Columns - Pierce County Journal

Sen. Smith column: Life-saving emergency services, who pays?

When you call 911, you expect with rock-solid confidence there will be someone to answer the call. You also expect help is on the way. Confidence in the midst of a catastrophe is taken for granted … more

By Sen. Jeff Smith | 4/27/23

SCEDC column: Prom is still da bomb

For better or worse, another rite of passage for senior high students is prom. Just like the first robin in mid-March, residents of Wisconsin’s St. Croix Valley will soon witness well-dressed … more

By Bill Rubin | 4/27/23

From the editor’s desk: 'Flooded’ by memories

I feel for the people living along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers who are affected by the flooding. A drive along the Great River Road last week was eye-opening. Homes and businesses in many … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 4/27/23

Back home: More winter storm memories

Can anyone honestly say they are really surprised that Old Man Winter isn’t quite done? As of this writing on the morning of April 17, there are 14 inches of snow outside driven by a … more

By Chris Hardie | 4/27/23

Your Right to Know: End Wisconsin’s secretive ‘pocket veto’

Recently, Wisconsin Watch revealed how members of the Wisconsin Legislature’s powerful budget committee secretly hold up projects or programs they don’t like. They often … more

By Dee J. Hall | 4/20/23

Woodworking again: My idea of a great book

Books of both fiction and non-fiction are various and appeal to different readers with different tastes. I, for one, am attracted to books about places and things with which I'm already acquainted. … more

By Dave Wood | 4/20/23

Sen. Smith column: Power, balance and the status quo

The English language has many words loaned from Latin, and the phrase “status quo” is one of the most recognizable. “Status quo" is Latin for “existing state,” and in … more

By Sen. Jeff Smith | 4/20/23

From the editor's desk: Morning madness

It’s hard being a morning person in a family of non-morning people. Because I become the one who has to get the grumpy ones up. Thank goodness for our dog and cat, because they are cheery in … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 4/20/23

MU law pollster Franklin says this state Supreme Court race will be copied

In the wake of liberal Janet Protasiewicz's double-digit percentage win over conservative Daniel Kelly comes a variety of predictions: Wisconsin will turn blue in a big way; Republicans won't win … more

By WisPolitics.com | 4/20/23

Back home: Late season snow memories

Late season snow storms always take me back to March 24, 1979 in the tiny town of Franklin in Jackson County. My feet were wet, and I was beginning to shiver as the three of us stood at the dark back … more

By Chris Hardie | 4/13/23

From the editor's desk: Barn cats and Grandma didn’t mix

My animals never cease to entertain me. Trapper the Bagle hound and Snuggles the cat are a comedy show in themselves. I keep telling them to get a job to earn their keep; maybe I need to hire them an … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 4/13/23

Op ed: Ideas from a Dark Sky Advocate

International Dark Sky Week “Discover The Night” is April 15-22, 2023 and is a reminder to turn off unnecessary exterior lights in the evening and marvel at the infinite grandeur of the … more

By Helen Crary Stassen, Oak Grove Township | 4/13/23

Petryk column: Reimagining unemployment insurance

Following the overwhelming support at the polls on Tuesday, April 4 from Wisconsin voters to ensure that the state continues to focus on assisting people in finding work, we are reintroducing … more

By Rep. Warren Petryk By Sen. Romaine Quinn | 4/13/23

Woodworking again: Despair over motel chains

D'you know what's wrong with most large motel chains? We found out recently on a trip that began in Wisconsin Dells, moved on to Madison, and ended miles later in my home county of Trempealeau, hard … more

By Dave Wood | 4/13/23

Woodworking again: Anniversary disappointment gains new life

The BW and I recently celebrated our 53 rd wedding anniversary, which is amazing for me to ponder, especially since I made a dreadful mistake on our 12 th , which threatened to undo the marriage then … more

By Dave Wood | 4/6/23

Power, balance and the status quo

The English language has many words loaned from Latin, and the phrase “status quo” is one of the most recognizable. “Status quo" is Latin for “existing state,” and in … more

By Sen. Jeff Smith | 4/6/23

SCEDC column: Public Works Departments – The Miracle Workers

Many know The Miracle Worker as an acclaimed three-act play that premiered on Broadway in October 1959. It’s based on the true story of Helen Keller, a blind and deaf girl from Alabama and Anne … more

By Bill Rubin | 4/6/23

Financial Capability Month is in April

In Wisconsin, April is Financial Capability Month. This month's focus is to help folks with money management, including raising understanding of the organizations and markets that influence our … more

By Rep. Warren Petryk | 4/6/23

The Capitol Report: Evers’ building budget roadblocked by GOP

There’s the two-year budget plan that gets a lot of attention at the Capitol. And then there’s the capital budget, a document that centers on major building projects around the state at … more

4/6/23

Op ed: Common-sense community banks distinct from Silicon Valley speculators

The financial sector has been under intense scrutiny after the failure of two large financial institutions that specialized in high-risk industries, such as the cryptocurrency sector. Some depositors … more

By Jeff Johnson | 4/6/23