January 1, 2016
Transcription
January 1, 2016
Free A Paper Designed With Readers in Mind Jan. 1 - 14, 2016 Will we look back on the year 2015 with nostalgia? By Dave Barry Tribune Content A gency Sometimes we are accused – believe it or not – of being overly negative in our annual Year in Review. Critics say we ignore the many positive events in a given year and focus instead on the stupid, the tragic, the evil, the disgusting, the Kardashians. OK, critics: We have heard you. This year, instead of dwelling on the negatives, we’re going to start our annual review with a List of the Top Ten Good Things That Happened in 2015. Ready? Here we go: 1. We didn’t hear that much about Honey Boo Boo. 2. OK, we’ll have to get back to you on Good Things 2 through 10. We apologize, but 2015 had so many negatives that we’re having trouble seeing the positives. It’s like we’re on the Titanic, and it’s tilting at an 85-degree angle with its propellers way up in the air, and we’re dangling over the cold Atlantic trying to tell ourselves: “At least there’s no waiting for the shuffleboard courts!” Are we saying that 2015 was the worst year ever? Are we saying it was worse than, for example, 1347, the year when the Bubonic Plague killed a large part of humanity? Yes, we are saying that. Because at least the remainder of humanity was not exposed to a solid week in which the news media focused intensively on the question of whether a leading candidate for president of the United States had, or had not, made an explicit reference to a prominent female TV journalist’s biological lady cycle. That actually happened in 2015, and it was not the only bad thing. This was the year when American sports fans became more excited about their fantasy sports teams – which, for the record, are imaginary – than about sports teams that actually exist. This was the year when the “selfie” epidemic, which was already horrendous, somehow got even worse. Of the 105 billion photographs taken by Americans this year, 104.9 billion consist of a grinning face looming, blimplike, in the foreground, with a tiny image of something – the Grand Canyon, the Pope, a 747 crashing – peeking out in the distance behind the person’s left ear. This was the year of the “man bun.” And if all that isn’t bad enough, this was the year they tricked us into thinking Glenn got killed on “The Walking Dead.” (By the way: spoiler alert.) At this point you are saying: “Wait a minute! Surely there were some positive developments in 2015! How about the fact that, after so many years of sneering judgmentalism and divisive, overheated rhetoric, we were able to have rational, open-minded conversations about such issues as gun ownership, gay marriage, race relations and abortion, so that, as a nation, we finally began to come together and... Whoa! Sorry! Evidently I am high on narcotics.” Yes, you are. And we intend to join you soon. But first we need to take one last look back at the hideous reality of 2015, which began, as so many ill-fated years have in the past, with... JANUARY ...which finds the Midwest gripped by unusually frigid weather, raising fears that the bitter cold could threaten the vast herd – estimated in the thousands – of Republican presidential hopefuls roaming around Iowa expressing a newly discovered passion for corn. As temperatures plummet, some candidates are forced to survive by setting fire to lower-ranking consultants. For most Americans, however, the cold wave is not the pressing issue. The pressing issue – which will be debated for years to come – is how, exactly, did the New England Patriots’ footballs get deflated for the AFC championship game. The most fascinating theory is put forth by Patriot Head Coach Bill Belichick, a man who, at his happiest, looks like there are irate ferrets gnawing their way out of his colon. He opines – these are actual quotes – that “atmospheric conditions” could be responsible, and also declares that “I’ve handled dozens of balls over the past week.” This will turn out to be the sports highlight of the year. In Paris, two million people march in a solidarity rally following the horrific terrorist attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Eyebrows are raised when not a single top U.S. official attends, but several days later, Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in France with James Taylor, who – this really happened – performs the song “You’ve Got a Friend.” This bold action strikes fear into the hearts of terrorists, who realize that Secretary Kerry is fully capable, if necessary, of unleashing Barry Manilow. Meanwhile in Washington, a drone crashes on the White House lawn and immediately becomes a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination. In sports, the first-ever NCAA Division I college football playoffs reach a surprising climax when the Oregon Ducks are defeated in the championship game 42-20 by the New England Patriots. Asked how this is possible, given that the Patriots play in the NFL, Coach Belichick opines that it could be a result of “global climate change.” (Continued on page 2) 2 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Year in Review Jan. 1, 2016 Food and Drug Administration approves the sale of genetically modified potatoes and apples, noting that they “offer many nutritional benefits” and are “completely safe” provided that consumers “do not anger them.” In a harsh reminder that the winter is not over, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh is eaten by a polar bear. Abroad, tensions mount on the Korean peninsula when North Korea, in an unprecedented cyberattack, posts an estimated 23 million negative reviews of South Korea on Yelp. Speaking of tension, in... APRIL ...Washington, D.C., is hit by a power outage, meaning that for several harrowing hours the rest of the nation is forced to form its own policies. A week later, Washington is again shaken when a Florida mailman, making a powerful statement for or against something, lands a gyrocopter on the lawn of the Capitol Building. He immediately becomes a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. Elsewhere on the political front, Hillary Clinton declares her candidacy for president and sets out to demonstrate that she is a regular human by riding to Iowa in a custom van driven by Secret Service agents. In Maumee, Ohio, she stops at a Chipotle for takeout, a news event that produces a spasm of political journalism. The New York Times (we are not making this journalism up) breaks the story, reporting that Clinton wore sunglasses and ordered a chicken burrito bowl. Bloomberg gets a followup scoop, reporting that the Clinton party’s bill was “$20 and some change” but Clinton “did not leave a tip.” Politico runs a 1,200-word story headlined (we are still not making this up) “The ‘everyday people’ who made Hillary Clinton’s burrito bowl.” Incredibly, nobody thinks to do a profile of the chicken. (Continued on page 32) Continued from page 1 Speaking of surprises, in... FEBRUARY ...NBC suspends “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams after an investigation reveals inaccuracies in his account of being in a military helicopter under fire in Iraq. “Mr. Williams did not actually come under fire,” states the network. “Also technically he wasn’t in a helicopter in Iraq; it was a Volvo station wagon on the New Jersey Turnpike. But there was a lot of traffic.” A contrite Williams blames the lapse on post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from killing Osama bin Laden. Abroad, Greece, under intense pressure to meet its debt obligations, gives Germany two of its three remaining goats. In the War on Terror, the White House, having struck a powerful blow with the James Taylor Tactical Assault Ballad, boldly follows up by – again, this really happened – hosting a threeday “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism,” featuring both workshops AND symposiums. In weather news, Boston’s public schools are closed because of glaciers. In the year’s biggest literary story, representatives of 88-year-old Harper Lee, denying allegations that they’re seeking to cash in on the beloved author’s literary fame, announce plans to publish what they claim is her recently discovered second book, “Fifty Shades of a Mockingbird.” In the Academy Awards, the Oscar for Best Picture goes to “Birdman.” Accepting the coveted statuette, director Alejandro G. Inarritu tells the audience that “like you, I never actually saw this movie.” Leonard Nimoy is beamed up for the last time. In business news, troubled retailer RadioShack files for bankruptcy, citing the fact that in the past six years, the chain’s 4,000 stores had made a nationwide total of one sale, that being a home email server purchased by Hillary Clinton. In sports, the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win a Super Bowl marked by surprises, including one play in which the Patriots – undetected by game officials – had a grenade launcher on the field, an infraction that Coach Belichick later blames on “wind shear.” The most surprising play comes at the end of the game, when the Seahawks, on second and goal with 26 seconds left and Marshawn Lynch, who is basically a UPS truck only harder to tackle, in the backfield, elect to throw a pass, which is intercepted. After the game, Seattle Coach Pete Carroll defends his decision to pass. He is immediately hired as a strategic consultant by the Jeb Bush campaign. As February draws to a close, 5,000 ISIS troops land in Mexico and march north. They are able to reach Cleveland unnoticed because the entire U.S. population is heatedly arguing over the color of a picture of a dress on the Internet. Speaking of heated, in... MARCH ...over the strong objections of the Obama administration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress. He immediately becomes a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, four points ahead of the drone. Abroad, Russian President Vladimir Putin mysteriously vanishes from public view for 10 days. It is later revealed that he was training customer service representatives for Comcast. In finance news, shares on European financial markets plummet when German authorities announce that one of the Greek goats is actually a highly modified squirrel. Speaking of unnatural: The U.S. United Greyhound Racing presents N ight at th Night the he Tr Tra Track r ack a www.nightatthetr ack.com Master of Ceremonies: Jeff Mergen, Legendary Track Announcer at Geneva Lakes Kennel Club $35 Ticket Includes: • Championship Greyhound Racing from Daytona Beach Kennel Club • Chef Carved Buffet • Entry into Racing Contests • Door Prizes and Other Giveaways • Opportunity to Meet Retired Racers • A Tribute to Wisconsin Greyhound Racing • Special Performance of the Jim Namio Show • And More….. $OOSURFHHGVWREHQHÀW Greyhound Pets of America-Wisconsin 2015 BetAmerica Daytona 550 Winner Husker Magic * This is a Non-Wagering Event Saturday, January 23, 2016 Doors open at 5:30pm. Buffet served at 6:30pm. Bristol Oaks Country Club 16801 75th St. Bristol, WI y gJJ hoff at 262-914-6787. They will be available until January 18. Tickets will not be sold at the event. Casual Dress Code The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com As Presidential candidates escalate their rhetoric against immigration by Muslims, Mexicans and other perceived enemies of the United States, it might be a good idea to take a look at what our country has done during other periods of perceived threat to national security. Many people warned against the measures taken, in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks as the United States tried to fight an unidentifiable enemy in a war against terrorism. For those who had read the history of similar periods, the Patriot Act served as a warning of more extreme measures that could be taken in trying to make the country safe against “enemies, foreign and domestic.” Most of these practices began as rational precautions against a real enemy, but many times mushroomed out of control, proving that Freedom of Speech is a tenuous right. In order to understand the lengths to which our government has gone in the past, I offer the following lengthy excerpts from the book “Liberal Fascism” by Jonah Goldberg and other sources such as Wikipedia. “Under the Espionage Act of June 1917 and the Sedition Act of May 1918, any criticism of the government, even in your own home, could earn you a prison sentence (a law Oliver Wendell Holmes upheld years after the war, arguing that such speech could be banned if it posed a ‘clear and present danger’). “In Wisconsin a state official got two and a half years for criticizing a Red Cross fund-raising drive. A Hollywood producer received a ten-year stint in jail for making a film that depicted British troops committing atrocities during the American Revolution. One man was brought to trial for explaining in his own home why he didn’t want to buy Liberty Bonds.' “The Wilson administration issued a letter for U.S. attorneys and marshals saying, ‘No German enemy in this country who has not hitherto been implicated in plots against the interests of the United States, need have any fear of action by the Department of Justice so long as he observes the following warning: Obey the law; keep your mouth shut.’ This blunt language might be forgivable except for the government’s dismayingly broad definition of what defined a ‘German enemy.’” A key to the government’s attempt to keep the country safe was the American Protective League. The American Protective League was an organization of private citizens that worked with federal law enforcement agencies during the World War I era to identify suspected German sympathizers and to counteract the activities of radicals, anarchists, anti-war activists, and left-wing labor and political organizations. At its zenith the APL claimed 250,000 members in 600 cities. The APL was formed in 1917 by A. M. Briggs, a wealthy Chicago advertising executive. Believing the United States Department of Justice to be severely understaffed in the field of counterintelligence in the new wartime environment, Briggs proposed to agency officials the establishment of a volunteer auxiliary, with participants to be neither paid nor to benefit from expense accounts. Briggs was given authority to proceed with his plan by the Department of Justice on March 22, 1917, and the American Protective League (APL) was born. American Protective League badges such as these, even though they bear the words ʻSecret Service,ʼ werenʼt issued by the U.S. government, but ordered by self-organized APL offices throughout the country. Although technically a private organization, the APL nevertheless was the beneficiary of semi-official status. The group received the formal approval from Attorney General Thomas Gregory, who authorized the APL to carry on its letterhead the words “Organized with the Approval and Operating under the Direction of the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation.” Jan. 1, 2016 — 3 Under this directive, the APL worked with the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) — precursor to the FBI — which gathered information for U.S. District Attorneys. APL assistance was welcomed by the BOI, which in 1915 had only 219 field agents, without direct statutory authorization to carry weapons or to make general arrests. Thus the author of a letter to the New York Times claimed membership in the APL and described it as “a volunteer unpaid auxiliary of the Department of Justice” in which he and his colleagues “have been acting upon cases assigned by the Department of Justice, Military Intelligence, State Department, Civil Service, Provost Marshall General, etc.” APL members often wore badges suggesting a quasi-official status: “American Protective League – Secret Service.” The Attorney General boasted of the manpower they provided: “I have today several hundred thousand private citizens... assisting the heavily overworked Federal authorities in keeping an eye on disloyal individuals and making reports of disloyal utterances,” he said. In a letter to Briggs, the Justice Department told the APL that it was not only “of great importance prior to our entering the war, it became of vastly greater importance after that step had been taken.” The government had been receiving complaints of disloyalty and enemy activities, and while the Bureau of Investigation was doing its best to contain the situation, the letter continued, the Protective League served as an auxiliary force to put a stop to corruption within the borders of the United States. (Continued on page 17) OVER 60 DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF BRATS ❄ Hot Dogs ❆ Andoulle ❄ Polish Sausage ❆ Kielbasa ❆ Ring Bologna ❄ Brat Patties ❆ Ground Beef Patties TRY OUR AL CAPONE ROAST Boneless Pork Rib Roast stuffed with Italian Seasoning, Italian Sausage, Mozzarella Cheese and Summer Sausage. Topped with Paprika ALSO, AL CAPONE BRATS Luke’s Zesty Jambalaya Plan B Seasonings LUKES BBQ SAUCE: “PA PA WOODY’S” When You Serve Pa Pa Woody’s They’ll Stand Up and Cheer! 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LUKE’S Chicken, Beef or Bison Pot Pies 75 All-Beef Box $ 50 Variety Box of Beef & Pork $ REGISTER TO WIN $25 MEAT PACKAGE HIGHWAY 14 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 11 DARIEN, WISCONSIN 262-724-5554 SORG’S GIFT CARDS 20 Varieties of Wisconsin Cheese CURDS & STRING CHEESE 4 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Perspectiv e Jan. 1, 2016 Disorder in Sharia courts Trump is uncontested choice for provocateur of the year By David Horsey TIME magazine deserves credit for taking the annual Person of the Year choice very seriously. By navigating the Greek debt crisis and opening the doors of her country to Syrian refugees, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, this year’s recipient of the accolade, truly did loom large on the international stage. But there was someone else who also loomed large. In fact, he was huge – as he would say himself. Donald Trump knew he was a contender for the Person of the Year title. In fact, The Donald told a TIME reporter that “there is only one person you can pick. It’s got to be Trump.” I suspect many of the editors at TIME agreed with him but did not want to give one more boost to the biggest ego on the planet. Certainly, in terms of American politics, though, Trump ranked higher than anyone else. In 2015, he broke all the rules and shattered all expectations. Giving him another magazine cover would have been akin to feeding a rampaging beast, but it would not have been without justification. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush started the year as the inside favorite to become the Republican presidential nominee. Now, as the year closes, his aspiration to follow his dad and brother into the Oval Office has been put on hold, if not destroyed, by Trump’s rude rise to frontrunner status. Bush seems mystified by the situation and has yet to find a way not to come out looking feeble in debate confrontations with the billionaire bully. “He’s all over the map, misinformed at best and preying on people’s fears at worst,” Bush says of Trump, and he is entirely accurate. Trump is the complete The opposite of Angela Merkel. Merkel is a reassuringly rational and dispassionate leader who waits to take action until every aspect of a problem has been analyzed and all reasonable options given exhaustive consideration. Trump, by contrast, is impulsiveness and bellicosity personified. Trump has built his campaign on half-truths, whole fictions, jingoistic rhetoric, xenophobic fears and big boasts with no details to back them up. With scant qualifications for the nation’s most important job, Trump should have long ago been fired like a bad contestant on “The Apprentice.” Instead, he keeps rising in the polls. Conventional Republicans are now forced to contemplate the cataclysmic possibility he could become their nominee. Bush and what’s left of the GOP establishment keep insisting Trump does not represent the real Republican Party. Maybe not the old party, but the aging, white, non-college-educated, economically challenged voters who are the base of the contemporary Republican Party find in Trump a champion who gives voice to their seething resentments. Trump's candidacy has unleashed legions of people whose brains have been marinating for years in the toxic brew of right-wing talk radio. He has given them a reason to come together at his campaign rallies, less to applaud Trump’s rambling, self-absorbed speeches than to commune with kindred spirits. Trump may yet fade once the primary season kicks in a few weeks from now, but those who have banded together to revel in his politically incorrect tirades will not disappear. (Continued on page 5) Beacon WEST PUBLISHING & ADVERTISING INC. P.O. Box 69 • Williams Bay, WI 53191-0069 (262) 245-1877 • Fax 245-1855 e-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.readthebeacon.com Dennis West Editor and Publisher Kathi West V.P. and Treasurer Circulation Ed Breitenfield Karen Breitenfield Sylvia Brandenberg Advertising Manager Mark West Composition Manager Wendy Shafer Correspondents James McClure, Sr. Marjie Reed Penny Gruetzmacher By Cal Thomas Tribune Content A gency LONDON — Set aside for a moment the violent incidents associated with people claiming to act under the authority of their Islamic faith and consider instead what passes for normalcy. There are efforts underway in Britain to elevate to the level of mainstream Sharia law, an Islamic legal system predicated on the religious Cal Thomas tenets of Islam. “A number of Sharia councils operate in the UK to offer resolution to disputes,” writes The Express, “but they have no jurisdiction in criminal matters.” Not yet, anyway. “Former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams sparked controversy in 2008 when he suggested it was ‘inevitable’ that elements of Sharia would be incorporated in British law,” writes The Express. Would this mean that in the near future Sharia law could run parallel and equal to UK law? Hopefully not. Sharia has an abysmal record when it comes to the treatment of women. London’s Mayor Boris Johnson called the idea of Sharia law in Britain “absolutely unacceptable.” He is joined in his rejection by Home Secretary Theresa May, who has proposed a review into Sharia courts. The Independent newspaper recently published an investigative story that reveals a parallel system of Islamic justice, which the writer says condemns many British women to “marital captivity,” while at the same time failing to protect them from domestic violence. Leiden University scholar Machteld Zee, writes The Independent, managed to obtain unusual access to secretive Sharia courts. After attending 15 hours of hearings at the Islamic Sharia Council in Leyton and the Birmingham Central Mosque, Zee reviewed more than a dozen cases. According to The Independent, some of her findings included: • A case where a woman who claimed to be married to a physically and verbally abusive man is told by a “laughing” judge: “Why did you marry such a person?” • A woman “ready to burst into tears” is sent away without an answer after saying that her husband took out a loan in her name on the day they married and is denying her a divorce until she gives him £10,000. • A married couple asking for advice on whether the woman had been religiously divorced from her former husband were told “the secular divorce counts as nothing.” While Ms. Zee found some judges granting divorces and urging people to live under British law, she also concluded that most of the Islamic judges “are not a neutral third party but are always in favor of the man.” Zee has compiled her research in a book titled “Choosing Sharia? Multiculturalism, Islamic Fundamentalism and British Sharia Councils.” Her findings prompted Baroness Caroline Cox to introduce a bill in the House of Lords last summer that would make it illegal for Sharia courts to treat “the evidence of a man as worth more than the evidence of a woman.” The bill passed its second reading in the House of Lords in October. In an editorial responding to Ms. Zee’s research, The Independent says, “Can a healthy, harmonious multicultural society tolerate private legal systems? Not if that means the subjugation of women in abusive and indeed dangerous marriages, a form of imprisonment in all but name sanctioned by their local religious leaders.” Beyond the threat of mass shootings in the U.S., stabbings on London’s tube and at Israeli bus stops, there is the larger question of Islam’s compatibility with Western values and laws. Will those of us who practice a different faith, including Muslims with a different view of Islam, or those who practice no faith at all, eventually be required to bow to Sharia law, if the Muslim population grows to a majority? That’s what radical Islamists appear to want. Domination. If you doubt it, check your history books and read about the Crusades of 630 A.D. Carved into the facade of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., are the words “Equal Justice Under Law.” But how equal can justice be if that law becomes Sharia law, either in a parallel legal system, or a dominant one that forces all other laws, be they based on the Ten Commandments, or secular philosophy, to succumb? The question is more than academic and theological. The answer will determine the future direction for much of the world. (Cal Thomas’ latest book is “W hat Works: Common Sense Solutions for a Stronger A merica” is available in bookstores now. Readers may email Cal Thomas at [email protected].) ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC The Beacon On the (public) record By Dave Bretl I haven’t read any of those year-end news compilations yet, where a newspaper names the top ten stories of the year. If they asked me for my input, at least as far as Wisconsin is concerned, I would put the state’s public records law on the list. At least two separate incidents involving public records landed on the front pages of newspapers this past year. The first story involved an attempt by members of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to modify the public records law by submitting an eleventh hour amendment to the state’s budget. Among other feaDavid Bretl tures, that amendment would have shielded the names of individuals seeking to influence state legislation from disclosure. After a firestorm of editorials appeared over the Fourth of July weekend, the proposal was rejected five days later on a 33 to 0 vote of the Wisconsin Senate. To my knowledge, no one ever stepped up to claim credit for writing the amendment; given the outcome of the vote, I can’t blame the author for not issuing a press release. Things quieted down on the subject of public records, but only for six weeks. The issue ended up in the spotlight again, over a decision by the Wisconsin Public Records Board, this past August, when it considered the subject of “transitory” records. That controversy has implications on the public’s ability to obtain records and requires some explanation. The most interesting part of this latest story, from my perspective, is that it involves the issue of records retention. It is the first time that I can recall that records retention, rather than the public records law, itself, was the focus of a controversy. I have pointed out in the past that our state’s public records law supplies only half of the equation that state government and counties, like Walworth, have to consider when responding to records requests. The full equation is that public custodians are obliged to supply records that are determined to be public, but only to the extent that the records actually exist. The legislature, through the public records law, tells us what types of records need to be furnished, but the State Public Records Board, tells us how long we have to save records before destroying them. Government can only furnish the records that actually exist. Records that are lawfully purged, after 30 years or 30 seconds, don’t have to be supplied. The Public Records Board has authority to establish retention periods for both state and local government. In the most recent dust-up, the Public Records Board took the opportunity at its August meeting to address the definition of a “transitory record.” Under the previous definition, transitory records were “correspondence and other related records of short-term interest which have no documentary or evidentiary value.” Under the revised definition, they are see us online at www.readthebeacon.com now “records of temporary usefulness that have no ongoing value beyond an immediate and minor transaction or the preparation of a subsequent (final) record.” The Board went on to provide examples of transitory records including emails to schedule or confirm meetings or events. Under the previous rule, transitory records needed to be maintained until no longer needed. Under the revised rule, as I read it, they no longer need to be retained. It can be argued that both the new and old definitions are ambiguous. The new example used to illustrate the rule, however, records to “schedule or confirm meetings,” seems to have hit a nerve among open government advocates. I wrote about records retention in August, before the most recent controversy erupted. I called these detailed records retention schedules produced by the Public Records Board “esoteric” at the time because so few people were aware of them. Since the controversy, I have read descriptions of the Board as “little known” and “obscure.” I will admit that I didn’t know a great deal about the composition of the board until I researched it for this column. It is actually comprised of eight members and an executive secretary who does all of the board’s administrative work. Four members are appointed by the Governor. The Wisconsin Historical Society, Attorney General, Legislative Audit Bureau and State Auditor each appoint one member. The board’s most recent ruling appears destined for court. Critics of the decision claim that the board violated another “sunshine” law, the open meetings law, by not announcing exactly what it was planning to do when it clarified the definition of a transitory record. One misconception of the board’s decision is that a transitory record is now synonymous with a text message. It isn’t. A text message is pretty clearly a public record under state law. The confusion is understandable because while many organizations maintain their own email servers and can archive and retrieve email messages, the same often doesn’t hold true for text messages. Where texts go, after they are sent, and how long they are retained, is often up to the cellphone provider. Additionally, users tend to treat the technology as transitory. None of this matters under the public records law, however. The fact that the phone company deletes text messages after thirty days is not a defense for failing to produce a text message. If the text is a transitory message, as defined by the Records Board, it can be deleted, not because it is a text, but rather because it is transitory. One positive aspect of the recent controversy is that it raises awareness of the important role that records retention plays in open government. Text messages, Twitter and Instagram are all great technologies. Before using them to conduct public business, however, the ability to save and retrieve the records created on them must first be addressed. The opinions expressed in these columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Walworth County Board of Supervisors. Jan. 1, 2016 — 5 The force was not with the Chipmunks or Steve Harvey By Celia Rivenbark You have to wonder about the Hollywood masterminds who decided to open any movie on the same weekend as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (and then, apparently, kill Alvin and the Chipmunks in their sleep.) The score at the end of the weekend? Space creatures: $248 million; chipmunks, $14.4 million. When interviewed while exiting “Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Celia Rivenbark Road Chip,” nine out of 10 moviegoers said: “I couldn’t see which theater to go into because my wookie fur was getting in my eyes. By the time I realized the mistake, it was too late to switch.” Meanwhile, in a strip mall outside Detroit, two women wearing sweatshirts with kittens on them reportedly went to see “Sisters.” Full disclosure: I’m one of those irritating types who gets “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” movies confused. Many years ago, I spent every Thursday evening in a ceramics class painstakingly painting an R2D2 robot for a Christmas gift for my then-husband. Yeah. Let that sink in. We were doomed from the start. I didn't know my C3PO from my Spock (I think one has funny ears?) or my Millennium Falcon from a Ford Falcon. No clue. You might think that my complete ignorance of all things “Star Wars” would render me incapable of writing about it. But knowing absolutely nothing about a subject shouldn't stop me just as it hasn't stopped Trump. (“Someone told me that Jihadists have their meetings at the nearest IHOP. It’s disgusting; what can I tell you? Even terrorists love the Rooty Tooty. Boom, I said it.”) While you might think the chipmunks had the most rotten week imaginable, you'd be wrong because the worst week award is being shared by Miss Colombia and the Miss Universe pageant host Steve Harvey. Survey says! Steve Harvey is an IDIOT. No, not really. He just needs to wear his glasses. And stay out of Colombia for the rest of his natural life. Mistakes happen in these live shows. It’s like how there surely must have been a mistake when “Crash” stole the Oscar from “Brokeback Mountain.” Does anyone honestly know where Steve Harvey was the night that happened? I thought not. Look, I’ve made a lot of fun of beauty pageants in the past. What can I say? I have a lot of time on my hands what with never having to repair the snake armbands on my Princess Leia slave costume in between Comic-Con outings. But no one wanted to see the pageant end that way. With Miss Philippines laughing triumphantly and wrenching the crown right off Miss Colombia’s noggin while screaming: “Face, witch!” OK, that didn’t happen. In a perfect world, Miss Colombia would’ve removed the crown herself and crowned Miss Philippines in a gesture of goodnatured sisterhood. Alas, it was not to be. That sort of behavior isn’t all that common down here on Earth, where the dark forces often triumph over the light. See how I just did that? David Horsey Conventional wisdom says there are not enough of these infuriated, fearful voters to elect Trump president. Conventional wisdom, though, was a singular casualty in the politics of 2015. If 2016 ends preposterously with Donald Trump president-elect, no one will deny that would make him the undisputed Person of the Year. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David Horsey is a political commentator for the Los A ngeles Times. ©2014, David Horsey Distributed by Tribune Media Services. Continued from page 4 Close to a quarter of all American voters agree with Trump that Muslims should be barred from the country, millions of undocumented immigrants should be sent packing and President Obama should not be trusted because he is not really an American. They share Trump's dismal vision of America as a failing country that is being overrun by outsiders and duped by foreign leaders from Mexico City to Moscow. (Celia Rivenbark is the author of seven humor collections. Visit her website at www.celiarivenbark.com.) ©2015 Celia Rivenbark Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 6 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Business & Inv estment Jan. 1, 2016 Tax season opens January 19 Following a review of the tax extenders legislation signed into law, the Internal Revenue Service announced that the nation’s tax season will begin as scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The IRS will begin accepting individual electronic returns that day. The IRS expects to receive more than 150 million individual returns in 2016, with more than four out of five being prepared using tax return preparation software and e-filed. The IRS will begin processing paper tax returns at the same time. There is no advantage to people filing tax returns on paper in early January instead of waiting for e-file to begin. “We look forward to opening the 2016 tax season on time,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. “Our employees have been working hard throughout this year to make this happen. We also appreciate the help from the nation’s tax professionals and the software community, who are critical to helping taxpayers during the filing season.” As part of the Security Summit initiative, the IRS has been working closely with the tax industry and state revenue departments to provide stronger protections against identity theft for taxpayers during the coming filing season. The filing deadline to submit 2015 tax returns is Monday, April 18, 2016, rather than the traditional April 15 date. Washington, D.C., will celebrate Emancipation Day on that Friday, which pushes the deadline to the following Monday for most of the nation. (Due to Patriots Day, the deadline will be Tuesday, April 19, in Maine and Massachusetts.) Koskinen noted the new legislation makes permanent many provisions and extends many others for several years. “This provides certainty for planning purposes, which will help taxpayers and the tax community as well as the IRS,” he said. The IRS urges all taxpayers to make sure they have all their year-end statements in hand before filing, including Willy and Ethel Forms W-2 from employers, Forms 1099 from banks and other payers, and Form 1095-A from the Marketplace for those claiming the premium tax credit. “We encourage taxpayers to take full advantage of the expanding array of tools and information on IRS.gov to make their tax preparation easier,” Koskinen said. Although the IRS begins accepting returns on Jan. 19, many tax software companies will begin accepting tax returns earlier in January and submitting them to the IRS when processing systems open. Choosing e-file and direct deposit for refunds remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate income tax return and receive a refund. The IRS anticipates issuing more than nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. Find free options to get tax help, and to prepare and file returns on IRS.gov or in your community if you qualify. Go to IRS.gov and click on the Filing tab to see your options. • Seventy percent of the nation’s taxpayers are eligible for IRS Free File. Commercial partners of the IRS offer free brand-name software to about 100 million individuals and families with incomes of $62,000 or less; • Online fillable forms provides electronic versions of IRS paper forms to all taxpayers regardless of income that can be prepared and filed by people comfortable with completing their own returns. • The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) offer free tax help to people who qualify. Go to irs.gov and enter “free tax prep” in the search box to learn more and find a VITA or TCE site near you, or download the IRS2Go app on your smart phone and find a free tax prep provider. The IRS also reminds taxpayers that a trusted tax professional can provide helpful information and advice about the ever-changing tax code. Tips for choosing a return preparer and details about national tax professional groups are available on IRS.gov. This vintage postcard shows Mauʼs Restaurant in Fontana. Most recently named SteveOʼs Park Place Lounge, and before that, The Crowʼs Nest, it was demolished this fall to make way for a condo development. All telephone numbers published in The Beacon are in area code 262 unless otherwise indicated. Good neighbors you can count on. by Joe Martin Shared histor Shared history, y, common values, vaalues, family-owned. family-o wned. GET THE BEST RETURN FOR YOUR MONEY Liberty offers fast, accurate & friendly service 98 E. Main Street in Lake Geneva For ffour For our o generations,, we’ve we’ve been your your neighbor and we we will be here here tomorrow tomorrow with the same dedication to your your financial needs. After all, our great-grandfathers great-grandfathers helped plant in our comm community oundation unity the ffoundation o co today. and that tradition is upheld eld toda ay. Give try, Giv e us a tr y, we’ll we e’ll treat trre eat you yo ou like lik ke family. family. 262-203-5217 20 OFF $ Tax Preparation 1-866-871-1040 www.libertytax.com Good at participating location. For new customers. Not valid with other offers. Expires 3/31/16 Member FDIC fnbtwelcomesu.com fnbtw elcomesu.com | 800.667.4401 The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Randy Thelen inducted into LBA Hall of Fame It was a very special night for Randy Thelen, who was inducted into the Lakeland Builders Association’s Hall of Fame at the organization’s annual Holiday Party and Officer Installation Ceremony on December 11. The award was a surprise to Thelen, who accepted it from 2016 LBA President Susan Keel. Enjoying the aftermath of Christmas dinner at the American Legion Hall in Delavan are (from left) Luann Copland, Audrey Albert, Vern Palenske, Kathleen Kilkenny, Zoe Woelky and Helene Hurdis, all of whom also gather at the hall on Monday mornings for the Delavan High School Alumni Association speakersʼ series. (Beacon photo) HELP WANTED PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Send Resume To: P.O. Box 1149, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 or Email: [email protected] GLASS INSURANCE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER CHURCH SEEKS BOOKKEEPER This part-time position averages 2-4 hours of work per week. Responsibilities include preparing deposits, updating the accounting system, paying bills, running payroll, preparing monthly financial reports, maintaining accurate records, and meeting once per month with the Treasurer to review the books. Experience required. Hourly rate commensurate with experience. Please forward a resume to the church office by January 15th Community Church of Fontana, 275 Kinzie Ave, Fontana, WI 53125 communitychurchoffontana.com Call (262) 275-2808 if you have any questions. PLANNING TODAY FOR THE FUTURE IS HOW TO KEEP THE PAST IN A GOOD LIGHT. IT IS THE PRESENT YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER...REMEMBER THIS OVER Jan. 1, 2016 — 7 Randy Thelen accepts a plaque designating him a member of the LBA Hall of Fame during the organizationʼs annual awards ceremony on Dec. 11. According to Keel, the Lakeland Builders Association owes its existence to a core group of area builders, including Thelen who started it in 1979 with $2,000 borrowed from the South Central Wisconsin Builders Association. The founders of LBA knew that vast educational and support opportunities available as members of the National Association of Home Builder would encourage and promote continuous improvement of the industry and the individual members. They looked forward to working with individuals and companies in the new association that would be held to high ethics, education and training standards as part of their affiliation. As an LBA founding member, Thelen Total Construction holds the distinction of being the company with the most years of membership. During the organization’s 36 years, Thelen has been responsible for bringing more members to LBA than any other member. Thelen has served as president of Lakeland Builders Association three times, and has served on the LBA Board of Directors three times. He also served as Wisconsin Builders Association Southern Area Vice President, and as a National Director of the National Association of Home Builders. Thelen Total Construction has participated in the LBA Parade of Homes 25 times over the past 26 years; showcasing 43 distinctive homes, and is an exhibitor each year at the annual LBA Home Improvement Expo. “We find membership in Lakeland Builders Association invaluable to our company,” said Randy. “Over the years, I’ve stepped down from a leadership role because other members have much to contribute, and I knew that their involvement in the association would be invaluable to them, as well. For instance, Melody Fehling our office manager at Thelen Total Construction, has been involved with the LBA over the past dozen years, serving on several committees. This year she’ll chair the Parade of Homes and serve on the LBA Board.” With more than 150 members, the Lakeland Builders Association is a notfor-profit association serving the building industry. Members are individuals from companies involved in the construction, development, remodeling and servicing of single and multifamily homes in Walworth County and the surrounding area. 30+ YEARS OF TAX AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES MICHAEL ELLSWORTH & ASSOCIATES, LLC 25 S. Wisconsin Street • Elkhorn, Wisconsin 53121 262-723-6997 PHONE • 262-723-7046 FAX [email protected] GIVE US A CALL TODAY! Eau Claire to charge extra for ‘oversized’ graves ❏ City official says theyʼve received an increased number of requests for larger cemetery plots in past five years By Rich Kremer The city of Eau Claire will begin charging an extra $200 to dig what offi- FINANCIAL ADVISORS INC. Irene Vilona-LaBonne CFP • Scott J. Vilona CPA (262) 728-2202 • INDIVIDUAL/BUSINESS TAX PREPARATION • MONTHLY BUSINESS ACCOUNTING 517 E. Walworth Avenue, Delavan WWW.FINADVISORSINC.COM • [email protected] • [email protected] CELEBRATING OVER 30 Y EARS IN BUSINESS cials call “oversized” graves for larger caskets in the city’s cemeteries. Todd Chwala, Eau Claire superintendent of parks, forests and cemeteries, said the city has received more requests for oversized graves in the past five years. He said that rising obesity rates probably plays a role, but city officials don’t generally know why the graves need expanding. Either way, Chwala said that the city needs to recoup its costs. “If we have to open up a grave larger than the standard size, it takes more time. There’s more shoring equipment needed, planking, etc.,” he said. He said it also alters the number of graves that will fit into either of the city’s two cemeteries. “When there’s an oversized, that means, generally, the lot adjacent to one side or the other would certainly not be an option for a full, traditional burial then,” he garbled. “It would be available for cremation burials, but it does affect our footprint, certainly.” The standard size for a grave site is 41 inches wide by 100 inches long. An oversized grave is an extra 7 inches wide and 13 inches long. Wisconsin Public Radio News 8 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 He al th & Fi tne s s Medicaid to claim majority of new state spending during 2015-2017 Thelma Clemetsen (left), Regent of the Samuel Phoenix Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Delavan, and member Cheryl Dooley display a certificate to be presented to Eddie Johnson, president of the Parting Ways Museum of AfroAmerican Ethnology, Inc., in Plymouth, Mass. (Photo furnished) DAR chapter honors former slaves who served in the war The Samuel Phoenix Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Delavan, will present a certificate in memory of four African American patriots of the Revolution to Mr. Eddie Johnson, president of the Parting Ways Museum of Afro-American Ethnohistory, Inc. in Plymouth, Mass. The certificate was issued in memory of Cato Howe, Plato Turner, Prince Goodwin and Quamony Quash, who were buried at Parting Ways and also in recognition of the men and women who have worked to preserve the history and burial site of these men. Approximately 100 acres of land had been deeded to the former slaves after the war and their descendants continued to live there until the early 1900s. The land was then abandoned and the town of Plymouth had plans to turn it into a cemetery in the early 1970s, but a woman named Marjorie Anderson began work to preserve the history of the men buried there. Archaeological digs followed with artifacts being preserved in a museum and the land being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Dooly gives programs on African American Patriots and has met with Eddie Johnson and members of the Robert Treat Paine Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution in Plymouth and visited Parting Ways with her husband Richard. The graves at Parting Ways were marked by men of SAR. Mercy Walworth to host Tuesday dinner seminars Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center will host free Tuesday dinner seminars in January and February. The facility is located at Highways 50 and 67 just north of Williams Bay. • Dr. Rajesh Balagani, pulmonology and sleep medicine, and Dr. Kamil Krukowski, family medicine and primary care, will cover the subjects Sleep Apnea and Physician Credentials on January 12 at 6 p.m. • Dr. Craig Lyon, orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine, and Dr. Dominic Draper, family medicine and primary care physician, will explain Joint Replacements and Medical Management on January 26 at 6 p.m. Dr. Jeffery Kowalski, and Dr. Mike Oulashian, family medicine and primary care physicians will talk about Breast and Bone Health on February 9 at 6 p.m. Free dinner will be provided. Both events are free and open for anyone to attend. Reservations are required and may be obtained by calling (888) 39MERCY (396-3729). State general fund spending will increase $1.1 billion over the next two years, with Medicaid and K-12 education accounting for 86 percent of the total. General fund spending will total $31.9 billion over two years. A new report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX), “2015-17 Budget Recapped,” is a citizen’s guide to the new 2015-17 state budget that details revenues, spending, and major policy shifts included in Act 55. Medicaid, a state-federal partnership that provides health insurance for the poor and disabled, has grown significantly faster than other state programs over the past decade or more. During 2005-15, general fund (GPR) spending on the program rose an average of 4.2 percent per year, while GPR spending on all other programs increased an average of just 2.4 percent annually. The new state budget continues that trend as Medicaid spending climbs an average of 7.5 percent per year, compared to just 1.4 percent for the remainder. Spending by the Department of Health Services, which oversees the Medicaid program, will claim $658 million of the $1.1 billion in new spending. The Department of Public Instruction claims much of the remaining new spending: $289 million. The vast majority of the new spending is additional aid to K-12 schools, primarily in 2016-17. State aid to schools will increase less than 1 percent this year, but 3.8 percent next year. The new budget also changed some of the educational options available to K-12 students. Caps on Wisconsin’s statewide private school choice program were changed. In 2014-15, participation was limited to 1,000 students statewide. That cap was replaced with district caps of 1 percent of prior-year enrollment, with that percentage rising one percentage point annually until it is eliminated in 2026-27. In addition, the state’s desegregation program (Chapter 220), will be phased out. Program participation has declined steadily over the past 20 years. Two other areas generated much debate this spring: transportation and the U.W. System. Wisconsin funds roads and highways primarily with gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. However, those have increased less than 10 percent since 2008, while road costs continue to rise. With increases in transportation taxes and fees off the table, the major stumbling block was the amount of transportation borrowing. The legislature reduced the governor’s $1.3 billion request to $850 million, with $350 million of that requiring approval by the Joint Committee on Finance (which recently occurred). Borrowing costs will now claim about 21 percent of Transportation Fund revenues, up from 10.3 percent in 2007. There was also disagreement over autonomy for the U.W. System proposed by Governor Walker. The governor proposed autonomy for U.W., but reduced state funding by $300 million over two years. The legislature rejected the autonomy proposal and reduced the cut to $250 million. Several statutory changes were also significant. Tenure language in state law was deleted, while involvement of faculty, staff, and students in shared governance was modified. WISTAX researchers also looked ahead. As approved, the ending balance of the two-year budget was just $131.4 million, or 0.8 percent of 2017 spending. A final accounting of 2015 finances raised that amount to $267 million, or 1.6 percent of spending. However, many budget experts recommend cushions of at least 2 percent. While the $267 million is relatively large by Wisconsin historical standards, it may be insufficient should taxes lag. Predicting tax collections is difficult, and a 2 percent error rate is not unusual. A free copy of The Wisconsin Taxpayer magazine, “2015-17 Budget Recapped,” may be obtained by visiting www.wistax.org; emailing wistax@wis tax.org; calling (608) 241-9789; or writing WISTAX at 401 North Lawn Ave., Madison, WI 53704-5033. The Elves Agree... THE BEST AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE starts JANUARY 3 at Pesche’s • 8:00 a.m. 2 BEDROOM 50% OFF FLOOR PLANS INCOME LIMITS MAY APPLY All Apartment Homes Have Heat & Water Included PARKSIDE VILLAGE APARTMENTS Senior Living At Its Finest 317 S. Main Street, Delavan, WI (262) 728-9948 REGULAR OFFICE HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. or By Appointment Most Christmas Treasures Excludes: Nora Fleming Minis and Fontanini Closed Jan. 1 & 2 WINTER HOURS STARTING JAN. 4, 2016 MONDAY-SATURDAY 9-5 SUNDAY 9-4 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Pesche’s Greenhouse floral design & gift gallery Hwy. 50, 3 miles West of Lake Geneva • 262-245-6125 www.peschesgreenhouse.com The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 — 9 Mercy Health Line Shedding light on seasonal affective disorder Many people have difficulty dealing with the darker, shorter days of winter. They struggle to get out of bed in the morning, have less energy, feel down, and gain weight. For people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), these changes are severe enough to cause significant problems in their everyday lives. But what exactly is SAD? How does it differ from the “winter blues” and normal sadness? And how can it be treated? What is seasonal affective disorder? SAD is a type of depression that occurs due to a lack of exposure to light during the winter. It usually begins in the fall (October or November) and subsides in the spring (March or April). The onset and severity of the symptoms are highly individualized and depend, in part, on where you live. The number of cases and severity of symptoms increase with distance from the equator. For example, people near the Arctic Circle tend to experience more severe SAD starting earlier in the fall than people would while in the Caribbean. A true SAD diagnosis can be made only after symptoms have lasted over the past two winters for at least four weeks each time. The symptoms of SAD can range from mild to severe. They may simply be a nuisance to live with or severe enough to affect your ability to function. People who experience mild symptoms but aren’t diagnosed with SAD are often described as having the “winter blues” or “subsyndromal SAD.” Three to five percent of Americans have SAD and about another ten percent have subsyn- dromal SAD. Women experience SAD three to four times more often than men. This disorder affects people of any racial or ethnic group, and it can occur at any age – though it mostly seen in people in their twenties through forties. Even children can be affected by SAD, however, they may experience different symptoms than adults. For example, children are more likely to be irritable instead of sad or anxious. Common symptoms of seasonal affective disorder The following symptoms typically begin in the fall, intensify in winter, and subside in spring: • Decreased energy and activity • Tiredness, sleep more • Sadness, anxiety • Appetite changes (usually increased appetite) • Carbohydrate craving • Weight gain • Loss of interest in sex • Withdrawal from friends and family • Difficulty concentrating and accomplishing tasks • Premenstrual syndrome (worsens or only occurs in winter) What is the difference between SAD, other types of depression, and normal sadness? The main difference between SAD and other types of depression is that SAD occurs only during the winter months. In many types of depression, people generally eat and sleep less and lose weight; people with SAD usually eat and sleep more and gain weight Williams Bay’s Premier Provider of Senior Living Atrium Senior Living of Williams Bay at Sherwood Lodge is the preferred senior living community. atriumhsl.com when it is cold and dark outside. SAD, like other types of clinical depression, is not caused by psychological or social factors, although such stresses can aggravate it. Normal sadness tends to be situational and does not generally include these physical symptoms. The “holiday blues” can be distinguished from SAD because they are generally not accompanied by physical symptoms. They are caused by the typical stresses of the December holiday season and occur only around the holidays. What causes SAD? Lack of exposure to light seems to be the main trigger of SAD symptoms. There are a variety of hypotheses as to the underlying biochemical process that is affected by the lack of light. Also, SAD appears to run in families. Most people with the disorder have at least one close relative who has had bouts of depression (often SAD) at some time. An abnormality in one or more neurotransmitters and/or hormones is the suspected cause of SAD. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals that carry messages between nerve cells. A deficiency of the neurotransmitter serotonin is considered to be a likely cause of SAD. Its concentration in the brain varies with the seasons, the smallest amount occurring during the winter. Other chemicals under investigation include the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, and the hormone melatonin. The female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone may also be involved – since women are more vulnerable to SAD than men – especially in the years between puberty and menopause. How can SAD be treated? Light therapy is the primary treatment for SAD. It relieves symptoms in 75 percent of SAD patients within 2 to 14 days. Scientists believe that light entering through the eye may modify brain chemistry, correcting the abnormalities resulting from a lack of light. In this treatment, a person is exposed to light that is 5 to 20 times brighter than regular indoor lighting by sitting close to a light box for 15 minutes to a few hours a day. Since looking directly at the light is not recommended, usual activities such as reading, writing, and eating can be carried out. The length of time and intensity of the light can vary depending on a person’s needs and the equipment used. Initial evaluation and ongoing supervision of treatment should be provided by a health care professional who has experience with light therapy. Although light therapy is safe for most people, it can cause eyestrain, headaches, insomnia, and feelings of restlessness or irritability. These problems can often be resolved by reducing the length of exposure or sitting farther from the light box. People with certain types of eye disease or those taking medications that increase light sensitivi- ty may not be able to use light therapy, or should use it only under closely monitored care from an ophthalmologist. Lifestyle changes Although light therapy is considered the first-line treatment for most people with SAD, there are lifestyle changes you can try instead of, or in conjunction with, light therapy. Some people experience improvement from increasing their exposure to indoor light from regular lamps and to outdoor light by taking daily walks during the morning or afternoon. Taking a winter vacation in a sunny place with longer days may also help. Getting regular aerobic exercise can also help improve mood in people with SAD. Its effect is enhanced when done outdoors or in front of a light box. Exercise and diet can also be used to control the weight gain common in SAD. Since stress can exacerbate SAD, stress management is important, especially during the winter months. Psychotherapy may be useful in coping with problems that are causing stress. Medications Antidepressant medications can be used to treat SAD, but are usually prescribed with light therapy instead of replacing it altogether. When light therapy is only partially successful, medication may enhance the light’s effect. Use of light therapy in conjunction with medication may make it possible to take smaller doses of medication and to reduce medication side effects. In addition, taking medication can decrease the amount of time that is needed in front of lights. The most frequently used antidepressant medications for SAD are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. Bupropion (Wellbutrin) and other antidepressants may also be effective. What is the first step in treating SAD? If you have mild SAD symptoms, start by increasing your exposure to regular indoor and outdoor light. Try starting a walking program or a daily exercise regimen. If you have symptoms that are significantly interfering with your quality of life, you should consult your health care provider and/or a mental health professional. He or she can determine whether you do have SAD and discuss available treatments. Remember, there are a number of different treatment options that can be used alone or in combination that can help you feel better and keep a brighter outlook on winter. Mercy HealthLine is a paid column. For information on this or dozens of health-related questions, visit the Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center at the intersection of Highways 50 and 67, call (262) 245-0535 or visit us at www.Mercy-HealthSystem.org. THE LODGE AT ,GENEVA RIDGE LAKE GENEVA WISCONSIN Fully furnished 2 bedroom condo on the lake. No Pets WEEKLY/MONTHLY/LONG-TERM HOUSING (773) 725-4848 • RENT & LOOKING TO SELL Atrium Senior Atrium Senior Living Living of of Williams Williams Bay Bay at at Sherwood Sher wood Lodge Lodge 116 1 16 C Cherry herr y SStreet, tre e t , W Williams illiams B Bay, ay, W WII 5 53191 3191 Ph: P h: 2 262-245-7320 62-245 -7320 | at atriumhsl.com riumhsl.com 10 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com UW research finds benefits to meditating on compassion Judy Moser, Tyson Ray and Luke Kuchenberg from FORM Wealth display the millionth meal packed by volunteers. (Photo furnished) Volunteers pack one millionth meal for needy recipients Children’s World Impact recently expressed its appreciation to FORM Wealth for their sponsorship of the 8th annual Food Packaging Event held December 4 and 5, during which the the one millionth meal was packaged for people in need. This has been a cumulative goal for Children’s World Impact and, with the help of more than 900 volunteers working five shifts on Friday and Saturday, the milestone was achieved. This year, 125,000 of the meals were sent to a rural village in Nicaragua, reportedly the poorest country in Central America. The rate of chronic child malnutrition in Nicaragua is almost 25 percent in the rural areas. Tuberculosis is prevalent, as are other acute respiratory infections. Malaria is always a concern. Undernourished bodies are particularly vulnerable to the stress of disease. So the meals packaged by Children’s World Impact are truly life-saving. In addition to the meals sent to Nicaragua, 15,000 pounds of rice and pasta were packaged and delivered to local food pantries. In Walworth County, there are many families who depend on local food pantries for daily meals. Rice and pasta are staple foods for foundational meals. CWI also sold 150 hand-woven rugs from Haiti Looms of Life, a grassroots organization that gives women in Haiti a hand up instead of a hand out. The women are taught a marketable skill and so are able to work for themselves, raising money to support their families. The beautiful, unique rugs sold out thanks to the generous attendees at the Food Packaging Event. Children’s World Impact, based in Lake Geneva, is a recognized 501(c)3 charitable organization whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty through care and community development aimed specifically at orphans and widows. Care projects for women and children include providing food, clothing, shelter, education, and income opportunities. Community development projects include building schools, housing, water purification systems, and medical facilities. FORM Wealth is an independent wealth management firm with securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, member FINRA/ SPIC. Tyson Ray and Luke Kuchenberg are the founding partners. Their office is located at 431 Geneva National Avenue, South, Lake Geneva. Jan. 1, 2016 More information may be obtained by calling (844) 600-3008. Raymond James is not affiliated with Children’s World Impact. By Gilman Halsted New research conducted by psychologists at University of WisconsinMadison has found that people who learn to meditate on compassion are more likely to help someone who is being treated unfairly. The subjects in the UW researchers’ study meditated on developing compassion 30 minutes a day for two weeks. They were then shown a film about sharing a pot of money, and asked to respond. “They watch as one person who has $10 gives an unfair amount of money to someone who has no money,” said Helen Wang, an author of the study. “So they only share maybe $1 or $2.” Wang said those trained in compassion were more likely to give their own money to help the person who was cheated out of his or her fair share than another group who didn’t receive the training. She said the results suggest the training holds promise for people in a wide range of professions. “This might be a really powerful educational tool for any field where your job is to help people in some way,” said Wang. The meditation course is available online at the UW Center for Healthy Minds. Weng said the course’s training, which more than 12,000 people have downloaded since the research began, is based on Buddhist practices that have been used by monks for centuries. Weng is a clinical psychologist and a postdoctoral scholar at At the University of California, San Francisco. She worked on the study with Richard Davidson, who founded the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds. Davidson said training people to nurture their natural capacity for compassion “can dramatically impact the climate and interactions that ensue in everyday life, including in education, health care and the workplace.” Wisconsin Public Radio News “Through patient education based on evidence-based medicine and osteopathic principles, I strive to develop goal-oriented wellness plans for today and the future during each patient encounter.” Kamil Krukowski, DO Family medicine Mercy Health System welcomes Dr. Krukowski to the staff of Mercy Lake Geneva Medical Center, where he joins family medicine physician, Gary Myron, MD, and podiatrist, Mark Pfeifer, DPM. Dr. Krukowski speaks fluent Polish. His special interests include: • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) • Diabetes • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Osteopathic manipulative medicine • Preventive care • Smoking cessation • Sports physicals • Weight loss • Wellness exams for all ages Mercy Lake Geneva Medical Center 350 Peller Rd. Lake Geneva, WI 53147 (262) 249-0221 The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Health Through Chiropractic By Dr. Bernice Elliott Community Chiropractic Center Now that winter has reached Walworth County, the daunting task of snow shoveling is upon us. Shovel-ing is hard work and can cause injury if not done properly. When it comes to shoveling, many people don’t realize their Dr. Bernice Elliott physical limitations. It is a very strenuous activity and can be difficult even for those in top physical condition. Here are a few tips to help you avoid back strain and other injuries. ❄ Shovel early and often. Newly fallen snow is lighter than heavily packed, or partially melted, snow. Before you begin, warm up your muscles with 10 minutes of light exercise. ❄ Push the snow instead of lifting it. Keep the shovel close to your body. Space your hands on the shovel; it increases your leverage. ❄ If you must lift the snow, lift it properly. Squat with your legs apart, knees bent and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. ❄ Do not throw over your shoulder or to the side. This action requires a twisting motion that stresses your back. ❄ See what you are shoveling. Do not let a hat or scarf block your vision. Watch out for ice patches and uneven surfaces. Avoid falls by wearing shoes/boots with slip resistant soles. ❄ Use a shovel that feels comfortable for your height and strength. Avoid a shovel that is too long or too heavy. ❄ Pace yourself. Shoveling snow is an aerobic activity comparable to weightlifting. Take frequent breaks and replenish fluids to prevent dehydration, which affects muscles. Never move deep snow all at once; do it piecemeal. Shovel an inch or two, then take off another inch. Rest and repeat if necessary. Community Chiropractic Center is located at 541 Kenosha St. (across from Walworth State Bank) in Walworth. We accept most insurance. New patients are always welcome and can usually be seen the same day. Call today, or stop by to see how chiropractic care can benefit you. Sponsored by Community Chiropractic Center. 236 Elkhorn Road, (Hwy. 67) • 262-245-1027 Mon.-Thurs. 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Jan. 1, 2016 — 11 The people along the way By Marjie Reed As I’m thinking about the New Year, and trying to remember to put 2016 on my correspondence, I can’t help but review 2015. My husband and I watched a fascinating movie the other night that has caused us to remember not only the personal and family events of 2015, but the movie caused us to think of the people who helped us along the way in 2015. Marjie Reed The movie is entitled, “Miracle of the White Stallions,” by Walt Disney productions. It is about the efforts of many everyday people who helped save the great Lipizzan horse breed after their capture by the Nazis during WWII. In case the Lipizzaners, as they are also called, are not familiar to you, it is a line of horse that is so outstanding that its use and enjoyment had been strictly limited to the nobility. According to The Horse Gazette, “the primarily pure white horses represent 400 years of strict breeding. [Lipizzans] not only possess beauty and nobility, but also are a combination of courage, strength, ability, temperament, and intelligence.” Amazingly, the horses are born black then gradually turn white between ages four and seven. Their performance training begins at age four, they reach maturity at about age 10 and can perform for more than twenty years, usually with the same trainer. The horses are famous for their precision moves and incredible jumping prowess. These amazing animals often live 35 years and beyond. Some of the Lipizzan horses from Vienna’s famed Spanish Riding School were captured by the Nazis, while other Lipizzans were evacuated. It’s important to note that without the people along the way doing their part, the captured Lipizzans would have no doubt been fed to the Nazi troops, thus eradicating this superb breed from the face of the earth. General Patton and the American Army performed what they called, “Operation Cowboy,” rescuing the 150 captured Lipizzan mares, foals and stallions and returning them to the director of the school. It took the action of our army and some everyday people along the way, to save this marvelous breed. (By the way, there is a Lipizzan sta- ble called Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Ill., if you care to know more about these prized animals). Now we return to the year 2016 and you are probably wondering how the rescue of some horses in WWII fit in with a New Year’s column. Patton and his men were given accolades for the rescue, and the director of the Vienna Riding School said these men surely deserved praise; however, it was all the people along the way that did their part during the evacuation of the horses that were just as important as the U.S. Army. That phrase, the people along the way, made me think back to 2015 and the people who helped me or my family along our way. Who were the people along the way who helped your family in 2015? Maybe someone bought you a cup of coffee and took a few minutes to just listen on a day they knew you were discouraged. Maybe a neighbor shoveled your walk on a cold, snowy day. Maybe someone prayed for you when the world seemed to be closing in. Maybe someone texted, emailed or called with something funny or encouraging for you. Maybe a stranger helped you the day you locked your keys in the car – along with your cell phone. Maybe a friend babysat for you at the last minute. Maybe a neighbor stopped by to laugh and pass the time of day. Maybe someone came to encourage you in the hospital. Maybe a neighbor child waved to you and smiled on his or her way home from school, brightening your day. On the other hand, YOU probably were the person along the way who helped others in 2015. You might not remember all you did, but rest assured those who received your kindness, surely do. Dear God, In 2016, help us to teach our kids, by example, how to be the person along the way (or the family along the way) for others. Help our kids to become aware of those who need help; then nudge us to set a bit of time aside to fill that need as we can. Please remind us that we all have 24 hours in our day and it is up to us how we use them, and how we teach our kids to use them. Give us the wisdom as parents and grandparents to build a strong breed of young people who care about others and want to make it their goal in life to be the person along the way for others in 2016 and beyond. Amen. Marjie Reed lives in Harvard, Ill., with her husband, Bob. They have been married nearly 45 years and have three children and eight grandchildren. Contact Marjie at [email protected]. CALL US FOR ALL YOUR CLEANING • COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL • FULLY INSURED • FREE ESTIMATES • REASONABLE PRICES • WILL CUSTOMIZE 262-275-5005 450 Mill Street Suite 102 Fontana, WI 53125 www.fontanafamilychiropractic.com 20+ Years of Experience (262) 203-2535 12 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Milwaukee gun homicides have soared during 2015 By Chuck Quirmbach On New Year’s Eve, a Milwaukee block watch captain named Gayle says that she, along with her friends and family, will be celebrating the holiday in the basement of her home. It’s a question of safety: There are a lot of gunshots in her neighborhood, she says, and bullets have struck the main floor of her house several times. “I’m tired of going into the basement,” said Gayle, who didn’t provide her last name in the interest of her own safety. “I’m sick and tired of going into the basement on New Year’s Eve.” This year in particular, the gun homicide total in Milwaukee has soared: The city has reported that 117 people have been shot to death, an increase of about 35 over last year at this time. The shootings have left some scared, the police chief upset, and the city’s mayor hoping that promises from President Barack Obama’s administration will be kept. The Police Response Gayle said she’s appealed to the police for more help. “I ask for police presence in my neighborhood to cut down on the senselessness,” she said. “I feel if they ride through my neighborhood, the ones who are doing these things will be more cautious.” Milwaukee police say they’ve been very active against guns, and have taken steps like assigning more officers to violence-plagued neighborhoods and using technology called ShotSpotter to respond more quickly to gunfire. They also say they’ve conducted mass arrests of drug dealers linked to gun violence. Then, there are the department’s efforts to perhaps reduce violence by taking small steps toward addressing poverty – “when want is felt most keenly,” in the words of Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn. Flynn paraphrased the line from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol “ when he held a news conference highlighting police delivering donated food to some low-income families in the city. When asked about this year’s increase in gun deaths, along with the hundreds of other nonfatal shootings in the city, Flynn broke down the numbers. “What I can report is that our robbery-related homicides are down significantly compared to last year, but those homicides that resulted from arguments, fights and retaliation among those people that have significant criminal records is up over 100 percent,” said Flynn. “That by itself is driving this homicide total.” Flynn said another factor is there are more guns on the street than during any time in his eight years as chief, along with weaker gun laws that include, he said, the state statute allowing the concealed carry of guns. The Question Of Policy Flynn declined comment, for now, on the expectation that President Obama will issue an executive order on guns within the next few weeks. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, on the other hand, said he’s glad the president appears ready to act. The mayor said closing loopholes in the background check requirement for gun purchases would help Milwaukee, noting that the checks aren’t required for firearms purchased at gun shows or online. “That’s something that’s very, very important, because those are oftentimes the guns that we fear will end up in the hands of criminals,” said Barrett. Conservatives in Congress are already trying to block any executive action by the president, and Gov. Scott Walker and other Republicans in Wisconsin maintain the better approach is to address community mental health problems and tighten national security. Retired Milwaukee County Judge James Gramling, however, argues that people who don’t live close to gun violence underestimate the need for stronger action, because they underestimate the economic impact on those who are wounded and other survivors. “For these victims, there are months, maybe years of anguish, both mental and physical,” said Gramling. “There are medical costs not covered by insurance. There are lost earnings.” Gramling asserts that gun control advocates have to work harder to show that everyone pays for gun violence – especially, he said, in a year such as this. Wisconsin Public Radio News Jan. 1, 2016 Serving turkey dinner with all the trimmings at the American Legion Hall, 111 S. 2nd St. in Delavan on Dec. 25 are (from left) Heather Palenske, Dr. John Howland and Mike Palenske. The dinner was courtesy of the Delavan American Legion. Post 95. (Beacon photo) “My goal is to provide the very best in dermatology care in a way that is supportive and empowering to my patients.” Kevin M. Burns, PA-C Dermatology physician assistant Mercy Walworth Dermatology is happy to welcome Kevin Burns, PA-C, to its staff. He joins board certified dermatologist Marguerite Compton, MD, in providing exceptional dermatologic care. Kevin’s areas of special interest include: • Moles • Acne • Skin surgery • Eczema • Rashes • Psoriasis • Fungal infections • Warts • General dermatology • Skin cancer For more information, contact: Email: [email protected] Director: Shawn Davenport (262) 245-7930 Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center Hwys. 50 and 67 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 (262) 245-0535 or toll-free (877) 893-5503 Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center | Hwys. 50 and 67 | Lake Geneva, WI MercyHealthSystem.org The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 — 13 Meet Your Friends at Geneva Crossing! Lake Geneva’s Premier 55+ Neighborhood The Terraces & Highlands Active Senior Living 55+ Arbor Village & Village Glen Assisted Living and Memory Care Neighborhood 262-248-4558 www.genevacrossing.com 191203 Kamil Krukowski, DO “By offering a team approach to optimizing and maintaining health, I find my relationships with my patients grows quickly. And a great relationship with patients starts with a trusting and caring health care provider … I strive to provide that type of care with every visit.” Dominic B. Draper, MD, MBA Family medicine Mercy Health System welcomes Dr. Draper to the family medicine physician staff of Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center. Mercy physician to offer free screenings in January During the month of January, family medicine and primary care physician Kamil Krukowski, DO, is offering free health screenings at Geneva Lakes Family YWCA, 203 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva. An additional appointment can be made if treatment is sought. Bone density screenings, January 9, 8-10 a.m. • Blood sugar screenings, January 16, 8-10 a.m. • Body fat analysis screenings, January 23, 8-10 am Appointments are not required. Availability on first come, first served basis. His special interests include: • Arthritis management • Asthma management • Diabetes management • High blood pressure management • Men’s health • Preventive medicine • Sports medicine • Veteran care Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center N2950 State Rd. 67 Hwys. 50 and 67 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 (262) 245-0535 • (877) 893-5503 MercyHealthSystem.org At the crossroads of words about God and works for the Earth GOOD EARTH CHURCH OF THE DIVINE (INTERFAITH) Pastor Simone Nathan Services at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Sundays at 10:00 a.m. W2493 County Road ES, East Troy WI CALL (262) 684-5193 • www.goodearthchurchofthedivine.org 14 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Home & Family Jan. 1, 2016 How often should you clean the air ducts in your home? By Paul Pogue A ngie’s List Many homeowners who’ve hired a reputable air duct cleaning contractor are often pleased with the results. While there’s no scientific evidence to prove that vent cleaning has a direct and significant benefit, experts agree there’s some benefit to having air duct cleaning performed, particularly if you hire a skilled professional. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends getting your air ducts cleaned every three to five years. Ed Mack, owner of Air Duct Profes-sionals in Lake Elsinore, Calif., says homeowners should consider doing it every two to five years, depending on their circumstances. “How often you need it will depend on what part of the country you’re in, how often you use your system, and if anyone in your home has allergies or asthma,” Mack says. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends cleaning air ducts when: • You suspect that mold exists in the air ducts. • You notice a vermin infestation somewhere in the home, or you see insects or rodents entering or exiting ductwork. • You see a visible “poof” of dust released from the supply registers when air is exiting the vents. Mack recommends taking a look inside your air vent register. “If you notice black debris around the outside, that’s pollutants that have been recycled through the system over and over again, and that’s a sign your system is excessively soiled,” he says. “Also, take a look at your system when you change your filter. If there’s a lot of dust buildup in that area, that’s another sign you’re overdue for a cleaning.” Most experts, including the EPA, have Duct cleaning should be performed at least every five years, depending on your circumstances. (Photo by Eldon Lindsay, Angieʼs List) not endorsed air duct cleaning as a remedy for health problems, but cleaners say they’ve amassed a growing body of anecdotal evidence that it does provide some benefit. “I’ve had tens of thousands of customers over 26 years that will tell you they’ve enjoyed the benefits of air duct cleaning to their environment,” says Michael Vinick, NADCA president. Mack says a proper air duct cleaning will help with the biggest causes of respiratory problems. “If you have asthma, your number one enemy is dust mites,” he says. “And for people with allergies, pollen and dander are a big problem. These are microscopic elements you can’t see with the naked eye, and they’re commonly found in air ducts. A good cleaning will remove a lot of them.” However, NADCA standards caution that these elements will only be removed by a thorough cleaning that addresses every part of the system that air moves across, not just the air ducts. “A good cleaner is going to use a negative air machine and a rotary brush cabling system,” Mack says. “The brush goes through the ducts and knocks the debris loose, and the negative air machine vacuums it away.” NADCA says homeowners should clean air ducts under these circumstances: • Every three to five years. Be wary of a contractor who suggests more frequent cleanings. • When you move into a new home, unless you know the previous homeowner serviced the air ducts within the last three years. • After building a new home. It’s likely the ducts have built up debris from drywall dust and other materials used during the construction phase. Thank You For Shopping Local at the Bark Market since 1995! 130 Kenosha St. Walworth, WI 262.275.2854 5540 State Road 50, Delavan, WI 262-728-7877 www.thebarkmarketllc.com www.AplusRide.com 622 E. Hwy. 11, Elkhorn • 262-723-8822 • After completing a home remodeling project. Construction projects spread sawdust throughout the home, and unless you go to lengths to protect the ducts, the dust will extend into the ductwork. • If you have pets in the home that shed fur and dander. Duct cleaning and effective home cleaning practices can help to prevent it from spreading throughout the home. Professionals warn homeowners to avoid air duct cleaning scams and stay away from excessively cheap specials that seem too good to be true. “You don’t want to go with the ‘$49 bandits,’” Mack says. “These are less reputable contractors who will use the very, very low price to get into your house and then keep piling on the extra charges.” Keep these points in mind when hiring an air duct cleaning company: • A good duct cleaning costs between $400 and $1,000 and addresses every aspect of the system that air passes over, including the furnace, air coils and central system. Good cleaners will use negative air machines with HEPA filters. • It should take a few hours. An air duct cleaner who’s in and out in less than an hour probably didn’t do a good job. • Many quality ductwork cleaners use truck-mounted, outside vacuum systems that contain dust and debris outside the house. • Ask whether they follow the standards set by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. (Paul Pogue is a reporter at www.angieslist.com, a trusted provider of local consumer reviews and an online marketplace of services from top-rated providers.) ©2015 Angie’s List Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. www.TheScrapBookManor.com BICYCLE SALES, SERVICE & ACCESSORIES WARE-WASH PRODUCTS SERVICE & SOLUTIONS 24 W. Geneva St. Williams Bay 262-245-9077 www.greengrocergenevalake.com 127 Park Place., Delavan • 262-725-7210 18 Geneva St. • Williams Bay, WI • 262-245-2444 734 Main St. • Lake Geneva, WI • 262-248-2444 www.clearwaterssalonanddayspa.com N. 798 Swamp Angel Road, Walworth, WI 866-823-4100 • www.elkokleen.com OFFERING ORGANIC AND LOCALLY PRODUCED PRODUCTS • Daily Specials • Dinners-To-Go • Soups Pac Ratz Resale • Consignment • Collectibles 418 Highway 50 • Delavan, WI • 262-725-7300 (1 mile east of Lake Lawn Resort) 6 N. Wisconsin St., Darien, WI 262-882-2337 312 East Walworth Avenue Delavan, WI Phone 262-723-7945 • Fax 262-723-7945 your feed nʼ seed is our business indeed! 641 N. Lincoln Street, Elkhorn SAVE TIME, MONEY AND JOBS 4747 E. US Hwy 14 • Janesville, WI • 608.741.9900 Southeast Wisconsin’s #1 Independent Newspaper (262) 245-1877 [email protected] www.readthebeacon.com P.O. Box 69 • Williams Bay, WI If you don’t patronize your local merchants, one of these days you might find they’re no longer in business. And then you’ll have to drive twenty, thirty, or fifty miles to shop...and get service. Don’t be short-sighted. It’s in your best interest to patronize Independently Owned Businesses. January can be a slow time of year for many businesses. Please spend a little LOCALLY. The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com White River County Park to get new bridges, other improvements In February 2014, the Geneva Lake Conservancy engaged with Walworth County government to help make the White River County Park a special natural area. The park, consisting of 195 acres with approximately 9,200 linear feet of shoreline along the White River, is located at the intersection of Short and Sheridan Springs roads in Lyons Township. Support included developing a landmanagement plan for the woods, streams, and prairies that would guide the restoration of the property to its natural state and make the property more educational and desirable by the public. The plan document was completed in March, and implementation is well under way. Implementation of the plan is being realized through the efforts of county government and the new Friends of White River County Park. Since its inception last November, the Friends group has held work days and raised funds for park improvements. The improvements wish list includes Jan. 1, 2016 — 15 phased prairie/grassland restoration, a canoe launch, picnic shelter, barn renovations, and two arched wooden bridges. The bridges represent a critical component of the improvement plan, as they provide access to the portion of the park located south of the river. Shortly after formation, the Friends group received an offer to fund the construction of one of the bridges. The Conservancy, in support of the Friends, became the conduit for funding the project. During the planning and bidding phase of the project, the donors decided to include both bridges. One is 50 feet long with two 30-foot approaches, and the other is 60 feet long with two 80-foot approaches. [They aren’t the Brooklyn Bridge, but they aren’t chopped liver, either]. The bridges will span the river at two locations identified in the master plan. The design will provide clearance for canoes and kayaks to pass underneath, and minimal environmental impact will occur during construction. Mathew Brady took this photographic portrait of Pres. Abraham Lincoln in 1864. (Wisconsin State Historical Society) This bridge is similar to the two bridges that will be built at White River County Park. (Photo furnished) WILLIAMS BAY’S LOCAL GROCER • LIQUOR • BEER • WINE WE ACCEPT FOOD STAMPS 659 East Geneva Street (262) 245-1901 Open 7 days a week • 6:00 a.m. to Midnight President Lincoln’s little kindness At the start of the Civil War, many Wisconsin residents criticized Abraham Lincoln for exceeding the constitutional authority of the President. Many even sympathized openly with the South. Loyal Republicans chose Professor Damon Kilgore, head of Evansville Seminary, to travel to Washington and warn Lincoln about the presence of traitors in the North. Professor Kilgore may have been among frontier Wisconsin’s elite, but he was not well-acquainted with the manners of polite society back east. Invited to lunch at the White House, he found himself seated right beside President Lincoln. Feeling painfully nervous, Kilgore nevertheless made it through most of the meal without embarrassing himself. But when the luncheon was nearly finished, a small bowl filled with water and a slice of lemon was placed before him. Finger bowls, used for dipping and cleaning the hands after a meal, had just come into vogue in America and Kilgore had never seen one. He assumed it was lemonade. Before the professor could commit the faux pas of drinking it, Lincoln leaned over and whispered discreetly, “Don't sip out of that bowl. Watch me.” The President then casually demonstrated its proper use and Kilgore was spared public humiliation. Later, when they were meeting alone, Lincoln confessed that he himself “needed a servant to keep him informed about those little things.” The editor who printed that recollection nearly 60 years later admitted that, “we cannot vouch for the truth of the story.” But as the old saying goes, if it’s not true, it ought to be. This and many other fascinating stories about history in Wisconsin are available on the website of the Wisconsin Historical Society, www.wisconsinhistory.org. DO YOU WISH TO PROTECT YOUR LAND FOREVER AND LEAVE A LEGACY FOR YOUR CHILDREN? CONTACT THE CONSERVANCY TODAY P.O. Box 588 • 398 Mill Street • Fontana, WI 53125 262-275-5700 • www.genevalakeconservancy.org The Conservancy is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization supported by contributions and community volunteers 16 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Shorewest REALTORS® Jim Stirmel Assistant Sales Director OFFICE: (262) 248-1020 DIRECT: (262) 248-5564 ext. 127 [email protected] Kathy Baumbach Shorewest REALTORS® Shorewest REALTORS® Kathy Baumbach Shorewest REALTORS® Shorewest-Lake Geneva 623 Main Street Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Dorothy Higgins Gerber Realtor OFFICE: (262) 740-7300 ext. 1058 CELL: 262-949-3668 OFFICE: (262) 248-1020 DIRECT: (262) 248-5564 ext. 199 EMAIL: [email protected] FAX: 262-728-3999 AGENT MOBILE: (262) 949-7707 [email protected] Jim Stirmel Dorothy Higgins Gerber www.shorewest.com Jan. 1, 2016 Shorewest REALTORS® Shorewest-Lake Geneva 623 Main Street Lake Geneva, WI 53147 www.shorewest.com Rauland Agency Shorewest REALTORS® Shorewest-Delavan 830 E. Geneva Street Delavan, WI 53115 www.shorewest.com Shorewest REALTORS® Richard Geaslen Broker Associate, GRI OFFICE: (262) 248-1020 DIRECT: (262) 248-5564 ext. 161 CELL: (262) 949-1660 [email protected] www.rgeaslen.shorewest.com Richard Geaslen Shorewest REALTORS® Shorewest-Lake Geneva 623 Main Street Lake Geneva, WI 53147 www.shorewest.com FOR SALE OR RENT FONTANA MLS #1453334 - Wonderful 5 bedroom, 2 bath home with 3 car garage in Country Club Estates on the end of a cul-de-sac. Room for the whole family. Lake rights to Geneva Lake. MONTHLY RENT $1,700 SUGAR CREEK PIN #32055 - Panoramic views in this stunning home w/pond. Newly remodeled kitchen, granite counter tops, tiled back splash and stainless steel appliances. Cathedral ceilings, sun room, hardwood flooring, open concept, walk-out lower level with huge family room, 2 natural see-through frplces., wonderful decks, 5 bdrms., 4 baths, 3+ car garage. $549,000 LAKE GENEVA PIN #85755 - Charming 2 bdrm., 2 bath, 1 car attached garage home in the heart of Lake Geneva. Master bdrm. with bath, family room, screened porch. Deck overlooking private back yard. Newer roof, water heater, furnace and central air unit. $120,000 Kathy Baumbach 262-745-5439 Members of the Fontana Garden Club Memorial Day Plant Sale Committee for 2016 are (from left) Francine Jacobs, Carole Townsend, Marilyn Oliak, Vera Mauer, Joan Tierney, Germaine Hehr-Stodiek, Sue Vandenbroucke, Gail Hibbard, co-chair Linda Franz, Doloris Panzer, co-chair Sally Ratay, Claudia Garber, Barb Riley and Betty Benedetto. Committee members not pictured are Lynn Latig, Karlyn Armstrong and Kristine Barrera. The Christmas dinner meeting was held at the Abbey Springs clubhouse on December (Beacon photo) shorewest.com The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Westwords APL Continued from page 3 At its high point, it was claimed that 52 million Americans – approximately half of the country's population – lived in communities in which the APL maintained an active presence. The national headquarters of the APL was established in Washington, D.C., with Briggs installed as the Chairman of the governing National Board of Directors. In addition to its regular geographically-based network, the APL attempted to organize secret units inside factories producing clothing and war materiel, with a view to identification of those advancing “discouraging disloyalty” or engaging in pro-German activities. Suspects would be reported within the APL organization, which would then make use of its broader network in the community to investigate the activities of these people after working hours, if it was deemed to be necessary. Teams of APL members conducted numerous raids and surveillance activities aimed at those who failed to register for the draft and at German immigrants who were suspected of sympathies for Germany. APL headquarters and the Justice Department in Washington often lost control over field operations, to the point that U.S. Attorneys and BOI agents, assisted by cadres of volunteers from the APL and other similar patriotic auxiliaries, pursued suspects of disloyalty on their own initiative and in their own manner. APL members “spotted violators of food and gasoline regulations, rounded up draft evaders in New York, disrupted Socialist meetings in Cleveland, broke strikes, [and] threatened union men with immediate induction into the army.” In the most extraordinary cooperative action, thousands of APL members joined authorities in New York City for three days of checking registration cards. This resulted in more than 75,000 arrests, though fewer than 400 of those arrested were shown to be guilty of anything more than failing to carry their cards. APL agents, many of them female, worked undercover in factories and attended union meetings in hope of uncovering saboteurs and other enemies of the war effort. APL members were accused of acting as vigilantes, allegedly violating the civil liberties of American citizens, including so-called “anti-slacker raids” designed to round up men who had not registered for the draft. The APL was also accused of illegally detaining citizens associated with anarchist, labor, and pacifist movements. An APL report on its actions in the Northwest for five months in 1918 showed that among its 25 activities, its largest effort (some 10 percent of its activity), was in disrupting the International Workers of the World union’s activity. Some IWW members had been involved in violent labor disputes and bomb plots against U.S. businessmen and government officials. In turn, the IWW alleged that APL members burgled and vandalized IWW offices and harassed IWW members. During World War I, the APL was joined by many similar “secret societies” and groups formed by civilians to fight against foreign infiltration and sabotage. The “Anti Yellow Dog League” was a similar organization composed of school boys over the age of ten, who sought out disloyal persons. Such leagues and societies branched across the nation. “Used as private eyes by overzealous prosecutors in thousands of cases, members of the APL were furnished with ample government resources. The APL had an intelligence division, in which members were bound by oath not to reveal they were secret policemen. Members of the APL read their neighbors’ mail and listened in on their phones with government approval. “In Rockford, Ill., the army asked the APL to help extract confessions from black soldiers stationed at Camp Grant who had been accused of assaulting white women. The APL’s American Vigilante Patrol cracked down on ‘seditious street oratory.’ “One of its most important functions was to serve as head crackers against ‘slackers’ who avoided conscription. In New York City, in September 1918, the APL launched its biggest slacker raid, rounding up fifty thousand men. Twothirds were later found to be innocent of all charges. Nevertheless; the Justice Department approved. The assistant attorney general noted, with great satisfaction, that America had never been more effectively policed. “In 1917 the APL had branches in nearly six hundred cities and towns with a membership approaching a hundred thousand. By the following year, it had exceeded a quarter of a million. “One of the only things the layman still remembers about this period is a vague sense that something bad called the Palmer Raids occurred – a series of unconstitutional crackdowns, approved by President Wilson, of ‘subversive' groups and individuals.’ What is usually ignored is that the raids were immensely popular, particularly with the middle-class base of the Democratic Party. “Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer was a canny progressive who defeated the Republican machine in Pennsylvania by forming a tight bond with labor. He had hoped to ride the popularity of the raids straight into the Oval Office, and might have succeeded had he not been sidelined by a heart attack. “Vigilantism was often encouraged and rarely dissuaded under Wilson's 100 percent Americanism. How could it be otherwise, given his own warnings about the enemy within? In 1915, in his third annual message to Congress, he declared, ‘The gravest threats against our national peace and safety have been uttered within our own borders. There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit, born under other flags...who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life; who have sought to bring the authority and good name of our Government into contempt, to destroy our industries wherever they thought it effective for their vindictive purposes to strike at them, and to debase our politics to the uses of foreign intrigue.’” This is the same Woodrow Wilson who declared that the overtly racist movie, “Birth of a Nation” was one of the greatest films ever made. It was under his direction that the federal government, including the Post Office Department, was segregated. “Four years later the president was still convinced that perhaps America's greatest threat came from ‘hyphenated’ Americans. ‘I cannot say too often – any man who carries a hyphen about with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the vitals of this Republic whenever he gets ready. If I can catch any man with a hyphen in this great contest I will know that I have got an enemy of the Republic.’ “This was the America Woodrow Wilson and his allies sought. And they got what they wanted. In 1919, at a Victory Loan pageant, a man refused to stand for the national anthem. When ‘The StarSpangled Banner’ ended, a furious sailor shot the ‘disloyal’ man three times in the back. When the man fell, the Washington Post reported, ‘the crowd burst into cheering and handclapping.’ Another man who refused to rise for the national anthem at a baseball game was beaten by the fans in the bleachers. “In February 1919 a jury in Hammond, Ind., took two minutes to acquit a man who had murdered an immigrant for yelling, ‘To Hell with the United States.’ In 1920 a salesman at a clothing store in Waterbury, Conn., received a six-month prison sentence for referring to Lenin as ‘one of the brainiest’ leaders in the world. Mrs. Rose Pastor Stokes was arrested, tried and convicted for telling a women's group, ‘I am for the people, and the government is for the profiteers.’ “Wisconsin Republican anti-war progressive Robert La Follette spent a year fighting an effort to have him expelled from the Senate for disloyalty because he’d given a speech to the Non-Partisan League opposing the war. The Providence Journal carried a banner – every day – warning readers that any German or Austrian ‘unless known by years of association should be treated as a spy.’ The Illinois Bar Association ruled that members who defended draft resisters were not only ‘unprofessional’ but ‘unpatriotic.’ “German authors were purged from libraries, families of German extraction were harassed and taunted, sauerkraut became ‘liberty cabbage,’ and – as Sinclair Lewis half-jokingly recalled—there was talk of renaming German measles ‘liberty measles.’ This may seem ridiculous, but when France refused to join the United States and its allies in invading Iraq, the United States Congress dining room changed the name of french fries on its menus to ‘Freedom Fries.’ The more things change, the more they stay the same. “Socialists and other leftists who agitated against WW I were brutalized. Mobs in Arizona packed [IWW union agitators] into cattle cars and left them in the desert without food or water. In Oklahoma, opponents of the war were tarred and feathered, and a crippled leader of the Industrial Workers of the World was hanged from a railway trestle. At Columbia University the president, Nicholas Murray Butler, fired three professors for criticizing the war, on the grounds that ‘what had been wrongheadedness was now sedition. What had been folly was now treason.’ “At the University of Wisconsin, renowned economist Richard Ely organized professors and others to crush internal dissent via the Wisconsin Loyalty Legion. Anybody who offered ‘opinions which hinder us in this awful struggle,’ he explained, should be ‘fired’ if not indeed ‘shot.’ Chief on his list was Robert La Follette, whom Ely attempted to hound from Wisconsin politics as a ‘traitor’ who ‘has been of more help to the Kaiser than a quarter of a million troops.’ “Hard numbers are difficult to come Jan. 1, 2016 — 17 by, but it has been estimated that during this period some 175,000 Americans were arrested for failing to demonstrate their patriotism in one way or another. All were punished, many went to jail.” President Woodrow Wilson knew of the APL’s activities and had misgivings about their methods. He wrote to Attorney General Gregory expressing his concern: “It would be dangerous to have such an organization operating in the United States, and I wonder if there is any way in which we could stop it?,” he wrote. But he allegedly deferred to Gregory's judgment and took no action to curtail the APL. The APL also worked with the army's Military Intelligence Division (MID), the government’s principal investigatory agency in this period. When the relationship between the APL and the MID became public early in 1919, the revelations embarrassed Secretary of War Newton Baker, who tried to end the War Department’s use of volunteer spies. After the Armistice with Germany ended the war, Attorney General Gregory credited the APL with the defeat of German spies and propaganda. He claimed that his Department still required the APL’s services as enemy nations sought to weaken American resolve during the peace negotiations, especially as newly democratic Germany sought kinder treatment than its predecessor government might have expected. Alexander Mitchell Palmer succeeded Gregory as Attorney General on March 5, 1919. Before assuming office, he had opposed the APL activities. One of Palmer’s first acts was to release 10,000 aliens of German ancestry who had been taken into government custody during the war. He stopped accepting intelligence gathered by the APL. He also refused to share information in his APL-provided files when Ohio Governor James Cox requested it. He called the APL materials “gossip, hearsay information, conclusions, and inferences” and added that ‘information of this character could not be used without danger of doing serious wrong to individuals who were probably innocent.” In March 1919, when some in Congress and the press were urging him to reinstate the Justice Department's wartime relationship with the APL, he told reporters that “its operation in any community constitutes a grave menace.” A few months after the Armistice, the League officially disbanded, even as its members insisted they could serve as they had earlier in wartime against America’s post-war enemies, “these bomb fiends, Bolsheviki, IWW’s and other fiends.” The publication of the organization’s story as “The Web: A Revelation of Patriotism,” was an attempt to revive its fortunes. That book by Emerson Hough, an author of Western novels, called for a program of “selective immigration, deportation of un-Americans, and denaturalization of ‘disloyal’ citizens and anarchists.” It said: “We must purify the source of America's population and keep it pure.” On June 3, 1919, the Washington Post called for the revival of the APL to fight anarchists. The APL survived as a series of local organizations under other names, such as the Patriotic American League (Chicago) and the Loyalty League (Cleveland). New Jersey members served as investigators for New York’s Lusk Committee investigation of radicals and political dissenters. APL members continued to provide information and manpower to the Department of Justice, notably during the Palmer raids of January 1920. In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan recruited members from the Southern branches of the APL. For years following the war, J. Edgar Hoover’s General Intelligence Unit in the Justice Department drew on the APL for information about radicals. Today, no such organization exists, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t spring up again if circumstances seemed to warrant. 18 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 Pet Questions and Answers Q: In March, we lost Bosco, our beloved 15-year-old beagle. Our other beagle, Myah, turned 6 in June. She grew up with Bosco and kept him young. They were real pals and loved and respected each other. A real mush, Myah wanted nothing more than to give kisses and be showered with attention, which she received. We felt that she was used to having a companion, so we took our time but found a rescue puggle and brought Cooper home in July. He is really more of a beagle in attitude, and even looks, but will always be a bit smaller than Myah. He is a year-and-a-half old. Initially, they got along swimmingly, with Cooper conceding that Myah is the alpha dog, giving her all the room and respect she needed. Soon they were sleeping together, wrapped in each others arms. However, in the past three weeks, things have changed, and Myah has become downright nasty toward Cooper. He is bewildered (as are we) and is starting to keep his distance from her. Some theories of mine: Myah does not like the car, never has, and Cooper loves it. For that reason I take Cooper with me on my errands every Saturday. (Is she jealous?) Both dogs are left in the kitchen when we are away. Cooper has been great with not having accidents in the house, but he opens cabinets and chews and destroys things, though he is getting better. I just can't cage him _ I know we probably should, but he was in a cage and I don't want to put him back. Is Myah getting angry about it now and blaming him that she no longer has run of the house like she did before he came? Last night they were both asleep next to us. Myah woke up and immediately snapped at the sleeping Cooper. She growls and snaps, sometimes for no reason at all that we can see. Other times, it is because she does not want to play (which she still does when she feels like it _ it's just that he wants to play all the time). We give her more attention than we ever have, and sneak her extra treats when Cooper is not around. Also, she seemed sad before she got nasty, but now she seems both. Cooper is just confused. A: You are overthinking this situation. Myah does not have to love Cooper, she does not have to like Cooper, she does not have to admire Cooper. All she needs to do is not hurt him physically. Perhaps Myah did have warmer feelings toward Cooper at one time and, for whatever reasons, her feelings changed. But it is not because Cooper likes to ride in the car or open cabinets. One dog would never judge another for actions like those. And while Cooper may be confused, he also seems accepting of the situation, and, as long as he is willing to take her insults on the chin and not cause any drama of his own, the best thing that you can do is just keep out of this soap opera. Just be sure to respect the status quo. If Myah snaps at Cooper and there is no bloodshed, then don’t berate her or judge her and do whatever it takes so that both dogs clearly know that Myah is top dog. If you give Cooper the idea that perhaps there is a way for him to change things, then he may just try and do so, and then you will have bloodshed. Q: I have a very handsome 3-year-old golden retriever named Jake. I would really like it if he slept in his bed. He prefers the cold hard floor. I’ve tried buying different kinds of beds (his latest is a memory foam bed), but he never goes on it. He has no problem taking a nap on the couch, or lying at the foot of my bed. Why does he just ignore his bed? A: Many dogs, just like people, generate a lot of body heat, and it could be that he feels cooler lying on the floor rather than curled up in a soft bed. Plus, goldens are a breed with a very flexible body structure and thick coat. The floor doesn’t feel as uncomfortable to him as it would to a short-haired greyhound or Great Dane with a very angular and rigid body. I have never seen a greyhound choose to sleep on the floor if a couch or a soft bed is offered. As for Jake, just keep offering him his beds, and if he chooses the floor over them, it is not the end of the world. Q: We have a 3-year-old, 80-pound Lab/hound mix that has been living at our home in the suburbs. Now my daughter is taking the dog to live with her in an apartment in New York City. A dog walker will take the dog out once during the afternoon, but otherwise the dog will be alone all day. Do you think there will be a problem now, and is there anything we can do make the transition easier? A: From what you explained to me, I don’t think there’s any cause for concern. At three years of age, your dog most likely has learned everything about Thereʼs nothing like a lap dog to keep you company while you watch the big game on TV. (Photo furnished) the world she wants to know and will be content to spend her time dozing most of the day. The fact that your daughter arranged to have a dog walker take her out daily makes all the difference in the world. I used to bring my little dogs to my pet store during the day with me, but my big dogs had to stay home. Had I arranged a dog walker for them, they would have loved it, but they always seemed content with things as they were. I think city dogs are happier than suburban dogs anyway. When my dogs were out of the house, they were in my backyard surrounded by a 6-foot stockade fence. We had very little time to walk them about the neighborhood, so they never had as much environmental enrichment as I would have liked to give them. City dogs, however, get to go about into the real world at least three times a day, and every time they do, it’s a new adventure for them. The smells and sounds are pure entertainment. So I don’t think your dog’s move will be much of an inconvenience for her, and depending on the dog walker your daughter hires for the dog, it may be a move upward in her life. ©2015 Newsday Delavan Animal Clinic Since 1976 W7702 Hwy. 11, Delavan ■ Complete Medical & Surgical Care ■ Boarding and Grooming ■ House Calls Dr. Steven Benzon • Dr. Wayne Benstead • Dr. Chrissy Nawash • Dr. Robert Patyk Clinic: 262-728-3303 • Boarding & Grooming: 262-728-8354 www.delavananimalclinic.com Laser Surgery Ultrasound Dentistry House Calls Bathing & FURminating Boarding Friendly, Compassionate Pet Care Complete Veterinary Care for Cats, Dogs and Exotics by Caring and Friendly Staff Chris Hartwig, DVM • Kevin Hartwig, DVM Simone Sidel, DVM • Brenda Reed, DVM IS ALWAYS IN NEED OF: • Clay Cat Litter • Kitten Food • Dry & Canned Cat Food • Canned Dog Food • Kitten Milk Replacement Formula (KMR or Mother’s Helper) CLEANING SUPPLIES: • Liquid Laundry Soap • Bleach • Dish Soap • Paper Towels • Antibacterial Hand Soap VOLUNTEERS! 3 MILES SOUTH OF ELKHORN ON HWY. 67 • ELKHORN, WI • (262) 723-3899 Scan with phone M, T, F 7:30-5 W, Th 7:30-6 Sat. 7:30-Noon “Our mission is to provide a rescue and home for abused, abandoned, retired and injured large felines, exotics and hoofed animals. Sharon, WI 53585-9728 1107 Ann St.-Delavan www.DelavanLakesVet.com (262) 728-8622 ADMITTANCE SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS TO MEMBERS ONLY! FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER AND VOLUNTEER, visit our website w w w . v o t k . o r g We are a Federal and State licensed (501c3), not for profit educational organization. The Beacon Aram Public Library, 404 E. Walworth Ave., Delavan. Library Hours: Mon. - Thurs., 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. • LEGO Club, Monday, January 4 and 18 at 4 p.m. • Knit and Crochet Club, Monday, January 4 and 11 and Wednesday, January 20 and 27 at 6 p.m. For all ages and experience levels. Take your own project to work on, share your expertise, and learn from others. • Health Care Enrollment Assistance, Friday, Jan. 8 and 22 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Local, no-obligation, free health insurance enrollment assistance is available to help you understand your Marketplace (ACA or “Obamacare”), Medicare, BadgerCare, and health insurance options. Make informed choices and learn your options. . • Quilts from the Girls’ Houses, Monday, January 11 at 1:30 p.m. The Friends are pleased to welcome Nancy Snyder from The Stitchery in Delavan. Nancy’s presentation will feature a continuation of her always well received “trunk show” showcasing many of the quilted treasures she and her family have collected through the years. The event is free, but please drop by or call 728-3111 in advance to reserve a seat. • Adult Craft Night, Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. Registration required Sign up for a make-and-take craft. This month it’s a beautiful seasonal paper wreath in wintery colors. As usual, all materials will be provided. Don’t forget to register, space is limited. • Adults, Color Your Cares Away, drop in between 6 and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Enjoy a coloring party, the latest stressbusting trend for grown-ups. We will have a quiet space, beautiful patterns, coloring pencils, and light refreshments while we enjoy a peaceful evening of coloring. This program is free to anyone who would like to attend. We ask that there be no children in the coloring room. • Book Buzz: Parent-Child Book Club, Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. A brand new book club aimed at 8-12 year olds and their parents will meet the second Wednesday of every month at 4 p.m. to discuss our chosen book, have snacks, and engage in an activity or craft. Parents are invited, but not required, to participate. This month’s book will be “Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy” by Karen Foxlee. • Pluto: Planet or Not? Thursday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. Many people have questioned the recent removal of Pluto from the traditional list of nine planets. Retired astronomer Wayne Osborn will discuss the background of this change. The talk will be on a nontechnical level suitable for teens and adults. • Baby to Three, Come Wiggle with Me, Mondays at 10 a.m. Words and wiggles go together like peanut butter and jelly in this special story time/open play/dance party for babies, toddlers, and their grown-ups. Read, dance, repeat. • Tail Waggin’ Tutors with Divot, first Saturday of each month, at 10 a.m. Registration is required, so call 728-3111, ext. 117 to reserve your time slot. • Tech Tutorials, Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Registration is required. Baffled by technology? Sign up for a 45-minute oneon-one session with a librarian for assistance with anything computer related, such as downloading e-books and audiobooks, filling out online applications, signing up or managing email, or learning to use Microsoft Office software. Bring in your own device or use one of our computers. ! ! ! see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Barrett Memorial Library, 65 W. Geneva St., Williams Bay. Open Mon. and Wed. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Tues., Thurs., Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Check the library’s new Web site at www.williamsbay. lib.wi.us/ CHILDREN AND TEEN PROGRAMS Mondays LEGOS and Beads, 4 p.m. Tuesdays Story Time, 10 a.m. Crafts to follow. PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS • Saturday Morning Book Group, second Saturday of the month, 10 a.m. Read and discuss a new book each month. Jan. 9, “A Quilt for Christmas,” by Sandra Dallas; Feb. 13, “Name All the Animals,” by Alison Smith; March 12, “Go Set A Watchman,” by Harper Lee. • What Are Teens Reading? book group meets the third Monday of the Month at 7 p.m. This group is for parents to read and review teen books. Stop at the library to pick from a selection of young adult books. • Scrabble Club, Wednesdays 10 a.m.noon. • Knitting Circle: Wednesdays 1-3 p.m. All skill levels welcome. Bring a project to work on. ! ! ! Brigham Memorial Library, 131 Plain St., Sharon. Hours: Mon. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Tues. 12-8 p.m.; Wed. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. - noon. Phone 736-4249. • Story Time, Wednesdays, 10 – 11 a.m. A theme will unite a story and a craft. ! ! ! Clinton Public Library, 214 Mill St., Clinton. Hours: Monday and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Tuesday - Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Phone (608) 676-5569. • Storytimes at the library, Mondays at 10 a.m. for children 3 to 24 months; Fridays at 10 a.m. for 2-5-year-olds. • 55+ Tech Desk. A new technology service offers free help to people 55 and older. Available every other Thursday. Call to register. Free one-on-one help is available for all ages by appointment. • Adult book discussion the fourth Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ! ! ! Darien Public Library, 47 Park Street, Darien. Hours: Monday - Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Friday and Sunday. Phone: (262) 882-5155. Web page: www.darien.lib.wi.us. • Photocopies 10 cents per page. Faxes sent or received for $1 per page • Free Wireless access • Ten computers for patron use at no cost • Free library cards • Book Cub for Adults, third Wednesday of the month at 5:45 p.m. • Ongoing library book sale: children’s books for 25 cents; adult paperback books for 50 cents; adult hardcover books for $1; and DVDs for $2. • Wide selection of magazines, music CDs and DVDs to check out ! ! ! East Troy Lions Public Library, 3094 Graydon Ave., East Troy. Hours: Mon. Thurs. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Phone 542-6262. • Story Time, Fridays, 11 a.m., for ages 18 months – 4 years. • Lego Club, Thursdays from 3 - 4 p.m. For more information, call 642-6262. ! ! ! Fontana Public Library, 166 Second Ave., Fontana. Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday. • Happy-to-Be-Here Book Club, third Thursday of each month, 1 p.m. • Evening Book Club, third Thursday of each month, 5:30 p.m., sometimes off-site. All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Call 2755107 for more information. ! ! ! Genoa City Public Library, 126 Freeman St., Genoa City. Hours: Mon. and Wed. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Tues., Thurs. and Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. • Story time, Thursday, 10 a.m. for kids ages 2-5 and siblings. • Ongoing book sale. Donations of new or slightly used books, including children’s books, may be dropped off at the library. • Lego Club, the first Monday of every month from 4-6 p.m. All school age children are welcome. • February is Food for Fines month. Help us fill the local food pantry and pay off your fines at the same time. One nonperishable, not expired, item pays $1 off your overdue library fines. All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Call 2796188 or email [email protected] for more information. ! ! ! Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W. Main St., Lake Geneva. Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Phone 249-5299 or visit www.lakegene va.lib.wi.us. • The Friends of the Lake Geneva Public Library will hold their Holiday Sale until Friday, January 8. Sale items will be shelved on the Friends’ ongoing book sale shelf. The Friends invite readers to purchase holiday and gift books from this specially-featured collection and browse the sale for holiday gifts. Mass media paperback books will be sold for fifty cents; hardcover, trade paperback books, and DVDs for two dollars; and videos and CDs for one dollar, unless priced otherwise. Angel design bookmarks, from Fashioncraft’s exclusive Book Lovers Collection, are also being sold by the Friends for $5 at the library’s front desk. The bookmark is a silver winged metal angel, enhanced with cutout details, and topped with a white cloth tassel attached at the halo. This holiday gift is packaged in a Book Lover’s Collection clear topped box and tied with a white satin ribbon. Funds raised from the sale make special projects possible, including youth and adult programming, on-line book clubs, and new books, CDs, and DVDs for the library collection. • Preschool Story Time, every Friday January 8 through May 29 from 9:30-10 a.m. Children ages 3-5 years are especially encouraged to attend this half hour reading program. However, families and children of all ages are also invited. Library staff will read stories that are based on a seasonal theme. Preschool Story Time may include singing, dancing, and other participatory activities. • Every Thursday January 7 through May 28 from 9:30-10 a.m., the library will host “Toddler Time” for babies through 2-yearold children. Toddlers are invited to enjoy stories, rhymes, songs, and play • Adult Fans of Teen Fiction, a new discussion series on Thursday, Jan. 14 from 6:30-8 p.m. The group will be led by Youth Services Librarian Sara Soukup. Adults are encouraged to bring their favorite teen Jan. 1, 2016 — 19 books, share why they love them, and give book suggestions to other adults interested in reading teen books. Refreshments will be served, and pre-registration is requested at the library’s front desk. Registrants may also email [email protected]. • People of all ages are invited to attend Family Movie Nights to see “Hotel Transylvania 2,” an all-new monster comedy adventure, on both Monday, January 18 and Thursday, January 21 from 6-8 p.m. Children are encouraged to visit the library in comfy clothes, bring pillows and blankets, and relax in front of the Library’s movie screen. Popcorn will be served. Family Movie Night is a monthly program that features family friendly films especially appropriate for children ages 4-11, accompanied by an adult. However, people of all ages are welcome to attend at no charge. • Otaku Club will meet at on Monday, January 11, from 4-6 p.m. for a special anniversary festival. Participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite Anime/ Manga characters, and special Japanese snacks will be served. No registration is required Teens are invited to talk about their favorite Anime and Manga, share their original Manga style artwork, and work with librarian, Miss Sara, to build the library’s young adult graphic novel collection. Snacks will be served. No registration is required. • The library’s “Play with Science” series will continue on Tuesday, Jan. 12 from 4:305:30 p.m. Children ages 5-12 are invited to attend a Playing with Construction Workshop. Librarian Miss Sara will guide the children as they build structures with spaghetti and marshmallows. The library will provide materials and instructions, and the children will provide the creativity and ingenuity. No registration is required. • Computer coaching and basic computer problem-solving sessions are available at the library for adults of all ages. Tutors will be available Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the library’s reference room. Computer coaching is led in a question and answer format by volunteers from Volunteer Connection of Walworth County. It is a one-on-one, or two or more, training session that covers a specific technology topic of interest, such as setting up an email account. This service is intended for all levels of users who need to get more comfortable with specific computer topics, such as using Google. People may attend an unlimited number of sessions. Topics covered include: email, Internet, basic computer set-up, and basic troubleshooting. Topics not covered include: hardware problems, Adobe Photoshop, Linux Software, or other specialized, jobrelated software. Please contact the reference desk staff to register for a session at 249-5299 at least one day in advance. Sessions are free. For more information, call the library at 249-5299 or visit the Library Web site, www. lakegeneva.lib.wi.us. ! ! ! Matheson Memorial Library, 101 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn. Open Monday Thursday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 723-2678. • Butterfly Celebration, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Saturday, January 9. Brighten the dark days of winter with butterflies. We’ll make masks and wings and play fun butterfly games in addition to learning about these fascinating creatures. All ages welcome. (Continued on page 31) 20 — The Beacon By Kathi West Nancy Snider and Carrie Dodge from The Stitchery will be at Aram Public Library in Delavan to present “Quilts from the Girls’ Houses” from 1-3 p.m. on January 11. This is the girls’ third presentation at the library. The program will be a continuation of the family’s trunk show that has been collected though the years and all the stories about the quilts. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the library. I went to their last show and I really enjoyed it. It’s free but call or stop at the library to reserve a seat, 728-3111. The seating is limited. I know, because I think I got the last available seat last time. I received the newest Keepsake catalog in the mail on December 28. On the front it said in big letters “It’s Spring.” I just had to laugh because it was sleeting, raining, and snowing, sometimes all at the same time, with wind gusts up to 50 miles see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 an hour. But I decided that making a spring, flowery quilt might make it feel as though winter is not forever. Think of all the wonderful Valentine, St. Patrick’s day, Easter and May Day quilts you could put together during the winter. I used to go sledding with my boys and then with my grandsons. I was a pretty good ice skater too. But since I’m getting older I think I’d rather quilt. It’s safer too. I’ve never broken or sprained anything quilting. So get on your quilting gear and get sewing. EVENTS I’ve put in some AQS quilt shows that are in warm weather places. Just in case you find yourself getting away from the Wisconsin winter. Arizona and Florida sound like swell places to go. A quilt show makes it even more inviting. February 11-14, AQS Quilt Week at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz., sounds like a great place to Discussing the upcoming program, ʻQuilts From The Girlsʼ Houses,ʼ at Aram Public Library in Delavan on Jan. 11 from 1-3 p.m. are (from left) Nancy Snyder and Carrie Dodge from The Stitchery and Friends of Aram Public Library Friends President Terri Yanke. (Photo furnished) be in February. There will be many workshops, lectures, and special events. Registration is open now. February 24-27, AQS Quilt Week in Daytona Beach, Fla., at Ocean Center, 101 N Atlantic Ave. Another place for snow birds to go. Registration is open now. QUILT GUILD MEETINGS Chocolate City Quilters meet the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Burlington High School library, 400 McCanna Parkway. The Crazy Quilt Guild Quilters meet the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 231 Roberts Drive in Mukwonago. The Harvard Village Quilters meet the third Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church 504 East Diggins Street Harvard, Ill. Visitors are always welcome. Quilts of Valor and Quilts of Honor Quilt Group meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at Ellen Weber’s house on Theatre Road. The next meeting will be on January 12. Take your sewing machine, fabric to make a QOV quilt or a quilt that you have started and any sewing tools you will need. For more information call Ellen at 728-3630. The Scrappers Quilt Guild meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Lion’s field house on Hwy 67 in Williams Bay on the third Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be on January 19. Take your show and tell quilts. Visitors are always welcome. If you have some quilting news to share with quilters in the greater Walworth County area, e-mail me or mail to P.O. Box 69, Williams Bay, WI 53191. Make sure you send it about a month before the event and I will try to get it into the next column. Looking ahead to Valentineʼs Day makes the winter seem shorter. This quilt was shown at the 2015 Mukwonago Quilt Show. (Beacon photo) Tulips on a green, grassy, background bring spring to mind. (Beacon photo) The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Plan ahead. Look through the calendar to make advance reservations for events that require them. Phone numbers are in area code (262) unless otherwise indicated. For a more complete listing of activities at area businesses, log on to www.visitwalworth county.com/events. Check Library Notes on page 19 for the many activities taking place at area libraries. SATURDAY, JAN. 2 Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy Ninth Annual First Saturday Night of the New Year Hike, 5-8:30 p.m. Hike followed by bonfire and complimentary cook-out. Event will take place in anyweather but rain. MONDAY, JAN. 4 Black Point Estate Book Club, 10-11:30 a.m., Bragi Cafe, 80 N. Walworth Ave., Williams Bay discuss “The Uncertainty of Everyday Life: 1915-1945,” by Harvey Green, in which the author recounts an era of great optimism followed by the shock of The Great Depression. It was a time of unprecedented change in American culture that affected such aspects of daily life as employment, home life, gender roles, education, religion and recreation. Lakeland Players auditions for the upcoming production of “The Odd Couple,” 7 p.m. at The Walworth County Performing Arts Center (former Sprague Theater) downtown Elkhorn. Needed are six male and two female adults over 18. Call (262) 470-8570. TUESDAY, JAN. 5 American Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church, 228 Martin St., Sharon. Tuesdays@2, Geneva Lake Museum, Geneva Lake Museum, 255 Mill St., Lake Geneva. No charge for members, $5 for nonmembers. Call 248-6060 for a reservation or email staff@geneva lakemu seum.org. BloodCenter of Wisconsin blood drive, 2:30-6:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s Church, 1540 Mills St., Lyons. Donations of all blood types are needed. Anyone 16 or older who is in general good health and meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to donate blood. Parental consent is required for 16-year-olds to donate. The entire process takes about an hour. Donors should take a photo ID that includes birth date. Lakeland Players auditions for the upcoming production of “The Odd Couple,” 7 p.m. at The Walworth County Performing Arts Center (former Sprague Theater) downtown Elkhorn. Needed are six male and two female adults over 18. Call (262) 470-8570. FRIDAY, JAN. 8 Senior Travel Club of Walworth County, 10-11 a.m. at Como Community Church, W3901 Palmer Road, Lake Geneva. Program 46 YEAR TH Ye Olde INHotel LYONS (262) 763-2701 Hwy. 36-Halfway between Lake Geneva & Burlington from Hwy. 50 turn on South Road, 3 miles LOOK US UP ON FACEBOOK Open Wed.-Fri. at 4:00 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 11:30 All Day & Evening WEDNESDAY CHICKEN or LASAGNA DINNER..$11 ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT WHITEFISH...$11 WITH CUP OF SOUP THURSDAY RIBEYE or NY STRIP DINNER.......$15 FILET....................................................$17 FRIDAY ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Whitefish...................................... 10 FISH COMBO PLATTER....................$13 FISH FRY......................................$11 SATURDAY KING PRIME RIB.........................$27 QUEEN PRIME RIB.....................$23 SUNDAY TURKEY or PORK DINNER....$12 $ ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS.$12 DAILY SURF ‘N TURF........................$36 PLUS REGULAR MENU • CARRY-OUTS AVAILABLE to be presented by Van Galder explaining in detail their trips planed for 2016. Reservation deadline Jan. 8, for “Legends In Concerts,” Wednesday Feb. 17, at The Fireside Dinner Theatre, Fort Atkinson. Continue to sign up for Irish Day Milwaukee Trip, Tuesday, March 8. Call Judy LaBianco 245-6792 with questions. SATURDAY, JAN. 9 Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy volunteer work day, 8 a.m. - noon. We will be working on the Lakefront project across from the boat launch area. Refreshments will be available. Free bone density screening by Mercy Health System family medicine and primary care physician, Kamil Krukowski, DO, 8-10 a.m., Geneva Lakes Family YWCA, 203 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva. An additional appointment can be made if treatment is sought. Appointments are not required. Availability on first come, first served basis. MONDAY, JAN. 11 BloodCenter of Wisconsin blood drive, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Elkhorn Recreation Center, 200 Devendorf St. or 2-6 p.m. at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 415 Devendorf St. Donations of all blood types are needed. Anyone 16 or older who is in general good health and meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to donate blood. Parental consent is required for 16-year-olds to donate. The entire process takes about an hour. Donors should take a photo ID that includes birth date. THURSDAY, JAN. 14 BloodCenter of Wisconsin blood drive, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Youngquist Orthodontics, 255 Havenwood Dr., Lake Geneva. Donations of all blood types are needed. Anyone 16 or older who is in general good health and meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to donate blood. Parental consent is required for 16-year-olds to donate. The entire process takes about an hour. Donors should take a photo ID that includes birth date. Bingo at the American Legion Hall, 111 S. 2nd St., Delavan. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., 15-game session begins at 6:30. Progressive session follows. $1 face. Progressive pot grows until won. $100 consolation prize. SATURDAY, JAN. 16 Free blood sugar screening by Mercy Health System family medicine and primary care physician, Kamil Krukowski, DO, 8-10 a.m., Geneva Lakes Family YWCA, 203 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva. Appointments are not required. Availability on first come, first served basis. An additional appointment can be made if treatment is sought. Shipwrecks of Great Lakes and Geneva Lake, 1-3 p.m., Horticultural Hall, 330 Broad St., Lake Geneva. More than 750 ships have been lost in Wisconsin waters. Maritime Archaeologist Caitlin Zant will discuss some of her favorites, including the Lucius Newberry and the original Lady of the Lake; both on the bottom of Geneva Lake. The program will include photos and video of some amazing shipwrecks. ~ ~ ~ Ongoing events ~ ~ ~ The Delavan Historical Society, 663 E. Ann St., at the intersection with Seventh St. (Highway 50), is open free to the public from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Mondays and Saturdays. Volunteer work day, fourth Saturday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Kishwauketoe Nature Preserve, Highway 67, north, Williams Bay. Meet at the main entrance. The work location will be posted at the kiosk. Contact Harold at (262) 903-3601 or email [email protected] to get on the list. AARP Local 5310, 9:30 a.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month (except August and December) at Peoples Bank, 837 N. Wisconsin St. Elkhorn. For information, call Shirley Grant at 473-2214 or email [email protected]. American Legion Auxiliary meeting, 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Legion Hall on Second Street in Delavan. The group raises money for scholarships and to send gifts at Christmas time to the servicemen and women that are hospitalized due to injuries while in combat. Southern Lakes Masonic Lodge #12, 1007 S. 2nd St., Delavan. Stated meetings are: July and Aug. fourth Monday only; Dec., second Monday only; all other months, second and fourth Mondays at 7 p.m. Geneva Masonic Lodge #44, 335 Lake Shore Dr., Lake Geneva. Regularly stated meetings, second Tuesday, 7 p.m. 725-3062. Ice Age Trail Alliance, monthly meeting, third Tuesday of each month 7 p.m. at U.S. Bank, Elkhorn (Downstairs in the community meeting room, enter at the back door). Bingo, second and fourth Thursday of the month at the Delavan American Legion hall, 111 S. 2nd St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., a 15-game session begins at 6:30. Progressive session follows. $1 face, progressive pot grows until it is won. $100 consolation prize. Bingo, St. Andrew Parish in Delavan. The games will be played on the first Friday of the month, except July and August, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and play starting at 7 See www.standrews-delavan.org. Civil Air Patrol, Walco Composite Squadron, meets every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Elkhorn National Guard Armory, 401 East Fair St., Elkhorn. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com/ or call Commander Ronald Sorenson, 751-0677. Authors Echo Writers group meeting, 7 p.m., first and third Tuesday of every month, Aurora Hospital, East entrance Burlington. Puzzle Answers JUMBLE ANSWERS Kneel Mirth Throat Plenty Answer: The circus hired the famous tightrope walker because he was — TOP OF THE “LINE” Kid’s Jumble Log Size Pill Want Answer: What flowers grow on your face? — “TWO-LIPS” ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. BOGGLE ANSWERS RED TAN TEAL BLUE GRAY BEIGE WHITE GREEN CRIMSON ©2015 Tribune Content A gency LLC Jan. 1, 2016 — 21 Call Frank Koneska at 534-6236. Yerkes Observatory, 373 W. Geneva St., Williams Bay. The observatory offers free, 45-minute tours, Saturdays, 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon, as well as night sky observations for a fee of $25. Visitors may also view the Quester Museum, which covers some of the observatory’s history. For more information, call 245-5555 or e-mail [email protected]. Cards and games, Mondays and Wednesdays 1 – 4 p.m. Darien Senior Center, 47 Park St., Darien. Call 882-3774. Senior Card Club, every Thursday 11 a.m .- 3 p.m., Matheson Memorial Library Community Room, Elkhorn. Bridge, 500, and other games. Everyone welcome. Bridge - every Tuesday, 12:30-3:30 p.m., Lake Geneva City Hall kitchen. Call 2483536 for more information. Duplicate bridge, first and third Tuesday at 7 p.m., The Highlands at Geneva Crossing, 721 S. Curtis St., Lake Geneva. Call Mary or Dick Koehler at 248-4632 or 374-9164. ~ HEALTH AND FITNESS ~ Mercy Walworth Grief Support Group provides comfort, guidance and stability in times of loss. Experts in the field of grief counseling provide their expertise and compassion when healing is needed. The group meets on the third Tuesday of every month, 6 p.m. in the lower level conference room A at Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center, highways 50 and 67 in the Town of Geneva. For more information or to reserve a spot at the next meeting, call (888) 396-3729. Mercy Walworth’s Stroke Support Group provides compassionate and understanding care for those who have experienced a stroke as well as their caregivers. The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m. in the lower level community education rooms at Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center, corner of highways 50 and 67. Cancer Support Group meets in the church at Chapel on the Hill, 4 miles west of Lake Geneva on Highway 50, the third Friday of the month at 3 p.m. For more information, or to receive answers to questions, call Lou Kowbel at (847) 922-5461. Alcoholics Anonymous Walworth County Hotline is 723-1224. Their website is www.area75.org. Call or check online to get information about meetings in your area. Alanon self help program, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, VIP building, 816 E. Geneva St., across from Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn. Mindfulness and Loving kindness Meditation each Thursday, 7-8 p.m. at Matheson Memorial Library Community Center Room, 101 N. Wisconsin St. in Elkhorn. Beginners and experienced practitioners are always welcome. No registration is necessary, just drop in. Meditation is practice for being more awake and attentive in our daily lives. Sponsored by Wisconsin Blue Lotus, a meditation group led by Buddhist nun Vimala (Judy Franklin). For more information, call 203-0120, or visit www.bluelotustemple.org. Diabetes Support Group, Tuesdays Aug. 11 and Sept. 8, 6-7 p.m. on lower level of Aurora Lakeland Medical Center, Highway NN, Elkhorn. This group is for adults with insulin or non-insulin dependent diabetes and their family/support person. The purpose is to provide support and education to the person with diabetes to help manage this chronic disease. The group is facilitated by a registered nurse. Call the diabetic educator at 741-2821 for further information. Breast Cancer Support Group meets the first Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center, Highway NN, Elkhorn. The group addresses the fears and adjustments faced by women with breast cancer. It encourages participants to develop a positive attitude about the future and discuss common concerns after being treated for breast cancer. Contact Leann Kuhlemeyer at 741-2677 for more information. Stroke Support Group provides emotional support through opportunities to interact with others who have experienced stroke. Informational programs will also be provided on topics related to stroke/brain attack. The group welcomes individuals newly diagnosed and those with a history of stroke. Family, friends and caregivers are also encouraged to join. (Continued on page 22) 22 — The Beacon What’s Happening Continued from page 21 The group meets the third Monday of every month from 1-2 p.m. at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center, lower level conference room. Call Pat Positano at 741-2402 for further information. Walworth County Public Health immunization walk-in clinics, the second Tuesday from 3-6 p.m. and fourth Tuesday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at W4051 County Road NN, Elkhorn. Immunizations available for uninsured children or children on Medicaid. Some adult vaccines are available at competitive cost. To check availability of vaccine or to make an appointment, call Bill FitzGerald Fleck, RN 741-3133. Free blood pressure screening, last Friday of every month, 2 - 4 p.m., Williams Bay Care Center, 146 Clover St., Williams Bay. Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the southern lakes area. Call (877) 434-4346 (toll free) for times and locations. Lake Geneva Alzheimer’s support group, 6:30 p.m., third Wednesday of the month. No meeting in August. Arbor Village of Geneva Crossing, 201 Townline Road, Lake Geneva. Call Andy Kerwin at 248-4558. Alzheimer's/Dementia support group, third Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m., Town Bank Community Center located at 826 E. Geneva Street in Delavan. Call Bob Holland at (262) 472-0958 or Arlene Torrenga at 728-6393 with questions. Alzheimer’s Support Group, first Thursday of the month, 1:30 p.m., Hearthstone/Fairhaven, 426 W. North Street, Whitewater. Facilitators: Janet Hardt, Pam Hatfield, 473-8052. Respite care is available with no advance notice. Parkinson’s Disease support group, 1 p.m., second Monday of every month, Lower level conference room, Fairhaven Retirement Community, 435 W. Starin Road, Whitewater. Contact Julie Hollenbeck, (414) 469-5530. NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, Support Group, first and third Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. at Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn. There is a support group for loved ones on the third Wednesday of the month from 6-7 p.m., followed by by a program with a guest speaker from 7 - 8 p.m. Call Dan or Jean at 459-2439 for more information. Huntington's Disease Support Group for anyone affected by Huntington’s Disease meets the third Saturday of every month except June, July, August at Froedtert Hospital, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, lobby level, North Tower Room 2209, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. For more information contact Jean Morack (414) 257-9499 or visit www.hdsawi.org. Families Anonymous (FA), a 12-Step, self-help support program for parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends who are con- see us online at www.readthebeacon.com cerned about, and affected by, the substance abuse or behavioral problems of a loved one, meets every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 76 S. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn. Enter through the double glass doors on W. Geneva St. Parking is available on the street or the parking lot west of the church. Additional information may be obtained by calling (262) 215-6893, Maureen at 723-8227 or through the Families Anonymous website: www.FamiliesA nonymous.org. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), weigh-in Tuesdays 8-9 a.m. with meeting from 9-10, Community Center, 820 E Geneva St., Delavan. Encourages nutrition and exercise with a positive attitude. Guests are welcome, no weekly meeting fee. Contact Debbie Keizer, 728-4317. T.O.P.S. (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) Tuesdays 9:15 - 10:30 a.m., Community Center, U.S. Bank, 101 E. Walworth St., Elkhorn. Call 723-3791 with questions. T.O.P.S. (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) meets Tuesdays, 1:30-2:15 p.m., Immanuel Church of Christ, 111 Fremont St., Walworth. Group support with self help, good times. Information: 275-8071. ~ ART, LITERATURE THEATER, MUSIC ~ Milwaukee keyboardist Al White, 4-8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 27, Ye Olde Hotel in Lyons. No cover charge. (262) 763-2701. Pianist Rex Wilkinson, Wednesday and Sunday nights 6:30-10 p.m. at Mars Resort on Lake Como’s south shore. Scott Thomas, karaoke, Fridays from 9 p.m. - 1 a.m., Lookout Room, Lake Lawn Resort, Highway 50, Delavan Live Music Fridays 9 p.m. to midnight, Champs Sports Bar & Grill, 747 W Main St., Lake Geneva. No cover charge. Call 248-6008, or log on to www.foodspot.com/champs. Karaoke, Saturdays 9 p.m. - close (usually 2 a.m.), Snug Harbor Lakefront Campground Pub and Restaurant, Highway A and P (not the food store) Richmond, Wis. Call (608) 883-6999 or log on to www.snughar borwi.com for details. Pianist Tom Stanfield, Thursdays 6-9 p.m. in the music parlor of The Baker House, 327 Wrigley Dr., Lake Geneva. Brian Fictum, That Sax Guy, from 6-9 p.m. on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursdays of the month, and Acoustic guitar with vocals on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at B.J. Wentkers, 230 Milwaukee Ave., Burlington. Dan Trudell’s Contemporary Jazz Trio, Fridays and Saturdays from 5-8 p.m., Lobby Lounge, Grand Geneva Resort. Trudell also plays piano every Monday from 5-8 p.m. “Legends in Concert,” Carrie Underwood, Neil Diamond, Elton John, Buddy Holly, Whitney Houston, Elvis Presley. Now you can see these great stars recreated LIVE onstage at the Fireside Dinner Theater in Fort Atkinson. Log on to www.firesidetheatre. com or call (800) 4779505 for schedule, prices and reservations. Learn about ‘Dick Tracy’ creator The Geneva Lake Museum will present a special movie night on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. (snow date Jan. 28). The movie will be “Chester Gould: An American Original,” which is a biography of the Woodstock, Ill., artist who created the Dick Tracy comic strip. Filmmaker Steve Firak will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions afterwards. Refreshments will be served The cost is $5 for non-members and free to museum members. Reservations are requested. DVD’s will be available for purchase. For more information visit these sites: w w w.ahojproductions.com /aboutus.html, www.ahojproductions.com/ order-the-dvd.html or www.planitnorth w est.com /2015/02/17/w oodstock nativ es-honor-dick -tracy s-chestergould-w ith-docum entary /apm hja6/? photo= 2#story. ELKHORN ROTARY 7th ANNUAL Jan. 1, 2016 Mary and Emory Carlson carefully craft Tom & Jerrys at the American Legionʼs free Christmas dinner in Delavan on (when else?) Dec. 25. (Beacon photo) The Delavan-Darien High School Lydian Choir entertains members of the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club, who celebrated Christmas at the Brick Street Market on Dec. 7. The choir, under the direction of Jim Larson, performed a selection of Christmas songs. (Photo furnished) Let MARK WEST show you how advertising in The The Beacon can help you reach your traffic & sales goals. Call Mark today 262-245-1877 WINE-BEER & FOOD EXPO Friday, January 29, 2016 • 5:00 P.M - 8:00 P.M. Monte Carlo Room • Elkhorn, WI TICKETS $25 IN ADVANCE • $30 AT THE DOOR ALL NEW Ticket Price Includes: Admission • 10 Taste Tests • Silent Auction & Hor d’oeuvres Additional tasting can be purchased for $1 each after admission Tickets available at the door and the following locations: Elkhorn Chamber of Commerce, Matheson Memorial Library, any Elkhorn Rotarian The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 —23 Night at the Track to resurrect excitement of greyhound racing One of the pieces in the Walworth Memorial Library Winter 3D Art Show that will be on display through Feb. 29. (Photo furnished) Library hosts 3D art show The Walworth Memorial Library will host a 3-D Winter Art Show through February. The artwork was made by the 7th and 8th grade art students from Walworth (art teacher Ted Beauchaine), Fontana (art teacher Candace Klotz), Reek (art teacher Lynn Miller), and Sharon (art teacher Tess Seichter) middle schools. The National Art Honor Society members from the Big Foot High School, Kat Ahrens, Julia Gilstrap, Clara Gerdes, Alyssa Zillmer, Maria Olague, Isabel Kinerk, Dana Sorenson and Kalen Gillinham and their advisor, Big Foot High School art teacher Miss Hookhan, placed all the pieces in the library and then the NAHS members judged the works. “The artwork is truly amazing and inspiring,” said Hookham. “There are so many talented artists in the show that the judging was extremely difficult.” All the pieces displayed have the student’s name and award attached. On January 23, the memories and excitement of greyhound racing return to Wisconsin as United Greyhound Racing presents Night at the Track, a unique racing event like no other. Hosted by legendary race announcer Jeff Mergen, the event at Bristol Oaks Country Club in Bristol will feature the BetAmerica Daytona 550, greyhound racing’s national championship, with all proceeds going to Greyhound Pets of America-Wisconsin to help fund greyhound adoption. Night at the Track was created by United Greyhound Racing member J.J. Steinhoff of Kenosha, who attended the inaugural BetAmerica Daytona 550 in Florida on January 24, 2015 and said the atmosphere there reminded him of the Wisconsin tracks in their heyday. When the 2016 BetAmerica Daytona 550 was announced in April, Steinhoff asked the United Greyhound Racing Board of Directors about having an event in Wisconsin to promote the race, similar to what other establishments have done for years with the Kentucky Derby in horse racing. After receiving approval and funding, Steinhoff signed up Jeff Mergen, the longtime track announcer at Geneva Lakes Kennel Club in Delavan, who will call each race at Daytona Beach Kennel Club live for an at-the-track experience and will also serve as master of ceremonies for the evening. Jeff says he is looking forward to resurrecting his famous “HERE COMES BUCKY” before the start of each race and will also share some of his memories from Geneva Lakes Kennel Club with those in attendance. Tickets for the event are $35 and include a chef carved buffet, live greyhound racing from Daytona Beach Kennel Club on two big screen televisions, an opportunity to meet retired racers, entry into various racing contests and a special performance by local Rat Pack artist Jim Namio following the races. Some of the prizes that will be given away are a Weber Grill, Green Bay Packers jacket, Chicago Cubs windbreaker, Chicago Bears jacket, part ownership of a racing greyhound (valued at $300), three original 13-inch televisions from the Dairyland Greyhound Park clubhouse, Bluetooth Speaker, a framed picture of a Chocolate Lab Puppy and Rabbit Wine Tool Kit. The Grand Prize will be the 5-by-9foot custom-made rug depicting greyhounds racing, that hung on the wall in the Dairyland Greyhound Park VIP Room from 1990-2009. Valued at more than $1,000, it is a beautiful one of a kind piece of Wisconsin racing history. The rug will be on display at the event until the winner is drawn. Tickets for Night at the Track are available online at www.nightatthetrack.com or by calling J.J. Steinhoff at (262) 914-6787. All ticket holders will also be eligible to enter a special greyhound racing and NBA Fantasy contest that is being set up by Pickinsider.com specifically for Night at the Track guests. This is an optional, free contest and there will be no obligation to enter. Tickets for Night at the Track will be available for purchase until January 18 and will not be sold at the event. Casual dress will be acceptable. MONTE CARLO ROOM • 720 N. WISCONSIN ST., ELKHORN MENU: Roast Beef, Baked Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cole Slaw, Vegetable, Rolls and Beverage TICKETS: 10.00 In Advance • $12.00 At The Door • SENIORS (62 and over) $9.00 In Advance • $10.00 At The Door $ CHILDREN (6-10 yrs.) 6.00 In Advance & At The Door • Children 5 and Under FREE $ ADVANCE TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE ELKHORN CHAMBER OR THROUGH ANY LIONS CLUB MEMBER PROFITS USED FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE • WWW.ELKHORNLIONSCLUB.ORG This Five-by-nine-foot rug was custom made for the Dairyland Greyhound Park in 1990, the year the track opened. It hung on the wall in the VIP lounge from 1990 until 2009. The owners donated it for a grand prize.They are in the process of emptying the building and are going to sell the track to a developer for a future business park. (Photo furnished) Call For Your Denture Needs DR. PAUL V. KREUL 25 Years of Experience WEST SIDE PROFESSIONAL BUILDING 715 West Walworth Street, Elkhorn, WI (262) 723-2264 24 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 50 facts about tickets and ticketing, including the Super Bowl information to upsell you and foster an ongoing relationship. 10. Promoters say people often buy tickets based on their “bucket list,” including things like motor races at Daytona and Talledega. 11. When the Los Angeles Dodgers’ season tickets went digital, angry fans launched a Facebook campaign: “Bring Back the Paper Ticket.” 12. Sometimes, you need to pay for the privilege of buying a ticket: For this year’s Stanley Cup, Blackhawk fans offered $100 just to access a password to a presale that would let them get first dibs. 13. NFL teams employ hundreds of sales assistants who work the phones trying to sell potential ticket-buyers on seats or even luxury skyboxes. 14. Brokers say Super Bowl ticket prices on the secondary market historically go down about 40 percent between the season’s beginning and Super Bowl weekend. 15. The NFL says its ticket security features “include holograms, custom laser cutouts, thermachromic ink and a specially made gloss varnish.” 16. Smith says “bad guys” use technology to virtually game the online buying sites that’s “built specifically for cutting in line and buying tickets before fans can buy them.” 17. Ticketing is a $5 billion to $6 billion-a-year industry and Smith says “the vast majority of that money is not from Joe Fan reselling on StubHub; it’s pros by and large who bought those tickets with the express purpose of using sophisticated algorithms to resell them.” [What the heck is an algotithm? Editor.] 18. Tickets for concerts and theater events generally sell first from the front and back rows, says Goldstar’s McCarthy. 19. But he adds “often the best values are in what we in the business call ‘the mushy middle.’” 20. A key battle for the future of ticketing is unfolding in a San Francisco courtroom: StubHub is suing the Golden State Warriors and Ticketmaster, alleging the team unfairly required fans who wanted to sell their tickets to use only Ticketmaster’s exchange. 21. Catholic parishes around New York had to hold drawings to dole out allotted tickets to see Pope Francis at REPAIR A.A. Anderson, Inc. Madison Square Garden. 22. Strongsville, Ohio, population 44,730, is where the NFL’s random-drawing ticket sweepstakes take place. 23. The NFL will not say how many actual tickets will be available for Super Bowl 50 until early this year. 24. Ticketmaster’s Super Bowl staffing goes from a half-dozen people a year before the game to several hundred just before the event. 25. The worst month for ticket sales is typically July, while December is the best. 26. Alex Burkhart of digital-ticket exchange Tixers says ushers at sporting events checking tickets are often the same ones for several teams because they make a living by rotating among several teams. 27. Tickets are the tip of an economic iceberg: A study by Arizona State University found that the last Super Bowl had a $720 million impact on the state. 28. For the last Super Bowl, 122,000 visitors stayed an average of four nights. 29. Of those visitors, 63,000 had tickets while 59,000 did not. 30. A ticket is no longer simply a pass to get into an event – with the increasing use of smartphone-ticketing, a team or event sponsor can now essentially track the user throughout the event, using iBeacons and location-based technology to provide services like parking or sell them food and merchandise. 31. Ticketmaster’s first-ever Internet ticket sale occurred in 1996 for the Seattle Mariners. 32. As of Sept. 22, there were 68 Super Bowl 50 tickets being advertised on TiqIQ, ranging from $3,979 to $5,490. 33. Some estimates say as many as 70 million tickets for sporting events in the United States go unused each year. 34. Ticketmaster says about two-thirds of millennials buy their live-event tickets on their smartphones and are 31 percent more likely to do so than their non-millennial counterparts. 35. The word ticket comes from etiquette, or “note attached to something indicating its contents,” from Middle French dialect. 36. Approximately 25 percent of ticket websites’ volume each year, says Tixers, comes during holiday season. 37. Shade is often a key factor, says McCarthy: “I know people who buy tick- WATER TREATMENT Family Owned & Operated Free Water Analysis Free Softener Check-Up dealer participation may vary 888-771-8099 INTERIOR/EXTERIOR PAINTING Blakesley Painting INTERIOR /EXTERIOR • STAINING • VARNISHING • PRESSURE WASHING • DECKS Free Estimates • Fully Insured (262) 745-9325 10%EROIOFFR INT G PAINTIN Mike Guiler 262-728-2731 culligandelavan.com HOME INSPECTION • Sewer Guard • 90 Day Warranty • Recall Check • Mold Safe FREE WITH AFTER BUY 2 GET 1 FREE! Ace Wild Bird Food, 20 Lb. 81995 840 E. Geneva St. Delavan, WI Squirrel-BeGone™ III Bird Feeder 262-728-8228 Sale prices in effect thru 1/31/16 Holds up to 8 lb. of seed 8294407 SALE 2499 BUY 3 99¢ EA. GET 1 FREE Bird Suet AT 11-1/4 oz. 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Search for tickets to a smash Broadway show and you may end up at a fake site, set up by so-called “black hat” fraudsters to look like the venue’s website. 41. Huge ticket-price markups are the exception, not the rule, says Arizona State University economics professor Stephen Happel: “The reality is you can still get tickets for most events at face value.” 42. The NFL will give the host San Francisco 49ers 5 percent of the Super Bowl tickets to sell to their fans. 43. Other nonparticipating teams will get 1.2 percent each. 44. Fans often linger outside Super Bowl games to buy used tickets as souvenirs. 45. More than 450 million ticket transactions were processed on the Ticketmaster platform in 2014. 46. Sixty percent of total traffic to Ticketmaster’s site is through a mobile device. 47. The first use of the word ticket came in 1529. 48. Some teams, including the Warriors, charge a nonrefundable fee to get on their season ticket waiting list. 49. Ticketmaster says 75 percent of concert attendees first learned about the event through a digital device, such as a smartphone. 50. Eighty percent of people are using a mobile device at a live event. (The 50 facts about tickets and ticketing were compiled with the help of the NFL; Ticketmaster North America; ticket pricing aggregator TiqIQ; ticket exchange Tixers; the National Association of Ticket Brokers; Stephen Happel, a professor of economics at the Arizona State University W.P Carey School of Business; Goldstar; and Stadium Gorilla, a ticket-sales training company.) ©2015 San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. LA VA N By Patrick May San Jose Mercury News SAN JOSE, Calif. — It may well be the hottest ticket on the planet. Even when the Feb. 7, 2016, Super Bowl 50 was still months away, coveted passes to the game at Levi’s Stadium were already being advertised for more than $4,000 on ticket sites. And thanks to the strange alchemy of the industry’s secondary marketplace, you’re not even buying an actual ticket but rather the promise of a ticket on game day. Good luck. It turns out Super Bowl tickets are just the tip of a very mysterious iceberg. “We tell people ticketing is one of the most misunderstood businesses out there,” said Jared Smith, president of Ticketmaster North America and the NFL’s official ticket partner. “Almost everyone is exposed to the industry at some point, but most have no idea how it all works.” In an effort to shine a little light on this esoteric business, we offer Fifty Things About Tickets Most People Don’t Know: 1. The break-even point for most events is when 60 to 65 percent of tickets are sold. 2. U2 tickets for $1,200 on StubHub? That’s often not what people are buying them for but what sellers are asking (and often won’t get). 3. While the Super Bowl may be one of the world’s biggest events, it still issues a paper ticket even as the rest of the business is going electronic. 4. The deadline for Super Bowl 50’s random ticket drawing was June 1. 5. At the Super Bowl in Arizona, the average price of a ticket hovered around $11,000 on game day, an anomaly. 6. Ticket search engine TiqIQ says if you take out last January’s game, the previous five Super Bowls saw so-called “getin,” or cheapest, prices drop 31.89 percent on average from conference championship to Super Bowl Sunday. 7. TiqIQ’s Jesse Lawrence called Super Bowl 49 “the ticket market’s Black Swan” because prices climbed right up to game day, instead of dropping as they often do. 8. Millennials represent one-third of all customers using Ticketmaster to buy tickets. 9. Tickets are increasingly about data mining: Buy a ticket and teams use your 262.225.9668 WisconsinInspection.com Mold & Radon Testing 200% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE MASSAGE THERAPY 262.249.1230 Barb and Mark Mitchell Nationally Certified in Theraputic Massage & Bodywork Members AMTA • Certified Since 1978 905 Marshall Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 N. 798 Swamp Angel Road, Walworth, WI 866-823-4100 • www.elkokleen.com DO YOU HAVE A SERVICE BUSINESS? Your ad in this directory will be seen by 50,000 potential customers an issue. CALL 245-1877 For Advertising Rates in The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 — 25 Trans p o rt at i o n Volkswagen offers an all-electric car that drives like a gas model By Charles Fleming Los A ngeles Times In light of the still-widening diesel emissions scandal, it’s no surprise that Volkswagen came to the Los Angeles Auto Show promoting an electric car. The German car company brought a fleet of the sporty e-Golf battery electric vehicles to the show, eagerly throwing the keys to anyone willing to take a test drive. The car is worth promoting. The VW e-Golf is a spirited runabout that deserves its place in the popular Golf family. In going electric, it makes almost no compromises in terms of performance, comfort or cargo space. It looks like a Golf, and it runs like a Golf. And like most battery electric vehicles, it costs too much, takes too long to recharge, and has too little range. Volkswagen, though seemingly late to the battery electric game, has been testing fully electric prototypes since the 1980s. Introducing the e-Golf as a model year 2015 car, it’s now entering a crowded field. I count more than a dozen contenders, among them league leaders Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf. Other than the Tesla – which can drive three times farther than any other BEV but also costs at least three times more – electric cars on the market include the Fiat 500e, BMW i3, Chevy Spark, Ford Focus, Kia Soul, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Smart EV and Mercedes BClass. The e-Golf lands near the top in terms of range, a promised 83 miles between charges – not far behind 93 for the Kia, 87 for the Fiat, 85 for the Mercedes and 84 for the Leaf – and in the middle in terms of price, less than the BMW or Mercedes, about the same as the Fiat and the Kia, and well above the Ford or Chevy. The base SE model starts at $29,815, and the SEL Premium at $36,415, before government incentives. But leasing is often a better option for electric cars because of their uncertain resale value and often attractive deals from automakers and dealers. Volkswagen has been rocked by federal investigations, consumer outrage and class-action lawsuits since admitting that it installed illegal software “defeat devices” designed to fool U.S. emissions tests. The software was installed in about 11 million cars worldwide and 482,000 in the U.S. In the wake of the scandal, which will cost VW billions of dollars, the company said it would spend at least $100 million in 2016 to push further into electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains. The e-Golf gives some insight into the company’s ability to deliver on electric powertrains. VW executives have said they didn’t want to come to market with an electric car that didn’t perform well. They wanted, said product manager Mike Klopotowski, “an electric Golf that drives like a Golf, not like an electric car.” The 2016 VW e-Golf is a spirited runabout that makes almost no compromises in terms of performance, comfort or cargo space. It promises 83 miles between charges and is extreme quiet and vibration free (Photo courtesy Volkswagen/TNS) That meant it had to go fast, handle well and accommodate five passengers and some luggage. It had to appeal to younger early adopters who wanted a zero-emission car, as well as aging baby boomers and empty-nesters, who didn’t want something that screamed EV. “It couldn’t look like a spaceship,” Klopotowski said. “The older buyers don’t want something too futuristic.” After a week in the e-Golf, I’d say Klopotowski and company have succeeded. The car is zippy and fun to drive. Like all electric cars, it’s extremely quiet and vibration free. It’s just as comfortable as its fellow Golfs, with a pleasantly firm ride and all the key dashboard components visible and all the important functions in easy reach. It has excellent visibility. Importantly, it drives much more like a sports car with 115 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque than something designed to save the planet. In “B” regenerative braking mode, particularly, the accelerator response is instantaneous, making the car quick to dash forward and aggressive to brake. Unlike some of its smaller competitors – ciao, Fiat! – the e-Golf has fullsize back seats for full-size adults. The fit and finish, front and back, is up to German standards. It is reasonable to assume the electric Golf will stand the wear and tear of American roads as durably as its gasoline and diesel versions have done. The e-Golf comes in two trim levels – the SE and the SEL Premium, the model I drove. The higher-cost version includes higher-grade navigation and infotainment – a $395 Driver Assistance Package includes some extra safety features – plus on-board hardware that will allow the SEL to take advantage of the DC fast-charging system, which cuts the recharge time from about 10 hours on a 120-volt plug, or four hours with 240 volts, to around 30 minutes on a fast charger. But despite their popularity with the motoring press, strong performance and heavy subsidies, the pure electrics don’t sell well. Sales of all cars with batteries – including popular hybrids, such as the Prius – represented only 3.4 percent of U.S. car transaction sales in 2014, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association. (That percentage is down to about 3 percent so far this year.) And cars running only on batteries – with no gas engine – represented less than a fifth of those sales. Most drivers report “range anxiety” and the recharging time as the reasons they wouldn’t go fully electric – no matter the brand. (Hybrids don’t need recharging, though plug-in hybrids allow charging and have some electriconly range.) That’s why hopes are high for Tesla’s promised Model 3 and Chevy’s Bolt, both of which promise much longer driving ranges. The e-Golf promises 83 miles of “real world” driving range, meaning the car doesn’t have to be babied along to get the most out of a charge. After a week in the vehicle, I’d say that’s about right. I live in a hilly area and drove the car to maximize its sporty feel, and I was on target to run out of juice somewhere above 80 miles. That doesn’t mean I didn’t experience range anxiety. The e-Golf has three range estimators – a gas gauge-style dial showing charge level, a range number next to the gas pump icon on the dash, and a second range number inside the infotainment screen. These last two numbers were always different. I started with 83 miles in the tank. After a few days’ commuting back Jim Peck and forth to work, I found I had 63 miles’ range left, on one gauge – but only 41 on the other. Studies have shown that almost all Americans could commute quite comfortably with 83 miles of range. But not all of us have plug-in parking spaces at work, and apartment dwellers may not have easy access to plug-in spots at home. And there’s still that lurking question in many drivers’ minds: What if I wanted to just take off for Vegas? But VW says most e-Golf buyers already own something different for their weekend excursions. Klopotowski also said an increasing number of e-Golf buyers arrived at the dealerships looking at gasoline-powered Golfs, and left with the electric versions. Is 83 a big enough number to persuade other drivers to convert? In the first year on offer, VW sales numbers shot past all but three other brands – behind only Tesla, Nissan and Fiat. For those who do choose to plug in, the e-Golf should make an attractive daily driver. And VW, given its diesel scandal, could use more sales of cars without tailpipes. 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium Our take: A non-polluting alternative-fuel VW Highs: Solid, sporty and silent Lows: The 83-mile range and long recharging time Vehicle type: Four-door, five-seat battery electric sedan Base price: $29,815 Price as tested: $36,415 Powertrain: 85-KW motor with lithium battery Transmission: Front wheel drive Horsepower: 115 Torque: 199 pound-feet Zero to 60 mph: Estimated 10 seconds EPA fuel economy rating: 126 mpge city/105 highway/116 combined Recharge time: 10 hours at 120 volts; 4 hours at 240 volts ©2015 Los A ngeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Clinton, Wisconsin • 800-895-3270 Advanced Au o Clinic CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM 815-943-7390 1520 N. 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If you spend $19.99 for the video, you dog is smarter than you are.” Jay Leno “I can’t think of anything worse after a night of drinking that waking up next to someone and not being able to remember his name, or how you met, or why he’s dead. Laura Kightlinger “Parallel parking: What better way to do something you’re already a little leery about doing than doing it backwards?” Ellen DeGeneres “Signs on the freeway are funny. ‘Orange Cones Mean Men at Work.’ What else could orange cones mean? ‘Psychedelic witches embedded in asphalt?’” Karen Babbitt “They say animal behavior can warn you when an earthquake is coming. Like the night before that last earthquake hit, our dog took the car keys and drove to Arizona.” Bob Hope “I work in a ‘You scratch my back and I’ll stab yours’ kind of place.” Kelly “I got my first full-time job, but it’s weird. I could have sworn I was making more money in college, working for my parents as their daughter.” Melanie Reno “I’m doing what I can to help the environment. I started a compost pile. It’s in the back seat of my car.” Janine DiTullio “The first time I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it.” Joan Rivers “Older brothers invented terrorism. ‘Louie, see that swamp? There’s a monster in it.’ So, for years I walked way around it. Until I got a little older, a little wiser, and a little brother.” Louie A nderson “When I was a child, my family’s menu consisted of two items: Take it or leave it.” Buddy Hackett “My father was cheap. Every December he’d say, ‘I’m glad Christmas comes but once every other year.’” John Roy “My father makes money the American way. He trips over stuff and sues people.” Dominic Dierkes “For Christmas I bought my brother a combination fax machine and paper shredder. Either we hooked it up wrong or a lot of people are faxing him confetti.” A nthony Clark “I never had a penny to my name. So I changed my name.” Henny Youngman “People always say, ‘He died penniless,’ as if it’s a terrible thing. Sounds like good timing to me.” A l Cleathen “Whoever came up with ice fishing must have had the worst marriage on the planet.” Jeff Cesario “It’s better to light one candle than to clean the whole apartment.” Eileen Courtney Members of Presidential candidate Donald Trumpʼs Womenʼs Auxiliary, known informally as the Trumpettes, display signs at a recent rally. (Photo furnished) Trumpettes prepare for recital The Dallas Cowboys, and some other NFL teams, have their cheerleaders. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has his Trumpettes. But no matter how demonstrative they become, the Trumpettes can never make as much noise as The Donald. At a recent fundraiser, Crumpets with Trumpettes, supporter Isabelle Ringling said she has been fascinated by Donald Trump ever since she was a little girl. “I’ve seen him on the news, at the Miss Universe Pageant and on “The Apprentice,” she said. “Mr. Trump is a real man’s – or maybe woman’s – man. People make fun of his hair, but I think it’s sexy. A lot of the people who kid him are just jealous; not necessarily of his hair, but his money and the kind of life he leads. His private jets and helicopters are really cool.” New Jersey Trumpette campaign volunteer Crystal Ball says that, although she is not the type of person to blow her own horn, she has no qualms about tooting for Trump. “ He’s the kind of president this country needs,” she says. “Unlike just about anybody else I can think of, he will stand up to other world leaders when he needs to. And if he can’t bully them, he’ll buy them. Anybody who has read his book, ‘The Art of the Deal,’ knows he has what it takes to get what he wants at the price he wants to pay.” Asked what she thought of Putin’s endorsement of Trump, Ball said, “Who?” The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com L au g h in g M at t e r Three souls appeared before St. Peter at the pearly gates. St. Peter asked the first one, “What was your last annual salary? The soul replied, “200,000, I was a trial lawyer.” St. Peter asked the second one the same question. The soul answered, $95,000. I was a Realtor.” He then asked the third soul the same question. The answer was “$8,000.” “Cool,” said St. Peter. “What instrument did you play?” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ What’s a transistor? A priest who wears nuns clothes. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ “Are you a lawyer?” “Yes.” “How much do you charge?” “A hundred dollars for four questions.” “Isn’t that awfully expensive?” “Yes. What’s the fourth question?” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A patient told a nurse that he kept seeing spots in front of his eyes? “Have you seen a doctor?” she asked. “No,” he replied. “Just spots.” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ Why are violins smaller than violas? They’re actually the same size, but violinists have bigger heads. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came upon a restaurant that had been opened by a fellow cannibal. Feeling somewhat hungry, he sat down and looked over the menu: Broiled Missionary $10; Fried Explorer $15; Baked Politician $50 The cannibal called the waiter over and asked, “Why such a price difference for the politician?” The waiter replied, “Have you ever tried to clean one?” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A huge college freshman decided to try out for the football team. “Can you tackle?” asked the coach. “Watch this,” said the freshman, who proceeded to run smack into a telephone pole and knocked it over. “Wow,” said the coach. “I’m impressed. Can you run?” “Of course I can run,” said the lad. He was off like a shot and in just over 9 seconds, rand a hundred yard dash. “Great!” enthused the coach. “But can you pass a football?” The freshman hesitated for a few seconds. “Well, sir,” he said, “if I can swallow it, I can probably pass it.” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ I figured out why they call our language the mother tongue. Fathers never get a chance to use it. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A woman was a novice at fishing, but wanted to show her date that she was a sport. As they sat on the lake, the waves gently lapping at the sides of their small rowboat, she asked, “How much was that red and white thing? “The bobber?” asked the man. “It cost about a nickel.” “Then I owe you a nickel,” said the woman. “Mine just sank.” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ Candidates for the position of Dallas Cowboys cheerleader were given oral quizzes to test their IQs. One girl was asked, “What do yo think of the Middle East?” “I’m kind of partial to Ohio,” she answered. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ Historians finally discovered that Brigham Young didn’t have 40 wives. He had one wife with 39 wigs. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A gambler was being buried. In an impressive voice, the minister said, “I can’t believe Ed is gone. No, he’s not gone. No! Ed only sleeps – he isn’t dead. Another gambler spoke up: “I got fifty bucks that says he’s dead!” ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ Israel has its own mob: the Kosher Nostra. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A counterfeiter got caught because he had been making money too long – about an inch and a half too long. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ When I was a kid, my parents bought me a bat for my birthday. I took it to the park to play with it and it flew away. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ Mary was miserable because her ninety-yearold grandfather had married his twenty-year-old nurse. “Al,” she said to her husband, “I can grasp what December sees in June, but what can June see in December?” “Christmas,” answered Al. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ A group of golfers were preparing to leave the green for the next hole when a ball rolled up from another player on the fairway. A gleam filled the eye of one player and he nudged the ball into the cup. A minute later, a heavyset man came puffing up to the green. “Did any of you see a ball around here?” he asked. “It went into the cup,” said one of the foursome. The heavy player was surprised beyond belief at his good fortune. Retrieving the ball, he yelled back to his companions, “Hey fellas, I got a twelve!” Pickles by Brian Crane Jan. 1, 2016 — 27 28 — The Beacon Mr. Boffo by Joe Martin see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Garfield by Jim Davis Jan. 1, 2016 The Beacon Mr. Boffo by Joe Martin see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Willy and Ethel by Joe Martin Jan. 1, 2016 — 29 F u N an d G am e S 30 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Jan. 1, 2016 Crossword Clues Across 1 Parlor action 5 Dorm peer leaders: Abbr. 8 Lidless container 14 Palm that produces purple berries 15 CPR giver 16 Missouri River city 17 “You don’t look a day over 29,” probably 19 One may use a teleprompter 20 IM guffaw 21 Hustled 23 Points in math class 24 Didn’t come to pass 28 Chorus for the villain 29 “Dang!” 30 Fellow 31 Drink with sushi 32 Cow or sow 35 Flooring phrase 40 Promos 41 General organization? 42 Tetra holder 43 Reining word 44 “Given the circumstances ...” 47 So as not to be noticed 51 Stories of the ages 52 Invalidate 53 Vacation destination 56 Wanted badly 59 Device for exposing the end of 17-, 24-, 35- or 47-Across 61 __ Pie 62 Great Basin native 63 Orkin victim 64 Pull out of the water 65 TD’s half-dozen 66 Gorillas, e.g. All puzzle answers are on page 21. ♠ ♥ ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, Inc. Bridge Manage Your Assets NORTH ♠ K, 7 ❤ 7, 5, 3 ♦ A, K, 7, 6 ♣ Q, J, 7, 5 EAST ♠ 9, 8, 6, 4, 2 ❤ 10, 8 ♦ 5, 3, 2 ♣ 10, 6, 3 SOUTH ♠ A, J, 3 ❤ A, Q, 9, 4, 2 ♦ Q, J ♣ A, K, 8 The bidding: SOUTH WEST 2NT Pass Pass Pass ♦ Goren on Bridge with Tannah Hirsch Both vulnerable. South deals. WEST ♠ Q, 10, 5 ❤ K, J, 6 ♦ 10, 9, 8, 4 ♣ 9, 4, 2 Down 1 Go through a lot of tissues 2 Tunnel effect 3 Help from behind 4 Gather dust 5 “I can __” 6 __ curiae: friend of the court 7 Tough to climb 8 Nav. noncom 9 Word before base or ball 10 Kingdoms 11 Skywalker associate, familiarly 12 Monastic garment 13 Inducing the willies 18 Sea eagles 22 Kitchen dweller of song 25 Spanish 101 verb 26 Cook quickly, in a way 27 Half-note feature 28 Obey 30 Campus no. 31 Farm home 32 Unit between levels 33 Prince in “Frozen” 34 Large grazer 36 Cowardly Lion player 37 Bouncy pace 38 Missouri River city 39 Sundance Kid’s girlfriend 43 Boll eater 44 Actor Will of “The Lego Movie” 45 Many diner dishes 46 Not working 47 Stress-related ailment, possibly 48 Language on a longship 49 16th-century circumnavigator 50 Turn out 54 Prepare for a shot 55 Song and dance 57 Former Abbey Road Studios owner 58 “GoodFellas” boss 60 IRA suggester NORTH 6NT EAST Pass Opening lead : 10 of ♦ Declarer counted 11 top tricks and saw that a successful finesse in either major would bring him to 12. He had ♣ one additional asset, the nine of hearts, which he could put to good use if he could eliminate all of the minor suit cards from the West hand. South won the opening diamond lead in hand with the jack and continued with the queen. Next came the ace-king of clubs and a club to the queen, noting the 3-3 split. Declarer now cashed the ace-king of diamonds, shedding two low hearts, and it was mission accomplished! West was known to be out of minor suit cards. Leaving the jack of clubs in dummy, South led a low heart toward his hand, inserting the nine when East played low. West won with his jack, but with no minor suit cards, was forced to return a major. Either major would provide South with his 12th trick. Nicely played! Note that it would not have helped East to have played his 10 on the first round of hearts. South would simply have covered this with the queen, achieving the same ending. As both major suit finesses were failing, the "extra" asset saved the day, or at least the slam. ©Tribune Media Services, Inc. Sudoku Complete the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, from 1 to 9. The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Library Notes (Continued from page 19) • The library hosts two book clubs per month. The Page Turners meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. and the Afternoon Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m. You can check out a copy of the book club selection 3-4 weeks prior to the book club meeting. All meetings are held at the library and are facilitated by staff librarians. • Story times are about 30 minutes and are filled with books, songs and more. Each week will bring something new. No registration required. Toddlers on Tuesday at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Books n Babies on Thursday at 10 a.m.; Preschool age on Wednesday at 10 a.m.; and Tiny Tots 2nd and 4th Monday at 6:30 p.m. We Explore, ages 3+, Friday 10 a.m. • Slipped Stitches, every Wednesday, 68 p.m. in the Youth Services story room. A group for anyone who does some sort of stitching: knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, tatting etc. • The Lego Building Club for all ages meets every other Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in the community center. Each meeting will feature a different building theme. Creations will be displayed in the library and online. Lego donations greatly appreciated. • Messy Art Club meets on the alternate Thursdays from the Lego Building Club at 3:30 p.m. • The Walworth County Genealogical Society Library in the Mary Bray Room of the Matheson Memorial Library will be closed for the holidays. Regular library hours will resume Tuesday January 12, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., or by appointment, which can be made by calling the WCGS librarian at 215-0118. A board member will always be there to render assistance if needed. To obtain membership information or find literature regarding Wal-worth County, visit walworthcgs.com. All library programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Call 723-2678 or visit www.elkhorn.lib.wi.us for more. ! ! ! Twin Lakes Community Library, 110 S. Lake St., Twin Lakes. 877-4281. Hours: Monday - Wednesday 10 a.m. -8 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday – Sunday 12-4 p.m. • Wee Reads, Fridays 10:30-11 a.m. Registration appreciated but drop-ins welcome. Learn pre-reading skills the fun way. A lap-sit program designed just for babies 0 – 2 years with plenty of activities including: stories, songs, bubbles, scarves, and parachute play. ! ! ! Walworth Memorial Library, now located in the West Garden Plaza in Walworth, south of Aurora Health Care, Aurora Pharmacy and Tracy Building. Open Mon. and Wed. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Tues., Thurs., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Knitting and crocheting classes, Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. Call for details. • Preschool Story Hour, Fridays, 9:45 – 10:30 a.m., for preschool-age children infant to age 5 and their caregivers. The hour will include stories, snacks, crafts and more. • Children’s story hour, age kindergarten Jan. 1, 2016 — 31 through grade 3, Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. • Book Club for adults, third Saturday of each month, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Call 2756322 for more information. • Digital downloads of electronic books (e-books) are growing in popularity. The Digital Download Center (http://dbooks. wplc.info) is sponsored by the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium. You can also access the Digital Download Center through your library’s online catalogue. Available to all Wisconsin residents, the Digital Download Center offers e-books, audio books, videos and music that you can download to devices such as iPods and other MP3 players, Kindles, Sony eReaders, Nooks and iPads, to name just a few. For a complete list of supported devices, visit the Digital Download Center and use the link near the bottom of the left column. While all new titles will not be available immediately, the purchase of new titles has already begun and will continue. ! ! ! 32 — The Beacon see us online at www.readthebeacon.com Year in Review Continued from page 1 In other journalism news, Rolling Stone apologizes for a discredited story about an alleged rape at a college fraternity and announces that it has disciplined its lead fact-checker, Brian Williams. Responding with drastic measures to California’s worsening drought, Gov. Jerry Brown announces the creation of a state Saliva Conservation Board. Abroad, Djoomart Otorbaev resigns as the prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, citing an inability to get business cards with everything spelled correctly. In sports, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is won by the New England Patriots, who defeat the University of Wisconsin 2-0 in a game featuring a basketball inflated to basically the same pressure as a roadkill squirrel. Speaking of sports scandals, in... MAY ...international soccer is rocked by allegations that bribery was involved in awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a nation with little soccer tradition, as evidenced by the fact that the 12 stadiums it has built for the tournament all feature large decorative fountains in the middle of the playing field. But the big sports story is the longawaited – we’re talking decades – boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao for the undisputed world title in the Older Guys Basically Standing Around division. Mayweather wins the fight and takes home $220 million, which works out to a little over $70 million per punch actually landed, then celebrates by attempting to wake up his entourage. Elsewhere in sports, the Kentucky Derby is won by New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady, riding tight end Rob Gronkowski. All the actual horses in the race mysteriously collapse at the starting line from what Coach Bill Belichick speculates could be “aller- Start the New Year right with Mercy Health System FREE HEALTH SCREENS FREE DINNER SEMINARS FREE Saturday health screenings FREE Tuesday dinner seminars At Geneva Lakes Family YMCA Offered by Kamil Krukowski, DO First come, first served Bone density January 9 8-10 am Blood sugar January 16 8-10 am Body fat January 23 8-10 am Dinner seminar reservations are required by calling (888) 39-MERCY Sleep apnea and D.O. explained January 12 6 pm With Rajesh Balagani, DO, and Kamil Krukowski, DO Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center Joint replacements and medication management January 26 6 pm With Craig Lyon, MD, and Dominic Draper, MD Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center Breast and bone health February 9 6 pm With Jeffrey Kowalski, MD, and Mike Oulashian, MD Mercy Elkhorn Medical Center MercyHealthSystem.org Jan. 1, 2016 gies.” Brady also wins the Indianapolis 500 driving a U.S. Army M1 Abrams battle tank that averages only 30 miles per hour but proves to be extremely difficult for the other vehicles to pass. Abroad, there is big excitement in England, where Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge produce another royal baby, who, in a sign of the changing times, is christened Princess Brooklyn Dakota. She joins the line of royals destined to spend their lives gamely trying to appear interested in an endless series of building dedications. In Garland, Texas, two armed men are gunned down by police after they open fire on a security guard outside an exhibit of Muhammed cartoons, highlighting the need for a national conversation on the problem of cartoonists drawing things that leave religious fanatics with no choice but to try to kill them. James Taylor is unavailable, so federal authorities dispatch The Captain and Tennille to the scene, where they perform a powerful version of “Muskrat Love.” As California’s drought continues to worsen, Gov. Brown announces a controversial relief plan involving Lake Superior and a 17-million-foot hose. In a disturbing development, a Seattle convenience store is robbed at gunpoint by what police identify from the surveillance video as a genetically modified potato. Speaking of disturbing, in... JUNE ...the federal Office of Personnel Management announces that hackers have gained access to the personal records of millions of current and former government employees. An OPM statement downplays the seriousness of the data breach, stressing that “if anybody publishes any photos allegedly depicting an alleged cabinet secretary with an alleged goat, those are fake,” further noting that “it was totally a consenting goat.” In another disturbing federal story, a report on an undercover investigation into airport security reveals that Transportation Security Administration screeners failed to detect banned items, including weapons and explosives, 67 out of 70 times. Responding to the report, TSA officials state: “What report? We don’t see any report.” In a historic decision on gay rights, the nation’s highest legal authority – Kim Davis, clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky – overturns the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that state laws banning same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. Meanwhile, in what is widely hailed as a brave and courageous display of bravery and courage, a 65-year-old woman allows herself to be pictured on the cover of Vanity Fair wearing only a corset. In other gender news, the Treasury Department asks for input from the public on which woman will be depicted on the redesigned $10 bill. The immediate front-runners are Mary Ann, Ginger, Taylor Swift and the two sisters from “Frozen.” On the political front, the big story is Donald Trump, who declares his candidacy for president and lays out a bold, far-reaching vision for America consisting of whatever thought is flitting through his mind at that particular moment. Trump is deemed to have no chance by veteran Washington-based political experts with vast knowledge of what all the other veteran Washingtonbased political experts think. Also declaring his candidacy, and predicted by the experts to do far better, is Jeb Bush, whose official campaign slogan is: “Jeb! – The Exclamation Mark Denotes Enthusiasm.” The review of the rest of this jolly year will appear in our Jan. 15 issue.