Dr. Roy Nosek, dentist-politician, is challenging incumbent Marilyn Kienbaum for her at-large seat on our Common Council. It’s not Ali-Fraser, but more Iran-Iraq, in my estimation, and an interesting contest. I’ve remarked before that “Whitewater just wouldn’t have its own unique students-within-a-tiny-cramped-corridor line and my-nostalgic-salt-of-the-earth-any-other-ideas-be-damned feel without such community treasures. ” Over the…
City
City
Pop Quiz of the Week
by JOHN ADAMS •
I had some fun with a pop quiz for early January, and here’s another. What is the single biggest issue – problem, challenge, concern – facing Whitewater in 2009? I will open two categories for entries: dead-serious concerns, and silly ones. Entries will be accepted through Friday, January 30th at 5:59 a.m. As always, this…
City, Planning
Planning Commission Meeting for January 19th, 2009
by JOHN ADAMS •
The first City of Whitewater Planning Commission meeting of the year took place last night, 1/19/09. I did not catch the beginning of the meeting, offering an agenda of ten items, including roll call, future items, and adjournment. The meeting was a brief one, with uncontroversial items considered quickly, and Gregory Torres presiding for…
City, Planning, Press
On a Study of Public Transportation for Our Area
by JOHN ADAMS •
I was rightly chided for not offering commentary on a press release that I posted from Rep. Kim Hixson’s office, in a post from early January. (See, Rep. Hixson Helps Secure Transportation Funding for District, https://freewhitewater.com/?p=2515 .) The full release is posted there, but the essence is a study of commuter bus service in…
City
Results: Pop Quiz – Local Electoral Contest
by JOHN ADAMS •
Thanks, very much, Whitewater, for your entries in this Pop Quiz of the Week. It’s a first-time feature, and I’m happily surprised — very much so — at the number of entries I’ve received. I’ll offer the question, then the results, along with a few remarks on some of the more unusual guesses. What possible…
City
League of Women Voters’ January Newsletter
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters’ has published its January 2009 Newsletter, with a schedule of upcoming LWV events. A copy of the newsletter is available as a pdf link in this post, and as a link on my blogroll. Here are upcoming events: On February 15th, 2009 there will be an 18th Annual Susan B.…
City
Predictions for 2009
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s my local, amateur version, in honor of former columnist William Safire’s long-standing tradition, of offering annual predictions. The list for 2009: 1. In 2009, the University will win the following number of national sports championships: A. None B. One C. Two D. More than two 2. The land adjacent to Whitewater’s award-winning roundabout will…
City
Review — Municipal Exaggeration: Dream Towns
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s a post originally published in August 2008. Whitewater’s still not a dream town — the study about these supposed towns is not about Whitewater, for goodness’ sake. The real story, in the original post, below: UPDATE: A clever reader writes with insight into the data — Regarding your post about the ridiculous nature of…
City, Uncategorized
Review: Predictions for 2008
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here is my early January 2008 post with predictions for the year. How did I do? Results below the post…. Former New York Times columnist William Safire used to write an annual predictions column, with multiple choice answers to questions, each new year. Here’s my local, amateur version in honor of Safire’s efforts. My predictions…
City, Free Markets, Inbox Reader Mail
Inbox: Reader Mail from the Phantom Stranger
by JOHN ADAMS •
I received a message recently from the Phantom Stranger, whose storied career hardly need be recounted on these pages. He has been in Whitewater for a while, and dropped me a line. It’s my pleasure to hear from him. Here’s what he had to say, with my remarks thereafter in blue. Nice to see Walgreen’s…
City
Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center Announcement
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning – I received the following press release announcing promising opportunities for our Aquatic Center – with the local board of directors reassuming control on January 1st, 2009. Whitewater has every reason to be proud of the Center, and support its ongoing role in our community. Here is the full release: November 21, 2008…
City, Police
The Meyer Lawsuit: Pending Questions
by JOHN ADAMS •
Well, we in Whitewater, Wisconsin are not given to introspection. We lead by cheerleading. That’s not my view; I am happy in dissent from, and against, cheerleading. I would be ashamed to be so callow. The federal constitutional lawsuit against former investigator Meyer and the Whitewater Police Department is now settled. The world did not…
City, Police
The Meyer Lawsuit: Our Silent Press
by JOHN ADAMS •
Well, if settlement in this case represented anything good for the city, would it not have been writ large on the front page of the Whitewater Register? Settlement was a disgrace for the city, as I once wrote when it seemed possible: Larry Meyer’s career has been bad for the city, and all the king’s…
City, Police
The Meyer Lawsuit: The Intervening Event.
by JOHN ADAMS •
The constitutional lawsuit against Larry Meyer and the police department he served in our small town was filed in May 2005. It was settled, and the case closed, in September 2008. One might imagine that, during the pendency of the suit, investigator Meyer (now retired from the force), might have had a different profile. Not…