So That Happened - 10/29/2019

This is a semi-regular compendium of thoughts, observations, and events from the Chippewa Valley. 

Remember the high-speed rail that was supposed to come to Wisconsin? I'm reminded of this because I am in the process of buying tickets for the slightly inconvenient and slow Amtrak train to Chicago to go to the Google News Initiative. Better rail service in Wisconsin would be a blessing. If you want to learn more about what happened to the high-speed-rail plans, you really should listen to WPR's latest podcast called Derailed.

Last night in Menomonie Kate Beaton from Wisconsin Conservation Voters held an event at Zymurgy Brewing to help rally support for Menomonie and Dunn County to support a resolution to use only renewable energy by 2050. Mayor Knaack was in attendance and many organizations had tables at the event. We hope to have video available soon - this is taking longer than normal because although I love Zymurgy, their heating system is incredibly noisy, and I'm trying to fix up the video so that the talks are actually audible. This may fail. The event is also the reason there's no coverage of last night's school board meeting. 

I read a lot. Lately, in an attempt to cheer myself up I have been reading some things that are purely for enjoyment. I am currently reading Eleven Miles to Oshkosh, a mystery by Jim Guhl. I was amazed to find someone had written a mystery based in my high school in Neenah. The story is (from references) set at Shattuck High and has a protagonist who is, from references, probably two years younger than I am, so it is disturbingly familiar (when I went it was still Neenah High, since the new Armstrong High School was not yet open). Go Rockets, Win This Game.