54 results for author: Jennifer J. Dolan
New regulations carry the promise of under-enforcement
This lack of enforcement is nothing new. The big difference in the circumstance of the mask mandate is that the decision not to enforce was politically motivated.
Go vegan for Earth Week
My alma mater, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, has long celebrated not just Earth Day, but Earth Week on its campus. I too celebrate Earth Week, and honestly attempt to do right by the planet everyday. While we need far more than the actions of individuals to tackle problems such as climate change, some individual actions really do make a difference. One of the most impactful is to adopt a plant-based diet.
Discrimination isn’t always a bad thing
When you hear the word discrimination, what comes to mind? Likely you equate the term with prejudice. But one doesn’t need to prejudge or generalize in order to discriminate.
The road to poverty is paved with good intentions
As a proposed increase to the minimum wage became part of the COVID Relief bill, then later scrapped, my subconscious pointed out a flaw in my thinking. I had a vivid dream where I was talking to numerous business owners who are a part of our vibrant local food scene. Many of these restaurateurs, farmers, and value-added food producers make $50,000 per year or less while paying the current minimum wage, or slightly more. Paying workers based on a wage ratio limit would not necessarily guarantee a living wage, so in the dream they were asking me what they should pay. What would be a competitive pay rate?
Abundant resources exist for those with multiple sclerosis
March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month. As someone with MS, I make a point of writing something pertaining to this chronic and disabling condition each March. This year, my goal is to help those with MS, and their loved ones, become aware of the many groups that offer assistance and support.
Grief, worry, hope, and kindness
At the end of January, Will and I suffered the loss of a beloved pet. After talking with friends, we found out that three of them also recently had pets reach the end of their lives. Some lost people in their family as well. Some, like me, are worried about family who are sick.
Joint Finance Committee designates funds to in-person schools
Republican members of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) announced that they will use $68.6 million (10%) of federal funds designated for K-12 schools to reward schools offering in-person instruction. This money will be awarded to school districts based on the number of hours of in-person instruction provided during the 2020-2021 school year. This does not affect the $617.5 million of federal funding earmarked for schools based on the Title I formula.
Retiring the Corporate America flag
Throughout the past few years, so much of what I believed has been turned onto its head. Most notably, my view that corporate influence on government is the greatest threat to democracy.
Some thoughts on the role journalism plays in society
Unity is more than just a good idea; it is vital. That isn’t to say that we must unite to create false equivalencies and accept fiction as though it were fact. We must restore faith in an objective truth, one of the tenets of good journalism.
Happiness, simplicity, and other worthy pursuits
The other morning, while watching snow gently falling, outlining the lampposts and trees, I felt peace. More than that, I felt happy. Soon after, I found myself asking, “why can’t others find happiness in these simple things?” Of course other people do, but maybe not enough.
Will, my significant other, has said to me, “sometimes I feel like asking people, ‘have you ever turned around to watch the sunrise?’”
It is a question that should be asked of people who resort to violence. Surely there must be some deep unhappiness that leads people to act as they had during the January 6th Capitol riots. We know that the rioters were believ...