On Communities, groups struggle with how to deal humanely with animals
Posted on January 14 at 6:28 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
How much does it cost to keep an animal?
"A million things go into that cost," Rhodes said. "It includes our having the building here for seven days, having the lights on, having the heating—or cooling—on for seven days, staff time and vaccinations."
On Sukus promoted to 911 center director
Posted on January 11 at 6:37 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
"Sukus has been overseeing the county's transition to digital from analog radio communications. The transition started in June and experienced bumps, including problems with software that led to lost or dropped radio calls." Hopefully, they she won't let them mess up the phone system until after they FIX the radio system! It still has problems nightly.
"Repeat? your transmission is unreadable" is common all night, and last night's "Why don't you answer the phone, I've tried the radio 3 times and you didn't hear me." What is it going to take, someone getting hurt... or worse?
On Quaker Steak & Lube targets former Damon's Grill site
Posted on January 3 at 2:14 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
No matter who comes to this town and tries to make a go of it, there are always people in this dump of a town who talk it down. Maybe they ought to demolish all the failed places the way they did on Milton av, and leave this place the ghost town you all think it should be.
"the Lube" is a nice place to eat, better than some of the other "burger joints" we have here - of course that may be it's downfall, people here seem to prefer "burger and beer" places....
On Roundabouts included in proposal for I-90/39 interchange at Racine Street
Posted on December 29 at 11:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey, more places to roll over semis! Good thing St Mary's is close by!
On Should city hire more firefighters?
Posted on December 10 at 7:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sigma40, Full time Firefighters are on duty for a set period of time( here it is a 24 hour shift ) It does not matter if the whole fire department shows up to a "fender bender" or if the have no runs at all in 24 hours, they all get paid the same.
>56789, every one gets a vacation, the city has set rules as to how many people in a department ( police fire, public works, city services) can be off at one time. To meet minimum staffing it may be that overtime is needed, because of sick calls, out of city training, or other issues. You can't call someone back from the middle of his/her vacation because someone called in sick. Also some of the overtime is due to being on a run at shift change. (you don't drop everything because it's shift change)
On Should city hire more firefighters?
Posted on December 8 at 8:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
There is no "Advantage" to having a volunteer Fire department here in Janesville.
First off when you have volunteers the insurance companies ( on your home and business ) DOWNGRADE the ratings - you pay more for your insurance.
When a city closes or reduces a station to part time staffing -volunteers, they DOWNGRADE the fire rating for the city. Ask any city out east that has done this. City fathers don't care, they aren't paying the rate increase, the home and business owners are.
No offense to volunteer Firefighters ( have been both in my career) they are a dedicated lot, but they are not always available - some work full time jobs, because they are volunteers, they are free to live their lives without a commitment to be available every time they are needed . So when you set off the pagers, you never know how many people you are going to get. (ask the members of the surrounding Volunteer Fire Departments, or ask the 9-1-1 Center how many time they have to page out calls sometimes before they get enough manpower to respond)
Then there will be the full time vs. volunteer mind set. The full timers will get 100% of the calls, and 98% of the time they will be able to handle them. Is that 2% enough to keep volunteers interested? Many departments have wrestled with that for years.
Response times will be slower,as the volunteers will have to come from home or work. Then there is the matter of the volunteers responding on the streets of town to the stations....
I read a list of "Firefighters Close Calls" We die every day on the job of heart related causes, and it's not just older members, Firefighters in their 30's die too. Firefighting is the most hazardous profession in the world.
Someone suggested changing to the same shift schedule as the police. Good idea - but you have to hire more firefighters to staff 3 shifts at the same levels you have now, because of time off and illnesses.
Staff Public works 24-7? maybe if GM were still here. Even Chicago does not fully staff Public Works full time.
Emergency services is one place NOT to play with manpower. Look at what has happened in this town in the last several days. Could it have all turned out Ok with less manpower and equipment?
Hire Firefighters and paramedics, not ice arenas!
On State Department wants $478K renovation to kitchen of Gov's Mansion
Posted on December 8 at 4:32 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
wislady wrote..."How may of you are still working in a kitchen from 1986?"
Except for the paint and fridge, ours is from the 60's and still works fine.
On Delay in I-90 widening project proposed
Posted on November 23 at 11:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
witsend: there is NO toll option. I-90 was built as a freeway with federal funds for the interstate highway project. By Federal law it can not be turned into a tollway. The Illinois Toll Highways were built with bonds that allowed it to be a tollway.
IF Wisconsin wants a Tollway, they must build it.
They could convert the hwy 26 bypass to tolls.
On Wis. spends $26k on new Capitol police uniforms
Posted on November 22 at 8:28 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is a no brainer on a slow news day.
Gazette, check the budget for what Janesville spends every year replacing uniforms for the police. Current prices for quality uniform shirts are over $50 each, and pants about $40, most issues are 5 or 6 sets of winter uniforms, summer uniforms.
On Was council wise to reject referendums?
Posted on January 15 at 3:26 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
No in this case the Council missed the boat here. Now instead of seeing what the voting (and tax paying) public wants to see done, we the people will be forced to accept what ever cuts or increases the Council feels is "right". Not what the people ( who elected them to serve US, not the other way around) are willing to pay - or not pay. They missed a great opportunity here to be held blameless. "Hey that what you voted for - don't blame us"