They've arrived!

We had bird nests skillfully woven together in the womb of our hanging planters. I believe one is a house wren, but don't quote me on that. The other very "newborn" hatchlings are black-capped chickadees. We have been watching the process for weeks and both nests are now filled with new life!

First pic of the house wrens one week ago....

Yesterday's pic...one week old

Just hatched! Black-capped chickadees.

It's a banana bread kind of day....

West Bend Police Department Puts Smack Down on Thank-You Card for Sen. Grothman

Thought I'd try to do a nice thing...

WEST BEND – Over 100 signatures were collected within a matter of hours today at West Bend’s city hall in response to a recall effort for State Senator Glenn Grothman.

The signatures, however, were on a “thank you” card for Grothman.

“We love Senator Glenn Grothman,” said card maker Ginny Maziarka. “I knew my simple card would be well received.”

Instead, I was dissed by my own police department...

A town of West Bend woman said she will file complaints about how she was treated by West Bend police officers Tuesday as she attempted to gather signatures on a thank you card for a local politician.

...

Next, Maziarka said, a West Bend police officer told her that it was illegal for her to ask people to sign the card as they approached City Hall, and she could only collect signatures as voters exited. Maziarka said the officer told her to turn her back to people entering.

A short time later, Maziarka said the officer returned with City Clerk Amy Reuteman and Maziarka was given a Government Accountability Board memo addressing the circulation of recall petitions at polling places.

That memo was issued to offer guidance to municipalities of the Government Accountability Board’sinterpretation of a criminal statute pertaining to recall petition signature drives at polling stations, said Mike Haas, GAB staff counsel.

Said Maziarka: “I looked through the bullet points on the memo and could find nothing that related to thank you cards. I saw vague terminology asking to refrain from ‘campaign activity’ and what petitioners ‘should not’ do. I saw nothing about thank you cards,” she said.

__________________________________________________________

Some of the more interesting things I heard that day:

• We need more senators like him!
• This is great!
• Someone's got to get the budget in line.
• I just gave $500 to his campaign. Does that tell you how I feel about Glenn Grothman?

On the card:

• Never quit!
• Thanks for all you do.
• God bless!
• Power to the people!
• Keep up the fight!
• Great ideas about voucher to private schools!
• You make us proud!
• We are thankful that you are wiling to stand up for our beliefs. We appreciate your courage!

Here are some photos from the "eventful" day:

RICHFIELD VILLAGE TRUSTEE FORUM TURNS OUT CROWD

CANDIDATE REID SNEDAKER RECEIVES HEARTY SUPPORT AT EAGLE FORUM EVENT

September 8, 2010

Richfield: Richfield Village Trustee Candidate Reid Snedaker was in the hot seat at the Richfield Elementary School Wednesday night sponsored by Eagle Forum of Wisconsin-Washington County Chapter.  Randy Melchert, political analyst and past Wisconsin State Assembly candidate, moderated the event.  During opening remarks, Snedaker described himself as a  “very staunch conservative, both fiscally and socially.”

With the recall election on this coming Tuesday, Snedaker took advantage of the opportunity and shared views with an audience of nearly 80. Topics included the controversial Neighborhood Activity Center, sewer and water services for Richfield, and the Farmland Preservation Program. Incumbent Trustee Rock Brandford was unable to attend, citing a conflict in his schedule.

Snedaker said it was a difficult decision to run for village trustee. “Those who know me” would understand his strong determination for less government interference in the village he calls home.  When asked when sewer and water should become part of the Village of Richfield infrastructure, Snedaker soundly stated “never,” and clarified that the village needs to remain a “country” entity.  “It’s important that we protect your personal property rights - that you can use your property, in general, as you see fit,” Snedaker said.

Commenting on the touchy issue of the Neighborhood Activity Center, Snedaker says that it will create a major traffic hazard, but “more importantly, it is out of character for the Village of Richfield - that does not fit.”

One attendee stated after the forum that her family had moved to Richfield from West Allis because of the country appeal, and that her family is opposed to changes that would bring in strip malls, gas stations and other businesses that would transform the village area into a city atmosphere.

"Forums are a great way for candidates to address important issues for their constituents," stated Ginny Maziarka, Eagle Forum of Wisconsin, Washington County president.  "We were grateful to have Randy Melchert attend as our moderator. The voters are hungry for information before the general election, and this is an excellent op portunity for candidates to share with voters why they should belong in office."

Video of the forum can be viewed below.

Watch the Richfield Candidate Forum on VIDEO Here......

This is the entire video of the Richfield Village Trustee Candidate Forum hosted by Eagle Forum last night, September 8 at the Richfield Elementary School.


Richfield Trustee Forum from Randy Melchert on Vimeo.

Timeline Outlines Hijacking of West Bend Library

Publication: West Bend Daily News;

Date: Aug 19, 2010;

Section: Opinion;

Page: A6

GUESTVIEW

Timeline outlines hijacking of library
By GINNY MAZIARKA 



    Over one year past the efforts of West Bend Citizens for Safe Libraries to work with the West Bend Library, Young Adult librarian Kristin Pekoll, and Director Michael Tyree, let’s re-visit the outcome: Children are exposed to sexually explicit materials in the young adult section of West Bend’s Community Memorial Library, and this won’t be changing any time soon.

    During last year’s battle with our Library Board and the American Library Association (ALA), more than 1,500 citizens had voiced their concerns, requesting easy identification of such materials and appropriate placement in the adult section of our library; a request was made to place porn filtering software on our public computers. This common sense approach to assisting parents was rejected; these requests were met with a resounding “no.”

    Our library board caved to the pressures of a national organization instead of meeting the requests of the community they serve. The ALA went on to use West Bend as an example of its power over the people with a special invitation to our librarians and board members to share this victory at an annual conference.

    In what appears to be a continued assertion of authority, the ALA gave $1,000 to Maria Hanrahan, founder of West Bend Parents for Free Speech, to help in the “fight.” What, in my opinion, appeared to be a bribe could very well be what sealed the deal and motivated others to gravitate toward the ALA.

    Those who value our library, contribute to, support and regularly use the library should ponder this quote from a California group opposing Proposition 81 in 2006: “The values espoused by the American Library Association are so divorced from the values of our community that we would seriously consider ... going back to the days of a city library under local control, rather than giving one thin dime to an institution controlled by an organization that believes in ‘all materials for all patrons regardless of age.’”

    West Bend would do well to take heed of the above verbiage and consider what has become of our fine library under the auspices of the ALA.

    West Bend parents/taxpayers should take the time to educate themselves on what took place behind the scenes during the controversy by visiting https://westbend.pbworks.com. This same timeline is also entered into the archives at the Wisconsin Historical Library and is an extensive effort that has taken over a year to build. It is filled with numerous emails and other forms of communication that have never been seen publicly, which will reveal the efforts of our library board members and librarians to raise their fist at the parents of West Bend. The correspondence on this timeline includes conversations from city leadership such as Mayor Deiss, attorney Mary Schanning, attorney Warren Kraft, Nick Dobberstein, Barb Deters and more.

    Most importantly, this timeline will also confirm the covert involvement of national organizations to oppress small communities, undermine community standards and push the liberal agenda of the American Library Association.

    If you didn’t believe it before, you’ll believe it now. West Bend’s public library has been hijacked. It is no longer a safe place for your children. Families beware. Take action to protect your children and the conservative values of the city you call home.

    (Ginny Maziarka is a local blogger, town of West Bend resident and president of Eagle Forum of WI/Washington County, formerly West Bend Citizens for Safe Libraries.) 

Reilly and Van De Water go head-to-head in West Bend - Cty Supervisors square off

It was an interesting forum if you weren't able to tune in to the community cable channel.  Check the schedule and catch it if you get a chance.  Here are a couple of videos that show the closing comments of Van De Water and Reilly.  The darts were flying..........

Only three of the TEN Washington County Supervisors attended.  Constituents should be offended that their supervisor candidates were disinterested in sharing their platform with the taxpayers who will be placing their ballots in the box in less than a week.  Supervisor candidates Mike Bassill, Robert Adam (inc.) and John Bichler carried on a respectful, informative and amicable discussion.

Missing were:  Ralph Hensel, David Krochalk, Paul Ustruck, John Stern, Daniel Zell, Richard Bertram and Donald Stern.

West Bend Citizens for Safe Libraries gets NEW NAME! EAGLE FORUM endorses new Chapter!

WEST BEND CITIZENS FOR SAFE LIBRARIES is receiving a new name!

 

Due to the many, many local issues throughout West Bend and Washington county and the large interest of local citizens and taxpayers to stay informed, WBCFSL is merging with a larger organization and will come under the "wings" of Eagle Forum of Wisconsin. 

 

West Bend Citizens for Safe Libraries is now:

 

EAGLE FORUM OF WISCONSIN - 

WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAPTER

 

Our new email address is:

 

eagleforumWC@gmail.com

 

We are currently working on a website where you will be able to stay on top of the latest WEST BEND and WASHINGTON COUNTY happenings.  School Board proceedings, City Council meetings, various city board meetings and other issues that may need YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!

 

Please feel free to view the Eagle Forum home website HERE.

or

The Eagle Forum Wisconsin website HERE.

 

Our Mission Statement is HERE.

 

THE EAGLE FORUM invites you to build a better educated, safer, stronger America based on traditional values.

 

We are excited to be of service to our community in a way that helps to get the word out quickly!

 

Stay tuned!

 

Ginny Maziarka, President

Donald Fagan, Vice President

Eagle Forum of Wisconsin, Washington County Chapter

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Email:  eagleforumWC@gmail.com

Testimony in opposition to AB 458

West Bend Citizens for Safe Libraries received Eagle Award from Schlafly for West Bend Library Battle

Here I am receiving the Eagle Award from Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum at the How To Take Back America conference in honor of the work we did on behalf of the parents in West Bend regarding the sexually explicit books in the West Bend Library.

Mark Belling writes column on West Bend Library Board

Well said.


"I’ve dealt with a lot of arrogant government officials in my career (former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson and former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist top the list) and a lot of sanctimonious ones (Russ Feingold and former Milwaukee County Supervisor Dan Diliberti). I’ve certainly met some hypocritical ones (Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard) and some abusive spenders and money wasters (almost any school board comes to mind). I’ve had my run-ins with officials who behave like tinhorn dictators (former Menomonee Falls Village President Joe Greco). But until the last couple of months, I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered a pack of public officials as bad as the West Bend Library Board. With the state Legislature passing the worst public policy document in Wisconsin history, the Iranian mullahs slaughtering pro-democracy demonstrators and the president trying to socialize government health care and even with Brett Favre unretiring for the 84th time, there are other things I should be writing about. But this board in West Bend is so amazingly over the top that it is screaming for exposure.


.....

They won’t move the porn and won’t let anybody tell them they have to. But that didn’t stop a bunch of concerned West Bend citizens. Doing exactly what those in a free society have every right to do, they pressured the board and city council to reverse the decision. This is what America is supposed to be all about – citizens petitioning their government to respect the public will.

For this they have been abused by the library board and its supporters. But last week, the board, led by local leftie Barbara Deters, went to an extreme that is beyond belief. Appalled they were told by the city attorney they had to comply with state law and share e-mails about the library issue, the board voted to hire an outside attorney in attempt to keep their e-mails secret! It is basic Wisconsin law that all correspondence and documents of any public employee, including e-mails, are public records. The astonishingly arrogant library board in West Bend doesn’t think that law includes them. So, it’s ignoring the city attorney and hiring a lawyer using ENDOWMENT funds! Money that has been donated over the years to purchase quality materials for the West Bend Library is being looted by board members who want to keep breaking the law. They’ll be paying $250 an hour.

Ponder this: The West Bend Library Board believes children have a right to see gay pornography but the public doesn’t have a right to see public records.

I’ll repeat that: The West Bend Library Board believes children have a right to see gay pornography but the public doesn’t have a right to see public records."

West Bender comments on "Blog Wars"

Comment from GAWKER.com ( http://gawker.com/5292791/small+town-wisconsin-has-its-own-blog-wars-thank-you-very-much)


Note: Two parenthetical edits have been made due to explicit content of post. Please see link above for unedited comment.

Ascender

2:56 PM Holy (explicit). I am a proud graduate of West Bend West High School (the other half of that picture...(explicit) the Suns) and the son of the Library Board President for West Bend. This raging local squabble has consumed my phone calls home for the last two months...seeing it on here is like some weird media warp into my inquiries as to the home front.

And while the locals are using the internets to get in each others proverbial faces...just try reading that on the online version of the local rag, The West Bend Daily News, which has online content for newspaper subscribers only. NYTimes take note! If it can work in small town Wisconsin, it can work for you!