Shortcuts | Nov. 20, 2008

V1 Staff |

FUNDRAISING COMPLETE FOR LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT
The stalled plan to expand and improve the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library has some new juice. The library’s Capital Campaign received a gift of $187,000 from the L.E. Phillips Family Foundation last month. The funds will go toward a Youth Services area (allowing for storytimes and other programming), an expanded space for held items and for the Holds and Resource Sharing office, as well as a new, more convenient first floor location for microfilm resources. The library is in the process of choosing an architectural firm, and hopes to begin construction in late spring. – CW

EAU CLAIRE AMONG THE BEST PLACES TO RAISE CHILDREN
Current and future Eau Claire parents can rest assured – this is officially a great place to raise kids. BusinessWeek magazine recently released their list of each state’s most affordable and safest towns, ranking Eau Claire the best in Wisconsin, with Appleton and Racine as runners-up. First place overall went to Mount Prospect, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Joining forces with OnBoard Informatics, a real estate analysis company, BusinessWeek made its picks among cities with populations fewer than 50,000 and median household incomes between $40,000 and $100,000. Top factors were affordability, safety, and school performance. In addition, racial diversity, air quality, recreation centers, local parks, job growth, cost of living, zoos, museums, theaters, and ball fields were all taken into consideration. – CH

STUDENTS AWAIT COMMITTEE’S DECISION ON BLUGOLD MASCOT
The votes are in. UW-Eau Claire has gathered a committee of students, faculty, and alumni to preside over the decision to bring a mascot to the university. A survey was sent out to students, alumni, staff, faculty, and season ticket holders, asking them to share their thoughts. Now that the results have been tallied, the Mascot Committee will soon culminate its six months of research by making a final decision of whether or not to introduce a mascot. What will the Blugold be? A furry, seven-foot something? Or still an ominous representational figure in our imagination? – CH

PROFESSOR FACES HURRICANE FOR A CHANCE TO ADOPT
UW-Stout Assistant Professor Glenda Jones was willing to battle Mother Nature for the chance to be a mother herself. This past August, after a year of waiting, Jones received a call from an adoption agency. Her month-old son was waiting for her in Louisiana. Thrilled with this success, Jones departed immediately. Unbeknownst to the new single mother, Hurricane Gustav was just about to strike the coast of Louisiana.  Jones was happily united with her new baby, but soon realized the two would be stranded in Louisiana until the adoption paperwork could be completed. Hotel vacancies were scarce, so Jones turned her UW-Stout colleagues to secure refuge for the little family. Some networking with LSU faculty produced two professors that were willing to shelter Jones until she received the adoption approval and was able to return to Menomonie. – CW