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Who Bet $2 Million Bucks & Why? When you’re gambling with someone else’s money, who cares how high the stakes may go and whether you win or lose. But shooting craps with stolen money can get you in trouble, unless
COVER STORY you’re the mayor and the city council. On December 21, 2012, they ended up in front of a judge who slapped their hands and sent them home. Would you or I receive such a soft reprimand if we’d tried to steal 2 million bucks? Not likely, but these are good men, not criminals. Uh huh. One year ago, while the battle raged in Wisconsin’s capital over worker’s rights, Racine politicians were pandering to local labor unions, hoping to secure their support. We’re with you, they claimed, let’s make a deal. Let’s get a contract signed to protect you, and oh by the way, there’s an election coming up and we hope we can count on you. Could you distribute some literature, put up some
signs, and some financial support would be nice. With Governor Walker on the ropes, his anti-labor agenda seemed in jeopardy and a quick deal to secure peace with the unions was a priority. If Walker were to lose, those unions might be inclined to up the ante and make greater demands. Surprisingly, despite a million signatures calling for his recall, Walker prevailed in the election. He managed to portray government workers as spoiled and greedy, even though they had bargained many concessions before he destroyed their collective bargaining rights. This meant Acts 10 and 32 would go into full effect. That set the wheels to turning in the minds of our local politicians, who realized that they’d bet the wrong horse. They figured maybe they could just hit the reset button on that contract they had with local labor unions. Just make the claim that Acts 10 and 32 should be retroactive and nullify the contract. What the heck, there were close to 2 million bucks they could “recover” if it worked. Imagine all the wonderful things that could be accomplished with 2 million bucks. Maybe some more phallic symbols like the ones on the city hall roundabout. The scheme quickly gained support in the city council, with past and present council presidents Greg Helding and Jim Kaplan leading the way. Only two alderPlease turn to page 9 men recognized the foolishness of that
Another Glorious Year of Helping Uninsured in Racine County By Heather Premo Healthcare Network has been around since 1987 when the number of uninsured was at 32 million. Today it is at a high of 46 million. That is 46 million people in the United States that do not have any insurance so that something as simple as antibiotics for a respiratory infection can be treated. So many issues concerning the healthcare crisis have travailed us for years and years, but one thing has stood honest and true and that is that the Healthcare Network will continue the dedication and vigilance to treat the residents of Racine with the love and compassion that everyone should have. Without Healthcare Network, I would have possibly not been able to write this story. They have been coming through for me for the last several years. I am on the waiting list for Badger Care, and I have been
on that list for 3 years now. A lot has happened in 3 years. I have gotten several infections that have required treatment; I have needed medications for allergies and asthma which are constant. They have helped me with all of it over the years. I am not sure where I would be had they not been there for me. I love seeing the people there, as busy as they are, if just to say Hello and Thank You with all my heart. Healthcare Network plays an essential role here in Racine that has become a staple in helping people survive in the harshness of the times. With donations from various organizations, Healthcare Network may continue to provide for the needs of individuals in Racine for years to come. Now it is 2013 and this is the 26th year in which Healthcare Network has been operating. In Please turn to page 4
At the desk, Veronica Meltzer and Alma Garay welcome patients to Health Care Network
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JANUARY 15-30, 2013
AN AFTER CHRISTMAS THOUGHT
Did you, like many other Americans, illuminate your home with bright and cheery holiday lights? For many, Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without at least a tree trimmed with hundreds of tiny lights. Some may add a row of icicles along the eaves of the house while others go all out and put on a display that could be seen from space, and which causes the electric meter to spin like a top. And right there is the rub, that meter that spins round and round putting a smile on the face of the energy company and a dent in the wallet of the homeowner. But it’s more than just the electric bill that you might want to consider when you flip that switch to light the display and spread good cheer to all who drive by. Pause for just a moment and consider just where all that electricity comes from. Most of the electricity in America comes from a turbine spinning in a power plant somewhere miles away from where it is used. And the thing that makes that turbine spin to generate that current is high pressure steam, which is created by burning fossil fuels to heat water. Fossil fuels are coal, natural gas and fuel oil. Here in Racine, WI, nearly 70% of our electricity is generated by burning coal, and coal is ranked as the “dirtiest” method for producing electricity. Even “clean coal” is still dirty electricity. A brief list of what gets released into the environment when coal is burned inHEALTH CARE NETWORK
Cut out this photo and tape it over a switch plate to remind you of coal’s impact on the Appalachian environment
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2012, there were 165,000 appointments and this has made Healthcare Network the largest free clinic in Wisconsin. There are a team of great women who demonstrate such compassion for the community by organizing fun events to raise money and awareness for the services that the Network has provided for the public. There are more events that are upcoming. The Healthcare Network Website gives detailed information on what has occurred over the years and the dedicated people that assist, volunteers and workers, to keep Healthcare Network running to a divine ability. I commend the long standing people that have dedicated their work to the help and success of others. Thank you. The Healthcare Network has also been recognized in the White House by President Bush and President Clinton for the extended efforts they have made throughout the years. If you look inside on their wall on the Right, there are many plaques of recognition including by President Clinton with the White House monogram. Currently they are working hard on the dental issues that many people face. Their mammography program to ensure early detection of breast cancer began in 2010 giving women mammograms made possible through partial funding from the Susan G. Komen foundation. For more information on Healthcare Network and how you can help, go to www.healthcarenetwork.org. The website will provide you with all the information needed and upcoming events and ways to contact them. Included in this is a newsletter to provide you with the most recent events. Healthcare Network is located at 904 State Street in Racine WI 53404.
cludes acid gases, such as hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride; Benzene, toluene and other compounds; Dioxins and furans; Formaldehyde; Lead, arsenic, and other metals; Mercury; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH); and Radioactive materials, like radium and uranium. That doesn’t even count carbon dioxide, which is the worst of the “greenhouse gases” that are causing global climate change. Lakes as far away as New England are affected by the pollutants that rise into the air from our Midwest power plants, making the fish caught in them risky to eat. Now, if that were all of the problem with coal it would be bad enough, but there’s more. Much of the coal used for electrical generation is now gathered in a process called “surface mining”, which means they dig it right off the top of the ground. Of course they have to remove everything that covers it before it’s actually at the surface. In mining company language, this is called “mountaintop
removal” and the stuff that covers the coal is called “overburden”. To regular folks, “overburden” is known as forests, streams and mountains. You will be shocked at what I’m about to tell you now. Every week, the explosive equivalent of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, Japan to end World War II, is detonated in the Appalachian Mountains of America. Those explosives are used to literally blast the tops off of mountains to get at the coal. The “debris’ from that blasting is shoved into adjoining valleys and streams causing a huge problem with pollution of the areas water. All living things that are “in the way”, including families who have lived there for generations, are either killed or displaced. Perhaps this is all of little consequence to you. Perhaps this is a small price to pay for the Christmas Joy that you and others experience from that beautiful tree and all of the lights that glimmer on the house and in the yard. Then again, perhaps you would like to consider what is happening hundreds of miles away when you flip that switch. Imagine an atomic bomb going off when you flip it. Perhaps you would like the people and wildlife of Appalachia to have a little clean air and water to enjoy next Christmas. And maybe, instead of buying more lights to illuminate the yard, you would consider buying a solar panel to put out there. Maybe hang a wreath on it for the season. Felize Navidad.
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NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE NATIONWIDE: A new poll finds that Congress, with a surreally dismal 9% favorability rating, ranks behind 26 seriously unpopular things it was tested against, including Cockroaches, Root Canals, Brussel Sprouts, Lice, colonoscopies, NFL replacement refs, Genghis Khan, the country of France and the band Nickelback. They did beat out telemarketers, gonorrhea, North Korea, Fidel Castro and the Kardashians. So...There's hope? NEW YORK: New York City’s “stop and frisk” law was ruled unconstitutional in the U.S. District Court on Jan. 8. Under that law, New York police have been disrupting the lives of mostly Black and Latino citizens for over a decade. In 2011, more stops of Black males occurred than there are Black males in the city, indicating some citizens have were being stopped repeatedly. More than 90% of stops resulted in no arrest for any type of crime whatsoever. There’s
been no report of Wall Street operatives being subject to “stop and frisk” despite widespread suspicion that they have stolen billions. MAINE: The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association appeared in federal court on Jan. 10 to argue their case
against Monsanto, the St. Louis based agribusiness giant. Jim Gerritsen, president of the association stated, "We are not customers of Monsanto. We don't want their seed. We don't want their genespliced technology. We don't want their trespass onto our farms. We don't want their contamination of our crops. We don't want to have to defend ourselves from aggressive assertions of patent infringement because Monsanto refuses to keep their pollution on their side of the fence. We want justice." Must be like having your neighbor’s mongrel jump the fence to impregnate your prize hunt-
ing dog and then sending you a bill for stud fees. WASHINGTON DC: Remember the “bank bailout?” The 800 billion dollar rescue that was the last act of the outgoing George W. Bush administration provided 180 billion to AIG alone. AIG is now attempting to sue the government for that help, alleging that they were charged too high an interest rate and they had to sell off some subsidiaries to survive. Poor babies…, somehow I don’t think they suffered as much as the families who had credit card rates jump to nearly 30% and had to have yard sales so they could afford food" NEW HAMPSHIRE: According to state Representative Dan Dumaine (R) “A holstered gun is not a deadly weapon... But anything can be used as a deadly weapon. A credit card can be used to cut somebody's throat." Makes you wonder just how he figured that out.
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Elise Elmblad, center, a student at UWParkside was crowned Miss Racine 2013. Also crownded to the far left is Mara Mandli Miss Belle city’s Outstanding teen 2013. and to the far right Jamie Morelan Miss Racine Oustanding Teen 2013
UW-Parkside student crowned Miss Racine 2013 The Miss Racine Scholarship Program was held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at Starbuck Middle School, 1516 Ohio St. Ten contestants competed for the title of Miss Racine 2013. University of Wisconsin-Parkside student Elise Elmblad was crowned 2013 Miss Racine after treating the crowd to a rendition of “Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera. The other contestants were: Ashely Monti, 18, of Racine, a student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She sang “So Much Better” from the musical “Legally Blonde” and her platform was “ Grief Management — Extinguish the Fire of Depression. ” * Delilah Rezk, 17, of Racine, a senior at St. Catherine’s High School. Her talent was be a fashion design demonstration and her platform was the “Livestrong” organization. * Elise Elmblad, 19, of Kenosha, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She sang “Think of Me” from “The Phantom of the Opera” and her platform was “Share the Power of a Wish: Supporting the Make-AWish Foundation.” * Alyssa Bohm, 18, of Racine, a student at UW-Parkside. She sang “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from “Cinderella” and her platform was “Enhancing Opportunities for Special Needs Youth.” * Stephanie Parco, 19, of Racine, a student at UW-Parkside. She performed a tap dance to “Show Me How You Burlesque” and her platform was “Promoting an Active and Independent Senior Lifestyle.” * Kursti Robinson, 20, of Racine, a student at Gateway Technical College. She danced for her talent and her platform was “Dermatomyositis Awareness.” * Tajai Turner, 23, of Racine, a student at UW-Parkside. She ssng “Listen” from “Dreamgirls” and her platform was “Women Empowerment.” * Kelsey McCarthy, 21, of Burlington, a stu-
dent at Gateway Technical College. Her talent was a Tae Kwon Do demonstration ” and her platform was “Child Abuse Prevention.” * Abby Krekling, 19, of Racine, a student at Madison Area Technical College. Her talent was a vocal performance to “Hallelujah” and her platform was “March of Dimes.” * Lauren Rabidoux, 19, of Racine, a student at Marquette University. She danced to “Fever” for her talent presentation and her platform was “Eating Disorder Education.” Miss Racine Outstanding Teen Three contestants competed for the title of Miss Racine Outstanding Teen 2013. They are: * Mara Mandli, 14, a student at Horlick High School. She performed a tap dance to “Can’t Touch It” and her platform was “Reaching Out to Others in Need.” * Jamie Morelan, 14, a student at Case High School. She sang “Orange Colored Sky” and her platform was “Making Your Mess Your Message.” * Taylor Larsen, 14, a student at Case High School. She danced for her talent presentation and her platform was “The Sparkle Effect.” The theme of the pageant was “Miss Racine Goes Country” and featured Miss Racine 2012 Paula Kuiper and Miss Racine’s Outstanding Teen 2012 Jennifer Schmidt. Kuiper represented Racine in the Miss Wisconsin Pageant in Oshkosh in June, where she was named a top 10 semi-finalist, was selected as the Spirit of Miss America Award recipient and received a Health and Sciences Scholarship. She attends the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her platform was “Breaking the Age Barrier.” Schmidt, who also competed in Oshkosh for the state title, is a junior at The Prairie School and her platform was “Health Habits for a Healthy Lifestyle.” This year’s program emcees was Maggie
Hill, Miss Southern Lakes 2012, and Caitlin Morrall, Miss Racine 2002. Hill, a graduate of St. Norbert College,, is employed with the Green Bay Packer Organization as a nutritionist. Morrall, who went on to become Miss Wisconsin USA 2007, is a graduate of Alverno College and is currently the Road Warrior traffic reporter on Today’s TMJ4 “Live at Daybreak.” Elise O’Connell, Miss Southern Lakes Outstanding Teen 2012, will be a guest performer at this year’s pageant. She previously held the title of Miss
Racine’s Outstanding Teen 2010 and is a student at Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. The Miss Racine Scholarship Program, which has been in existence since 1960, is a local affiliate of the nonprofit Miss America Organization, one of the nation’s leading achievement programs and the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women.
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JANUARY 15-30, 2013
Christian Leaders call for end to unconditional US military aid Fifteen religious leaders representing many major faith groups in the country have written a letter to Congress seeking to make U.S. military aid to the State of Israel contingent upon its compliance with applicable U.S. laws and policies. (excerpts below) Dear Member of Congress, In response to our Christian call to be peacemakers, we have worked for decades to support both Israelis and Palestinians in their desire to live in peace and well-being. We have worked alongside our Palestinian Christian sisters and brothers to help build a peaceful and resilient Palestinian civil society by supporting hospitals, schools, clinics, and social service agencies. These ministries include cooperative efforts with Israelis and Palestinians as well as with Jews, Muslims, and other neighbors here in the United States. Through our presence in the region, and regular visits to our partners there, we see first-hand the impacts of the conflict on both Palestinians and Israelis and hear from them directly about the reality of their lives. Through this direct experience we have witnessed the pain and suffering of Israelis as a result of Palestinian actions and of Palestinians as a result of Israeli actions. We have also witnessed widespread Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinians, including killing of civilians, home demolitions and forced displacement, and restrictions on Palestinian movement, among others. We recognize that each party—Israeli and Palestinian—bears responsibilities for its actions and we therefore continue to stand against all violence regardless of its source. Our stand against violence is complemented by our commitment to the rights of all Israelis, as well as all Palestinians, to live in peace and security. Unfortunately, unconditional U.S. military assistance to Israel has contributed to this deterioration, sustaining the conflict and undermining the long-term security interests of both Israelis and Palestinians. This is made clear in the most recent 2011 State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices covering Israel and the Occupied Territories, which details widespread Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinian civilians, many of which involve the misuse of U.S.-supplied weapons. Accordingly, we urge an immediate investigation into possible violations by Israel of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act which respectively prohibit assistance to any country which engages in a consistent pattern of human rights violations and limit the use of U.S. weapons to “internal security” or “legitimate self-defense.” More broadly, we urge Congress to undertake careful scrutiny to ensure that our aid is not supporting actions by the government of Israel that undermine prospects for peace. We urge Congress to hold hearings to examine Israel’s compliance, and we request regular reporting on compliance and the withholding of military aid for non-compliance. In addition to specific rights violations, we see a troubling and consistent pattern of disregard by the government of Israel for U.S. policies that support a just and lasting peace. The Oslo peace process, which began
in 1993, was publicly promoted as leading Israelis and Palestinians to a just peace based on a two-state solution. Instead, since 1993, the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has more than doubled. Rights violations resulting from Israeli settlement activity include separate and unequal legal systems for Palestinians and settlers, confiscation of Palestinian land and natural resources for the benefit of settlers, and violence by settlers against Palestinians. According to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, there has been a dramatic rise in settler attacks against Palestinians this year. They report that these attacks are often intended to drive Palestinians from areas the settlers wish to take over, and that Israeli authorities have failed to take significant action to stop the violence or hold the perpetrators accountable. We believe that these actions directly undermine peace efforts and threaten, rather than support, Israel’s long-term security interests. As Israel is the single largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid since World War II, it is especially critical for Israel to comply with the specific U.S. laws that regulate the use of U.S.-supplied weapons. We also encourage Congress to support inclusive, comprehensive, and robust regional diplomacy to secure a just and lasting peace that will benefit Israelis, Palestinians, and all the peoples of the region, and the world. With respect and gratitude, we offer you our prayers. Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA) Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, President, Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church Peg Birk, Transitional General Secretary, National Council of Churches USA Shan Cretin, General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee J Ron Byler, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Alexander Patico, North American Secretary Orthodox Peace Fellowship Diane Randall, Executive Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation Dr. A. Roy Medley, General Secretary, American Baptist Churches, U.S.A. Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Rev. Julia Brown Karimu, President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),, Division of Overseas Ministries, Co-Executive, Global Ministries (UCC and Disciples) Rev. Dr. James A. Moos, Executive Minister, United Church of Christ, Wider, Church Ministries, Co-Executive, Global Ministries (UCC and Disciples) Kathy McKneely, Acting Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Eli S. McCarthy, PhD, Justice and Peace Director, Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM)
JANUARY 15-30, 2013
COMMUNICATOR NEWS
$2 Million Bucks?
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bet, Keith Fair and Michael Shields of the 1st and 3rd districts. They advised their fellow council persons that the scheme was not only wrong, but it would never make it through the courts. And it didn’t. The Mayor and the City Administrator are now contemplating ways to deal with the financial obligations remaining from this failed maneuver. Layoffs, other budget cuts, renewed negotiations for concessions from the unions and an appeal of the court’s decision are among the options being considered. So far there is no mention of a trip to Potawatami, but if they ask you for money, you may want to think twice about it.
Pope Benedict Slams Capitalism, Economic Inequality Emulating historical marches in the 60’s by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, students from the local group, Youth Empowered in the Struggle will march 10 block to dramatize their discontent with hsving funds pulled from their organization that was to be used to celebrate King’s holiday
Youth In The Struggle to hold march to protest against lost of funds Nearly 300 students and adults are expected to take part in a march to show their discontent with the pulling of funds that had helped them for the past three years to host several events aimed at honoring Dr. Martin Luther King on his birthday. Youth Empowered in the Struggle, an arm of Voces de la Frontera, will stage the 10 block march, Monday, January 21, starting at 11 am. The peaceful march will begin at High Street and Martin Luther King Drive, traveling south to the corner of State Street and MLK Drive, where a brief ceremony will be held at the base of the civil rights leader’s memorial sculpture. “The march will remind many of how King stood up against injustice in so many facets of society,” explained Kenneth Lumpkin, a veteran Racine County Board Supervisor and organizer of the wreath ceremony for the past 12 years. The youth group was instrumental in convincing RUSD to observe Dr. King birthday as a holiday for students and teachers. Lumpkin said that he is proud to see the young people stand up again for an event that they so strongly believe in and have worked over the years to participate in. For the past three-year YES, financially helped by United Way, Racine Unified School District and Racine Foundation, the young people had hosted a Day of Volunteering, a Community Family Dinner, and had participated in the kick-off Wreath Ceremony. Surprisingly, a few months ago Mark Belling, a Milwaukee WTMJ conservative talk show host took to the airwaves accusing the young people’s group of being a political action committee because of their successful voter registration efforts during the fall elections. The pressure by Belling, who has described Milwaukee’s Hispanic voters recently as “wetbacks”, led to the hasty decision by local groups to drop their support of the young people’s student club, made up of primarily Hispanic and African-American students. Alexia Gates, YES Student Organizing Intern, and a senior at William Horlick High School, said that the ordeal caused by Belling has not deterred her peers effort. “Being criticized by a right wing radio host, we didn't let that stop us but instead it motivated us to work harder and live out King's dream,” she said. Gates said instead of getting dropped off at the King Statue, “We are going to march in order to create a larger impact. The Students United Will Never Be Divided,” she concluded. Lumpkin said that he has also asked the African American clergy to follow in the footsteps of Dr. King and stand in solidarity with the young people.
Pope Benedict XVI spoke from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. The Pope slammed capitalism and economic inequality in his annual message of peace. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Benedict XVI said in his New Year’s peace message today that the world was under threat from unbridled capitalism. The pope said "hotbeds of tension and confrontation caused by the growing inequality between rich and poor and the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mentality also expressed by unregulated financial capitalism." The 85-year-old Catholic Church leader spoke at a New Year's Day Mass in the Vatican, then greeted a crowd of tens of thousands outside St Peter's Basilica. The Catholic Church marks its World Day of Peace on New Year's Day with events around the world. The pope said economic models that seek maximum profit and consumption and encourage competition at all costs had failed to look after the basic needs of many and could sow social unrest. Thousands of peace marchers carrying rainbow banners released balloons in cold St
Peter’s Square as the pope spoke. A longer version of the Pope's annual message was sent to heads of state, government and non-governmental organizations on December 14th. Reuters reports that in that message "the Pope called for a new economic model and ethical regulations for markets, saying the global financial crisis was proof that capitalism does not protect the weakest members of society." The pope said people, groups and institutions were needed to foster human creativity, to draw lessons from the crisis and to create a new economic model. – Craig Brown, staff writer, Common Dreams
See John Nichols Tuesday, January 22nd 6:30 @ Siena Center 5635 Erie Street Racine,Wisconsin
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JANUARY 15-30, 2013
Alderman Fair Calls for John Doe investigation The purpose of a John Doe investigation is to determine if criminal activities have been engaged in and, through discovery and review of pertinent facts, determine just who has committed said crimes. Alderman Keith Fair, recently filed a complaint with the District Attorney’s office alleging that bid-rigging has occurred in the granting of city contracts and that there is currently an attempt being made to do so in regards to control of the local cable access channel (CAR-25). CAR-25 (Cable Access Racine) has been in existence for approximately 10 years. Originally the brain child of two Racine Aldermen, Michael Shields and Jim Spangenburg, it was loosely modeled after similar TV outlets in other communities. The purpose of such channels is
Alderman Keith Fair someone in city hall made the decision to send out an RFP (Request For
Alderman Keith Fair, recently filed a complaint with the District Attorney’s office alleging that bid-rigging has occurred in the granting of city contracts and that there is currently an attempt being made to do so in regards to control of the local cable access channel (CAR-25). to provide a platform for local citizens to share information and events that they consider meaningful. CAR25 has broadcast everything from Unified School lunch menus to educational lectures by visiting authorities, interviews of area personalities, local sports events and even city council meetings. For the past several years, CAR-25 has been under the management of Scott Nelson, a lifelong resident of Racine and the channel’s first employee. Nelson formerly worked for Time Warner Kenosha, a channel that preceded CAR-25 in existence. Despite their earlier start, and a much larger budget, Kenosha-14 reportedly models some of their offerings after those that appear here. About the middle of last year,
Proposals) regarding future management of CAR-25. An RFP is typically sent out to people or agencies who might possibly have an interest in a contract to provide services of some kind. Despite being the current manager of CAR-25, with no history of community unhappiness with his services, Nelson was somehow overlooked as someone who might have interest and he did not receive the original RFP (RFP 7), or one that was issued later to replace it (RFP 15). Upon becoming aware the situation through other sources, his company (Badger Media Group) did submit a proposal. Ultimately, an audio recording studio operating out of Kenosha (with no stated experience in video productions) was selected to provide fu-
ture management of the station, and that’s where it becomes curiously interesting. The selection was seemingly made on the basis of a rating system of unknown origin and validity using data that had not been gathered from presentations that were never made. This is why Alderman Fair has submitted a request for a John Doe investigation. Perhaps there is a simple, reasonable and entirely valid explanation for all of this, but interested parties have yet to arrive at one. Until or unless someone can provide a clear and legally acceptable explanation for the inconsistencies and apparent unfairness of this process, it is entirely appropriate for the District Attorney to investigate. Reports from citizens digging into
this situation indicate that irregularities exist around other city contracts as well. In a time when taxpayers are hardpressed to make ends meet in their own households, they have every right to be assured, through thorough documentation and open records policies, that the monies entrusted to their government representatives are being spent with appropriate thrift and impartiality. If that’s the case in this instance, those officials should welcome the opportunity to provide their constituents with reassurance that all is well. Taking offense at citizens’ interest, such as has been brought forth by Alderman Fair, is not reassuring.
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Be-Bop to Hip-Hop If you’re White, it’s alright?
That certainly seems to be the message here in Racine, WI. I’m reminded of the pre-civil rights days of the 1950’s when White performers such as Pat Boone grew rich and famous off of covering “Negro” music. Black music, most often rhythm and
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blues and later rock and roll, was viewed as radical and leading to antisocial behavior if performed by the artists who created those styles. It was far more acceptable by the mainstream audience when performed by “good kids” like Boone, and of course Elvis Presley. Times may change, attitudes and behaviors often live on beyond their time and old prejudices and stereotypes continue to affect the social norm. While barriers continue to be broken and a new reality progressively unfolds, those who find themselves on the wrong side of those barriers are still left wondering why any barriers remain at all. What purpose do they truly serve in a society that prefers to see itself as an equal opportunity venture? The Hip Hop of today is different from the R&B and Rock of the 50’s and 60’s, and as much as musical forms have changed, so has the delivery system that carries it from the artist to the audience. The 45’s and LP’s of then have been replaced by a variety of digital formats and where a club or a theatre was once the venue for live music, it is now the stadium or the
arena that is the preferred stage. The juke box remains the routine musical offering in most nightclubs and taverns and the “disc jockey” continues to be the primary “live” entertainment offering for special occasions. True musicians and performers will take exception to labeling recorded music as live entertainment, but economics often dictate tastes and a DJ is certainly cheaper than several musicians and their equipment. Additionally, one DJ with a sound system can provide the styles and talents of several polished performers, a challenging assignment for a small group of musicians. People still love to gather in crowds to talk, dance, listen to music and do a little people watching. Club owners understand this well and Hip Hop is one of the biggest attractions now on the scene. Hip Hop nights can sure put some money in a club owner’s pocket. And that’s a good thing, right? It stimulates the economy and it makes people happy so what could be wrong with that? Well, apparently nothing, if the owner of the club is White. It’s more than a little peculiar that Black owned bars in the City of Racine have been warned against and sometimes prohibited from playing Hip Hop music. The Public Safety and Licensing
Committee, the seat of wisdom and piety in such matters, has apparently determined that this music is dangerous in Black bars, but not an issue in White ones. All Black owned bars and clubs have had issues with this committee, which has attempted to prohibit or restrict their playing Hip Hop. Park Six, the owner of which recently won back his license to operate a tavern, was closed by the committee as a threat to public safety, despite other White owned establishments having more frequent and serious police interventions. Now we see two downtown clubs, within a few blocks of Park Six, offering Hip Hop nights, and we have found no record of the licensing committee having any objection to this. So is it the music that they find objectionable, or is their issue with the color of the bar owners? I certainly don’t begrudge anyone profiting from a successful strategy, and I’m not necessarily a big fan of Hip Hop, but I am a big fan of equal treatment under the law. I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever see the time when the Black community is allowed to enjoy the prosperity that is generated from its own creativity.
COMMUNICATOR NEWS
12
JANUARY 15-30, 2013
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