July 2003

By Jon Anne Willow

Dear Readers,

First off, I’d like to congratulate the winners of our Danceworks Summer Camp scholarship drawing and essay contest. We received lots of entries (interestingly, not one single essay) and, after tough deliberation, chose three. The winning entries are below, and black and white doesn’t do them justice. Thanks to everyone who entered.

We had a great time with this month’s cover story. With the economy “a little slow” these days, more of us are looking closer to home for vacations. In our last editorial meeting, a straw poll revealed a rising popularity (at least for now) in day trips. Everyone had fave spots within a day’s drive, where one can discover the spirit of Wisconsin — from grass roots entrepreneurs building attractions in the middle of nowhere, to awesome (someone else’s words) limburger cheese sandwiches. We chose a handful of our favorite nearby getaways. We hope you enjoy our little tour.

Speaking of the spirit of Wisconsin, Andrew Muchin’s piece on Wisconsin’s Jewish history is both a nostalgic look at times that once were, and a wistful reminder that the close knit community that once defined rural America is fading, never to return. The pictures are phenomenal.

With the Tobacco Control Board now a thing of the past (that didn’t last long, eh?), the already fragile “tobacco settlement” allocation for anti-smoking efforts has once again been substantially reduced. And even research showing a decline in youth smoking in the state over the course of the Board’s tenure (a brief three years) could not save them. Coincidentally (?), the tobacco lobby in Wisconsin is uncommonly strong.

But there’s at least one group that will fight on, whether or no they are brought into the funding fold of the new office in the Department of Health. Strive Media Institute is a full service agency (they produce the FACT anti-tobacco campaign), publisher, and producer of an Emmy-winning TV show (Gumbo TV), based right here in Milwaukee. Their work is good, really good, as a matter of fact. And the coolest part is that they’re all high school students. Writers, producers, photographers, web developers, on down the line. Strivers become leaders, and know that the only way to keep the power with the people is to understand the bigger picture. These kids are amazing, as are their adult mentors. Strive is another hidden gem in Milwaukee’s bursting treasure chest. Frizell Bailey reports on Strive and the Big Tobacco big picture in Wisconsin.

By the time this issue has been on the streets a few weeks (the challenge of the monthly), a new budget will probably be passed. Everyone seems to have their pet watch areas. While it’s so hard to pick just one, I am most intrigued by Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer’s movement to “time out” property taxes for three years. Doyle has said he will veto it, no matter how much wheeling and dealing Panzer and Dennis George (D- Milwaukee) accomplish behind closed doors. And while we can all agree that property taxes are crazy-high (literally unbelievably so) and are extra crippling in bad economic times, Panzer’s maneuvering seems almost maniacal in its lack of common sense. It’s as if she’s in some kind of desperation-driven euphoric state, dancing on the burning funeral pyre of our decimated state economy. How can she even consider cutting local government’s lifeline while the rest of the budget simultaneously shifts financial burden to the municipal level? Thanks, I just needed to get that off my chest.

Peace,

Jon Anne