Here are a selection of brief news items from this week's paper edition, and possibly a few news briefs that didn't make it in the paper.

'Wonka’ show features area teachers

Area teachers star in a community theater production of “Willy Wonka" at the Marie W. Heider Center for the Arts in West Salem, kicking off the 2008-09 performance series.

Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in the stage adaptation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which features the songs from the classic family film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

Performances run Oct. 10-12, with shows at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. shows Saturday and Sunday

General admission tickets are $6. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 786-1220, ext. 4. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Mondays and noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

Lakers chickencue scheduled for Oct. 3

The Neshonoc Lakers 11th annual homecoming chickencue will be held Friday, Oct. 3, with dinners served from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Lion’s Shelter before the football game.

Tickets are presale only and may be purchased from any girls basketball player, at the West Salem Hansen’s IGA or by calling 786-1521.

The dinner includes half a grilled chicken, beans, coleslaw, bread and a beverage for $7.50. Proceeds from this fundraiser go to the Neshonoc Lakers Girls Basketball Club, which provides additional basketball opportunities for West Salem girls in grades 7-12.

Packers to raise money at Westview

Four former Packers will visit the Westview Inn in West Salem starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, to raise money for the Gilbert Brown Foundation.

In addition to Brown, Santana Dotson, William Henderson and Mark Chmura will be on hand that night signing autographs and playing fundraising games.

Only 300 people will be admitted that night, with tickets selling for $5 each. For tickets, call the Westview Inn at 786-1336.

Crafters sought for Lakeview bazaar

Crafters are needed for a holiday craft show and bazaar planned for Nov. 15 at Lakeview Health Center in West Salem.

The show will be open to the public with free admission. Booths are still available at $10 each.

The Lakeview Auxiliary also will be having a bake and lunch sale. For more information, call Rebecca at 786-1400, ext. 133.

Annual needlework show seeks entries

The Coulee Country Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America seeks entries for its annual needlework show held during Oktoberfest.

Needleworkers are invited to participate with entries in cross stitch, surface embroidery, canvas, counted thread, hardanger and small quilting. New this year is a youth category for ages 18 and younger in any of the needlework categories.

Entries will be received Wednesday, Oct. 1, from noon to 6 p.m. at the La Crosse Public Library auditorium.

The free show then opens on Thursday, Oct. 2, and goes through Saturday, Oct. 4, during library hours.

The public is invited to vote for their favorite in each category. People’s Choice awards as well as Mrs. Oktoberfest and Festmaster ribbons will be presented to the winners.

A boutique with needlework ornaments and more will be available for people looking for unique gifts.

Halloween costume swap back again

Family Resources in La Crosse is planning its second annual Halloween costume swap.

People who bring a clean, gently used child’s costume with all props and accessories packaged, to Family Resources the week of Oct. 6 will get a voucher to choose another costume on the day of the swap, Oct. 11.

Advance registration is required and can be arranged by calling Fran Swift at 784-8125, ext. 229.

Dinner, golf event to aid Lung Association

The American Lung Association of Wisconsin’s fifth annual La Crosse Partners golf tournament dinner and silent auction will be held Monday, Oct. 6, at Fox Hollow Golf Course and Banquet Hall in Barre Mills. The affair will begin with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. There will be a silent auction at 5 p.m., with dinner and an awards ceremony to follow at 6 p.m.

Entry fee is $80 per person, including 18 holes with a cart, dinner, silent auction, door prizes and participation awards. Any golfer who gets a hole-in-one on No. 10 wins a 2008 Honda. A hole-in-one on No. 8 will be rewarded with $10,000.

For more information, call Todd Mahr at 775-2161.

Holmen alumni golf event planned

Holmen High School will host an alumni golf tournament Oct. 18 at Drugan’s Castle Mound Country Club.

The tournament will be a four-person scramble with a 10 a.m. shotgun start. Each team in the scramble must include at least two Holmen alumni, or have children that graduated from HHS, or be current of former HHS faculty members.

One of the purposes of the event is to promote the Holmen Viking Alumni Award. The Holmen Athletic Booster Club and Viking Alumni Award Committee will share proceeds.

Entry fee is $40 per person, which includes 18 holes of golf, cart, hole prizes and post-round refreshments at Features Sports Bar and Grill. For tee times, call Drugan’s at 526-3225, or e-mail Paul Laxton at laxpau@mail.holmen.k12.wi.us.

For more information, contact Paul Laxton at 781-4851 or Andy Anderson at 526-3131. or visit the school district Web site at www.holmen.k12.wi.us, and visit the Alumni section under partners.

Refuge to auction 2008-09 trapping units

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge will offer trapping units for muskrat and beaver during the Wisconsin 2008-09 trapping season. Bidding for the units will take place Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at the refuge maintenance complex. There are 12 muskrat units and four beaver units available for bid.

Trappers must show a current Wisconsin state trapping license when registering to bid. Bids will start at $40 per unit. Trappers must be present at the auction to bid. Payment for units is due at the close of the auction.

Muskrat units are also available for bid for both youths (18 and younger) and senior citizen (65 and older), free of charge. To enter in the drawing for these units, people must be present for bidding and provide a current Wisconsin trapping license and proof of age.

Additional information on the trapping program may be found on the Web at www.fws.gov/midwest/trempealeau, or by calling the refuge headquarters at (608) 539-2311, ext. 16.

Winona museum to present program by naturalist Stokes

WINONA, Minn. — David Stokes, an interpretative educator who’s been creating exciting learning programs since 1974, will give a free program from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

Through the use of live animals, artifacts, songs, stories and hands-on materials, Stokes will explore the wild side of life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. For more information, call (507) 474-6626 or visit www.minnesotamarineart.org.

MVC honored with statewide land trust award

The Mississippi Valley Conservancy has been named Land Trust of the Year by Gathering Waters Conservancy, a statewide service center for Wisconsin’s more than 50 nonprofit land trusts.

From humble beginnings 10 years ago, the Mississippi Valley Conservancy has grown into a leader in Wisconsin’s land trust movement.

The Conservancy has become a catalyst for conservation and a proud voice for land protection in the Coulee Region of western Wisconsin. Over the past year alone, MVC protected almost as much land as it had during its previous nine years. Its membership has nearly doubled during the past two years, and an innovative corporate sponsorship program is generating thousands of new dollars to support regional conservation.

MVC has also become media savvy. “The Mississippi Valley Conservancy continues to engage the public in activities that will increase the general awareness of the importance of private, voluntary land protection," said Karen Blodgett from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “From protecting land to their 'Linked to the Land Program’ where they host numerous hikes and educational events designed to build support for land conservation, MVC is a front runner in getting the public involved."

Ralph Heath, MVC board president, said the award was a tribute to the MVC’s many partners, a highly motivated and competent staff and a dedicated and generous membership.

Tim Jacobson, executive director of the Mississippi Valley Conservancy, expressed gratitude for the award and said, “I hope this award will shine a light on the importance of voluntary land conservation in the blufflands region of southwestern Wisconsin. With more than 3 million acres in MVC’s territory, much of it significant from the standpoint of scenic views, wildlife habitat, farming and outdoor recreation, the task of conservationists is huge. We are always looking for more people to join as MVC members to help us carry out our mission."

Johnson gets health group recognition

The Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards has recognized La Crosse County Board Supervisor Tara Johnson as Board of Health Member of the Year. The award recognizes local board of health members who make significant contributions to and demonstrate leadership in improving public health in Wisconsin.

Johnson was nominated by La Crosse County Health Department Director Doug Mormann and fellow county Supervisor Sharon Hampson, who chairs the county’s Health and Human Services Board.

“Tara has been an extraordinary leader and administrator, helping her board to accomplish a great deal of work in an efficient manner," said Mormann. “She has repeatedly worked to improve her understanding of the health needs of the public, taken on difficult public policy issues and supported the expansion of public health services."

Johnson received the award in part for her work in overseeing the creation of the combined Health and Human Services Board in La Crosse County of La Crosse as well as her work in establishing smoke-free restaurant regulation; establishing the first county-wide tattoo business licensing program for infection control; and supporting regional disease-carrying mosquito control efforts, radon education, tobacco sale compliance and public health preparedness programs.

Johnson has served on the La Crosse County Board since 2000 and was recently re-elected to her fifth two-year term. She currently serves as vice chairperson of the body.

Entries sought for annual chili cook-off

Participants are sought for State Bank Financial’s 17th annual Chili Cook-off, which is set to take place Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Southside Oktoberfest Grounds.

All proceeds from the event directly benefit area Drug Abuse Resistance Education and Gang Resistance Education and Training programs, as well as Habitat for Humanity of the La Crosse Area.

Individuals and/or teams have the option to sign up to compete in one of six different divisions; media, professional, nonprofit, business, individual or government. As in the past, teams will compete for the best chili as selected by popular vote and prizes will be awarded in each category.

For more information on how to sign up to be a cook or to make a donation, contact event co-chairs Brittany Bybee at 791-4533 or Sarah Ellingson at 791-4540 or log onto www.statebankfinancial.com.

Senior advocate volunteers needed

The Wisconsin Board on Aging is seeking volunteers to train as advocates for older adults living in La Crosse County nursing homes. For more information, call Karen Price at 789-6366.

Retired teachers group to meet Oct. 6

The La Crosse Area Retired Educators will meet for breakfast at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at River Jack’s Restaurant in La crosse. Everyone who has retired from Wisconsin public schools is invited.

Breakfast will be followed by a short meetng and a program about reverse mortgages. Cost is $8. Call Karen Broadhead at 788-2485 for reservations.

Women’s Expo 2008 planned for Oct. 18

Gundersen Lutheran’s Women’s Expo 2008 will be held Saturday, Oct. 18, at the La Crosse Center.

One of the highlights of this year’s expo is a keynote speaker, Carol Grace Anderson, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m..

The exhibit hall at the La Crosse Center’s South Hall opens at 10 a.m. Area businesses and organizations will offer information on products and services. Admission to the Women’s Expo is free.

For more information, visit gundluth.org/WomensExpo or call 775-6861.

Emergency response team training planned

A free Community Emergency Response Team training course for community members to gain information and skills on how to respond in a large-scale emergency will be held at the La Crosse County Health & Human Services Building in downtown La Crosse.

The 20-hour course will meet over three sessions and include hands-on training in scene assessment, fire safety, emergency medical response and light search and rescue. The class also will provide information on local threats and hazards, county emergency management and incident command, and terrorism.

Course meeting dates are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, and 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. Attendance at all classes is required for completion certificate.

After a major disaster, first responders might not be able to immediately reach all of the community members requiring their services. The CERT program helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergencies in their communities.

People who complete CERT training have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home, workplace and community, and can take the right steps to lesson the effects of these hazards on themselves, their homes or workplace.

For more information, or to register for this CERT course, call 789-4811 or log onto www.publichealthprepare.org for a registration form.