FROM THE CORNER

BY DAVID JANKOSKI

News from the Stanley Correctional Institution (SCI). This facility sits on the far south west corner of the city and we seldom hear much about what goes on out there. When a prison opens in a community, it is customary to have a Community Relations Board established that serves as a conduit between the prison and the community by providing an opportunity to get questions answered and receive information about the institution’s operation.. How often meetings are held is up to the people who serve on the Board. When the Stanley Community Relations Board was established, it was decided that semi-annual meetings would be held, and if needed we could expand that number. On October 20, Mayor Al Haas and I were the only two community members who attended the October Meeting. Some of the meeting highlights were: Of 188 Correctional Officer positions allocated, at that time there was a 20 percent vacancy rate, which was attributed to transfers, resignations and retirements. While a 20 percent vacancy rate seems high, it was noted that Waupun Correctional Institution has a 50 percent vacancy rate for Correctional Officers. SCI is hoping to have a local academy for new Correctional Officers in the near future. So if anyone is thinking about a job at SCI, this would be their chance to train locally, rather than going to Madison for the training. Correctional Officers start at $19.03 per hour and there is currently a $2,000 sign-on bonus. State employees also have good health/life insurance and pension benefits. +++ In the non-uniform vacancy area, although there are a few vacancies, SCI has the lowest non-uniformed vacan- cy rate in the state. +++ SCI continues it support of community organizations by making donations of inmate made items to assist with fundraisers. Items are donated to a wide range of organizations within a good 75 mile radius of the institution. +++ Currently, due to the vacancy level, SCI is unable to pro vide minimum security prisoners to do community work. It is the hope that someday that kind of help might be available. In the past, Stanley has used inmates from the Chippewa Valley Prison at Chippewa Falls to straighten up tombstones at the city cemetery. Next week, I will provide some information on Institution Updates. *** Need a laugh? The following was received as a birthday card by a classmate of mine. The top 10 advantages to getting older: 10.) Your clothes have come back in style .. twice! 9.) You can no longer be cut down in your prime. 8.) There is nothing left to learn the hard way. 7.) Plenty of time to catch up on reading… in the bathroom. 6.) In any hostage situation, you'll probably be released first. 5.) You repeat yourself with out knowing it. 4.) You’re allowed to take a nap to get ready for bed. 3.) You repeat yourself without knowing it. 2.) You’ve made a lot of good memories… even if you can’t remember them. And the number one advantage to getting old …it beats the only alternative!! *** What is being labeled as a bi-partisan Infrastructure Bill, has been passed by Congress and is awaiting the signature of President Joe Biden. When it was announced that the plan carried a $1 trillion dollar price tag, I immediately wondered what that kind of money would be spent on. Traditionally, as a former mayor, I have only thought of infrastructure as sewer and water pipes, roads and bridges. Well, in the November 8 edition of the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, an Associated Press article’s breakdown of the bill expanded my understanding of what was being covered. Here is some of what I found. The bill provides $110 billion to repair the nation’s highways, bridges and roads – reportedly that covers 173,000 miles of highways and 45,000 bridges. $39 billion for public transit. $66 billion for railroad improvements. $7.5 billion for electric charging stations along major roadways. $65 billion for broadband access. $65 billion to modernize and make the electric grid of our country more reliable and resilient. $25 billion to improve airport, runways, gates and taxiways. $55 billion for water and sewer improvements, which includes $15 billion to replace lead pipes. While these are staggering numbers, anyone who does much traveling can certainly attest to the need for improvements of our roadways. Lead pipe replacements is an expenditure which interests me, as when we replaced water and sewer pipes, when I was serving as mayor, we encouraged households to replace the lead pipes leading from the water shutoff to their homes, but few did because of the price tag. Perhaps the greatest need, and the one I read about most weeks, is the need for broadband expansion, to allow for Internet access in our rural areas. Every county around here has been struggling the last few years with that need. Hopefully, help is on the way. *** Smile time. You can find joy more easily, if we have a sense of humor. +++ Each day give yourself a little timeout to sit qui – etly and be thankful for all that you have. +++ Strength doesn't come from what you can do. Strength comes from overcom- ing the things you thought you couldn't. +++ Help others even when you know they can't help you back. +++ Life is short, love it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish them. +++ A well- worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty dollar bill arrived at the Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt, to be burned, they struck up a conversation. The twenty-dollar bill reminisced about the travels all over the country. “I’ve had a pretty good life,” the twenty proclaimed. “Why I’ve been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway and even on a cruise to the Caribbean.” “Wow!” said the one dollar bill. You’ve really had an exciting life!” “So, tell me,” says the twenty, “where have you been throughout your lifetime.” The one dollar bill replies, “Oh, I’ve been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church…” The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?" +++ An Irish man walks into a bar with bandages all around his feet. His friends ask him “What happened to you?” “Well,” he said, “It all started with a can of soup which said on it “open can and stand in boiling water for ten minutes … so I did.”