182 results for author: Nancy Tabaka-Stencil

It’s 1933

Why would I be surprised by some of what goes on in our county government? I am referring to Supervisor David Baker's proposal to not only pull funding from the Marathon County Public Library but to assemble a “Library Standards Alignment.” Supervisor Baker's ideas go as far as a possibility of abolishing the county library system altogether. Supervisor Tony Sherfinski also buys into this ideology by saying that adding pressure by pulling on purse strings is a good idea. I will be the first to say these people terrify me. This is government over-reach at its finest. Who do you think you are to define what is morally acceptable to read? Censorship ...

One Year to Win Kick Off

Get ready for an exciting year of change, progress, and victory! You’re invited to the 2023 Coordinated Campaign - North Central Wisconsin One Year to Win Kick Off and Training event on October 18th, 2023, 4-6 pm at the Marathon Dems Office, 218 Sherman St., Wausau. At this event, we’ll talk about the plan for the Coordinated Campaign in 2023, 2024 and beyond. Would you or someone you know in your community consider running for office this spring or next fall? Think about it…school board, town board, county board, city council or state representative.  You’ll have the opportunity to acquire essential campaign skills that will ...

This is Not a Credible Offer

For more than a decade, Wisconsinites have been asking for a transparent, independent, nonpartisan redistricting process to create voting maps. No amount of claims by Robin Vos that he has finally seen the wisdom of our request will make these most recent GOP shenanigans credible. AB415 is a ploy to manipulate the system and have folks believe that it is the solution to Wisconsin’s extreme partisan gerrymander. The evidence of their contempt for the people of Wisconsin is in the biennial budget and other bills that have passed this session that DO NOT address the needs and wishes of the people. They did not use the state surplus to provide ...

HO CHUNK POW WOW

We are so fortunate to have an event that promotes culture in our area. This was a celebration of Indigenous People's Day. Our Rights of Nature group had a table at the event to help educate on the dangers of sulfide mining. There has never been a sulfide mine that does not pollute. Here in Marathon County, we are grateful for the help of the Ho Chunk who provided a resolution against mining to the Marathon County Board in 2022. A grand day of celebrating, feasting, and dancing.

Anniversary of the Crandon Mine

It will be an honor to attend the 20th anniversary event of the Crandon Mine. Although this is the twenty-year anniversary of the end, the battle of the Crandon Mine itself started decades earlier when I was still in high school. Even though I was barely old enough to be an activist at that time, something stuck within me hearing those words Crandon Mine every day on the radio news. Last year those words took hold when I learned at our Earth Day rallies of the potential for drilling at the Reef Deposit in Marathon County where I live. Gathering forces with those who had been through this before and summoning those who have helped me before in ...

A TRIP TO CAPITOL HILL

Last week I traveled to Washington D.C. with my fellow union retirees in AFSCME. We had a wonderful week of camaraderie and learning to craft our own message to take to our representatives regarding the Social Security Fairness Act (S. 597 / H.R. 82). H.R. 82 would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) that deprive more than 2.5 million public employees of Social Security benefits they have earned. How the Government Pension Offset (GPO) Works – Social Security pays benefits to the spouse of retired and disabled workers and to widow(er)s of deceased workers. The GPO offset requires a reduction ...

The Threat to Small Press

Please join us for another exciting month at Women for Women Wisconsin. We will give you a little teaser here to start out. The Threat to Small Press We are so happy to feature Shereen Siewert and Nick Ramos on the threat that is facing small press along with the issue of freedom of the press in general. Our overall program purpose is to provide information on the challenges facing the news landscape.  With 1 in 5 newspapers closed in the last decade giving rise to on-line news initiatives and small independent news sources, we know there are new opportunities as well as challenges to keep local news alive and in front of the public. What ...

Rights of Nature

Since we kicked off the Rights of Nature Wisconsin effort in late 2022, we have made some significant progress.  When you join the call (link below), you can see our video, the website and other materials, hear about local resolutions and more.  More importantly, you will learn what comes next and how we can all be part of building this movement and restoring our proper relationship with the natural world. What exactly is Rights of Nature? We envision a world where the inherent rights of nature are respected and protected, and where the natural world is recognized as a living, breathing entity with its own intrinsic value and worth. We ...

Copperwood Mine ~ The Porcupines

For those of you who have been following our "Save the Porkies," You are going to want to watch this video. If you have been up this way, you can see it for yourself on the North Country trail. Please visit www.ProtectThePorkies.com For the record, this mine has NOT been fully permitted. MI EGLE permitted them to do all of this as part of their "wetlands permit," even though the tailings facility and tailings dam have not yet been permitted. https://youtu.be/a_x-BAAbTUI?si=QKCcpBXzXKOtxUez

Happy Labor Day

Every Labor Day, I take time to give thanks and celebrate America’s labor movement. Over the years, the hard work and solidarity of countless union men and women have advanced workplaces and enhanced our nation for the better. Nothing ever comes easy, and nothing is given out of the kindness of corporations: the big bosses only care about profits and the bottom line. Workers joining together in unions and working together bringing forth their demands is what has won advances that benefit everyone in this country. These include decent wages, pensions and fair retirement, holidays and weekends off, and overtime pay. Unions lift everyone up. This ...