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I wonder how many times I’ve heard that statement?
As long as I can go back in my newspaper career, the comment always arose. Now, that I don’t have to wear my “smiley editor” face, I can say.
“Because you won’t read it!”
Oh sure, if we run a story about the gold star your grandchild got in second-grade art, we’ll be your hero and you might even buy an extra paper. The rest of the readers will shake their heads and look for a meatier topic. I don’t have to look at the numbers, but I’m sure nothing has topped this newspaper’s single copy sales than when five St. Mary’s University students were killed when the Nissan Pathfinder they were in plunged into the Mississippi River near Huff Street.
Like it or not, tragedy is the mainstay of news. The current tragedy on the Mississippi has us all keeping a watchful eye as we wait for any information on the recovery attempts of the family that lost four members in a fishing accident.
Second to tragedy is controversy. That’s my bread and butter. Thanks to the Winona School district, I could write full time about the trials and tribulations of our public education system in Winona. Some people have written that I need to get off my soapbox, but no one has called to tell me that to my face.
It would be nice if our public school system was without controversy, but it’s not. It’s not my fault that grievances are fought (and lost) and money is misspent. Because the issue should be aired and I bring it up, doesn’t make me the bad guy.
Each week I look at local issues and try to figure out what rises to the top. It’s a busy week, so I offer this medley of observations.
Musical loss
The Winona Senior High School Spring Musical lost money.
Many items the district charged to the Save Our Fine Arts group — like electricity and janitorial staff — aren’t included in the report. The SOFA group is now out of the picture.
Other missing elements include:
Whether it’s premature to be skeptical of a spring musical without SOFA, we shouldn’t expect the SOFA people to rally around and save this program like they did the last time the district ran the program into the ground in 1988. The SOFA volunteers are a rare group of people who poured thousands of volunteer hours into the district even though most of the volunteers don’t have children or grandchildren in the music program. These are just the kind of people the district needs to cultivate as allies to public schools. Instead, the SOFA volunteers were insulted and asked to leave with only a cursory thank you for more than a decade of effort.
Parking woes
Regardless of what the city thinks of parking lots, a parking spot can be a tough thing to find in downtown Winona. With property taxes due this week, more than one person called me about the parking problem around the Winona County Government Center — the old Wells Fargo building on Fourth and Main Streets. The callers had a difficult time finding a parking spot when they wanted to
pay their taxes at the government center. With parking so scarce, these taxpayers were wondering why the county would sell precious parking spots to the Winona County Historical Society?
It’s a good question, but an elusive answer.
Pothole season
Shouldn’t the pothole season be over?
I’m avoiding having an alignment done on my truck because I know our streets have too many potholes that will undo the work. I’ve had a couple people tell me of the pothole that “gets them.” Does that mean there are only two potholes left in the city? I think not.
Colorful birds
I’m not fond of the colorful great blue herons planted around town, but they have caused considerable conversation. I’m sure the art world of Winona is pleased as punch over the project. The city spent $12,000 on the project and the art community hopes to get $150,000 from their effort. I don’t want to go to war with the art community. Some of the artists’ creative licenses should be revoked.
I’m surprised the birds survived the college student mischief. I was hoping a couple would disappear. There seems to be as much — or more — support than objection to the project. With that, I’ll silence my criticism of the project. The $12,000 the city spent is petty cash compared to other city projects. I’d just prefer this community’s poorly dressed colorful birds to be the likes of Stanley Dearman, Walt Neumann or Everett Morcomb.
Jim Galewski is the retired editor and Opinion page editor of the Winona Daily News. His views don’t necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. If you have an idea or tip about a Winona issue, call Jim at (507) 452-3960. His email is editor@luminet.net.
A. Doolittle wrote on May 24, 2007 10:47 PM: