Latest news with #EAUCLAIRE
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CVTC to start new Library Director diploma program in the fall
EAU CLAIRE — A new technical diploma at Chippewa Valley Technical College looks to certify people looking to become library directors. The Library Director program is a one-year, 12-credit technical diploma for those who already have at least 54 college credits and need only a few courses to be eligible for a library director position. Jennifer Cook, Library and Information Services Program Director at CVTC, said, 'Since we started the library program, we have had a number of students who already have degrees or some college credits and have found themselves in the role of library director. 'The Library Director diploma consists of four classes that the Wisconsin Department of Instruction have determined library directors will need in order to be a director in a small public library. The classes include: Basic and Advanced Library Administration, Outreach and Community Services and Managing and Organizing Collections. The classes can be taken over the course of a year, two in the fall and two in the spring.' Online courses of the technical diploma would bring a grade III certification, which Cook said refers to libraries serving a population of 3,000 people or less. Grade II and I certifications would allow those to operate at libraries serving larger populations. With the introduction of a new program, all technical colleges go through a process of getting approval by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) and the WTCS state board. 'We have to show them the need for the program, the strength of the program and the market demand for such a program,' Cook said. 'Because we went through this process when we created the Library and Information Services and could track how many students came to the college for these four classes we were able to show the need for the new certificate.' CVTC's new program is expected to start in the fall, as applications are currently open. 'Small libraries in the state of Wisconsin are truly centers of their community,' Cook said. 'This program will help students who live and work in these small communities serve their communities. Libraries need to be flexible, advocate for their communities and be a place where all community members are welcomed with open arms. Our students come out of the program prepared to do all of these things, and are ready to serve their communities in the best way possible. 'My hope is that we build strong community spaces with library directors who are trusted by their community and community members. Libraries have always been part of the state of Wisconsin and I am excited that the students I work with are in the position to keep that tradition alive. I have graduated so many students that will be great library directors and library workers, and I know any community would be lucky to have them.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CVTC receives new drone donation for training certifiate program
EAU CLAIRE — Chippewa Valley Technical College program instructor Shawn Crevitson said the donation of a drone to their drone training certificate program will allow students to learn about modern equipment they may encounter in the field. The donation comes from Maverick Drone Systems, based out of the Twin Cities, and includes a DJI T30 drone. It is priced roughly at $17,000 with features that allow students to develop aircraft maintenance and operation skills, as Crevitson said they intend to use it to teach agricultural drone capabilities as well as other potential unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) training courses. 'Our courses have grown to a four-course certificate now that includes a wide range of flight maneuvers and skill sets that students would need if they are going out into industry in the drone world across a number of different sectors — the agriculture world being one of those, 'Crevitson said. 'This drone will allow us to get one step closer towards integrating spray drones into the program. At its current status, it does need some work to get to a flight ready status. There's some pieces that kind of need to go with it to get everything up and running, so it is going to be on our maintenance side of things for now. Hopefully in the near future, when it's flight ready, then we'll be able to integrate it in other capacities.' CVTC's drone certification program started in 2019 with the intent to teach students about core courses related to regulation and flight. Courses are typically run late spring through mid-fall, as the summer months are often spent outside flying drones on campus. From practical application to commercial use, drones are becoming more commonly used across a variety of industries. On top of spray drones applying pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, ag drones may be used for plant health analysis or other applications in the field. 'This equipment is going to be nearly identical to what they would use out in the field,' he said. 'This particular model is a couple years back, but it still has much the same features and qualities of the newer models as well. So the newer ones just have slightly longer flight times or slightly larger capacities for carrying material.' Having this equipment is going to allow their students to be able to learn how they are designed, how they are structured, what goes into maintaining them and the regulations associated with it, Crevitson said. This in turn can allow students to be ready day one when they enter the ag industry or anywhere else. Crevitson said CVTC has been looking at integrating an agriculture drone into the program for a couple of years. Varied prices of ag drones that are used in the fields are a factor to consider when looking at equipment. 'We really appreciate that some of the industry folks have seen the need that we have and are able to contribute to developing the drone training courses that we have by providing some donations,' he said. 'And so hopefully in the near future, we'll be able to keep our courses at a modern leading edge equipment that our students can train on as well as providing more training scenarios for them that mimic what our industry members are going to look for when they're hiring a remote drone pilot.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UWEC professor fined for election day incident
EAU CLAIRE — The UW-Eau Claire professor who confronted college Republicans and flipped over a table set up to support a Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate settled a disorderly conduct charge with a $295 fine, court records show. Jose Alvergue, 45, Eau Claire, paid the fine Wednesday, the same day as it was issued. The incident took place on election day in April, amid a tense race for the state supreme court. While technically nonpartisan, the candidates clearly lined up with political parties in their bids for the open seat. Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general, was the Republican-backed candidate. He lost to Susan Crawford, who had the backing of the state's Democrats. The college Republicans had set their table up to support Schimel's candidacy. Alvergue initiated the confrontation, approaching and asking why the table was close to a polling place. Like most states, Wisconsin bans campaigning near polling locations. The buffer area in Wisconsin is 100 feet, and the table was apparently in compliance with that requirement. After speaking with the students Alvergue flipped over the table and walked off. He was identified after the students posted video showing him walking across the campus quad and the ground around their table littered with campaign items. UWEC confirmed placing Alvergue on administrative leave after the incident drew attention, though it did not mention him. He was stripped of his position as chair of the university's English department. Alvergue remains listed as a faculty member on the UWEC website as an associate professor.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Juneteenth reaches 25 years in the Chippewa Valley
EAU CLAIRE — It is a landmark Berlye Middleton is proud of, as Eau Claire's Juneteenth celebration reaches its silver anniversary. '25 years — that says something for our community,' said Middleton in a recent interview with the Leader-Telegram. 'It's a big check in terms of equity, inclusiveness, fairness and not [towards] attempts to revise the past.' And that is just what Juneteenth acknowledges: the ending of a dark part of our nation's history, and the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation that freed millions of African-Americans who were previously enslaved for hundreds of years in the United States. Former president Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, federally recognizing the holiday. Middleton is the president of Uniting Bridges of Eau Claire, the host organization of the Juneteenth event taking place next week in Carson Park. He pointed out that Eau Claire was an early pioneer in advocating for the importance of the holiday. 'Our community recognized it even before the state recognized it, and long before the federal government realized it was important,' said Middleton. He noted there has been a shift in the national discourse surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With federal initiatives aimed at curtailing or abolishing those efforts, individuals already harboring negative views towards DEI have begun to cast doubts on the qualifications of those who benefit from these programs, specifically questioning their suitability for various employment positions. 'They just ignore a person's qualifications,' said Middleton. 'They think: that person is black and I see that as why that person was hired. It's so ridiculous now, but it's a reality. In some people's minds, it has always been that way with them.' But Middleton also noted that this has not reduced, for example, sponsors and exhibitors at the event that have been a part of the Eau Claire Juneteenth event. 'They've annually been a part of Juneteenth and continue to do so in spite of other regressive types of policies that have come forth in the last year.' At this year's event there will once again be speakers, music, games, and even an event earlier in the day at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. The event, scheduled in the Youth Program Room (Room 123) in the library on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will also feature interactive activities, snacks, music, and hands-on crafts while the significance of the holiday is discussed. Middleton also clarified that the event is open to all, dispelling a misconception that occurred in the last few years. He has learned that people coming to the event have soon left upon seeing only Democratic members of government in prior events. Those people came to the conclusion that the event is only open to those who subscribe to certain political beliefs, and he said that this is not the case. Middleton said that the good news is that there will be a Republican Party table at the event, thanks to Michele Skinner (R-Altoona), who made her intention to participate clear after learning that she and others are — and have been — welcome to attend. 'This is an event for everyone, regardless of your ideology,' he said. '[Republicans] are a part of the community. We don't like when people make us invisible and we don't want to do that to them.' Middleton said that there is still a long way to go, and has concerns that a backslide in progress could occur, meaning losing years of progress in getting citizens of color onto a level playing field. 'Things are still not equal; they are not equitable,' he said. 'Instead of becoming a continued force of world progress, we are on the precipice of our nation, our state and our community becoming the worst of our past and becoming a model of aggression that should never be duplicated, replicated or any other way repeated.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
F-35 flyover joins air show
EAU CLAIRE — The Chippewa Valley Air Show has announced a new flyover involving the Wisconsin Air National Guard. The Madison-based 115th Fighter Wing will fly two F-35 Lightning II fighters over the show on Saturday. Among the most advanced fighters anywhere, the F-35 is a supersonic plane with advanced stealth features and a unique profile. It is flown by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, along with several allied nations. The announcement of the F-35 visit adds to a show that already includes the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's F-16 Viper demonstration team. the show takes place June 28 and 29.
