SKOL: Let’s go down road to health-care reform(2009/07/03) Poet Robert Frost once wrote of coming to a fork in the road and taking the “one less traveled by.” I thought of his poem recently when I heard a young couple talking about the risks of a possible entrepreneurial venture. The main risk, the main hurdle to their thinking about the possibility of creating a new business was the dilemma of obtaining affordable health insurance coverage.
LETTER: Keep big flag flying on Mason Street(2009/07/03) I am writing to the city of Onalaska and the individuals in charge of the large U.S. flag that usually flies on Mason Street.
LETTER: Onalaska singers were great at ballgame(2009/07/03) It was with great pleasure and pride that about 1,900 people had the chance to see a great ballgame on a trip to Miller Park in Milwaukee last week for La Crosse Community Day.
LETTER: Support legislation on vehicle repair rights(2009/07/03) The Motorcycle Riders Foundation strongly supports the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) and urges Congress to swiftly pass the legislation in order to safeguard individual vehicle ownership rights today and in the future.
LETTER: Health-care reform action long overdue(2009/07/03) My husband and I attended an AARP-sponsored community conversation in Black River Falls on June 23. The AARP campaign is being held across Wisconsin to ensure that everyday Americans have a voice and direct involvement in our country’s health-care reform efforts. In our current system health care costs too much, wastes too much and leaves too many without care.
LETTER: Let’s celebrate our anthem with new coin(2009/07/03) Your support is needed to pass a piece of legislation currently pending in Congress: the Star Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act. Please contact your legislators and urge their support.
LETTER: This year, re-declare your independence(2009/07/03) As Independence Day approaches, my thoughts turn to the extraordinary courage of our founding fathers, who, along with only a handful of their neighbors, decided to fight against the tyranny of an oppressive government and declare their independence.
LETTER: Three cheers for smoke-free worksites(2009/07/03) Congratulations, fellow Wisconsin residents! We live in the 27th state to pass a comprehensive smoke-free worksite bill that will protect workers from the health effects of second-hand smoke. Thank you to our elected officials who voted to take this step to protect the public’s health. We turn now to the important work of implementation for a successful smoke-free worksite policy in Wisconsin.
CSAs give members a stake in the harvest(2009/06/30) Dark green, crinkled leaves bulged from the top of the first box of produce from our Community Supported Agriculture farm — a pile of tender-for-its-size spinach that even divided among the three couples sharing the box still supplied a bounty for this spinach lover.
Guest view: Budget bill not a good bargain for taxpayers(2009/06/30) The Wisconsin Senate passed its version of the Joint Finance Committee’s budget bill last week on a vote of 17-16. While I understand that it is tough to create a budget bill in the midst of these extraordinary economic times, I believe that state legislators should be doing everything they can to rebuild our economy, not stifle economic growth.
Great Rivers 211 offers help, hope for jobless(2009/06/30) “I don’t know if you can help me. I just lost my job, and I’m feeling completely helpless. I have three kids at home and another one on the way. My husband works, but his company doesn’t offer insurance to its employees. We have mounting bills that need to be paid, and there just isn’t going to be enough money for everything. I feel like there is no place for me to turn to. What am I supposed to do now?”
Lawton is a force in state Democratic party(2009/06/30) Delegates to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin convention in Green Bay recently tapped Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton as their choice to succeed Gov. Jim Doyle, should the incumbent decide against seeking re-election in 2010.
Could we handle another depression?(2009/06/23) Boat sales are up, the La Crosse Tribune reported recently. The New York Times reported one of the big hedge funds has grown substantially this year. Some of the troubled banks are regaining their financial footing. We see just glimmers of hope in what has been called the worst economic times since the Great Depression.
Congress must meet health care goals(2009/06/23) Each year, I travel to all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and hold an open, town hall-style meeting. In the 17 years I’ve held these listening sessions, health care has consistently been one of the top issues raised, particularly the skyrocketing cost and difficulty accessing health care. I have worked for years to get the U.S. Congress to address the need for health reform, and I am very pleased that it is finally doing so. Having listened to the concerns of families, businesses, health care professionals and others about why health care reform is so urgently needed, I have the following goals as Congress undertakes this vital and long-overdue debate:
Put class rank to the test(2009/06/23) In the 2006 book “The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids,” author Alexandra Robbins was savage in her criticism of something that almost everyone who ever attended high school knows well — class rank by grade point average.
Thanks to Charter Communications(2009/06/23) Special thanks to Eric and his crew at Charter Communications for their help and the use of their bucket truck to hang the flower baskets along Onalaska’s Main Street.
State budget a bad bet for future(2009/06/16) You must do better than this. That should be Wisconsin’s response to the state budget proposal going before the Assembly for a vote this week.
Sen. Kapanke went to bat for deaf children(2009/06/16) Senator Dan Kapanke co-sponsored a bill to require insurance companies to cover hearing aids and cochlear implants for children up to age 18. This bill allows children to thrive by developing proper speech and language, while saving the taxpayers significant dollars through special education and other lifelong savings. The bill was signed by Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday, with deaf and hard-of-hearing children surrounding him.
Honoring farmers in tough times(2009/06/16) In this tough economy, which is so hard on dairy farmers, it is more important than ever that we recognize their contributions this June as we celebrate Dairy Month.
SKOL: Achieving great new heights in doing good(2009/06/10) The news from Pakistan has been grim — terrorists exploding bombs in public places and Al-Qaida, and the Taliban at war with government forces in the regions next to Afghanistan. The U.S. State Department warns U.S. citizens against non-essential travel to Pakistan.
PLAIN SPEAKING: State budget hits middle class hard(2009/06/10) Governor Jim Doyle promoted his state budget proposal in February by vowing to protect middle class taxpayers. He told lawmakers that we can find new revenues and fund our priorities “without raising taxes on middle class families.” He continued, “so, I am not going to raise taxes in the ways that some have suggested. Some say we should raise the sales tax. I’ve never done that, and I’m not going to now.”
LETTER: Fundamentalism bad whoever is doing it(2009/06/10) Nowhere in the dictionary definition of morals does it make mention of religion. Being an atheist doesn’t preclude me from being a moral person; instead, it has allowed me to develop a sense of morality based upon a reasoned assessment of actions that is reflective of their merit.
LETTER: Pharmacies key part of health care system(2009/06/10) As a pharmacist, I am eager to join with President Barack Obama and Congress in their efforts to bring accessible, quality and affordable health care to every American.
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