Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run; companion injured

One of two bicyclists hurt in a hit-and-run accident Wednesday night in Raymond died at 1:30 a.m. this morning.

According to an e-mail we received from a friend of the cyclists: "Nancy Sellars died early this morning. She and her friend Tom Chopp were hit by a car when biking Wednesday evening. The driver left the scene; police are investigating. Nancy suffered traumatic injuries... Tom Chopp has several significant injuries including a broken pelvis.

"...As many of you may remember, Nancy just completed Race Across America with a team of Wisconsin cyclists. She was also involved with the Lakefront Marathon, having been in-charge of merchandise for the past couple of years. Nancy had run several ultras, including Ice Age."

The Journal Times' story of the accident -- which went to press earlier in the evening -- is HERE.

Vos makes it official

State Rep. Robin Vos is having so much fun in Madison, he'd like to go back this fall. The Caledonia rep put the cherry on the sundae of the news that he's seek re-election with a press release Wednesday.

Before we get to the release, we'll note that Vos is having a remarkable impact on the Assembly. Though relatively young and inexperienced, he's already one of the top Republican politicians in the state. If Paul Ryan ever leaves the First Congressional District, I'd be surprised if Vos didn't make a run for Washington.

He'll have a fight on his hands this fall. Dem challenger Linda Flashinski has name recognition, and I'm sure the state party would love to take out Vos. Vos will have some opposition from pro-KRM voters, but should run very strong west of Highway 32. The district leans Republican, and Vos is probably safe. The only wild card: business interests pushing for commuter rail dump a ton of money into the race.

Alright, enough armchair politicking ... here's Vos' announcement:

REP. VOS EARNS RIGHT TO BE PLACED ON FALL BALLOT

Nomination paper circulators collect 1,506 signatures

Racine - Robin Vos (R-Caledonia) announced today – one day after the state filing deadline for all candidates running in November's election – that 1,506 signatures have been gathered in support of his re-election effort to the Wisconsin State Assembly. This is over seven times the amount needed to be placed on the ballot and officials at the Government Accountability Board believe that this is the most signatures collected by any candidate for the Assembly this election cycle.

"I am extremely pleased with the overwhelming support I have received from every part of the district," said Vos. "This outpouring of support for my campaign indicates that Racine County residents are in favor of our message of lower taxes, improving the economy, better schools, and stronger families."

In April, Vos launched his door-to-door campaign to ask his constituents what the most important issues are to them. So far, almost 5,000 homes have been visited, and Vos hopes to knock on every door in the district at least once before the November election.

"Door after door, I hear the same thing," explained Vos. "Families are extremely concerned about the current state of our economy and want us to work on fixing it by lowering taxes, making health care more affordable, and reducing government waste."

Vos said he is not only thankful for the support of those that signed his nomination papers, but also to those that circulated them. Ninety six supporters of Vos personally circulated his nomination papers, collecting signatures from every part of the district, to assist in his reelection effort. Additionally, Robin has the endorsement of almost every town and village official in the 63rd Assembly District.

"One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is talking with the residents of my district," said Vos. "I look forward to having more important conversations as the summer goes on, and also, I look forward to continuing to take these concerns back to Madison to fight for solutions to make Racine County an even better place to live, work, and retire."

Vos officially turned in 400 signatures to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) – the maximum allowed by law.

Vos will be opposed by Linda Flashinski, who also earned the right to be placed on the ballot, after submitting 219 signatures – collected only in Caledonia and Mount Pleasant.

The election will be held on November 4.

Library at 21st Century Prep renamed to honor Jack Keating

After 51 years as an educator, Jack Keating finally has a library named after him.

Not at UW-Parkside, where he retires as chancellor in a month, but rather at the 21st Century Preparatory School in Racine, a charter school he helped create and nurture.

Greg Anderegg, president of 21st Century Prep's board, said the school has had "no better friend" than Keating, "who urged us to achieve greatness, opened up the doors of Parkside to us and has been our champion."

Keating's involvement with the school began seven years ago, as the state legislature was debating whether a charter school could come to Racine. When the dust settled, Parkside was "allowed" to create one. Anderegg recalled that UW-Parkside wasn't seeking this permission, "it was thrust upon them by the legislature" after a grass-roots charter school movement arose in the community.

Other colleges have been given similar permission to create charter schools and have done nothing. But within months, Keating "put out a call to the community," Anderegg said, "and a few months later he went before the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents to get 21st Century approved," to serve as "a catalyst" for better schools here.

Dedication of 21st Century Prep School's library in Keating's name is an effort to thank him "for his belief in us, for his unwavering support" since then. Anderegg told Keating, "you will forever be our hero."

The ceremony this morning in the school's library, attended by a group of kindergartners and third graders on-their-best-behavior, as well as by school administrators and board members, included the unveiling of a portrait of Keating and a plaque in his honor.

The kids were told by Dr. Robert Morelan, school superintendent, that they were attending "something very special." Dr. Kelly McFatter, assistant dean at Parkside, who works closely with the school's teachers, taught them a word "for special occasions" from her Louisiana heritage: lagniappe, which she taught them to pronounce lawn yup, and said means "something extra."

Dr. Keating, she told the kids, wanted to leave something extra in Racine when he helped start the school. "Now we want to do something extra for him."

Dr. Carole Johnson, vice president of the 21st Century Prep board, recalled that even before the charter school came about, Keating had talked about bringing Parkside closer to Kenosha and Racine. "Only later we talked about how Racine needed a very special school with a strong relationship to Parkside, teaching students how to be teachers, giving back to the community." She told Keating, "I don't know how we can thank you enough."

Dr. Keating told the kids that when Rod Paige, President Bush's first Secretary of Education, visited 21st Century Prep a few years ago, he said it was "the best charter school in the country." Keating also recalled that when the school was first discussed, he wanted to locate it on the Parkside campus, and offered land for that purpose -- but Sam Johnson, whose SC Johnson Foundation put up $10 million to start the school, said it had to be in the city.

Keating said he was proud to have the library named after him, because "libraries are the center of all learning."

The plaque reads: "This library is dedicated to Chancellor John P. Keating for his outstanding support and commitment to 21st Century Preparatory School. Dr. Keating was instrumental in the creation of this school and his untiring efforts have been sincerely appreciated by the students, staff, administration and board of directors. In appreciation of his service to education and devotion to this school, we dedicate this library in his honor on July 9, 2008."

Kenosha AFL-CIO splits with United Way

Update: The fight here is over a staff position with the United Way. The organization missed its fundraising total and eliminated its labor liaison. The Labor Council didn't like that move and asked its member to withdraw funding from the United Way. Nobody had reliable numbers, but one person estimated labor accounts for 30-40 percent of the United Way's annual donations.

The liaison works with unions to encourage donations to the United Way. The Labor Councils still wants its members to make donations, just not to the United Way.

Original post:

The Kenosha County United Way and the Kenosha AFL-CIO Central Labor Council have split company, according to a letter to union members released today. The announcement marks the end of a four decade relationship between the two organizations.

The letter, written by Central Labor Council President Ronald Frederick, blamed the split on United Way.

"We did not walk away from the forty-plus year relationship with the United Way of Kenosha County," he wrote.

Specifics of the split were not included in the letter, and the reasons behind the separation were not readily available.

From what we can tell, this has no impact on the United Way of Racine County and its labor supporters.

The $865,193 check is in the mail, for bridges

Gov. Jim Doyle handed out almost $2.3 million yesterday to five cities to help cover the cost of maintaining and operating 10 lift bridges on Wisconsin's highways -- and the lion's share of the funds went to Racine.

Soon we'll find in the mail a check for $865,193 for the Main and State Street bridges.

Other cities that received lift bridge aid are:

Green Bay, $550,615.72, for one bridge
Manitowoc, $210,811.16, for two
Milwaukee, $667,653.40, for four
Two Rivers, $126.72, for one

The Governor's "Grow Wisconsin" plan calls for strategic investments in the transportation network to spur economic development.

The Lift Bridge Aids program reimburses cities for costs associated with maintaining and operating lift bridges on highways that provide connections to the state trunk highway system. The program is administered through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and funded through the Transportation Fund from state-collected highway user fees, motor fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees.

It's down to the wire... filing period ends today

Update 2: The Janesville Post-Gazette interviewed Thomas, who told the paper: "I just decided not to run this year. There are some good people running this year. I probably will run again. I hope to.” Full story

Update, 6:30 p.m.: Jeff Thomas is nowhere to be seen!

The state Elections Board database was updated at 5:26 p.m., and it appears there was no candidacy filing by Dr. Jeff Thomas of Janesville, the Democrats' last four Congressional elections' sacrificial lamb to Republican Paul Ryan. Only the candidates mentioned below in our original post are listed as having met the requirements for a place on the ballot. Marge Krupp filed 1,525 signatures, and Joseph Kexel filed 1, 277. The other Congressional candidates' totals are below in our original post.

If it turns out to be final that Thomas is not running, his departure will be a relief to many Democrats unhappy with his non-campaign campaigns over the past eight years. Party leaders were loath to take sides publicly during spring and summer's run-up to today's filing deadline, but it was clear most wanted Thomas to step aside to make room for a more active and hopefully better-financed candidate.

In other races:

In Racine's 61st Assembly District, only incumbent Democrat Robert Turner and Libertarian George Meyers have filed.

In the 62nd Assembly district, it's incumbent Democrat Cory Mason and Libertarian Keith R. Deschler.

In the 63rd Assembly District, it's incumbent Republican Robin Vos and Democrat Linda Flashinski.

For Racine County District Attorney, only incumbent Republican Michael E. Nieskes has filed.

The complete list of filings is HERE.

Original post:

The filing deadline has arrived for the Nov. 4 general election.

By tonight, depending upon how quickly the Wisconsin State Elections Board database is updated after 5 p..m., we should know exactly who has filed for each race -- and who has not -- and which contests will require a Sept. 9 primary.

For example, in the 1st Congressional District, as of this writing shortly before noon, six candidates have submitted the necessary nomination papers.

Six, including Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican incumbent, and Joseph Kexel of Kenosha, a Libertarian. Wait a minute, shouldn't there be seven candidates? Haven't five Democrats been making the rounds most of the summer?

Yup. So far, Paulette Garin, John Mogk and Mike Hebert, all of Kenosha, have filed papers and the necessary signatures. Marge Krupp of Pleasant Prairie has filed, but her signatures total is not yet listed. Each candidate needs 1,000 -- but it's tradition to submit a number closer to the maximum allowed, 2,000. Ryan, in fact, submitted exactly that number; Garin, 1,986; Mogk, 1,971; and Hebert, a measly 1,223.

Missing in action so far this morning is perennial Congressional candidate Jeff Thomas of Janesville. But he has until 5 p.m. to make yet another run for the office he sought unsuccessfully four times already.

P.S. Am I the only person who wonders why Kenosha produces so many Congressional candidates, and Racine does not?

Arts funding gets short shrift in Wisconsin

How much should the state of Wisconsin spend on the Arts?

The New Economy Funding Initiative calls for an investment of $1 per capita for the Arts Board, the state agency dedicated to culture.

We fall far short. In 1992, the state invested 59 cents per person. And those were the good ol' days. In 2008, the state ranks 43rd, allocating only 44 cents per person. Meanwhile, Minnesota provides $1.97 per person in arts support; Illinois provides 83 cents per person.

We found all this information on ExposeKenosha.com, which has more in an article announcing a free community meeting and luncheon to discuss funding for the arts and arts education in the Kenosha/Racine area. Co-hosted by AHA! (Arts and Humanities Alliance!) Kenosha, the meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 23, from 12–1:30 p.m., at the Kenosha Public Museum.

To register, contact Tamara Merfeld by Wednesday, July 16.

More information is HERE.

14 businesses cited for under-age tobacco sales

Are you under-age? Fear not, you can still buy cigarettes in Racine. You just have to know where to look.

Racine Police reported yesterday on three rounds of compliance checks they made between April and June, seeing whether clerks at 67 businesses would sell tobacco products to minors.

Investigators working with Focus in the Community and the City of Racine Health Department found 53 businesses in compliance with local ordinances and state law which prohibit the sale of tobacco to minors.

Fourteen were not in compliance. They could have their licenses revoked by the City of Racine License and Welfare Committee if there is a pattern of failure, but for now they were fined $550 for each violation -- whether for selling a pack of cigarettes or, in the case of one store, a single cigarette.

Here's a list of the 14 businesses that unlawfully sold tobacco products; four of them passed when rechecked during another visit:

Akash Food & Liquor 3945 Erie St (Passed on Re-check)
M + M Douglas Park 2101 Douglas Ave (Passed on Re-check)
MJ Food Mart 1347 Lathrop Ave
Magic Dollar Plus 1007 Washington Ave
Metro Petro 4301 Washington Ave.
Neighborhood Pantry 1511 W. 6th St. (Passed on Re-check)
Nick’s Supermarket 1407 Superior St.
Open Pantry Food Mart 2731 Durand Ave.
Sausage Kitchen 1706 Rapids Dr. (Passed on Re-check)
Super Mercado Jimenez 2210 16th St.
Taqueriz Arandas Restaurant 1501 Prospect St
Three Mile Citgo 600 3 Mile Rd.
Timers Beverage Center 3800 Northwestern Ave
Total 24 930 Washington Ave

Two More Years: Ryan announces bid for re-election

With all of this talk about Paul Ryan for vice president (including the subtext of him running for president in a few years), it's easy to forget he's up for re-election this fall. Yup, even golden U.S. reps only get two-year terms. To that end, Ryan went through the formal process of declaring he is running for another term. He did it with a three-page press release that we've posted below. Here you go:

JANESVILLE – Paul Ryan officially declared his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives today in Wisconsin’s First Congressional District. His campaign submitted 2,000 signatures to the State Election Board, 1,000 more than needed to place his name on the fall election ballot.

“The legacy of our country is that each generation leaves the next a better America,” said Ryan, “Everyday I am working to prove to my employers, the residents of southeastern Wisconsin, that I am fighting for them and their future.”

In May, Ryan became the first Member of Congress to introduce comprehensive legislation to reform the nation’s retirement, health care, budget and tax systems. His plan, titled, “A Roadmap for America’s Future,” (www.americanroadmap.org) has received widespread acclaim for its ambitious and bold vision.

“It’s time we start to tackle the challenges facing our country, or they are going to start tackling us,” said Ryan. “Our problems are not Democrat problems or Republican problems: they are America’s problems and we must fix them together.”

Ryan’s “A Roadmap for America’s Future” includes three objectives:

* Fulfills the mission of health and retirement security for all Americans;
* Lifts the burden of debt from the shoulders of future generations; and
* Ensures American jobs and competitiveness in the 21st century economy.

“The consultants and pundits in Washington say, ‘Don’t do anything controversial in an election year; you might not get re-elected,’ but in Congress every other year is an election year—so nothing ever gets done,” said Ryan. “I didn’t come to Washington just to be a Congressman. I came here to do something. The people of Wisconsin expect me to solve problems, not ignore them.”

In addition to addressing the nation’s most pressing fiscal issues, Ryan said Congress must act now to address gas prices, job losses and out-of-control government spending.

“With more proven oil reserves in the U.S. than the entire Middle East, we need to tap our own supply of energy rather than spending $1.5 billion dollars a day on foreign oil,” said Ryan. “We are all forced to pay more than we have to because Congress has declared our own oil fields off limits. Meanwhile, we send our money to dictators and countries that are hostile to America.”



Ryan has proposed opening domestic sources of oil to drilling and using the royalties paid by oil companies to the federal government to fund a “Manhattan Project” to develop alternative and renewable fuels to replace oil.

“We need to drill for oil today, to be oil-free tomorrow,” said Ryan. “By drilling for oil now, we can reduce gas prices while investing the revenues generated from drilling into research that would get us off of our dependence fossil fuels. At the same time, we can create U.S. jobs by building pipelines and refineries to process the oil. And, we can build research facilities, wind and solar farms and nuclear plants to power our future.”

Continuing on the jobs front, Ryan said the tax code is pushing jobs overseas. Currently, American- made goods are taxed by the U.S. government before being shipped overseas; however, no tax is applied to imports entering the U.S. Conversely, foreign governments lift the tax on their exports and impose taxes on American-made goods entering their countries. This puts U.S. products at a competitive disadvantage against foreign competitors and makes it harder to keep jobs in America.

“We need to export U.S. products, not U.S. jobs,” said Ryan. “Our tax code should level the playing field for U.S. products by lifting the tax on our exports and applying a tax of foreign goods sold here. The tax reforms included in my Roadmap would do just that. We can beat our international competitors and create jobs here by simply making our tax code fair.”

On spending, Ryan is recognized as a fiscal hawk in Congress for his efforts to ban earmarks and control government spending. His bipartisan efforts have included the introduction of legislation to create a line item veto with Democrat U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and amendments to cut farm subsidies to millionaires with Democrat U.S. Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin.

“Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem,” said Ryan. “Every dollar spent by Congress is a dollar taken from families. We must hold the federal government accountable for every, single one of those dollars.”

Besides his extensive public policy work, the 38-year old Ryan has been recognized as a tireless advocate for constituents dealing with federal government agencies.

“My priority is to be an advocate for anyone having a problem with the federal government,” said Ryan. “Helping constituents fight the red-tape and bureaucracy is my job. I’ll get answers to their questions and lead them through the maze of the federal government.”

Since taking office, Ryan has responded over 220,000 times to constituents seeking assistance with the federal government, or offering opinions about issues before Congress.

To let constituents know he is their link to the federal government and to hear their concerns, Ryan has hosted over 400 constituent listening sessions and toured more than 200 local businesses, repeatedly visiting every incorporated community in the 1st Congressional District.

Ryan said his accessibility to constituents is further demonstrated through the continued operations of three full-time Constituent Services Centers in Janesville, Kenosha and Racine. Also, Ryan’s Mobile Office travels on a weekly basis to communities – making nearly 2,000 visits since Ryan took office.

“Although we face serious domestic and foreign challenges as a country, I believe we can rise to meet them by working together as a nation. I believe our best days as a country still lie ahead of us,” said Ryan. “In my mind, every day is another opportunity to work to the best of my abilities to make a difference, for the better, in the lives of the people I was elected to serve.”

To that end, Ryan has a challenge for all other Members of Congress.

“Join me in a bipartisan way to spur Congress to move beyond simply rehashing the problems of toady and tomorrow and instead have a real debate, and implement actual solutions for all Americans,” said Ryan.

For the recent Federal Elections Commission reporting deadline at the end of June, Ryan said his campaign account will show $1.8 million dollars cash on hand. More than 96 percent of his individual donors are Wisconsinites.

77 percent of the individual donors gave $100 or less this election cycle. 38 percent of the individual donors from this quarter were first time contributors to Ryan’s campaign.

“Voters know that I say what I’ll do, and then do what I say,” said Ryan. “I work for everyone who lives in the First Congressional District. They are my employers. I’m very thankful for the support I’ve received from small businesses, unions and working men and women, who live in Wisconsin.”

Union support for Ryan this election cycle has come from law enforcement and firefighter unions, as well as unions representing carpenters, operating engineers, painters and tradesmen.

Ryan said the impressive number of first time donors and small donations are an indication that his reform message is resonating with people who have not participated in the political process previously.

“Voters who had felt out of touch with the election process have told me they are responding because they don’t want finger pointing, they want results. I know the political attacks are coming, but I’ll fight them with solutions.”

Ryan and his wife, Janna, have three children: daughter, Liza; their sons, Charlie and Sam. The Ryans, who attend St. John Vianney’s Parish, make their home in Janesville, where, prior to his election to Congress, Ryan worked for his family’s earth moving business.

A Janesville native and resident, Ryan is seeking his sixth term in Congress after winning impressive victories in 1998 with 57 percent of the vote; and with more than 63 percent of the vote in each consecutive election since 2000.

Chicago-to-St. Paul peace march will pause in Racine

The Witness Against War 2008 peace march will stop for two days in Racine. Organized by Voices for Creative Nonviolence (VCNV), the march will begin in Chicago on July 12 and conclude in St. Paul, MN, on Aug. 31 in time for the start of the Republican Convention. Marchers will arrive in Racine on Thursday, July 17, participate in various activities on Friday, and leave for Milwaukee on Saturday.

Marchers will be the guests of the Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice and of the local community. All are invited to participate in at least a portion of the march.

The agenda for Racine is:

Thursday July 17

4 p.m. Welcome walkers at John Bryant Community Center, 601 21st Street

4:30 p.m. Begin walk to Belle City Senior Center, Goold & Main

6 p.m. Meet host families at Belle City Senior Center, 201 Goold

Friday, July 18

10:30 a.m. Presentation by members of VCNV at Sam Johnson Parkway (in case of
rain, Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church annex, 7th & College)

11 a.m. Rally at Congressman Paul Ryan’s office, 216 6th Street

11:30 a.m. Sack lunch downtown Racine on Monument Square

2:30 p.m. Meet with walkers at Wilson Coffee and Tea, 3306 Washington Ave.

5:30 p.m. Potluck picnic supper at Siena Center. Please bring a dish to pass. (Indoors
in case of inclement weather.)

7 p.m. Presentation by Kathy Kelly and walkers from VCNV at Siena Center, 5635 Erie Street, Racine

9 p.m. Bonfire at Siena Center

Saturday, July 19

9 a.m. Blessing of people, at Siena Center, as they continue the walk to St. Paul, MN

Witness Against War 2008 is organized as a bipartisan campaign of active nonviolence to challenge and to nonviolently resist our country’s continuing war in and occupation of Iraq. Witness Against War calls for:

An end to all economic and military warfare against Iraq.

The complete and immediate withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Iraq.

The complete end to all U.S. military action against Iraq, whether that action be from air, ground, or sea.

An end to any further funding for U.S. military action in or against Iraq.

Full funding for the highest quality health care, housing and education for U.S. veterans and their families; the end of stop-loss orders in the military; and the end of stop-move orders.

Provision of full funding by the U.S. for the reconstruction of Iraq following the damage caused by these past 18 years of economic and military warfare waged by the U.S. upon Iraq.

The unconditional cancellation of the remaining odious debt incurred by Saddam Husseins’s regime and the reparation imposed by the U.N. against Iraq following the Hussein regime’s 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

Redirection of the U.S. financial resources away from waging war and towards providing for the Common Good in the U.S.--universal health care; free public education at all levels; affordable housing; etc.

Voices for Creative Nonviolence has long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws upon the experiences of those who challenged the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003.

The Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice is an initiative to promote citizen understanding, raise public awareness, and encourage participation in the democratic process for the purpose of achieving peace and just relations among peoples and nations and protecting civil liberties.

For further information:

Voices For Creative Nonviolence: Call Dan Pearson: 773 878-3815 or e-mail.

Information: Ann Pratt: 262.633.0751 (h), 773 405 9154 (c) or e-mail.

To volunteer: Sr Alice Rademacher: 262/639-4100 or e-mail.

I Got the Hiawatha-to-Chicago Blues...

OPINION: A train commuter's lament

Next stop: Glenview... and then Chicago

By Julie Jacob
For RacinePost

This is getting ridiculous.

That's what I thought, when I spied, through the open restroom door, the man in the business suit perched uncomfortably on the closed toilet seat on the 5:08 p.m. Amtrak Hiawatha train from Chicago to Milwaukee. He looked miserable, but I suppose he was trying to make the best of the only available place to sit that day in early June.

Like almost every other weekday evening lately, every seat was filled on the train. Passengers who could not find a seat perched on the luggage shelves, sat cross-legged on the floor, or, like this man, staked out a place in the restroom.

I have been a daily commuter on the Amtrak Hiawatha since last September. Many times over the past nine months, I have wondered why a $1.9 billion bill to repair and expand I-94 from Mitchell Airport to the state line can breeze through the Wisconsin legislature, but finding the money to increase the number of daily Amtrak Hiawatha trains and expand the service to Madison seems an impossible task for our state and federal legislatures.

I am not an expert on passenger rail service. But I can tell you this: During the 15 years that I lived in Chicago, I often took the Amtrak Hiawatha or Metra train to Wisconsin to visit my family in Racine. Years ago, the Hiawatha and Metra trains were half-empty. Over the years, however, I saw the trains become steadily more crowded as more and more people who worked in Chicago moved to Wisconsin, attracted by the state's lower housing costs and more relaxed lifestyle.

When I moved to Racine last fall, and began commuting daily to my job in downtown Chicago, I discovered that those almost-full Hiawatha trains had become jam-packed trains. According to the Amtrak website, Hiawatha ridership is up 24% compared to last year. Ridership has climbed every year for the past several years, in fact.

The morning train is already pretty full by the time it gets to Sturtevant, after just two stops -- the start in downtown Milwaukee and Mitchell Airport. The conductor usually has to make an announcement asking passengers to move their laptop bags, coats and briefcases from the adjacent seat. (I lived in Chicago for 15 years, and after years of using the CTA, have no problem asking people to move their belongings, but people who have never lived in a big city are more reticent.) So, anyway, sometimes it's a challenge finding a seat in Sturtevant! The train is always crowded when I ride it, except for days just before or after holidays, when a lot of people take off from work.

Now I have read many blog posts from rail opponents who think trains are useless things, a drain on taxpayer money that should be used instead to build more highways. They are entitled to their opinion. But this is my observation, based on months of riding the Hiawatha nearly every day. The train arrives in Sturtevant early, at 6:43 a.m. It’s dark and cold in the winter, but cozy and warm in the sparkling new passenger depot. On beautiful summer mornings, it’s lovely to wait up on the platform.

By 6:30 a.m., the lot is filled with cars, while a line three or four deep waits to get through the two gated entrances to the parking lot. (Parking is $2 a day, or $30 for a monthly pass.) Riders stand silhouetted against the morning, sipping coffee out of stainless steel mugs, chatting on their cell phones, yakking with their fellow commuters or flipping through the newspapers. About half to two-thirds of the passengers are regular commuters, while the rest are leisure travelers – families with children headed to Chicago for a day of sightseeing, students on their way back to college, people on their way to catch a connecting train at Union Station or the El to Midway or O’Hare.

The commuters are a mixed group. Some are married with young children; they want to work in Chicago but want to raise their families in quiet Racine County. Others, like me, have moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to family. Others are people who simply prefer living in Wisconsin, but have careers that require them to work in Chicago.

The train rolls into the station, and people climb aboard. The regulars nod greetings to the conductors. “Hey, Bucky,” they say. “Nice day today.” As soon as they get on the train, the regulars are all business. They flip open their laptops, turn on their Blackberries, or recline their seats and close their eyes. Meanwhile, those new to the Amtrak Hiawatha marvel at the speed and convenience of the train. Kids peer out the window and adults test the reclining seats and overhead reading lights. “It sure beats driving,” is a phrase I have heard uttered again and again by passengers.

It’s a pretty ride into Illinois. The Hiawatha glides past farm fields and red barns. As the train crosses into Illinois, the landscape gradually morphs into townhouse subdivisions and well-scrubbed suburbs. The first and only stop before Chicago is Glenview, where more people pile on the train – good luck finding seats on the crowded train. Then the Hiawatha chugs on past the dense building clusters of the inner-ring suburbs and slips into the city. Old Industrial buildings turned into upscale lofts line the tracks. Chicago’s majestic skyline looms in the distance; the Sears Tower juts into the clouds. One hour after the Hiawatha leaves the Sturtevant station, it pulls into Union Station and people stream off and hurry off to jobs, schools and tourist attractions.

Not many choices... and a long wait between trains

That’s what I see every morning. This is what I hear: Wistful comments from the regular who say, “Oh, if only there were another train in the morning between the 6:43 a.m. and the 8:23 a.m.” Or “I wish there were another train between 5:08 p.m. and the 8:05 p.m.” or “Why isn’t there a late night train so people can take Amtrak back after an evening baseball game or dinner or festival?” Or, “Why doesn’t the Amtrak Hiawatha run every hour?”

Actually, there once was a train service that ran every hour between downtown Milwaukee and downtown Chicago from early morning to midnight. It was called the Chicago North shore and Milwaukee Road, and for decades the electric train zipped along at 80 miles an hour between the two cities. The North Shore was fast, cheap, and reliable.

Now the anti-rail crowd will be quick to point out that the North Shore shut down in 1964 due to dwindling ridership and financial losses. It’s true the North Shore went out of business after more than 50 years of service — but that was in an era when gas cost pennies per gallon, no one worried about carbon emissions, and road rage and gridlock were unheard of.

My 78-year-old father, who remembers the North Shore, tells me that the best thing about it was that it truly linked Milwaukee and Chicago. Back then, Chicago wasn’t a distant city reached only by a stressful drive on the Edens Expressway. It was quite feasible then to live in one city and work in the other, and to easily shuttle between the neighboring cities for shopping, baseball games and festivals. At a time when the entire Midwest is struggling through a recession, doesn’t it makes sense to increase our ties to Chicago, one of the few bright economic stars in the region? While the Amtrak Hiawatha can’t completely duplicate the old North Shore (for one thing, the Amtrak station is about eight miles west of Racine, instead of in the middle of the city), increased daily service would almost match the North Shore's convenience.

Now I imagine anyone who does not take the train may be thinking: Why should I support expanded passenger rail service? What’s in it for me? What’s in it for you is that better passenger rail service will help everyone in southeastern Wisconsin. Convenient public transportation is a drawing card for businesses looking to expand or relocate, as well as for well-educated “creative class” looking for a place to call home. Good passenger rail service, therefore, is an important piece in transforming southeastern Wisconsin into a more attractive place to live and do business, which, in turn, generates more jobs, increases tax revenue, and boosts the quality of life for everyone.

Congress is currently considering a bill, HR 6003, that would provide increased funding for Amtrak, along with matching grants to states that want to improve Amtrak service. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the state has set aside $80 million in grant money to increase Amtrak Hiawatha frequency and expand the line to Madison. If Congress approves HR 6003 by a veto-proof margin and Congress appropriates the funds, the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation will apply for a matching grant to do both.

If you support better Amtrak Hiawatha service, please contact your state and federal representatives – State Sen. John Lehman, Sen. Herb Kohl, Sen. Russ Feingold, and Rep. Paul Ryan. Write the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Amtrak. Let people know you support increased passenger rail service.

And if you don’t do it for yourself, at least do it for the poor passengers scrunched on the luggage racks on the standing-room-only 5:08.
___________
Julie Jacob, who works as a communications professional in Chicago, recently moved back to Racine after 15 years in the Windy City.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fattest of them all?

HEY, lard-ass! No, not you, Cheesehead: Wisconsin isn't even in the top ten when it comes to obese state populations.

For the third year in a row, Mississippi has been named the fattest state, while Colorado again is the thinnest.

Wisconsin? Why, despite our love of beer and cheese -- and the calories they contain -- we're right smack dab in the middle: No. 26, in fact, with only 25.6% of our population obese, and only 62.3% obese or overweight. Last year, we were 22nd. Mississippi comes in (Burp!) with 32.6% obese and 68.1% obese or overweight. Only 19.3% of those skinny Coloradans are obese, and only 55.7% obese or overweight.

These computations come from an analysis by CalorieLab, Inc., based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rankings use a three-year average in order to smooth out statistical fluctuations.

The full report can be found HERE. Grab a six-pack, some Big Macs and a few bags of pretzels and chew on ... the data.

In another study, by the way, Forbes magazine named Milwaukee the 9th most junk-food obsessed city, of 52 metropolitan areas, ranked by Category Development Index (CDI), "which is the percentage of category sales in a market divided by the percentage of all commodity volume for a market, times 100. An index between 80 and 120 is generally considered average ... and blah blah blah." In layman's terms: they count how much junk food we buy from supermarkets.

The magazine said of our neighbor to the north:

Pizza is a favorite in many markets--out of 52, 18 have an above-average CDI--but Milwaukee reigns as the frozen pizza capital of the country, with a CDI of 244, about 2.5 times the average. Maybe that's because pizza goes so well with beer, particularly Pabst, Schlitz and Miller, which are all brewed in the area.

Forbes' story is HERE, and brief explanations of who overeats what, where is here.

And if you're still hungry for information on this topic, here's an article listing Men's Fitness magazine's rankings of the fattest and the fittest cities.

Air quality alert, over high ozone levels, issued

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an Air Quality Watch for Ozone for Racine and the seven other lakeshore counties -- Door, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Sheboygan. It will take effect at midnight tonight through midnight Sunday.

The watch is being issued because of the forecast for elevated levels of ground level ozone, formed when pollution from power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust, and volatile organic compounds chemically reacts with hot temperatures, high humidity and atmospheric stagnation.

The Air Quality Index is predicted to reach the orange level, which is unhealthy for people with respiratory diseases like asthma, older adults, active children and those engaged in strenuous outside activities. When an air quality watch is issued, people in those groups are advised to reschedule or cut back on strenuous outside activities during the watch period.

People with lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis should pay attention to shortness of breath, or respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing and discomfort. Ground level ozone can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung function, aggravate asthma and chronic lung diseases, and, over time, cause permanent lung damage.

The perfect ending to a picture-perfect Fourth

That's the old Coast Guard station in the foreground

While waiting for the fireworks, a time exposure of the harbor

Above all, parades are for kids

One small sidelight to the parade shouldn't be overlooked. As the first of a number of military contingents came up Main Street, Doug Wick -- owner of Common Scents, Pack 'n Ship, and Wick's Photo Studio on the corner of Third -- sprang into action.

He would have been hard to miss, dressed as he was in a red bandleader's jacket (admiral's? maitre d'?), with gaudy gold epaulets, a flag bowtie, red-white-and-blue dickey and blue slacks covered with large white stars. But then he pulled out 22 large American flags -- one for each year he's been in business on Main Street -- on 8-ft. tall flagpoles. And, with his portable microphone he directed an ad hoc color guard to stand on either side of the street with the flags to welcome the marching soldiers.

The soldiers saluted as they walked by, while the crowd rose and cheered them all.

But, of course, a Fourth of July parade, while stressing patriotic themes, really is no different from other parades to its key audience: kids. They react to the noise, the movement, the almost constant assault -- I mean that in a good way -- on the senses. And so it was with FourthFest.The biggest reaction I saw from a group of kids came for ... Tigger, who was riding atop a Realtor's float, if memory serves. There wasn't even any candy involved. So let's wrap up with a few more pictures -- of kids enjoying themselves during the parade.

Silly String, doncha know!

Racine's FourthFest Parade: Outstanding!

The crowds cheered whenever soldiers or the flag passed by...

Horlick High's pom-pon squad

Was he really as tall as the Monument?

Trumpeter from the Lighthouse Brigade

Modine's hydrogen fuel cell-powered float...

It was elephant-powered as well...

A colorful reminder: Dragon Boat races are coming soon!

Too many battles to remember, too many soldiers to mourn...

Iwo Jima

Vietnam

The Revolution

Women fought and died in Vietnam, too

A few of the parade celebrities...

Mayor Gary Becker and Mayor Hector Alveraz Conteras
of Zapotlanejo, Mexico, our new sister city

FourthFest President Jim Deibler, and Make-a-Wish child

Parade Marshal, Marcus Hanel of the Brewers

Laura Kuzia, Miss Racine

Racine's own, Briana Lipor

And here are some more photos ... just click on the picture below for a slideshow.

Racine's Fourth of July Parade

And finally, some pictures of kids enjoying the parade are HERE.

In Racine, celebrating the 4th starts early...

Our first big parade: June 22, 1917

And so it began... Racine's tradition of July 4th parades.

Above is a picture of perhaps Racine's first big parade, from 1917; not on July 4 of that year but rather on June 22. What were they celebrating as they marched down Washington Avenue? No idea, and neither did Sally Orth of the Racine Heritage Museum, who welcomed me Thursday night during First Friday, while a video loop of old celebrations played.

And, yes, we knew it was neither July 4 nor the Friday of First Friday ... but in Racine the celebration of Independence Day starts early and supercedes newer traditions like Downtown's art gallery walk. Even before the community paraded for the reasons we all know today, Sally explained, Racine celebrated for another: the parade below, from July 4, 1941, was the Goodwill Parade -- established to foster good will between the city's employers and employees. Whatever, right? (Headlining the show at the Venetian: I Wanted Wings, starring Ray Milland and Veronica Lake. "Story follows the training and personal lives of three recruits in the Army Air Corps --- a wealthy playboy, a college jock and an auto mechanic. Love interest is supplied by a female photographer and a sultry blonde." Sharing the double bill in those days of two features for one quarter: The Cowboy and the Blonde, starring George Montgomery and Mary Beth Hughes.)


Today, of course, it's patriotism front and center. Friday night was its usual blend of shopping, wandering into art galleries, and a variety of music on Monument Square and Main and Sixth Streets -- and in some of the stores as well. But this week's event carried an extra fashion dimension: flags everywhere... in window displays, in children's hands and on clothing. Below, some of the folks we spotted enjoying First Frid... um, July 3 in Downtown Racine.

Cheryl McCrary sang patriotic songs and hymns...

This visitor was dressed in flags, head to toe...

Brad Harring wore one of his patriotic shirts ...
(don't worry: he has another for tomorrow)

Annette Bottoni with red, white and blue-ornamented hair

If you weren't already feeling poor, read this...

Neither of these yarns is about Racine, but still....

1. Rush Limbaugh signs a new eight-year radio talk show contract for $400 million, including a $100 million upfront bonus.. Geez, imagine what he could've gotten if you and I ever listened to him! More HERE.

2. In Abu Dhabi, where some of your $4/gallon gasoline money is going, the young and rich have a new obsession to go with their Ferraris and BMWs: low-number license plates. A plate with the number "1" sold for $14 million; the number "5" went for $9 million; "29" was a bargain at $530,000. More HERE.

Racine's float builder: Jerry Treiber has been working his parade craft for 33 years

Jerry Treiber

By Pat Metzker
For RacinePost

Months in the planning, Jerry Treiber has made final touches to the Star Wars costume float of the 501st Legion: Vedas Fist. For the past 33 years, Treiber has built floats for the Racine 4th of July Parade. I talked with Treiber this week while looking at the 48-foot float depicting the utility cargo skiffs used in "Return of the Jedi."

“Surface utility vehicles used to transport passengers and cargo" that float about on anti-gravity field, Treiber explains. Members of the Midwest Garrison will ride on the float in the parade. The group of costume enthusiasts are devoted to fundraising, charity work, and volunteerism.

Treiber, born in Racine and Graduate of Park High School estimates he's entertained a million Racinians over his career in float building. Studying graphic arts at Gateway and UW-Parkside, Jerry had Charlie Arnold (1936-1975) as a mentor. Arnold who built 80% of the parade floats from 1936 to 1974, motivated Jerry to start Laughing Giant Design in 1975 dedicated to float design and fabrication. In addition to floats, Jerry has also participated each year with the Summer Art Project of the Racine Downtown Association.


One of Treiber's floats ...

In the early 70’s when Jerry started there were 17 major commercial floats in the Fourth of July parade: Johnson Wax, Walker, Twin Disc, Rexnord, Modine, Jacobson, Western Publishing, and Case to name a few. Floats in those times were contracted for around $3,000, where float entries today can exceed $40,000.

According to Treiber, in the commercial division today SC Johnson builds the only true float. Jerry’s definition of a float is a motorized type design from a vehicle such as a bus or truck chassis. Vehicles were stripped down to the engine, drivers’ seat, and chassis and then floats are built around and upon them. Drivers would have small sight hole and radio contact with spotters outside for safety. Others define a float as a decorated platform towed behind a vehicle. Jerry’s vehicle type float designs have placed in the top 3 award categories each year, except the last two when his floats were not involved in the commercial category.

Many companies that participated in the ‘70’s and 80’s would use their floats for the Racine and Kenosha parades. The two communities would coordinate the dates of two days together. With the Racine parade falling on a Friday, then the floats were driven to Kenosha taking up to a 3-hour drive for the average 15-mile trip. One year, one of Jerry’s floats was 90’ long and 16’ high which would be larger than today’s standard semi-truck and trailer. Logistics of movement of the floats required a police escort, public utilities planning for power line height, and then a staging area for the next day at the host community.


Another ...

The large commercial floats were used not only for two parades in July, but often once again in summer for company picnics and again at Christmas time for the Downtown Christmas parade. The floats were stored wherever the sponsoring company could find room, especially by November or December when Azarian would need space for boat storage. Many of the components of the floats were stored, recycle, or reused for the theme of the current years float design.

The change in popular float design to a “trailered” type display is what you see most on the parade route today. This has caused a reduction of commercial float encased vehicle type float entries. Fewer volunteers volunteering their time and concerns over the liability of employers are also reasons mentioned by Jerry. Prior to the recession, companies are choosing to spend precious marketing and promotion dollars on the most urgent of needs to generate sales nationally and internationally rather than on community exposure.

Jerry sees the trend in parade floats continuing to be quicker, cheaper and less intricate in design. Since Racine is noted in USA Today as one of the “10 Great Places to Your Patriotic Colors” and having one of the largest parades in the Midwest, the tradition of float building and design will continue. Thousands of people for years to come will enjoy Treiber’s creative talents.


And another ...

United Way coordinates flood donations

After meeting with flood victims from the Lincoln and Island Park areas to better understand their needs, United Way of Racine County is now asking people to bring donated items to Lutheran High School, 251 Luedtke Ave.

Desperately needed items include clothing for all ages, towels, bedding, laundry soap, sanitizing cleaning supplies, animal food, toys, dehumidifiers, washers and dryers. Drop-off times are Wednesday, July 9, from 8 a.m. to noon and Thursday, July 10, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Please enter the back parking lot of Lutheran High School and look for signs indicating the entrance.

Families in the area affected by the flooding will be notified early next week of the distribution date and time. Identification and proof of residency will be required.

“It was alarming to see how devastating this flood was and how much people have lost,” said Tiffani Pinkerton, Community Impact Manager of United Way. “As we spoke to families, everyone was so thankful for the tremendous support offered by the community.”

For more information on how you can help or to arrange for donations of large items, please contact Ron Thomas, Community Services Director of United Way at 262-635-7499, ext. 112.