Advertisement
lots on Main Street and the old Lincoln School block on Huff Street are getting some serious attention as trucks and earthmovers change
the subsoil of the two newest lots.
“We’re pretty much sticking to what we planned,” said Jim Schmidt, WSU vice president of university advancement. After WSU purchased Lincoln School from the Winona School District, Schmidt met with neighbors and anyone who was curious to settle any concerns about the university’s plans for the block.
The large cement structures look a little intimidating. Those will be signs marking the university boundaries and include a lot of landscaping and greenery that will compliment a brushed nickel sign welcoming visitors to the campus.
Schmidt didn’t know offhand why the workers are digging so deep on the two newest parking lot structures. “We don’t just throw asphalt down, smooth it over and call it good,” Schmidt said. “We build things to last,” he added.
Any additional parking to the WSU campus should be welcome. When the three newest parking lots are finished, it will add nearly 500 parking spots to the campus — 202 on the Lincoln block alone.
And the cost of the parking lots? Schmidt didn’t have the numbers, but he indicated it wasn’t cheap. Everything costs more than you think. Schmidt is sure some people will feel the cost is too high, but the university follows a plan and sticks to it.
Tunnels scheduled
Can you imagine the red tape involve in getting WSU, the state of Minnesota, Canadian Pacific Railroad, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board all to agree on a project?
WSU’s plans to build two pedestrian tunnels under the Canadian Pacific Railroad tracks at Johnson and Winona streets have been given the green light.
Digging a tunnel in Winona seems like a very wet proposal. I’m sure the engineering to keep the tunnels dry isn’t nearly as difficult to design as it was to get all these unyielding entities to sign off on the project.
Work on the pedestrian tunnels could begin next year.
WSU and the city play ball to improve field
The Franklin Street softball field is getting a makeover. The city and WSU are working together to redo the field. The land-poor university will share the cost of upgrading the ballfield and in return lease the field from March to mid-May for its softball team.
The field will be properly drained, lighted and watered. The project will cost $485,000, to be shared by the city and the university equally.
According to WSU Athletic Director, Larry Holstad, the collaborative effort gives WSU softball a nice field and the city gets an upgraded ball field for most of the year.
“Psst … Hey buddy, want to buy a U.S. flag made in China?” People aren’t whispering this line yet, but yes, you are breaking the law if you buy a U.S. flag to fly in Minnesota that isn’t made in the USA.
If you violate this law, you could be subject to a $1,000 fine or 90 days in jail. I wonder if the person who helped draft this law realized how much of our manufacturing world we have already given up to other countries?
State Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, authored the bill that forces us to be patriotic about the American flag in Minnesota. Buying American may no longer be in style — mostly because it’s impractical and sometimes impossible to find some products made in the United States.
Rukavina scolds his colleagues for buying suits made in Pakistan; he drives a Buick LeSabre, and he buys local whenever possible.
It may have been a huge comfort to lawmakers to make it illegal to buy an un-American United States flag, but it doesn’t fix the problem. What lawmaker would vote against this law? It would be political suicide. Since the 1950s, we’ve willingly surrendered our manufacturing jobs to Third World countries.
As far as I can see, all Rukavina did was cost me another $10 or $20 to be patriotic. Until unions recognize the role they’ve played in helping the United States lose its competitive edge in manufacturing, you can expect to see jobs exported out of the United States and more products imported. That’s a fact that legislation can’t change.
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 e-mail is editor@luminet.net.
