Nominations Open for Woman Veteran of the Year Award

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2018 Wisconsin Woman Veteran of the Year Award. The award will be presented at the Wisconsin Conference on Veterans Issues on Sept. 24 in Appleton. The Wisconsin Woman Veteran of the Year Award recognizes women veterans who have compiled a record of exemplary service as a military service member, a veteran, and outstanding member of the community. Last year’s winner, U.S. Navy Veteran Connie Walker, received the award because of her dedication and advocacy around the nation regarding vital veterans’ issues. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 31, 2018.  Current and past recipients are listed at WisVets.com/WomenVets.

Otters. Submitted.

Snapshot Wisconsin, a 26-county network of wildlife-monitoring trail cameras, is seeking volunteers in all 72 counties as the popular program went statewide Aug. 9. Snapshot coordinator Susan Frett credits the volunteers for the success of program that has been bringing Wisconsin’s wildlife into homes and classrooms for the last four years. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources uses Snapshot Wisconsin to capture animals digitally using a statewide network of volunteer-hosted trail cameras. Individuals and educators have signed up to host cameras and send in batch after batch of wildlife photos for classification on the project’s crowd-sourcing website, Zooniverse. The project has 1,012 volunteers monitoring 1,243 cameras, and together, they’ve taken more than 22 million photos of Wisconsin wildlife. Anyone with access to 10 or more contiguous acres of public or private land can apply to host a trail camera. For educators interested in hosting a camera with their class or school, Snapshot Wisconsin has developed curriculum plans for all ages. They’re available free on the program’s website for anyone to use. The DNR provides all necessary training and supplies to accepted applicants. Volunteers do not need to have prior trail camera experience, but they do need basic computer skills and access to the internet to participate. Snapshot Wisconsin has local, in-person training sessions for accepted volunteers scheduled this fall throughout the state. Online training is also available. Prospective volunteers can find out more by visiting dnr.wi.gov and searching keyword “Snapshot Wisconsin.” Those interested in hosting a camera can apply online at SnapshotWIsignup.org.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, awards an almost $2.4 million contract to Luedtke Dredging Company, to dredge Green Bay Harbor in northeast Wisconsin. Luedtke, from Frankfort, Mich., will remove 287,800 cubic yards of material. They will place the dredged material in the Cat Island dredge material disposal facility in an effort to restore terrestrial habitat and wetlands. Dredging will take place from about 5.75 miles into the bay for about a mile. Dredging is expected to begin in late August and wrap up by mid-November, weather dependent. “We’re excited to get this work underway: to allow commercial shipping to continuously operate in Green Bay. Not only is marine transportation the most efficient means of moving commodities, the engine of our economy, but this project simultaneously helps to restore habitat. That dual purpose is where we especially add value to the nation.” said Lt. Col. Greg Turner, district engineer, Detroit District.