Shortcuts | October 1, 2009

MYSTERY COUPLE BEQUEATHS STOUT $2.6 MILLION
    An anonymous alumni couple donated $2.1 million to establish an endowment for transformational leadership at Stout a few weeks ago, and these same two donors gave a gift of $500,000 to the school a year earlier. That donation increased their existing scholarship endowment, which provides a sum of $5,000 scholarships each year to students with leadership potential. Of the $2.1 million, $100,000 will immediately go to support the new Discovery Center on campus, while the remaining money will help with continuing the transformation of  Stout’s programs and direction, at the discretion of the chancellor. – BB

EC CITY COUNCIL WANTS WACHS
    What began as 11 people trying to replace Brandon Buchanan’s vacant seat led to a split city council vote for Eric Lindquist and Dana Wachs before eventually welcoming Dana Wachs as the council’s newest member in a 7-2 vote. Wachs practices law with Wickstrom and Wachs law firm in Eau Claire, and is the son of Ray Wachs, a former city manager. Persistent and committed, Wachs lost a council election in the 1980s, but has come back because of the budget deficit and other problems Eau Claire is currently facing. Wachs will serve until April, when he will have to re-run or be replaced. – ED

COULD EAU CLAIRE GET ANY SAFER? TURNS OUT, YEAH.
    It seems like every year the City of Eau Claire is dubbed one of the safest places to live. Well based on the recently released statistics by the Office of Justice, Eau Claire has gotten even safer. Comparing 2008 to 2007, Eau Claire showed large decreases in both auto thefts (98 in 2007 versus 59 in 2008) and violent crimes (only one murder, and 56 aggravated assaults compared to 72 the year prior). While crime fell in Eau Claire, the state overall, and even the nation overall, violent crimes increased a bit in Chippewa Falls, Altoona, and Menomonie. These communities had slight increases in robberies, rapes, assaults, and arson, and car thefts more than doubled in Chippewa (from six cars to 13, so don’t be too concerned). – MS

STATE THEATRE DIRECTOR TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ARTSY
     Put your hands together for Ben Richgruber, the executive director of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center in Eau Claire who has recently been welcomed to the Arts Wisconsin Board of Directors. Arts Wisconsin is the leading statewide promoter of the arts whose goal is to ensure that everyone, everywhere is able to enjoy, learn from, and experience the arts. “I am very excited to be selected for such an honor and I look forward to helping them make that happen,” Ben said. After graduating from UW-Eau Claire with a comprehensive theatre arts degree, Ben taught at the Disney Institute, performed with numerous improvisational comedy groups, and is business savvy after managing several hotels in Madison. Congratulations, Ben! – HK

LOCAL JINGLE WRITERS TAKE NOTE OF LIBRARY CONTEST
    Do you feel pretty good about the newly renovated public library? Well, if you do, The Friends of L.E. Phillips Memorial Library want to hear from you! Send in your original prose, poetry, or even a song describing how the library is the No. 1 downtown destination. One entry per person, of 250 words or less, should be submitted by October 15. Winners in three age groups will receive prizes and will also be featured on the library’s website, The Friends’ newsletter, and in Library Links. For more information on the contest, please visit www.ecpubliclibrary.info, or stop in to the library and ask a friendly librarian today.

Chilling at the lib,
    I love reading books downtown.
    Freaking awesome spot!

Consider that a submission. What did we win? – MS