Crawford Co. Health Dept. issues notices

Crawford County, WI - September 25th, 2020 -
Notice – If you attended the following event or location listed below you may have potentially been exposed to a COVID-19 positive case:
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Large UTV Ride Event (starting and ending outside of Wauzeka)
If you were in close contact with groups of people during the UTV Ride and develop COVID-19 symptoms through October 3, 2020 contact your healthcare provider.
Notice – If you attended the event or location listed below you may have potentially been exposed to a COVID-19 positive case:
Maple Ridge Bible Church – Hog Roast
Saturday, September 19, 2020
If you attended the event listed above and develop COVID-19 symptoms anytime since then through October 3, 2020 contact your healthcare provider.
   “This notice is not saying that this event did anything wrong, assures Cindy Riniker, Health Officer “but is to inform the public of where and when the public may have had potential contact with a lab confirmed case of COVID-19.”

A cautionary tale of well contamination

I grew up on a farm North of La Farge, WI. In the early 1950's my parents transitioned from a dairy farm to raising mink.
   By the mid 1960's the ranch had grown to 11,000 mink during the summer and we kept about 3,000 mink for breeding over the winter. Mink manure is high in nitrate.
   In 1966 or 1967 saw us lose over 1,000 mink in early summer and my mother developed additional medical problems. I took a few mink carcasses to the University Lab on Mineral Point Road in Madison. It was determined that the mink died from nitrate poisoning and my mother's recent health problems were too.
   There is an artesian well about 200 feet from our well and that water was perfectly fine. We had to drill our well deeper to avoid the contaminated water table. In 10 to 12 years the nitrate filtered into our water table and caused our problems. What will the CAFO do to the surrounding wells in a few years? Not if it will affect the water table but when.
Dale Huston
Prairie du Chien, WI

Waukon, IA man killed in motorcycle accident

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at approximately 4:29 PM the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department was notified of a Motorcycle accident with injuries on State Hwy 35 at the intersection of Old Hwy 35 in Freeman Township. 
   Richard A. Baumgartner, age 62 of Waukon, IA was traveling Southbound on Old Hwy 35 operating a 2011 Harley Davidson Trike Motorcycle and was approaching the intersection with State Hwy 35.  The Baumgartner Cycle failed to get stopped at the stop sign, struck the curb/left shoulder of the Hwy, rolled twice and ejected Baumgartner from the Cycle onto the Southbound Ln of State Hwy 35.  The motorcycle came to rest on the Westside shoulder of State Hwy 35. 
   Life saving measures were attempted at the scene but because of Mr. Baumgartner’s injuries he was pronounced dead without transport to the hospital.  Baumgartner did not have a helmet on at the time of the accident.
   The accident remains under investigation.  Assisting at the scene was:  Desoto Fire Department, Desoto First Responders, Ferryville First Responders, Tri-State Ambulance, Gunderson Air, Wisconsin State Patrol, Bob’s Towing of Prairie Du Chien, WI as well as a few citizens that stopped to assist with any first-aid or cpr. 

Wisconsin's highest single day rise in Covid cases

Madison - September 17, 2020 - Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported the highest single day rise of positive (confirmed case) 94,746 (+2,034).  For more information: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/data.htm If you think that’s scary try 2,533 Firday.

Flyover ll - Where CAFO ll pig manure spreads

Flyover ll video shows all the fields where manure will be spread (according to Roth Feeder Pigs, Inc. filing application) far and wide, plus the potential for runoff.  It clearly shows that this in not a point source of pollution, as the manure will be piped or trucked throughout a large area of our countryside touching on parts of 3 townships; Marietta, Eastman and Steuben.
   The more fields this pig manure is spread on (over 1200 acres), the more chances of runoff into intermittent streams that would carry the pollutants to the Kickapoo & Wisconsin Rivers.  Geologically speaking, those intermittent streams follow fractures that are easy pathways to ground water aquifers where pollutants could end up in our drinking water.
   There is a difference between small or medium farms spreading animal manure or chemicals on fields to nurse their crops, where input and output are hopefully balanced, and an industrial farm using the fields as dumping grounds to rid themselves of their burden.  When overspreading occurs the land becomes saturated with phosphorous and nitrates without regard to crop needs or runoff.
   The industrial application of over 9,000,000 gals of pig manure, across the lower Kickapoo and Knapp Watersheds in Crawford County, with it's odor, insects and pathogens endangers the health, welfare, and safety of our entire community.  Industrial farms are not sustainable.  If you want to know more about runoff visit: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Nonpoint/AgEnviromentalImpact.html
   If you want to change this outcome, call your County Rep, they won’t listen to us, maybe they’ll listen to you, but I wouldn't put money on it.

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MWN