February 8, 2007
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Bay City benefit will help 6-year-old leukemia patient
by Greg Lauser
Alyxis Lundquist, granddaughter of Prescott native Leonard Young, loves playing on swing sets at area parks but hasn't been able to do so since falling last April.
Her love of playground equipment caused the injury that's kept her off it. But that fall resulted in an early diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia that has been instrumental in treatments that currently have the disease in remission.
Friends, family and the American Legion Post in Maiden Rock are sponsoring a leukemia benefit for Alyxis starting at noon Saturday, Feb. 10 at Mike's Baytown Bar & Grill on Highway 35 in Bay City. Any funds raised will go to help the Lundquist's with mounting medical expenses they've incurred since Alyxis was diagnosed on May 13, 2006.
"The doctors tell us that her form of leukemia is pretty common among childhood cases of the disease, but it also is among the most treatable when caught early like this was," Jason Lundquist said.
When swelling in her left hip just wouldn't go away after she fell off the monkey bars at school, her parents, Jason and Shannon (Young) Lundquist, learned from doctors that she had leukemia. Doctors told them that swelling the size of three golf balls was lymph nodes in her hip, which tipped them off to the disease.
She and her extended family have been on a medical merry-go-round since then. That "ride" has featured once-a-week chemotherapy treatments at St. Paul Children's Hospital for several months.
According to Shannon, those sessions were interspersed between two rounds of extremely aggressive chemo treatments four-times-a-week at home using a subcutaneous "port" implanted at the hospital.
It's also included seven stays at the St. Paul hospital, varying in length between two days and two weeks, when Alyxis became ill due to weakness in her immune system while doctors were treating her leukemia, said Jason. Her last hospital stay for pneumonia was 10 days long just before Christmas 2006.
Alyxis also has had several spinal taps, which will continue every three months for the next two to two-and-one-half years; and one blood transfusion so far to help her weather bouts with the disease and its cure. Now that she is on a maintenance program of chemotherapy, she'll get monthly treatments for another two-and-one-half years.
"There's no cover charge or tickets to buy for admission (to the benefit)," Shannon said. "Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy the day. Those who want to can buy raffle tickets for door prizes or bid on items featured in the silent auction."
Alyxis' grandmother, Bev Lundquist, said items to be included in the raffle and silent auction include overnight stays at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, two overnight stays and four dinner tickets for St. Croix Hotel & Casino and a stay at The Willows at Lake City, Minn.; a Harley-Davidson flag autographed by Willie G. Davidson; a Green Bay Packers football autographed by the 2006 team; an autographed Milwaukee Brewers baseball; autographed pictures of Minnesota Vikings; tickets to a Minnesota Timberwolves game; a gun; jackets; gift certificates; and much more.
Two bands also are lined up to play at 8 and 10 p.m. that evening.
Those who cannot make the benefit but wish to contribute something to help the Lundquist's with medical expenses may do so by donating to the Alyxis Lundquist Fund at First National Bank, 2835 S. Service Dr., Red Wing, and Minn. 55066.
"She (Alyxis) has under undergone more than any of us can imagine," said Grandma Bev. "We're just so proud of her and there's still a long way to go, but we're very hopeful things will work out for the best."
For Alyxis, the "best" means getting the chance to get back
on those monkey bars.
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Commission stops hearing until April
by Greg Lauser
The Prescott Police Commission has postponed further hearing sessions examining allegations against police officer Bradley A. Woletz until April.
The evidentiary hearing has focused on whether Woletz acted improperly on and off duty and used excessive force in some on-duty incidents.
The extended postponement was prompted by one of the commissioners needing to attend to a family medical condition until that time, according to commissioner Bill Pryor. Commissioner Ray Olson's wife fell and broke her hip in late January, which Olson told fellow commissioners would require him to be available continually to help her with medical and physical therapy appointments until some time in April, Pryor said.
Pryor said commission members have not set an April date yet for resuming the hearing that began on Jan. 9.
Woletz will remain on regular duty with the Prescott Police Department, according to interim police chief Mike Bondarenko.
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Local 4-Her's excel at county festival
Nearly 50 4-H members attended the annual Pierce County Creative Communications Festival Jan. 6 at Kleinpell Fine Arts Building at UW-River Falls.
Representing 24 clubs in the county, they competed against one another in speaking competitions, demonstrations, interpretative readings, story telling, story writing, poetry reading, poetry writing, photo stories, the 4-H pledge, communications poster, individual and club music performances, dance, music posters and development of musical instruments.
"4-H teaches real life skills and offers opportunities for members to 'learn through doing,'" said Gail Stewart, a former 4-H member and a current leader of the Helping Hands 4-H club. "At the creative communications festival, 4-H challenges youth and assists them through activities and events in the development of speaking, performance, organizational, leadership and life skills."
Prescott youth who won awards at the competition were: Mariah Stewart, who was the purple-ribbon champion for her interpretative reading of "Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon;" Natasha Lillie, who won the blue ribbon for her interpretive reading of "Stealing Thunder;" Catherine Stewart, who won the blue ribbon for her 4-H Pledge; Mariah Stewart, who won the blue ribbon for her 4-H Pledge; Mariah Stewart won the Music Award of Merit and the blue ribbon for her dance routine to "Getcha Head In the Game" from High School Musical; Kaylee Hildebrandt and Mariah Stewart won the blue ribbon for their piano duet "Fall Fun" and Mary Kate Pryor and Camille Swan won the red ribbon for their piano duet.
The event also hosted Pierce County's first Got Talent Contest. Participating in the event were Kaylee Hildebrandt and Mariah Stewart with a piano duet; Mariah Stewart in a dance and Samatha Dusek with a piano solo. Dusek won the event and earned the traveling trophy.
The next county 4-H event is the Cultural Arts Extravaganza that will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Feb. 24 at the Prescott Middle School.
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Xcel wants customer refunds approved
Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc., has filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to refund electric customers approximately $10.1 million because fuel costs in 2006 were lower than anticipated.
If approved as filed, a typical residential customer using 750 kilowatt hours per month would see a total credit of $14.78 on electric bills spread over two months. Depending on the timing of PSCW approval, the refunds may appear on customer bills beginning Feb. 15, Xcel officials said.
"While we use sophisticated models to estimate the cost of fuel, the volatility in these markets has made it difficult to be accurate months in advance," said Don Reck, Xcel Energy's director of regulatory and government affairs. "Also, current regulatory and legislative rules do not allow for automatic credits to customers when prices decline, or give appropriate price signals when prices increase. We are working with the PSCW and other parties to propose new rules to better handle price volatility and reflect the realities of today's energy markets".
Xcel Energy's 2006 base rates, including fuel costs, were approved by the PSCW in December 2005. At that time, fuel costs were unusually high due to the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Throughout 2006, the price Xcel Energy paid for fuel declined. That resulted in costs being lower than the amount included in the approved rates, Reck said.
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