By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Blossoms & Barbs: March 12, 2011
Placeholder Image
A great big blossom to The Monroe Times for putting articles in their paper such as the ones about the Peace Corps on March 4, and Rebuilding a Family on March 5. It was wonderful to see some real hometown news, featuring our citizens and what we do. Nowhere in the world can you get articles like that. I can read about the state and the world in other media, but we rely on The Monroe Times for our local news stories. Very good journalism - keep up the great work and keep this type of coverage coming! Thank you.

A delicious blossom to the Heritage House for providing a special place for us to dine. s the old saying goes, you get what you pay for, and the Heritage House is a great example of that. I had one of the best meals last night that I've had in a long time. The meal was exquisite, the service very accommodating and the atmosphere so beautiful and comfortable that it made us all feel very special. You can tell the owners support our community with all the local pictures throughout their richly decorated rooms. Yes, some say the prices are a bit high, but it was well worth it for the perfect evening that we had - as I said, you get what you pay for. Thank you for providing such fine dining in our community. Remember - it's up to us to make sure our businesses stay alive - so please support them and shop local! - Sheila Berrey

• • •

A barb to Gov. Walker. He's definitely creating a widening gap between the rich and the poor by taking the state individual income and sales tax off the table and saying all the budget balancing will be done on the backs of the unions because I feel someone in the $50,000 income bracket is middle class. Taxes should be based on ability to pay. Gov. Quinn of Illinois is raising the personal and corporate income tax which is just opposite of what Gov. Walker is doing and nobody seems to be too upset in Illinois like the are in Wisconsin. I think Gov. r Walker is letting the wealthy Koch brothers control his thinking due to the large campaign contributions he received from them. There's no reason the governor should exempt the wealthy taxpayers. - Linda Isely

• • •

A blossom to the coaches and players of the Monroe Avalanche Varsity hockey team on winning first place at the WAHA Division 1 State Tournament hosted here in Monroe at SLICE. Way to go! - Liz Gerhard

• • •

A barb to all of you that are barbing the people exercising their right to assemble ... Shame on you all. A blossom to all the protesters. Keep up the fight. Those of you that think the budget is a good thing ... try actually reading it ... - Here Here

• • •

I would like to send a big prickly barb to The Monroe Times. Can you explain how your front page online polls stay fairly steady all week then shift very far to the left the last 18 or so hour before they are removed and go to print? Math would say the later into the poll (the more votes) the harder it would be to move very far either way. Something seems very fishy. - Gary

• • •

A blossom to the Green County Fair Association. A few months ago I submitted a barb to them for their failure to clear ice and snow from their sidewalks. Since then, for whatever reason, they have done an excellent job in keeping their sidewalks clean. Thank you - please keep up the good work. - Bob Smith

• • •

Green County Human Services would like to thank and give a boat-load of blossoms to Girl Scout Troop 3203 and their leaders for their generous donation of goods given to us to provide to homeless families. Ladies, your donation will help countless families and sends a huge message that someone cares about their situation. The baskets will raise the spirits of the children facing homelessness; how very kind and thoughtful that you wanted to provide special things for homeless children. We are fortunate to have such caring young ladies in our community.

We would also like to thank the leaders of this troop: Bob and Lenae Ambrose, Jill Gothard, Lesa Foley, and Nancy Anderson. Through your leadership, these young ladies learned about the homelessness issue in our communities, experienced homelessness through their participation in the Shanty Town event, and through their actions, filled a huge need as families cannot purchase these donated items with their Food Share benefits. Thank you from us and from the families that will receive these goods. - Jeannie Blumer, Green County Human Services

• • •

A blossom in support of the protesters in Madison protesting against Gov. Scott "Job Killer" Walker's union-busting efforts.

A blossom in support of the Wisconsin Senate Democrats filibustering effort by going in exile out of state against Gov. Scott "Job Killer" Walker's union-busting effort. They should stay out state as long as it takes. - Dave Searles

• • •

A barb to Marcie Frehner's editorial. In it she states that the union protects the most educated and experienced teachers. This is true for all teachers, good and bad. The problem being is that the most experienced and educated teachers aren't necessarily the best teachers. You can go into any school district and you will find a young teacher with the drive and knowledge and desire that makes them a superb teacher, better then the occasional teacher who is riding out the job till retirement. Teachers pay will continue to go up with experience and continuing education. Teachers aren't being asked to work harder for less pay, they are being asked to contribute a small amount (compared to the private sector) to their pension/insurance plans. Private sector employees can be fired at anytime for under performing, teachers can't.

A barb to the Monroe Evening Times for not publishing highlights from local collective bargaining agreements so that the public can have a better understanding of what is in these agreements and why cities, counties and school districts have lost the ability to make the necessary decisions to run efficiently.

A barb to Mayor Dave C. of Madison and union leaders sending the 14 Democrats to Illinois to stop the vote on the budget repair bill. If the e-mails prove true that the Democrats are staying in Illinois to allow time for union agreements to be signed, it is an even sadder day in Wisconsin politics and a sad example of representatives working for a small group instead of what is best for the people and taxpayers of Wisconsin.

A barb to the 14 Illinois Democrats for shirking their duties and leaving the state. When then-Gov. Doyle put the last budget repair bill through a couple of years ago, there wasn't any public hearing and these same Democrats passed the bill the next day. The Republicans did not pack their bags and head south. They debated, added amendments that they knew wouldn't pass, and then voted. The public decided in the next election that they disagreed with the Democrats continually raising taxes, transferring funds with gimmicks , and passing the bills onto the future taxpayers. - A Taxpayer

• • •

A big barb to Cuba City coach Jerry Petitgoue for his conduct at the Darlington-Cuba City playoff game last Saturday night. He was hollering from the bench three times when a Darlington player was at the free-throw line. It was rude, inconsiderate and unsportsmanlike and most certainly a violation of the code of conduct of the WIAA. Shame on him for setting such a poor example that reflects so unfavorably on him and the school and community he represents. - Anonymous