>> WELCOME TO "IN WISCONSIN."
I'M PATTY LOEW.
THIS WEEK MEET A RETIRED WITH
YOU A IS A AREA TEACHER WHO
SPENDS TIME IN LAOS CLEARING
UNEXPLODED BOMBS.
>> THERE ARE ABOUT NINE TO 12
MILLION LEFTOVER BOMBS IN LAOS.
>> SEE HOW HIS STUDENTS
INSPIRED THIS MISSION OF MERCY.
OUR WINTER WEATHER HAS HAD NO
MERCY ON DRIVERS BUT IN BELOIT
THEY'RE FIGHTING BACK WITH BEET
JUICE TO CLEAR THE ICE AND SNOW.
PLUS IT'S THE PERFECT TIME TO
SOAR WITH THE EAGLES ABOVE SAUK
PRAIRIE AND THE WISCONSIN RIVER.
THE NATIVE AMERICAN LANDMARK IS
CAST IN BRONZE.
>> THAT'S WHAT MADE HARRY SO
EXCITED.
HE WISHED IT WOULD BE THERE
FOREVER.
>> THOSE REPORTS THIS WEEK
RIGHT HERE "IN WISCONSIN."
>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "IN
WISCONSIN" IS PROVIDED BY THE
PEOPLE OF ALLIANT ENERGY WHO
BRING SAFE, RELIABLE AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGY
TO KEEP HOMES, NEIGHBORHOODS
AND LIFE IN WISCONSIN RUNNING
SMOOTHLY.
ALLIANT ENERGY, OFFERING
ENERGY-SAVING IDEAS ON THE WEB.
AND BY THE ANIMAL DENTAL CENTER
OF MILWAUKEE AND OSHKOSH, A
VETERINARY SPECIALIST WORKING
WITH PET OWNERS AND FAMILY
VETERINARIANS THROUGHOUT
WISCONSIN PROVIDING CARE FOR
ORAL DISEASE AND DENTAL
PROBLEMS OF SMALL COMPANION
ANIMALS.
>> THIS WEEK WE BEGIN WITH A
FORMER WAUSAU AREA TEACHER WHO
TRAVELS HALFWAY AROUND THE
WORLD TO DETONATE BOMBS
ABANDONED AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR.
WHY WOULD JIM HARRIS SEEK LIFE
AND LIMB SEEKING OUT EXPLOSIVES
IN LAOS?
WE SHOW YOU HOW HIS FORMER
STUDENTS INSPIRED THIS MISSION
OF MERCY.
>> THIS IS A MAN WHO REMEMBERS,
REMEMBERS HIS STUDENTS,
REMEMBERS THEIR PAST,
60-YEAR-OLD JIM HARRIS TAUGHT
AND WAS A GRADE SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL FOR MORE THAN THREE
DECADES IN THE WAUSAU AREA.
INFORMATION ALL THOSE YEARS HE
MADE AN UNCOMMON COMMITMENT TO
REALLY GET TO KNOW THE CHILDREN
AND THEIR FAMILIES.
IN 1974, HE BEGAN SUMMER VISITS
TO THE HOMES OF ALL HIS
INCOMING KINDERGARTNERS TO MEET
THEM AND THEIR PARENTS.
>> HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE WENT TO
WESTIN SCHOOL -- OH MY GOSH,
WHO REMEMBER ME AS PRINCIPAL?
TODAY HE RETURNS TO SCHOOLS IN
HIS HOMETOWN TO TEACH HIS
FORMER STUDENTS ABOUT A PROBLEM
A HALF A WORLD AWAY.
>> THERE ARE ABOUT NINE TO 12
MILLION LEFTOVER BOMBS IN LAOS.
>> HARRIS LEARNED ABOUT THE
DANGEROUS BOMBS IN LAOS BECAUSE
HE TOOK THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT
A NEW WAVE OF STUDENTS SETTLING
IN HIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> A FAMILY SHOWED UP, THE LAST
NAME WAS TAO AND THEY WERE
FOLLOWED BY A FAMILY NAMED JM,
THE VANGS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAD
PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHO CAME FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA.
>> I FELT EMPATHY FOR THE
FAMILIES WHO HAD LEFT LAOS WITH
JUST THE SHIRTS ON THEIR BACK.
HAD LEFT THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY
AND MIGHT NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
I STARTED USING MY SUMMER
VACATIONS TO TRAVEL TO LAOS AND
I WOULD FIND THE EXTENDED
FAMILIES AND RECONNECT PEOPLE.
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY MY
GRANDMOTHER'S FAMILY.
THE ONES WHO LIVE IN LAOS.
>> ONE OF THE FAMILIES HARRIS
RECONNECTED WAS MIKAH THOR'S.
HE BROUGHT BACK PHOTOS TO SEE
WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD.
SHE HAD NEVER MET HER EXTENDED
FAMILY.
>> I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING
TO GO TO LAOS AND EXPERIENCE IT
FOR HIMSELF.
>> IN EXPERIENCING THE COUNTRY
FOR HIMSELF DURING HIS SUMMER
TRIPS TO LAOS, JIM HARRIS
DISCOVERED SOMETHING ELSE.
>> THESE ARE A PRETTY EFFECTIVE
KILLER IF YOU'RE WITHIN 30
YARDS.
AND THEY CAN KILL YOU UP TO 100
YARDS AWAY.
>> DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, THE
UNITED STATES DROPPED MORE THAN
80 MILLION BOMBS ON LAOS.
MORE THAN NINE MILLION OF THEM
NEVER DETONATED.
THAT UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE OR UXO
WAS LEFT BURIED IN THE GROUND.
VERY HARD TO SEE OR SOMETIMES
MISTAKEN, ESPECIALLY BY
CHILDREN, FOR A ROCK OR EVEN A
TOY.
THE OLD BOMBS ARE ALSO
COLLECTED TO SELL AS SCRAP.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AS MANY
AS 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
MAIMED OR KILLED BY THE LEFT
BEHIND BOMBS SINCE THE VIETNAM
WAR ENDED.
THIS HEARTBROKEN LAOTIAN WOMAN
TOLD HARRIS HER STORY.
HER 9-YEAR-OLD SON WAS KILLED
WHEN HE PICKED UP AN UNEXPLODED
BOMB AND IT WENT OFF.
>> IF YOU CAN IMAGINE LIVING IN
A LAND WHERE YOU SEND YOUR
CHILD OUT TO HELP WEED THE
GARDEN AND IN THE BACK OF YOUR
MIND YOU HAVE TO BE CONCERNED
THAT WILL HE BE SAFE?
>> HARRIS SAYS WHAT HE LEARNED
ON HIS TRIPS ABOUT THE DAILY
DANGER FOR PEOPLE IN LAOS
MOTIVATED HIM TO ACT.
>> I CAN'T HIDE BEHIND
IGNORANCE.
I CAN'T SAY, I NEVER REALIZED
THIS WAS HAPPENING OR I DIDN'T
KNOW THIS WAS THE CASE.
I'VE SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES.
>> AND SO WHEN HARRIS RETIRED
FROM HIS WAUSAU AREA SCHOOL
DISTRICT FIVE YEARS AGO, HIS
LIFE'S WORK BECAME CLEARING
BOMBS.
>> PROBABLY TEN BOMBS.
THE TEAM THAT I WORK WITH, THE
SIX-PERSON TEAM PROMISES PEOPLE
THAT IF THEY FIND ORDNANCE, WE
WILL BE THERE TO REMOVE OR
DESTROY IT WITHIN 48 HOURS.
THE FIRST SIX MONTHS I HAD THAT
JOB WE BLEW UP 1,000 OF THESE
BOMBS.
>> HARRIS WORKS WITH A
COMMERCIAL COMPANY THAT CLEARS
SITES IN LAOS FOR CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS.
HIS JOB WITH THE COMPANY IS
WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE
VILLAGERS.
HE LIVES IN THEIR VILLAGES SIX
MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.
>> MY ROLE WITH THE TEAM IS TO
BE THE PERSON THAT THE VILLAGER
TAKES TO SEE THE ORDNANCE.
AND SO THEY KNOCK ON MY DOOR,
THEY FLAG DOWN MY CAR, THEY
GRAB ME BY THE ELBOW WHEN I
WALK THROUGH A VILLAGE AND THEY
TAKE ME TO SEE ORDNANCE.
>> ONCE HE MAKES HIS WAY OVER
THE DANGEROUS, UNEXPLODED
ORDNANCE OR UXO SITES ON FOOT
HE MARKS THE LOCATION FOR THE
PROFESSIONAL DETONATION TEAM.
>> VIRTUALLY EVERY JOB ENDS BY
EXPLODING THE UXO, BIT BY BIT,
GARDEN PLOT BY GARDEN PLOT
HARRIS AND HIS TEAM MAKE THE
LAOTIAN COUNTRY SIDE A SAFER
PLACE TO LIVE.
>> I'M THE ONLY AMERICAN IN
LAOS WORKING IN THE FIELD
REMOVING UXO.
WE DON'T HAVE A PRESENCE THERE.
WE'RE NOT GIVING SUFFICIENT
FUNDS.
WE'RE NOT DOING MUCH AND
INCREASINGLY THE NEW
GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE COMING OF
AGE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE
PROBLEM IN LAOS.
>> THAT'S WHY HARRIS WANTS TO
TELL THEM, TEACH THEM ABOUT UXO
IN A COUNTRY WHERE SO MANY OF
THEIR CLASSMATES HAVE RELATIVES.
>> DO YOU FIND BOMBS SCATTERED
ALL OVER THE PLACE OR ARE THEY
IN CERTAIN SPOTS?
>> THEY'RE SCATTERED ALL OVER
THE PLACE.
IN PARTS OF LAOS, YOU WOULDN'T
BUILD A FIRE, YOU CAN'T POUND A
STAKE IN THE GROUND, YOU CAN'T
USE A HOE TO DIG IN YOUR GARDEN
OR YOU MIGHT HIT ONE.
>> ONE IMAGE IN PARTICULAR
TOUCHED HIM DEEPLY.
A BASKET FULL OF SMALL
PROSTHETIC HANDS AT A REHAB
CENTER IN LAOS.
>> IT'S SAD THAT WE BETTER BE
PREPARED FOR THE NEXT CHILD
THAT COMES IN.
IS IT ENOUGH?
GOT TO HAVE SOME RIGHTS AND GOT
TO HAVE SOME LEFTS.
>> THE SMALL PROSTHETIC HANDS
ARE ALSO A POWERFUL IMAGE FOR
CHILDREN HERE AT HOME.
>> IT'S KIND OF SAD HOW SOME
KIDS, THEY WILL JUST GO OUT
LOOKING FOR SCRAP METAL AND
THEN THEY GET THEIR ARM BLOWN
OFF OR SOMETHING.
IT'S CREEPY THAT HOSPITALS JUST
KEEP A BAG OF LIMBS RIGHT BY
THE DOOR FOR KIDS WHO GET BLOWN
UP.
>> FOR STUDENTS WHOSE FAMILIES
HARRIS HELP RECONNECT HIS WORK
TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE LAOTIAN
PEOPLE IS ASTOUNDING.
>> I THINK IT'S UNBELIEVABLE
FOR YOU TO SEE A PROBLEM AND DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE DO THAT.
>> JIM HARRIS ISN'T LIKE A LOT
OF PEOPLE.
HE STARTED HIS CAREER SPENDING
HIS OWN SUMMER VACATIONS TO GET
TO KNOW STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
THEN SPENT SUMMERS TO TRAVEL
ACROSS THE GLOBE TO BUILD
CONNECTIONS.
>> HOW IS YOUR SISTER?
>> THE CONNECTIONS THAT LED HIM
TO LAOS HAVE HARRIS SPENDING
RETIREMENT IN YET ANOTHER
UNCOMMON COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES.
THIS TIME RISKING HIS LIFE ON
BEHALF OF LAOTIANS AND
RETURNING TO WISCONSIN TO TEACH
ABOUT IT.
THE TEACHER WHO REMEMBERS HELPS
A NEW GENERATION TO NEVER
FORGET THE LEGACY OF WAR.
>> JIM HARRIS PLANS A RETURN
TRIP TO LAOS IN FEBRUARY.
HE'LL HELP CLEAR 31 MINE FIELDS
IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THAT
COUNTRY.
IN THE PAST, HIS FORMER
STUDENTS HAVE RAISED MONEY FOR
HIS HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS.
THEY'VE ALSO SENT BOOKS ALONG
WITH HIM ON HIS TRIP.
HARRIS SAYS OFTEN THEY ARE THE
FIRST BOOKS THE LAOTIAN
STUDENTS HAVE EVER SEEN.
TO FOLLOW HIS WORK IN LAOS,
JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE WHERE
WE'VE SET UP A LINK.
YOU CAN CLICK ON
wpt.org/inwisconsin.
HERE IN WISCONSIN MOTHER NATURE
HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT KIND THIS
WINTER.
EXTREME TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK
ARE ONLY COMPOUNDING THE
PROBLEM OF CLEARING SLIPPERY
ROADS.
BUT AS REPORTER ART HACKETT
DISCOVERED, THE CITY OF BELOIT
HAS FOUND AN ALTERNATIVE TO
ROAD SALT.
IT'S BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
AND SAVES MONEY.
>> WE'VE ALL DRIVEN BEHIND SALT
TRUCKS BUT DO WE UNDERSTAND
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN
SODIUM CHLORIDE, THAT'S SALT'S
CHEMICAL NAME, PEPPERS THE
PAVEMENT?
>> THE LIQUID FROM THE SALT IS
WHAT MELTS THE SNOW, NOT THE
SALT.
>> LIQUID MOISTURE IS SCARCE
WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS IN
SINGLE DIGITS WHICH IS WHY
THERE IS A NOZZLE SPRAYING
SALTWATER BRINE ONTO THE ROCK
SALT JUST BEFORE IT'S SPUN ONTO
THE PAVEMENT.
>> WE CAN PUT IN WHATEVER WE
WANT.
WE WANT TO MAKE A BATCH.
>> IT'S WHY THE CITY OF BELOIT
INVESTED IN A MIXING SYSTEM TO
GENERATE BRINE SOLUTION.
IT HAS A DISPLAY PANEL THAT
LOOKS LIKE A PAC-MAN GAME.
IT TRACKS THE BLENDING OF HOW
MUCH WATER AND SOME SPECIAL
ADDITIVES ARE BEING BLENDED
INTO A BIG TANK.
>> LIKE A BIG HOT TUB OUT THERE.
>> EXCEPT YOU'D BE UP TO YOUR
NECK IN ROAD SALT AND THOSE
ADDITIVES.
>> THE BRINE IS USED IF IT'S
WARMER OUT, LIKE 20, 25 DEGREES.
WE GET DOWN INTO THE ZERO AND
CALCIUM WHEN IT'S COLDER DOWN
TO BELOW ZERO.
>> THE CALCIUM IS CHLORIDE, A
DIFFERENT CHEMICAL SALT.
THE GEO IS SHORT FOR THE TRADE
NAME OF GEO-MELT, THE BROWN
STUFF SPILLED ON THE PAVEMENT
NEXT TO THE TANK.
>> AND THE STUFF IS MADE FROM
WHAT?
>> BEETS.
>> JUICE FROM THE BEETS WE USE.
>> WHEN I TELL PEOPLE I'M
WORKING ON A STORY FOR BEET
JUICE PEOPLE ASK DOES IT COLOR
YOUR THE THE ROAD RED?
IT'S BROWN BECAUSE IT COMES
FROM A SUGAR BEET PLANT IN
MINNESOTA.
>> WHY BEET JUICE?
>> IT'S SUGAR, A SOURCE OF
SUGAR.
>> BROCK IS A CHEMISTRY
PROFESSOR AT BELOIT COLLEGE.
>> IT'S THE SUGAR THAT'S
HELPING TO LOWER THE FREEZING
POINT, YES.
>> SALTING CREWS DON'T JUST
FIGHT THE SNOW AND ICE, THEY
FIGHT THE COLD.
>> SALT WORKS BEST ABOVE 20
DEGREES.
WHEN IT GETS BELOW IT STILL
WORKS BUT TAKES A LOT LONGER.
>> THE PROBLEM IS THAT
EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE DISSOLVED
ALL THAT YOU CAN.
YOU'VE REACH A SATURATED
SOLUTION OF SALT AND YOU CAN'T
GO ANY LOWER.
>> YOU CAN DISSOLVE MORE SALT
AND SUGAR TOGETHER THAN EITHER
ONE SEPARATELY.
SO MUCH FOR CHEMISTRY.
ON TO ECONOMICS.
FOR THE WINTER OF 2007/2008
BELOIT TOOK THE NEXT STEP IN
BEET JUICE IMPLEMENTATION.
THEY GOT A TRUCK TO APPLY A
BEET JUICE MIX TO THE PAVEMENT.
THE MIX CAN BE SPRAYED ONTO
BRIDGES AND OTHER SPOTS WHICH
ICE OVER EASILY BEFORE THE
STORM.
IT'S STICKY AND STAYS ON THE
PAVEMENT WAITING TO BE
ACTIVATED WHEN THE SNOW HITS.
THAT MAKES DRIVING SAFER AND
PLOWING EASIER.
IT'S ALSO BETTER FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT.
>> SALT HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH
CORROSION FOR METALS AND DAMAGE
TO CONCRETE AND THEN, OF
COURSE, IT TENDS TO KILL PLANTS
IF IT GETS OUT ON THE GRASS OR
OTHER PLANTS IN THE AREA.
>> ANY SIDE EFFECTS TO BEET
SUGAR?
>> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO.
>> WE FIGURE THIS YEAR EVEN
WITH THE AMOUNT OF SNOW WE'VE
GOT THAT WE'VE SAVED ABOUT 15%
ON OUR SALT USAGE OVER LAST
YEAR.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL FROM
ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT BUT WE'VE
HAD A LOT MORE SNOW THIS YEAR.
>> I'VE NOTICED.
>> SINCE OUR REPORT FIRST AIRED
LAST YEAR, JANESVILLE, SUN
PRAIRIE, LA CROSSE COUNTY AND A
NUMBER OF SMALLER COMMUNITIES
NEAR APPLETON HAVE STARTED
USING A GEO-MELT BEET JUICE
MIXTURE ON ICY ROADS.
WE ALSO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP THIS
WEEK ON A REPORT WE'VE BEEN
TRACKING SINCE 2003.
IT INVOLVES THE LARGE INVASIVE
SPECIES KNOWN AS ASIAN CARP.
THEY CAN CAUSE INJURY TO
BOATERS BY JUMPING OUT OF THE
WATER.
BUT THE BIGGEST THREAT IS
ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE TO LAKE
MICHIGAN.
RIGHT NOW AN EXPERIMENTAL
ELECTRIC BARRIER ACROSS A
CHICAGO CANAL IS THE ONLY THING
PREVENTING THEM FROM INVADING
THE GREAT LAKES AND FROM
THREATENING A MULTI-BILLION
DOLLAR FISHING INDUSTRY.
A NEW PERMANENT ELECTRIC
BARRIER WAS COMPLETED IN 2006
BUT IT WAS ONLY LAST WEEK THAT
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
AGREED TO TURN IT ON.
THEY'LL FLIP THE SWITCH BY
JANUARY 30th.
THE CORPS WILL NOT RUN IT AT
FULL POWER BECAUSE THE IMPACT
TO BONES -- BOATS AND HUMANS
IS NOT KNOWN.
TO SEE A COMPLETE REPORT ON IT,
GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT
wpt.org/inwisconsin.
EVERY WINTER BALD EAGLES ARE
ATTRACTED TO THE OPEN WATER AND
PRIME FISHING BELOW THE DAM ON
THE WISCONSIN RIVER NEAR SAUK
PRAIRIE.
WINTER MAY NOT BE YOUR FAVORITE
SEASON, BUT FOR THOSE TOUCHED
BY THE DRAMATIC COMEBACK OF THE
AMERICAN BALD EAGLE POPULATION
IN WISCONSIN, WINTER IS THE
PERFECT TIME.
A PERFECT TIME TO CATCH A
GLIMPSE OF THESE MAJESTIC BIRDS
AS YOU'LL SEE IN VIDEOGRAPHER
FRANK BOLL'S VIDEO ESSAY.
**
>> INCREDIBLE BIRDS TO WATCH.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THEM SOAR
THIS WEEKEND IS THE 22nd ANNUAL
SAUK PRAIRIE EAGLE WATCHING
DAYS.
FOR A LIST OF EVENTS YOU CAN
FIND A LINK AT OUR WEBSITE.
GO TO wpt.org/inwisconsin.
IF YOU GO, THEY SUGGEST YOU
STAY IN YOUR CAR FOR THE BEST
VIEWING AND USE YOUR CAR AS
CAMOUFLAGE.
THE EAGLE HAS LONG BEEN AN
IMPORTANT SYMBOL TO NATIVE
AMERICANS.
LONG AGO IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN
THEY EXPRESSED THEIR REVERENCE
FORSAKE -- FOR SACRED ANIMALS
BY BUILDING EFFIGY MOUNDS.
THERE ARE EFFIGY MOUNDS HERE
AND A TREE IS IN NEED OF SAVING.
>> THEY HAVE BEEN HERE MORE
THAN 1,000 YEARS.
BUT THE MONUMENT TO HONOR THEM
HAS DECAYED.
IN THIS MADISON PARK, EFFIGY
MOUNDS BUILT BY AN ANCIENT
PEOPLE ARE A REMINDER THAT
HUMANS HAVE BEEN IN THIS PLACE
FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
>> THE DEDICATION OF THIS
EFFIGY CARVING WAS DONE IN
KEEPING WITH OUR PAST
ANCESTORS, INDIAN PEOPLE THAT
LIVED HERE 3,000 YEARS AGO.
>> HARRY WHITEHORSE, AN ARTIST
AND MEMBER OF THE HOCHUNK
NATION CARVED THIS WORK FROM A
TREE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
>> I INCORPORATE THE EFFIGY
MOUNDS INTO THE TREE.
>> FOR MANY YEARS THE EFFIGY
TREE CONNECTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD
TO ITS ANCIENT PAST.
>> THERE IS A BEAR, A CUB BEAR
THAT IS EYE LEVEL WITH THE
SMALLER KIDS AND THEY LIKE THAT
PART OF IT.
ONE WOMAN ASKED, SHE SAID, I
DIDN'T KNOW ALL THOSE FIGURES
WERE UNDERNEATH THAT BARK.
>> TIME HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL.
WEATHER AND WILDLIFE HAVE
DAMAGED THE TREE.
TO SAVE IT, IT HAD TO BE
REMOVED.
PAT TULLY HELPED RECRUIT HARRY
WHITEHORSE TO DO THE PIECE.
SHE DESCRIBES THE NEIGHBORHOOD
REACTION TO ITS RENEWAL.
>> WE WON'T LET IT GET CUT DOWN
AND TAKEN AWAY.
THAT ISN'T AN OPTION.
WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS TO
PRESERVE IT HERE.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> TODAY THE EFFIGY TREE CAN BE
FOUND AT A MILWAUKEE SCULPTURE
STUDIO UNDER THE CARE OF MIKE
NOLTE.
>> THE OBJECT THE ARTIST
CREATED IS WHAT WE'RE MAKING A
THREE DIMENSIONAL COPY OF.
>> NOLTE AND HIS CREW ARE
CASTING THE TREE IN BRONZE.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
FIRST THE WHOLE WORK IS COVERED
IN RUBBER.
>> THIS IS OUR FLOPPY BLANKET
OF RUBBER AND THIS FLOPPY
BLANKET OF RUBBER REPRODUCES
DOWN TO FINGERPRINT SIZE DETAIL.
>> IT WAS COVERED IN A PLASTER
SHELL.
>> THE MOLD IS A TOOL TO CREATE
A WAX.
THIS IS THE LOST WAX PROCESS.
SO FOR EVERY BRONZE, WE HAVE TO
GENERATE A SEPARATE WAX.
>> THE WAX MODEL IS THEN
ENCASED IN A CERAMIC SHELL THAT
HAS BEEN BAKED IN A KILN AND
FINALLY THE MOLTEN BRONZE CAN
BE POURED.
THE COMPLETED PIECES WILL BE
WELDED TOGETHER.
A PATINA APPLIED AND RETURNED
TO WATCHING OVER THE ANCIENT
EFFIGY MOUNDS.
HOW WILL IT LAST?
>> EVENTUALLY IT WILL TURN
GREEN.
SAY AFTER ABOUT 1,000 YEARS IT
WILL BE GREEN.
3,000 YEARS IT WILL BE BLACK.
ABOUT 4,000 YEARS IT WILL START
TO DETERIORATE.
IT LASTS A LONG TIME.
>> A LONG TIME INDEED.
A PERFECT TESTAMENT TO THE
ENDURANCE OF THE ANCIENT EFFIGY
MOUNDS AND AN ASSURANCE THAT
FUTURE GENERATIONS MAY KNOW
THEIR STORY.
>> THAT'S WHAT MADE HARRY SO
EXCITED.
HIS WISH WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD
BE THERE FOREVER.
>> THE BRONZE EFFIGY TREE IS
BEING CAST IN PIECES AND WILL
BE ASSEMBLED WITHIN A WEEK.
IT WILL BE DEDICATED NEAR
HUDSON PARK ON MADISON'S EAST
SIDE LATER THIS YEAR.
MADISON AND DANE COUNTY WERE
ONCE HOME TO MORE THAN 1,000
EFFIGY MOUNDS.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 80% OF THEM
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.
COMING UP NEXT WEEK "IN
WISCONSIN" THE STATE BUDGET
CRISIS WILL ONLY COMPOUND THE
PROBLEM ALREADY IN WISCONSIN
COURTS.
>> WE'RE ONE REAL COMPLICATED
CASE AWAY FROM A BREAKDOWN.
>> NEXT WEEK THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY SHORTAGE ACROSS THE
STATE.
PLUS THIS MARSHFIELD WOMAN'S
STORE IS THE SOLE SURVIVOR.
>> WE'RE GOING ON OUR 53rd YEAR.
>> IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES HER
SHOE REPAIR BUSINESS IS BOOMING.
ALSO, WHAT MAKES WISCONSIN ODD?
>> A SHOE X-RAY MACHINE.
>> APPARENTLY ENOUGH TO INSPIRE
A HISTORICAL EXHIBIT IN MADISON.
>> YOU'LL BE WHAT, HUH?
>> THOSE REPORTS NEXT WEEK ON
"IN WISCONSIN."
WE LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH
WINTER SCENES FROM ALONG THE
MANITOWISH RIVER IN VILAS
COUNTY.
FOR "IN WISCONSIN" I'M PATTY
LOEW.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "IN
WISCONSIN" IS PROVIDED BY THE
PEOPLE OF ALLIANT ENERGY, WHO
BRING SAFE, RELIABLE AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGY
TO KEEP HOMES, NEIGHBORHOODS
AND LIFE IN WISCONSIN RUNNING
SMOOTHLY.
ALLIANT ENERGY, OFFERING
ENERGY-SAVING IDEAS ON THE WEB.
AND BY THE ANIMAL DENTAL CENTER
OF MILWAUKEE AND OSHKOSH.
A VETERINARY SPECIALIST WORKING
WITH PET OWNERS AND FAMILY
VETERINARIANS THROUGHOUT
WISCONSIN PROVIDING CARE FOR
ORAL DISEASE AND DENTAL
PROBLEMS OF SMALL COMPANION
ANIMALS.