“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Some folks may not know or remember that Downtown Racine’s Party on the Pavement street festival is a classic example of that adage. Nearly 20 years ago, downtown area streets were torn up for months by an extensive utilities and street reconstruction project. Traffic and parking were a […]
Category: Opinion
Posted inOpinion
OPINION: School Boards Leader Calls for Civility
Wisconsin Association of School Boards Executive Director John Ashley released the following statement: We’ve become increasingly alarmed at the recent reports of personal threats of violence and harassment directed at school board members across the state. Civil disagreement and protest are cornerstones of our democracy but attempts to intimidate school board members and physically disrupt […]
Posted inOpinion
OPINION: Legislation Eliminates Healthcare Collaboration
Wisconsin patients beware: some nurses don’t want physicians involved in yourhealth care. The State Legislature is currently considering legislation to alter theway health care is provided in the state. Assembly Bill 396 and Senate Bill 394 authored by Representative Rachel CabralGuevara (R-Appleton) and Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) eliminate thephysician-led health care teams that make […]
Posted inCommunity, Opinion
OPINION: A Cool Idea – Let’s Do It Here!
From time to time, I run across an idea so cool, stunning, and creative that I just have to share it. And, suggest that it be done here in Racine. A few weeks ago, a visit to my home state of Iowa included a stop in Mason City. It’s a smallish city (population 27,800) situated […]
Posted inCommunity, Opinion
OPINION: It’s Up To The Private Sector Now
No more messing around! You want to go to Summerfest in Milwaukee next month? Prove that you are either fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or have tested negative within 72 hours of walking through the entry gate. Otherwise, no music for you! Do you work for United Airlines? How about Ascension Health? Or Tyson […]
Posted inCommunity, Opinion
Opinion: Get Creative Now – Not Later – With Fuel Taxes
Another Wisconsin biennial state budget has been signed, sealed, and pretty much delivered. Thank goodness! But, the extensive crew of legislators, number-crunchers, staff, and assorted advisers who assemble this thing every two years aren’t paying attention to a trend. And, mark my word, it’s going to come back to bite them. Allow me to share […]
Posted inCommunity, Opinion
OPINION: KRM Commuter Rail Revival. Nice Try, But…
There are some things that you really wish could happen. But wishing doesn’t make it so. A few weeks back, the Racine Common Council, on a 15-0 vote, approved a resolution supporting federal investment in constructing the KRM (Kenosha Racine Milwaukee) commuter rail project. The resolution, pushed by Alders Trevor Jung, Mollie Jones, C.J. Rouse, […]
Posted inGovernment, Opinion
EDITORIAL: Dear Republicans, voting is a right, not a privilege
I tend not to write editorials about federal and state legislation. My focus is on local issues. But I fear Republican lawmakers’ actions—and inactions—on voting rights undermine our democracy. And I see that as a very local issue. At the federal level, Republicans are hesitant to enact universal voting laws. Wisconsin Republicans hang onto voting […]
Posted inOpinion
OPINION: The Genocide of the once Indispensable
It seems that every day there is another shooting or murder of a Black person by the police state here in the Midwest, especially in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Ironically, during slavery, these two states led the country in helping Blacks, who were under threat of persecution and mistreatment in the Southern states. Here they could […]
Posted inKenosha Schools, Opinion
OP-ED: The Power of Partnerships to Transform Higher Education
By Chancellor Debbie Ford / President John Swallow When the goal is as universally important as increasing access to higher education and attainment of bachelor’s degrees, we must roll up our sleeves and work together. Carthage College and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside have a long history of working together for the betterment of students and […]
Posted inCommunity, Opinion
Opinion: Take the mask mandate off the table
Last week, I got married in front of 8 people in a large room with plenty of space to spread out. I wanted a wedding, but the last thing I wanted was for the people I love to get COVID-19. My daughter walked me down the aisle. As we walked, I couldn’t help thinking: I […]
Posted inOpinion
State must do more to promote openness
YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW / BILL LUEDERS Last January, a person involved in local emergency management asked the Office of Open Government, part of the state Justice Department, whether emergency preparedness coalitions run by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) are subject to the state’s open meetings and open records laws. The answer to […]
Posted inOpinion
OP-ED: Employers, just say No to the payroll tax holiday
As of August 31, non-Federal employers have the option of not taking social security taxes from employee paychecks to give workers more spending money in this oh-so-odd year. The plan details are wonky, but an employer still has to pay their share of the Social Security tax (6.2% of the pay). Still, the employee will […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Wanggaard asks Evers for more National Guard units
Dear Governor Evers, Two people are dead. Another was shot. This violence could have been prevented. Last night, the Kenosha County Board of Supervisors asked for an additional 1,500 National Guard members for Kenosha tonight. I second that request and implore you to fulfill it. Without massive resources, violence will only escalate. To the extent […]
Posted inEye on Employment, Opinion, Wisconsin Jobs
Job seekers… please answer the phone
You say you want a job, but your actions tell us otherwise. Why do I say that? Because for the last three weeks, we had better than 80 percent of the people we were scheduled to interview for customer service jobs that paid well no-show when the time came. These are people that submitted a […]
