Shocking, and proof of infuriating, disgraceful political failure. Down 14.5%, far worse than the American average (itself an unwelcome decline). Of what use were so many grand, much-touted state and municipal projects? One Next Big Thing after another, and all of them doing nothing to prevent a double-digit decline in common people’s incomes. Every big-talking…
City
City, Innovation Center/Tech Park
The Innovation Center, Virtual and Real
by JOHN ADAMS •
Every exercise in puffery about the taxpayer-funded Innovation Center is an opportunity to demonstrate how wasteful the project really is. The gentlemen behind the project would do better to say nothing about it than to hype it yet again, but that they cannot do: insisting on the grandeur of that empty effort is who they…
City
Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters September 2011 Newsletter
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters’ September 2011 Newsletter is out, with articles and a calendar of upcoming LWV events. The latest copy of the LWV newsletter is available as a link on my blogroll, and is embedded below, with coding through Google. Upcoming events: Date: September 10th (Saturday) Event: Whitewater Area LWV Board Meeting…
Beautiful Whitewater, Charity, City
Thursday, August 25th: Relay for Life Fundraiser at Jessica’s Family Restaurant
by JOHN ADAMS •
Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., during Jessica’s Family Restaurant’s grand re-opening, there will be a fundraiser for Relay for Life. Five percent of all proceeds will be donated to Whitewater’s Relay for Life. Among the many offerings will be a prime rib dinner for only $9.95, and there will be both raffle prizes…
City, Police
During Whitewater’s Police Chief Search
by JOHN ADAMS •
We’re in the midst of a police chief search (candidate and August 26th forum information available online), but like the mid-point of many searches, there’s only a bit to say. Open Over Closed. An open process is better, in-and-of-itself, than a closed one. Open is the right course. Outcomes matter. No matter how fine the…
City, Government Spending
The Libertarian Party’s Right on Target on Municipal Debt
by JOHN ADAMS •
A portion of yesterday’s Monday message from the LP appears below, from that party’s executive director. I’ve included the portion that would stand out even if not posted by itself: the role of municipal governments in profligately issuing public debt (as bonds) for local projects. It’s true that increased indebtedness occurs under Republicans as much…
City, School District
Innovation in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s so much talk about innovation in Whitewater, but an example of it will be found in an old institution, not a new building. It’s not a center, but a school district, that holds innovative promise for our city. Here’s why: A Solid Record. Looking at the last two years, one sees quickly that the…
City, Crime, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Whitewater’s Concealed Carry Debate
by JOHN ADAMS •
Concealed carry legislation went to the governor, and he signed it, about a month ago. (For an overview of that legislation, see Mary Spicuzza’s Concealed carry bill heads to Walker for signature. A provision of the bill allows communities to place restrictions on the presence of otherwise lawfully-concealed weapons, beyond the restrictions (police stations, court…
City, Weird Tales
Why Can’t Whitewater Publicize Its Own Chupacabra, Lake Monster, Giant Ape, Etc.?
by JOHN ADAMS •
In Texas, a thirteen-year-old boy believes he’s shot a chupacabra, a legendary animal that supposedly sucks the blood from its prey. Looking at the video, the dead animal looks like nothing so much as an emaciated, partly hairless coyote. (It looks a coyote that because that’s what it surely is.) Yet, even this readily-identifiable creature’s…
City, Government Spending, Taxes/Taxation
The Cost and Camouflage of Grants
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s an item in the Whitewater city manager’s July 15th Weekly Report that shows how deceptive grants — supposedly free money — can be. First, the cost. Grants for bridges, etc., aren’t free — someone had to earn that grant money, money that found its way to one public or quasi-public organization or another. When…
City, Government Spending
If Wisconsin can do it, then so can Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Development, Government Spending
Meanwhile, at our business park…
by JOHN ADAMS •
I regularly read the Weekly Report of Whitewater’s city manager. I feel that I’m being helpful by doing so; if I stopped, average readership would likely fall by a third. In the July 8th edition, there’s mention of a new business, Simonswerk, that’s bringing a few jobs to our business park. A few are better…
City, Development
Whitewater’s Downtown
by JOHN ADAMS •
Walworthy County Today has a story online from Kevin Hoffman about downtown revitalization in small towns. Whitewater is part of that story. See, Communities work to revitalize downtown despite challenges. Challenges there have been. The Great Recession took a toll everywhere in America, and 2007-2009 are among the worst years in American economic history. And…
City, Police, School District
Whitewater’s Different Search Strategies
by JOHN ADAMS •
While Whitewater’s police department has embarked on a traditional search strategy with a consulting firm, Whitewater’s school district is willing first to consider internal candidates in a backyard-search strategy. Will the different methods produce results different in candidate quality? Thats hard to knoww, although a national search should yield a stronger field.