FREE WHITEWATER

Libertarians, Politics

Left and Right Worth Reading

by  • 

I’m a libertarian — neither Republican nor Democrat, conservative nor progressive.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t read from among advocates of left and right.  I am quite sure that I read more from those who are of either view than I do of libertarians.  It would be foolish to avoid so many clever people writing for, or against, one of the major parties.

(It goes without saying that many members of the two major parties are libertarian; David Boaz has written often that political polling shows significant support for libertarian ideas.  See, for example, “The Libertarian Vote in the Age of Obama.” )

Here are two sharp writers, on left and right, respectively, that I read regularly:

  • David Corn, at Politics Daily.  He’s the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones, and formerly of The Nation.
  • Jennifer Rubin, at Commentary’s Contentions Blog.

I’ve been reading both for a while, and ironically the two had a dust up over their views of Sarah Palin.  Actually, a dust up about what Jews think of Sarah Palin, and what that might — or might not — mean.  I have no understanding of what Jews might think of Palin, etc. as different or the same from what others in America might think, but no matter — I enjoyed the exchange just the same. There’s nothing remote or unapproachable about the exchange — anyone can appreciate it.

Rubin: Why Jews Hate Palin.

Corn: Jews and Sarah Palin: Who’s Got the Problem?

I enjoy reading both pundits.  Rubin, very surely, is a polemicist by nature (more than Corn), and there’s a relentless quality to her work that I find admirable even where we’d disagree.  Both Corn and Rubin are always worth reading, and easy to recommend.

City, Police, Press

Whitewater’s Police Chief and the Job in Mankato, MN

by  • 

Update, 6:21 PM: Fixed link for “What Happens in Vegas…” appearing below.  Link now leads correctly to that post.

Longtime readers of FREE WHITEWATER know that I have been a critic of Whitewater’s long-tenured (too long, really) police chief, Jim Coan. A search of this site offers ample analysis of Coan’s disappointing tenure in Whitewater, considering his emphasis on appearance over substance, almost every time.  Coan has the vocabulary of a modern manager (accountability, excellence, etc.), but no meaningful achievement to support that vocabulary.

I have contended consistently that Coan has ill-served the police officers of our small town, and that they, and we, have deserved better.  See, The Force We Need.  It’s a commonplace dodge for a weak leader to contend that criticism on him is somehow an attack on policing.  On the contrary, the biggest problem policing in this town has is Coan, himself, and a few weak-minded people who can’t tell the difference between a police force and its mediocre manager.

Coan’s a candidate for a job in Mankato, MN, as their public safety director.  He’s one of four candidates, and I have only briefly mentioned his prospects.  See, Department of Embarrassing Coincidence, Whitewater, Wisconsin Branch Office (“How all this [his candidacy] turns out I cannot say, although I can guess. It speaks clearly on its own about Chief Coan’s low level of commitment and interest in this community.”)

The Daily Union has reported on Coan’s candidacy, in a story entitled, “Whitewater chief finalist for Mankato job.”

Here’s how the DU addresses Coan’s previous job searches, while Whitewater’s police chief:

“My interest in the position is in no way a reflection of any dissatisfaction here whatsoever,” Coan said. “The job is an opportunity to move closer to family in the Minneapolis area.”

He noted that those who have relatives residing nearby can appreciate how important that is.

“Whitewater is a great community and I remain very proud of the quality of our department and the caliber of our personnel,” the Whitewater police chief said.

In June 2006, Coan accepted the chief of police position in the City of Hudson in northern Wisconsin. However, he returned in August before Whitewater officials had an opportunity to fill his former position.

Something’s missing, of course — accepting and then declining an earlier offer didn’t happen once, but twice.   Coan didn’t accept one job and then return; he had a similar experience before 2006’s fiasco of leaving and scurrying back from Hudson.

In 2001, Coan accepted, and then declined, a job in Apple Valley, Minnesota.  In the minutes of the Apple Valley, Minnesota City Council, from April 26, 2001, one finds remarks about that city’s attempt to hire a new chief:

POLICE CHIEF JOHNSON HIRING

MOTION: of Erickson, seconded by Grendahl, rescinding the action of March 22, 2001, to hire James R. Coan and approving hiring Scott A. Johnson as Chief of Police, as outlined in the City Administrator’s memo dated April 23rd, 2001. Ayes – 5 – Nays – 0.

Mr. Lawell introduced Scott Johnson who is recommended to be hired as the new Chief of Police. As described in his memo, dated April 23, 2001, James Coan has notified the City that he will not be accepting employment as previously approved. Mr. Johnson will be starting employment on May 7, 2001.

The minutes from that Minnesota council meeting are available online.

Either the Daily Union didn’t know, or didn’t bother to mention, Coan’s twice accepting, and then twice declining, a job offer elsewhere. The 2006 Hudson offer, acceptance, and quick return were unusual not merely on their own, but because Coan had accepted and declined before.

There’s much in the Daily Union story that’s more press release than real story, with a reference to Coan’s “ride-alongs with some of the nation’s largest police departments.”  Too funny — as though Coan learned something on travels to fancy, big cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas that he has in any way used constructively for the city.  Funny, in his accounts Coan makes no mention of a trip to Detroit or Cleveland.  They’re big cities, too, but they’re not also tourist spots.

For more on Coan’s amazing travels, see “What Happens in Vegas…“

I have no idea how the interviews will go, let alone if Coan will be hired in Mankato, Minnesota.

I do know this much, though, about Hudson, Wisconsin and Apple Valley, Minnesota: they jointly share the distinction of The Two Luckiest Cities on the Face of the Earth™.

Elkhorn, Press

Update: The Secret Warrants of Walworth County

by  • 

On December 28th, the Janesville Gazette published a story entitled, “Walworth County search warrants could disappear.”  I posted on that astonishing possibility, in  a post entitled, “The Secret Warrants of Walworth County.”  Here’s what the Gazette uncovered in its original story:

ELKHORN – In some Wisconsin counties, sealed court documents hold back details from search warrants for a limited time while investigations are ongoing.

In Walworth County, seals have no time limit, and some records could disappear from the public eye altogether.

Motions to seal search warrants in Walworth County ask that all documents and their existence be kept under wraps. The seal acts as a seal on itself, as if the search never happened, leading some warrants to be kept away from public scrutiny.

The procedure gives law enforcement the power to search homes virtually undetected. The paper trail disappears, and interested parties are unable to find out the basis for the execution of a search warrant or how it was conducted.

The story made clear how anomalous and aberrant was Walworth County’s practice – different from other counties, including nearby ones.

In my original post, I observed that

How very odd, though that “Locally, Koss said changing the language on applications for seals is a start that would come from Koss’ office …” and yet D.A. Koss declares that “It’s never come up before,” Koss said. “Now that we’re having this discussion, we’ll address it.”

Oh my – the Walworth County District Attorney’s office initiates these requests, but it takes a newspaper to bring the matter to the attention of the lawyers in that office? They didn’t otherwise think about the nature of their own requests?

Yes, it did take a newspaper.  If the Gazette had not published this story, the deeply un-American practice of keeping secret warrants, sealed forever, would have continued unchanged.    This was no faraway tale, but a wrongful practice here, among us, as residents and citizens.

There’s a good – a truly good – result of the Gazette‘s story: search warrants in Walworth County will not remain, as a general practice, permanently sealed.  In an update to its original story, the Gazette published, on February 5th, “DA: We have addressed sealed documents loophole.”  The Gazette reports that

District Attorney Phil Koss said he has changed the language his prosecutors will use when requesting search warrants be sealed. The new form sets a six-month expiration date for the seal.

The change comes after a Gazette investigation showed search warrants in Walworth County could be shielded forever from public scrutiny, allowing police to search homes virtually undetected.

One should note that this was always a practice that was within Koss’s ability to manage.  Koss commends the Gazette, and he rightly should.  It’s telling that he commends them for discovering a loophole, when they have done far more — they’ve revealed his own practice of drafting motions such that they would remain sealed.

It was an astonishingly bad, secretive practice, brought to light through the work of a real and solid newspaper.  I have contended consistently that among the best tonics for our distorted politics is a press that diligently reports on public officials’ actions.

Bloggers — modern-day pamphleteers — aren’t anywhere as important as a solid newspaper.  There’s simply no comparison.

It’s where — in places like Whitewater — that there isn’t a vigorous hometown newspaper that a community becomes thick with official distortions, omissions, grandiose claims, and  self-serving lies.  We have a hometown paper that doesn’t have a hometown office (Whitewater Register), a nearby paper that scampers after local officials to emulate the Register‘s slavish deference (Daily Union), and a local politician’s commercial website (Whitewater Banner) that might as well be an extended campaign ad for incumbency.

They are both cause and consequence of our mediocre politics.

I’m not a reporter, nor a journalist, and I aspire to neither line of work. It’s enough to be able to read, to see the difference between worthy reporting and sycophancy.    I’m truly appreciative of the former, and legitimately critical of the latter.

I’ve also no doubt — absolutely none — that the embarrassing flacking and spinning of which we are afflicted has no future.  It causes a great deal of truly regrettable damage, and we would be more prosperous if it disappeared overnight, but disappear it will, over time.  Until then, one enters the fray a happy warrior like New York’s Al Smith was, convinced and confirmed.

Politics

Wisconsin State Journal: Sheridan hasn’t answered questions about travel expenses

by  • 

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan faces increasing questions about his conduct while in office. The Janesville resident, representing a city with high unemployment, has been dating a lobbyist for an industry his caucus is seeking to regulate, has moved out of his assembly district, and has filed a vague travel expense report that’s inadequate under Wisconsin law.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports on the latest self-inflicted problem facing Wisconsin’s Assembly speaker, in a story entitled, “Sheridan hasn’t answered questions about travel expenses“:

Sheridan, 51, has repeatedly said his position on regulating the payday lending industry was not been influenced by the lobbyist, 31-year-old Shanna Wycoff. But he has not said whether she accompanied him on his recent travels.

Sheridan aide Rebekah Sweeney said the campaign did not pay for any of Wycoff’s expenses, but added that she didn’t know if Wycoff traveled to any of the same events as Sheridan.

Sweeney said Sheridan is working to amend his recent campaign finance report filed, which currently includes only vague details about travel, such as airfare and travel to “Georgia Conference.”

State public officials are forbidden from soliciting “anything of value” either from lobbyist or organizations that employ them, according to the Government Accountability Board. That could include any money or property, favor, service, payment, advance or loan.

If Sheridan had lived and traveled simply, it shouldn’t be hard to account for his expenses.  It’s not hard or complicated for a person of average ability to place a stack of receipts for airfare, hotel, meals, and cab fare on a desk, sort them chronologically, and have one’s expenses ready for account.  It’s only hard for people who are incapable of an average ability to collect & organize receipts, or people who are embarrassed about expenses they’ve incurred.

The great shame of this is that Sheridan’s conduct interferes and distracts from the public work of our state, and representation of his constituents.

Previously —

Note: I’ve been asked if I were serious, when wrote in Update: Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Sheridan’s Shameful and Laughable Self-Absolution, that if Sheridan needed money to live in his district, he’d know where to borrow it.

No — absolutely not! — I was teasing about Sheridan’s association with a lobbyist for the payday loan industry.  Sheridan should have stayed as far away as possible from this lobbyist, from an industry his caucus sought to regulate.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for Whitewater, Wisconsin: 12-9-10

by  • 

It’s a snowy day in Whitewater, with a predicted snowfall of three to seven inches during the day today, another one to three this evening, and a high temperature in the mid twenties.

It’s fitting that on a day with interesting weather, there’s a Wisconsin anniversary about the weather. The Wisconsin Historical Society reports that on this day in 1870

1870 – National Weather Service Authorized

On this date President Ulysses S. Grant signed a joint resolution authorizing a National Weather Service, which had long been a dream of Milwaukee scientist Increase Lapham.

Lapham, 19th-century Wisconsin’s premier natural scientist, proposed a national weather service after he mapped data contributed over telegraph lines in the UpperMidwest and realized that weather might be predicted in advance. He was concerned about avoiding potential disasters to Great Lakes shipping and Wisconsin farming, and his proposal was approved by Congress and authorized on this date. [Source: History Just Ahead: A Guide to Wisconsin’s Historical Markers, edited by Sarah Davis McBride]

More on the story is available at Feb. 9, 1870: Feds Get on Top of the Weather.

Today is also a memorable day in American aviation history — on this day in 1969, Boeing successfully tested a 747 jumbo jet:

As commercial air travel boomed in the 1960s, the need for a plane capable of handling more passengers than Boeing’s reliable old warhorse, the 707, became obvious. But the technology of jet-engine design was changing rapidly, too, and the feeling was that any new aircraft built using existing subsonic engines would soon be made obsolete by planes capable of supersonic flight.

So the 747 was designed to be easily convertible to hauling cargo, which Boeing believed would ensure its long-term sustainability….

In the end, commercial supersonic flight proved a bust, for various financial, environmental and technical reasons. The 747, meanwhile, expected to be obsolete after 400 were built, surpassed 1,000 aircraft in 1993 and, with several series modifications, remains in production to this day.


Boeing 747-400 Series

Uncategorized

Update: Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Sheridan’s Shameful and Laughable Self-Absolution

by  • 

Recently, I posted on Assembly Speaker Sheridan’s contention that dating a lobbyist for the payday loan industry, while his caucus was drafting legislation to regulate that industry, wasn’t a conflict of interest. We knew that because Sheridan declared it wasn’t, and reassured us that he had “no problem” saying so.

See, Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Sheridan’s Shameful and Laughable Self-Absolution.

I’m sure that it wasn’t a problem for him — many a smooth talking public official will absolve himself of all sorts of conflicts,
questions, and legitimate lines of inquiry simply by saying they’re not conflicts, not questions, and not legitimate inquiries.

I’m neither a Republican nor a Democrat, but I have a genuine sympathy for committed Democrats who are saddled with an embarrassment like Sheridan. Janesville, of all places, struggling with high unemployment and plant closures, deserves better than Sheridan.

There’s more to this story — Sheridan’s not even living in his district.

The Janesville Gazette reports that

Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan is not living in the district he represents but plans to return as soon as possible, a spokeswoman said Friday. The change in addresses is the result of a pending divorce between Sheridan and his wife, spokeswoman Rebekah Sweeney said.

“He is absent with the intent to return as soon as possible,” she said.

State law requires a lawmaker to live in the Assembly district he or she represents. A government accountability board spokesperson said the law permits a temporary absence as long as the lawmaker intends to move back into the district.

Sheridan and his wife had been living on Nantucket Drive on the city’s far east side. In the divorce proceeding, the couple have stipulated that the wife will live on Nantucket and Sheridan will live at 4244 Ruger Ave., a home the couple owns that is not in Sheridan’s 44th Assembly District.

Sheridan’s official Assembly Web page lists his address as 828 Sentinel Dr., which is part of the district.

Sweeney said that when Sheridan and his wife separated, he temporarily stayed with a friend at the Sentinel Drive home. He has since moved into the home on Ruger, she said, adding that the state’s Web site has not been updated.

See, Sheridan not living in his Assembly district.

I wouldn’t care why Sheridan’s not in the district, absent a natural disaster that befell everyone there — he should be living there. Even if he needed a loan against his paycheck — something he might have easy access to arranging — he could live in the district. There are residents of Janesville and Wisconsin who are truly struggling to make ends meet.

Sheridan’s not one of those people.

If an obvious conflict over association with a lobbyist, and lack of residency in his district weren’t enough, Sheridan transgresses yet a third time, as the Gazette story reports, citing the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Friday that Sheridan intends to file an amended campaign finance report to include more detail about travel reimbursements.

The newspaper reported that Sheridan spent more than $5,000 on campaign travel over the final six months of 2009 but did not disclose whom the payments went to, as required by law.

Legislators and other candidates for office are required to report what hotels and airlines received payments, said Reid Magney, spokesman for the Government Accountability Board, which oversees the state’s election laws.

Sheridan used his campaign account to reimburse himself 20 times in the second half of last year, for a total of $7,963.

One entry for $1,800 gave this description: “airfare/travel to Georgia conference; computer printer; campaign meetings.” Another entry for $1,184 said it was for “computer and hotel.” Eleven other entries were marked “travel” but included no other information.

In all, travel expenses that included minimal information came to $5,608. Another $1,017 in reimbursements to Sheridan went toward mileage; $1,015 went toward food for a fundraiser; $282 went toward administrative expenses; and $41 went toward meals and meeting expenses, the Journal Sentinel reported.

See, Sheridan campaign finance report lacks information.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for Whitewater, Wisconsin: 2-8-10

by  • 

Good morning,

The forecast for Whitewater today calls for a high temperature of thirty degrees, with a chance of snow this evening, of two to four inches accumulation.

In Whitewater today, there will be a Planning Board meeting at 6 PM. The agenda is available online.  Later, at 6:30 PM, there will be a meeting of the Library Board.  That agenda is also posted online.

There’s a monthly public listening session scheduled tonight with the  public school district administrator, at the district’s Central Office.  The English language session runs from 5 to 5:45 PM, and the Spanish language session from 5:45 to 6:30 PM.

In Wisconsin history on this date, the Wisconsin Historical Society recalls a confrontation in Congress, in 1858:

1858 – Wisconsin Congressman Starts Fight in Legislature

Just before the Civil War, the issue of slavery tore apart the U.S. Congress. On February 8, 1858, Wisconsin Rep. John Potter (considered a backwoods hooligan by Southern aristocrats) leaped into a fight on the House floor. When Potter embarrassed a pro-slavery brawler by pulling off his wig, the gallery shouted that he’d taken a Southern scalp. Potter emerged from the melee covered in blood and marked by slave owners as an enemy. Two years later, on April 5, 1860, he accused Virginia Rep. Roger Pryor of falsifying the Congressional record. Pryor, feeling his character impugned, challenged Potter to a duel. According to Southern custom, a person challenged had the right to choose weapons. Potter replied that he would only fight with “Bowie knives in a closed room,” and his Southern challenger beat a hasty retreat. Republican supporters around the nation sent Potter Bowie knives as a tribute, including this six-foot-long one. [Source: Badger Saints and Sinners by Fred L. Holmes]

Last night saw an exciting Super Bowl, more so than the final score suggests, but commercials that I think were only average.  Of those commericials, I’d say a few stood out for me —

Monster.com Beaver Violinist

 

Doritos Dog’s Revenge Ad

 

Bridgestone Bachelor Party Ad

 
more >>

Uncategorized

Cat Herding

by  • 

There have been many fine Super Bowl games, and quite a few fine Super Bowl commercials, too. Commercial advertising’s an art form, and tomorrow, Americans will recall both the game and its commercials. I’m not sure if I have an all-time favorite ad, but this one would be near the top of any list I’d make. Enjoy.

Link: Cat Herders more >>

Twitter

Recent Tweets, 1-31 to 2-6

by  • 


FREE WHITEWATER on Twitter

Press Release

Press Release: Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Awards

by  • 

There’s much charm in living in a small rural town, in a dairy state. One would wish, I am sure, that every post could be about topics as happy, sincere, and admirable as this one, of a press release from the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association. Congratulations, and best wishes to all.

WPVGA Presents Annual Industry Awards

In addition to its annual Hall of Fame induction, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association presented several other annual industry awards at a banquet held February 3, 2010 in Stevens Point.

Brenda Bula of Bula Potato Farms, Antigo, was named the WPVGA Volunteer of the Year.

Brenda has served for many years on the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors, including serving as President. She has also served as the coordinator of the Auxiliary’s largest annual project, the Wisconsin Potatoes booth at the State Fair. She also works tirelessly on the farm with her husband Dennis at Bula Potato Farms of Antigo, which raises certified seed potatoes.

The WPVGA Young Grower of the Year Award was presented to Jon Hamerski of Hamerski Farms, Plover. Jon works with his father, Don, and cousin, Dale O’Brien at Hamerski Farms, Plover. The farm raises 1,000 acres of potatoes for the fresh market along with 1,300 acres of sweet corn, snap beans and field corn. Jon readily embraces change, and is constantly looking to improve his farming operation with the latest, state-of-the-art technology and equipment. In 2008, Hamerski Farms was the first farm in the Midwest to use the Fuji Ace robotic palletizer. His packing shed also utilizes a Lectro-Tek automatic sizer and an x-ray machine for hollow heart detection, and this past fall they became the first potato farm in the US to use an electronic grader for russet potatoes. Also in 2009, the farm added the country’s first ozone generator with water injection system.

The WPVGA Researcher of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Russell Groves of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Groves works in the Department of Entomology. His area of expertise is insect management. He has conducted outstanding potato research in areas such as Long Term Storability of Potato Virus Y infected tubers; and the differential impact of PVY-O and the new PVY-N: O strain. He recently gave a presentation at the 2010 Potato Expo on Controlling PVY levels in seed potatoes; and PVY N-T-N eradication. He also reported on his research on Managing Aphid-Transmitted Viruses.

The WPVGA Associate Division presented the Associate Division Business Person of the Year Award to Tom Domaszek of M&I Bank, Stevens Point. Tom is a long-time member of the Associate Division and served a five-year term on the Associate Division Board of Directors. He held the position of Secretary on the Associate Division Board for several years and was highly regarded for his accurate note-taking. He was instrumental in helping the WPVGA obtain a loan for the Storage Research Facility as well as getting M&I Bank to make a very generous donation toward the facility.

The Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary named Sara Stelter of Stelter Farms, Wautoma, the Potato Industry Woman of the Year. Ten years ago after her husband died, Sara decided to keep farming and convinced his brother that, together, they could continue. Her children were 10 and 11 years old at the time. The farm consists of about 800 crop acres raising potatoes, sweet corn, beans, peas, #2 yellow and soybeans, as well as beef. Now the farm is changing again as Sara’s brother-in-law and his wife recently passed away. Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Past-President Lynn Isherwood said, “Sara is a prime example of a farm woman … she is the farm. She is determined to keep going, as she says ‘You do what you have to do.’”

The Agri-Communicator Award, sponsored by Agri-View newspaper, was presented to Mike Finnessy of Okray Family Farms, Plover. Finnessy has been involved in virtually every aspect of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association. He served on the WPVGA Board of Directors. He serves on the Marketing Committee. He serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee and is the leading fundraiser of that group year in and year out. He also serves the industry on a national level as one of Wisconsin’s delegates on the National Potato Council. He serves on the NPC Legislative Affairs Committee as well as the Disease Management and Seed Certification Sub-committee. He also has served on the NPC’s Time-Zone Research – Review Committee. He is politically active locally in Plover and is an international ambassador for the potato industry, recently attending the World Potato Congress in New Zealand.

2009 WPVGA President Kevin Sigourney of Kevin Sigourney Farms, Coloma, did not present an individual President’s Award. He said there were many individuals deserving of recognition. He gave special thanks to his father, his wife, Jackie, the WPVGA staff and many of the growers in his area who have helped him throughout his career in the potato industry.

Special Industry Appreciation Awards were presented to Chuck Kostichka of Hazelhurst and Heartland Farms, Inc. of Hancock. Kostichka recently retired after three decades of administering University of Wisconsin agricultural research facilities and programs. The former Superintendent of the UW-Hancock Agricultural Research Station, Chuck made exceptional contributions to supervising and managing staff, developing short- and long-term management plans, enhancing communications and outreach activities, and managing station finances.

In 2009, Heartland Farms was instrumental in helping with an off-gassing study of metam sodium which could have far-reaching implications for the potato industry throughout the United States. Heartland Farms was also cited for its contributions to the Storage Research Facility at Hancock. Accepting the award on behalf of Heartland Farms were Dave Knights, Jeremie Pavelski, T.J. Kennedy, Brian Wysocki and Charlie Higgins. Heartland Farms, Inc. President Richard Pavelski was also recognized.