As 2007 nears its end, it's time to clear off the clutter spread across the desk and share some tidbits that have been stacking up.
• • •
This year was a good one in many ways for Monroe and the surrounding area, but weather wise, it was record-breaking, and at times just downright bad.
We've already received numerous bouts of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain. The recent winter weather has many forgetting about what a wet summer we had.
Fourteen counties, including Green County, received a federal disaster declaration for flooding that occurred from Aug. 18-31. Heavy rains began late on Aug. 18, with most locations in the area picking up three to seven inches.
In Monroe, August was the wettest month on record, with 15.43 inches of rain. That broke the previous record of 14.53 inches, set in June 1993, and shattered the August record of 11.47 inches set in 1979.
In June, two weak tornados touched down in Lafayette County.
Let's hope 2008 is calmer on the weather front.
• • •
Wisconsin native Gary Elsworth Myers is at it again. He recently released a book called "On That Wisconsin Beat," an expanded and updated version of his first book on the topic, "Do You Hear That Beat."
Myers was born in Milwaukee and began playing music at age 9. He's been writing about music for 32 years.
The book includes information on a Monroe musician, Dick Campbell, who was born in Boston but lived in and died in Monroe.
Campbell had worked as a dishwasher, apple picker and encyclopedia salesman. He graduated from Monroe High School in 1961.
He made his first recording locally for Leaf, being inspired by the Fendermen, a music group including two men from Stoughton.
"I thought, 'If two guys from Stoughton can have a hit record, why can't I,'" Campbell said. "I started riding my bike from Monroe to Sauk City (50 miles) to see where they'd started."
Campbell eventually formed his own record label and publishing company. He wrote songs for other area artists and photographed many of them for cover art and media ventures.
Campbell also produced and directed videos and national TV commercials, and won an award for his singing and playing on a 1972 Honda commercial.
He retired from his own film business and moved back to Monroe in 2000. His death in 2002 resulted from complications of a lung transplant.
• • •
In October, the Times ran a story about a group of people constructing a veterans memorial in Argyle.
After seeing the story about the group's efforts in the Times, Robert J. and Betty L. Renniston of Monroe contacted the group with an offer of a $6,000 donation to meet the 2007 goals of the Argyle Area Veterans Memorial, the first in Argyle. Robert is a World War II veteran.
- Jim Winter is the news editor of the Monroe Times. He can be reached at newseditor@themonroetimes.com
• • •
This year was a good one in many ways for Monroe and the surrounding area, but weather wise, it was record-breaking, and at times just downright bad.
We've already received numerous bouts of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain. The recent winter weather has many forgetting about what a wet summer we had.
Fourteen counties, including Green County, received a federal disaster declaration for flooding that occurred from Aug. 18-31. Heavy rains began late on Aug. 18, with most locations in the area picking up three to seven inches.
In Monroe, August was the wettest month on record, with 15.43 inches of rain. That broke the previous record of 14.53 inches, set in June 1993, and shattered the August record of 11.47 inches set in 1979.
In June, two weak tornados touched down in Lafayette County.
Let's hope 2008 is calmer on the weather front.
• • •
Wisconsin native Gary Elsworth Myers is at it again. He recently released a book called "On That Wisconsin Beat," an expanded and updated version of his first book on the topic, "Do You Hear That Beat."
Myers was born in Milwaukee and began playing music at age 9. He's been writing about music for 32 years.
The book includes information on a Monroe musician, Dick Campbell, who was born in Boston but lived in and died in Monroe.
Campbell had worked as a dishwasher, apple picker and encyclopedia salesman. He graduated from Monroe High School in 1961.
He made his first recording locally for Leaf, being inspired by the Fendermen, a music group including two men from Stoughton.
"I thought, 'If two guys from Stoughton can have a hit record, why can't I,'" Campbell said. "I started riding my bike from Monroe to Sauk City (50 miles) to see where they'd started."
Campbell eventually formed his own record label and publishing company. He wrote songs for other area artists and photographed many of them for cover art and media ventures.
Campbell also produced and directed videos and national TV commercials, and won an award for his singing and playing on a 1972 Honda commercial.
He retired from his own film business and moved back to Monroe in 2000. His death in 2002 resulted from complications of a lung transplant.
• • •
In October, the Times ran a story about a group of people constructing a veterans memorial in Argyle.
After seeing the story about the group's efforts in the Times, Robert J. and Betty L. Renniston of Monroe contacted the group with an offer of a $6,000 donation to meet the 2007 goals of the Argyle Area Veterans Memorial, the first in Argyle. Robert is a World War II veteran.
- Jim Winter is the news editor of the Monroe Times. He can be reached at newseditor@themonroetimes.com