NWTC to hold Artisan and Quilt show

From nwtc.edu: “NWTC to hold Artisan and Quilt Show” —  Artwork by area residents will be on display during the first annual Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Artisan and Quilt Show on Saturday, October 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the NWTC Hillcrest Artisan Center, 915 Second Street, Kewaunee. This event is free and open to the public; donations of non-perishable food items for the local food pantry are requested.

The show will feature pieces by students who are eager to present their projects. “Students in the quilting and sewing classes have made such wonderful progress in the variety and quality of their projects that the time is right to feature their work,” said Mary Gaye Rank, NWTC instructor.

One student whose work will be on display is Betty Panten of Green Bay. “The classes are a great deal of fun and the instruction is excellent,” said Panten, who has been quilting since 1965 and joined the group of quilters at Hillcrest in 2007. “There is always something new to learn.”

Proper produce prepping

From wjfw.com: “Proper produce prepping” —  Rhinelander – The recent listeria outbreak in cantaloupes has many people thinking twice before reaching for that favorite produce item.

Here’s some tips to keep you healthy.

Sometimes bacteria and pesticides make it from the farm to the store.

Jim Bonjean is the Assistant Manager at Walmart and says they have to inspect their produce before it makes the shelves. “For instance beets come in and they’re dirty, we wash it and then we put it on the counter.”

At Nicolet College, Culinary Arts Instructor Kevin Brown deals with produce everyday and has a few tips for you.

Bacteria not on your hands, like listeria, will hide in the grooves of our fruits and veggies. “If you have a vegetable that has grooves in it like potatoes and melons, for instance, use a gentle brush on them.”

Brown also says to run cool water over them with your hands, and to not fill up your sink and let them sit in the water. “It won’t clean it, it needs the action of the cool running water with your hands to rub it away.”

But some veggies harbor bacteria in different places.

“For instance if your washing lettuce, lettuce may have some bruised or cut edges on it, bacteria love to hide in those spots.” Brown says to remember not to cross contaminate your veggies when working with other raw products by keeping them separated and keeping you healthy.

Brown also says bacteria can be transferred into the center of melons by cutting it without washing first.

Let the celebration begin, MATC centennial

From matctimes.com: “College celebrates 100 years” — One hundred years may seem like a long time to many people, but to MATC it is only the beginning. From September 2011 to September 2012, MATC will be celebrating 100 years of changing people’s lives.

A year long celebration may seem like a long time to show recognition, but to Kathleen Hohl, Director of Public Relations, a year is just what we need. “We need to ensure we commemorate 100 years in a number of ways to include the many different stakeholders – current and former students, current and former faculty and staff, community partners. Spreading our celebrations over a calendar gives us that opportunity.”

And this opportunity is not just for the staff, but also for the students. Hohl added, “Students will have the opportunity to learn about the history of the college and, hopefully, appreciate the contributions of former students, faculty and staff made to creating a premier technical college.” Right now, we see MATC the same way many men and women saw it when it first started: a great opportunity for many Milwaukee residences. The only difference between current students and past ones are the changes that we have seen at MATC as a school. Back when MATC was starting off in 1912, many students were learning the same things current students are learning right now.

Read more from matctimes.com

Wausau man puts high school struggles behind him at NTC

From wausaudailyherald.com: “Wausau man puts high school struggles behind him” —  Joel Rogina of Wausau likes to carry around his last high school report card.

It’s not very impressive. It’s sprinkled with Ds and Fs and shows that Rogina ended up with a lackluster 1.79 grade point average when he graduated from Kingsford (Mich.) High School in 2000. Rogina is 30 now, and he has a kind of pride in the report card because it shows just how far he’s come.

As a teenager, he was an unfocused student who didn’t care much about grades, a kind of kid who teetered along the lines of delinquency.

Now he’s a full-time nontraditional student at Northcentral Technical College, studying human services and aiming to be a social worker who works with at-risk kids. He’s in the second year of the program, and so far he’s earned a 4.0 grade point average.

 

Green Bay-area colleges see higher enrollment, increase in adult students

From greenbaypressgazette.com: “Green Bay-area colleges see higher enrollment, increase in adult students” — Students continue to enroll at local colleges in record numbers, although school administrators say growth has slowed since the height of the recession.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay welcomed 6,598 students this fall, according to early reports. That’s up slightly from 6,579 in 2010, and 5,791 in fall of 2006.

St. Norbert College has 2,173 undergraduates this year, one more than last fall. In 2006, the school had 2,015 undergraduates enrolled.

Meanwhile, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, which calculates numbers differently, has enrolled the equivalent of 3,900 full-time students for fall compared with about 3,963 last fall. Its calculations vary from other colleges because full-time equivalency equals 30 credits of enrollment, which means full-time students can represent several taking classes on a part-time basis.

The technical college served the equivalent of 7,561 full-time students for the entire 2010-11 school year, compared with 6,175 in 2006-07. School officials do not expect growth in full-time students this year, although they do expect growth in the actual number of students taking courses.

 

Women in trades event at NWTC

From youtube.com — Women in trades event at NWTC” — Video shows event designed to expose middle school students to non-traditional careers.

Manufacturers Keep ‘Help Wanted’ sign out

From wbay.com: “Manufacturers keep ‘help wanted’ sign out” — The orders keep coming in at Ace manufacturing, but owner Brian Lakari says, “I can’t find people fast enough. Right now we need to hire 16 more people… today.”

Manufacturing companies in Northeast Wisconsin are having a hard time filling positions requiring skilled labor. It stems from a lack of interest in the field.

Lakari and his employees are struggling to keep up.

“We need to operate the machines and hope to take the workload off everybody,” Ace employee Marc Freeman said.

“We ran mandatory 48s for most of the summer, and that just becomes counter-productive after a while,” Lakari said.

Lakari says he brought in machines two weeks ago for a new customer but he doesn’t have anybody to operate them.

“We get a lot of applicants, but most of the people who come in and interview are lacking basic math skills, blueprint reading skills, basic mechanical skill,” Lakari said.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College president Jeff Rafn says his enrollment numbers reflect the lack of interest in machining than anything, down 20 percent from last year.

“It’s not a capacity issue for me. It’s an issue of students wanting to get into manufacturing,” Rafn said.

Rafn said many people have a misconception it’s a dirty occupation without long-term potential. Lakari says today machining is a clean, high-tech career with a promising future.

 

UW colleges, MATC sign new articulation agreements with Edgewood College

From wispolitics.com: “UW colleges, MATC sign new articulation agreements with Edgewood College” — Officials with Edgewood College, the University of Wisconsin Colleges, and Madison College (MATC) have established Articulation Agreements, making the path from a two-year degree to the completion of a four-year degree a lot smoother. The formal agreements allow for students who complete a two-year program at any UW-College campus, UW-Colleges Online Program, or an Associates Degree from Madison College, to transfer to Edgewood College to complete a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.

The new agreements, finalized late this summer, are needed to reflect changes in Edgewood College’s general education curriculum. The COR curriculum, named in recognition of the College motto “cor ad cor loquitur” (Heart Speaks to Heart), is in its second year of implementation.

“It is great to officially affirm our longstanding partnerships with such outstanding institutions,” Christine Benedict, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, said. “We are fortunate to have great opportunities for the young people of Wisconsin to achieve their educational goals, and it’s an honor to be able to work together to help our students succeed.”

Tech college head asks election panel to rethink voter ID ruling

From madison.com: “Tech college head asks election panel to rethink voter ID ruling” —  The president of the Wisconsin Technical College System sent a letter Wednesday to the Government Accountability Board formally requesting that the body which oversees elections in the state reconsider its Sept. 12 decision to not allow technical college student ID cards to be used for voting purposes.

Dan Clancy writes that the “plain language of the statute clearly includes technical college student IDs as an acceptable form of identification for voting purposes.”

A new law that goes into effect in 2012 requires people to show photo IDs at the polls in order to vote. But one can’t show just any photo ID. In order for a student ID to be valid for use at the polls, it has to comply with certain aspects of the new law, which notes the identification card must have a signature, expire within two years and have an expiration date. College IDs issued by University of Wisconsin System institutions, for example, don’t comply with the law.

But at its Sept. 12 meeting, the GAB unanimously adopted a policy that stated schools could put stickers on existing IDs to include the information needed to make the identification cards compliant with the new law. Many hailed the ruling as good news because it could save public and private schools money by not having to completely overhaul their IDs.

Read more from madison.com

New ‘cradle to career’ partnership aims at helping kids succeed

From jsonline.com: “School Zone: New ‘cradle to career’ partnership aims at helping kids succeed” — A broad cross-section of major business, education and philanthropic leaders in Milwaukee have joined forces to look at improving educational outcomes for all children in the city, regardless of whether they attend traditional public, charter or private schools.

The group, Milwaukee Succeeds, and its top leaders were formally announced Wednesday by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, which has been spearheading the effort since early 2011.

The partnership will be led by John Schlifske, CEO of Northwestern Mutual; Mike Lovell, chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and Jackie Herd-Barber, a Greater Milwaukee Foundation board member and civic volunteer with an education background.

“Milwaukee Succeeds is an effort to move beyond the providers of education to really focus on the children and helping them succeed cradle to career,” said Ellen Gilligan, the head of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and a recent transplant from Cincinnati, where she helped launch a similar effort.

“We’re trying to bring together all the people who have an important role to play in the educational success of public, private and charter schools,” she added. “It’s immaterial where they go to school. Are they all succeeding?”

The effort is notable for bringing together disparate groups who have not always shared information well as a unit, from the Milwaukee Area Technical College to the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association to the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools.

Read more from jsonline.com

MATC District Board Chair on panel for Get Smarter Conference

From BizTimes.com: “Enlightened company leaders invited to Get Smarter Conference” —  Company leaders, human resource directors and their employees are invited to attend the third annual BizTimes Get Smarter Conference.

The conference will take place on Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, beginning with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m.
The mission of the conference is to promote the development of a smarter workforce and enlightened corporate leadership in southeastern Wisconsin.
The opening remarks at the conference will be presented by Wisconsin Superintendent of Education Tony Evers.
Evers’ remarks will be followed by a panel discussion about the challenges and the opportunities facing southeastern Wisconsin’s educational infrastructure. Panelists will include:

• Gregory Thornton, Ph.D., superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools.
• Melanie Holmes, vice president of World of Work Solutions at Manpower Group and chair of the Milwaukee Area Technical College District Board.
• Paul Sweeney, founding partner at PS Capital Partners LLC in Milwaukee and chairman of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Education Committee.
• Robert Rauh, principal of Milwaukee College Prep School.
• Renee Herzing, president of Herzing University.

The panel discussion will be moderated by BizTimes executive editor Steve Jagler.
After the panel discussion, the conference will present several concurrent educational workshops for business executives.

 

Moraine Park Technical College on list of GI Jobs’ Military Friendly Schools

From fdlreporter.com: “MPTC on list of GI Jobs’ Military Friendly Schools” — G.I. Jobs recently released its 2011 list of Military Friendly Schools, recognizing the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students.

Moraine Park Technical College was included on the list for the second year in a row for its excellence in serving veterans as students. The complete list can be viewed by visiting: militaryfriendlyschools.com/2011list.

“Moraine Park is honored to be included on the 2011 list of Military Friendly Schools,” said Sheila Ruhland, Moraine Park president. “We are grateful for the dynamic and diverse background military students provide in the classroom and throughout the College. Moraine Park is proud to work with such exceptional students who serve our country and community.”

Alex Siedling, of Fond du Lac, joined the Wisconsin National Guard in 2008 as a high school student. He continues to serve as a sergeant in the National Guard and was deployed once to Iraq as a mechanic. Upon his return, Siedling decided to take his mechanic skills to the next level by enrolling in Moraine Park’s Automotive Technology program.

Siedling had a great experience working with Moraine Park staff when he decided to attend as a student veteran. “Moraine Park has done a fantastic job of making it extremely easy for me to get my benefits and work with payment due to reimbursement,” said Siedling. “Moraine Park staff members have passed along multiple emails for job offers for veterans and keep me informed if new opportunities arise.”

 

Sturgeon Bay: Lessons learned by tilling the soil

From greenbaypressgazette.com: “Sturgeon Bay: Lessons learned by tilling the soil” — It was a good growing season for The Community’s Garden in Sturgeon Bay, and not just for the vegetables.

Among the tomato vines and neat rows of kale were formed a flurry of friendships, learning opportunities and philanthropy — just as it was intended.

In all, 68 gardeners tended to 42 plots at The Community’s Garden, including individuals and many nonprofit organizations. After a cold and rainy start, the plots flourished as gardeners from different skill levels tended their produce.

The garden, in its first growing season, fed families, stocked local food pantries, and provided a heap of lessons.

“When I was out there gardening, I was amazed at the amount of people who were not gardeners that walked by and through the garden and got great ideas, like how to stake up tomatoes, how to mulch, or just how to organize a garden,” said Jenny Spude, co-chairwoman of The Community’s Garden. “That was one of the greatest things that even the gardeners got this year, learning interesting and different ways to grow things instead of rows. They grew things vertically or in circles, and they worked to optimize their square footage.”

 

Walker may call special jobs session

From jsonline.com: “Walker may call special jobs session” — A greater focus on training workers for skilled manufacturing positions and a less-adversarial approach to enforcing environmental regulations would help Wisconsin companies create more jobs, according to business executives who attended a meeting Tuesday with Gov. Scott Walker.

Walker presided at what was called a job creation forum, held at the offices of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. It followed a similar meeting last week in La Crosse, with additional events planned for Green Bay and elsewhere.

At Tuesday’s event, about 20 business owners and executives attended, along with Walker, several members of his cabinet and some Milwaukee-area state legislators. After the meeting, Walker told reporters he might soon call a special session of the Legislature to consider bills to help encourage job growth.

“We’re going to try to take a piece of what we’re learning here and figure out what the best way to do that is,” Walker said. “Some of the ideas in sessions like this, and the one we had the other day in La Crosse, are things that probably require legislative action.”

Meanwhile, state agencies can make some changes that don’t require new laws, Walker said.

Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp told those attending the meeting that the agency’s 2,100 employees are adopting business management practices and an attitude of serving customers in their approach to enforcing environmental regulations.

Read more from jsonline.com

Business Leaders: There are jobs; no skilled workers

From wisn.com: “Business Leaders: There are jobs; no skilled workers” — MILWAUKEE — While protesters call on the governor to create jobs, Milwaukee business leaders tell a very different story, saying they can’t find enough workers.

The message is not getting through to the people who need work. That’s what employers told Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday morning at his second job creation forum.

Walker heard from business leaders about what they say is a crisis.

Thousands of people are looking for work and thousands of employers are looking for workers, but the two aren’t coming together in Wisconsin, in part, some said, because most job candidates aren’t qualified for many of the jobs.

“If I had enough of the right skilled people, I could have doubled my business,” GenMet President Mary Isbister said.

Business leaders said there’s not enough skilled labor in Wisconsin to fill the thousands of open positions.

“Anybody that says they can’t find a job today is out of their mind because everybody and their brother is looking for help. But you can’t find it,” said Dwyn Von Bereghy of Centrifugal Castings.

Three tech schools get piece of $12.69 million jobs training grant

From jsonline.com: “Three tech schools get piece of $12.69 million jobs training grant” — Three Wisconsin technical colleges that are part of a multi-state partnership to support laid-off workers will share in a $12.69 million federal grant announced this week.

The grant awarded to lead college Northeast Iowa Community College for Bridges2Healthcare involves a consortium of seven colleges in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, including Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley Technical College, Southwest Technical College and Western Technical College.

The grant will help the colleges implement evidence-based strategies to workers who either are laid-off, or whose hours have been reduced, due to international trade, and are eligible for benefits through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program. It also will help other workers seeking to change careers. The goal is to help them obtain skills and credentials to achieve well-paying employment.

The grant was among nearly $500 million in federal grants announced this week by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis and Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter to community colleges around the country that have formed partnerships with employers, and are working on programs that meet specific industry needs.

The grants are part of a $2 billion, four-year investment designed in combination with President Barack Obama’s American Jobs Act to provide additional support for hiring and re-employment services.

LTC enrollment down slightly

From htrnews.com: “University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc sets enrollment record” — MANITOWOC — Enrollment hit a record high at the University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc this fall, according to a news release from Teresa Satori, senior university relations specialist at the campus.

A total of 664 students were enrolled on Sept. 19, which is the official tally day for schools in the University of Wisconsin system. That’s an increase of 8.5 percent from last year’s 612 students, according to the news release. The next highest enrollment was 648 students in 2001.

Thirty-eight percent of this year’s students are attending part time, putting the full-time equivalent at 497. That’s an increase from last year’s 471 but not a record; the record for FTEs is 532 in 2004.

“The continuing growth of UW-Manitowoc reflects a national trend of students seeking more flexible and affordable paths to achieving their educational goals,” Charles Clark, dean and CEO at UW-Manitowoc, said in the news release. “UW-Manitowoc represents a tremendous value. Students can get a head start on a UW education at the lowest tuition in the UW System.”

 

Jobs available for those with right skills

From postcrescent.com: “Jobs available for those with right skills” — Joel Booker and Allison Verhagen knew when they graduated from college in May the economy was weak and with many people seeking work, competition would be fierce for jobs.

However, this would not be the case for Booker and Verhagen. Both found work, in their respective fields – Booker in information technology and Verhagen in health care – shortly after graduating.

Their situations highlight the state of the Fox Valley job market where, despite weakness in the national economy, regional employers need workers but only want people with the skills that fit their needs.

“Hiring has not been necessarily spectacular but it is consistent when the economy is in a recovery mode,” said Jeff Sachse, a labor market analyst for the state Department of Workforce Development.

If someone has the qualifications for an employer in need, they should be able to find work, he said.

Manufacturing hiring in Wisconsin has been strong most of the year, particularly in specialized areas including C&C machinists, welding and metals manufacturing, Sachse said. Health care hiring also has been steady along with information technology.

Read more from postcrescent.com

WI Sustainable Ag: New Partnerships, New Excitement

From publicnewsservice.org: “WI Sustainable Ag: New Partnerships, New Excitement” — SPRING VALLEY, Wis. – Wisconsin is on the cutting edge of a new trend in higher education: offering students greater opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture. A grant made possible an alliance between the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), UW-River Falls and Chippewa Valley Technical College to give students hands-on experiences.

Faye Jones, executive director of MOSES, calls this an exciting development.

“Education and how we learn is changing, right? It isn’t just in agriculture. This is across the board in our institutional settings, where to really prepare students for real life the college experience should be interfacing a little more with everything from nonprofit organizations to businesses.”

Juliet Tomkins, an adjunct agricultural economics professor at UW-River Falls, says the alliance has had tangible benefits.

“In our institution here at River Falls, we now have a Sustainable Agriculture minor that we already have students enrolling in, that didn’t exist before and wouldn’t have existed had we not had this grant that worked collaboratively amongst the three institutions. There has been good reception so far, and it’s only going to get better in the future.”

Chippewa Valley Technical College horticulture instructor Susan Frame says the hands-on experiences in sustainable ag provided through the alliance have been very beneficial in giving the next generation of farmers some actual experience in the real world.

Jones agrees that the alliance with the educational institutions has generated a lot more interest in organic and sustainable agriculture.

“From where I sit, our organization receives more phone calls – I have more students calling me than ever before. I have more interest in our events, our field days, our downloads on the website – all are increasing.”

More in Wisconsin earning college degrees

From jsonline.com: “More in Wisconsin earning college degrees” — Think of the 21st century as a race for brains. Smart cities win. Others get left behind.

By that measure, the city of Milwaukee is gaining ground but not fast enough, while Madison is leading the pack in Wisconsin.

In Milwaukee, only 1 out of 5 residents 25 and older has a college degree, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released last week. In Madison, home to the University of Wisconsin’s flagship campus, more than half the adult population has a degree.

The figures are contained in the 2010 American Community Survey, a vast statistical snapshot of modern-day American life.

In 2000, just 18.3% of Milwaukee’s 25-and-older population had a college degree. By 2010, the figure jumped slightly to 21.4%

But over the past decade, the smart got smarter as Madison’s rate of college attainment jumped from 48.2% to 54.5%.

Statewide, 26.3% of Wisconsin adults have at least a college degree, a little less than the national average of 28.2%. Massachusetts (39%) has the highest rate of college attainment, while West Virginia (17.5%) has the lowest.

A college degree, of course, doesn’t guarantee a well-paying job, or any job for that matter, as millions of people have discovered in the wake of America’s great recession.

But over time, a college education can pay off.

Small Business Loan Program announced at WCTC

From wctc.edu: “Small Business Loan Program” —  Plans for a small business gap funding program for Waukesha County was announced Wednesday at WCTC.

Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas announced plans for the creation of a small business gap funding program at a press conference held Wednesday at WCTC.

The program, developed by a committee that included Russ Roberts of the WCTC Small Business Center, will help companies wishing to expand their operations within Waukesha County. Under the program, businesses will be able to borrow up to $50,000 to help fill their capital requirements to secure larger funding needs through banks and other financial sources. The loan will be interest free for a maximum of 3-5 years, and at the end of the loan term, the borrower will either pay back the loan in full or convert to an interest-bearing short-term loan. Acceptable uses of funds will include working capital for a special project, inventory, equipment and facility build-out. The first phase of the program will be capped at $300,000.

Roberts called the loan program an “exciting initiative” designed to help established businesses expand their operations and increase job creation in Waukesha County.

“The WCTC Small Business Center is proud to be a partner in this innovative program aimed at providing county small businesses with a new path to accessing capital,” Roberts said. “We look forward to helping our county businesses leverage this loan program to reach the next level of success.”

 

Madison College’s Fusion Science Theater receives $500,000 grant

From wisbusiness.com: “Madison College’s Fusion Science Theater receives $500,000 NSF grant” — What do you get when you combine science with theater? An innovative show for kids that’s both fun and educational.

Madison Area Technical College’s Fusion Science Theater (FST) has been awarded a $499,993 grant by the National Science Foundation to implement a national program to train educators, museum professionals and science outreach volunteers to perform FST shows.

“Fusion Science Theater is an innovative form of science outreach that’s playful, interactive, educational and inquiry-based,” says Holly Walter Kerby, project lead and Madison College chemistry instructor. “The shows and methods use theater to help increase children’s interest, self-efficacy and conceptual understanding of science.”

Fusion Science Theater is a multidisciplinary organization comprised of educators, scientists, theater artists, writers and outreach specialists.

To view FST show

Nicolet College board approves remodeling

From rhinelanderdailynews.com: Nicolet College board approves UTC remodeling — Nicolet Area Technical College’s district board moved forward on three remodeling projects for the University Transfer Center building on the Rhinelander campus earlier this week though board member Dave Hintz, as he did last month, questioned whether the projects needed voter approval through a referendum.

The three projects are set to occur next year and include work on the building’s HVAC, plumbing and other code related issues, a remodeling of 12,800 square feet of space on the lower level of the building, and a remodeling of 17,352 square feet of space on the second and mezzanine levels of the building. Each project has an approximate cost of $1.5 million. That’s where Hintz has questioned how the renovation projects should be approved.

State statute allows building projects to move forward without a referendum if they can be done for under $1.5 million. Hintz has said he isn’t so sure the University Transfer Center remodeling effort can be separated, as it has been, into three different projects. He said he sees it as one project at a cost of $4.5 million that needs voter approval through a referendum.

“Unfortunately, chapter 67 (state statutes related to borrowing) doesn’t say what constitutes a project,” Hintz said. “It has to be left up to judgment. In my judgment these are not separate enough to be called separate projects.”

Hintz said the fact that all the projects will be done concurrently in the same building on the same campus makes it hard for him to see the remodeling as three separate projects.

Read more from rhinelanderdailynews.com

Featured chef is Madison College grad

From Madison.com: “Meet the Chef: Rodey Batiza of Umami” — 

Age: 30.

Executive chef at: Umami Ramen and Dumpling Bar, 923 Williamson St.

How long have you been at the restaurant? Since we opened in late February this year.

How long have you been cooking? 16 years.

Did you go to culinary school: Yes, I attended MATC Culinary from 2002 to 2004. I studied geology at UW-Madison for a few semesters and learned that I wanted to cook rather than be a geologist.

Where have you worked in the past? Magnus, Lombardino’s, I was a sous-chef at Biaggi’s, and most recently ran Gotham Bagels with my former chef-instructor from MATC, Joseph Gaglio.

Favorite foods: Pork buns, cold pizza, pappardelle with good Bolognese sauce.

Favorite ingredients: Summertime tomatoes, pork belly, kosher salt, chicken stock.

Favorite restaurants: Brasserie V, Blackbird (Chicago), the Weiner’s Circle (Chicago).

Best tip for home cooks: When searing a piece of meat, use a hotter pan for a longer time than it feels like you should.

Favorite cookbook: “On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen,” by Harold McGee; and “Jacques Pepin’s Complete Techniques,” by Jacques Pepin.

Favorite recipe: Summer cold noodle salad. You can use whatever veggies are available at the farmers’ market. The noodles and dressing go well with almost anything.

Blackhawk Technical College might add pepper spray to weapons ban

From gazettextra.com: “Blackhawk Technical College might add pepper spray to weapons ban” — ROCK TOWNSHIP — As Blackhawk Technical College works to produce a policy that complies with Wisconsin’s new concealed-carry law, it has added a twist that the law doesn’t address: pepper spray.

The BTC Board took a look at a policy proposal Wednesday that would ban from BTC buildings all explosives, swords, bows and arrows, tasers, batons and O.C. (pepper) spray.

Several female BTC students questioned Thursday were split on the question, although all agreed the main campus between Janesville and Beloit is generally safe.

“I wouldn’t want to carry it. I feel perfectly safe here,” said Vicki Ball of Clinton, who is studying legal administration. “I can’t think of any situation where I would need it.”

“At night, they have the Safe Walk program, so someone can walk you to your car,” said Jennifer Nevestich of Milton, who is studying criminal justice.

The Safe Walk program uses volunteers who are studying criminal justice.

Criminal justice student Nicole Cola of Milton said she’d like to be able to carry pepper spray.

Cola is aware of Safe Walk, but “they’re never really around” when she gets done with classes at 9 p.m., she said.