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CooperaN

COOPERATIVE

News

Wisconsin

ENERGY Cooperative

contents April 2017

News

On the COVER

NEWS BRIEFS

Co-ops celebrate lineworkers in April.

Choose the right air conditioner for your home.

Stay in-the-know with industry news.

“ZERO CHANCE”

MY CO-OP

28 30

COOL RUNNING

Analysis: Congress balks at raising energy prices.

Find out what’s happening at your local electric cooperative.

CLASSIFIEDS

Buy, sell, and trade with readers from across Wisconsin.

Uncharted WATERS

Trump starts over on embattled regulations.

RECIPES

Use lamb in your spring recipes.

MAPLE Fest

Taylor County celebrates spring’s sweetness.

Back to the FUTURE

Wisconsin’s in-state generation capacity increased by 5,630 megawatts since 1997.

WISCONSIN IN-STATE

WISCONSIN INT

GENERATION CAPACITY

TRANSMISSIO

18,663

megawatts

1997

13,033 megawatts

EVENTS

Get out and about with our April events.

2016

1997 2016 Source: Public Service Commission’s Strategic Energy Assessment 2022 and the State Energy Office’s Wisconsin Energy Statistics 2012

April 2017

WECN AprTOC17.indd 1

3/21/17 9:14 AM

LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR The Front Line

April 2017 Vol. 77 No. 10

On the cover: Quentin Reuterskiold, Oakdale Electric Cooperative Apprentice Lineman, demonstrates the power and danger of electricity for elementary students at Lawrence Lawson School in Sparta. By using a hotdog to represent a ﬁnger, Reuterskiold showed youth the real effect electricity would have on their body if contact would be made with a power line. Photo courtesy of Deana Protz, Oakdale Electric Cooperative.

USPS number: 688-480.

Photo courtesy of Brenda Mazemke, Central Wis. Electric Co-op.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Whipp Sime, Chippewa Valley Electric Co-op.

Lineworkers are the backbone of reliable energy in co-op country, and on April 10, we celebrate Dana Kelroy, Editor them with National Lineworker Appreciation Day. We don’t have to look back too far to really appreciate our lineworkers. Just a few weeks ago in early March, most of Wisconsin was hit by very high winds, resulting in numerous power outages across the state. Linemen responded to the call and worked, most through the night, to restore power in less than ideal conditions. The extreme winds blew trees down on lines, and even snapped power poles in some areas. Our cover this month shines a light on an area of a lineworker’s job that we don’t always think about: safety education. Be it at a local festival or fair or in our child’s elementary school, lineworkers are also a co-op’s front line for educating members ﬁrst-hand to keep safe around of electricity. So this April 10, hats off to Wisconsin’s co-op lineworkers!

Photo courtesy of Katie Jagiello, Oconto Electric Cooperative

The Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News (Formerly Wisconsin R.E.C. News) has been published monthly and distributed since July 1940 to members of Wisconsin’s non-profit, consumer-owned rural electric cooperatives. It is available to non-members for $10 per year or $28 for three years. Published by the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Steve Freese, president & CEO.

Postmaster: please send address changes to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Periodicals postage paid at Baraboo, Wis. Send correspondence to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Phone (608) 467-4650. Web site: www.wecnmagazine.com. Co-op Members: Please send address changes to your local electric co-op. Contact information can be found on page 18. Steve Freese Dana Kelroy Mary Erickson David Hoopman Ann Bailey Tina Walden Geri Miller

WECA president & CEO editor associate editor contributing writer graphic designer editorial assistant advertising consultant

For advertising opportunities please email ads@weca.coop. The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

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Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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NEWS BRIEFS WISCONSIN DEREGULATION BID SIDETRACKED

A move by high-volume industrial electricity users to revive Wisconsin’s plans for retail electric deregulation has lost momentum after morphing into a proposal to repeal a partial deregulation compromise enacted 16 years ago. Instead of opening up retail customer choice—an idea the Public Service Commission pursued in the 1990s but scrapped in 2000—four Republican state lawmakers last month proposed to reopen leased generation contracts authorized in 2001 to address shortages of Wisconsin-based generation that had caused major service interruptions. The arrangement addressed a construction financing challenge by allowing utilities to lease back and operate power plants built by their non-utility affiliates. Few power

MORE CO-OP SOLAR ON LINE

Two more of Dairyland Power Cooperative’s utility-scale solar energy projects have achieved commercial operation, the La Crosse-based generation and transmission co-op has announced. A one-megawatt facility at Downsville and a two-megawatt facility at Medford were brought on line in mid-February. The Downsville facility also hosts a 250-kilowatt community solar project undertaken

IS PARIS BURNING?

Media speculation about a Trump administration attempt to withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement could become a moot point, based on reported developments within the G-20 group comprising the world’s largest national economies. In mid-March, G-20 finance ministers were reportedly weighing a draft statement that hinted at retreat from the aggressive taxpayer expenditures for international climate programs endorsed by the organization last summer. Last July, the annual G-20 summit called on developed nations to follow through with the Paris commitment to transfer $100 billion every year to less-developed nations, theoretically to restrain their greenhouse

producers participated but new generation was built and the shortages resolved. However, the resulting power purchase contracts were placed outside Public Service Commission review and the lawmakers now say the lack of regulatory oversight of the contracts has allowed rates to climb excessively. Critics of the new legislative proposal—including the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association—argue it would be unconstitutional on the grounds of impairing lawful contracts. Since talk of deregulation resurfaced last summer, the Public Service Commission has indicated a preference for addressing cost issues for high-volume users through new rate designs rather than restructuring the regulatory apparatus.

by Dunn Energy Cooperative, boosting the site’s total rated capacity to 1.25 megawatts. Six of the 15 solar projects announced by Dairyland last year have achieved commercial operation. For the other nine, construction activity is expected to pick up this spring and two additional sites are anticipated to come on line in May. The seven remaining projects are slated for completion by the middle of this summer.

emissions. But in March a Bloomberg News report said a new draft statement being prepared for this year’s July summit is silent on the commitment while advancing an entirely different approach. In the new draft, according to Bloomberg, the fewer than 50 words allocated to the Paris agreement refer to “scarce public resources” and focus entirely on urging development banks to finance climate goals by raising private money. Government financing is left unmentioned. The draft could be substantially revised by the time the G-20’s 19 member nations and the European Union take up the issue this summer.

2019 GOAL SET FOR ST. CROIX WIND FARM

Construction could begin within two years at the long-delayed Highland Wind Farm in St. Croix County, according to the project’s new owners, Dallas, Texas-based Leeward Renewable Energy. “Our current goal is to start construction in 2019, although this could come sooner or later depending on several development staging items that are not entirely within our control,” Cedric Ireland, counsel to Leeward Renewable, told Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News. Leeward acquired the project in February from Hubertus-based Emerging Energies of Wisconsin for an undisclosed price. Leeward has ownership and operational interests in 17 wind projects among eight states. The project has been entangled in litigation for years but Ireland said most legal disputes have been resolved, adding that he and his associates “do not view there to be significant litigation risk to the project going forward.”

CLEAN POWER PLAN ORDER EXPECTED

A wide-ranging executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency to go back to the drawing board with its carbon dioxide regulations for new and existing power plants was expected to be signed by President Trump in March. The order was expected to result in a new round of notice-and-comment rulemaking to establish a rationale for withdrawing and replacing the Clean Power Plan (CPP, for existing generation facilities) and the New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) for plants yet to be built. That process would be expected to take more than a year. Timing of the order coincided with the deadline for this month’s Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News. A more detailed report on the order and other regulatory actions can be found on page 12.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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hile it’s always to be hoped that the potential consequences—intended or unintended—of any legislative action will be fully weighed before the roll is called, it’s also true that there are more consequences to weigh in some cases than in others. By whatever name it’s called—electric restructuring, deregulation, retail wheeling, or customer choice—the fundamental redesign of consumer energy services is an example of an action with consequences for good or ill that no one will be able to avoid. The Thompson administration and both parties in a divided Wisconsin Legislature understood this almost 20 years ago, and that’s why today, our state does not have Steve Freese retail choice in electricity. President and CEO But eight months ago, we saw early signs of an effort to revive the retail choice issue, which had been formally shelved by the Public Service Commission (PSC) back in 2000. As of this writing it appears those efforts are not going anywhere, but it’s worth looking at developments during recent weeks in context with the way events played out at the beginning of this century. I remember many conversations during the 1990s when I was a member of the Legislature, as we discussed the cost of electricity used by manufacturers and its impact on our state’s economy. But at that time Wisconsin’s retail electric rates were lower than those in many other states, and a much bigger concern was system reliability as we were short of both in-state generation and interstate transmission capacity to make up the deficit. This concern hit fever pitch during the summer of 1997 when several times major Wisconsin manufacturers had to shut down production for lack of electricity. It was time to come to terms with the fact that no new power plants were in the works and our infrastructure was simply not up to its task. The PSC had been studying and planning for retail electric choice since 1994, but decided in November 1997 that choice must await serious strengthening of the transmission grid.1 With several different bills over the years that followed, the Legislature streamlined the planning and regulatory approval of new power plants and transmission lines.

TO THE

FUTURE

WISCONSIN IN-STATE GENERATION CAPACITY

WISCONSIN INTERSTATE TRANSMISSION LINKS

18,663

megawatts

1997

13,033 megawatts

1997 2016

2016

Source: Public Service Commission’s Strategic Energy Assessment 2022 and the State Energy Office’s Wisconsin Energy Statistics 2012

One result was a 2001 compromise allowing regulated utilities to have affiliated non-utility companies finance and build power plants for lease back to the utility under contract terms exempt from PSC review. Only a few power providers took advantage of this arrangement but the desired result was achieved: Wisconsin’s generation capacity was significantly increased. In the meantime, California’s retail choice program imploded, other states’ programs proved disappointing, and Wisconsin’s stayed on the shelf. But last summer, some Wisconsin industrial consumers objected to their electric rates—dictated in large part by the long-term expense of building a reliable infrastructure—and talk of retail choice resumed. Late this winter, several state lawmakers responded, not with the expected deregulation proposal, but with a bill repealing the partial deregulation that put leased generation contracts outside PSC review 16 years ago, and making them subject to regulation. The legislators’ reasoning was that the limited removal of PSC oversight had allowed rates to rise excessively. Whether correct or not, that reasoning could run afoul of constitutional prohibitions against government impairing lawful contracts. It’s too early to say how events will unfold. As deregulation versus reregulation issues play out over the coming months, you can count on Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives to engage on your behalf, keep you informed, and continue working to fulfill our paramount mission of providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity for you and your family.

The Electric Reliability Act—Legislative Briefs from the Wisconsin legislative Reference Bureau

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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Dear Pat: I have a central air conditioner in my home that is at least 15 years old. It is not very efficient, but still works. Should I look into replacing it now, or wait until it fails?—Bob

Choosing the right

air conditioner

Dear Bob: Replacing an inefficient air conditioner (AC) with a more efficient model could significantly reduce your electric bill. A new AC unit is 20 to 40 percent more efficient than one from the 1990s—and ENERGY STAR-certified systems are even more efficient. Replacing an aging system now, before summer starts, could help you avoid delays or price premiums. How much money you save by replacing your current AC unit depends on how often your AC runs and your electric rate. If we have a hot summer and you keep your home’s temperature in the low 70s, your cost of cooling will be substantial and so will the potential savings from replacing your old air conditioner with an efficient new one. The best way to determine possible savings is to have an in-home assessment conducted by a qualified heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional or a certified energy auditor. Electric co-ops are often interested in reducing peak summer loads and sometimes

for your home

2 Photo Credit: United Cooperative Service

Photo Credit: Raysonho

Photo Credit: The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina.

Photo Credit: Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. (OR)

1. A mini-split heat pump brings outdoor air to up to four zones in your home through blowers like this. They are typically mounted on the wall or ceiling. 2. An energy auditor or HVAC contractor can test ductwork and make sure it is properly sealed, which can reduce energy costs and keep your home from feeling like April in Mumbai. 3. Energy auditor Buddy DeLozier checks out a new AC unit for a co-op member. 4. Most homes with central AC are split systems, with the condenser and coil located outside the home.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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3/20/17 6:14 PM

offer information, rebates, or a list of qualified professionals. It’s a plus if the contractor has North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification. Contractors should be knowledgeable about energy efficient systems and have good references. Your contractor needs to size the system to your home. Ken Maleski, the residential advisor at Central Electric Cooperative in Pennsylvania, says a unit that is too small will not cool your home to the levels you want. If it is too large, it may not dehumidify your home sufficiently, and it will cycle on and off more frequently, which can increase wear and tear on the system and shorten its life significantly. In order to size the system, the contractor will need to look at the efficiency of the home by checking insulation levels. If you add insulation where it’s most needed, you may be able to install a smaller AC unit, and you should enjoy greater comfort and lower cooling costs. The HVAC contractor you hire should also assess your ductwork, which is

often poorly designed, leaky, or inadequately insulated. As you talk to your contractor, it’s good to know there are several air conditioning options suited to different situations. It may or may not be practical to change to a different type of system. Central air conditioning is generally one of two types: either split or packaged. A split system, which has the cold coils inside the home and an outside unit exhausting heat, is the most common. Packaged systems, which are sometimes installed because of space constraints, combine these functions into one box located outside the home. A heat pump can provide cooling and heating in homes with or without ducts. If you are currently using propane or natural gas as your fuel source, this may be a good option. A ductless mini-split heat pump can be an efficient way to cool up to four zones inside the home. If your existing ductwork is in bad shape or poorly designed, this could be a good solution. Window units are much less effi-

cient than other options, but they can still be effective for cooling a single room. It’s worth paying a little more for a new ENERGY STAR-compliant unit, rather than the dusty $80 unit from the yard sale or auction that wheezes its way through the summer. Evaporative (or “swamp”) coolers are an alternative in very dry climates. While they use a quarter the energy and are less expensive to install than central air conditioning, they also require more frequent maintenance. Replacing an aging air conditioner is a great way to improve comfort, cut energy costs, and reduce peak energy demand. Your co-op may be able to help, and you can learn a lot from the information resources available at www. collaborativeefficiency.com and on the ENERGY STAR and energy.gov websites. This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For more info visit: www. collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips

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Uncharted Waters Starting over on embattled regulations

Half the country is certain to be angered and the other half delighted by Trump administration executive orders sending federal agencies back to the drawing board on controversial regulations of recent years.

Another strong bet might be that three people will simply be relieved: the federal judges on the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals who can spare themselves deciding if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) acted lawfully by enacting the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation a little less than two years ago. In October 2015, the judges agreed on one thing: they would not allow enforcement of the WOTUS rule before challenges from more than half the states and a host of regulated entities were resolved. But they arrived at that conclusion by different paths, not in concert. Their order staying the WOTUS rule came not on a vote of 3-0 or 2-1, but 1-1-1, and any later decision on the merits of the case would have been appealed to the Supreme Court.

Long-Running Issues The Supreme Court might in any event have ended the 6th Circuit’s role, having agreed in January to decide whether appellate courts or the lower district courts were the appropriate forum for challenging WOTUS. Neither challenges nor venues to hear them were in short supply: along with a multitude of interest groups, 27 states filed a total of four lawsuits to block the rule after it was finalized by the EPA and the Corps in the summer of 2015. Arguments over the reach of Clean Water Act (CWA) regulatory authority have long occupied the federal courts. Congress adopted what were hoped to be clarifying amendments in 1977, and again ten years later. Meanwhile, a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2006 held that CWA authority depended on a “significant nexus”—in the words of Justice Anthony Kennedy—between an area to be regulated and a navigable waterway or tributary. Clarity matters, because being subject to regulation could require obtaining a federal clean water permit for routine agricultural or other activities—say, construction or maintenance of electric utility lines—on what would be dry land literally all except a day or two per century. 12

A map depicting Grant County and provided by the EPA in 2013 illustrates the difficulty of moving very far in any direction without contacting a potential “Water of the United States.” Light blue indicates perennial streams; yellow indicates “intermittent” streams that “contain water for only part of the year.”

The EPA and the Corps maintained that multiple court rulings had led to confusion and in 2014, they jointly proposed to redefine the “Waters of the United States.” In a congressional hearing that year, then-Deputy EPA Administrator Robert Perciasepe said the WOTUS rule would “clarify the jurisdictional scope of the Clean Water Act, simplifying and improving the process for determining waters that are, and are not, covered by the Act.” Much depends on one’s understanding of “simplify.” For instance, the rule exempts from regulation “certain intermittent and ephemeral ditches,” defined in explanatory notes on EPA maps as streams that flow “only in response to precipitation events.” But those same notes say “many ephemeral streams are included in the ‘intermittent’ category.” Standards placed in the WOTUS rule by the EPA specify that regulation might cover any piece of ground within a 100-year floodplain or within 4,000 feet of any regulated water body. Close analysis showed that across wide swathes of the country, it would be impossible to move more than a few

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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feet in any direction without stepping into federal jurisdiction. In September 2015, the American Farm Bureau Federation released maps showing three areas in Wisconsin of approximately seven square miles each and appearing to be mainly land, not water, in Columbia, Grant, and Wood Counties. In each case, the Farm Bureau said, “The area of possible regulation covers the entire map.” Statewide, the Farm Bureau said, 92 percent of Wisconsin’s total landmass could be reached by some level of WOTUS regulation, and Wisconsin was loosely regulated compared with some states. In Pennsylvania, the Farm Bureau said, about 99 percent of the state’s total acreage could potentially be declared “Waters of the United States.” Certainly it can be argued that the use of qualifiers like “could,” “possible,” and “potentially” signals an interest group inflating its concerns. The counterargument is that it perfectly illuminates a threat to private land use rights posed by the ambiguity the EPA and Corps said they would remedy, when regulatory action depends on caseby-case decisions with fines reaching tens of thousands of dollars per day in the balance.

Dueling Agencies

The Trump executive order signed February 28 directs the EPA and Corps to open a “notice-and-comment” rulemaking to develop a new rule revising or rescinding the WOTUS rule. Revealed by documents circulated within the Department of the Army in the spring of 2015, the history of the original rule’s development suggests the Corps might not mind a do-over. Made public in July 2015 by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, extensive Army memoranda detailed what Corps officials saw as a pattern of EPA indifference to technical problems the Corps said would produce an unworkable rule likely to be overturned in court. Particularly telling was an April 24, 2015 memo from the Corps’ Chief Legal Counsel David Cooper saying the EPA’s “assertion of jurisdiction over every stream bed has the effect of asserting CWA jurisdiction over many thousands

of miles of dry washes and arroyos in the desert Southwest.” Cooper added that “edits or ‘fixes’ to the rule” recommended by the Corps were dismissed by the EPA, leaving the final rule “legally vulnerable, difficult to defend in court, [and] difficult for the Corps to explain or justify.” Two years later, Cooper could cite four federal judges who are at least open to the possibility he was right. But if the EPA had difficulty working with the Corps, it enjoyed close cooperation with outside groups recruited to manipulate public comments on the WOTUS proposal, in “a campaign that tests the limits of federal lobbying law” according to a New York Times investigative story published May 18, 2015. The 90-percent favorable comments (out of one million) received by the EPA were “orchestrated,” the Times reported, in legally adventurous coordination with outside political groups. Similar manipulations discovered more than a year earlier by the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association found apparently fabricated public enthusiasm for the rule, exposed by A potential “water of the United States,” according to the Corps of Engineers.

identical quotes attributed simultaneously to different people in several states, in press releases prepared before the rule’s content was released to the public. Finalizing a new rule will take at least a year.

Power Plant Reset

It hadn’t happened by deadline for this month’s Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, but another wide-ranging executive order, sending the EPA’s power-plant carbon dioxide regulations back to square one, was expected imminently from President Trump. Unofficial reports said as with the WOTUS rule, the order would prescribe a new rulemaking articulating a rationale for withdrawing and replacing the Clean Power Plan (CPP, for existing generation facilities) and the New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) for plants yet to be built. It was expected, again as with the WOTUS rule, that the Justice Department would ask the courts to delay actions on the CPP until the new rulemaking is done. Oral arguments on the CPP were heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last September, seven months after the Supreme Court stayed the regulation and sent it back to the D.C. Circuit for further proceedings. The court isn’t obligated to honor the request and a decision could come at any time. Unofficial reports also said the order may direct federal agencies to cease using the disputed “social cost of carbon” set by the Obama administration for estimating costs and benefits of regulations. Critics say the social cost metric inflates the monetary benefit of regulations by counting only negative aspects of fossil fuel use such as pollutant emissions, while omitting any positives such as agricultural productivity and availability of base load power. On March 17, the International Energy Agency said worldwide energy-related carbon dioxide emissions were flat for a third straight year in 2016 while the global economy grew 3.1 percent. The Paris-based agency said the U.S. cut emissions the most, 3 percent, reaching its lowest level since 1992. —Dave Hoopman April 2017

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“Zero chance”

ANALYSIS: Congress balks at raising energy prices

n February, a group Bloomberg Politics described as “old guard Republicans” visited the White House promoting a federal carbon tax—more accurately a carbon dioxide tax applied to the odorless, colorless gas that makes up about 0.04 percent of Earth’s atmosphere, not the black stuff you scrape away when you clean your barbecue grill.

White House reaction was scant, or at least scantily reported. But congressional reaction was swift, adverse, and exceptionally direct for elected officials commenting on legislative ideas. The Washington Times reported that both House Speaker Paul Ryan and the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee “confirmed separately [in mid-February] that any form of the [carbon tax] notion has zero chance of even being considered in this Congress.” At about the same time, a note to Ryan’s office from this writer received a response asserting determination to overhaul and simplify the federal tax code “for the first time in 30 years” but saying nothing about a carbon tax. The Times reported that a Ryan staffer “said he could rule out any plans for a carbon tax.”

The Rationale Reagan-era White House Chief of Staff and later Secretary of State James Baker, who led the carbon tax delegation, laid partisan claim to the idea, saying “a conservative, free-market approach is a very Republican way of approaching the [CO2 emissions] problem.” Whether the “free market” characterization fits is contestable, given that no market will exist unless it’s decreed by a federal law that would also set the prices. And Bloomberg reported that “Baker himself conceded he remains ‘somewhat of a skeptic about the extent to which man is responsible for climate change,’ but the ‘risks are too great to ignore.’” Baker’s rationale is that the new tax could effectively substitute for federal regulations that seek to reduce CO2 emissions. He also maintained that the proceeds of the tax would be distributed back to taxpayers. The Bloomberg report, however, pointed to tax reform efforts presumably in the legislative hopper for later this year and referred to by Ryan, and warned of a virtual guarantee that “lawmakers could seize on a carbon tax as a 14

potent source of revenue to offset rate reductions during a future congressional debate on overhauling the tax code.” History, some of it made close to home, sheds additional light on the Bloomberg statement.

Fool me twice… The strategy of creating a new tax to replace an existing one is not unfamiliar. In 1842, six years before Wisconsin statehood, territorial Governor James Duane Doty told legislators the property tax, authorized under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, was “considered unequal, illegal, and highly oppressive.” As Legislative Reference Bureau Analyst Jack Stark wrote in “A History of the Property Tax and Property Tax Relief in Wisconsin,” [Wisconsin Blue Book, 1991] Doty’s remark “sounds $ contemporary because the property tax has continued to be a troublesome problem.” Two things make Stark’s words of 26 years ago pointedly relevant to today’s carbon tax discussion: Wisconsin’s income tax, enacted in 1908 to replace property tax revenue, and the state sales tax, enacted in 1961 $ for the same purpose. Including the one that was to be replaced, they add up to three taxes. As Bloomberg noted, the proposal “involves a $40 tax on every metric ton of carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels, with the price climbing over time.” Administered as Baker suggested, with proceeds converted into direct payouts to individual taxpayers, it would create its own constituency among those receiving the most money, and a compelling incentive to fail in its stated purpose: Successfully reducing emissions would reduce the revenue available for popular taxpayer rebates. And as critics noted, it would be a deliberate move to make energy more expensive.

The Glide Path Two key concepts are “carbon intensity” and “energy intensity,” respectively, the amount of CO2 emitted per Btu of energy produced, and the quantity of Btu’s expended per unit of economic production. The federal government’s Energy Information Administration says both are trending slowly downward. Thus, the theoretical goal of a carbon tax is gradually being realized without a carbon tax. Given the apparent mood in Congress, we have at least a little while to see if that continues.—Dave Hoopman

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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Photos and recipes courtesy of the American Lamb Board.

Lamb-tastic

Grilled Lamb Sliders with Smoked Tomato Jam, Havarti Cheese & Arugula Tomato Jam 12 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp paprika 2 tsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 1 Tbsp kosher salt 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp julienned fresh mint To prepare the jam, combine the tomatoes and spices in a medium-size, nonreactive pan with a heavy, flat bottom. Place the pan over medium-low heat and bring the contents to a simmer. As the ingredients simmer, stir with a wooden spoon every 3â€“4 minutes to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The jam has a tendency to scorch as it thickens, so watch the pot carefully and stir the contents frequently. After 30â€“40 minutes, the consistency of the jam should be thick and viscous, and should coat the back of the spoon. Transfer the jam to a non-reactive bowl, fold in the mint and set aside to cool. The jam can be made up to one week in advance of serving the sliders.

Sliders 1 lb ground lamb 8 soft, white slider rolls 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened 8 thinly sliced small squares Havarti cheese 3â€“4 Tbsp aioli or mayonnaise 4 oz baby arugula leaves To prepare the sliders, season the lamb with salt and pepper and form 2-ounce patties by making golf ball-size rounds from the mixture. (The patties can be formed up to one day in advance.) Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-hot. Place the grill grate just above the flame or coals and allow 5 minutes for the intense heat to warm the grates. Clean the grates and turn off the heat (or move the coals) about 4 inches away from the grill grates. Place the patties on the grates and grill about 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare burgers; the internal temperature should be about 145 degrees. For more well-done burgers, leave the patties on the grill another minute per side. Place a piece of cheese on each patty just before removing it from the grill. Meanwhile, spread a little bit of butter on both sides of the buns and toast until light golden brown. Spread about a teaspoon of tomato jam on the bottom half of each of the buns followed by several leaves of arugula. Top with a grilled lamb patty. Spread the top half of each bun with aioli or mayonnaise and place on the burger. Serve immediately.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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1 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 cup scallions, sliced 1/2 tsp toasted fennel seeds, crushed 1/2 cup plain feta, crumbled 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper 1/2 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives 1–1/2 lbs lamb, ground Kosher salt, as needed 1/2 cup Greek-style nonfat yogurt 1–1/2 cups chopped onions 6 cups plain pita chips 4 mint sprigs 2 tsp minced garlic 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes 1 tsp dried oregano In a large skillet, cook lamb over medium-high heat until almost completely browned, approximately 4–5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in onions, garlic, oregano, paprika, fennel, and pepper; continue to cook 4–5 minutes, until the onions are almost golden. Adjust seasoning with salt. Remove from heat; keep warm until ready to serve. For each serving, place 1–1/2 cups warmed pita chips in a wide soup plate; top with 1 cup lamb-onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup tomatoes, two tablespoons scallions, two tablespoons feta, and two tablespoons olives. Top with two tablespoons yogurt and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve hot.

Photos and recipes courtesy of the American Lamb Board.

Greek Nachos

Grilled Lamb Burgers with Green Onions in Pita Lamb Burgers

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

2 cups finely chopped or shredded cucumber 2 cups plain yogurt 1 Tbsp crushed dried mint 1 clove garlic, finely grated 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Drain cucumber of any liquid. Combine with the yogurt, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve chilled.

2 lbs ground lamb 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp lemon juice

1–1/2 tsp kosher salt 8 medium pita breads, whole wheat or regular, cut into halves Olive oil for brushing

In a large bowl combine lamb, green onions, cumin, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt. Preheat grill or grill pan. Stuff the pita bread halves with the lamb mixture; spread and fill to edges. Brush the pita on each side with olive oil and grill until the filling is cooked through and the pita brown and crispy, 5–7 minutes per side. Let cool 5 minutes before serving with cucumber yogurt sauce, if desired.

Southwestern Lamb Shoulder Roast

1 lamb shoulder roast, boned and tied (6–8 lbs) 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 4 cloves garlic, cut into slivers 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 medium carrots, finely chopped 2 large onions, finely chopped

2 medium green bell peppers or 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 2 cans (28 oz each) tomatoes with juice 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 Tbsp dried thyme 6 sprigs fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp dried oregano 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or parsley 1/4 cup lemon juice Salsa

Salt and pepper lamb. Cut slits in roast and insert slivers of garlic. In a heavy roasting pan with cover, sear lamb on all sides in hot oil. Add carrots, onion, and green pepper; brown. Stir in tomatoes, thyme, and oregano. Cover and braise at 325 degrees for 1–1/2 hours or until desired degree of doneness: 145 degrees for medium-rare, 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well. Remove roast and vegetables. Skim off excess fat and boil pan juices for about 3–5 minutes to reduce. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve lamb roast sliced with meat juices and salsa.

Lamb, Lime, and Mango Salad Lamb

Lime Dressing

1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed 2 tsp Thai fish sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp fresh red Thai or jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped 2 tsp brown sugar, packed In a small bowl, combine lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, peppers, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar.

WECN AprRecipes2017.indd 3

3 garlic cloves, chopped 10 cilantro stems (reserve leaves) 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 3 Tbsp peanut oil, divided 12 oz lamb steak or shoulder chops, trimmed of fat 1 head lettuce, leaves washed and dried 1 small, firm, ripe mango, peeled, cut from pit, and cut into 1/2–inch cubes 1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2–inch cubes 4 large green onions, including light green parts, sliced In a food processor, combine the garlic, cilantro stems, salt, pepper, and two tablespoons oil. Spread the paste on both sides of the lamb and marinate for 30 minutes. Warm remaining oil in a large, heavy skillet, cooking the steak or chop on each side 5–6 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from pan and let cool. For the salad, cut the lamb into strips. Divide the lettuce leaves among 4 plates and arrange the mango, avocado, greens, and strips of lamb on top. April 2017

3/14/17 3:38 PM

RECIPE EXCHANGE Submit your favorite recipes to be featured on our reader recipe page. Email to tina@weca.coop Daffodil Cake

Catherine Steger, Prairie du Chien

1 cup flour, sifted 1–1/2 cups sugar, divided 12 egg whites 1–1/2 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp almond extract 6 egg yolks Sift together flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff. Fold in vanilla, almond extract, and flour mixture. Split the batter into two separate bowls. Beat egg yolks until thick and a lemon color. Fold egg yolks into half of batter. Spoon the white and yellow batters alternately into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Swirl batter with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees on the lowest shelf in the oven for 35–40 minutes.

Maple Pecan Chiffon Cake

13 Egg Chiffon Cake

2–1/4 cups flour, sifted 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup vegetable oil 5 unbeaten egg yolks, medium 3/4 cup cold water 2 tsp maple flavoring 1 cup egg whites 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 1 cup very finely-chopped pecans

2 cups ﬂour 1–1/2 cups sugar 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 7 egg yolks 3/4 cup cold water 8 egg whites 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Rose Kohnle, Trempealeau

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift ﬂour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Mix in brown sugar. Make a well and add oil, egg yolks, water, maple ﬂavoring. Beat with spoon until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large mixing bowl until whites form very stiff peaks, or 3–5 minutes with electric mixer on high speed. Do not under-beat. Pour egg-yolk mixture slowly over beaten egg whites, folding just until blended. Carefully fold in pecans. Pour into ungreased 9-inch square tube pan or 10-inch round tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes, then increase to 350 degrees and bake 10–15 minutes longer, or until top springs back when lightly touched. Turn upside down over neck of funnel or bottle until cool. Loosen from sides with spatula. Hit edge sharply on table to loosen.

REQUESTS from our

READERS 22

Joyce Stanek, Cadott

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix ﬂour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in oil, egg yolks, and water with a spoon until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks appear. Pour egg yolk mixture gradually over the egg whites; folding just until blended. Pour into ungreased 10x4-inch tube pan. Bake 75 minutes or until top springs back. Invert pan on funnel until cake is cool.

Beer Dip

Gerald Majors, Pardeeville

2 pkgs cream cheese, softened 1 oz pkg ranch dressing mix 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1/3 cup beer 1 bag of pretzels In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and dressing mix. Stir in Cheddar cheese and then beer. The mixture will appear mushy. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight if possible. Serve with pretzels.

An online reader is looking for recipes that use morel mushrooms. If you have a request of your own or would like to submit a recipe for publication, please write to

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, What’s Cooking? 222 West Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 53703-2719 or contact us via our website, www.wecnmagazine.com. Thanks!

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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April 2017

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Sweet Celebration of Spring

Taylor County Lions Maple Fest Makes Most of the State Tree

ne of the sweetest signs of spring in Wisconsin has to be the sight of buckets or bags attached to towering maple trees, placed to catch the sap that will be turned into tasty golden maple syrup. By this time of year, the bulk of the work is done at those tree-tapping sites—now’s it’s time to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of maple-syrup labor. A great place to celebrate is Maple Fest in Medford, a full day of family-friendly activities held at the end of April in the heart of some prime sugar-maple land in Taylor County.

“Taylor County is probably one of the fastest-growing counties in the state right now for maple syrup,” said Dave Lemke, a director for the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association and one of the founders of this event. “We’ve had producers here for years, and they’re all great. But we’ve got a lot of new people starting—some are younger ages, and we’ve got a lot of retirees who are saying, ‘Hey, this is fun,’ and taking up a new hobby now that they have time.” Lemke is also a maple-syrup producer himself. He’s been tapping trees at various times for most of his life; currently he taps at six different sites within the Chequamegon National Forest. Just this year he added a new, modern sugar shack that’s fully energized thanks to Taylor Electric Cooperative. 24

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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WISCONSIN FAVORITES 2

1. Maple sap drips from a spile. 2. Plastic tubing links the maple trees at one of the collection sites of Taylor Electric members Dave and Shirley Lemke. Small drop lines link the taps on the trees with the main line. 3. This traditional sugar shack was captured in a picture that took best in show in a past Maple Fest photo contest. The flowering maple bud on the opposite page was also a photo contest entry. 4. The Lemkes just installed a modern sugar shack with a reverse osmosis syrup-making operation. This is a more concentrated method of removing water from the sap, cutting down the cooking time.

Lemke added that maple-syrup production is increasing throughout the entire state. According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin ranks fourth in the nation in maple-syrup production, behind Vermont, New York, and Maine. Lemke attributes some of this growth to “people getting more interested in what they can get out of their own woods.” Taylor County, which encompasses part of the national forest, is blessed with woods, no doubt helping to fuel the growing interest here. At Maple Fest, held this year April 29 at the Taylor County Fairgrounds, guests will be able to sample some of the area’s prized syrup, as the day kicks off with a hearty pancake breakfast. Later, entries in the Maple Syrup Contest will be judged

by experts who evaluate the samples for clarity, color, density, and ﬂavor. Although most of these entries are from local producers, the contest is open; anyone can enter a jar of homemade syrup and see how it measures up. Maple Fest is also a great opportunity for those who might be interested in tapping their own trees to learn all they need to know. Local producers will be available to answer any questions and share experiences. Many even offer tours of their cooking sites in the woods after the day’s festivities wind down. “We picked the end of April because usually everybody’s done cooking by then but they still haven’t cleaned out, so everything is still set up,” Lemke explained. “Some trees still have tubing up; there might even be bags up. It’s a

great time to come out to the woods and see how it all works.”

Not Just about the Syrup Without question, maple syrup is the star of this celebration, but Maple Fest isn’t just about syrup. This event is unique among other maple-syrup activities held throughout the state each spring in that it’s a celebration of the sugar maple trees that grow in abundance here. The first 500 guests are even given a free maple tree seedling, courtesy of the county land conservation office. Designated the state tree of Wisconsin in 1949, the sugar maple is one of the largest of hardwood trees and, as Lemke pointed out, it offers much more than sap. The wood is valued for making furniture, cabinets, flooring, April 2017

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sports courts, and even guitars. Therefore, Maple Fest events include maple chainsaw sculpting demonstrations during the day, plus displays of products made from maple trees. “We ask all our vendors to specify what they have that’s made from maple trees, like woodworking products or different products made from sap,” Lemke said. The day includes plenty of educational opportunities as well. County conservation officials will be on hand to discuss best conservation practices with maple-syrup hobbyists. A demonstration of early American maple-syrup making will offer a history lesson of the area’s heritage; the Taylor County Historical Museum will be open all day to coincide with this event as well. Other maple-themed activities are strictly for fun: Shutterbugs can enter pictures of the state tree, its byproducts, or maple-syrup making in the maple-themed photo contest. Area grade school classes and youth organizations can enter a red wagon float designed with the theme “Wisconsin’s Maple Magic” for the Red Wagon Parade, and all children can participate in a maple scavenger hunt held throughout the day. This year’s Maple Fest will also feature an antique and collectible appraisal event, featuring author and antiques expert Mark F. Moran of Iola. There will be live music and food all day.

Cooperative Venture Maple Fest, now in its fifth year, is also unique in that it is a countywide event co-sponsored by six different Lions and Lioness Clubs in the area that work together to plan and run the day’s activities. The idea for Maple Fest was conceived five years ago, when Lemke was serving on the county board as head of a recreation and tourism committee that was looking for new ways to promote the area. An event focused on Taylor County’s growing maple-syrup industry seemed a natural choice. “We wanted a countywide organization to take this event,” Lemke explained. “The Lions took it by the handle and said, ‘Let’s get it done.’ ” The event has grown steadily, with new activities added each year. “We try to make it so it’s attractive for everybody,” Lemke said. “We want it to appeal to everybody, of all ages.” And that’s what maple-syrup making does. While Maple Fest celebrates all the tangible benefits of the maple tree, it also captures the intangible value of making maple syrup. “It’s family entertainment—that’s really what this is all about,” Lemke said. “You’re out in the woods together cooking the sap, the neighbors come over each night and tell stories, and you go home and have a good night’s sleep and get ready to do it all again the next day.” What could be sweeter than that?—Mary Erickson Maple Fest will be held at the Taylor County Fairgrounds, Hwy. 13 and 64, Medford, Saturday, April 29, from 7 a.m. to about 4 p.m. For more information, visit taylorcountylionsmaplefest.org or call 715-785-7573 or 715-447-8783.

Although Maple Fest is a celebration of the whole maple tree, syrup is still the star of the show. (All photos courtesy of Maple Fest organizers)

Fun Facts about Maple Syrup • Pure maple syrup is made on a commercial scale only in North America. • It takes approximately 40 gallons of maple sap from the trees to make one gallon of pure maple syrup. • Nothing is added to the sap to make syrup—just taken away. Water is evaporated away to make pure maple syrup. • Sugar maple trees seldom flower until they are at least 22 years old, but they can also live 200 years and even longer. • Each tap can yield up to 10-plus gallons of sap per season on a gravity system, resulting in approximately one quart of syrup. Source: Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association; Maple Fest

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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YOUNG MEMBERS

Kids and Critters April 2017 1

1. We’re all in the mood for a melody. Big Rhonda loves to listen to Nova play the piano. Photo submitted by Mindy Davis, Chippewa Valley Electric.

2. Lincoln is all smiles for a ride on Cookie. Photo submitted by Katrina Steffen, a member at Central Wisconsin Electric. 3. Brylee capped off her day at the Oakdale Electric customer appreciation event by making this furry new friend. Aunt Stephanie Sommerfield sent in the photo. 4. Julia is determined not to lose her friend Rhino, so she carries him everywhere. Jessica Ellis, member of Riverland Energy, sent in the photo.

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Send photos of kids with animals, along with a brief description, to WECN Magazine, 222 W. Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 53703-2719. Please include the name of your electric co-op. Photos will be returned. If in good-resolution, electronic format, photos may also be uploaded via wecnmagazine.com through the “Submit a photo” tab. By submitting, sender implies that he/she has rights to and owns the image, and grants WECN permission to use the image. By submitting, the parent or legal guardian also authorizes us the right to publish the image.

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WISCONSIN EVENTS March 31– April 2 ‘Shrek the Musical”— Phillips. H.S. Auditorium, Fri. 7 p.m.; Sat. 7 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. 715-339-2057. 1 Maple Festival––Poynette. MacKenzie Center, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Learn about tapping trees and making maple syrup. Pancake breakfast, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. at the Main Lodge. $7 for ages 12+ and $5 for ages 3–11. 1 Farm Toy Show and Auction––Tomah. Monroe Co. Fairgrounds, 9 a.m.– 3 p.m. 608-344-0150. 1 Let’s Get Green and Growing––Rio. High School, 9 a.m.–2:45 p.m. Speakers, breakout sessions, vendors. $10 per person, lunch extra. 608-742-9680. 1 Moving Mountains––Holcombe. Paradise Shores 4, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $25 per person. To purchase tickets, call 715-239-6490. 1 Quality Craft Sale––Chippewa Falls. High School, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. All items of handmade nature. 2 Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction–– Chippewa Falls. Moose Lodge, 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. $7 Adults; $3.50 children ages 5–12; under 5 eat free. 715-568-1672. 4 America’s Roots of Pop by the Dave Bennett Quartet––Park Falls. Chequamegon High School, 7 p.m. 715-762-3145. 6 Pancake Supper––Greenwood. Immanuel United Church of Christ, 4:30–7:30 p.m. Serving pancakes, pork patties, cheese, applesauce, coffee, milk. 715-267-6547. 6 Music Series Hosted by Sean And Ian Okomoto––Hayward. The Park Center, 7:30–9:30 p.m. 7, 8 Monroe Crossing Band––Hayward. The Park Center, Fri.; 7:30–9:30 p.m. Sat.; 7:30–10 p.m. 8 Spring Craft and Vendor Show–– Boyceville. Tiffany Creek Elementary School, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. More than 40 crafters and vendors, food served all day, quilt rafﬂe. 8 Food & Clothing Drive, Chicken Dinner— Augusta. Trails Edge Saloon. Bring food and clothing donations. BBQ chicken 5 p.m. until gone.

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8 Master Gardeners Spring Gardening Seminar––Wisconsin Rapids. Mid-State Tech College Auditorium, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. $10 includes lecture, handouts, and refreshments. Call 715-421-8440 to register. 9 Pancake Feed––Rock Falls. Town Hall, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. All you can eat pancake, French toast, sausage, milk, coffee, juice, fruit. 9 Kiwanis Spring Concert––Wild Rose. High School, 2–3:30 p.m. “Those Were the Days” music of the 1960’s era. Trio performs folk & pop music including special tribute to John Denver. 14 Jeffrey Foucalt with Dusty Heart–– Hayward. The Park Center, 7:30–10 p.m. Admission $25 and $5 for students. 15 Easter Egg Hunt––Fairchild. Rod and Gun Club, 9–11 a.m. Bring your own basket, 3 separate age groups with grand prizes in each group. Winners of the coloring contest will be announced at the event. 715-533-8519. 19 Turtles That Are Native To Wisconsin–– Darlington. Bluebird Nest Nature Center, 7–8 p.m. 21 Fish Boil––Rib Lake. Ice Age Pavilion, 4–11:30 p.m. Fish boil 4–7 p.m., $12 per plate. Dance 7:30–11:30 p.m., $5 at the door or free with ﬁsh boil ticket. 21 Pancake Supper and Bake Sale––Big Flats. Zion Lutheran Church, 4–7 p.m. All you can eat regular and potato pancakes. 608-564-2008. 21, 22 Rummage and Bake Sale–– Menomonie. Veterans Center, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Baked goods, clothing of all sizes, household items, books, games, furniture, toys, seasonal, linens. 715-556-4117. 21–23 The Wizard of Oz––Hayward. The Park Center, 7:30 p.m.–10 p.m. 22 Pine Line Marathon––Meford. St. Paul’s Church, 6:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 1/2 marathon, 5K, and relay events. 715-748-4729. 22 Polka Fest––Jump River. Community Center, 1–9 p.m. 715-452-5369.

22 Barbershop Harmony Show—Colfax. High School, 7:30–9 p.m. Northern Light Chorus from the Dunn County Chapter, 2016 Land O’ Lakes District Gold Medalist Quartet, “Ruckus,” 2016 Land O’ Lakes Silver Medalist Quartet “Underground” plus much more! 715-962-3038. 22, 23 “Spring Into The Arts” Tour— Neillsville. The self-guided tour meanders along the scenic country roads and through our quaint communities to the studios of painters, potters, woodworkers, metal workers, jewelers, weavers and more. Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 23 Smelt Feed—Willard. Rock Dam Rod and Gun Clubhouse. All day event. 23 Spaghetti Supper––Briggsville. American Legion Building, 2–6 p.m. Adults $8, children 5 and under $5. 608-253-6567. 29 Sportsman Swap Meet––Colfax. Dunn Co. Shooting Range, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 29 Veteran Tribute Ride & Spaghetti Dinner–– Augusta. Trails Edge Saloon, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Registration 9 a.m. Kickstands up 11 a.m. Pre-buy tickets available for dinner $10. 715-286-5050. 29 Smelt Fry—Herbster. Historic Log Gym, 3–7 p.m.

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