This week on In Wisconsin we have several new reports and an oldie but goodie.

We will revisit a report from In Wisconsin's Jo Garrett. The Stormy Kromer is a hat that has been part of Wisconsin's history and culture for more than a century. The hat was invented by Kaukauna native Stormy Kromer. It's a clever combination of a baseball hat with pull-down earflaps and now it's taking on a Green Bay Packers twist.

We'll take you to one of Wisconsin's newest tourist attractions, the Canoe Heritage Museum. In Wisconsin Reporter Liz Koerner spotlights how this museum came to be in the small town of Spooner.

The 38th annual American Birkebeiner is the largest cross-country ski race in North America and this weekend more skiers than ever before will start the race. John Kotar, a Birkebeiner founder, talks about the beauty and tradition of the race, and the impact of climate change. Plus you'll get a humorous essay from Michael Perry about the calendar and that shrinking woodpile. It's all this week on In Wisconsin Thursday night at 7:30p on Wisconsin Public Television.

Last week prior to the Super Bowl In Wisconsin aired a report about the early days of the Acme Packers and how Curly Lambeau carried this team on his back. One of our viewers emailed to say his father Ed Huston played for the team in those early years.

Edwin Huston lived in Richland Center WI. He told his son how the uniforms had no padding and they played in a field of thorns. It was nothing like what the players have today. His son offered to send us a photo as the proof.

Besides playing football Edwin was also the Drum Major for the Richland Center, WI. band so he would march with the band and then play football all in one afternoon.

I found the story of Edwin Huston very intriguing and the photos are worth a thousand words. I'm sure Packer backers everywhere can appreciate what the players had to endure in those early years. Thanks for sharing Jim.

As the producer of In Wisconsin... I invite you to watch this week's show no matter where you live. We are based in Madison but our newsmagazine hosted by Patty Loew covers every corner of the state. In Wisconsin airs in most places at 7:30 on Thursday nights and there is an encore presentation at 10:30 Sunday night.

In Milwaukee it's a bit different with a broadcast time of 11:30 Sunday morning. And not to be outdone... we also have viewers in Minnesota. In Wisconsin is carried by Minnesota Public Television (WDSE-TV) in Duluth at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday for viewers in the Northwest corner of Wisconsin. I'm sure the Minnesotans who watch will enjoy the Packer report we have planned for our first show in February.

But I'm jumping ahead of myself... this week In Wisconsin features reports from around the state that include a new low-speed rail plan for Milwaukee, restoration on a 1916 Frank Lloyd Wright home, a very personal mission for a New Richmond High School student interested in stem cell research and find out how the Wisconsin DNR is using high-tech decoys to catch hunters who break the law.

I've recently returned from a family trip to London. While I often look forward to "unplugging" while on vacation, during this trip I was an avid media consumer.

That largely meant World Cup coverage and obsessive national concern with the trials and all too few triumphs of England's team. Picture the kind of over-coverage the Packers get during the NFL playoffs and multiply at least tenfold.

For me, that meant a breakfast read of the Guardian and its stable of columnists, then paging through Metro during a tube ride to whatever sight was on the day's agenda and picking up a copy of the free Evening Standard on the ride home. Follow that with watching that evening's featured match on BBC 1 or ITV and listening to talk radio as I drifted off to sleep.

While visits to the British Museum and the Globe Theater were vacation highlights, following the national team is what really made me feel like I was getting to know the real England.

Last week I was taking an evening stroll near the Capitol in Madison when I saw coming toward me a group of young men. They were leaping over the low fence that separates the sidewalk from the lawn among other stunts.

I thought at first this was alcohol-fueled revelry, but when they started turning back flips off the marble steps, it was clear these guys had some real skills.

It was also clear they were devotees of Parkour. I had run across a similar group last year and ended up videotaping them for an In Wisconsin story that was recently rebroadcast. Check it out, if you are unfamiliar with the running, vaulting and climbing over obstacles that makes up this unusual recreation.

In that case, dozens had come to town for a Parkour "jam". This time a smaller group were in Madison to celebrate the informal "National Parkour Day" a sort-of virtual Parkour jam with participants taking part wherever they happen to be.

I just happened to taking a walk when I once again got a chance to watch these impressive informal atheletes. Fun.

For some historic reason, people in Wisconsin often expect bad winter weather when it comes time for the state basketball tournament. But the weather in Madison has been wonderful so far this week. With our offices only about two blocks from the Kohl Center we are near the epicenter of the action. That means every time I leave the building there are crowds of fans from all corners of the state.

For my colleagues who get frozen out of their regular parking, this time of year may be an annoyance. But I get a vicarious thrill from the excitement of fans. I love their enthusiasm and obvious pride, often shown through homemade tee-shirts or all manner of unusual attire.

But even as I write this, I see the weather's turning outside. Probably no more sixty degree days again for a while. And still a chance for that blizzard to come next week when state high school girls hold their tournament.