poll, Mayochup is well on its way to becoming a thing Stateside: as of press time, 350,000 votes were logged in a single day, with 56% of those in favor of the hybrid condiment. The polls close this weekend.