Latest news with #Fox-WolfWatershedCleanup
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers unite at 70 sites for Fox-Wolf watershed cleanup, restoring quality to water
APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Over 1,800 volunteers showed up across more than 70 cleanup sites Saturday for the annual Fox-Wolf Watershed Cleanup, one of northeast Wisconsin's largest environmental volunteer efforts. 'Excited to welcome over 1,800 volunteers to over 70 sites around the Fox-Wolf basin,' one organizer said. 'We've got sites from New London down to Fond du Lac, from Green Bay over to the Greenville area.' Annual Missing Persons Awareness event invites Wisconsin families searching for loved ones Cleanup sites quickly filled up after registration opened, prompting organizers to expand the event. 'It's amazing to see people turn out. We had some of our sites fill up on the day that registration opened. So we had to look for new sites. Last year, we had about 60 sites. This year we are up to 70,' they added. Volunteers spent the morning removing litter and debris from public spaces and waterways, helping reduce pollution and improve water quality across the watershed. 'Today, we are focusing on trash, and what's exciting is when people show up, it shows that they care about removing trash and about the work that we are doing to protect the water quality.' The cleanup also highlights concerns about phosphorus in local waterways. 'Our water quality suffers from a thing called phosphorus. It's a nutrient in all living things and when it gets into our waterways, that nutrient helps the algae grow.' Wisconsin's most famous service dog immortalized in bronze at the Veterans Home at King Organizers say events like this are about more than just cleaning up trash, they're about protecting a shared natural resource. 'We love our waterways, whether it's to recreate on them or near them, so good for our well-being. So, to protect our water resources and make sure they are usable for us and future generations is really important to our region.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wisconsin's Statewide Tornado Drill set for Thursday, here's a few reminders ahead of severe weather season
(WFRV) – Thursday marks Wisconsin's annual Statewide Tornado Drill as part of Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness week across the state. At 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. on April 10, NOAA's weather radios will be activated, and the outdoor warning sirens will be heard. However, phones will not be alerted, as this is only a drill. The National Weather Service told Local 5 that those times were picked intentionally so that residents could practice their severe weather plans at various locations. Seasonal weight restrictions ending for 15 Wisconsin counties 'The purpose of doing them at those two different times is at 1:45 p.m., you are typically at school or your workplace, so think of the safety plan and where you would go to keep yourself safe if that were an actual tornado and then at 6:45 p.m., a lot of us might be at home or maybe we are out at our baseball or softball games, so think about your safety plan there too,' explained National Weather Service Green Bay Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg. Once the calendar flips to April, the threat of severe weather exponentially increases. Since 1950, Wisconsin has documented 108 tornadoes in the month of April, 257 in the month of May, with the highest being in June at 466. Wisconsin sees, on average, 23 tornadoes a year; however, last year nearly doubled that number at 45, making it the third most active season on record. When asked about those important reminders ahead of severe weather season, Kotenberg urges residents to take thirty to sixty seconds each day to check the weather forecast. If the weather is going to be quiet, then you are in the clear. However, if there is a threat of thunderstorms, do a deeper dive into the timing and level of severity so you know where you will be before the storm arrives. Another reminder is to make sure you have ways to receive weather information. Whether that be through television, weather radio, or smart phones, it's important to make sure devices are fully charged or have fresh batteries well in advance. Sustainably Speaking: Over 1,300 volunteers set to tackle trash in Fox-Wolf Watershed Cleanup Finally and most importantly, as part of today's drills, identify where you would seek shelter in the event a tornado warning were ever issued for your location. The safest place to be is in a basement, but if your building does not have one, the next best place is an interior room like a hallway, bathroom, or closet. The goal is to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. For those in a mobile home, these structures can not withstand the winds of a tornado. If a warning is issued, quickly move to a sturdy structure to seek shelter there. If you know severe weather is possible, plan ahead to stay with someone who has a sturdy structure. Last year, Wisconsin saw its first recorded tornadoes in the month of February when an EF-1 tornado touched down in Green county and an EF-2 tornado roared through Dan, Jefferson, and Rock counties. So, while this is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness week, Kotenberg says the severe weather plan should be something that is thought about around the clock. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
