FEINGOLD ANNOUNCES FOCUS ON WISCONSIN TOURISM FOR 2002 LISTENING SESSIONS Senator Kicks off 10th Year of Open Meetings in Every Wisconsin County January 2, 2002 Wausau, WI -- U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today announced that this year, as he holds his 10th consecutive year of Listening Sessions in every county, he will celebrate Wisconsin tourism. Feingold will highlight the many destinations and cultural attractions that make Wisconsin a wonderful place to visit, and make an important contribution to the state’s economy. "People come from far and wide to enjoy the natural beauty of our state, visit our fairs and festivals, and see famous cultural attractions," Feingold said. "This year I’m proud to celebrate the contributions that each of our state’s 72 counties makes to the tourism industry in our state." Feingold plans to hold many of his 72 Listening Sessions this year at tourist attractions around the state. He will also highlight the contributions that each county has made to the strength of tourism in Wisconsin. Feingold’s Listening Session map for 2002, which he uses to track his progress as he completes his Listening Sessions around the state, features a Wisconsin license plate that reads "ExploreWI," and displays images that represent Wisconsin tourist attractions, including famous Door County cherries, a lighthouse on the shore of Lake Superior, the Capitol building in Madison, the cattails of the Horicon Marsh, and cross-county skiing in the state’s north woods. "From the timeless beauty of the Apostle Islands to the world-renowned new addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin has a tremendous amount to offer first-time visitors and tourists who come back to visit us year after year," Feingold said. "And for those of us who are lucky enough to call Wisconsin home, we can enjoy many of these attractions right in our own hometowns." Feingold’s first Listening Session of 2002, and 649th since he was first elected, was held at the Marathon County Building starting at 10:45 a.m. Feingold’s second session of the year and 650th since he was first elected took place at the T.B. Scott Library in Merrill beginning at 1:45 p.m. His third session of the year, and 651st since he was first elected, took place at the Antigo City Hall starting at 4:45 p.m.

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