WisCommunity is back

As I am sure has been clear, WisCommunity has been very slowly updated for the last few months. Those of you who know me personally have been aware that my wife has had serious health issues over the last nine months. I am sad to have to report that my darling Lorelei died on August 25th at home with me and our daughters. Since I have been serving as her primary support through her illness, and her hospice care for the last few weeks of her life, there has been little time to devote to other issues, including this site. 

It is now my intent to get back to publishing WisCommunity. This will ramp up slowly over the next few weeks, partly due to the grieving process, and partly due to the large number of legal and financial loose ends I need to attend to right now. 

I want to thank the local community that has been incredibly supportive over the last year, and understanding of my occasional inability to get things done. That is getting better over time, though in many ways life is nothing like normal right now. 

This is a very tough time for journalism, from the very large publications down to small shops like this one. Any sensible person would have thrown in the towel long ago on this project, which has succeeded in fits and starts for some time. It is my intention to devote the  next six months to making this project succeed, and at the end of that time to re-evaluate whether the site can become self-sustaining. The reality of the situation is that this has very much been a one-person endeavor, both relating to getting the work done and paying for it. Unless that changes materially, WisCommunity will not succeed. Over the next few months I will point out some ways you as a local community can help with that. 

I have some plans for the future and some immediate plans. In the near term you can expect several stories and video from the recent Speaker's Water Hearing that was held in Menomonie on Wednesday. You can also expect coverage of the political chautauqua that will be held in Menomonie this weekend, as well as some stories on the upcoming Health Dunn Right conference.  

As to long-term plans, this has always been intended to be a community resource, shaped by the local community. Community meetings will resume later this month, and I'll be asking people in the community to pitch in on making this website thrive, because without community support this will collapse, and I think that would be a shame. Watch This Space.