STUDENTS TAKE A HACK AT DESIGNING NEW CITY LOGO
Students from a graphic design class at UW-Eau Claire recently took a crack at summing up the city’s essence with an image. Some designs incorporated bridges and eagles; others pictured rivers converging. All of them were designed for the city’s buses and the Chippewa Valley Airport. They then presented the logos to city officials, hoping to convince them of the need for a new look. Eau Claire does not currently have a unified logo, but makes use of multiple designs. Many of the student’s designs impressed the city manager, but no plans have been made to revamp the logos already in place

SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL ALMOST SWEEPS POETRY COMPETITION
South Middle School students recently received top prizes in a prestigious poetry contest that garnered more than 450 submissions from across the state. The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Junior Division Poetry Prize awarded first place to seventh-grader Isabel Markowski for her poem The End. Natalie Turner, an eighth grader, received second place for Chalk. Judges also singled out “much-admired” runners-up. These honorable poets included eighth-grader Rachel Eierman, eighth-grader Elizabeth Haley, and seventh-grader Grace Espinosa, who also won first place in another poetry contest this month. The students are all from Jason Splichal’s English classes. They will receive cash prizes as well as publication.

10 VIE FOR OPEN COUNCIL SEAT
Ten candidates have applied for an open spot on Eau Claire’s City Council, a position that was vacated by Kerry Kincaid when she became president last month. City Council members could decide on the seat as soon as May 12. Three candidates have previous experience in city government (Berlye Middleton, Charlie Schaaf, and Stan Carpenter), two have sought seats in the past, and one is seeking the position after losing the vote to join the Eau Claire school board. The candidate must defend why they are deserving of the job at an upcoming city council meeting. The winner will be announced the following day, and will hold the seat for one year.

CHIPPEWA VALLEY ALMOST ENTIRELY SWINE FLUE FREE
Numbers of confirmed swine flu cases are rising across the state and nation, but there is still only one case in Dunn County and none in Eau Claire County. Thirteen people were tested in Eau Claire County, but all results came back negative. Globe University closed for one day as a precautionary measure after one student showed symptoms. To decrease the spread of germs, UW-River Falls is doing away with a symbolic tradition at graduation this year: officials won’t be shaking students’ hands. As of May 7, 26 cases have been confirmed statewide, with many more deemed “probable.” Nationwide, there have been 642 verified cases of this particular flu strain.

FILM INCENTIVES PASS FINANCE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY
Eau Claire citizens were disappointed with Gov. Doyle’s proposal to cut the Wisconsin film incentives program, so they did something about it: they voiced their opposition to their legislators and at a Joint Finance Committee (JFC) meeting that came to UW-Eau Claire’s Gantner Hall about a month ago. Because of their efforts to raise the issue and the leadership shown by Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, Chief of Staff Ben Nuckels, and JFC member Rep. Tamara Grigsby, the film incentives passed the JFC with a bi-partisan vote of 16-0 and will move on to Gov. Doyle for his reconsideration.