Washington County Drops Plans for Charlie J. Kirk Way
County board chair says the plan would have cost more than previously realized.
Charlie Kirk speaking with attendees at the 2023 Turning Point Action Conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo by Gage Skidmore, (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Washington County is dropping a proposal that would have renamed a local highway in honor of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In an announcement reported by multiple news outlets, County Board Chair Jeffrey Schleif said cost was the driving factor behind the decision.
Kirk, who led Turning Point USA, was shot dead last year during a speaking event in Utah.
Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann had said previously he wanted to honor Kirk and private donations could cover the estimated $50,000 costs of signage for a memorial highway. The stretch of road would have been renamed “Charlie J. Kirk Way.”
But the proposal met fierce opposition when it was considered at a county board committee meeting earlier this month, with some questioning why the county would honor someone without local ties. Schieff previously said he had received more than 250 emails and phone calls against the measure.
In a written statement reported by WTMJ-TV Friday, Schleif said the actual cost of the name change would have been higher than previously known.
“While we wish the process had gone smoother, this matter is no longer under consideration,” Schleiff said.
Washington County drops plans for Charlie J. Kirk Way was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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Some residents think that the purpose of Mr. Schoemann’s promotion of this bill was to get recognition with hopes of being the nominee for Lieutenant Governor on the Republican ticket.
Articles almost always describe Kirk as a “conservative activist”. But isn’t that phrase a bit of a contradiction?
definition of conservative; “averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values”.
definition of activist; “a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change”.
I much rather prefer “propagandist” to describe Kirk.
(The magnificent brain of AI provided this more detailed definition of “propagandist” perfectly describing Kirk)
“A propagandist is a person or agent who systematically produces, spreads, or disseminates information, ideas, or allegations—often biased, misleading, or curated—to influence attitudes, behaviors, or opinions in favor of a specific cause, government, or agenda. They work to shape public perception through emotional appeal rather than purely logical argument”.
Dropped it? Not so fast … The technical reason was “no county funds” … Cue the private donation.