Eric Kodner CRS, ABR, e-PRO, CLHMS, Madeline Island Real Estate Wisconsin

On May 17, the Big Top Chautauqua 2008 Gala Fundraiser will take place at the Ashland AmericInn. The Gala features a "Vintage Railroad Dinner", with entertainment by Warren Nelson and the Blue Canvas Orchestra.

The theme of this year's Gala will be the railroad era of the late 1800s and 1900s. There will be a "Whistle Stop" prize drawing, with one hundred prizes already donated.

Tickets to the Gala may be purchased online at the Big Top Chautauqua website.

Only 51 days left until the Big Top opens its 2008 season!

Summer show ticket booklet saves you $20!

Four tickets for $40 Now Available Online at the Big Top Website

The list of performers scheduled at Big Top Chautauqua this summer has been released!

Bobby Vee, Arlo Guthrie, Garrison Keillor, Bela Fleck, The New Christy Minstrels and Three Dog Night are just a few of the headline acts to appear at the Big Top June 13 through September 6.

Also appearing this summer at Big Top on Lake Superior:

Martin Sexton

Luxcinda Williams

Abigail Washburn (With Bela Fleck & the New Sparrow Quartet)

Mason Jennings

Corey Carlson

Adaawe

Trampled by Turtles

The BoDeans

Cowboy Junkies

Keb' Mo'

John Hiatt & the Ageless Beauties

Warren Nelson & Friends

Iris Dement

Gaelic Storm

Greg Brown

Capitol Steps

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy

The Wailin' Jennys

Check out the complete season schedule and ticket information at the Big Top Chautauqua website.

Madeline Island residents and volunteers will be giving the Island a spring cleaning this weekend.

Sponsored by the Madeline Island Chamber of Commerce, the La Pointe School and the Town of La Pointe, the cleanup will take place Saturday, April 26. Volunteers will meet at Joni's Beach at 11 a.m., with a community picnic and potluck (brats and hot dogs provided by the sponsors) at 12:30. In the event of rain, the event will be moved to Sunday the 27th.

At 1 p.m., the La Pointe School children will present an Earth Day program. And the kids will be making birdfeeders out of recycled milk containers.

Madeline Island is a place where the residents truly live their Earth Day celebration. And in many ways, they live it 365 days a year.

[NOTE: The Madeline Island Earth Day Celebration and Island Clean-up has been re-scheduled for Saturday, May 3, from 11 a.m. through the afternoon. Bad weather forced the postponement of this event.]

Ashland, Wisconsin has received a $200,000 grant to evaluate sites that contain potentially hazardous substances. The grant was awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency last week.

Ashland is one of seven Wisconsin communities to receive such a grant from EPA. The city plans to use the funds to evaluate a handful of key sites, including the Clarkson coal dock. An earlier assessment of the same area revealed contamination by coal dust, oil residues and wood treatment chemicals.

The city of Ashland is taking steps to reclaim its waterfront from many decades of industrial use. The lure of tourism has done much to spur City and County officials to expand their efforts to clean up formerly industrial zones along Chequamegon Bay.

Candidates Ric Gillman and Alan Fischlowitz took two open seats on the Town of La Pointe Board of Supervisors in last Tuesday's election. Gillman received 96 votes and Fischlowitz received 92 votes. Fischlowitz was formerly the Town Zoning Administrator in the late 1990s.

Incumbent Town Board member Hamilton Ross received 88 votes. Candidate Holly Tourdot received 57 votes. There were six votes for write-in candidates, equally split between Mike North and Doug Griggs.

Madeline Island voters also chose to keep both the Town Treasurer and Town Clerk as elected positions.