Community
The Remarkable Nettie McGee
Mid-August we lost Nettie McGee, one of the most dedicated and passionate activists in Wisconsin. Nettie's was a longtime OWR (Our Wisconsin Revolution) member and a dedicated volunteer that fought for environmental, social, and economic justice her entire life. When I first met Nettie she was at a rally fighting for increased wages for low wage workers at an event put on by the Poor People’s Campaign. She was someone who was willing to put herself on line to fight for the rights of others. It was that quality that made Nettie a special ...
Remembering Ted
Ted Sperduto passed away on December 3, 2021. Ted was one of the founders and leaders of NAOMI (Northcentral Congregations Organized to Make and Impact). Ted left us doing what he did best, responding to a friend in need, responding to a request for help. On Sunday, August 21, 2022, Ted's friends from NAOMI gathered on the east lawn of the First Presbyterian Church in Wausau where a tree has been planted in Ted's memory. There is also a bench where one can sit and reflect. It is there where friends gathered for an informal service and a chance to express their ...
Water Protectors
Water Protectors: The H.E.L.P. Campaign to Save the Penokees
You need to read this book.
The H.E.L.P. Campaign to save the Penokees is still powerful in showing what grassroots organizing can do and what community activism looks like.
Back in 2013 I arrived in Mellen with several others from the Wausau area. We were greeted by none other than the author of this book, Nick Vander Puy. Along with him were Penokee Pete and Paul DeMain, and several others. It was an educational day for me up there, one of many that would follow. That day in Mellen at the Penokee ...
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 ...
The Fine Art of Green Washing
I am writing to express my thoughts and concerns about the presentation by Green Light Metals on Tuesday, August 2, at the Environmental Resources Committee of Marathon County. I felt several Marathon County Board members asked some very good questions. Their questions, however, did not receive adequate answers.
Green Light Metals should not be trusted. Their board of directors is made up of the last mining company, Aquila. Just because they have a shack in Medford, does not make them a Wisconsin based company either. This is a Canadian company. When the mining ...
Foxy Guitar
Warren McKenney, custom guitar builder, pictured on left, presented his hand crafted guitar named "FOXY" to MaKena Johnson-Haroldson, on right, of Lake Villa, Illinois.
MaKena held the winning raffle ticket for the guitar at the 2nd Annual Water Celebration, July 23rd,
held by The Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River, Inc. on Stephenson Island in Marinette, Wisconsin.
MaKena, only 15 years old, plays guitar, piano, clarinet, ukulele, and has been accepted to the Chicago Academy for the Arts.
Warren McKenney also gifted MaKena with a hand-made case, ...
Residents Warn Against Proposed Marathon County Mine
A new Canadian corporation called Green Light Metals came into Marathon County seeking to create a massive open-pit gold mine 450 feet deep. Others have looked into this before but abandoned the terrible idea and moved on. Here we go again.
This new foreign corporation is only 2 years old, yet they are trying to persuade the Marathon County Board of Supervisors and the DNR that they have the exceptional skills to pull this off without polluting our precious ground water, to say nothing of the nearby Eau Claire River and further downstream Lake Wausau. The water ...
Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson
On the afternoon of July 20, 2022, a celebration of the legacy of Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson was held in the gardens of the Marathon County Historical Society.
After two years, the work has been completed. The Reading Room of the Wisconsin Historical Society has been dedicated to her with a portrait of her on display. A traveling exhibit is now on display as well after a month in Madison. In September it will move to UWM and City Hall in Milwaukee and then onto other cities throughout Wisconsin.
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley spoke and a scholarship in Justice ...
Opposition to Mining
The Ho-Chunk Nation opposes the request by Green Light Metals for an exploratory drilling permit, and any future efforts to engage in gold mining near the Dells of the Eau Claire River in Marathon County.
The staff of Middle Wisconsin expresses their thanks to the Ho Chunk Nation.