Here are a selection of brief news items from this week's paper edition, as well as a few news briefs that didn't make it in the paper.

Lowe’s store might be coming

A Lowe’s home improvement superstore might be built on the cleared former Wal-Mart site in Crossing Meadows shopping center in Onalaska.

Word of the company’s interest in the 12th Avenue South site surfaced Monday at a La Crosse Board of Public Works meeting.

“It’s our policy not to comment about specific sites Lowe’s may be considering for new stores unless we have closed on all real estate matters,” Lowe’s spokeswoman Maureen Rich later told the Tribune. “We have not done that in Onalaska.”

Jason Gilman, Onalaska’s land-use and development director, said representatives of the shopping center met with him a few weeks ago on city regulations for the former Wal-Mart site. They brought a preliminary plan for a building much larger than the former Wal-Mart store but declined to identify the prospective retailer, he said.

Lowe’s, based in Mooresville, N.C., is the nation’s second-largest home improvement retailer, with more than 1,400 stores in 49 states. It has nine stores in Wisconsin.

HCT auditions for 'The Good Doctor' scheduled

Auditions are scheduled for the Holmen Community Theatre’s production of Neil Simon’s “The Good Doctor.”

The play is a “Simonized” version of Anton Chekhov’s work, composed of nine vignettes linked by the narration of the writer.

Auditions will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, May 29-30, at 7 p.m. at Holmen High School, with possible callbacks on May 31.

At least three men and two women are needed, but roles are available for many more if there is an interest.

Directing this 28th annual summer production will be Brad Williams, longtime radio newsman and veteran of many theatrical productions as an actor and several as a director.

Rehearsals begin Monday, June 4, with performances scheduled for July 20-21 and 27-28.

Players sought for Holmen golf event

Golfers interested in playing for a good cause are invited to participate in the eighth annual 18 Holes for Holmen golf outing planned for Wednesday, June 6, starting at noon at Drugan’s north of Holmen.

New for this year’s event is a hole-in-one contest with a prize of a new car from Clason Pontiac.

The event is sponsored by the Holmen Area Foundation and the Holmen High School activities department, which will share the proceeds.

The Holmen Area Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity primarily supporting education along with scientific, literary, recreational, artistic and civic efforts in the Holmen community. Other event sponsors include HSR Associates and Firefighters Credit Union.

Flyers with more information about the event are available at area businesses and at Holmen schools. To sign up or to arrange for a flyer to be sent, call the high school activities office at 526-9208.

Scout breakfast fundraiser set for May 27

The annual Onalaska Boy Scouts breakfast fundraiser will take place from 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday, May 27, at the Onalaska American Legion, 731 Sand Lake Road.

The breakfast includes pancakes, french toast, sausage, orange juice, milk and coffee. Cost is $5, $2.50 for children ages 4 to 8 and free for younger children.

Advance tickets are available from Scout members for $4.

The fundraiser helps support Onalaska Troops 48 and 68 and Venture Crew 382 wilderness adventure treks that hone Scouts’ skills, leadership and confidence.

Auxiliary seeks dollars for poppies

The Onalaska American Legion Auxiliary is again conducting its Dollar a Poppy Club program, which was started in 1976.

People donating $1 for a poppy by May 28 will have their names posted on the Dollar a Poppy Club poster on display in the Legion clubrooms.

Donations can be sent to Onalaska American Legion Auxiliary, P.O. Box 22, Onalaska, WI 54650, with checks made payable to Onalaska Legion Auxiliary — Unit 336.

Historical society plans picnic potluck

The Onalaska Area Historical Society will hold a picnic potluck on Tuesday, June 12, starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Onalaska Community Center, 515 Quincy St.

As part of the event, Loyd Mieden will give a weaving demonstration.

Visitors are welcome. Participants should bring a dish to pass and table service.

Retired educators plan lunch meeting

The La Crosse Area Retired Educators will meet for a luncheon at River Jack’s Restaurant in La Crosse at 11:30 a.m. Monday June 4. Everyone retired from Wisconsin public schools is invited. Call Rose at 787-8238 or Alyce at 781-3714 for reservations.

Wal-Mart marks 20 years helping support CMN

To help celebrate 20 years of making miracles through the Children’s Miracle Network, Sam’s Club/Wal-Mart will hold a special event May 31 at the Wal-Mart store in Onalaska from 10 to 11 a.m.

Area celebrities, Loggers baseball players, local pageant winners and a parade of others will be on hand to help celebrate with Sam’s Club/Wal-Mart. Cake and punch will be served.

Fish boil fundraiser to benefit Chileda

The Chileda Women’s Board will hold its annual fish boil fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 31, in the Viterbo University courtyard in La Crosse.

The menu includes boiled fish, coleslaw, carrots, onions, baby red potatoes and a dinner roll. Tickets are $10. A Coney Island hot dog meal is available for the kids for $3.

For more information, call 782-6480 or log onto www.chileda.org.

Western to hold GOAL graduation for 400

This year, more than 400 students in the Goal Oriented Adult Learning (GOAL) program at Western Technical College will be honored at a graduation ceremony scheduled for Friday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the La Crosse Center in downtown La Crosse.

Participating graduates will include those from the following programs: high school equivalency diploma, general educational development, adult high school and alternative high school.

The graduation ceremony will feature five student speakers: Cindy Rose of La Crosse, Travis Scott of Tomah, Bill Moglovsky of La Crosse, Randy Ashland of Viroqua and Eleanor Winker of Mauston.

The keynote address will be delivered by La Crosse Mayor Mark Johnsrud.

Sierra Club meeting to feature river talk

The Sierra Club will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 29 , at 7 p.m. in the basement of the HoChunk Three Rivers House, Eighth and Main streets in La Crosse.

John Sullivan will present “Pathways to the Mississippi,” summarizing his voyages on the Fox, Wisconsin, Rock, Bois Brule, St. Croix, Minnesota and Ohio rivers, following the paths of the early explorers and voyageurs in their journeys from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi. All are welcome.

MVC plans trout stream trek for May 26

Mississippi Valley Conservancy, in partnership with the Coulee Region Audubon Society and People’s Food Co-op, is sponsoring a guided tour of the Papenfuss private property starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 26. This free and open-to-the-public event is part of MVC’s “Linked to the Land” program, a series of monthly outings on permanently protected properties.

George Howe, conservation director, will lead this hike with Audubon representatives, Tim Collins and/or Melinda Knudson. Together they will take participants on a rare opportunity to discover the property’s gorgeous bluffland, stream valley and undisturbed coulee.

A large spring empties into the valley to create a beautiful, clear, cold-water trout stream. People with a valid Wisconsin fishing license may bring their fly rod and try their luck.

If time permits, participants might also venture to see a large dolomite “castle-rock” perched near the bluff-tops overlooking the valley below and an ancient burial mound on the ridge, high above the valley.

The property is five miles south of Lynxville, Wis., about ¾ mile off Highway 35 on Leitner Hollow Road. Look for the MVC banner.

Registration is appreciated and can be done by e-mailing mrich@MississippiValleyConservancy.org.

Award-winning pianist performs Brahms and Albeniz June 17

Wisconsin native Jason Paul Peterson will perform a piano recital featuring works of Brahms and Albeniz at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 17, at First Presbyterian Church, 233 West Ave. S., La Crosse.

He is the winner of the 2006 Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition and the only American finalist in the 2001 Grace Welsh International Prize for Piano. Peterson also has been honored by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

Recent concerts have taken him to Austria, England, Mexico and Carnegie Hall. Peterson’s 2005 solo recital on the historic Dame Myra Hess Memorial Series in Chicago was broadcast live nationwide; and his recent outdoor performances of Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in Madison drew more than 20,000 listeners.

He is currently a doctoral candidate at Peabody Institute of Music and was recently awarded a 2007 Fulbright Scholarship for study at the Hochschule fur Musik in Freiburg, Germany. He is a former student of Dorinda Hawk, La Crosse, and the son of Paul and Jan Peterson of Pardeeville, Wisconsin.

The concert is sponsored by the La Crosse Area Music Teachers Association. Admission to the concert is a suggested donation of $10.

For more information, contact Dorinda Hawk at 796-1122 or dmushawk@centurytel.net.

Atlas lists region’s direct-market farms

Buying fresh fruits, vegetables and meats directly from local farms is now more convenient with the help of the newly published 2007 “Farm Fresh Atlas of Western Wisconsin.”

Locally produced foods featured in the atlas range from organic vegetables to grass-fed beef. The atlas showcases farmers who offer direct home deliveries, you-pick berry and apple on-farm experiences and vegetable farmers and meat producers who sell at farmers markets. Times, dates, and locations for 30 farmers’ markets in the region are also listed.

The atlas includes an easy-to-read map identifying small direct-market farms in western Wisconsin. The Farm Fresh Atlas is free and available at UW-Extension offices, food co-ops, grocery stores, restaurants and tourism service centers. The atlas is also available online at www.wifarmfresh.org.

Butterfest quilt show set for June 8-10

The 10th annual Butterfest Quilt Show will be held June 8-10 at Maplewood School, 900 E. Montgomery St. in Sparta.

Barb Richards will be the featured quilter, and award categories include quilt, antique quilt, other (quilted items), youth (18 or younger), Festmaster’s Choice, Lady Butterfest’s Choice and Miss Sparta’s Choice.

Items entered from 1998 to 2002 that did not win an award may be re-entered this year.

Registration is Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., which the show running from 10 to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call (608) 269-4826.

Advance directives info offered weekly at La Crosse clinic

Franciscan Skemp is now offering an advance directives clinic every Thursday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Elder Services department. Staff members will work with people one-on-one to answer questions and assist in completing the necessary documents.

Advance directives are written instructions regarding medical care preferences. Family and medical professionals will turn to these directives if you lose the ability to make your own health-care decisions and/or to communicate your wishes.

Advance directives can be any written instruction regarding your health care wishes, but the preferred document is a power of attorney for health care. This document designates an individual to make medical decisions on your behalf, should you become unable to do so.

By completing a power of attorney for health care, people can ensure that someone they trust will make decisions regarding their care, and their wishes will be carried out.

Along with completing a advance directive, it’s helpful to have a conversation with loved ones, to talk about wishes and the decisions documented. This will give loved ones greater insight into what you would want in medical situations.

People should also give other loved ones and their doctor a copy of their health care power of attorney.

People who would like help completing an advance directive may call (608) 392-9505 to set up an appointment. Information will be sent prior to the scheduled visit for people to review.