Wal-Mart Supercenter: More Challenges
By Bill Blomberg
Manifest Staff Writer
Note: In March, Manifest staff writer Bill Blomberg examined the economic impacts a Wal-Mart Supercenter would have on our community. This time around, we will be looking at some other sides of this project.
MARINETTE — The construction of a new store always has some impact on the surrounding area, and Marinette’s future Wal-Mart Supercenter, to be opened in the spring of 2008, is certainly no exception.
In addition to the most visible changes such as leveling and clearing the land on the planned site, there are some less apparent but very important issues to consider.
Art professor James LaMalfa, who served on the Marinette city council for 28 years, expressed concern for dealing with the inevitable increase in traffic on Roosevelt Road/County Trunk T.
“There’s an impact not only on the natural environment, but also on the civic environment,” LaMalfa said. “We need to ask: What will be the impact on the total environment?”
The answer is, of course, varied and complicated.
The new Wal-Mart would be located on the curved section of Roosevelt Road/County Trunk T, next to Peshtigo National Bank. The increased activity of a large store would slow down traffic flow in the area, and as a result, proposals for widening the road and adding turning lanes have been considered. However, the fact that a section of the road is located in county rather than city territory tends to complicate decisions.
Former Marinette mayor Doug Oitzinger, who was involved with some of the early negotiations in the Supercenter project, believes that Wal-Mart’s decision to move out of its existing store will have a significant impact on the Pine Tree Mall.
During planning for the Supercenter, Oitzinger proposed a plan to use the old Wal-Mart building as the location for the city’s recreational and convention center. This would allow the Pine Tree Mall to continue to serve the community.
“It would be a viable option, but it requires city leadership,” Oitzinger said.
Oitzinger left office before any serious negotiations with Wal-Mart started. His proposal, along with certain conditions on the sale of the land, have not been pursued by current city leadership.
In considering the changes on the new store’s site, Biology professor Wendel Johnson believes that clearing the land could represent a threat to the biodiversity of the area.
“We reduce our chance to get solar energy and there is reduced cover of the natural plant community,” Johnson said.
Johnson mentioned water runoff from the store as another dynamic to consider.
“With an asphalt parking lot, runoff doesn’t go into the soil — it goes into the sewage drainage system. Then you get solid waste and everything else that goes with the runoff … some is treatable, and some isn’t.”
History professor Dan Kallgren reflected on the historical significance of the sand hill currently located on the land. Kallgren points out that it was sand hills such as this one that helped to protect Marinette from the Peshtigo Fire of 1878. Plans call for the 32-acre site to be leveled to accommodate Wal-Mart and its 957-vehicle parking lot.
“It’s a shame that we’re losing the last sand hill,” Kallgren said.
Despite his concerns, Johnson believes the Supercenter could also be used as an opportunity for beneficial changes in the way retail stores interact with the environment.
“Wal-Mart has the potential to do great things with sustainability — and to influence their competitors,” Johnson said. He listed some possibilities such as using solar energy, using recyclable materials in products, and reducing product packaging to a minimum.
LaMalfa agrees. “Make [the Supercenter] a model store — this would be a much better option,” he said.
Wal-Mart officials appear to be taking some of these feelings to heart. In response to some environmental problems it has had with communities in the past, the company recently outlined some plans that would improve its interaction with the environment by attempting to maximize efficiency while minimizing waste.
Some aims of this approach include improving the fuel mileage of Wal-Mart’s truck fleet, using more renewable energy sources, and cutting down on waste generated by the stores.
In addition to changes to biodiversity, “one-stop shops” such as Wal-Mart tend to affect social and economic diversity as well. While the convenience of one store may allow for less travel and an easier shopping experience, there is sometimes a loss of the “charm” and familiarity present in smaller specialty stores, often from the downtown area.
“This makes everything more homogenous,” Johnson said.
LaMalfa reflected on some of these changes in a broader sense, offering an example of what has happened in other communities.
“The impact on downtowns by suburban shopping malls has been large and pervasive,” LaMalfa said. “In fact, the effect over the last 40 years or so has been to depopulate downtown, although central business districts have been fighting back. One sees this in Appleton, Milwaukee and other cities in Wisconsin and around the US.”
It seems that Marinette is growing larger all the time, and with that growth these issues become more important. Will the benefits of a Wal-Mart Supercenter help overcome the challenges that come with it? As with any controversial development, there can be no certain answer. Stay tuned.
The Parent Trap: Single parents offers perspective
By Deborah Collins
Manifest staff writer
How many times can you reschedule things? How much can you juggle? Can you rob Peter to pay Paul, again? Does your life seem like you’re on a treadmill? Running and running and getting nowhere?
For most parents these are everyday issues. Now add on the extra responsibility of school work — your own schoolwork, that is.
Parents who are either returning to school or continuing their education after high-school are brave souls. Leaving your child/children is hard for any parent. I, myself am a single parent. For me, the hardest part of returning to school is the work and discipline involved in getting assignments done in a timely manner.
I miss being involved in my daughter’s life and her activities. It must be so much harder for those with younger children.
Anne Eastman, who is a single mom with a two-year old son, is pursuing a degree in nursing. With three years of schooling under her belt, and two more to go, she plans to transfer to Green Bay in the fall, and make her home there. The extra help afforded her through outside resources has made it possible for her to continue her education.
Eastman plays co-ed volleyball and enjoys spending extra time with her son at the pool.
“The hardest part about returning to school is not being with my son and watching him grow up,” she says.
Of the 441 students on campus, 34 percent are student parents.
One of those is Michelle Wittock. She lives in Oconto with her husband and their three daughters, ages 11, 9 and six. She’s attending college to get her degree in nursing. After earning 60 credits here, she will transfer to Bellin College of Nursing, where she will complete her education and receive her degree in two years.
Wittock’s motivation for returning to school was her family.
“For me the hardest thing about returning to school was believing in myself that I can do it,” she says.
Wittock has given back to U.W. by becoming a member of Student Senate.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, middle-class families will spend over $200,000 in direct expenses to raise a child this year, excluding college. There is help out there in the form of daycare and transportation moneys, tuition assistance and scholarships. On our campus one need only go to Student Services for contact information.
But where does one find time? Is there a tree somewhere where one can go to pluck off a leaf with the corresponding amount of time needed embedded in the leaves? Just pluck it off the tree to activate the time? Would that this tree existed! And what to do with this extra time?
For Wittock and her family it would be spent making the most of her day. For Eastman it would be taking her son to the park.
For me it would be just hanging out and talking with my daughter.
Keep the spring flu bug at bay
By Michæl Paquet
Manifest staff writer
Take a moment to look outside. What do you see? It’s finally spring. And guess what that means? Spring time means that it is time for the flu season.
We normally associate winter with flu. But spring can be equally dangerous. Why? Because our bodies are changing over to the new climate after spending months in a cold winter and we are susceptible to infection.
Flu hit the UW-Marinette campus in late winter. According to instructor Mike Erdman, who teaches bacteriology 101, about this in the BAC 101 class, this strain of flu is, “like nothing I have ever seen before.” Erdman says, “I’ve come across people who have had this bug for six or more weeks.”
In other words, the current flu is not pleasant — at all, believe me, I had it for about a month.
How can we avoid this bug? Can we stop it from infecting us?
First of all, let us look at why we get sick. As we would say way back in our kindergarten years, simply, germs; germs cause sickness. This is partially true. Illnesses are also caused by viruses, organisms that literally infect and grow in your body’s cells.
But what is a germ? A germ is a disease-causing bacteria. An example being, Escherichia coli — or E. coli; the “poop bug,” which causes diarrhea, notes John Christopherson, bacteriologist and lab TA on campus.
Another way to look at a germ is as a bacterial cell that has been infected with a virus — or a cell that already has a virus in it We somehow ingest the cell, which then replicates in our bodies.
We get sick when disease-causing bacteria enter the body, which triggers our bodies to react to them, and drive them out, causing symptoms like diarrhea, coughing, sore throat, fever and other annoying side effects.
So, how do we stop these bacteria and viruses from entering our bodies? Here, are few suggestions:
Carry a bottle of sanitizing agent. Any kind will do. I carry a bottle of “Germ—X” which is made of 62% alcohol. A solution that has a higher concentration of alcohol would work even better; this stuff really kills bacteria. Hydrogen-peroxide is a good disinfectant. Just carry some kind with you, and use it after contact with anyone.
Avoid contact with any infected persons. This is difficult on a small campus. Use your sanitizing agent to wash your hands after contact with an infected person. (Now, if you’re kissing an infected person, then I don’t think hand sanitizing would help you!)
Get a flu shot. This one of the best ways to avoid the flu. A weakened version of the flu virus is injected into your system, allowing your body to prepare for the virus when it comes at you full force.
The immune system is an amazingly complex defense machine. Our bodies produce cells, T-cells, and B-cells. The B-cells work a type of marking system; the B-cells produce antibodies, which seek out the antigen (or foreign body) and stick to it, marking it for the T-cells to attack.
There are two types of T-cells; killer T-cells, and memory-T-cells. Killer T-cells produce chemical agents that go and combat the viruses, while the memory T-cells act as scholars — they put the certain disease that the body has fought on file, so that when the disease comes around again the body is prepared. Getting flu shot is a wise decision to make at any time of year.
Can sunblock cause cancer?
By Robert Gates
Manifest Staff Writer
Within the last 100 years humans have been exposed to a whole new array of chemicals and processed foods. So it’s no surprise that cancer rates have been increasing.
There are often simple precautions you can take to help reduce your risk.
Let’s take skin cancer for example. Most people would probably say that the best way to prevent skin cancer is to wear sunscreen.
According to the Sunday Times “The main chemical used in sun lotions to filter out ultraviolet light (Octyl methoxycinnamate) may be TOXIC, particularly when exposed to sunshine.”
There are many natural ways that you can protect your skin. Start sunning in short segments and gradually work your way up. The trick is to never get burned. If you are getting too much sun, use clothing instead of sunscreen to block rays.
According to a review published by the National Academy of Sciences achieving a balanced ratio of omega 6:3 is key to preventing skin cancer development. Most people’s omega 6 levels are much higher than their 3 levels. Increasing your omega 3 levels with fish or fish oils is recommended.
Also consuming whole vegetables will increase antioxidant levels in the body which will provide protection against sun induced radiation damage.
If you can’t live a life without sunscreen try to buy from a company that actually cares if you get cancer or not (they are out there). Avoid tanning booths and remember sunlight is one of the essential ingredients for staying healthy as long as you take the right precautions.
Quick Tips:
Don't burn
Don’t rely on sunscreen alone to keep your skin safe.
Wear cloths to protect skin when feeling overexposed
If you need sunscreen, buy health conscious products
Keep your skin healthy with vegetables and higher levels of Omega 3
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