Farm show

Amazing what Americans will watch on TV...

Don Schmidt watches an informational video about dairy farming equipment during the 50th Annual WPS Farm Show at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh, Wis., Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

Tom Van Straten and grandson Chandler, 11, of Shiocton admire the features of a Claas Lexion 570R rotary combine during the 50th Annual WPS Farm Show at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh, Wis., Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran runners-up in state championship

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran head coach Mark Meerstein and his team prepare to take the floor before warmups for the WIAA Division 4 Championship against Randolph at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran's Seth Hasseler (43) goes to the basket on Randolph's 6-foot-10 center Kyle Helm (44) in the fourth period.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran's Jared Gosse (35), right, and Randolph's T.J. Huizenga (12) scrap for a loose ball in the fourth period.

After handshakes, Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran's Aaron Gosse (4) walks off the court after the Blazers lost to Randolph in the WIAA Division 4 Championship at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran advances to state championship

N.E.W. Lutheran beat Clayton, 64-63, to advance to the Division 4 championship against undefeated Randolph. It was a consistently close game that came down to the final seconds.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran's Ethan Derricks (22), left, Aaron Gosse (4), and Clayton's Carter Anderson (23) scrap for a loose ball in the first quarter of a WIAA Division 4 semifinal game at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday morning, March 18, 2010.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran's Jared Gosse (35) gets stuffed by Clayton's Taylor Denton (31) in the third quarter of a WIAA Division 4 semifinal game at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday morning, March 18, 2010.

N.E.W. Lutheran's Ethan Derricks (22) hits the second of two foul shots with six seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The two points gave the Blazers the lead with the score 64-60, insulating them from the three-point shot Clayton's Carter Anderson made at the buzzer.

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran's Seth Hasseler (43) leads his teammates onto the floor to celebrate the Blazers win over Clayton in a WIAA Division 4 semifinal game at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday morning, March 18, 2010.

Animal waste runoff

A couple photos from the Town of Morrison to illustrate our story by Tony Walter:

"Runoff during the late winter days of February and March in 2006-07 led to the contamination of more than 100 wells in the town of Morrison, prompting the county to pass an ordinance restricting the winter spreading of manure on most lands.

Last year, the county received 57 complaints about ordinance violations and issued 30 citations. So far this year, officials have received just a few complaints.

But even a violation-free year won't fix what Hafs and his colleagues say is a mounting problem: too much manure, too little cropland and too many holes in the bedrock."

Health care reform

About 250 people gathered outside the offices of U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Appleton, to protest proposed health care legislation in Green Bay, Wis., Wednesday evening, March 17, 2010. Many affixed sticky notes on the door, windows, and signage of the building.

St. Patrick's Day parade

Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy and Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt throw beads in a parade during the St. Patty's Day in Downtown Green Bay event which began at Admiral Flatley Park and marched to the CityDeck in Green Bay, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, March 17, 2010.

Dancers from Heritage Academy of Irish Dance perform at the St. Patty's Day in Downtown Green Bay event at the CityDeck in Green Bay, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, March 17, 2010. The photo, framed through a flying Irish flag, was shot from the fourth floor of The Flats on the Fox apartment complex.

That thing they call "rodeo"

I'm not a rodeo kind of guy, but I sure enjoy shooting them. I have fond memories of shooting the Manawa rodeo when I was at The Post-Crescent in Appleton. That rodeo was outdoors in the middle of summer – hot and dusty. Beautiful evening light and all the behind the scenes access you could want.

This year, shooting in an arena was a "whole new ballgame." Theatrical lighting and some touchy individuals "backstage" presented a new set of challenges. Alas, some rational people realized I was just a photographer and let me capture some quiet moments of them.

Bull rider George Fashell of Weyauwega, Wis., prays before competition at the All-Star Rodeo Challenge at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wis., Sunday, March 14, 2010.

Rodeo announcer Roger Mooney welcomes rodeo fans to the All-Star Rodeo Challenge at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wis., Sunday, March 14, 2010.

Bareback rider Rusty Stewart of Diamond, Mo., hangs on during the All-Star Rodeo Challenge at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wis., Sunday, March 14, 2010.

Bull rider Rick Schopf of New Berlin, Wis., prepares for competition backstage at the All-Star Rodeo Challenge at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wis., Sunday, March 14, 2010.

Green Bay Notre Dame falls in boys semifinal

The Green Bay Notre Dame bench hears the horn sound, losing to University School of Milwaukee in a WIAA state semifinal boys hockey game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Friday evening, March 5, 2010.

University School of Milwaukee's Charlie Wigdale (17) slams Green Bay Notre Dame's Conner Doran (22) to the ice in the third period of a WIAA state semifinal boys hockey game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Friday evening, March 5, 2010.

Green Bay Notre Dame's Max McCormick (17) celebrates his first period goal on University School of Milwaukee's Dan Smyczek (35) in a WIAA state semifinal boys hockey game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Friday evening, March 5, 2010.

Notre Dame forward Jason Reynolds (7) reaches for the puck after being knocked to the ice in the third period.

Green Bay Notre Dame goalie Tony Kujava (1) can't make the save on a shot from University School of Milwaukee's Alex Tesensky (9), not pictured, in the second period in a WIAA state semifinal boys hockey game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Friday evening, March 5, 2010. The goal gave University School of Milwaukee a 2-1 lead.

University School of Milwaukee goalie Dan Smyczek (35) gets knocked into the goal by Notre Dame's Max McCormick (17) in the third period.

Bay Area Ice Bears advance to the state championship

Mosinee Co-op's Myranda Hayes (12), left, and Green Bay East Co-op's Molly Brunette (13) collide in the first period of a WIAA state semifinal girls hockey game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Friday, March 5, 2010.

Little Tokyo

I haven't ever eaten sushi... but after photographing some at Little Tokyo in Green Bay, I'm willing to give it a try.

Prepared by Little Tokyo, a restaurant in downtown Green Bay, Wis., and shown Wednesday, March 3, 2010, maki (rolls) surround sashimi. Clockwise from top are Amy's Special (soft shell crab, crab, lettuce, cucumber, teriyaki sauce), Volcano maki, and New York (tuna, tobiko, avocado, and salmon).

A new emergency room

Bellin Health gave us a special tour of their new emergency department that will open towards the end of March. Beautiful natural light in one of the hallways made my job easy, although it would have been nice to have a perspective control lens to straighten out the vertical lines. But hey, maybe I have a promising career ahead shooting annual reports someday...

A view of the new Emergency Department at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, Wis., Wednesday, March 3, 2010.