Good morning, Whitewater
It’s a new month, with much catching up to do. But first, a post for the beginning of the day.
In the City of Whitewater, the city manager’s weekly report lists the following entry for today at 10:30 a.m.: “10:30 A.M.-Whitewater Technology Park Board, City Municipal Center, Cravath Lakefront Room, 312 W. Whitewater Street.”
Now, I’m not Whitewater’s police chief, so I can candidly acknowledge when I don’t know something — I have no idea what the technology park board does. I didn’t even know we had one. I’m guessing, if one really exists, we probably don’t need it, either.
The Wisconsin Historical Society notes that on this date in 1873, “Progressive Governor John James Blaine [was] Born”:
On this date John James Blaine was born in the town of Wingville in Grant County. A politician, governor, and U.S. Senator, Blaine attended public schools in Montfort, and received a law degree from Northern Indiana University. He was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1897 and practiced briefly in Montfort before settling in Boscobel.
A Progressive Republican, he served as Boscobel’s mayor for four terms and was elected to the State Senate in 1909. It was there that he gained prominence by leading investigations into the campaign expenditures of Wisconsin Senator Isaac Stephenson, attempting to block Stephenson’s re-election. A zealous advocate of progressivism and the ideals embraced by Robert M. La Follette Sr., Blaine was one of the organizers and vice-president of the Wilson National Progressive Republican League. After running unsuccessfully for governor in 1914, Blaine was elected state attorney in 1918.
In 1921, he became governor and held this office for three consecutive terms. During his tenure Blaine promoted progressive labor legislation, fostered a campaign to eradicate bovine tuberculosis, and signed the nation’s first law giving equal rights to women. In 1926, he won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate where he served from 1927 to 1933, becoming one of the leaders in the effort to repeal prohibition. He died on April 16, 1934.
| Almanac | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monday, May 4, 2009 | Sunrise | Sunset |
| Official Time | 05:45 AM | 07:58 PM |
| Civil Twilight | 05:14 AM | 08:30 PM |
| Tomorrow | 05:44 AM | 07:59 PM |
| Tomorrow will be: | 2 minutes longer | |
| Amount of sunlight: | 14h 13m | |
| Amount of daylight: | 15h 16m | |
| Moon phase: | Waxing Gibbous | |