Come see the fall of a city
August 12, 2015 Leave a comment
http://player.cinchcast.com/?platformId=1&assetType=single&assetId=7843451
August 3, 2015 Leave a comment
Pattern or Practice peels the veneer off that shoddy pretense and provides a stark view of what institutionalized racism looks like. a small Midwestern town, once a manufacturing powerhouse, is a backsliding, post-industrial community with a race problem so pervasive that disbelief is nearly always the observer’s first reaction. By the time the final credits are rolling, that disbelief is replaced by anger, disgust, perhaps shame and hopefully a desire for change.
Pattern or Practice features restaurant bar owners who had their licenses and businesses taken by city elected officials. The footage includes interviews with business owners who, with their own words and emotions, outline the abuse and harassment they experienced at the hands of the city. The film uses documentation from actual committee meetings, network news casts and articles that ran in the local newspaper.
The title, Pattern or Practice, comes from the Justice Department term meaning: pattern of discrimination that has been conducted against a group of persons or an issue of general public importance. The film focuses on the practice of selective legal enforcement that is enabled by a passive public perception of “I’m glad it’s not me”. County Supervisor and owner of the local black newspaper, Ken Lumpkin, states “I was raised in Montgomery Alabama during the marches for freedom with Dr. King and thought this type of activity was dead.”
August 2, 2015 2 Comments
One of my favorite cartoons on the Great John Dickert Mayor of Racine is above
To the Story
As you know (because our Mayor is telling us) The City of Racine in land locked we can not grow away from the Lake, if I understand correctly from time to time The City of Racine has tried to trade with the Village of Mount Pleasant for land south of the City in and around Mead St (East) to I understand say 21 St (south) but Mount Pleasant is not interested.
This is one of the reasons we are told Root Works needs to happen this idea would give Racine areas to develop (just like the old Porter’s Project!) You know the City gives the owner Money a TIF is made the streets turn to Gold
Porter’s project today
Not the project we hoped for (Photo from the Journal Times)
So with many needs and many Court Cases in Federal Court what is a Mayor to do?
How does he find the money?
Might a way be Water Rates with forcing as many as possible to buy Water from the City of Racine?
After all the Poor Farmers on Hwy V will not only be made to pay for the Water and Sewage lines run thorough the Farmers land into Caledonia TID 4 (now that is a story that may yet end up in court and be rather upsetting to many in the Racine GOP perhaps even Governor Walker)
Not only will they have to pay for the lines but over time buy City of Racine Water use City of Racine Sewer with that money going to our dear Mayor’s pocket!
Just think how much Water a farmer may have to use!
As well if/when Caledonia builds up how many more homes/businesses will be buying The City of Racine Water at what is seen by some as high rates that our Mayor could jack up at anytime!
Racine in Ruins a Muckrakers Dream 