"Homeless Hounds" Have Christmas Wish, by Shelby Jacobson

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and the La Crosse Tribune are teaming up to grant three wishes this holiday season.

The FSPA asked the La Crosse tribune to find worthy organizations, people, and programs that deserve a little extra help. 

There are twelve candidates featured in the La Crosse Tribune.  These stories will appear under “Three Wishes” the first twelve days of December on the La Crosse Tribune website.

From this list, one candidate voters will be able to choose Homeless Hounds run by Jennifer Lengel, owner of Puppy Palace. Puppy Palace is a doggie daycare and boarding house. Homeless Hounds program was made so homeless families would not have to surrender their animals. Lengel says, “When you lose your home, you lose your kids; your animals are like your kids.”

Lengel’s new program has become nationwide. Just last week, Lengel’s program was featured in USA Today.  

Homeless Hounds is 100 percent dependent on public assistance. Donations help support vaccinations, spay and neutering, feeding, and making the dogs as comfortable as possible during their stay.

Families housing their dogs at Homeless Hounds are required to report to Lengel weekly on their situation looking for a job and home.

Homeless Hounds is currently seeking donations to fund a new facility. According to Lengel, Puppy Palace is able to take in thirty dogs at a time.

There are fewer spots available for daycare or boarding dogs because of the growing number of homeless dogs coming to Puppy Palace. Homeless Hounds houses eight to ten homeless dogs at any given time. This limits the amount of money Puppy Palace takes in.

Homeless Hounds program is in dire need of dog beds, collars, leashes, towels, and blankets. A variety of dog food is also essential. Due to a large quantity of senior dogs, quality senior food is greatly appreciated.

Volunteer opportunities are also greatly appreciated. To view volunteer options and donations needs visit, Puppy Palace La Crosse on Facebook or stop in at Puppy Palace at 3821 Mormon Coulee Road La Crosse, WI.

Votes will be taken on the La Crosse Tribune website December 13 through December 16, 2013.

Heroin Use not Significant Problem on Campus, by Carly Vail

            There typically is not a problem with heroin use on the university.  According to Chief Scott Rohde of the UW-L police department, this could be because there is always a high police presence on campus.

Rohde states that this drug is more readily available in bigger cities. Heroin use typically depends on a person’s personal behaviors and life experiences, including hometown (big city vs. small town).  Heroin is not common to the typical demographic of the UW-L student, Rohde says.

Heroin use is on the rise in many areas of the United States, commonly bigger cities such as Minneapolis/St. Paul, Madison, and Milwaukee. Even though La Crosse is not a big city, it is still prone to high amounts of heroin use.

            Heroin is an opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a substance extracted from the Asian opium poppy seed.

            Between the years 1995-2005 the amount of Americans age 12-17 trying heroin increased 300%. This number continually increases. It could be due to the cost of heroin now decreasing compared to years past.

Rohde mentioned if heroin was cheaper for college students to attain, it may be more desired by the college population. This does not decrease the amount of watch police officers have towards the drug however. As of recently UW-L seems to be an “island,” says Rohde. This means that even though there are frequent amounts of heroin use going on around the university, there haven’t been cases of the drug on campus.

A man from Madison allegedly sold La Crosse County resident Tom Treiman heroin on September 6, 2013. Treiman then overdosed from this drug and the dealer will be tried in La Crosse County with first-degree reckless homicide under the state’s Len Bias law.

            In St. Francis, MN, a smaller, northern suburb of the Twin Cities, three teens have died because of heroin since May 2012. There were an additional three more hospitalized. One student at the high school stated there were at least 20 students using heroin in the last year. Parents of the teens who overdosed fear there will be many others who unfortunately follow.

            

Bill to Ban "Revenge Porn," by Crystal Oravis

The Wisconsin legislature has a bill to outlaw posting “revenge porn” (nude photos or videos of an ex-lover), due to many recent harassment cases.

Under current state law, anyone possessing, reproducing or distributing an image of a nude person taken without consent faces a felony charge with a maximum sentence of $10,000 in fines and three-and-a-half years in prison.

The bill is designed to discourage people from posting naked pictures of their ex-lovers in hopes of embarrassing and harassing them. Free speech advocates worry that this bill will interfere with the first amendment. These revenge porn laws need to make it clear that in order to be found guilty, an offender must distribute these photos or videos with the intent to hurt the subject, and that the offender was well aware that it was expected to be kept confidential. These specifics need to be covered in order to avoid an abundance of charges relating to teenagers ‘sexting’ with friends.

A common myth people believe is that there is a law that already covers the topic of revenge porn as harassment. Even when revenge porn amounts to criminal harassment, police may refuse to get involved, telling the victims that the behavior is not serious enough for a criminal investigation.

Under current law a picture is the photographer’s copyright and the photographer’s call to have it taken down. If the subjects took the photo themselves, the suing rights are practically nonexistent. Revenge porn sites usually ignore requests for removal because most victims don’t take the time, or spend the money on a lawyer.

Under the new bill, anyone who disperses a nude picture without the subject's consent or regardless of whether the subject granted consent to capture the image could be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to $10,000 in fines and nine months in jail.

Volunteer for Big Brothers/Sisters, by Ellen Barrett

Students on campus are always looking for new ways to get involved in the community or volunteer hours to add to a professional resume. A growing organization in the 7 Rivers Region is Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Lyndsey Langer, Big Brothers Big Sisters Program Delivery Specialist, says “Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit organization where an individual can change a child’s life and help enhance the organization in a variety of ways.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters is always looking for caring and committed volunteers. Bigs are given the opportunity to mentor a child in the community, one on one, who could deeply benefit from a mentor. Bigs and Littles are matched based on common interests and personality type.

There are two programs Bigs can choose to participate in. The Site Based Program currently partners with 7 schools in the area through an after school or lunch program. The Big meets with the Little at the Little’s school once a week for about an hour while school is in session. The Community Based Program involves a commitment of 2-3 hours per week where the Big is partnered with one specific Little.

This Big must be able to provide transportation for the Little if participating in the Community Based Program. These matches are able to go anywhere in the community and participate in any activities they see fit. Examples of activities include anything from playing basketball to going to a Loggers game. Many area businesses provide discounts or free tickets to Bigs and Littles in support of their service. Both of the programs require a one year minimum projected commitment. It is not uncommon to have matches last 10+ years.

College students are specifically encouraged to get involved by becoming a volunteer Big Brother or Big Sister in either one the BBBS onsite or offsite programs. There are also multiple internship and service learning opportunities throughout the organization. Both the internships and the service learning opportunities are unpaid positions.  To qualify, you must submit a completed application and pass the interview process and reference checks. Students who desire to participate must be at least 18 years old for the Community Based Program and in at least 10^th grade to participate in the Site Based Program. Couples are encouraged as well. These service hours can be applied as volunteer hours to fulfill a student’s graduation requirements. Volunteer hours are ultimately flexible. A  Big may complete as many hours as desired and set a unique schedule based around a student’s school or work availability.

Big Brothers Big Sisters also accepts donations online and at their offices.

To donate, or find the closest location, visit http://www.7riversbbbs.org/donate/.

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit http://www.7riversbbbs.org/

WI Politics: Less Money for Higher Ed, & Fewer Votes for Students, by Shelby Jacobson

The biggest issue among legislation affecting UWL is state budget.

Legislative liaison Joe Heim says nothing comes close to the issue of the state budget.

Loss of graduates out of state is a main concern in the limit of financial assistance one is given for school. In other words, the more students leave after graduation, the less the state wants to support students financially. When a state gives financial aid to a student, the state hopes the student remains for employment.

Budget-cutting and voter suppression is ”payback” for being a net-loss state for graduates moving, Heim said.

A majority of graduates in the La Crosse area stay in Wisconsin after graduation. Madison typically loses approximately 1/3 of graduates to other states, says Heim.

On average, more campuses vote for Democrats. This is because Democrats typically support lower interest rates for student loans. Republicans are typically in favor of higher interest rates, limiting the amount of students enrolling for fear of debt after graduation.

Stricter laws on voter ID’s is placed on college students to limit the amount of student voters.  According to Heim, higher education and income affect voter turnout.  Universities do not have PACs or fund candidates. The power for universities is voting. Voting is a right, a voice, he says.

UW-L is one of the higher turn-out campuses for voting. 

Storm Emergency Information, Mitchell Spoerl

It is important to know what to do if a tornado were to touch down in La Crosse. University designated Emergency Response Number is (608)-789-9999. This number is a direct line to a live representative at the University Police station.

According to the National Climatic Data Center, there are approximately twenty-four recorded tornadoes annually in Wisconsin. The last time La Crosse had a tornado touchdown was in May 2011. No one was killed, but there was extensive property damage.

If in a campus building, go to the lowest interior hallway and do not use the elevators. Make sure to be near a TV or a radio in order to receive updates as the storm progresses. If in a house, get away from the windows and go to the basement or cellar if available.

Tornadoes typically appear around late spring/early summer in the Midwest. However, it is important to remember that tornadoes can appear at any point in the year.

Over eighty tornadoes were sighted on a weekend in November, spanning across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Six people were killed and over 50 were injured in Illinois. Thousands of people in the state were without power. Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois reported that seven counties were disaster areas.