Opinions

I met my hubby, Donny, while vacationing at the home of my grandparents, who lived on East Lieg Avenue. I was 16 years old at the time, and he was 18. Although he had a car, Donny usually rode his horse, Beauty, when he came to visit me. Her name was quite fitting; she was a sleek, beautiful Tennessee Walker he purchased from Martin Miller. Beauty enjoyed the green grass on Grandpa’s lawn while we sat on the front porch and talked.

My hubby had horses most of his life. When he was a young boy, his dad bought him his first horse from Art Wendorff. Her name was Star. During those years, horses could be kept in the city. My hubby’s dad, Clarence, built a horse stall behind their garage. The horse stayed there during the summer months, and in the winter the horse was taken out to the Wendorff farm.

To the editor:

Where is Congressman Mike Gallagher on the refugee crisis at our Texas border? Gallagher claims special knowledge of foreign affairs because of his academic work at Georgetown University.

There are international standards for refugees fleeing brutal, oppressive governments and seeking asylum in other countries.

President Donald Trump’s order for zero tolerance has resulted in small, precious children taken from their mothers and caged like animals. Who will change their diapers and give the children loving attention?

The picture of the little child dressed in red, crying and looking up at her mother as a security guard takes his time patting her down will be with us for generations and has gone international.

To the editor:

Thanks to word of mouth and to good advanced news coverage by newspapers, television and radio, “Once Upon a Mattress,” Phoenix Players’ second production, was a huge success. Audiences delighted in the singing and dancing of the talented cast assembled by director Brandon Byng. Our first production was sponsored by the Lions Club, so on this effort we were “on our own.” Good attendance by enthusiastic audiences proved that our community appreciates and will support quality community theatre.

The auditorium at Rexford-Longfellow School does hold over 400, so we have plenty of room to grow. We would love to see it full for at least one performance of our next production. It’s good to have lofty goals.

To the editor:

I want to thank all the people that gave their time to coach soccer this season.

These people saw that the kids learned the basics of the game, saw that all the kids played and tried different positions. You can’t learn a game if you don’t get a chance to play. They saw that the kids had fun doing it.

A big thank you to all of you.

Lea Ann Wojta,

Shawano

Partisan gerrymandering has long exasperated the Supreme Court, as its June 18 ruling in the case known as Gill v. Whitford attests.

The court found that the plaintiffs did not have sufficient standing to challenge Wisconsin’s statewide district maps. The plaintiffs claimed the maps were drawn to minimize the political power of the opposition party, thus creating an illegal “gerrymander.”

Politicians from both parties have long used their opportunities to redraw voter boundaries following each decennial Census for partisan benefit.

In 2011, Wisconsin’s redistricting process was carried out by one party in a rushed, secretive and lopsided way, resulting in rigged maps that have diminished competitive elections, decreased lawmakers’ responsiveness to their constituents and increased hyper-partisan legislation.

Veterinarians at Cornell University just developed a 24-hour test that can detect salmonella infections in farm animals. Previously, it took days to get such test results.

The breakthrough will prevent diseased animals from entering the food supply — and thereby reduce the incidence of food poisoning and save lives. Currently, salmonella sickens 1 million Americans each year and kills hundreds.

This discovery underscores the critical role veterinarians play in safeguarding our food. Veterinarians are known as the people who treat our beloved pets, but that’s far from their only job. They also keep livestock healthy, shape public policy, and conduct groundbreaking research.

Yet the U.S. faces a severe shortage of veterinarians — especially specialists in livestock. That shortage has severe consequences not just for animals but for the health of the public.

The once-in-a-lifetime blizzard in mid-April became a nearly once-in-a-lifetime rainfall in the middle of June. It was getting quite dry around Shawano County, and I am sure most people were hoping for rain, but I am hearing reports of five inches in some areas.

Of course, we have nothing to moan about, as I cringe when I see pictures of the flooding in Houghton and Ironwood, Michigan, and parts of northern Wisconsin, where roads and streets have washed away or split apart from the power of the rainfall they got up there.

That is such a beautiful area, and I have many friends up that way. It boggles my mind when I think how life can change in an instant. As I wrote a couple weeks back, we can all have our own “lava” in our life; it erupts around us without warning. Yes, we don’t hear much about Hawaii lately, but the lava is still flowing there.

I am often asked if I miss being in local politics. Serving eight years as alderperson and 14 years as mayor was one of the most wonderful and humbling experiences of my life. I do miss many aspects of public service, particularly the interaction with residents and employees. The communication I receive from you readers regarding my weekly column helps fill that void. I sincerely appreciate your comments and feedback.

Sometimes a reader requests information or suggests a topic for my column. Recently, I received a call from a local resident who asked if I knew anything about the old brickyard that was in Shawano years ago. I also received a call from someone who was interested in when the old Shawano dam was built.

To the editor:

Boaters and personal watercraft users beware. The water level is not the only concern you should have.

The anchored/floating ski ramp, used by the Shawano Ski Sharks, located on the Wolf River by Smalley Park, fails to display proper lighting. There are laws pertaining to the lighting of such structures. Should an accident happen, who would be negligent in this situation?

Joe Skaleski,

Shawano

To the editor:

It is amazing how two people holding the same job are treated differently.

If Obama had met with the leader of North Korea, he would probably have gotten another Nobel prize, along with being named emperor for life. We now have more jobs available than people to fill them and still I hear people complain. If Obama and the Democrats had this kind of growth, every news agency in the nation would be singing their praises.

MS13 members are being targeted for deportation and Dems complain about human rights. What about the rights of those who want to walk around their communities without fearing for their lives? I am not singing the praises of the Republicans in Congress, as they are slow walking what the voters want.