A big barb to the Green County Fair Board for raising the rent for the Green County Fall Nationals Tractor Pull 65 percent over last year. The tractor pull is a event that raises thousands of dollars for area charities and people in need. It seems to me that the fair board is getting a bit greedy. I wonder if I'll be able to afford to take my kids to the fair this summer or if the Balloon Rally will still take place. When did Gov. Walker get a seat on the fair board? - Tractor pull fan
A multi-point barb goes out to any and all Monroe teachers who are wearing their one-sided political agenda shirts to school, during school hours, while "teaching" our children. What in the world is the matter with the administrators for allowing such nonsense and garbage? The students aren't allowed to wear political shirts that are either considered offensive or incite an agenda, so why are the teachers being allowed? This is no different than pushing one's religious beliefs onto a student within the schools. Take up your agenda and wear your stupid shirts after school or on weekends, not while you're supposed to be doing your job! And in case you have forgot what your taxpayer paid job is, it's to educate our kids, not push or incite a radical personal agenda. Another thing that I've been told by some students is that there are teachers who are not teaching curriculum, but rather preaching his/her own political view agenda upon the students. If this is in fact true, I would hope that this is not only investigated by the school board, but also investigated by the superintendent of schools and any teacher found guilty of such conduct be immediately terminated. If in fact this is what's going on in some of the classrooms, you people make me sick. I do believe that it's a good thing that the governor's new law will make it easier to weed out the worthless ones among our public schools. - SKT
A barb to the union thugs and their supporters. A group of taxpayers set up a table so that citizens can sign a recall petition, and union thugs surround the table preventing anyone from approaching the group, a union member then writes profanity on the petition and begins to rip up the signed sheets, which is a felony, all the while a police officer stands by and does nothing. A teenage girl disagrees with a union supporter on the square and is surrounded by 20 or so union members and verbally abused to the point of crying and some passersby have to help to get her away from the crowd. A university union member sends a mass e-mail out on the university system to organize an event. The state capitol is overrun and desecrated by union supporters who fail to follow the rules that all other groups have followed throughout the years because they are union members and somehow have rights that no one else does and in the long run costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in security and cleanup costs. - A Taxpayer
Barbs to St. Vincent de Paul. My daughter's husband was being sent home from the hospital and she did not know if they were going to bring a hospital bed in time so she went to St. Vinny's to get a box spring and mattress to set him up a bed. There was a $25 tag on the one piece, so she asked if that was right, for the set. Someone from the back came out and said "no, $25 each piece, I tagged it so someone must have taken one tag off." I said that was a lot of money and was told that was our "donation" (because they cannot legally sell them.) Long story, short, we bought it, then someone called her with one we could have for free. A friend had just picked up the set and was headed to her house. We asked if he could bring it back and were told no, once it is out of the door, it is yours. Ended up that they were able to bring a hospital bed, so now she was stuck with a mattress and box spring she put out $50 for and did not need. Her husband was very ill so she did not need this stress. And I think it is way off the charts for them to charge that much for something that is donated to them. We will never step foot in there again. Just letting you know. - Grace Heck
A big barb to the teachers in Monroe for wearing "solidarity" shirts and talking badly about the budget bill. Teachers should not be pushing their views on children in school. They should be teaching both sides. The biggest blossom on earth to Gov. Walker for reforming Wisconsin. - Katie
Many blossoms to the Monroe Public Library staff and their Spring Cleaning event. They are meeting the challenge of modernizing the library head on. As if having a dedicated staff and a current and relevant collection isn't enough, they are blessing the community through a gigantic book sale. Proceeds from the sale and other community donations will be used to purchase new materials. When you stop at the book sale, suggest a title you would like to see and make sure to give the librarian that helps you a high five! - Janel Keizer
A blossom to Pizza Hut of Monroe. What a beautiful sight it was to observe so many people working together Sunday for the benefit of a local family. It was commendable to see local management, the employees, Dairy Queens of the county, and the many young people who volunteered to offer their assistance all working together to serve so many. The support of all who came from Monroe and surrounding communities to eat at Pizza Hut on Sunday, March 13 to benefit the Eberle family made it a touching event. Community support of this nature reminds us of what can happen when people work together. -Rita Farris
This is a 4-leaf clover blossom to Tracy Hamilton of the Celtic Pub Crawl for encouraging the "crawlers" to support the local food pantries. My husband and I collected a nice amount of food for the pet food pantry and I noticed that the "people" food pantry collected a nice amount as well. It's encouraging knowing that, in addition to knowing how to have fun, people want to help others in need. Thank you, Tracy! - Peggy Miller Sheffer
Many blossoms to the Monroe Avalanche Varsity Hockey team. It's been an amazing season and you caused an upset winning State. Best of luck at Nationals this year - it's great that you are making your second showing there. Hold your heads up high and walk with the pride you have earned this year. Go show everyone how great you are. Go Avalanche! - Mary
A barb to the teacher union commercials stating that the children will all suffer from the budget repair bill. Every article that I have read says that school districts will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in state funding and then there will be teacher layoffs, no schoolbooks, etc. If you bother to read the rest of the article, it points out that there will be hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings from the teacher contributions that almost always completely offsets any shortfalls of state aid. In addition, there will be tens of thousands of dollars in savings from insurance costs when school districts will no longer be forced to buy insurance through the Wisconsin teachers association insurance company because of the removal of the collective bargaining agreements. Some school districts will save over $10,000 for each teacher because of this and the teachers will still have the same amount of insurance coverage as before. The only reason any school children would suffer is if some teachers decide to act unprofessionally and not give their all when teaching because they now have to contribute a small amount towards their own health insurance and pension plan. - A parent
A barb to the union members and supporters who are using extortion tactics to make companies come out in support of the unions. Threatening boycotts of companies whose employees may have contributed to Scott Walker or the Republican Party is nothing but extortion. Yes, you have the right to do business anywhere you choose but, unfortunately, taxpayers must still pay their taxes whether they agree with where the tax dollars go or not. Taxpayers shouldn't boycott businesses owned by public employee family members. Taxpayers can't all homeschool their children so we no longer need any teachers or take all our garbage directly to the dump so that we have less city employees, nor should we. We have wonderful and hardworking teachers and city and county employees who do valuable jobs. Publish articles stating your case about the bargaining rights you have lost compared to the considerable protections that you have under the Wisconsin civil service laws (if there is any difference ); federal employees don't have collective bargaining rights. Extortion tactics are pathetic and embarrassing and the silence of the union members in denouncing these tactics is deafening. - A Taxpayer
A barb : Isn't it enough we had to bear the shame and embarrassment of our socialist members in our state sentate. Now they have slithered in our town and paraded around our Square. All those mobs peresented in Madison is not the show of democracy but of anarchy, wanting more out of the taxpayer's pockets. I am proud of our Gov. Scott Walker and his agenda. If there's any recalls it should be on the Democrats. This spurs many pof us to not vote for the school referendum and put more money in the unions. - Arlene Huffman
A barb to Gov. Walker, the Fitzgerald Brothers and Koch Brothers. Gov. Walker, you claim that Wisconsin is broke. Where are you going to get the next money for all this police protection? If you sat at the bargaining table like Jim Doyle and Tommy Thompson did, this added frustration and expense wouldn't have happened. But you do have to know how to do collective bargaining, Gov. Walker! It must be much easier to listen to the Koch Brothers. - Fed up with Walker
A barb: Where is Ron Johnson? He hasn't been heard from since he asked for his millions of dollars to be refunded. Is he still representing Wisconsin or is he in Washington D.C. on vacation? - Democrat Farmer
