14 results for author: Joyce Chekouras
MARATHON COUNTY COMMITTEES’ MINING MEETING
I attended the joint meeting of Marathon County’s Environmental Resources and Metallic Mining Committees’ meeting at the Marathon County Courthouse, as a landowner and taxpayer in Marathon County. I was there to witness citizen’s concerns regarding the Canadian company, GreenLight Metals, Inc. and the mining company’s presentation who has applied for a permit for a metallic mining exploration at the Easton Reef Deposit.
It was shocking to witness the lack of respect and treatment of our fellow citizens as they spoke to the committee of their concerns. Only 2 minutes was each allowed and often interrupted by Jacob Langenhahn, chair of ...
WISCONSIN: PETRI DISH FOR THE NATION
For generations Wisconsin has been the home of my ancestors and relatives. They were among the
first to “pioneer” the state coming from Pennsylvania where generations before had befriended
Indigenous peoples and lived in harmony with them after fleeing autocracies in other countries. Their humble message has always passed down through generations: ALWAYS KEEP SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE . It is my earliest recollection of what I heard over and over at family reunions.
Other ancestors came from Norway. Those Wisconsinites always emphasized working for the COMMON GOOD of their communities. Colonel Heg was a distant cousin. He ...
True Patriots
My DNA tracks through generations of true PATRIOTS that have proven the test of time.
It is their “rally call” that is deeply felt within my being that I write about the current state
of our democratic government and the immediate need to save our democracy for all.
Since I was “knee high to a grasshopper” I recall my elders’ wisdom that was shared at family reunions, special achievement events and religious gatherings. Frequently saying to me that I should remember where I came from and why we were here. One of their reminders was, “Always
remember the importance of keeping a separation of church and state.” They would ...
Oaths Of Office & The Common Good
Ben Franklin once said, “The good we do together surpasses the good we can do alone.” The meaning of that statement has stayed with me throughout all my endeavors to work for the common good, especially throughout my teaching career. It should be internalized by all those who seek an office in our government, at every level, in our democracy.
So, it is astounding to me how many elected officials don’t know or care what their oaths of office to The People and the Constitution really mean. A conversation that I had with the Lt. Governor a few years ago offered a shocking realization. In her presentation to a large group of elders she ...
Move To Amend Approved By Wausau City Council
The Wausau City Council put the Move to Amend Petition on their agenda for the meeting on August 13, 2014. Many supporters came to witness the outcome. Milt Pachal spoke to the Council saying that they had over 600 more signatures than necessary and other communities in the area had asked them when they could also sign a petition.
Clearly there was united support as Council members spoke in favor of the initiative and thanked the Pachals and citizens for all their hard work. After discussing whether they should proceed with a resolution or a referendum they decided that citizens would be best served if this went on the November ballot in the ...
Move to Amend – Delivery of 2500+ Signatures
Monumental grassroots efforts, led by concerned citizens, Rita and Milt Pachal of Wausau, culminated in the one week early delivery of the Move To Amend petitions with more than 2500+ signatures - 500 more than necessary - on August 7, 2014. Rita and Milt are shown in the photos with several of the 50 volunteers who helped acquire signatures.
Evolving Crisis for Wisconsin Elderly and Disabled: Audit Committee Investigation
Through our democratic processes, we Wisconsinites provided oversight to protect our most vulnerable citizens when they needed to be protected the most. But, the current administration is removing that oversight, and we are seeing the consequences.
By outsourcing more and more services to private companies, the state is causing a plethora of problems, while select private companies make big profits.
For example, by outsourcing the transportation of low-income elderly, veterans, and disabled citizens to their Medicaid appointments, the state has literally left many of them out in the cold (see: Where's My Ride? Audit Committee Approves Full ...
PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND WISCONSIN HUNTING & FISHING
An excellent panel discussion on how climate change impacts Wisconsin fish and wildlife was held on April 1st. The free event was attended by 114 people who came to Ben Franklin Junior High in Stevens Point to listen and participate in the discussion.
Panelists included George Meyer, former Secretary of the WDNR and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin’s largest sporting organization; Dr. Mike Notaro, Associate Director of the Center for Climatic Research at the UW-Madison; Dr. Matt Mitro, a cold-water fisheries scientist with the WDNR; Dr. Ben Zuckerberg, a professor of wildlife ecology at the UW-Madison. Dr. ...