Meet Mr. Pugsley Addams, the Minnesota cat who holds the Guinness World Record for a living domestic feline with the longest tail. The 2-year-old silver Maine Coon’s fluffy tail measures an astonishing 18.5 inches long. Owner Amanda Cameron said Mr. Pugsley Addams is “a curious adventure seeker” — with a reputation for “troublemaking.” Pugsley received his world record title in February, beating the previous record holder in length by nearly 2 inches. Pugsley’s family said they celebrated their cat’s world-record achievement by showering him with lots of kisses and giving him his “favorite shoulder massages.”
Thursday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 58. Sunrise is 6:45 and sunset is 7:15, for 12 hours, 30 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 5.4 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1912, First Lady Helen Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, plant two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the origin of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
In a post last week, this libertarian blogger wrote criticizing Sen. Chuck Schumer. That criticism was, and is, deserved. SeeSchumer Gets the Criticism He Deserves.
Josh Marshall relates an observation that one of Marshall’s friends made of Schumer:
A few days ago a friend told me that Chuck Schumer thinks he’s a minority leader but he’s actually an opposition leader. Or rather that’s the position into which history has placed him — and he doesn’t realize it or he doesn’t grasp the difference or he’s simply not able to be the latter thing. There are lots of ways to explain the disconnect or incapacity. But I thought this was a pretty good one.
Yes. These times, more than within the last three generations, will test understanding and imagination. Some will adjust; others not. Some previously unnoticed will rise to the moment; many prominent until now will fall away.
That’s true nationally, statewide, and it will prove true in Whitewater, also. How odd that even now one has to write this way, warning that a few hidebound men and women will not be able to shelter in local boosterism or positivity in the misapprehension that Whitewater is an island far from turmoil on the mainland.
Watching a community forum of municipal candidates from a few weeks, ago, where the organizers carried on as though we lived in conditions of nonpartisanship1, made so very clear that we are not immune from Schumer’s failure to grasp the moment.
A community that pretends a wolf2 is a sheep soon has fewer sheep.
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Not even bipartisanship, itself an extinct species, but nonpartisanship. No one profits from these misapprehensions so much as the authoritarian populists. They’re professedly commonsensical only until they can impose their book-banning and closet-confining on others. ↩︎
A palate cleanser of sorts — Sophia S. Galer on the em dash. (Admittedly, I am a fan of the em dash, so her views suit my preferences.) What makes Galer so compelling, however, is that her intelligence is creative, inquisitive, seeking. Something about which to be hopeful in the generation after mine…
Wednesday in Whitewater will be partly cloudy with a high of 53. Sunrise is 6:47 and sunset is 7:14, for 12 hours, 28 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 11.3 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridgecollapses following a collision between the MV Dali container ship and one of the bridge’s support pillars, killing 6 people.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence continued its sharp 2025 decline as Americans’ views about their financial futures slumped to a 12-year low, driven by rising anxiety over tariffs and inflation.
The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9, the fourth straight monthly decline and its lowest reading since January of 2021. The reading was short of analysts expectations for a reading of 94.5, according to a survey by FactSet.
The business group found that the measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market fell 9.6 points to 65.2.
That’s the lowest reading in 12 years and well below the threshold of 80, which the Conference Board says can signal a potential recession in the near future. The proportion of U.S. consumers anticipating a recession remains at a nine-month high, the board reported.
Tuesday in Whitewater will be sunny with a high of 46. Sunrise is 6:48 and sunset is 7:13, for 12 hours, 25 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 19.5 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
It’s a week from Election Day, and Ron Johnson’s correct in his recent observation on Brad Schimel’s campaign for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court:
“This is entirely winnable, and you know, if we do win it, again, we have to thank Elon for all the support he’s given this race, and I was really glad to see President Trump throw in his endorsement as well,” Johnson told the 10,000 people on the livestream…..
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A statement from Crawford’s campaign described the X event as “Elon Musk’s check-in with his $12 million investment.”
“Musk wants a lackey on the Supreme Court who will rule in his company’s favor on their lawsuit against the State of Wisconsin,” said Crawford campaign spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. “Wisconsinites don’t want this slimy and corrupt billionaire running our Supreme Court.”
Monday in Whitewater will be windy with a high of 45. Sunrise is 6:50 and sunset is 7:12, for 12 hours, 22 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 28.7 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
Whitewater’s Urban Forestry Commission meets at 5:30 PM and the Police and Fire Commission at 6 PM.
Farm and construction equipment manufacturers started the year with high hopes for the economy, bolstered by President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to cut taxes on domestic producers and slash government regulations.
But that optimism has given way to fears of a possible recession, sparked by Trump’s international trade war, said Kip Eideberg, senior vice president for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, a national trade group based in West Allis.
“If we are dragged or pushed into a recession as a result of the tit for tat tariffs, that’s a whole ’nother level of pain,” he said. “That’s the biggest fear right now.”
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China, Canada and the European Union plan to hit Wisconsin’s two largest industries, agriculture and manufacturing, with retaliatory tariffs. The moves come in response to Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum and his broader threats and use of tariffs.
Almost 10 percent of Wisconsin’s jobs — or nearly 300,000 — were in industries those countries are targeting. That’s the largest share of any state in the country, according to an analysis from The New York Times.
From the New York Times, here’s the portion of the story to which the WPR story refers:
Rural parts of the country are once again at risk from retaliation. Agriculture is a major U.S. export and farmers are politically important to Mr. Trump. And rural counties may have one major employer — like a poultry processing plant — that provides a big share of the county’s jobs, compared with urban or suburban areas that are more diversified.
The retaliatory tariffs target industries employing 9.5 percent of people in Wisconsin, 8.5 percent of people in Indiana and 8.4 percent of people in Iowa. The shares are also relatively high in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Kansas.
The shapes of these cells are puzzling. They have wavy edges and protrusions and fit together a bit like puzzle pieces. But what is it for? New research looking at the lymph capillary cells, found throughout human tissues, has determined how exactly these tiny vessels are able to let fluid and immune cells pass through between them while also being strong enough to resist rupturing under pressure. Their unusual shape seems to be key…
Sunday in Whitewater will see afternoon showers with a high of 47. Sunrise is 6:52 and sunset is 7:11, for 12 hours, 19 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 38.8 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1933, the Reichstag passes the Enabling Act of 1933, making Hitler dictator of Germany.
A political action committee associated with Elon Musk is offering Wisconsin voters $100 if they sign a petition “in opposition to activist judges” and another $100 if they refer another person who signs the petition. The petition requires people to provide a name, address, email and phone number — information that will help the group make further contact with voters.
The group, America PAC, has reported spending more than $7 million in support of Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel’s campaign for state Supreme Court. Musk himself has contributed more than $13 million to pro-Schimel efforts.
During the campaign, Schimel’s opponent, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, has accused Musk of trying to buy a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Musk’s company, Tesla, recently filed a lawsuit against the state seeking to change Wisconsin’s law about who can operate car dealerships within the state.
Schimel himself has portrayed himself as a “support network” for President Donald Trump if elected to the Court.
The payment is for a signature in exchange for contact information. The contact information is only useful if those contacted then vote Musk’s way. Those voting Musk’s way are only valuable to Musk if they would not have voted Musk’s way otherwise.
(There might be an opportunity here for people to sign Musk’s petition — whether they choose to ignore any follow-up contact or sign it although they already intend to vote his way — and get paid on Musk’s tab.)
Friday marks the first-ever World Glacier Day, an international observance established by the United Nations to raise awareness about the rapid retreat of glaciers worldwide. As experts warn of accelerating ice loss, visitors at Argentina’s Perito Moreno Glacier watch in awe as massive ice chunks break away and crash into Lake Argentino—a process both natural and symbolic of broader climate concerns. (AP Video/Sara España).
Saturday in Whitewater will be sunny with a high of 43. Sunrise is 6:54 and sunset is 7:09, for 12 hours, 16 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 48.9 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1993, the Intel Corporation ships the first Pentium chips (80586), featuring a 60 MHz clock speed, 100+ MIPS, and a 64 bit data path.
Domino’s, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut… how about Pizza Pacaya? Cue Beryl Shereshewsky. On Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano, Pizza Pacaya offers a unique cooking and dining experience. Chef Mario David García uses the heat from active lava vents to bake pizzas at over 1,800°F, creating a one-of-a-kind cooking method that only a few lucky tourists can experience.
Friday in Whitewater will be windy with a high of 54. Sunrise is 6:55 and sunset is 7:08, for 12 hours, 13 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 60.1 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leads 3,200 people on the start of the third phase of the successful civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
Last evening, that Pennsylvania school district, located outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania, issued a statement after accepting Caroline Pate-Hefty as their next superintendent.
Manheim Township School District Announces Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty as New Superintendent
Lancaster, PA – The Manheim Township School District (MTSD) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty as the district’s next Superintendent of Schools, effective July 1, 2025. The Board officially approved her appointment during its regular meeting on March 20, 2025. Dr. Pate-Hefty will lead MTSD under a five-year contract, ensuring continuity and stability as the district continues its commitment to academic excellence and student success.
The Board’s decision follows an extensive search and selection process that engaged staff, students, parents and guardians, and community members in identifying the qualities most essential in the district’s next leader.
Dr. Pate-Hefty brings a wealth of experience in educational leadership, having served as Superintendent of the Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) in Wisconsin for the past five years. During her tenure, she successfully expanded programming for English Language Learners and improved student achievement in reading and math, ensuring all students received the highest quality education.
Prior to her time at WUSD, Dr. Pate-Hefty served as Executive Director of Student Services in District #89 in Chicago, where she spearheaded legislation to reintegrate 125 students with disabilities into their home schools, ensuring the most inclusive setting. This initiative not only enhanced educational opportunities for students but also resulted in significant cost savings for the district. She was also part of the leadership team that established the Washington Dual Language Academy, which was later recognized as a “commendable school” by the state of Illinois.
Dr. Pate-Hefty holds a Doctor of Education degree from National Louis University of Chicago, a Master of Educational Leadership from Concordia University, and a Bachelor of Special Education degree from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. She will be relocating to Manheim Township with her husband and two daughters and looks forward to being closer to her oldest son, who will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall of 2025.
“I’m truly honored to accept the role of superintendent in Manheim Township,” said Dr. Pate-Hefty. “My family and I are excited to join this incredible community—and we can’t wait to become proud Blue Streaks! Together, we will build on the district’s strong tradition of excellence and remain committed to the achievement of each individual’s potential by providing the opportunities, support, and inspiration every learner deserves!”
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Pate-Hefty as the next Superintendent of Manheim Township School District,” said Ms. Sara Woodbury, President of the MTSD Board of School Directors. “Dr. Pate-Hefty is an experienced, data-driven, and strategic superintendent who leads with empathy. Her proven track record of serving all students and her commitment to excellence make her the right leader for our district. We are confident that under her guidance, MTSD will continue to thrive and will innovate in ways that challenge and nurture all of our students for success.”
The MTSD Board of School Directors expresses its gratitude to all those who participated in the search process and looks forward to welcoming Dr. Pate-Hefty into the Blue Streaks community.
A reminder to those who will remain in Whitewater, in self-stated public service to the community — Stewart Brand’s famous observation about information is still true:
On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it’s so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information [almost] wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other.
Cat owners are being asked share their pet’s quirky traits and even post researchers their fur in an effort to shed light on how cats’ health and behaviour are influenced by their genetics.
The scientists behind the project, Darwin’s Cats, are hoping to enroll 100,000 felines, from pedigrees to moggies, with the DNA of 5,000 cats expected to be sequenced in the next year.
The team say the goal is to produce the world’s largest feline genetic database.
“Unlike most existing databases, which tend to focus on specific breeds or veterinary applications, Darwin’s Cats is building a diverse, large-scale dataset that includes pet cats, strays and mixed breeds from all walks of life,” said Dr Elinor Karlsson, the chief scientist at the US nonprofit organisation Darwin’s Ark, director of the vertebrate genomics group at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and associate professor at the UMass Chan medical school.
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Participants from all parts of the world are asked to complete a number of free surveys about their pet’s physical traits, behaviour, environment, and health.
However, at present, DNA kits – for owners to submit fur samples – can be sent only to US residents, and a donation of $150 (£120) for one cat is requested to cover the cost of sequencing and help fund the research.
Karlsson added the team had developed a method to obtain high-quality DNA from loose fur without needing its roots – meaning samples can simply be collected by brushing.
Tuesday, March 25th at 1:00 PM, there will be a showing of A Different Man@ Seniors in the Park, in the Starin Community Building:
Drama/Thriller
Rated R (language, violence)
1 hour, 52 minutes (2024)
This unusual transformation of an “Elephant Man” into a handsome actor earned Sebastian Stan a Golden Globe award for Best Male Performance; it was also Oscar nominated for Best Makeup/Hair. It is an unusual, harrowing film.
Thursday in Whitewater will be windy with a high of 40. Sunrise is 6:57 and sunset is 7:07, for 12 hours, 10 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 68 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
Whitewater’s Community Development Authority meets at 5:30 PM.
On this day in 1815, after escaping from Elba, Napoleon enters Paris with a regular army of 140,000 and a volunteer force of around 200,000, beginning his “Hundred Days” rule.
The Republican-backed candidate in Wisconsin’s closely watched state Supreme Court race has resurfaced long debunked concerns about voting fraud because of the late reporting of ballots in Milwaukee just two weeks before the April 1 election.
Brad Schimel, a former Republican attorney general, spoke of the possibility of “bags of ballots” and fraud in Milwaukee during an interview Tuesday on conservative talk radio. Schimel faces Democratic-backed Susan Crawford in the April 1 election with majority control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court at stake.
Schimel, in an interview on WISN-AM, said his supporters need to “get our votes banked, make this too big to rig so we don’t have to worry that at 11:30 in Milwaukee, they’re going to find bags of ballots that they forgot to put into the machines.”
Schimel said that happened in 2018 and in November “when (U.S. Senate candidate) Eric Hovde was ahead all night, and then all of a sudden, Milwaukee County changed that.”
What’s the plain truth about how ballots are processed? It’s this:
Milwaukee’s absentee ballots are counted at a central location and reported all at once, often well after midnight on election day. Elections officials for years have made clear that those ballots are reported later than usual due to the sheer number that have to be counted and because state law does not allow them to be processed until polls open.
Lancaster Online reports that the Manheim Township School Board will vote on the appointment of Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty as its next superintendent on Thursday, 3.20.25.
See also Manheim Township School District, Agenda, Item 8 B, March 20, 2025.
The Manheim Township School District is a suburban district of about 5,000 students located outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (Lancaster is a city of about 60,000 residents, located 70 miles west of Philadelphia and about 50 miles southeast of the state capital, Harrisburg.)
Wednesday in Whitewater will be rainy with a high of 42. Sunrise is 6:59 and sunset is 7:06, for 12 hours, 7 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 75.9 percent of its visible disk illuminated.
Whitewater’s Parks and Recreation Board meets at 5:30 PM.
The editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinelwrites of Musk’s fraudulent mailers attacking Judge Susan Crawford:
If billionaire Elon Musk wants to dump millions on the Wisconsin state Supreme Court race, that’s his prerogative — we’ve come to expect that sort of thing from both sides in a battleground state where control of the court seems to be perpetually in the balance. But, in the interest of voters here, we ask one thing: Be honest about it.
And, above all, do not spread false and malicious information disguised as facts.
Reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Daniel Bice shows we’ve crossed into dangerous territory. A political group funded by Musk manufactured a disinformation campaign against Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge running for a seat on the court April 1.
The disinformation stems from ads, posted on Facebook and delivered in text messages, that are false on two fronts. First, Progress 2028 casts itself as a progressive alternative to the conservative Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. It’s not. Progress 2028 is a front for Building America’s Future, a Musk-funded political nonprofit.
Second, it purports to address things Crawford is supposedly committed to, which are actually hot button issues many voters oppose at the gut-level. This makes it doubly specious, because it cynically tries to create a cloak of authenticity when its real mission is to muddy the waters, then dip into the mud to throw it.
See Editorial Board, Elon Musk’s despicable disinformation tampers with WI Supreme Court election(‘A political group funded by Elon Musk manufactured a disinformation campaign against Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge running for a seat on the court April 1’), Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 19, 2025.
When Elon Musk call for free speech, he calls for his right to lie; when he calls for free speech absolutism, he calls for his right to lie with abandon.
