FROM THE CORNER

Lesson learned! One day after the publication of the informa tion on the new SCS Swiderski apartments in Stanley, appeared in this column, I received a call from the individual who provided the information on the rental prices, informing me that the pricing had changed. Thus, I encourage anyone interested in renting one of these apartments to consult the company Website at: www.scswiderski.com for rental information and floor layouts. *** Road construction season will soon be upon us in Wisconsin and construction workers will be out in mass on our highways. It should be a super busy construction season with the federal money that is supposedly coming to the states for major infrastructure work on our roadways and bridges. The Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to be prepared to slow down in construction zones. The rules are simple – be prepared to keep construction workers safe by slowing down to the posted speed limit, driving defensively and putting the cellphone down. According to the DOT, there have been more that 12,000 crashes in work zones in the past five years, which have lead to 61 deaths and more than 4,700 injuries. Most work zone crashes are caused by speeding, tailgating and distracted drivers. Remember – fines are double for traffic violations in work zones and injuring, or killing someone, in a work zone is more costly and tragic. Have a safe summer. *** Every day of the year there is a special event or thing celebrated. Monday, March 7, was National Cereal Day. Did you celebrate that one? Since I eat cereal most days, I could have been among those celebrating, but I only found out about National Cereal Day after the fact. According to Today.com, nearly 50% of Americans start their days with a bowl of cereal. As I said above, count me among the 50%, as I like several cereals that are reportedly good for you. *** Did you know? According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum, Wisconsin has had the biggest decline in union membership in the nation since the year 2000. In 2000, roughly 18% of the state’s labor force was part of a union, which made Wisconsin the 10th highest concentration of union workers in the country. From 1984 to 2011, public sector union membership stayed between 45% and 60%. However, since 2011 union membership has dropped to 22% and unions are loosing memberships each year. One of the provisions of Wisconsin Act 10 requires unions to have elections each year to maintain the ability to negotiate for raises, which are capped at the rate of inflation. Roughly 56% of teachers’ unions are still bargaining since 2011, while only 27% of municipal unions and only 3% of county unions are still bargaining. Construction workers and service worker unions have seen even greater declines in union membership. *** As I began to report last week: Cranberries have nearly a $1 billion dollar annual economic impact on our state. It is interesting to note that the cranberry growers have joined together under the banner of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association. There are 250 producer members who raise cranberries on 21,000 acres in marshes in central and northern Wisconsin counties, To assist the growers, the Wisconsin Cranberry Research and Education Foundation has purchased a cranberry production operation near Millston and have built a research center there. Water is the life blood in cranberry production. The cranberry doesn't like being flooded during the growing season and thrives on sandy soil. However, irrigation does occur as needed during the growing season. Flooding in the early stages of growth helps with pest control. Water can also be sprayed on cranberry vines to protect them from frostbite. Marshes are flooded in the fall to assist with harvesting. Berries have four hollow chambers, thus making them float and that results in plants standing up mak ing harvesting easier for machines that jostle the berries off the plants. Berries go from the marshes to the freezer in 48 hours. *** It was also interesting to read in The Clark County Press that the city of Neillsville is working with S.C. Swiderski LLC to develop apartment buildings and single-family homes in that city. There has been a long standing call for more housing developments across Clark County as a whole. This development is coming about through the efforts of Sheila Nyberg of the Clark County Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Bureau, who had told Diane Murphy, Mayor of Neillsville, of the Swiderski housing development in Stanley. This lead to contacts and subsequent meetings with Swiderski officials and the city. The result is that on the drawing board is development of three apartments, three garage units and seven single-family homes in Neillsville. The three apartment units and three garage units are similar to the Stanley development that Swiderski is building. *** Prisons are susceptible to having drugs penetrate their fences. One of the latest methods of getting drugs in to prisons is through their being embedded in certain paper. Thus, some prisons have gone to having all mail opened by private vendors, copied and then delivered to inmates. I personally experienced having a mailing I made to a Utah prison returned because I mailed it in a manila envelope. Upon contacting the prison, I was told the mailing needed to be in a white envelope. How do prisons combat drugs within. The same way schools do. One of the most effective means is with the use of K-9 dogs. Not so long ago, I learned that 13 K-9 dogs descended on the Stanley Correctional Institution to conduct a drug search. A good number of police departments in our area have K-9 dogs, or a working relationship with departments that have them so they are available when needed. Just another tool in law enforcement’s tool kit against illicit drug use. *** Smile time. There was a 78-year-old woman who wanted to work for one of those topless restaurants. Of course, none of them would hire her, so she sued. She won and they had to hire her. The manager fired her the first day on the job. Seems she came to work in a wrinkled uniform. +++ Doctor: Madam, your husband needs rest and peace. So here are some sleeping pills. Wife: Doc, when should I give them to him? Doctor: They are for you! +++ I read an article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating to much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are you kidding? That is my idea of a perfect day. +++ Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today. +++ The trouble with some woman is they get all excited about nothing and then they marry him. +++ After Wanda Sue was married, she decided to join the church choir. From time to time she would practice while she was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Whenever she would start in on a song, her husband would head outside to the porch. Wanda Sue with hurt feelings said to her husband, “What’s the matter? Don’t you like my singing?” He replied, “I love your singing, but I want to make sure the neighbors know I’m not hurting you.”

BY DAVID JANKOSKI