COMMENTARY . . .

With Tony Palmeri and Jim Mather

Weeknights 7 P.M. Titan-TV 2
 

Oshkosh News

Jim Evans: A Manifesto on Art in Oshkosh

UW Oshkosh News

Oshkosh Common Council

Oshkosh Politics

Chemical Disaster

Downtown Redevelopment

School Board

Business

The Pagel Affair

The United Way Controversy

November 6, 2001 School Referendum

 

UW Oshkosh News

THUMBS DOWN:

To the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's student government, for not getting it. So the student government doesn't like what's in the school paper and wants to cut off funding. Let's see, what could be next? The football team's not too good. Maybe there's a weak play. The band was off-key and we don't like their songs anyway. What would happen if the UW system said it didn't approve of the student government, so it's cutting off funding?

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Oshkosh Common Council

 

Green Bay Uses City Web Site To Solicit Input

 

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Oshkosh Politics

Related:

Question: If the parents of an 11 year old girl contacted the Oshkosh Police and Fire Commission and claimed that an officer hit their child with a flashlight, would the Commission investigate the claim?

Answer: Your guess is as good as mine. We don't want the the Commission meetings to have to go on for longer than 10 minutes, do we?

Time To Shine A Light On The Police And Fire Commission?

 

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Chemical Disaster

 

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Downtown Redevelopment

 

Only Bloechl and McGee Vote To Give Public A Chance To Comment

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School Board

 Northwestern/School Board Rift:


 

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The Pagel Affair:

 

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Business

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The November 6, 2001 School Referendum

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  Ken "806 Oak St." Bender: UW Oshkosh Like "Colon Cancer In The Community"

July 25, 2000: At the July 25 meeting of the Oshkosh Common Council, only one citizen spoke at the newly scheduled at the end of the business meeting citizen statements. That citizen, to no one's surprise, was Mr. Ken Bender. In top form, Mr. Bender, upset with what he perceives as UW Oshkosh officials working to expand the campus beyond Wisconsin St. without full consultation with city leaders, referred to the university as a "colon cancer" that "eats up the community." Later on, during council member statements, Mayor Jon Dell'Antonia rebutted Mr. Bender's remarks and said that in his opinion the university was an asset to the community. He also expressed a hope that Mr. Bender's feelings were not widespread .

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 Rick Wells Named New UW Oshkosh Chancellor

July 21, 2000

Contact: Kevin Boatright

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (608) 263-2227

 Dr. Richard H. Wells of Indiana State University Named Next Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

MADISON Dr. Richard H. Wells, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Indiana State University, was today named the 10th chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, effective October 1. The Executive Committee of the UW System Board of Regents, meeting via a telephone conference call, acted on the recommendation of a four-member Special Regents Committee and UW System President Katharine C. Lyall, who interviewed Wells and four other finalists in Madison on July 19.

Wells, 52, will succeed John Kerrigan, who announced in February that he would step down on August 31 after 10 years as chancellor of UW-Oshkosh. Wells’ annual salary will be $145,000.

"Dr. Wells has a leadership style and educational philosophy that will serve UW-Oshkosh well," said Lyall. "He is committed to the values of access, >excellence, success, innovation and service. He also has a passion for strengthening connections between the campus and its community. I look forward to working with him when he arrives this fall.”

Wells said he is “very excited and very honored to have been offered this appointment. UW-Oshkosh is an outstanding institution with a long tradition. I look forward to building on that tradition. I am impressed with the community and the Fox River Valley region of which the university is the center. The campus, the UW System, and the State of Wisconsin each has a reputation that I’ve long respected. I look forward to being part of all three.”

Wells has been at Indiana State in his present position since 1993. In addition to his administrative appointment, he holds tenure as a professor of sociology. The university is located in Terre Haute and enrolls approximately 11,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs through the doctoral level.

Previously, he served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at West Chester University (1988-93), associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of South Alabama (1983-88), assistant professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1979-83), and program coordinator and assistant professor of sociology/anthropology at Coker College (1972-75). Wells’ background includes a B.A. degree from William Penn College (1969), an M.A. degree from the University of Arkansas (1970), and a Ph.D. degree from Texas A&M University (1979), all in sociology.

Wells is a native of Stamford, Connecticut and grew up in Plattsburgh, New York. He is married to Christie Charbonneau Wells, a painter, art curator and teacher. They have two children: Justine Wells will spend her senior year at the College of Charleston studying abroad, while Christopher Wells will be a sophomore in high school.

UW-OSHKOSH was founded in 1871 and is one of 11 comprehensive universities in the statewide UW System. The university enrolls 10,767 students in four colleges: Education and Human Services, Letters and Science, Business Administration, and Nursing. The institution also offers selected graduate programs through the master’s degree level. Oshkosh is a city of 62,600 people, and is located on Lake Winnebago in the heart of Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley region, 80 miles northwest of Milwaukee and 50 miles southwest of Green Bay.

Note to News Media: Dr. Wells anticipates visiting UW-Oshkosh and the Oshkosh community July 28-30. Efforts are under way to arrange a campus reception for the 28th. For more information as these plans develop, and media availability, contact John Iwata at (920) 424-3357.

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   UW Oshkosh Student To Serve As GOP Delegate In Philadelphia

 

PHILADELPHIA (July 15, 2000) - Tifani Bratton of Oshkosh, 23, will soon travel to Philadelphia to represent Wisconsin at the 2000 Republican National Convention as one of the youngest delegates in the country.

As a first-time delegate, Bratton hopes to learn as much as possible about this historic political process in hopes that she will be able to share this information with high-school and college students across Wisconsin and emphasize the importance of voting.

"There are so many people my age that are not involved in politics because they do not understand the process," Bratton said. "I want to be able to explain to people my age how they too can make a difference."

Currently, as a third-year student at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Bratton is planning to earn her degree in pre-law and political science. Although planning to run for political office after college, her life-long goal is to become a motivational speaker to young adults across the country, stressing the importance of reaching for high goals and becoming the best they can be.

Bratton lists education as the issue that concerns her most, and that issue will be the theme of the very first day of the convention, "Opportunity with a Purpose: Leave No Child Behind." Speakers like Texas First Lady Laura Bush and General Colin Powell will highlight Gov. Bush's proposals for improving education and expanding health care for all Americans, which demonstrate his vow to "leave no child behind."

Bratton will join 26 other delegates from Wisconsin coming to the convention to cast their vote for the Republican Party presidential nominee. The convention will take place July 31 to August 3 at Comcast-Spectacor's First Union Center in Philadelphia. For more information about the convention, visit http://www.gopconvention.com.

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Esslinger/O'Malley Take On Commentary During Council Member Statements

June 27, 2000: During Council Member Statements near the end of the June 27 Oshkosh Common Council meeting, Councilor Matt O'Malley turned to Councilor Paul Esslinger and said "Did you see Commentary last week?" O'Malley then proceeded to tell Esslinger and the channel 10 viewing audience that Dr. Tony Palmeri, Commentary co-host, had bashed O'Malley and Esslinger for speaking about issues not relevant to the city of Oshkosh. O'Malley was referring to the June 14 Commentary, in which Palmeri used his "parting shot" to berate O'Malley for talking about his anger at the city of Mequon's consideration of a proposal to tax churches, and Esslinger's use of the council member statement to congratulate his friends on a wedding anniversary. Palmeri said on Commentary at that time that the reason O'Malley's and Esslinger's statements were a problem was because the council itself recently passed a resolution giving the mayor the power to silence citizens whose speech the mayor determines is not "relevant" to city issues. Palmeri and Mather reasoned that if the Common Council can situate itself as the guardian of relevant discourse, then someone has to watch the concil members to make sure that their speech is relevant. Thus, on June 14 Palmeri introduced the "Common Council Member Statement Watch," the part of the program in which O'Malley and Esslinger's comments were critiqued.

While lambasting Palmeri for criticizing his Mequon comments, O'Malley said that "when Dr. Palmeri gets elected to the council, then he can say whatever he wants." Esslinger, to his credit, admitted that some of the council member comments might not be "relevant." He then moved a resolution that would put citizen statements near the end of the meeting (using the arguement that when citizen statements are at the beginning of the meeting they hold-up the business part of the council meeting), and would also suspend the "relevance" rule. Councilor McGee moved to lay the resolution over until the next council meeting, and the council unanimously voted to do that.

Commentary believes that Mr. Esslinger showed maturity and leadership in trying to look for a way to eliminate the ridiculous "relevance rule." Commentary would also like Mr. Esslinger to know that Tony Palmeri turns 39 years old on July 1, and he believes it is perfectly fine if Mr. Esslinger wants to wish him a happy birthday at the next council meeting (:-).

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 Politicians At The Parade: Spanbauer Caddies Dell'Antonia

July 4, 2000: Political candidates were out in full force at the annual 4th of July Parade in Oshkosh. The first politician spotted by Commentary was Oshkosh Mayor Dell'Antonia, who sat in the passenger seat of a slick automobile driven by former councilor Larry Spanbauer. Mr. Spanbauer, who was booted out of office by the voters in the April 1999 elections after he "dared" them to vote him out, has lately become somewhat of an "8th Councilor." Dell'Antonia has appointed his buddy Spanbauer to the Police and Fire Commission, and he also asked him to sit on and Chair the mayor's recently created "city gateway" committee. At the parade Mr. Spanbauer got to serve as the Mayor's caddy, apparently. Shades of Nixon and Bebe Rebozo?

Other parade high (or low) lights included Senator Carol Roessler handing out Packer schedules accompanied by several frat-boy looking types on roller blades. As usual, Carol looked sparkling--much like on those taxpayer funded propaganda "updates" she sends to her constituents. But hey, at least she was in her district for a change. Thanks for stopping by Carol; hope to see you in these parts again soon!

Dan Flaherty, Democratic challenger for the 6th congressional seat, worked the crowd while his campaign manager "Positively" Polly Briley drove the flag draped campaign vehicle. Mr. Petri's entourage was literally right behind Flaherty, and the Congressman hardly seemed to notice his challenger.

In the "give me a break" category was Clerk of Courts Diane Fremgen, who kept shouting "Happy Birthday America" to anyone who would listen. Ah the benefits of not having an opponent in the Fall.

Incumbent State Representative Gregg Underheim (R-54th District) handed out Packer schedules and schmoozed the crowed. Shortly after he passed the location at which Commentary was staked out (right outside Starseed on North Main; down the block from the Rebel Alliance Theater), County Executive Jane Van De Hey stopped by to talk to Commentary. Van De Hey, an unofficial advisor to Underheim's Republican challenger Melanie Bloechl, said that there was a "pecking order" in the parade and as a result Bloechl was assigned number 76. This meant that Bloechl woould be near the end of the parade. Indeed, Bloechl turned up at around the 90 minute mark of the event (the entire parade lasted about one hour and fourty minutes) . When she finally did show up, she sported a red, white, and blue outfit that looked something like high school cheerleader garb--perfect for Melanie, but by the time she appeared it seemed as if the crowd was mostly burned out and ready to go home.

By far the most uncomfortable looking campaigner of the day was Roessler's Senate Challenger Kevin McGee. Mr. McGee, who at past parades has handed out instructions for how to petition for street repairs, this time sat up in the back seat of a convertible with a "what am I doing here?" look about him.

The Winnebago County Republicans showed up, distributing George W. Bush literature and gloating about the fact that the Democrats did not have a float this year. The Republican's sacrificial lamb to Herb Kohl, John Gillespie, was there too.

By far the most pointless appearance was by Oshkosh Common Councilor's Mark Harris and Steve Hintz. They were literally the last two people in the parade, and with Hintz pushing a bike the two appeared to be having a conversation about staying fit after 50. Hey guys, you won't hurt anyone's feelings by not showing up to these events!

Oh, there was one candidate (McCormick?) who was accompanied by a stretch limo. How's that for an appeal to the workers?

So did we learn anything from watching the spectacle of these candidates exploit another parade? Not much, except that Melanie Bloechl appeared to take Dan Rylance's advice--offered on Commentary recently--that she should smile more and talk less.

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 Kevin McGee: I Will Not Seek Re-Election In April

Claiming that he has experienced depression for the last 6 years, Oshkosh Common Councilor and UW Oshkosh Professor of Economics Kevin McGee announced at the November 14 meeting of the Oshkosh Common Council that he will not seek re-election in April of 2001. Speaking during the Council Member Statement portion of the meeting, McGee said that his depression had intensified during his recent run for the Wisconsin State Senate against incumbent Carol Roessler. McGee's announcement came after Oshkosh resident Ken Bender, during citizen statements, had questioned McGee's patriotism because McGee refuses to recite the pledge of allegience at the beginning of council meetings.

After the announcement, Mayor Jon Dell'Antonia said that the news was indeed a "surprise" and that it meant there would be at least one new member of the council elected in April. Dell'Antonia, along with incumbents Matt O'Malley and Mark Harris, are up for re-election in April. None have announced an intention to run. All three, along with McGee, were endorsed by NICE (Neighbors Involved in Community Environments) in 1999. Will NICE field candidates in 2001? Neill Goltz, who ran for the council last April, served as McGee's treasurer in the Senate campaign, and was one of the NICE founders, has to be considered as a possible candidate.

McGee did not rule out the possibility of running for the Council again at some later date. He said that he might consider running in a year or two.

--Tony Palmeri

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