Whitney dining hall “all you can eat” not “all you can take,” by Samantha Loomis

Whitney dining area is constantly losing dishes and utensils as well as vast amount of foods from the dining area.

In a campus wide email Larry J. Ringgenberg says, “Since the start of spring semester 2014, approximately 315 bowls and 960 glasses have disappeared from Whitney Center.”

According to general manager Nori Yamashita, Whitney bowls can cost from 3 to 4 dollars apiece. These dishes can cost more than the china used in Whitney.

315 bowls stolen at $3 a piece puts Whitney at a loss of $945. That is only for this portion of the spring semester so far.

Yamashita follows up, “It is a theft, but depending on whom you talk to many students feel comfortable enough in the dining room and think it is okay to walk off with certain things. Anything that we lose or we have to replace eventually.”

In the dorms there is an amnesty program for returning “borrowed” dishes. This enables students with dishes taken from Whitney or other dining centers on campus to return the materials before moving out at the end of the year without suffering any consequences. Boxes are set up in residence hall lobbies.

The Ringgenberg email also alludes to students “filling jugs of milk, plastic bags with cereal, and removing containers of ice cream from the dining room.”

Yamashita brings this point up as well, “People take stuff out and that increases our food costs. There are just people who don't understand and think it’s their ‘right’.”

The Basic 19 meal plan on campus is $1225.00 and the Basic 14 is $1205.00. With 15 weeks per semester, and a student using all his/her meals every week, a meal would cost about $4.35 and $4.22, respectively.

This per meal amount pays for the labor and the cost of the food. The workers in Whitney get “paid by date for the food, about $7.35 per day,” according to Yamashita, “so each meal can’t be any more than $2.00.”

Yamashita emphasizes, “It is very difficult. When people take stuff out that really starts to skew some of the costs. It’s an all you can eat, in the dining room.”

What Did Mark Twain Really Think of LaCrosse?

Today's LaCrosse Tribune contains an historical tribute to the city, from Mark Twain himself:

"Here is a town of twelve or thirteen thousand population, with electric-lighted streets, and with blocks of buildings which are stately enough, and also architecturally fine enough, to command respect in any city."

However, one should always remember that a compliment from Twain is often a set-up for a punchline.

"[Lacrosse] is a choice town, and we made satisfactory use of the hour allowed us, in roaming it over, though the weather was rainier than necessary."

But he really liked Trempeleau mountain.

Twain visited the upper Mississippi in Spring of 1882, in order to add chapters of "Life on the Mississippi."

Coulee Region Humane Society Encourages Individuals to Choose Adoption, by Madison Norris

The Coulee Region Humane Society’s prominent challenge is finding individuals to adopt pets in need of homes.

There are currently (last week of Feb.) 56 animals up for adoption at the CRHS of Onalaska. The available pets include cats, dogs, rabbits, rats and birds. The animals’ ages range from just a few months old to several years old.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, 6-8 million animals enter shelters each year. Only 50 percent of these animals get adopted. The remaining 50 percent face euthanization.

The CRHS wants people to consider adoption as a first choice for choosing an animal companion. For an individual with an adopted pet, promoting adoption to others is encouraged.

Valentine, a yellow Labrador, is a three-year-old female in need of a forever home. CRHS says she is playful, highly active and housetrained. CRHS says that Valentine can be “selective about which dogs she gets along with,” so it is recommended individuals introduce Valentine to existing pets prior to adoption.

Those interested in adopting Valentine or any of the other available pets can visit www.couleehuman.com, or contact the shelter at 608-781-4014.

What Is Inclement Weather Policy? by Megan Sukovich

UWL students wonder with curiosity if the university chancellor will grant any more “snow days” during the remainder of the spring semester.  Classes began today at double-digits below zero, not factoring in wind-chill.

On Thursday February 20, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse cancelled classes starting promptly at noon due to a forecasted hazardous winter storm.

Today, one week later, according to the National Weather Service, "WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY."

* EXPECT BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 35 BELOW ZERO THIS
  MORNING TO GRADUALLY IMPROVE BY NOON. 

* WIND CHILLS THIS LOW CAN CAUSE FROSTBITE ON EXPOSED SKIN 
  WITHIN 30 MINUTES. 

In previous weeks, temperatures stooped as low as 50 degrees below zero with wind-chill. Despite the dangerous weather conditions and numerous k-12 closings, Chancellor Joe Gow advised students to “to use good judgment” as classes remained in session.

 “I don’t understand why we didn’t have class off then," states sophomore UWL student, Danielle Smeed. "It seems really inconsistent.” Many students are expressing this same frustration towards the chancellor due to confusion with the Inclement Weather policy. 

Gow sent out the official cancellation announcement as of 10:21 pm the previous night to student and staff, noting to “please take care during this dangerous storm.” The university did continue to provide the essential services, such as dining and police, to student and staff on the day of the storm.

The supposed storm arrived first with heavy rain, eventually crossing over to an icy snow at around 5:00 pm that Thursday evening.

“It was really bizarre. I was expecting a total white out, and then it rained. It was kind of a disappointment,” says Smeed.

According to the UW System’s Inclement Weather policy, when conditions make travel dangerous or other events cause serious safety concerns, the chancellor has the authority to cancel classes, close a campus to the public, or completely close a campus to the public and employees.

Garbage Cans Obstructing Parking Spaces, by Danielle Cook

The presence of the city of La Crosse’s new 95-gallon garbage receptacles from Harter’s Quick Clean Up is causing problems for local residents around the UW-La Crosse campus. Alternate side parking is in effect for the entire city until April 1, resulting in restricted parking options near homes and close to the university.

The incipient garbage collecting system uses large, green plastic garbage containers with wheels, placed on the side of the road. However, the cans are no longer picked up manually. A truck passes by and uses an arm apparatus to lift the can over the truck and dump the waste inside. La Crosse began implementing the automated system on February 3.

The new system seems to be working smoothly, besides the issues residents are facing with where to place the receptacles. Cars are taking up spaces intended to put garbage out, and vice versa. Students and residents alike are frustrated with lack of space on the streets, since there has to be enough spacing for the garbage trucks to pull up alongside the cans and lift them, and further space between the cans to be lifted separately.  The cans must have two to three feet of clearance on either side.

Anne Galbraith, an associate professor of Biology at UW-La Crosse, lives near campus and has experienced problems with the new garbage system.

“Because we acquired these [receptacles] in the winter, and residents were not prepared to have a spot cleared of snow for setting them out, most garbage pick-up days will find these trash bins in the streets taking up coveted parking spots,” explained Galbraith. “Hopefully things will be better next winter when residents have had a chance to figure out better places to put them.”

Residents with questions about the new system can visit www.cityoflacrosse.org or contact Refuse and Recycling at 608-789-7508.

Alternate Side Parking, Again, by Danielle Cook

Students at UW-La Crosse must now comply with alternate side parking rules. Prior to this year, an ordinance existed that permitted parking on both sides of the road around the UW-La Crosse campus. For students without a parking permit at UW-L, it can be frustrating to have to move their vehicles each day in order to follow alternate side parking guidelines.

“Alternate side parking is good for the city,” explained Kaley Bernhardt, a senior at UW-L. “It makes sense for plowing, but it’s kind of a pain to have to move a car every single day, especially if it’s cold outside and you’re parked far away from your house.”

A parking ticket for a vehicle on the wrong side of the street starts at $10 for the first ten days of holding the ticket. After the ten days, the fine increases to $20, then $30 if the ticket is still not paid.

“It’s kind of stupid that you have to park on alternate sides when it doesn’t snow,” noted Alex Reina, a freshman at UW-L. “They should send out an email when you’re supposed to move your car. That would be a lot more convenient than having to move it every day.”

Emails were sent out when the UW-L campus exemption was in effect, as well as web announcements and tweets; however, cars were still being left where plows needed to get through. Thus, the exemption ended.

Alternate side parking in La Crosse affects the entire city from November 1 to April 1 annually. Between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., cars must be parked on the even side of the road on even days of the month, and the odd side on odd days. If only one side of the road is consistently open for parking, vehicles can be parked there overnight.