FROM THE CORNER

Out of the mouth of a child: Conscience is when God sends a text to your head.

*** Brain Wilson, Editor of The Star News, Medford's weekly newspaper in the December 30 edition, did a study of taxes in all Taylor County Municipalities. Here are a few highlights of that study. The average tax rate in Taylor County is $18.43 per $1,000 of assessed value. The median tax rate is $18.91 per $1,000 value. Tax rates include taxes paid to the school district, local municipality (city, village or town), county and technical college. The only Taylor County township in the Stanley-Boyd School District is part of Taft Township. Here is a comparison of tax rates for those Taft township property owners in the Gilman, Thorp, and Stanley-Boyd school districts. If your Taft proper – ty was in the Gilman School District your tax rate in 2020 was $23.53 and in 2021 it was $22.43, which is a decrease of -4.72%. If your Taft property was in the Thorp School District, your tax rate in 2020 was $20.56 and in 2021 the tax rate is $19.06, which is a decrease of -7.30%. And if your Taft property was in the Stanley-Boyd School District, your tax rate in 2020 was $18.99 and in 2021 it was $17.25, which is a decrease of -9.16%. *** Did you know? The five most common forms of contact used by thieves looking to extort money from you or scam you are phone calls, the mail, texts, E-mail and social media. The me dian fraud losses reported to the Federal Trade Commission last year amounted $1,800 by phone calls, mail $1,002, texts $1,000, E-mail $500 and social media $204. *** January 22, is proclaimed Local Quilt Shop Day, throughout Wisconsin. It recognizes both the independent quilt shops and serves as a means of recognizing the rich tradition and history of quilting. We have two fabulous quilt shops in our immediate area – Pine Hollow Quilting and Variety Store located in rural Stanley on County Highway N and Bolts of Fun located in Thorp on Stanley Street.

*** News from Otter Lake: The aerators on Otter Lake were turned on the weekend of January 8 and 9. +++ Cars and trucks are driving on the lake. +++ The Otter Lake Booster Club's 2022 Youth Free Kids Ice Fishing Contest and the Stanley Rod and Gun Clubs' Ice Fishing Contest will be held jointly this coming Sat – urday, January 15, on Beautiful Otter Lake. It is good to see two local organizations working together. If the weather is nice, take an early afternoon drive out to the lake and you will be surprised how many people will be in attendance. It's a free fishing week end and no license is needed. Both of these organizations and the Stanley Sportsman's Club do a great job in enhancing the fishery resources in our area.

*** The U. S. Census Bureau researchers have found that based on the 2020 Census diversity in the United States is: White 57.8 %; Hispanic/Latino 18.7%.; Black 12.1%; Asian 5.9%; Other 5.9%. *** Do you ever get really irritated? I know I do, and I am sure we mostly all do occasionally. Early last week was one of those occasions for me, when. I received my January 2022 bill from GFL (Green For Life), our fairly new provider of trash and re – cycling service. The first irritant came in the form of a bill for $2,846.20, which was apparently intended for Boyd School, as above the monthly service notation was Boyd School, 303 Park Street, Boyd, WI. Obviously a mistake in the billing which came to our home address. Second irritant. A call to our local provider in Thorp: GFL Environmental at 715-669-3868, to seek a cor – rection. Periodically, I called all morning and always received a busy signal. Either they were getting more than my call with mistakes in billings, or they took the phone receiver off the hook. Third irritant, finally, at around noon I got through only to receive a recorded message that there had been errors in billings and they would be sending corrected billings. Fourth irritant, under the notes section of the bill was written: “Your account is currently past due. Please remit payment today." And, so it goes some days!! And from the recorded message I am assuming we were not alone in receiving an incorrect billing.

*** If you haven't taken in boys basketball game this year you might want to do so. The senior dominated team is working to- gether and playing a lot of unselfish basketball. And, winning a good number of games. While the first half of the season was mostly played on the road, the rest of the regular reason has a goodly number of games at home. Here are the dates of the re –

maining home games: January 13 – Fall Creek, January 18 – Mc – Donell Central Catholic, January 21 – Cadott, January 27 – Thorp and February 15 – Osseo-Fairchild. Varsity games begin at 7:30 pm.

*** The following is from a clipping that has yellowed over the years, as I keep it on my desk as "A Reminder!" Years ago it came from the Oconto County Times-Herald newspaper. Count your blessings instead of your crosses. Count your gains instead of your losses. * Count your joys instead of your woes. Count your friends instead of your foes. * Count your smiles instead of your tears. Count your courage instead of your fears. * Count your full years instead of your lean. Count your kind deeds instead of your mean. * Count your health instead of your wealth. Count on God instead of yourself.

***.

Smile time. Indications you might be a "Redneck": Motel 6 turns off the lights when they see you coming. * There are more dishes in your sink than in your cupboard. * You think a turtleneck is a key ingredient in soup. * Your anniversary present was getting the septic tank pumped. * You watch cartoons long after your kids get bored. * You think the French Riviera is a foreign car. * You think your an entrepreneur because of the "Dirt for Sale" sign in the front yard. * You're still scalping tickets after the concert is over. +++ Just after the maid had been fired, she took five bucks from her purse and threw it to Fido, the family dog. When asked why by her former employer she answered, I never forget a friend. It was for his helping me clean the dishes all the time." +++ The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British and Americans. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also eat lots of sausages and fats and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

BY DAVID JANKOSKI