Wisconsin Energy Coop News January 2016 by American MainStreet Publications

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Since 1940

January 2016

Clean Power Plan:

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CooperaN

COOPERATIVE

News

Wisconsin

ENERGY Cooperative

contents January 2016

News

WECA MANAGER

EDITORIAL

Wisconsinites shouldn’t have to pay twice.

15 28 30

A Wisconsin co-op has long ties with new House Speaker.

It’s time to take down the tree.

NEWS BRIEFS

Keep up with the news of the industry.

WHITECAP MOUNTAIN

Stay local—hit the slopes at Whitecap Mountain.

RECIPES

Fend off winter’s chill with these warming winter dishes.

Young

MEMBERS

Cute co-op kids get cozy with their critters.

MINI-BANG, MAXI-BUCKS

Multiple studies find CPP climate impact trivial.

MY CO-OP

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

CLASSIFIEDS

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

EVENTS

Frosty winter activities abound around the state.

Courtesy of epa.gov

GOOD LISTENER

January 2016

WECN Jan 2016TOC.indd 1

12/21/15 11:23 AM

LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR

January 2016 Vol. 76 No. 7 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.

Dana Kelroy, Editor

Taking down the tree Each January, I do not look forward to the day I take down my holiday decorations. I especially miss the Christmas tree. My living room looks a little bare without it.

Published for the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association by Cooperative Network, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Tom Liebe, president & CEO.

A look back to the December 1949 edition of this publication offered an interesting glimpse into the tradition of Christmas trees in that era. It featured a cartoon that conveys a family’s excitement while putting up the tree. It was the family’s first tree in seven years. Candles were used on a tree in 1942 that burned the curtains. They marvel at the safety of the electric lights.

USPS number: 688-480. Postmaster: please send address changes to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703.

As I take down my tree, I’ll spend some time thinking about how far we’ve come, and how much we have to be thankful for.

Periodicals postage paid at Baraboo, Wis.

Happy New Year!

Send correspondence to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Phone (608) 258-4400. 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.

December 1949 Wisconsin REA News

Steve Freese Dana Kelroy Mary Erickson David Hoopman Ann Bailey Tina Walden Geri Miller

WECA manager editor associate editor contributing writer graphic designer editorial assistant advertising consultant

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

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

EditorJan 2016.indd 1

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NEWS BRIEFS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS SELECTED

Authors of the three winning entries in the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association’s 2015 essay competition are eligible for scholarships totaling $1,750 to continue their education. Winners of the contest—held as part of the annual Youth Leadership Congress at UW–River Falls—are Rachel Damm of Columbus, sponsored by Adams– Columbia Electric Cooperative; Amber Grundahl of Reedsburg and Benjamin Venner of Tomah, both sponsored by Oakdale Electric. In her first-place essay, Damm recalled T-shirts she and her classmates wore in first grade to demonstrate community spirit with the words “safe, responsible, respectful, productive.” “Now, as a high school senior, I think about those words and how they represent the next part of my life as a working adult in the real world,” she wrote, spelling out how each of those words represents the significance of her family’s multiple coop memberships. The scholarships are valued at $1,000, $500, and $250 for first, second, and third place, respectively. They can be redeemed by showing proof of registration at any accredited university, college, or technical school in any state.

ASSEMBLY PANEL ENDORSES NUKE MORATORIUM REPEAL

Partisan divisions that have characterized the issue in past legislatures were nowhere to be seen as the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities voted 13–0 in December to recommend repeal of Wisconsin’s prohibition on construction of new nuclear power plants. Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) indicated the measure (AB 384) would be taken up by the full Assembly this month. While not a specific ban, statutory language in place since 1983 forbids the Public Service Commission from authorizing construction of new nuclear plants until the federal government provides a permanent storage facility to accept all the spent fuel from Wisconsin facilities. Testimony at a November public hearing on the bill indicated compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s

Clean Power Plan would be unfeasible without CO2-free nuclear generation. No one testified against the bill, though Clean Wisconsin and the Sierra Club registered in opposition.

POLLING FINDS 2-1 NUKE SUPPORT

A nationwide survey conducted this fall for the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) found almost two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) currently favoring the use of nuclear electric generation, compared with one-third who oppose it. Among the latter, more than half are lukewarm in their opposition. Eighteen percent said they were “somewhat” opposed, while just 15 percent of respondents said they were “strongly” opposed. Support for nuclear generation as a means of complying with environmental regulations was notably strong, with 83 percent of respondents saying nuclear should be part of the generation mix for purposes of increased reliance on low-carbon energy sources. Eighty-three percent also agreed the federal government should develop a final disposal site for spent nuclear fuel, with 75 percent in favor of a centralized interim storage facility while a permanent repository is completed. Overall support was largely unchanged from a year earlier. A dramatic difference, however, is evident in looking back to the early years of the annual survey, first conducted by NEI in 1983. That year’s results found respondents evenly split, half in favor and half opposing nuclear energy.

NET METERING DISPUTE COULD REACH SUPREME COURT

An Iowa farm couple have until mid-February to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their net metering case, following a pair of setbacks in a federal appellate court. Gregory and Beverly Swecker have battled with Jefferson, Iowa-based Midland Power Cooperative for more than 10 years over the rate they should be paid or credited for surplus electricity generated by their wind turbine and fed back into the Midland system. The Sweckers want

to be paid Midland’s “avoided cost”—the cost the cooperative would pay to buy the same amount of electricity from its wholesale supplier, Central Iowa Power Cooperative, of which Midland is a part owner. Midland maintains it should compensate the Sweckers at a lower rate, the avoided cost of Central Iowa generating the power. This fall, a panel of the St. Louisbased U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit found in favor of Midland. The Sweckers petitioned for rehearing before the full court and were turned down in November. They have until February 15 to petition the Supreme Court to hear the case.

TOP SOLAR DEVELOPER IN BANKRUPTCY

The world’s largest solar energy company faced bankruptcy in December, asking a Spanish court for protection from creditors while it renegotiates debts totaling as much as $29 billion. Seville-based Abengoa is a developer of major solar projects in the United States, including the Solana Generating Station in Arizona and the Palen solar project in Southern California. In 2010, the Solana project received approval for a $1.45 billion federal loan, a little less than three times the capital Abengoa brought to the table. Solana became operational in 2013 but handicapped by technical problems last summer, it was producing only about two-thirds of its expected capacity. Electricity sales to Arizona Public Service are supposed to pay off the loan, but taxpayers are on the hook for payments not covered by sales. Last November, Abengoa accepted the resignation of its second CEO in less than a year and initiated bankruptcy proceedings. Under Spanish law it had four months to renegotiate its debt and failure at that point would trigger full bankruptcy. The company, which employs more than 28,000 people worldwide, has received approximately $3.7 billion in loans from the U.S. government since 2010, according to the Australian media company news.com.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

WECN Jan 2016NewsBriefs.indd 1

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Forced closure of coal-fired power plants still paying loans for construction or upgrades means cooperative member-owners will pay twice for their electricity: once for the shuttered plant and again for the power to replace it.

s a leader in the electric cooperative movement, my job is to serve and uphold the interests of every one of our 589,133 member–consumers and the 25 not-forprofit cooperatives they collectively own. It’s the focus on the member—the consumer at the end of the line—that sets electric cooperatives apart. Throughout our rich history electric cooperatives have risen to the challenges of the day. This proud tradition has carried us forward to rise to today’s challenges, including integration of renewables and distributed generation resources; hiring, training, and maintaining a skilled workforce; and promoting a culture of safety. A significant challenge is the ever-increasing onslaught of federal regulations, including expansive environmental requirements. I was on the job just a little over a month when the EPA announced its Clean Power Plan, a sweeping federal regulation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants that will drastically change the way electricity is generated in our state and throughout the nation. Under this rule, the U.S. electric power sector must reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions 32 percent by 2030. Without question, this regulation will have significant implications for the delivery of safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) estimated that the initial Clean Power Plan would have raised cooperative consumers’ electric rates on average more than 10 percent by 2020 and more than 17 percent by 2025. NRECA is in the midst of a new economic analysis of the final plan to see just how much worse it will be for individual states. Rural Wisconsin could be hit especially hard by rising rates and I fear they will exacerbate the growing economic gap between rural and urban areas, especially in areas served by electric cooperatives where household income is 12 percent below the national average. The Clean Power Plan will significantly reduce or could effectively end the use of coal as a generation resource

in the near future. Electric cooperatives have made great strides using renewable energy resources in recent years, with more than 12 percent of the energy generated by our member-owned generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative, Dairyland Power, coming from renewables. Moreover, Dairyland has surpassed Wisconsin state mandates for renewables by almost 25 percent and has more distributed generation in the Badger State than all other utilities, despite serving only 11 percent of the people. Even so, our generation system has historically relied on coal to meet the growing needs of our membership. The reason is straightforward: Coal is a plentiful and affordable domestic fuel resource. However, reliance on coal wasn’t a purely economic choice; it was to comply with federal government policy. In the 1970s, industry was directed to use coal out of concern over limited natural gas supplies. Pursuant to the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Act of 1978, federal policy drove electric cooperatives to coal as the only viable resource in a major power-plant building cycle. As a result, we continue to rely heavily on coal for low-cost, reliable power from facilities built during that era. More recently, our members have made substantial investments in the coal fleet to reduce air emissions in compliance with regulations addressing conventional pollutants. Those investments are now threatened as the Clean Power Plan, ironically, risks making cleaner-operating plants economically nonviable. The Clean Power Plan could force a vast and costly transition to replace generation resources while still paying the debt associated with their recently installed pollution controls. EPA acknowledges that the Clean Power Plan will cause some cooperative-owned power plants to shut down. Forced closure of coal-fired power plants still paying loans for construction or upgrades means cooperative member– owners will pay twice for their electricity: once for the shuttered plant and again for the power to replace it.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

WECN Jan 2016Manager.indd 1

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Multiple studies find Clean Power Plan’s climate impact trivial

he centerpiece of the Obama administration’s program to combat global warming is a pair of regulations aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions from electric generating facilities, one covering power plants that undergo substantial modification or reconstruction—or haven’t been built yet (“new” plants), and one covering existing plants currently in use. Those regulations are combined under the name “Clean Power Plan,” and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which devised the regulations and issued them in final form last August, has estimated their cost at $8.4 billion. That’s a nationwide figure, and the EPA claims the regulations will pay back many times their costs, through climate modification the agency predicts will be worth $20 billion globally and improved public health in the United States that the EPA values at $14–34 billion. On the other hand, Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Public Service Commission (PSC), assigned to develop a state-level plan for compliance with the Clean Power Plan, estimate its cost at $3 billion on the low end and $13 billion on the high end for Wisconsin alone. The vast chasm between the DNR and PSC estimates and those of the EPA—not to mention the wide-ranging numbers within the individual agencies’ estimates—suggests precision may be too much to hope for. But whatever turns out to be reality, no one in the United States will be unaffected. Irrespective of the correct price, it’s not unreasonable for citizens to ask what their billions are buying.

Who’s Counting?

Disagreement over EPA cost and beneﬁt analysis is not a new thing. Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court remanded the agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics (MATS) Rule to a lower court for further proceedings, after determining the EPA improperly applied the Clean Air Act by deciding to proceed with regulation before considering compliance costs. The MATS rule will not be overturned, but the court-ordered do-over was widely viewed as a warning shot telling the EPA to be more attentive to statutory requirements in rulemaking.

Long before last summer’s Supreme Court action, the MATS rule had been disputed in the courts for years, and while the EPA did produce a cost estimate after the rule was written and said the $9–10 billion figure was heavily outweighed by benefits, the bulk of those benefits—labeled “co-benefits”—was credited to reduction of pollutants long since regulated under other EPA rules. This led critics to claim the agency was double-counting at least some of its environmental improvements in order to make the MATS rule appear more cost-effective. By contrast, arguments over the Clean Power Plan (CPP) have not dragged on for years—the draft proposal was only released for public comment in June 2014—and the DNR and PSC cost estimates were based on the 2014 draft, not the final rule rolled out last August. In an analysis written that month for Real Clear Energy, Brian Potts, a Madison partner in the Foley and Lardner law firm, said the finalized CPP is “a completely different rule than the one the EPA proposed last year [2014].” Potts reeled off a list of technical changes, but to the extent that the finalized rule differs from the draft, it’s become more stringent. Thus the changes in the final rule left the state agencies no less confident in their numbers. Chairperson Ellen Nowak reacted to the final rule by saying the PSC’s initial assessment gave “no reason to believe the changes will cost Wisconsin ratepayers any less than the draft.” Whereas the 2014 draft called for an overall 34 percent reduction of Wisconsin’s statewide CO2 emissions, the finalized rule calls for a 41 percent reduction of Wisconsin’s emission rate, defined as pounds of CO2 per unit of power generated. (Each state has a different target.) The rule caps Wisconsin’s rate at 1,176 pounds per megawatt-hour, 27 pounds less than the state’s allowance under the 2014 draft. So as time passed between the initial proposal and the finished regulatory product, the standards grew tighter and the price—whatever it is ultimately found to be—has almost certainly grown higher. And even those sufficiently well-off that the cost is of no concern to them must be curious about what

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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Courtesy of lomborg.com. Photo by Emil Jupin.

Courtesy of cato.org

Wisconsin Public Service Commission Chairperson Ellen Nowak addresses industry stakeholders this fall in Madison.

effect all the effort and expenditure will have on Earth’s climate.

The MAGICC Numbers A reasoned perspective on cost requires understanding the level of confidence that the CPP will succeed in forestalling dangerous global warming, but it’s hard to find any identification of that confidence level by CPP proponents. Neither EPA documents nor a White House Fact Sheet issued in conjunction with last August’s rollout of the finalized rules mention the CPP’s anticipated impact on global temperatures. The fact sheet described the rule as part of the administration’s “historic action on climate change” and “a more aggressive transformation in the domestic energy industry.” It called the rules’ release “the starting gun for an all-out climate push” by the administration and went so far as to claim “an 88 percent reduction in premature death” among the anticipated benefits. No such specific prediction could be found concerning any effect on the trajectory of global warming. Climatologist Patrick Michaels said he thought he knew why. Michaels earned a PhD in climatology at the University of Wisconsin in 1979. He served as the Virginia state climatologist and for 30 years was a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia. Currently affiliated with the Libertarian Cato Institute, Michaels also serves the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as an expert reviewer for its periodic assessments of Earth’s climate.

Patrick Michaels

The IPCC developed a computer model it calls MAGICC (Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse-Gas Induced Climate Change) and has made it available for public use. In 2014 Michaels reported that he used the model to analyze the Clean Power Plan emission targets and it indicated application of the rule would prevent 0.019 degrees, Celsius (34 thousandths of 1 degree, Fahrenheit) of warming that might otherwise occur by the end of this century. Interestingly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates a state-of-the-art network of 114 ideally sited climate monitoring stations covering the contiguous United States. To weed out measurement errors, each station has three temperature sensors. As explained by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, each station uses the readings from its three sensors to report a single temperature: “This single value is sometimes a median and sometimes an average of various combinations of the three observed values, depending on information about which instruments agree in a pairwise comparison within 0.3 degrees Celsius.” Thus NOAA accepts a potential variance of 0.3 degrees Celsius—call it the error margin—in maintaining accurate records of current U.S. temperatures. In other words, measurements from the world’s most sophisticated climate monitoring system are believed to come within three-tenths of a Celsius degree (slightly more than one-half a Fahrenheit degree) of the exact temperature at any of its stations at any given time.

Bjorn Lomborg

Small as it is, that error margin is nearly 16 times the amount of temperature change the IPCC’s computer model says the Clean Power Plan will prevent over the next 85 years.

Others Weigh In

Michaels is a prominent skeptic, if not of the idea that human activity can affect climate, certainly of the severity of CO2-driven warming’s effects. Danish economist Bjorn Lomborg, by contrast, is a ﬁrm believer in real consequences arising over time from global warming. He is nonetheless a pariah in the climate activist community for arguing that clean water and affordable electricity are more pressing—say, life and death—concerns for billions of people worldwide. In November, Lomborg published a peer-reviewed paper in the journal Global Policy after examining all the climate stabilization policies adopted worldwide since the beginning of this century and those proposed to take effect by 2030. He applied the IPCC’s MAGICC— which assumes a 3-degree Celsius increase in global average temperature from each doubling of CO2 in the atmosphere—and found that all the world’s climate policies combined could be expected to make a difference of less than one-ﬁfth of 1 degree Celsius by 2100. “All climate policies by the U.S., China, the European Union and the rest of the world, implemented from the early 2000s to 2030 and sustained throughout the century will likely reduce global temperature rise about 0.17 degrees Celsius in 2100,” Lomborg wrote. Taken individually, the CPP fared even worse, contributing a reduction of January 2016

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Courtesy of Getty Images

contributes a very small part.

Kerry’s K.O.

Courtesy of epa.gov

It is anyone’s guess whether Secretary of State John Kerry fully appreciated the implications of his candor, midway through a 43-minute speech to the Paris climate conferees December 9. In plain language, he told his audience it would make little difference to the climate if all the industrialized nations eliminated 100 percent of their CO2 emissions—if, in effect, the developed world ceased to exist. Published in full at the website of 0.013 degrees Celsius by 2100, compared with temperatures predicted in the the U.S. Department of State, Kerry’s remarks include this: absence of a Clean Power Plan. “The fact is that even if every single From yet another perspective, the American citizen biked to work, carMassachusetts Institute of Technolopooled to school, used only solar panels gy (MIT) last fall produced its 2015 to power their homes—if we each plantEnergy and Climate Outlook. The MIT ed a dozen trees—if we somehow elimscholars calculated the probable results inated all of our domestic greenhouse of the emission reduction plans subgas emissions—guess what? That still sequently presented at the recent Paris climate summit, and their results proved wouldn’t be enough to offset the carbon pollution coming from the rest of the strikingly similar to those arrived at by world. If all the industrialized nations Michaels and Lomborg. went down to zero emissions—remem“The additional mitigation by major ber what I just said—all the industrial emitting countries [based on proposals nations went down to zero emissions, submitted by individual nations for the Paris summit] have lowered our estimate it wouldn’t be enough—not when more than 65 percent of the world’s carbon of future warming by about 0.2 degrees pollution comes from the developing Celsius,” the MIT report said. world.” It is perhaps hair-splitting to say the Presumably Kerry hadn’t forgotten MIT number is the more optimistic of that statement three days later when the two assessments of likely cumulahe celebrated the Paris agreement, and tive performance by worldwide climate misgivings about the efficacy of climate regulation proposals, of which the CPP 12

policies are in no way limited to global warming skeptics. On December 14 the Post Carbon Institute, an advocate for 100 percent renewable energy, effectively joined Americans wondering how much climate bang they’ll be getting for their buck in an “open letter” about the Paris agreement: “The new aspirational limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius [additional warming] is being heralded as a tremendous victory by some, while others feel that it has too many loopholes, no actual mechanisms to keep fossil fuels in the ground, and leaves vulnerable nations at risk with the largest emitters unaccountable. Since there is no binding policy to actually achieve even 2 degrees [as an allowable maximum], this new target, while stronger than many expected, could mean virtually anything, or nothing at all.” The institute is almost certainly mistaken in thinking Paris might mean “nothing at all.” In the spring of 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimated that the Clean Power Plan—just one part of what the Paris conferees hope to do—would drain $51 billion out of the nation’s economy annually and that U.S. electricity bills would increase $289 billion by 2030. Of course the chamber’s estimates might be way off. So might the PSC’s, and Michaels’ and Lomborg’s, and MIT’s. And so might the EPA’s. —Dave Hoopman

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Rock Energy Cooperative, Janesville Ryan at an annual meeting at the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds in Janesville.

”A Good Listener…” I

Wisconsin co-op has long ties with new House speaker

n the 226 years since Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg was elected in 1789, only 54 people have served as Speaker of the House of Representatives. No one from Wisconsin held the position until last October 29, when House members elected Congressman Paul Ryan. The speaker fills several roles in the federal government: presiding officer of the House, traffic cop during floor debate and—depending on who holds the position—wielder of life-and-death power over which legislative proposals advance and which gather dust. The understanding that he would break with the latter practice was reportedly a critical factor in Ryan gaining the support of his colleagues last fall. The speaker serves as leader of the majority party, hands out committee assignments, represents his home district, and stands second in the line of presidential succession, behind only the vice president. Born in Janesville in 1970, Ryan is younger than most speakers but far from the youngest. That honor goes to Robert Hunter of Virginia, chosen for the job in

1839 at age 30. But at least two other things set Ryan apart: One is that he has now risen higher in federal elective ofﬁce than any Wisconsin ofﬁcial, past or present. Another is a welcoming attitude toward electric co-ops, thanks to a long relationship with the one based in his hometown, Rock Energy Cooperative.

“He Listens to Us” First elected to Congress in 1998 after working for a public-policy think tank headed by his mentor, former Congressman Jack Kemp, Ryan quickly became a consistent attendee at Rock Energy (then Rock County Electric Cooperative) annual meetings, and has met often with representatives of Rock and numerous other Wisconsin electric co-ops when concerns about legislative and regulatory issues bring them to Washington, D.C. “He listens to us,” Rock Energy CEO Shane Larson recently told Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News. “We don’t expect to agree on everything but he’s made the time in the past to listen to us,” an observation echoed by Stan Dybevik,

now-retired 40-year co-op director and longtime Rock Energy board president. In a December conversation, Dybevik recalled being on a Capitol visit to discuss co-op issues and ﬁnding Ryan occupied by a budget committee hearing. “I couldn’t believe he took the time to break away from that but he took us to a little cubbyhole ofﬁce to sit down and listen to what we had to say.” Dybevik adds that Ryan is “a charismatic guy, always accessible and a good listener.” If those sound like the words of a partisan ally, be advised that Stan Dybevik is nobody’s idea of a Republican. “He [Ryan] and I are on different political sides but I respect his decency and his intelligence,” Dybevik said. “He’s a smart guy with a tough job ahead of him and I wish him well.”

Make or Break? The tough job Dybevik refers to—trying to lead a deeply fractured institution with dismal public approval ratings—can be a career-ender. No one can be more aware of that January 2016

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1. Ryan, Larson, and Dybevik. 2. Ryan addresses the co-op membership at the 2002 annual meeting. 3. Ryan and State Senator Jon Erpanbach at Rock Energy’s 1999 annual meeting. 4. Ryan with Howard Trescher, former Rock Energy board chair. 5. Ryan at an annual meeting at the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds in Janesville. 6. Interim Rock Energy General Manager Ray Guthman and Dunn Energy Manager Jim Hathaway meet with Ryan at his Washington, D.C., office in May 2000. 7. Guthman, Ryan, and Dybevik. 8. Ryan and Dybevik in Ryan’s Capitol office.

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gressman, life has taken unexpected turns. A considerable slice of future history will depend on how he handles them. Stan Dybevik says he’s always found Ryan “good-humored and downto-earth.” He’s going to need that. —Dave Hoopman

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Warming Winter dishes Fend off winter’s chill with these heart-warming, homemade meals. Recipes are courtesy of Hunt’s, CMI, and CansGetYouCooking.com.

Vegetarian Three Bean Chili 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Tbsp vegetable oil large onion, diced large green pepper, seeded and diced large garlic cloves, minced Tbsp chili powder tsp ground cumin can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes can (16 oz) diced tomatoes can (15.5 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed can (15.5 oz) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (15.5 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp chipotle Tabasco pepper sauce Chopped parsley (optional) Shredded cheddar cheese (optional) Servings: 6 In large saucepan over medium heat, in hot oil, cook onion, pepper, and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin, cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, pinto beans, white beans, red beans, green chilies, salt, and Tabasco sauce. Over high heat, bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes to blend ﬂavors, stirring occasionally. If desired, sprinkle with parsley and cheddar. 20

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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Quick Mini Meatloaves

No-stick cooking spray 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce 3 Tbsp ﬁrmly packed brown sugar 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard 1 lb ground chuck beef (80 percent lean) 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, drained 1/3 cup ﬁnely chopped yellow onion 3/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 1 egg, beaten 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Eggplant Lasagna No-stick cooking spray 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning 1 large eggplant (about 1 lb), cut into 1/4-inch thick lengthwise slices 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 package (20 oz) Italian-seasoned ground turkey 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion 1 Tbsp ﬁnely chopped garlic 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray 6 medium muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside. In small bowl, combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, and mustard; set aside. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add 1/4 cup reserved sauce mixture to meat mixture and incorporate. Divide meat mixture evenly and place into prepared muffin cups. Place muffin pan on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until no longer pink in centers of meatloaves (165 degrees). Top each mini loaf with 2 tablespoons sauce; bake 5 minutes more or until sauce is set. Serve with remaining sauce.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning; set aside. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush eggplant slices with oil; sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. In batches, place eggplant on grill pan. Cook each side 1–2 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Remove and place on baking sheet lined with paper towels; pat to remove excess moisture. Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic; cook 2–3 minutes more or until onion is tender and turkey is crumbled and no longer pink. Drain. Add drained tomatoes, tomato paste, and basil to skillet; stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes more. Assemble lasagna by spreading 3/4 cup meat mixture over bottom of dish. Place 3 eggplant slices over meat mixture, top with 3/4 cup meat mixture, half of ricotta cheese mixture, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of eggplant slices topped with meat mixture and remaining mozzarella cheese. Spray underside of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Tomatoes 1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise 1 can (14.5 oz) ﬁre-roasted diced tomatoes, drained 2 Tbsp pure canola oil 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, toss together Brussels sprouts, drained tomatoes, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture in single layer on large shallow baking pan. Bake 20 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender and browned, stirring once halfway through.

Easy Chicken Parmesan 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, divided 6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1-1/2 lbs total) 3/4 lb spaghetti, uncooked 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour tomato sauce and undrained tomatoes into 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) Parmesan. Add chicken; turn to evenly coat both sides of each breast with sauce. Cover. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center (165 degrees). Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed on package, omitting salt. Top chicken with remaining cheeses; bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until mozzarella is melted. Drain spaghetti. Serve topped with chicken and sauce. January 2016

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RECIPE EXCHANGE Granola Bars

Granola Bars

Chewy Granola Bars

4 cups oatmeal 1 cup chopped nuts or pecans 1 cup coconut 1 cup chopped dates 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup wheat germ 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup honey 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp cinnamon

9 cups rice krispies 6-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats 1 cup corn ﬂakes 1 cup ﬂaked coconut (optional) 26 oz miniature marshmallows 1 cup butter, cut up 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1 cup raisins 1 cup M&M baking bits

1 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 Tbsp honey 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 egg 1 cup ﬂour 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1-1/2 cup rolled oats (or quick) 1-1/4 cup Rice Krispies 1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup wheat germ Raisins and/or Craisins (Optional)

Sandra Fritz, Owen

Put oatmeal in a jelly roll pan and toast 15 minutes. Combine nuts, coconut, dates, raisins, sugar, wheat germ, butter, honey, and egg. Add in oatmeal. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

No Bake Chewy Granola Bars Michelle Raddatz, Amherst Junction

1/4 cup coconut oil 1/4 cup honey 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp cardamom 1/4 tsp cinnamon Pinch of nutmeg 1 cup oats 1 cup nuts/seeds 1/2 cup almonds 1 Tbsp chia seed 1/4 cup sunﬂower seeds 1 cup chopped dried fruit Melt oil, honey, salt, and other spices. When liquid mixture melts and becomes a bit foamy, turn the heat down to low; add oats and stir to coat. Add the nuts/seeds; stir to coat. Fold in dried fruit. Cook on low for a couple of minutes. Line a 6x8-inch pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture in the dish with a wooden spoon. Fold paper over granola; press aggressively. Place in fridge and allow to cool. Cut into 6–8 bars. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. 22

Araminta Adams, Soldiers Grove

In a large bowl, combine the cereal, oats, cornﬂakes, and coconut; set aside. In a large saucepan, cook and stir the marshmallows and butter over low heat until melted. Stir in honey. Pour over cereal mixture; making sure it is well coated. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips, raisins, and M&M baking bits. Press into a greased 12x17-inch pan. Cool for 30 minutes before cutting.

Corri Tschanz, Blair

Mix together and press ﬁrmly into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20–25 minutes until the edges are light golden brown and center appears set. Cool completely and cut.

Online reader is looking for a recipe for an apple dessert,

REQUESTS from our

READERS

{

a pastry with milk often referred to as “My Doschen.” If you can help, 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? 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703-2869 or contact us via our website, www.wecnmagazine.com. Thanks!

THROWBACK RECIPE

from our first year (1940–1941) Each month through next June, we’ll highlight a retro recipe.

Fresh Berry Muffins From the August 15, 1942 Edition of Wisconsin REA News

2-1/2 cups sifted ﬂour 2-1/2 tsp double-acting baking powder 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup fresh berries 1 egg, well beaten 1 cup milk 4 Tbsp melted butter

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, sugar, salt, and sift again. Combine berries with 1/3 cup of flour mixture. Combine egg, milk, and shortening. Add to flour, beating only enough to dampen all flour. Fold in berries. Bake in greased muffin pans at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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January 2016

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Head to Whitecap

Mountains for old-fashioned family fun

y all accounts, this hasn’t been the greatest winter for snow lovers. Thanks to the effects of El Nino, sparse snowfall has left much of the state’s winter sports activities a bit lacking so far. However, if you were counting on gathering up the family and spending your holiday break hitting the slopes somewhere, don’t despair. You can’t go wrong heading north—way, way north—for a stay at the Whitecap Mountains Ski Resort. Located just past Hurley in Upson, Whitecap Mountains offers superior skiing thanks to near lake-effect snow and the resort’s three towering mountains nestled in the heart of the ancient Penokee Mountain Range. That dependable lakeeffect snow is an extra special gift this season, with natural snow in short supply. But even when unseasonably warm weather settles on Whitecap Mountains, there’s still plenty of skiing thanks to the abundant artiﬁcial snow that’s churned out as needed to augment Mother Nature’s offerings. With 43 trails spread over the three sprawling mountain peaks, the alpine-style resort offers something for skiers of all

ages and abilities, from a 400-foot vertical drop for advanced skiers to the gentle Polar Bear Bowl, a sheltered “learn to ski” area for the little ones. The trails offer solitude and stunning views of Lake Superior’s south shore and the Apostle Islands more than 10,000 feet below. However, it’s not just the skiing that makes the resort so attractive to families. It’s also that the resort itself is so familylike. Whitecap Mountains, located on Bayfield Electric Cooperative’s lines, was a modest operation facing bankruptcy when Dave and Evelyn (Evie) Lundberg, a seminary graduate and former elementary school teacher, respectively, purchased it 50 years ago. In a 1975 article in what was then the Wisconsin REA News, the Lundbergs told of their desire to share of themselves and bring folks together in an atmosphere where they could relax and appreciate the people in their lives as well as the natural beauty surrounding them. The Lundbergs settled on skiing as the vehicle through which they could make a living while still fulfilling their personal mission. After visiting ski areas in California and the Rocky Mountains, Dave and Evie found what they were looking for in northern Wisconsin, purchasing the Whitecap Mountains property in 1966. The resort has grown since the Lundbergs first took over 50

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WISCONSIN FAVORITES years ago, when it had a couple of T bars for lifts and just four ski runs. However, the principles on which the Lundbergs reshaped the resort remain unchanged. The 1975 REA News article reported that skiers in search of the sport’s social aspects, “such as a bar, high fashion and other activities,” were politely told to go elsewhere. Today, the resort has some added amenities including a wine hut, but the place is still more about the skiing and the setting than the more commercial trappings found at many other resorts. “If you’re looking for a cookie cutter, Disneyland type of place, they’re in Orlando,” pointed out longtime employee Barb Halverson. “We don’t do that here. You’re more than a customer here— more than just a number.” The resort is now operated by a corporation of about 20 people including the Lundbergs. “It’s a tight-knit group of family and friends,” Halverson said. Dave Lundberg turned 80 last fall, but he’s still very active in the day-today operations of the resort. Like all the employees, he jumps in wherever he’s needed, whether it’s working the tows, helping out with hill maintenance,

answering the phones, or chatting up guests. Many of these guests have been coming to Whitecap Mountains for generations and have formed strong connections with the resort and its owners. Halverson recounted a recent incident in which she found herself in an elevator with a customer who belongs

“If you’re looking for

a cookie cutter, Disneyland type of place,

they’re in Orlando.

We don’t do that here.” —Barb Halverson to a family that used to hold yearly reunions at Whitecap Mountains until the family grew too big for even the resort to contain. Halverson listened as the young man told his son how, when he was the boy’s age, he’d come to Whitecap Mountains every year to meet up with all of his grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

“It struck home that Dave and Evie have been a fixture in my life here at work, but they’ve also been a fixture in a lot of other lives, and most of the people who ski here have been coming here for many years and have made many memories here,” she said. Memories are made all year long here. In the warm months, the resort is known for its mountaintop golf course. A spring-fed mountain lake makes for great summertime boating, fishing, and swimming. Banquet services and the many options for on-site lodging, from fully equipped chalets or condos to efficient lodge-style rooms, make the resort an ideal location for weddings, family reunions, and other large gatherings. Whether it’s your first visit or your 50th, a stay at Whitecap Mountains is a special experience. You might come for the snow, but you’ll likely leave with so much more.—Mary Erickson Whitecap Mountains is located at 9106 W County Road E, Upson, 20 miles west of Hurley/Ironwood off Hwy. 77. Check the daily report on the resort’s website, skiwhitecap.com, for current snow conditions. To learn more, call 715-561-2227 or email infor@skiwhitecap.com.

Dave and Evie Lundberg are the heart and soul of Whitecap Mountains Ski Resort, which they’ve owned for 50 years. The picture on the facing page (inset) was part of a 1975 article about them in what was then known as the Wisconsin REA News.

January 2016

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YOUNG MEMBERS

Kids and Critters January 2016

1. Audrey, Julian, and Evelyn tempt the chickens with corn. Photo submitted by Tim and Michelle Tabbert, members of Adams–Columbia Electric. 2. Willow Ann and Allison are ready for a walk. Photo submitted by Dana and Patti Lebeck, members of Price Electric. 3. Emerson says “open up and say mahhh.” Photo sent in by Ron and Deb Moe, members of Jackson Electric. 4. Wide-eyed. We can’t tell who’s more surprised—Maddie or the fish. Photo submitted by Lyle and Jean Kothbauer, members of Dunn Energy.

Send photos of kids with animals, along with a brief description, to WECN Magazine, 1 S. Pinckney Street, Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. 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. Please include the name of your electric co-op. Photos will be returned. If in good-resolution, electronic format, photos may also be submitted via email to tina.walden@cooperativenetwork.coop. Thanks!

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Home energy assistance available Financial burdens do occur. Certain government organizations can offer heating assistance or point you in the direction of a group that can help. The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program administers the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Public Benefits Energy Assistance Program. LIHEAP and its related services help more than 100,000 Wisconsin households annually. In addition to regular heating and electric assistance, specialized services include: • emergency fuel assistance • counseling consumers on energy conservation and energy budgets • proactive co-payment plans • targeted outreach services • emergency furnace repair and replacement WHEAP also provides financial assistance to help eligible households pay a portion of their heating and electric energy costs. Eligible households may receive a benefit payment once per heating season (October 1 through May 15), and crisis assistance funds and help for non-operating furnaces and heating systems may also be available. The amount of the benefit payment depends on household size, income level, and energy costs. WHEAP is administered locally through county social services offices, tribal governments, and private non-profit agencies in each county in Wisconsin. In order to qualify, you must also have an annual household income (before taxes) that is below 60 percent of the state’s median income: *For households with more than eight people, add $1,451 per additional person.

Number in Household............................. Maximum Income Level (Per Year) 1................................... $25,151 2................................... $32,890 3................................... $40,628 4................................... $48,367 5................................... $56,106 6................................... $63,845 7................................... $65,296 8................................... $66,747 You can obtain information on eligibility, program services, and where to apply by calling:

1-866-432-8947. WECN DecPSA.indd 1

January 2016

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CLASSIFIEDS MISCELLANEOUS

COLLECTOR BUYING WAR SOUVENIRS: German, Japanese, U.S. weapons, medals, helmets, daggers, swords, military items. 715-344-5031. QUALITY ANTIQUES & CLOCKS, COLLECTIBLES, HOME-DONE GIFTS, 100+ VINTAGE TRACTORS. Historic Farmer’s Store building. Please call for hours 715-837-1919. Old Farmers Mercantile, Dallas, WI. GOT WOOD! NEW PORTABLE SAWMILLS. We sell Forestry Equipment for the hobbyist to the professional. Band Sawmills, Firewood Processors, Skidding Winches & More. A-F County Market an authorized Hudson Forest Equipment Dealer. Adams WI 53910. Phone Joe or Rich 608-339-6703. WANTED: PAYING CASH FOR WW-2 GERMAN, JAPANESE FLAGS, DAGGERS, SWORDS, GUNS, ETC. 715-340-1974. USED PORTABLE SAWMILLS! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148, 205-969-0007, USA & Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com. TARPS—HEAVY DUTY, 16’ x 50’, hemmed. Expired billboard faces. $50 each or 12’ x 38’ – $35 each. Shipping not included. Tarps can also be picked up at Jones Sign, 1711 Scheuring Road, De Pere, WI 54115. 800-536-7446. DOG/CAT BEDS. Durable comfort—made of marine grade mesh and PVC. Washable. Money back guarantee. Small-X-large 715-559-4439. WANTED: DEER TAGS, back tags. Trapping, bear, hunting, and fishing licenses. Otter, bobcat, fisher tags. Any old traps. David Schober, W4234 Rock Creek Rd., Loyal, WI 54446. 715-255-9284. TORNADO/STORM SHELTERS. 4 person-30 person. TimberLake Homes; corner of Hwys. 13 and 21. Friendship, WI. 608-339-4663. TAKE YOUR PICK. Oil Change intervals from manufacturer’s recommended to one year. New Amsoil factory direct wholesale pricing or free shipping option available. Visit wanikassociates. shopamsoil.com for a free catalog. WALNUT BOARDS. Rough saw, air dried: 11%. Random lengths & widths. Some 2” slabs, live edge. Call Dennis 414-405-1910.

LAKE OR POND? Aeration is your 1st step toward improved water quality. Complete systems $189-$399! Also super-high efficiency water pumps up to 11,000 gph & fountain aerators too! Save hundreds! www.fishpondaerator. com 608-254-2735. Open 7 days-a-week. Fast service too! Approximately 8000 board feet of rough sawed red pine lumber. 1” x 6” and 2” x 4” in 8, 10 and 12 foot lengths at .50¢ board foot. Call Ron 715-459-4406.

TRAVEL & CAMPING

TRAVEL TRAILER. 1996 Layton 19’, sleeps 3, in Adams County. Excellent condition. Call Dennis 414-405-1910. MISSISSIPPI RIVER—CHECK IT OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST! Multi-day, assisted cruises. You rent the houseboat; as your guest, I pilot the vessel. Prefer Retirees. 414-731-8241. Ferryville, WI.

Get the Muck

BUTCHER AND SAUSAGE MAKING SUPPLIES AND SHARPENING. Casings, spices, vacuum sealer bags, cutlery grinder plates & knives, etc. Call for catalog: 715-654-6363. 906 Sunrise Ave, Dorchester, WI 54425.

OUT!

REAL ESTATE MANUFACTURED, MODULAR HOMES, SINGLEWIDES USED HOMES. TimberLake Homes; corner of Hwys. 13 & 21. Friendship, WI. 608-339-4663. Seasonal Site RV/Cabin for sale! Castle Rock Resort, Mauston, WI, only 20 minutes north of the Dells. Located on the Wisconsin River, it’s a perfect hunting/fishing cabin! 2 bedrooms, furniture included, rafting tubes, stocked kitchen, shed, carport. Jon boat w/ 9.5 HP and trolling motor negotiable. Asking $10,000, Seasonal site fee is $1,500 per year. Kelly 815-861-4122 or Kelly.israel@aol.com

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LOOKING FOR A GIFT IDEA? Consider giving a gift subscription to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News! The price is just $10 per year for 12 issues or $28 for three years (36 issues). Include subscriber’s name, address, city, state, Zip Code, and check payable to WECN. Mail to: WECN, 1 S. Pinckney Street, Ste. 810, Madison WI 53703.

Classified ads reach more than 163,000 mailboxes. RATES: For non-members of Wisconsin rural electric co-ops: one insertion, $25 minimum (up to 20 words); additional words, $1.25 each. For members of Wisconsin rural electric co-ops: one insertion, $14 minimum (up to 20 words); additional words, $.70 each. Count name, address, and phone number as part of ad. Please include zip code. FOR PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP, please include your address label from your copy of the magazine. FREQUENCY DISCOUNTS: 2% discount for 3 months; 5% for 6 months; 10% for 12 months. DEADLINE: 1st of the month prior to the month in which the ad is to appear. All classified ads must be paid in advance. There is no agency discount on classifieds. Make check or money order payable to: Cooperative Network. Mail to: WECN, Attn. Tina Walden, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Ph: 608-258-4400. Email tina.walden@cooperativenetwork.coop.

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WISCONSIN EVENTS 1 Polar Bear Plunge––Phillips. Harbor View Pub & Eatery, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

9 Rib Lake Snowshoe Adventure Race–– Westboro. Forest Springs, 11 a.m. 715-767-5105.

23 Brendan Wegner Memorial Fisheree––Westﬁeld. Lawrence Lake.

1 New Year’s Day Hangover Party–– Phillips. Club 13 Restaurant & Lounge, 1–5 p.m.

14–16 GrassWorks Grazing Conference––Chula Vista Resort. www.grassworks.org.

23 Phillips Flurry 5k & 10k Snowshoe Race/Run/Walk––Phillips. School Forest Trail, 8:30 a.m.

1 New Year’s Day Brunch––Prairie du Chien. Rotary Club, 608-326-5488.

14–24 Winter Fest Tavern League Tour–– Price County. There is no entry fee to participate. Stop at participating Price County Tavern League member establishments, make a purchase, and get a stamp/sticker for your Tavern League Tour sheet. Visit twelve participating tavern league businesses [six on the Northern Tour and six on the Southern Tour] to be entered in a drawing for cash prizes.

23, 24 Cor Powersports Cross Country Snowmobile Races––Phillips. Birch Island Resort on Wilson Lake, 9 a.m. 715-339-3151.

2 Ice Fishing Rumble––Phillips. RollIn Point Bar & Grill, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Register any time until 10 a.m. the day of the tournament. 2 Winter Picnic in the Park––Phillips. Solberg Lake County Park, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Located on Trail #112 northeast of Phillips. 8–10 Tuscobia Winter Ultra––Park Falls. St. Anthony School, run, bike, or ski this self-supported race with 150-mile and 75-mile distance options. The 150mile race is an Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) Qualifier Event. 8, 9 “Follies Again”––Prairie du Chien. High School Little Theater, Fri. 7:30 p.m.; Sat. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 608-326-4326 or www.statuepark.org. 9 Ice Derby—Suring. Kelly Lake by Kwik Stop. Heated tent, food, refreshments, bacon raffles, fishing contest. 920-655-2052. 9 Sleigh and Cutter Rally—Ashland. Northern Great Lakes Visitor’s Center. Hook-up at 11a.m., narrated exhibition at 1p.m. Free sleigh rides until noon. 715-685-4725. 9 Fisheree—Rosholt. Lake Helen, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Adult and children fish prizes awarded. Door prizes throughout the day. Large raffle held after fish prizes awarded. Heated shelter. Food and beverage available. 715-677-3235. 30

January 2016

16 Fisheree—Briggsville. Wagon Wheel Campground Boat Landing, daybreak–3 p.m. $5.00 to enter, cash prizes for the largest ﬁsh in several species. 608-253-6567. 16 Ice Fishing Contest––Phillips. Musser Lake Boat Landing, 6 a.m.–3 p.m. All participants must be registered and a $10 entry fee paid by 9 a.m. 16 Fisheree––Butternut Lake. Butternut Resort, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

23, 24 Winter Fest––Phillips. Ice Fishing Contest on Duroy, Elk, and Long Lakes, Sat. 6 a.m.–4 p.m. Sat. & Sun 9 a.m. Cor PowerSports Snowmobile Races. 715-339-3151 or 715-339-3665. 24 Phillips Chaparrals Breakfast–– Phillips. Club 13 Restaurant & Lounge, 8:30–11:30 a.m. 28–30 Poker Run & Breakfast Buffet–– Park Falls. Moose Jaw Resort on Round Lake. Poker run forms and cards will be available at all participating businesses starting Thursday. 30 Radar Speed Run––Phillips. RollIn Point on Solberg Lake, 10 a.m. 30 Udder Snowshoe Race & Tour–– Athens. Erbach Park, 8 a.m.

16, 17 Snowball Fest––Marquette, Iowa. Eagles Landing Winery, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 563-873-1905. 16, 17 Wisconsin Winter Free-Fishing Weekend––Statewide residents and visitors alike are able to enjoy free ﬁshing. 17 Pancake Breakfast—Prentice. Chequamegon Sportsmen’s Club, 7 a.m.–12 p.m. Located on trail #118 or by car 1 mile east of Prentice on Hwy 8. 23 Ice Fishing Tournament––Phillips. Corner Connection & Soo Lake, 6 a.m.–6 p.m.

Wisconsin Events is a public service for our readers. Submissions should be received by the first of the month prior to the month in which the event will occur. Due to space limits, we may need to eliminate details, so be sure to include a phone number (with area code) where callers may obtain more info. If we receive more listings than space allows us to print, we reserve the right to select those we believe will be of interest to the greatest number of readers. Send listings to: Events, WECN, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703 or to tina.walden@cooperativenetwork.coop.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

Events Jan 2016.indd 1

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