Street talk: Whose ox is gored? By Tom Murphy News-Chronicle A month or so ago, we came across an article that decried reduction of the red tape that binds applications for industrial/commercial operating permits. The caustic comments included assertions that, among other things, a communications company would be allowed "to plop its cell phone towers like a pox." Strange, we thought, that the writer didn't feel the same way about those "towers," those huge, pug-ugly windmills that litter the landscape in the rural hillsides of Kewaunee County. Those same white monsters that plague those bucolic hills on the east shore of Green Bay - and are too near the west shore of Lake Michigan - now are being considered for the Hofa Park area of eastern Shawano County. And there is talk that desecration of the rolling hills on the east shore of Lake Winnebago is next. Northeastern Fond du Lac County (already the site of some experimental power towers) and southern Calumet County are under consideration for the next pillage by the greens. If they come to be, Wisconsin will have more of the gawd-awful contraptions than any state east of the Mississippi, most of them ruining the Niagara escarpment. The Kewaunee County windmills now spoil the view of motorists as they approach Rock Falls Supper Club above Dyckesville. And the three-bladed behemoths, which sometimes turn at a rate that might produce power efficently, ruin the view east to the east from the 12th tee at North Brook Country Club. Windmills were foisted on the state Legislature, regulators and utilities by greens and others in the environmental lobby. Meanwhile, we're of the bellief that utlities will adopt some sort of windpower on their own volition if and when the systems become cost-effective. Right now they are not. And although there are some customers of Madison Gas & Electric who are willing to pay extra for what is sold as windmill power, the primary benefactors are the offshore manufacturers of the contraptions and the landowners who, for now, are paid handsomely for leases to accommodate the towers and extensive guy wires. We would rather see government put its scarce experimental power development dollars in methane gas. With larger and larger dairy herds becoming the norm, manure and methane would seem to be a more reliable source of natural energy. As an aside: How come those liberal U.S. senators and congressmen from Massachusetts and other New England states are so outspoken against locating windmills on- and off-shore around Capes Cod and Ann? They're always blaming the Midwest for pollution drift, all the time they're burning expensive oil and decrying windmills. Where's Don Quixote? Playing NIMBY? GEHM'S GAME Mike and Mary Gehm, owners of Printworks at 989 W. Mason St. in Green Bay, have diversified their entrepreneurial empire with purchase of Executive Office Suites just a block west at 1039 W. Mason. Mike Gehm said the addition of Print & Promo to the traditional printing operation crimped Printworks for operating space. (Print & Promo is an advertising specialty division that emblazons logos and other identification on almost anything imaginable.) So Gehm searched for nearby warehouse/storage space. He was using some of the available area at EOS in the next block. Inquiries about using more eventually led to purchase of the entire portion of the suites share of the building. (Next door neighbor Executive Office Interiors - once a partner of EOS founded by Doug LaViolette) has moved to De Pere.) The Gehms' daughter, Kristin Kallin, runs Printworks on a day-to-day basis. Their son, Michael, operates Print & Promo. All together, they run Ahnapee River Tree Farm in southern Door County. (The farm is open for cut-it-yourself Christmas trees on weekends. POP SHOP The next step in creating the long-time-coming housing project on Green Bay's near east side will be taken Tuesday. The city Redevelopment Authority will hold a public hearing on the $1.4 million bonding portion of the project proposed for Jackson and Chicago streets. The legal notice of the hearing says the multifamily rental units will be owned and operated initially by the Urban Partnership Community Development Coporation. Old-timers may recognize the addresses (509 S. Jackson and 804 Chicago St.) as the site of the long-gone Allouez Mineral Springs Co. The firm once bottled Allouez soda pop. Curbside: Anne and Mike Trulley have purchased The Irish American Gift Shop in De Pere and expanded store hours. The shop is at 112 1/2 N. Broadway, behind "A's" Restaurant and accessible from the alleyway off the city parking lot on Wisconsin St. Specialties include Irish china, crystal and clothing. Hours are 10 to 5 Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 10 to 3 on Tuesday and Saturday and 10 to 7 on Friday.