by David Jankoski

February 14 ■ ■ Happy Valentine’s Day!

This is also Wisconsin School Bus Driver Week (February 8-12). The week is set aside for the state to recognizes all school transportation personnel who are involved in the highest standards of safe practices to assure the protection of their passengers, our state’s most precious cargo. Bringing children to school is an important business. It has been sad to read that a number of fines have been given to local Stanley or Boyd drivers who are not obeying the law, as it relates to stopped school buses picking up or dropping off passengers. If your tempted to do anything unlawful just remember all school buses are equipped with cameras that will be recording your actions.

There has been considerable chatter around town on the new Mexican Restaurant that will be located at 117 North Broadway, or as Mr. James Ericksen use to say in the “Heart of the Loop in Downtown Stanley.” It will be going by the name of Cantina Margarita Mexican Grill. I stopped by last Wednesday, February 3 and talked to one of the workers. In pressing him for an opening date, he said not for at least a month. The interior has already definitely been transformed into a Mexican Restaurant atmosphere. I know Mexican food fans are anxious to give it a try. Besides having another eatery in town, it is good to see another Main Street business building brought back to life. Best wishes go out to the owners for a successful venture.

Meanwhile down the street, Dean “Deano” Tinjum has retired from his Deano’s Big Ten Pub after 28 years. Thank you Deano for all your efforts in the Stanley community. His business establishment had some of the most humorous floats each year in Stanley parades. Here’s wishing Deano well in whatever his future pursuits are.

Here is a definition of LIFE* that is worth reading slowly and for absorption. *Life is available for a limited time. Limit one (1) per person. Subject to change without notice. Provided “as is” and without any warranties. Nontransferable and is the sole responsibility of the recipient. May incur damages arising from use or non-use. Additional parts sold separately. Your mileage may vary. Subject to all applicable fees and taxes. Terms and conditions apply. Other restrictions apply. (Now, there’s some food for thought!!) Sometimes inequities hit you right in the face. I had one of those experiences this past week when I received my annual License Plate Renewal Notice. My renewal fee rose to $160 because of the penalty the state legislature assessed me for owning a hybrid vehicle. The penalty for owning a hybrid is a $75 surcharge. What twisted logic is there in penalizing anyone who is being a steward of preserving gasoline resources? Wouldn’t the same twisted logic be that anyone who is not saving resources —say anyone owning a vehicle that gets less than 20 mpg should also pay a surcharge? I think so. Those who voted for this surcharge were only focused on gas tax revenue, perhaps some of the same legislators who bragged about cutting the gas tax a number of years back and then found the coffers short of money for needed highway repairs. Brag to get votes and then sock it to someone else to make up for their mistake. That’s politics!!

At the same time, Wisconsin is charging owners of hybrid vehicles that produce less carbon dioxide emissions a surcharge, China, now the world’s biggest auto market, is moving towards having 50% of all its vehicles be battery electric vehicles and the rest hybrid vehicles by 2035. As a result, carbon dioxide emissions in China are expected to peak around 2028 and then drop to 20% of peak levels by 2035. New energy vehicles in China include battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. The Chinese auto industry expects to sell around 1.1 million such vehicles this year. These goals are going to push American companies, that expect to sell vehicles in China, in the same direction. Then what are our Wisconsin legislators going to do – increase our surcharge??

What a super job our pubic works department did of clearing the snow from our city streets on Thursday evening, February 4, and on Friday, February 5. Thank you for a job well done. Reports of 6,8 and 10 inches were the talk around town on Friday. *** Stanley and Boyd police reports appearing regularly in this newspaper are interesting. Here are a few observations. Police officers do spend time chasing speeders on Highway 29. It is probably a lot more exciting than patrolling on city or village streets? I regularly have seen the Boyd Police in wait on Highway 29. I have not seen the same from Stanley police. It used to be the city policy for our police to not be doing Highway 29 policing, unless requested to do something for the Sheriff’s Department. Speaking of patrolling on Highways 29, the past two weeks I have observed increased State Patrol officers in the wait, a half mile west of the Boyd exit.

Isn’t it interesting that the numbers at animal shelters are down during the pandemic? Most area shelters are reporting the same thing – more pet adoptions. However, there are concerns that once people start returning to work that the number of animals surrendered may increase.

Word around the community is that increased numbers of people sixty-five and over are getting appointments for vaccines against COVID through the Chippewa County Health Department, Ascension Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Stanley, Clark County Health Department, the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Chippewa Falls, Mayo Health System Clinics and Marshfield Clinics. This is good news — perhaps by summer we will be a little freer to operate our normal lives. Let’s hope so.

Rumors around Thorp include: Kwik Trip is coming. However, it is not on the to build list for this year (2021). Also, rumors are that a Dollar General will also be built in Thorp – perhaps even in the downtown?? Like all rumors of this naUire, time will tell.

Smile time. Do you know that awesome feeling when you get into bed, fall right asleep, stay asleep all night, and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day? Yeah, me neither! +++ If there are no ups and downs in your life, it means you’re dead. +++ You never appreciate what you have till it’s gone. Toilet paper is a good example. +++ Being male is a matter of birth, being a man is a matter of age, being a gentleman is a matter of choice. +++ hiside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened. +++ Slow down and enjoy the journey right now. Take time for the people in your life. They won’t always be there. +++ Your value doesn’t decrease on someone’s inability to see your worth.. +++ One of the best feelings in the world is knowing that your presence and absence mean something to someone.+++ At different times, we all need a new perspective. +++ I’d be unstoppable if not for law enforcement and physics.