Events on safety in La Crosse neighborhoods Wednesday

Powell Park vigil, followed by Southside Neighborhood Center meeting

A couple of events held within blocks of each other in La Crosse tonight will highlight different aspects of a neighborhood dealing with safety issues.

Beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Powell Park is a so-called community healing and building event. It’s meant as a way for the neighborhood and larger community to come to grips with last month’s shooting death of George Miller, a Central High School student.

That event, a vigil of sorts, will also focus on youth and how to prevent more of them from dying.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., nearby, at the Southside Neighborhood Center (1300 Sixth St. S.), a gathering will celebrate the installation of streetlights that illuminate the Sixth St. from Gundersen Health System to downtown.

City council member Philip Ostrem says the new lights are essential to help neighbors feel secure in walking the street after dark.

The lights were purchased in a collaboration with UW-La Crosse, Gundersen and the city of La Crosse.