LITTLE GEMS
Winterfest 2023.
The 28th Annual Winterfest celebration beginning is only one week away. From February 1st, through February 5th, the events will run nearly nonstop. A few days before the event Lake Geneva will be getting ready for the festival to start. The most visible and fun prep work will be the creation of the snow blocks. The forms are delivered to the Riviera grounds from where the artificial snow is manufactured at the Grand Geneva Resort, and one by one the forms are erected, and snow is poured into the forms one scoop at a time. The ‘stomping team’ compacts the snow as the forms are filled. There will be fifteen blocks scattered through the Driehaus Family Plaza and Flat Iron Park.
Smaller blocks will be created in Flat Iron Park for children to sculpt, and a handful of other blocks will be placed around town for sculpting by local sculpting teams. The amateur blocks are just as amazing and fun to watch develop as those of the professionals. The highlight, as always, is the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Championship. Fifteen award winning sculpting teams will work for three days creating the amazing snow edifices. The sculpting will begin on Wednesday, February 1st at 11 a.m., and conclude on Saturday, after which the judging will be done at 1 p.m. There is so much more winter fun to enhance this celebration week. Downtown Lake Geneva will be adorned with fabulous ice sculptures, bonfires will be lit across the beach while live entertainment will be everywhere, and more. Get ready for a busy week in Lake Geneva with tons of excitement and plenty of free fun.
Walworth County recognizes Wisconsin’s Salt Awareness Week from January 23rd through the 27th.
The county realizes that all salt applied to the roads and sidewalks eventually ends up in the surrounding lakes and rivers. To help do its part the county has increased the use of salt brine. The goal of rock salt or brine is to lower the freezing point of water (or raise the melting point of ice) to keep ice from forming on the road surface. Over the last four years, Walworth County has reduced its salt usage by nearly 40 percent. While salt keeps Wisconsin roads safe during winter, using more salt than needed (and it’s really tough to measure just the right amounts) comes at a price. Chlorides from salt are infiltrating lakes, streams, and groundwater. One teaspoon of salt is all it takes to make five gallons of water that is too toxic for most freshwater organisms. The DNR (Department of Natural Resources) measures chloride levels in Wisconsin rivers over time, monitoring cumulative chloride loading results at 26 of the state’s largest river systems. Recent studies have shown a steep increase in chloride loads. These increased chloride loads are partly due to road salting. Reducing salt use is key to decreasing chloride loads. Some examples of this reduction can include the clearing of walkways and other areas before the snow turns to ice. The more snow removed manually, the less salt is needed and the more effective it can be when used. When using salt personally, scatter it so that there is space between the grains. A 12-ounce coffee mug of salt is enough to treat an entire 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares. Salt won’t work when pavement temperatures drop below 15 degrees. Switch to sand for traction or a different ice melter that works at lower temperatures. Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation works with Wisconsin counties to reduce road salt application using brine and pre-wetting road surfaces, both of which significantly reduce salt use.
Person of the Week
Maria Garcia is the wonderful lady that has been cooking at Burger King for over 20 years.
