Local news briefs News-Chronicle Green Bay Find alternate route Monday Construction on U.S. 41 between Lombardi Avenue and Interstate 43 starts Monday morning. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction. The suggested alternate route is State 172 and I-43, but drivers are urged to find an alternate route that suits them. Global trade conference Monday U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Green Bay, is hosting the day-long Northeastern Wisconsin Global Trade Conference on Monday at the KI Convention Center, 333 Main St. The conference is designed to help attendees learn how to compete on a global scale and is targeted at leaders of small and large businesses, government officials, educators and students. Speakers include Linda Conlin, assistant commerce secretary; John Emens, vice president of trade and insurance for Export-Import Bank of the United States; and James Keyes, chairman of Johnson Controls. To register, call 496-2118. Heirloom plant sale preview online The list of plants available at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay's annual heirloom plant sale is now online. The sale will be held May 10-11 at the Laboratory Sciences building, 2420 Nicolet Drive. Photos and descriptions of peppers and tomatoes on sale will be added to the site. This year's sale will include more flowers and herb varieties. The list is located at www.uwgb.edu/nekolaj/heirloom. Humane society stocked After the Bay Area Humane Society asked for food donations when its supply was depleted, the society is happy to report that its stock room is full. The Nicolet Rifle Club donated a truckload of food with the proceeds from its Charity Shoot. Individuals, businesses and organizations helped replenish the supply. De Pere Michael Beschloss coming to St. Norbert Presidential historian and nationally known author Michael Beschloss will speak at St. Norbert College at 7:30 p.m. April 7. Admission is free. Beschloss will speak about Presidents in Crisis as part of the Louis Miller Memorial lecture series. The speech will take place at Walter Theatre, 100 Grant St., De Pere. Wisconsin Coast Guard: Careful on ice The U.S. Coast Guard is warning the public of the dangers of ice and freezing water as the weather changes. The ice is unpredictable and unstable. It is impossible to determine the ice's thickness by just looking at it and it does not maintain a uniform thickness. When on the ice, do not go alone, wear a waterproof exposure suit and a lifejacket, carry two ice picks to screwdrivers to pull yourself out of the water and carry a whistle. Hypothermia is the biggest danger after falling through the ice. Quickly try to get out of the water and do not take off your clothes. If you cannot get out, remain still and don't try to swim.